Family Members Serving In the War Of 1812:

The John Lantroop described here is the
great-great-grand-Uncle of our grandpa John.

“Beginning in 1813, Virginians suffered from a British naval blockade of the Chesapeake Bay and from British troops plundering the countryside by the Bay and along the James, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers. The Virginia militia deflected a British attempt to take Norfolk in 1813, and engaged British forces throughout the war.” http://www.historicalmarkerproject.com/markers/HM1HB6_the-war-of-1812-winfield-scott_Dinwiddie-VA.html

Records show that John Lanthrop (Lantrip, Landtroop) of Dinwiddie County, Virginia served during the War of 1812:

• John Landtroop, Pvt. 83 Regiment (Scott’s) Virginia Militia, Roll Box 121, Microfilm M602   (The 83rd was a State Militia unit out of Dinwiddie County, Virginia)
• John Landtroop, Pvt., 6 Regiment Virginia Militia, Roll Box 121, Microfilm M602   (The 6th was a Federal Militia ???)

It appears that the two above may be two separate persons serving in two separate units, or perhaps the same person serving in two separate units. The limited information we have at the moment gives us no dates of service or discharge, but our John Lantrhop did come from Dinwiddie County, Virginia.

According to the Society of the War of 1812 in Virginia a company of the 83rd Regiment was attached to the 6th Virginia Regiment once the 83rd reached the Norfolk, Virginia area. For this reason many of the 83rd appeared on the muster/pay rolls of both units. They were on the state militia payroll for their duty with the 83rd and were on the Federal payroll when attached to the 6th.

note: see Battle of Norfolk:

Since John appears on the roles of both the 6th Regiment and the 83rd Regiment we can assume that he was at the formation of the 83rd in Dinwiddie County, marched with the unit to Norfolk, Virginia, where the commander of American forces was preparing for the siege/battle of Norfolk. In April 1813 the commander combined and divided all forces gathered there into 3 new regiments, one of which was the 6th Regiment. From this we know he was at the Battle of Norfolk. We do not know if the 6th Regiment was engaged in hostilities on Craney Island or the taking of Hampton,  or entrenched in the defense of Norfolk.

John had a son also named John, but he died in 1810.

From “Soldiers of the War of 1812 (Research Notes Number 19)” Library of Virginia:

“In his reminiscences, Captain Henry Brush described with precision what newly enlisted recruits wore during the War of 1812. Soldiers were outfitted for service in unbleached, tow-linen hunting shirts and trousers. On their heads they wore low-crown hats, on the left side of which were black cockades about two inches in diameter. A small silver eagle (about the size of a quarter) was fastened in the center of each cockade. Each soldier strapped a leather girdle around his waist, where he carried a tomahawk, a knife, a cartridge box, a bayonet, and a quart-sized tin canteen. He was armed with a musket and shouldered a linen knapsack with a blanket lashed to the top. Both were covered with oilcloth to protect them from wet weather. A soldier’s arms and pack together weighed about thirty-five pounds, and troops traveled an average of twenty-five miles a day on foot. Writing home to his wife, one soldier confessed:  “My limbs were so stiff and sore at the end of each day’s march that I could hardly walk… ”

A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped
symbol of distinctive colors which is usually worn on a hat.

Stationed at Fort Norfolk 1812 to 1815

The Virginia Militia line infantry were issued smooth bore flint lock muskets. The uniform for the line infantry was a blue hunting frock with red trim, and blue pants with red trim. The hat was a round hat with a cockade and a red and black plum. The men were required to provide their own uniform.

The Virginia Militia was the beginning of the Virginia National Guard. They were farmers, shop workers, and the average men of Virginia. Every male citizen of Virginia between the ages of 18 and 45 years old was required by law to be a member of the militia They would be assigned to a militia company within their county and would drill with this unit about once a month to learn how to be a militia soldier. The companies would be called up by the company captain's name and county. Everyone in that company would report for active duty. Each company would have about 100 men in the company.

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Note
Part of index to: Pay Rolls of Militia Entitled to Land Bounty Under the Act of Congress of Sept. 28, 1850 (Richmond, 1851) and: Muster Rolls of the Virginia Militia in the War of 1812 (Richmond, 1852) which supplements Pay Rolls. This collection is also available on microfilm.
War of 1812 pay rolls and muster rolls.

Muster Rolls, p.679
Pay Rolls, p.156
Muster Rolls, p.210

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The above is new information for the Littrell Family “Military Roll Call”. Once research is completed John will be added to MRC.

reposted from 2016: 57