The Artificial Intelligence tools (like ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot, Gemini, Grok, Meta, Grok, and Perplexity) can provide much useful and nearly instant information about subjects in a concise format, especially when they have been pre-trained on a large volume of information about the subjects.
I wondered if the FREE AI tools could provide me with information about the events in the Revolutionary War experienced by my 4th great-grandfather, Isaac Buck (1757-1846) of Massachusetts.
I created a summary of Isaac Buck's military service gleaned from my genealogical research and information in his pension file. My genealogical sketch for Isaac Buck is 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 69: #78 Isaac Buck (1757-1846) and was attached to the prompt.
(AI NotebookLM Infographic of Isaac Buck's service)
1) I used the responses from free Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 recently.
My Prompt was: "Please summarize Isaac Buck's (1757-1846) Revolutionary War military service in chronological order based on the attached document."
2) The free Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 AI tool responded with:
Isaac
Buck's Revolutionary War Service: A Detailed Account
Overview
of Service (1775-1783)
Isaac Buck's military service in the
American Revolutionary War spanned approximately eight years, from
1775 when he was just seventeen years old until the disbanding of the
Continental Army in June 1783. His service was both extensive and
varied, taking him through multiple companies, regiments, and
military roles as the colonies fought for independence from Great
Britain.
Early
Service: 1775
Isaac Buck's military career began in
1775, the momentous year when the "shot heard round the world"
was fired at Lexington and Concord in April. The young man from
Southborough, barely eighteen years old, enlisted in Captain
Benjamin Hastings' company of Bolton, which served under
Colonel Asa Whitcomb's regiment.
This was a time of urgent mobilization
across Massachusetts, as colonial militia companies rushed to respond
to British military actions. Isaac's decision to serve at such a
young age—and having come from an unconventional family
situation—demonstrates remarkable courage and commitment to the
patriot cause.
Artillery
Service: 1776
The year 1776 marked a significant
evolution in Isaac's military role. He became a matross
in Captain James Swan's company, part of Colonel
James Craft's regiment. This specialized position was both
dangerous and physically demanding.
A matross was a private soldier assigned
to artillery units who performed essential support functions for the
gunners. These duties included:
Loading
the heavy artillery pieces with powder and shot
Firing
the cannons on command
Sponging
out the barrels between shots to extinguish any remaining sparks
that could cause premature detonation
Moving
and positioning the heavy guns
Maintaining
the artillery equipment
Assisting with the transport of
ammunition
This work required physical strength,
courage under fire, and technical knowledge. Artillery positions were
prime targets for enemy fire, making the work particularly hazardous.
Isaac's assignment to this role at age eighteen or nineteen suggests
he was physically capable and trusted with these critical
responsibilities.
Also during 1776-1777, Isaac served in
Captain Philip Marett's company, indicating he may
have transferred between units or served in multiple capacities
during this pivotal period of the war.
Continental
Army Service: 1777-1779
Isaac's service continued with the 14th
Regiment as part of Captain Zebedee Redding's
company, serving among the Bolton Continental
Soldiers from 1777 to 1779. This unit operated under Colonel
Gamaliel Bradford's regiment.
During 1778, he also served in Captain
John Houghton's company of Colonel Josiah Whitney's
regiment, demonstrating the fluid nature of Continental Army
assignments as soldiers were moved to meet military needs.
This period encompassed some of the most
challenging years of the Revolutionary War, including:
The
British occupation of Philadelphia (1777-1778)
The harsh
winter at Valley Forge (1777-1778)
The
Franco-American alliance (1778)
Major battles in the northern and
middle colonies
Extended
Artillery Service: 1779-1783
Isaac's most significant and longest
period of continuous service came from December 1779 through June
1783, when he served in the Continental Artillery. He was assigned to
Captain Thomas Jackson's company of Colonel
John Crane's Third Artillery Regiment, operating under the
overall command of General Henry Knox.
The
Third Artillery Regiment
Colonel John Crane's Third Artillery
Regiment was one of the Continental Army's regular artillery units,
and General Henry Knox—who would later become the first U.S.
Secretary of War—commanded all Continental artillery forces. Knox
was one of George Washington's most trusted officers and played
crucial roles in major campaigns throughout the war.
Serving in this unit meant Isaac was part
of the professional, standing Continental Army rather than short-term
militia service. He enlisted in December 1779 and remained with this
unit continuously until the war's end.
Duties
and Experiences
As a private in the artillery regiment
during this period, Isaac would have:
Participated
in the regular drilling and training that characterized Knox's
well-disciplined artillery corps
Helped
transport, position, and operate the various sizes of artillery
pieces
Stood
guard duty at military installations
Endured
the hardships of military camp life, including inadequate
provisions, harsh winters, and disease
Possibly participated in military
operations in the northern theater of war
The
Final Years and Disbandment
Isaac's own sworn testimony in his
pension application provides important details about this period: "I
entered and engaged in the land service of the United States on the
continental establishment, and served accordingly from that time to
the end of the war as a private against the common enemy without any
interruption or absence."
He specifically stated that he "belonged
to Captain Jackson's company of Artillery in Colonel Crane's Regiment
under the command of General Knox, and that I left the service in the
month of June 1783 at West Point when the Army was disbanded."
This places Isaac at West Point,
New York, in June 1783 during one of the most significant
moments in American military history—the peaceful disbanding of the
Continental Army following the Treaty of Paris that officially ended
the Revolutionary War.
The
Newburgh Conspiracy
Being at West Point in 1783 means Isaac
was present during or shortly after the Newburgh Conspiracy
of March 1783, when disgruntled officers, angry about unpaid wages
and pensions, contemplated mutiny against Congress. George
Washington's personal intervention and famous address to his officers
defused this crisis. Isaac, as an enlisted soldier, would have
witnessed the tensions of this period and the ultimate peaceful
resolution that preserved civilian control of the military.
Marriage
During Service
Remarkably, Isaac managed to marry Martha
"Patty" Phillips on May 18, 1780, in Lancaster,
Massachusetts, while still actively serving in the Continental Army.
This suggests he received leave or was stationed close enough to
Massachusetts to return home for the ceremony. The fact that he
married during active service and then returned to duty demonstrates
his commitment both to his personal life and to his military
obligations.
The
Physical Toll of Service
Isaac's later pension records reveal that
his military service took a lasting physical toll. In his 1820
pension application, at age sixty-two, he reported being "wholly
unable to labour the present season on account of a wound in his
shoulder in May last - and never expects to perform much labour
hereafter."
While this specific shoulder wound
occurred in 1819, decades after the war, Isaac's years of military
service—particularly the grueling work as an artillery matross and
private—undoubtedly contributed to his physical decline in old age.
The heavy lifting, exposure to the elements, poor nutrition, and
general hardships of eight years of military service would have
lasting effects on any soldier's health.
Lost
Discharge Papers
In his pension application, Isaac noted
with evident regret that "My discharge was lost from my pocket
many years since and is not in existence." This was not
uncommon—many veterans lost their discharge papers over the decades
following the war. These documents were precious proof of service but
were vulnerable to the accidents of daily life. Isaac's loss of this
paper made establishing his pension claim more difficult, though his
service was ultimately verified through military records.
Recognition
and Pension
Isaac's service was officially recognized
when he was granted a Revolutionary War pension of eight dollars per
month, commencing April 8, 1818. This pension was vital to his
survival in old age, as the detailed inventory of his meager
possessions in 1820 makes clear.
In the 1840 census, when Isaac was
eighty-three years old, he was specifically listed in the special
enumeration of Revolutionary War veterans still living—a
recognition of his contribution to American independence.
Summary
of Service Record
Isaac Buck's complete military record
shows service in:
Captain
Benjamin Hastings' company (Bolton), Colonel Asa Whitcomb's
regiment - 1775
Captain
James Swan's company (as matross), Colonel James Craft's
regiment - 1776
Captain
Philip Marett's company - 1776-1777
Captain
John Houghton's company, Colonel Josiah Whitney's regiment
- 1778
Captain
Zebedee Redding's company, 14th Regiment, Colonel Gamaliel
Bradford's regiment - 1777-1779
Captain Thomas Jackson's
company, Colonel John Crane's Third Artillery Regiment,
under General Henry Knox - 1779-1783
His service represents the experience of
thousands of common soldiers who sustained the Revolutionary cause
through years of hardship, fighting, and sacrifice. Unlike officers
whose exploits were recorded in detail, private soldiers like Isaac
left fewer records, but their collective service made American
independence possible. Isaac Buck served continuously from age
seventeen until age twenty-five—giving the prime years of his youth
to secure the freedom of his nation.
3) I wanted more information about the Continental Army service years, 1777-1783. I asked Google Gemini 3 to describe the military actions taken by the companies and rwgiments that Isaac Buck served in, and received this response:Based on historical records, the regiments and companies in which Isaac Buck served were involved in several of the most critical campaigns of the American Revolutionary War.
14th Massachusetts Regiment (Bradford’s Regiment)
Period: 1777–1779
Commanders: Colonel Gamaliel Bradford and Captain Zebedee Redding
As part of the Continental Army (the "Massachusetts Line"), this regiment participated in the following major actions:
Saratoga Campaign (1777): The regiment served in the Northern Department and fought in the battles leading up to the British surrender at Saratoga. This victory is widely considered the turning point of the war.
Valley Forge (Winter 1777–1778): Records show that Colonel Bradford’s 14th Regiment was part of the main army that endured the brutal winter encampment at Valley Forge under General George Washington.1
Battle of Monmouth (June 1778):2 After leaving Valley Forge, the regiment fought in the Battle of Monmouth Court House in New Jersey, one of the largest one-day battles of the war.
Defense of the Hudson Valley (1779): During the period Isaac Buck served, the regiment was largely stationed in New York (notably at West Point and New Windsor) to guard the strategic Hudson River against British movements.
Colonel Josiah Whitney’s Regiment
Period: 1778
Commander: Captain John Houghton (or Jonathan Houghton)
During the year 1778, Isaac Buck also served in Colonel Josiah Whitney's regiment of the Massachusetts Militia. This unit's actions during that specific timeframe were primarily focused on:
The Rhode Island Campaign (August 1778): This was a major attempt by American and French forces to recapture Newport, Rhode Island.5 Colonel Whitney’s regiment was part of the Massachusetts militia forces called up to support the "Expedition to Rhode Island."
Battle of Rhode Island (August 29, 1778):7 Although the siege of Newport was eventually abandoned, Whitney’s men were part of the retreat and the subsequent engagement known as the Battle of Rhode Island (or Battle of Quaker Hill), where they helped hold off British and Hessian attacks.
Coastal Defense and Guard Duty: When not on active campaign, Whitney's regiment was frequently deployed to guard the Massachusetts and Rhode Island coastlines from British naval raids (such as the "alarms" at Dartmouth and Falmouth).
Gamaliel Bradford's 14th Massachusetts Regiment
Period: 1777-1779
Commander: Captain Zebedee Redding
Based on historical records for Colonel Gamaliel Bradford’s 14th Massachusetts Regiment, Captain Zebedee Redding’s company was involved in several of the most pivotal campaigns of the American Revolution between 1777 and 1779.
The Saratoga Campaign (1777)
The regiment served in the Northern Department during the summer and fall of 1777. They were engaged in the operations leading to the defeat and surrender of British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga. This victory is widely considered the turning point of the war.
The Philadelphia Campaign and Valley Forge (1777–1778)
Following the success at Saratoga, the 14th Massachusetts moved south to join General George Washington's main army.
Defense of Philadelphia: The regiment participated in the maneuvers of the Philadelphia Campaign.
Valley Forge: Records show the regiment was part of the Continental Army during the winter of 1777–1778. They entered the encampment with 407 men assigned, enduring the extreme hardships and lack of supplies that characterized that winter.
The Battle of Monmouth (June 1778)
After breaking camp at Valley Forge, the regiment fought at the Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey. This was one of the largest and most significant set-piece battles of the war, where the Continental Army proved it could stand toe-to-toe with the British regulars in a traditional field engagement.
Garrison Duty and the Hudson Highlands (1779)
During the latter part of Isaac's service in this unit, the 14th Regiment was largely stationed in the Hudson Highlands of New York. Their primary role was the defense of the strategic fortifications at West Point, ensuring that the British in New York City could not seize control of the Hudson River.
Colonel John Crane's Third Artillery Regiment, under General Henry Knox
Period: 1779-1783
Commander: Captain Thomas Jackson
During Isaac Buck’s service from 1779 to 1783, Colonel John Crane’s 3rd Artillery Regiment was a key component of the Continental Army’s specialized firepower. Operating under General Henry Knox, the regiment provided the heavy ordnance required for both field battles and sieges.
As a member of Captain Thomas Jackson’s company, Isaac Buck would have been involved in several major strategic movements and engagements:
Major Military Actions (1779–1783)
Battle of Springfield (June 1780): Elements of the regiment fought in this decisive New Jersey battle, where Continental forces and militia successfully blocked a British advance toward Morristown.
Siege of Yorktown (September–October 1781): This was the regiment’s most famous engagement. Crane’s 3rd Artillery played a vital role in the bombardment of Lord Cornwallis’s defenses. The precision and volume of the American artillery fire—coordinated by General Knox—were critical in forcing the British surrender, which effectively ended major hostilities in North America.
Highlands Department and West Point Duty (1780–1783): Much of the regiment's service during these years involved guarding the Hudson Highlands in New York. Stationed at West Point and New Windsor, they protected the strategic "key to the continent" from British forces based in New York City.
The New Windsor Artillery Park: In the final years of the war (1782–1783), the regiment was stationed at the massive artillery encampment in New Windsor, New York. This was where the Continental Army maintained its heavy guns while awaiting the final peace treaty.
Regiment Facts & Organization
Artillery Tactics: Under Knox’s doctrine, companies like Jackson’s were trained to focus their fire on enemy infantry rather than engaging in "artillery duels" with British cannons. This was meant to maximize their impact on the battlefield.
Muster and Discipline: Company returns from 1780 and 1781 specifically place Captain Thomas Jackson’s company at West Point, confirming their presence in the vital defense of the Hudson River during the time Isaac Buck was enlisted.
Disbandment: The regiment remained active until the very end of the war, eventually being furloughed or disbanded at West Point and other northern posts in late 1783.
4) Here is the Video Overview of this post by Google NotebookLM.
5) I have no doubt that the battle descriptions are correct - history books have been written about the battles and the AI tools were pre-trained on the history books. This particular post is an excellent example of asking the AI tool to summarize the submitted information from a number of sources and put my Revolutionary War soldier in the middle of the historical narrative.
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