The Davenport Letters

The 17 surviving letters that make up the Davenport Letters were written by two young brothers from Dorchester, Massachusetts, who served in the Continental Army as soldiers during the Revolutionary War. The first two letters were written by Isaac How Davenport, who was born in 1754 and became a member of George Washington’s Commander in Chief’s Guard and the 3rd Regiment of Continental Dragoons. He was killed at the “Baylor Massacre” in New Jersey in 1778. James Davenport, whose epaulettes and family's baby booties are in the Museum's collection and who wrote most of the surviving letters, was born in 1759. He enlisted in the militia in 1776 and the Continental Army in 1777 and served for the rest of the war. The Davenport brothers were two of many family members, including their father, brothers, cousins, and uncles, who served in the Revolutionary War.

These letters have descended through the Davenport family for generations. In the mid-1800s, the letters were transcribed into a ledger by James Davenport’s nephew, John — those transcribed versions are the letters seen throughout these pages. They are currently in the possession of Anne Hayden, a descendant of John Davenport.

The letters written by James and Isaac How Davenport provide invaluable insights into the day-to-day experiences of Continental Army soldiers and the impact of the Revolutionary War on the families of these soldiers.