Matthias Shroyer (1752 - 1826)

Born 2 Feb 1752 in Taneytown, Carroll, Maryland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 23 Apr 1826 at age 74 in Centre, Butler, Pennsylvania, USA

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Biography

Matthias Shroyer was Wounded in Action during American Revolution.

First Lieutenant Matthias Shroyer served with German Battalion (1776), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Matthias was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Records show him receiving a pension in 1835 at the age of 82! I also found his name in the list of soldiers that were part of The German Regiment in "The Continental Line." This just reflects the history of the formation of the troops that would defend the territory that would become our United States. "Early in the year 1776, anticipating the possibility of hostilities with England, the Continental Congress decided to raise an army from the thirteen colonies, each colony to furnish a quota of officers and men based upon the size of population and the ability to procure arms and supplies. This was the genesis of the Continental Army, as distinguished from the local colonial militia forces.

In addition to the regular Colonial units, the Congress authorized the establishment of a number of additional regiments. One of these was the German Battalion composed of officers and men selected from among the German settlers of Pennsylvania and Maryland. Accordingly, the Continental Congress, in pursuance of this objective, in the spring of 1776, passed several resolutions as follows:

Resolves of the Continental Congress of 25 May 1776: "Resolved that one Battalion of Germans be raised for the Service of the United Colonies".

Resolves of the Continental Congress 27 June 1776: "Resolved that four companies of Germans be raised in Pennsylvania and four companies in Maryland to compose said regiment" . . ."

I wasn't able to find listings of Matthias individually, but a document in Fold3 provides this coverage of the German Regiment: "In August 1777 the reorganized German Battalion had its first action in the night raid on Staten Island. After initial success, the American forces were driven into retreat. Despite heavy fighting, the German Battalion escaped with only minor losses. After the British landed at Elk River, the scene of the war was shifted to the area between Wilmington and Philadelphia. The German Battalion was guarding the crossing of Brandywine Creek at Chadd's Ford at the beginning of the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. The seasoned riflemen forced a strong contingent of Hessians under General von Knyphausen to abandon the initial attack. But then tactical mistakes and rivalry on the part of some American commanders and a superb strategy of the British and Hessian forces led to a disastrous defeat in which the German Battalion suffered most severely. The extent and severity of these losses is indicated by the fact, as stated in Heitman's Historical Register of the Officers of the Continental Army, that the manpower of the German Battalion had been reduced from the original nine companies to two companies which spent the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge, plus a detachment of Maryland Germans who were in winter quarters with General Smallwood."

The Commander under whom Matthias served was Charles Baltzell, born in Alsace on October 15, 1737. He took part in the defense of the frontier against the Indians and after the defeat of General Braddock, he was appointed 1st Lieutenant in the German Battalion. He was wounded at the Battle of Germantown, October 4, 1777; however, he recovered and continued in the service with the Battalion until January 1, 1781 when the Battalion was retired. Lists were included in this document in an effort to recreate a composite of the soldiers who made up the German Regiments include my ancestor's name under an alternate spelling of our surname, 'Schreier'. He is listed in the Muster Roll of Capt. George P. Keeport's Company of the First German Battalion, Continental Troops!

Sources

• https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:39CK-Z6C : accessed 12 November 2018), entry for Matthias /Shroyer/; file (2:2:2:MMDZ-DB9), submitted 21 December 2012 by jeff kelley

• https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG2M-GDWS, Index of Revolutionary War PA Pensioners, 1835

• https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSHS-PSL9-6?i=85&cc=2546162

• Fold3 List of Continental Line Soldiers
• https://www.fold3.com/document/3186494/

• https://loyolanotredamelib.org/php/report05/articles/pdfs/Report36Steinp26-50.pdf

• https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/shroyer/499/

• possible connection: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48974091/john-s_-shroyer

http://www.kleback.freeservers.com/grossman.htm