Lt. Nathaniel Leavitt, 2nd Regiment N.H. Continental Line
Nathaniel Leavitt was born around 1757 in Hampton, New Hampshire. He was the son of James, Jr. and Sarah (Sanborn) Leavitt.
Nathaniel enlisted in Captain Hezekiah Hutchins’ company of the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment under the command of Colonel James Reed. His residence is given as Hampstead, New Hampshire. Private Leavitt was wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill. His wound is detailed as he “had too [sic] balls shot through his breast which caused some pieces of his breast bone to come out.”
After his convalescence, Nathaniel Leavitt was commissioned as an Ensign in the 3rd Regiment, New Hampshire Continental Line on November 8, 1776. On June 1, 1778, Ensign Leavitt was promoted to Lieutenant.
In October 1780, the Continental Congress passed resolutions providing for what would be the last reorganization of the Continental Army before its final disbandment. Congress determined that on January 1, 1781, the Continental Line should be reduced from 80 regiments to 50.
Under this reorganization, the New Hampshire Line was reduced from three regiments to two by disbanding the 3rd Regiment, New Hampshire Continental Line. Colonel Alexander Scammell completed his tour as Adjutant General of the Continental Army and became the commander of the 1st New Hampshire, and the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment was to be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Reid.
Lieutenant Nathaniel Leavitt was transferred to the 2nd New Hampshire and appears on that Regiment’s rolls from January 1, 1781 until he retired on September 1, 1782. Nathaniel married Mary Elkins on July 2, 1783 in Hampton, New Hampshire.
At some point, they removed to the area around Limerick, York County, Maine. Lieutenant Nathaniel Leavitt died there February 14, 1825.
Sources: Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army, (Baltimore, 1914), 344; Joseph Dow, History of the Town of Hampton, New Hampshire: From its Settlement in 1638, to the Autumn of 1892, (Salem, 1893); The State of New Hampshire, Rolls of the Soldiers in the Revolutionary War, Volume XV, (Concord, 1885); Pension Record of Lieutenant Nathaniel Leavitt W. 24529; Selected Wartime Service Records of Lieutenant Nathaniel Leavitt.
