Cash Pallentine’s Discharge
Cash Pallentine served in the Continental Army for six years. On June 9, 1783, as the war ended, General George Washington issued his discharge.
Pallentine (sometimes spelled “Palatine”) was born in Lebanon, CT, sometime around 1760. In 1777, he enlisted in the Continental Army, joining the 3rd Connecticut Regiment. He served at Valley Forge, the Battle of Monmouth, and in the Hudson Valley. His discharge, which Washington signed, records that Pallentine was honored with the Badge of Merit, recognizing his “six years of faithful service.”
After the war, Pallentine returned to Lebanon. Lebanon town records, which describe Pallentine’s race as “mulatto,” document his marriage to a woman named Rose Cosman in 1784. The couple started a family and lived together until Pallentine’s death, of consumption, at the age of approximately 31, in 1791.
Cash Pallentine’s discharge is in the collection of the Museum of the American Revolution.
Credits
Cash Pallentine’s discharge is in the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA.