| Notes |
- From Jane Sanderman Mason, correspondent, note of January4, 2011
I saw a book mentioned online relative to Pvt. JosephSprague. I ordered the book thru interlibrary loanand the Miami-Dade Public Library sent it to Seattle forme. There is no way to link him to any line. He hadno known descendents so is a "stand-alone" fellow. But what a story!
The Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison, according toworldcat.org, has a copy of the book. The NationalPark Service library in Denver also has a copy. Thebook is fascinating reading.
The book is 8 1/2 x 11 size, very small print, every pagecrammed with words, including inside the front and backcover, 72 pages long. It is heavily researched withcopies of pertinent documents found in the NationalArchives, maps, etc.
I copied a brief outline including the few known factsrelative to Joseph's origins but I would stronglyrecommend anyone interested in the detailed militarycampaigns of his various units, borrow the book.
Joseph L. Sprague (the L. is used on one document)
30June1813: 17yo, b Charlotte Vt., 4'9"
29Nov1816: in Addison county Vt, signed for bounty land
16Feb1821: in Plattsburgh NY, signed bounty land away
11June1823: at Sackett's Harbor, Lake Ontario
24June1828: 30yo, b Vergennes Vt., 5'9"
22Aug1833: 30yo, b Washington county Vt., 5'8"
12Nov1836: b Vegennes Vt., 5'9 1/4"
14Jan1840: 39yo, b Vergennes, 5'8 1/2"
23Mar1843: Fort Pickens Arkansas
4Sept1847: Tallahassee Florida
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Title: 28 December, 1835
Author:White, Nathan W. (Nathan William), 1909-
Publisher:[Fort Lauderdale] : N.W. White, [c1981]
P1
[Foreward]
Thousands of unsung heroes have served with the militaryforces of the United States of American down through theyears since its founding. One such hero was PrivateJoseph Sprague of Vermont who was the last soldier whosurvived Dade's Massacre in Florida on 28 December1835. Early that day, along the 100 mile militaryroad which stretched from Fort Brooks (Tampa) to Fort King(Ocala), a party of 180 Seminole warriors attacked fromambush a command of the United States Army which consistedof seven line officers, one assistant surgeon, one civilianinterpreter and about 100 enlisted men...TheIndians...completely destroyed Dade's Command...[twoenlisted men and the civilian survived]
P2
[Foreward]
Joseph Sprague was born in Charlotte, Vermont about theyear 1796 and died in North Florida about the year1848. He served honorably in the regular UnitedStates Army with the Eleventh Infantry during the War of1812 and with the Second Infantry in the short Black HawkWar in 1832. During the Second Seminole War he served withthe Third Artillery, the Second and Sixth Regiments ofInfantry, and closed out his military service in Floridawith the Seventh Infantry.
In all he enlisted seven times, served more than twenty-oneyears on active duty and received seven honorabledischarges before he was cast out as "unfit for duty."The regiments he served with became some of the most famouscombat outfits of the United States Army. When he wasnot fighting the British, Indianas or the cholera he was onduty on the Great Lakes, Western and SouthernFrontiers. He served in Florida with four differentregiments and it was in Florida where the old soldier fadedaway....
P7
[Capt. Bliss 1813-1815]
...A Green Mountain Boy enlisted "For the War" ...The Warof 1812 and joined Captain Holley's Company of the EleventhInfantry. His name and description were entered onthe Roll of Description and Enlistments in his company'sbook and on the Muster Roll of a Company of Infantry underthe command of Lieutenant John Bliss....30June1813...Sprague Joseph L. b. Charlotte Vt age 17 4 feet9 in light complexion gray eyes light hair
...his name was listed as Joseph L. Sprague but after thatdate the L was left out...
P13
[Capt. Bliss]
Private Sprague received his war baptism during theinvasion of Canada from Sackett's Harbor inOctober-November 1813...
P30
[Lt. DeWitt 1815-1815]
[Bliss' company, Eleventh Infantry, reformed under DeWitt,Sixth Infantry]Muster Roll of a Company of Infantry under the command ofLieut. Henry DeWitt of the Sixth Regiment in theservice of the United States...
13June1815
Sprague, Joseph Private 3March1813 D. Was by Sergt.Cooper Discharged 23May1815 term of service expired.....
(Copy of Joseph Sprague's first honorable discharge whichwas filed with his land bounty application)
...
Little has been learned of Joseph Sprague's activitiesduring the eight years and eighteen days he lived as acivilian following his first honorable discharge...Heapplied for a bounty of land to which he was entitled...On29 November 1816 he was in Addison County, Vermont....On16February1821 at Plattsburgh he practically gave his landaway...
p32
[2nd Infantry Co. H 1823-1828]
Joseph Sprague was enlisted 11June1823.....Spraguewas honorably discharged on 12June1828 because of"expiration of service."
In less than two weeks after receiving his second honorabledischarge Joseph Sprague was back in the United States Armyfor another five year term. Again, he enlisted atSackett's Harbor on Lake Ontario....on the record of histhird enlistment his age was stated as thirty years which,if correct, established his birth year as about 1798. He may have falsified his age the first time so he would beaccepted...
P33
[2nd Infantry Co. G 1828-1832]
24 day of June 1828
I, Joseph Sprague born in Vergennes in the state of Vermontaged thirty years, five feet nine inches high, of lightcomplexion, hazel eyes, sandy hair....his mark...
P37
[2nd Infantry Co. I 1833-1833]
....Joseph Sprague received his third honorable dischargefrom the U.S. Army at the Sault Sainte Marie post on24June1833 for "Expiration of Service."
p38
[3rd Artillery Co. B 1833-1836]...Reinlistment...Joseph Sprague born in Washington County,Vermont, age 30 years, enlisted 22Aug.1833 for threeyears...his mark...
hazle eyes, light brown hair, light complexion, 5'8" high
P57
[3rd Artillery Co. B]
..fourth honorable discharge..Joseph Sprague Private 22Aug1833...Discharged at Fort Defiance...22nd Aug. 36 byreason of Expiration of Service....
P58
[2nd Infantry Co. G 1836-1839]
..fifth enlistment...
Joseph Sprague born Vergennes, Vermont on 12Nov1836 re-enlFor 3 years hazle eyes Sandy complexion Sandy hair 5' 9 1/4"...his mark
...honorably discharged from the Second Infantry during themonth if November 1839 because of the expiration of theirterms of enlistment. Pvt. Joseph Sprague....left FortGilmer on the 12th paid in full "on certificates."
P60
[6th Infantry Co. F 1840-1842]
...sixth enlistment...Joseph Sprague, b. Vergennes Vt 39yrsold, occupation Soldier 14Jan1840
Hazle eye, Sandy hair, Sandy complexion, 5"8 1/2 " high...his mark...
P63
[6th Infantry Co. F]
...Sprague, Joseph Pvt 14Jan1840 Albany...Dischd from FortSmith Ark 14Nov1842...Joseph Sprague did not return to Northern New York afterbeing discharged from the army at Fort Smith as was hiscustom. His small resources were soon exhausted; withany means of supporting himself he was destitute and becamea "camp follower." General Edmund Pendleton Gaineslearned of his plight and ordered his reenlistment whichwas done at Fort Pickens, WF, on 7Jan1843...
Pvt. Joseph Sprague served only 2 1/2 months of his seventhenlistment term for shortly after the record of it reachedWashington orders were issued for his discharge...30April1843...Sprague, Joseph Pvt. Enl 7th Jany 43 at Ft.Pickens...Discharged 23d March 1843 by order of the Adj'tGenl.
.... He had enlisted seven times to serve a total of 28years, 2 months and 20 days.
P64
...He knew he was entitled to an "invalid's pension: andrecalled that General Winfield Scott had promised to helphim secure one when he should retire from the militaryservice so he appealed to the Commanding General ofthe United States Army in Washington...
Barrancas W.F. 7th Novr 1843
Sir
In Oct. 1838 I met Genl Scott in New York who promised mewhenever I was discharged from the Army and on applicationto him he would obtain a pension for me. Being nowout of the Army and no longer fit for Service from age andDisability and dependent on your bounty for clothing andSubsistence I respectfully request you will apply to GenlScott to have my name placed on the pension list.
I have served in the Army twenty-five years being able toShow Honourable discharges in every Regiment I have Servedin. I am now the last and only Survivor of Maj.Dade's Command that was massacred in Florida when I wasSeverely wounded, disabling me from maintaining my self andI sincerely hope that Genl. Scott will obtain for meSomething to Support me in my old age for the few remainingyears left me on this Earth.
I am Sir Very Respty. Your Obt. Servt. Joseph Sprague
P66
.....he died somewhere in Northern Florida. Where wasit and where was he buried? He collected his lastpension payment on 4Sept1847 but failed to show up in March1848 to collect the next one due him...The records of hislast pension payment located in the Washington RecordsCenter were copied as follows..
Pension File Date File No. 25,840 Certificate No. 2672Pension Act. Invalid. Joseph Sprague. TallahasseeAgency.....Tallahassee Sept 4th 1847..Received of F. H.Flagg Agent for paying Pensions Forty Eight Dollars beingfor six months due me from 4thMarch1847 to 4th Sept1847....his mark
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www.dadebattlefield.com
"The Seminole resistance to removal to a reservationbrought about the Second Seminole War. It started onDecember 28,1835, when a column of 107 soldiers led byMajor Dade were ambushed by the Seminole warriors at theDade Battle in Sumter County, Florida." [1]
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Abt 1796 - 1848 (~ 52 years)
[1] 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
