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 5th great-grandfather, John Kemp (1723-1795) of New York and Upper Canada.
A genelaogical sketch for John Kemp is in 52 Ancestors - Week 167: #240 John Kemp (1723-1795) of Fredericksburgh, Ontario and was attached to the prompt.
1) I used the responses from free Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 recently.
My Prompt was: "Please summarize John Kemp's (1723-1795) Revolutionary War military service in chronological order based on the attached document."
2) The free Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 AI tool responded with:
John Kemp's Military Service with the King's Rangers
Overview of Service
Based on the available military records, John Kemp's documented service with the King's Rangers was relatively brief and occurred late in the Revolutionary War. However, the records reveal specific details about his enlistment, postings, and the nature of his service during a critical period of the conflict.
Enlistment: October 1780
John Kemp enlisted as a Private in the King's Rangers on October 13, 1780, at approximately 57 years of age—remarkably advanced for a soldier of that era. He was recruited by Captain Hayden and assigned to Captain Samuel Hayden's Company, which served under the overall command of Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Robert Rogers.
His military description recorded at enlistment:
Rank: Private
Height: 5 feet 5 inches
Age: Approximately 57-60 years (records show some variation)
Origin: Listed as from the "Country of Merriland"
Service in Occupied New York: 1780-1782
For approximately two years following his enlistment, John Kemp was stationed in the occupied zone around New York City. The muster rolls show him serving in Captain Samuel Hayden's Company as of December 29, 1780.
Context of New York Service
During this period, New York City remained under firm British control and served as the main British headquarters in North America. The King's Rangers stationed there would have been involved in:
Garrison duty - Maintaining security in occupied New York
Patrol and reconnaissance - Monitoring rebel activity in surrounding areas
Foraging expeditions - Securing supplies for the British forces
Guard duty - Protecting key installations and personnel
However, the specific records do not detail particular actions, skirmishes, or operations in which John Kemp participated during this New York posting.
Transfer to St. John's, Quebec: 1783
By January 21, 1783, John Kemp had been transferred north to St. John's (now St. Jean-sur-Richelieu), Quebec, located on the Richelieu River. A detailed return of troops shows him serving in a detachment of the King's Rangers commanded by Major James Rogers.
The January 1783 record provides these specifics:
Name: Jno. Kemp
Country of Origin: Merriland
Age: 60
Height: 5'5"
Time of Service at St. John's: 1/2 month (indicating he had recently arrived)
St. John's as a Strategic Location
St. John's served as an important military post on the route between Montreal and Lake Champlain. The King's Rangers stationed there were positioned to:
Monitor the northern frontier
Protect the supply route to Canada
Prepare for potential refugee resettlement
Maintain British presence as peace negotiations progressed
Family Reunion
At St. John's, John was reunited with his two eldest sons, Joseph and James, and his stepson Francis Van der Bogart, all of whom had also enlisted in the King's Rangers. This family service together represents a significant aspect of Loyalist commitment—multiple generations serving the Crown simultaneously.
Disbandment: 1784
Between September 1783 and May/June 1784, muster rolls show "Jno. Kimp" (another spelling variation) listed as:
1 Incorporated Man
1 Woman (likely indicating family members being prepared for resettlement)
Total: 2 persons
Previous residence: New York
Occupation: Farmer
By January 27, 1784, a return at St. John's listed John Kemp with a household of 4 persons, indicating his family had joined him or was being accounted for in preparation for resettlement.
The King's Rangers officially disbanded at Cataraqui (near Kingston), Ontario, in October 1784.
What the Records Don't Tell Us
It's important to note what is not documented in the surviving records:
No Evidence of Combat Actions
The available muster rolls and returns do not record John Kemp participating in any specific battles, skirmishes, or military engagements. This may mean:
He saw limited combat - At age 57-60, serving primarily in garrison and administrative roles
Records were lost - Many detailed company records did not survive
His service was primarily non-combat - Guard duty, logistics, or support roles were common for older soldiers
Earlier Military Service Unconfirmed
The document mentions that John Kemp "may have been a soldier in the British Army stationed in New York before 1760 during the French and Indian Wars," but this remains unverified. The Muster Rolls of New York Provincial Troops, 1755-1764, were checked but contained no listing for Kemp or Camp.
The Nature of King's Rangers Service
To understand John Kemp's military experience, it's helpful to know what the King's Rangers did:
Unit Composition and Role
The King's Rangers, under Robert Rogers (famous for Rogers' Rangers during the French and Indian War), functioned as:
Light infantry and scouts - Conducting reconnaissance and rapid movements
Frontier fighters - Adapted to wilderness warfare
Raiding forces - Small-unit operations against rebel positions
Garrison troops - Holding strategic locations
Typical Duties for a Private
As a Private, John Kemp would have been responsible for:
Standing guard duty on regular rotations
Participating in military drills and formations
Maintaining his equipment and uniform
Following orders from sergeants and officers
Possibly serving on work details (construction, fortification repair, supply handling)
Given his advanced age, he likely received assignments appropriate to his physical capabilities rather than front-line combat roles.
Recognition and Rewards
United Empire Loyalist Status
John Kemp's military service earned him and his family the designation of United Empire Loyalist (UEL), an honored title given to those who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution.
Land Grants
As a Loyalist soldier, John Kemp received:
Land grant in Fredericksburgh Township, Ontario (Concession 4, Lot 2) in 1786
Appeared on the Provision List of Kingston in 1786 (government supplies for Loyalist settlers)
Served on the Land Board of Mecklenburgh in 1790 and 1793
Was granted additional land through petitions in 1790 and 1793
The Old UEL List records him as: "John Kemp Sr., Fredericksburgh, Soldier, Land Board of Mecklenburgh 1790. 300 and Land Board of Mecklenburgh 1793, 200. King's Rangers, Provision List of Kingston 1786."
Historical Context: Why Details Are Limited
Several factors explain why specific details of John Kemp's military actions are not available:
Late War Enlistment - He enlisted in October 1780, when major combat operations were winding down after the British defeat at Yorktown (October 1781)
Age and Role - At 57-60 years old, he likely served in support rather than combat roles
Record Keeping - Detailed action reports for individual privates were rarely maintained; most surviving records are administrative (muster rolls, pay records, strength returns)
Nature of Service - Much of the King's Rangers' work in 1780-1784 involved occupation duty, patrol, and preparation for resettlement rather than major battles
Historical Focus - Military histories tend to document battles and campaigns, not the day-to-day service of individual soldiers in garrison
Conclusion
John Kemp's military service with the King's Rangers, while documented through various muster rolls and returns, does not include records of specific military actions or engagements. What we know with certainty is that he:
Enlisted at an advanced age (57) in October 1780
Served for approximately 2-3 years until disbandment in 1784
Was stationed in occupied New York (1780-1782) and St. John's, Quebec (1783)
Served alongside his sons and stepson
Was recognized as a Loyalist soldier and received land grants in Upper Canada
Fulfilled his military obligations faithfully enough to earn the UEL designation
His service represents the commitment of older Loyalists who, despite their age, felt compelled to support the Crown during the final years of the Revolutionary War. While not a combat hero in the traditional sense, John Kemp exemplified the dedication of countless ordinary soldiers whose service, though undramatic, was essential to the Loyalist cause and laid the foundation for their new lives in Canada.
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3) Here is the Video Overview of this post by Google NotebookLM.
4) 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 King's Rangers soldier in the middle of the historical narrative.
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