William Bayley letter to mother, October 7, 1781
Item 10557 info
Maine Historical Society
Bayley in October 1781 told his mother he could not come home because he was awaiting back pay that he would lose if he left the West Point area.
Click on the play button to hear a recording of Professor Leamon's comments on this letter:
Transcription of Professor Leamon's comments:
Judging from this collection of letters, William Bayley never did come home, at least as the typical 'dutiful young son' to redeem the family farm and provide comfort to this mother in her declining years. This would have been his traditional familial role, probably then he would have inherited the family farm.
But despite his mother's repeated urgings, and his own frequently expressed desires and promises to do so, soldier Bayley never found the right occasion. Most of the time military necessity prevented his return, but other times his own lack of money and proper clothes stood in the way. In 1781 when his own enlistment was over, he even re-enlisted as a three-months volunteer to take the place of one of the regular recruits for that length of time.
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