New Hampshire Provincial Regiment

The New Hampshire Provincial Regiment was a provincial military regiment made up of men from the New Hampshire Militia during the French and Indian War for service with the British Army in North America. It was first formed in 1754 with the start of hostilities with France. 1755 In 1755 Col. Joseph Blanchard was given command, and the regiment sent a company under Robert Rogers to build Fort Wentworth on the upper reaches of the Connecticut River before joining Sir William Johnson's army at Fort Edward in New York. During the Battle of Lake George, Col. Blanchard was in command at Fort Edward. When he heard the battle commence and saw the smoke of burning ox-carts he sent a company under Nathaniel Folsom to reinforce Sir William Johnson's army away. Capt. Folsom's company was able to capture the French baggage train and the French commanding officer Jean Erdman, Baron Dieskau, as the French and Indian forces tried to disengage from Sir William Johnson's main force. After the battle a second battalion was raised under the command of Col. Peter Gilman and sent to reinforce the army at Lake George. Both battalions left Fort Edward in December to return home to New Hampshire except for Robert Rogers' ranger company that stayed behind as part of the winter garrison. 1756 In the spring of 1756 two more battalions were raised, with Col. Nathaniel Meserve in command. The 1st battalion was sent to Nova Scotia and the 2nd to the newly built Fort William Henry. 1757 For the 1757 campaign two more battalions were raised. The 1st would again go to Halifax and the 2nd battalion under the command of Lt. Col John Goffe to Fort William Henery. Of the 200 men from the New Hampshire Provincial Regiment at Fort William Henry 80 were killed in the siege and massacre that followed. With the 1st battalion in Nova Scotia and the 2nd battalion regrouping at Fort Edward a new 3rd battalion of infantry with two attached companies of Dragoons was quickly raised under the command of Maj. Thomas Tash and sent to Fort at Number 4 to protect the western frontier of the state.