Ensign George Burnham, 2nd Regiment, New Hampshire Continental Line
George Burnham was born in 1742 in Somersworth, New Hampshire. He was the son of Nathaniel and Mehitable (Colbraith) Burnham. On May 5, 1770, George Burnham married Sarah Rogers. Sometime after this, he and his family settled in New Durham, New Hampshire.
George Burnham enlisted in 1775 in Captain Jonathan Wentworth’s company of the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment commanded by Colonel Enoch Poor. He was promoted to Sergeant on March 18, 1777.
Sergeant Burnham was commissioned as an Ensign in Captain Frederick Mordaunt Bell’s Company of the 2nd Regiment, New Hampshire Continental Line on September 20, 1777. During the Continental Army’s encampment at Valley Forge he is listed in this capacity on the Muster Roll. He is further marked as “Present” from December 1777 – June 1778.
In 1780, the New Hampshire Line was on duty at West Point and subsequently marched to New Jersey and then back to New York. During this time, Ensign Burnham is listed in Captain Moses Dustin’s company.
In 1831, George’s widow, applied and was granted a pension for his service (W24684). Later his son, John, also applied for a pension for his father’s service.
Sources: Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army, (Baltimore, 1914), 134; Adjutant-General of the State of New Hampshire, Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New Hampshire, Volume II, (Concord, 1866), 356; Pension Application of Sarah Burnham and George Burnham; Selected Wartime Service Records of Ensign George Burnham.
