Commissioned as a captain on September 28, 1776, Laboyteaux commanded a company in the 2nd New York Regiment during some of the darkest days of the Revolutionary War. His service spanned the desperate defense of Manhattan, the retrograde movements across New Jersey, and likely the turning-point campaigns that followed. Though records are incomplete, his Continental Army commission placed him among the regular officers who held Washington's army together through its most challenging years.
Huguenot Roots in New York
The LaBoyteaux (or La Boyteaux) family traced their ancestry to French Huguenots who fled religious persecution in Catholic France during the 17th century. Like many Huguenot families, they found refuge in the tolerant Dutch colony of New Netherland (later New York), where French Protestant refugees were welcomed alongside Dutch, English, and other settlers fleeing European religious conflicts.
By the time of the Revolution, the LaBoyteaux family had established themselves in central New Jersey and the Hudson Valley region—areas that would become critical battlegrounds in the struggle for American independence.
Continental Army Service
Continental officers like Captain Laboyteaux were the professional core of Washington's army—men who committed to long-term service, unlike militia who served in short rotations.
The 2nd New York Regiment was raised in 1775 and reorganized in 1776 as part of the Continental Line—the standing army of the Revolution. Captain Laboyteaux's commission date of September 28, 1776, came during the catastrophic New York campaign, when Washington's forces were being driven from Manhattan by superior British numbers and naval power.
Probable Engagements
- •Harlem Heights (September 1776): Shortly before his commission, the 2nd NY fought in this rare American victory following the loss of New York City
- •White Plains (October 1776): The regiment participated in this defensive battle as Washington withdrew from Manhattan
- •Fort Washington Evacuation: The 2nd NY was involved in operations around the Hudson forts before their catastrophic fall
- •Saratoga Campaign (1777) or Sullivan Expedition (1779):Later detachments likely included northern operations against Burgoyne or frontier defense against Iroquois raids
As a company commander, Captain Laboyteaux would have been responsible for 60-100 men—recruiting them, training them, leading them in battle, and managing the daily operations of keeping soldiers fed, equipped, and ready for combat. Continental officers received little pay and endured the same hardships as their men, often spending their own limited funds to keep their companies together.
Family Legacy and Marriage Alliance
The LaBoyteaux family settled in central New Jersey after the war, where French Huguenot and Dutch communities had long intermingled. Captain Laboyteaux's descendant, Mary Laboyteaux, would marry into the Van Dyke family—binding the Huguenot and Dutch Reformed lines that had both contributed so much to the Revolution.
The marriage of Mary Laboyteaux to William Van Dyck united two Revolutionary lineages: a Continental Army officer's family and a militia patriot's descendants.
This union represented the broader merging of ethnic and religious communities in post-Revolutionary America—where shared sacrifice in the war created bonds that transcended Old World divisions between Dutch Reformed, French Huguenots, and English Protestants.
More to Discover
Further research into Captain Laboyteaux's service continues through National Archives records of Continental Army officers. The Records of the Revolutionary War and New York State Archives may yield additional details about his specific company assignments, battle participation, and post-war pension applications.
His full first name, birth and death dates, and specific hometown remain under investigation. SAR application research is ongoing to establish formal recognition of his Patriot service.