Samuel Whittemore, the Original American Bad Ass

Samuel Whittemore, born in 1696, was a Massachusetts farmer and soldier. He was 78 years of age when he became the oldest known colonial combatant in the American Revolutionary War which started in 1775 and ended in 1783. He served in the 3rd Massachusetts Regiment, under Col. Jeremiah Moulton, fighting in the King George's War from 1744 to 1748, when he was 48 to 52 years old - old for a soldier by any standard. But he was not done yet.

Whittemore also fought in the French and Indian War from 1754 to 1763, when he was 58 to 67 years old. Some accounts have him at the rank of Captain. But he was best known for his role in the American Revolutionary War.

On April 19, 1775, British forces were returning to Boston from the Battles of Lexington and Concord, where the opening battles of the American Revolution began. On their march back to Boston, they were continually shot at by colonial militiamen firing from the cover of the forests - tactics they learned during the French and  Indian War. Whittemore was reportedly preparing one of his fields for planting when he spotted an approaching British Army relief unit moving to assist the retreat.

Whittemore, armed with a musket and two pistols, ambushed the British Grenadiers of the 47th Regiment of Foot, from behind a nearby stone wall, killing one soldier with this musket then killing a second British soldier and wounding a third with his pistols. The British closed on Whittemore before he could reload, so he drew his sword and attacked.

He was shot in the face and bayoneted several times. The British, believing he was dead or dying, left him there. Colonial militia forces following the British found Whittemore wounded, but still trying to re-load his weapons. He was taken to a local Doctor but given no hope of surviving. However, Whittmore did recover and lived another 18 years until dying of natural causes at age 96.

If old soldiers die and re-incarnate, then Samuel Whittmore was re-born as Billy Waugh.