Benjamin Lincoln

Benjamin Lincoln was a prominent Continental Army officer whose service during the American Revolutionary War and subsequent political career cemented his place in the early history of the United States. Born in Hingham, Massachusetts Bay, he rose to the rank of major general and played key roles in both significant victories and defeats, most notably accepting the British surrender at the Siege of Yorktown. Following the war, he served as the first United States Secretary of War under the Articles of Confederation and held important offices in his home state, contributing to the foundational governance of the new nation.

Early life and career

Born into a prosperous farming family in Hingham, Massachusetts Bay, he was the son of Colonel Benjamin Lincoln and Elizabeth Thaxter Lincoln. His early life involved managing the family estate and participating in local civic affairs, which included serving as the town constable and a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. He gained military experience as a militia officer during the French and Indian War, participating in the Expulsion of the Acadians from Nova Scotia in 1755. Prior to the revolution, he held various positions in Hingham town government and was elected to the colonial legislature, aligning himself with the growing Patriot cause against British parliamentary policies like the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts.

American Revolutionary War

Following the outbreak of hostilities at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, he was appointed a brigadier general of militia and contributed to the fortification efforts during the Siege of Boston. Commissioned a Continental Army major general in 1777, he fought at the Battle of White Plains and commanded forces in the New York and New Jersey campaign. Wounded at the Battle of Bound Brook, he later assumed command of the Southern Department in 1778. His tenure in the South was marked by the failed Franco-American Siege of Savannah and the disastrous Siege of Charleston, where his entire army was captured in 1780 after a prolonged defense. Paroled in a prisoner exchange, he returned to service and commanded a wing of General George Washington's army during the decisive Yorktown campaign, where he was given the honor of accepting the formal surrender of a British brigade from General Charles O'Hara.

Post-war career and later life

After the war, he returned to Hingham and entered public service, serving as Secretary of War from 1781 to 1783 under the Congress of the Confederation, where he oversaw the demobilization of the Continental Army. He was a prominent member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779 and helped suppress Shays' Rebellion in 1787 while leading the state militia. Although he served as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts under Governor John Hancock, he was defeated in elections for Governor of Massachusetts. He later accepted the role of Collector of the Port of Boston, a federal appointment he held until his death. In his final years, he remained active in agricultural societies and corresponded with figures like Thomas Jefferson and the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Legacy and honors

His legacy is preserved in the names of numerous counties and towns across the United States, including Lincoln County, Georgia and Lincoln County, North Carolina. Statues and memorials honor his service, notably in his hometown of Hingham, Massachusetts. His papers are held in repositories such as the Massachusetts Historical Society and the Library of Congress, providing valuable resources on the American Revolutionary War and early American governance. His role at the Siege of Yorktown remains a defining moment of his military career, immortalized in paintings like John Trumbull's *Surrender of Lord Cornwallis* displayed in the United States Capitol Rotunda.

Category:Continental Army generals Category:American Revolutionary War prisoners of war Category:United States Secretaries of War Category:People from Hingham, Massachusetts