The Perrigo Genealogy & Research Home Page - The Perrigo Papers Vol. II 1981

Vol. II - THE PERRIGO PAPERS - No. 1, page 3
Robert E. Bishop, Editor - MAY, 1981

Perrigos at the battles of Hubbardton and Bennington - After Davids enlistment on Christmas day, 1776, David and his brother Rufus (whose date of enlistment is not known) left Albany for the north with Seth Warner's militia. They marched up to Fort Ticonderoga which at that time was the pivotal point in the conflict between the British and the Americans.
American troops had to retreat from the British. They were under the command of St. Clair who was being pressed south by the British commander General Fraser. To slow Fraser’s advance, St. Clair left Seth Warners mlitia as a rear guard. The British caught up with Warner at Hubbardton on the morning of July 1, 1777. One cammander of the Americans, Hale, surrendered to the British, leaving Warner and our Perrigo ancestors to fend for themselves. Seth’s final orders to his boys was to the effect, "Every man for himself, get out of here, I will meet you in Manchester." - as he galloped away on his horse.
As for David and Rufus, they were actually retreating in the direction of the family home in Pownal, Vt. 90 miles to the south. Between Hubbardton and Pownal the famous battle of Bennington was to take place and it was during this battle that David was to make his mark in history. The Cutler account (previously cited) tells it in the following words: '[David] was a drummer under Capt. Simeon Smith, in Col. Seth Warner’s regiment of Vermont and New Hampshire; enlisting at Albany on the above date for three years. The Vermont rolls show that he was from Pownal, Vt. James and David Perrigo, along with Rufus, signed a Petition (Vermont Hist. Soc. Coll. V.i, p. 284). He engaged in the battles of Hubbardton and Bennington. In 1818 he was living in Highgate, VT.
"At the battle of Bennington, his drum was ruined by a British bullet, and, kicking the worthless instrument down the hill, he seized the musket of a fallen comrade and went into the night froom which he emerged with a drum captured from the enemy. He beat this drum at the funeral of his good friend, Ethan Allen."

There is no proof that the drum in the above sketch is the one that David took from the British soldier. More to the point is the fact
that the battle was fought just 14 miles north
of Pownal where the Perrigos had lived many years previous to the conflict.
Frederick Perrigo [25], as yet to be clearly established as David’s brother, lived in Pownal along with Rufus both before and after the war. He was to return to Pownal to marry Mary Vanornam who, like Frederick, was born in Pownal. Pownal was settled by Dutch settlers and Mary’s father was one of the founding fathers. Official records show that Frederick was in Capt. David Comstock’s Co., In the Battalion of infantry in the service of the state of Vermont commanded by Saml. Fletcher, Esq, LT. Col. his service date was from Nov 26, 1791 for 149 days. He traveled
80 miles and received pay in the amount of a little more than, 10 Pounds.
Rufus Perrigo [19] was in the same company as Frederick [25] and served as Corporal until Sept. 15, 1791, at which time he was ‘reduced to rank, broke and drumed out of camp." Rufus was paid only 5 Pounds (plus) for his service.

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