Long-Handled Frying Pan

The glory of the cause of independence during the Revolution often overshadows the reality of the war itself. Major John Bolton of Colrain was a full-throated supporter of the cause. Having served as a young British soldier in Quebec in 1759, Bolton led the formation of a militia company at the start of the Revolution. Bolton’s company was stationed at West Point where Bolton, a skilled engineer, was instrumental in blocking the river with a massive chain boom in 1778.

Bolton’s dedication to the cause was surpassed only by his devotion to his men. By 1779, his company was all but forgotten at West Point; underdressed, hungry, and unpaid, the men were nearing mutiny. Bolton briefly returned to Colrain to mortgage his property and raise money to support his company.

This frying pan, used in Bolton’s company, may not have been full, but Bolton’s leadership and selflessness assured that it was not empty.

Bolton and his men remained at West Point through the end of the war in the fall of 1783.