These records cover the years 1805-1829, which overlap with the time period of the War of 1812. They document the formation of the Westborough Light Infantry, its administration, and its training activities, and they include meeting minutes, committee reports, warrants, treasury accounts, bills and receipts, and military orders.
Official collection name: Records of the Westborough Light Infantry, 1805-1829
Location: Shelving and Oversize
Local identifier: OD.006
Creator: Westborough Light Infantry, Second Division, Second Brigade, Seventh Division of the Massachusetts Militia
Date: 1805-1829
Extent: 2.5 linear feet (1 box + materials in the Military Oversize Box)
Subject: Westborough Light Infantry; United States–History–War of 1812
Finding aid: OD006 – Westborough Light Infantry
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Records of the Westborough Light Infantry, 1805-1829: Finding Aid
Last Revised: March 14, 2016
Collection Summary
Collection number: OD.006
Collection title: Records of the Westborough Light Infantry, 1805-1829
Dates: 1805-1829
Size: 2.5 linear feet (1 box + materials in the Military Oversize Box).
Creator/Collector: The Westborough Light Infantry, Second Division, Second Brigade, Seventh Division of the Massachusetts Militia
Acquisitions info.: Transferred to the Westborough Public Library from the Town Clerk’s Office, which retains official custody of the collection.
Custodial history: This collection was among a group of historical records that were transferred from the Town Clerk’s Office vault to the Westborough Public Library during the renovation of Town Hall starting in 2013. The records in this collection were housed in a wooden box labeled, “War of 1812,” and were donated to the Town by Alfred H. Longley.
Language(s): English
Repository: The Westborough Public Library
Processed by: Anthony T. Vaver, 2014
Rights and Access
Access restrictions: Collection is open for research
Physical access restrictions: None, although researchers are encouraged to use any available digital images from the collection
Publication rights: All records are in the public domain.
Organizational History
The Westborough Light Infantry, Second Division, Second Brigade, Seventh Division of the Massachusetts Militia was officially formed on May 1, 1810. The Company regularly met to train throughout its existence, first at Capt. Daniel Gregory’s Inn and then at the Armory. Its history includes the War of 1812, although due to the State’s reluctance to disrupt trade, Massachusetts soldiers saw limited action during the war and did not actively participate in it until 1814. A note included in the collection by Alfred H. Longley says that the Company served in the War from September 10, 1814 to November 1, 1814.
Scope and Content Note
These records cover the years 1805-1829, which overlap with the time period of the War of 1812. They document the formation of the Westborough Light Infantry, its administration, and its training activities, and they include meeting minutes, committee reports, warrants, treasury accounts, bills and receipts, and military orders.
This collection was among a group of historical records that were transferred from the Town Clerk’s Office vault to the Westborough Public Library during the renovation of Town Hall starting in 2013. The records were housed in a wooden box labeled, “War of 1812,” with a note tacked to the inside lid stating that the collection was donated to Westborough by Alfred H. Longley and “contains ‘Original Records’ of Westborough in the War of 1812.”
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Administration
Box 1
Folder
1.01 Meeting Minutes: 4/3/1809 – 8/24/1810
1.02 Committee Report to Revise the Bylaws, 1815
1.03 Committee Reports, 1805-1817
1.04 List of Barracks, n.d.
Military Oversize Box
Folder
M.09 Bylaws of the Westborough Light Infantry, 1817
M.10 Mishandling of Officer Elections, 1822 [Note: see also the Regimental Order for August 26, 1822 (Folder 1.23).]
Series 2: Personnel
Box 1
Folder
1.05 Sergeant Warrants, 1810-1828
1.06 Covenants Signed by Infantrymen, 1809-1810
1.07 Infantry Lists, 1813-1818
1.08 War of 1812 Soldiers of Westborough, Sept. 10th to Nov. 1st 1814 (compiled list), n.d.
1.09 Fines, 1812
1.10 Arrests, 1818
1.11 Court Martial, 1814
1.12 Discharges, 1817-1818 [Note: Discharges also appear in the Brigade Orders (Folder 1.22).]
Series 3: Finance
Box 1
Folder
1.13 Treasury Account Book, 10/1811 – 5/1829
1.14 Treasury Account, 1812
1.15 Orders for Payment, 1815-1816
1.16 Bills and Receipts, 1810-1815, n.d.
1.17 Invoices of Property in the Armory, 1820-1827
1.18 Correspondence, 1815-1818
1.19 Subscription and Receipt for Military Standard on Behalf of the Ladies of Westborough, 1823
Military Oversize Box
Folder
M.11 Pay Rolls, 1814
M.12 Treasury Accounts, 1813-1826
Series 4: Orders
Box 1
Folder
1.20 General Orders, 1814 (Staff appointments, including Benjamin Pond, Surgeon, and John Webster, Mate)
1.21 Division Orders, 1814
1.22 Brigade Orders, 1814-1824
1.23 Regimental Orders, 1810-1828
1.24 Evening Orders, 1814
1.25 Company Orders, 1814-1816
1.26 Company Orders, 1817
1.27 Company Orders, 1818
1.28 Company Orders, 1819-1821
1.29 Company Orders, 1822 [Note: a Company Order also appears on the back of the Regimental Order for August 26, 1822 (Folder 1.23).]
1.30 Company Orders, 1823
1.31 Company Orders, 1824
1.32 Company Orders, 1825
1.33 Company Orders, 1827
1.34 Company Orders, 1828
1.35 Company Orders, 1829
Military Oversize Box
Folder
M.13 General Orders, 1814-1822
M.14 Brigade Orders, 1822
Series 5: Labels from the Old Storage Box
Box 1
Folder
1.36 Original Storage Labels from the “War of 1812” Box