Zebulon Butler was a soldier and politician from Connecticut who served during the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

. He represented the Wyoming Valley

Wyoming Valley

Wyoming Valley is a region of northeastern Pennsylvania. As a metropolitan area, it is also known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, after its principal cities, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre....

 in the Connecticut Assembly.

On January 1, 1777, he was made lieutenant colonel of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment

3rd Connecticut Regiment

The 3rd Connecticut Regiment was authorized on 16 September 1776 and was organized between 1 January - April 1777 of eight companies of volunteers from the counties of Windham and Hartford in the state of Connecticut. On 3 April 1777 it was assigned to the 1st Connecticut Brigade in the Highland's...

 of the Continental Army

Continental Army

The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...

. He commanded the garrison of Forty Fort

Forty Fort

Forty Fort was a stronghold built by settlers from Connecticut on the Susquehanna River in Westmoreland County, Connecticut, now Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.It was a place of refuge for displaced settlers during the Battle of Wyoming in 1778....

 in the Wyoming Valley. His most famous action was his defeat at the Battle of Wyoming, in which he lost 340 men while attacking a superior force estimated at 574 Loyalist

Loyalist

In general, a loyalist is someone who maintains loyalty to an established government, political party, or sovereign, especially during war or revolutionary change. In modern English usage, the most common application is to loyalty to the British Crown....

s and Iroquois

Iroquois

The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...

 under the command of Loyalist Colonel John Butler

John Butler (pioneer)

John Butler was a Loyalist who led an irregular militia unit known as Butler's Rangers on the northern frontier in the American Revolutionary War. He led Seneca and Cayuga forces in the Saratoga campaign. He later raised and commanded a regiment of rangers.-Background:John was born to Walter...

(no relation).