Captain William Wolfe’s Light Company, 40^th Regiment

Compiled by John U. Rees
© 2002

Composition of British Light Infantry Company, 25 August 1775: 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 3 sergeants, 3 corporals, 2 drummers, 56 privates (including 3 fictitious "contingent men" whose pay was used as a special regimental fund for the care of widows and orphans.) Source: Robert K. Wright, Jr., The Continental Army (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1983, p. 48.

Muster Rolls of Captain William Wolfe's Light Infantry Company, His Majesty's 40th Regiment of Foot 25 June 1776 to 24 December 1777 (Scottish Record Office, Reference C42/52/4). Compiled from muster rolls for 23 April 1777 and 24 February 1778, each covering a period of 183 days.

Company Officers

William Wolfe, captain, killed 21 Sept. 1777 [Paoli Attack]
William Montgomery, captain on duty from captain of Battalion Company, 21 Sept. 1777
Honble James Decouery, lieutenant, transferred to the Battalion 31 Dec. 1777
John Gason, lieutenant

Sergeants

George McKay, transferred to Lt.Col.'s Company 3 Sept. 1777
Andrew Connor, orderly as of 24 Feb. 1778
Isaac Eggleton, deserted 10 Feb. 1777, returned to duty between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1778
Adam Thompson, appointed from corporal 3 Sept. 1777

Corporals

Adam Thompson, appointed to sergeant 3 Sept. 1777
Francis Cottingham
Christopher OBrien, promoted from private 10 Feb. 1777
Robert Cuningham, deserted 10 Feb. 1777, returned and promoted from private 3 Sept. 1777
Alexander Rankin, appointed from private between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1778

Drummers

Benjamin Simpson
John Hall, transferred to Lt.Col.'s Company 3 Feb. 1778

Privates

Thomas Allen, orderly as of 23 April 1777
Thomas Burke, joined the light company between 23 April 1777 and 24 February 1778
John Campbell, killed 16 Nov. 1776 [Assault on Fort Washington]
Michael Carroll, transferred from Montgomery's Company 26 Dec. 1776, orderly as of 23 April 1777
William Constable
George Ellis
Archibald Erskine, deserted 20 Jan. 1777
Richard Evans, transferred to Wemyss's Company 23 July 1777
William Fuller, left the light company between 23 April 1777 and 24 February 1778
William Gabriel
John Gilcreast, transferred from Major's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Alexander Gilmour
John Glass, transferred from Adlam's Company 24 Dec. 1776
John Graham, transferred from Moystan's Company 24 Dec. 1776
James Green
Richard Griffin
Adam Gunn, orderly as of 24 February 1777
William Gunn, transferred from Wemyss's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Thomas Haney, prisoner with the Rebels 20 Jan. 1777 [possibly an action near Somerset Courthouse, New Jersey]
Robert Hay, transferred to General's Company 26 Jan. 1778
William Hayes, transferred to Bamford's Company 3 Feb. 1778
James Henderson
James Hendry
John Hendry
Jeremiah Hewlon, sick in hospital 23 April 1777
Alexander Hogg, transferred from Adlam's Company 24 Dec. 1776
James Irwin, transferred from Wemyss's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Patrick Lawler
William Lorram, transferred from Montgomery's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Richard Lowe
Donald McDonald
James McDonald [McDual], transferred from General's Company 24 Dec. 1776, transferred to Major's Company 5 Dec. 1777
James McKenlie
Robert McLearron, transferred from Adlam's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Thomas McNabb, joined the light company between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1777
William McNabb
Robert Mew
Dennis Mooney, joined the light company between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1778
William Moorhead
John Murray, died 21 July 1777
John Nowland
John Neisted, joined the light company between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1778
John Oage, transferred from Moystan's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Robert Patton
John Pitt, transferred from Harris's Company 22 Sept. 1777 transferred to Major's Co. 10 Jan. 1778
Patrick Reed, joined the light company between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1778
John Rankin, died 6 Oct. 1777
Thomas Ridley, deserted 15 Dec. 1776
William Roberts, transferred to Adlam's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Donald Ross, transferred to Wemyss's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Donald Smith, transferred from Wemyss's Company 22 July 1777
John Smith
Richard Taylor, transferred from Lt.Col.'s Company 24 Dec. 1776
William Thorogood, deleted from the rolls between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1777
John True, joined the light company between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1778
Samuel Weir, transferred to Major's Company 24 Dec. 1776
Christopher Woods, deserted 14 March 1777, transferred from Major's Company 5 Dec. 1777
Robert Woods, joined the light company between 23 April 1777 and 24 Feb. 1778