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Civility of Members of Revolutionary War Military Lodges
W. Brother Donald McDougal, Grand Lodge of Maine

In continuation of the Civility theme that we Th e Masonic chest of the 46th Regiment of Foote
have been exploring for the last few years in past fell into the hands of the Colonial Troops. Reported
Convocations, speakers at this year’s “gathering” will to Washington, he directed a guard of honor to
examine the circumstances that led lodges to take take charge of the chest and other valuable articles
root in the north Atlantic colonies and the reasons belonging to the 46th and return them to the
for Freemasonry’s popularity in New England and Regiment.
the Canadian Maritimes during the eighteenth and
early nineteenth centuries. Th ey will reconsider the Also by Bro. Callaham: ”Few Freemasons who ever
late British colonial world from a non-US perspective, lived in America have been so condemned by some
which might help us to better understand Maine’s authors and praised by others as Joseph Brandt,
place in a northeastern borderlands that includes the powerful and infl uential Mohawk chief who
Canada. sided with the British during the American War of
Independence. On some occasions, he practiced
Th ere are many stories about the existence of civility Masonic virtues of brotherly love and charity. On
and exhibitions of Brotherly Love among men-at- others, he was ruthless. Aft er the surrender of the
arms of both sides of the American Revolutionary American forces at the Battle of the Cedars on the
War. Aft er the battle of Camden, S. C. in which St. Lawrence River in 1776, Brandt exerted himself to
Brother, the Baron de Kalb fell in the American cause, prevent the massacre of the prisoners. In particular,
his Masonic funeral rites were led by Brother, the Earl one Capt. John McKinstry, a member of Hudson
Cornwallis, the British Commander who ordered his Lodge No. 13 of New York, was about to be burned
ambulance brought up and who stayed by Bro. de at the stake. McKinstry gave him the Masonic sign
Kalb until he expired. of appeal which secured his release and subsequent
good treatment. He and Brandt thereaft er remained
Th e following was taken from: “Military Lodges in friends for life, and in 1805 he and Brandt together
the American War of Independence” Jay Callaham visited the Masonic Lodge in Hudson, New York.
On another occasion, Brandt had saved a prisoner
”Th e 17th Regiment was captured at Stony Point from the Sullivan Expedition against the Indians,
(New York) on July 16, 1779 whereupon Brother and Lt. Boyd. Boyd and a Private named Parker had been
General Samuel H. Parsons, a member of American spared when Boyd identifi ed himself to Brandt as a
Union Lodge (Connecticut Line), returned the Freemason. Both were taken back to Beard’s Town
charter and regalia chest to his enemy brethren with where they were turned over to the Loyalist Colonel
the following letter: Butler of Butler’s Rangers. In Brandt’s absence, Col.
Butler had them killed aft er they refused to answer
West Jersey Highlands, July 23, 1779 questions during interrogation”.
Brethren:
When the ambition of monarchs or jarring interest Callahan lists 55 of the British regiments serving
of contending States, call forth their subjects to war, within the confl ict as having working Masonic
as Masons we are disarmed of that resentment which Lodges, and nearly half, 74, of Washington’s
stimulates to undistinguished desolation; and however Generals were known to have been Freemasons.
our political sentiments may impel us in the public
dispute, we are still Brethren, and (our professional duty Several sources including: armyhistory.org,
apart) ought to promote the happiness and advance revolutionarycharacters.org, revolutionarywar.net,
the weal of Civility of Members of Revolutionary War and newenglandhistoricalsocirty.com - credit our
Military Lodges each other. Accept therefore, at the Brother General Henry Knox, who later settled
hands of a Brother, the Constitution of the Lodge of in Th omaston, with attempting to play the role of
Unity No. 18, to he held in the 17th British Regiment mediator in the so called “Boston Massacre.”
which your late misfortunes have put in my power to
restore to you. History.com - described the incident that started on
I am your Brother and obedient servant, March 5, 1770 as a brawl between a group of colonists
Samuel H. Parsons” and a single British Soldier guarding the Custom
House. Brother Knox, being nearby, tried to intervene
Montana Freemason Page 32 March/April 2021 Volume 97 No. 2