In a message dated 3/15/05 11:58:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, JeanShar40@aol.com writes: page 605 Mr. Downey came out of the Revoultion as a captain, having enlisted in his sixteenth year. He was one of the guard to escort to Frederick Town the Hessian prisoners captured by Washington at Trenton NJ. page 609 John Downey, the grandfather was born Aug 20, 1753 and died 26 September, 1825. He enlisted in the army at the beginning of the Revolution, and served throughout the entire war, coming out with the rank of captain. He was detailed with his company to guard the Hessian prisoners taken at Trenton and sent to Frederick. If he were born in l753 his 16th year would appear to be l760 or 1770. which would seem to be much earlier than the beginning of the revolution although those dates may be compatible? I am quite surprised that a 16 year old could rise to Captain in such a short time as that would seem to be a very high rank for the time. I suspect that was quite uncommon for the time but realize that there were almost no professional soldiers in the American side of the Revolutionary War. He must have been quite talented. Possibly the report of "His Company" did not mean that he was ranking officer in that company, but it seems to imply that. On a biography it could mean that he was just a member of that company and his rank came afterward. I am not sure of the rank of a Company ranking officer. Charles Severs