The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
State of Service: PA
Qualifying Service: Surgeons Mate
Surgeon’s Mate John Francis Rague
10th and 1st Pennsylvania Continental Line
Surgeon's Mate John Francis Rague was born in Paris September 14, 1748. He was one of the French officers who came over from France with Lafayette on the La Victoire, departing on April 20, 1777 and after a 54 day journey arriving in Charleston, S.C. on June 13, 1777. It is not known what Rague did during his first year on American soil but eventually, he was commissioned as Surgeon's Mate of the 1st Pennsylvania on August 19, 1778. He later transferred to the 1st Pennsylvania on January 17, 1781. At some point during his service Rague befriended Capt. James Bonnell of French Huguenot descent who served in Spencer’s Regiment of the New Jersey Continental Line. During the 1780/81 winter encampment at Morristown, NJ, the story goes that amid the intense boredom of camp life, Rague played a practical joke on a fellow officer who did not see the humor in the prank. Bonnell, whose family home was in nearby Scotch Plain, New Jersey suggested that Rague spend a few weeks with his family and give tempers time to cool. Rague accepted Bonnell's invitation, procured a short leave of absence from his commanding officer and visited Bonnell's family. After a few days the climate in camp cooled and Bonnell wrote to Rague that he was safe to return to camp. Rague responded stating that he needed to stay 3 or 4 day longer. When Rague did return Bonnell learned that Rague had fallen in love with his sister Hannah and had married her on January 1, 1781.
Rague was wounded and captured late in the war and spent the last nine months of the war as a POW. He was held in the hold of the infamous hellhole HMS Jersey and was released about 9 months later when the war ended. Though his health was broken was broken and still suffering from his wound, John set up a medical practice in lived in Battle Hill, New Jersey where he served the community as a doctor. He died a relatively young man from his wounds and broken constitution on October 16, 1798. Later in life Hannah applied for and received a pension based on Dr. Rague's Revolutionary War service. She lived in Westport, Connecticut and later in New York City until June 3, 1849 when she died.
The Pension file for Rague (Pension W3600) contains a letter written on December 16, 1928 by a descendant named Burnett T. Kirby of New Hampton Iowa. When Lafayette made his famous tour of the United States he was invited as the guest of honor at a dinner held in New York City. The letter requesting information on Rague's service mentions that Kirby’s family has a sword that was presented to Rague's youngest son John Francis by General Lafayette. At Lafayette’s request, young John Francis sat by him at the head of the table and was presented the sword as a token of friendship to the family Dr. Rague who was his personal physician.
References:
Henry H. Greene, The Todd Family Genealogy page 71, 1867
Danske Dandridge, American Prisoners of the Revolution, page 468, 1911
National Archives Pension Number W3600
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