Lawyer and militia officer residing in New London
| When Burke met | 1780 |
| Where Burke met | New London, CT |
| Occupation | Professional |
| Interaction with Burke | Burke visited him |
| Identity Status | Probable |
| Genealogy | Wikitree |
| Memoir Pages | 28 |
Notes
Joseph Harris (1739–1798) was a lawyer and militia officer residing in New London, Connecticut. Born on December 1, 1739, to Joseph and Phebe (Holt) Harris, he married Sybil Throop in 1767, though no children are recorded. Harris maintained an active legal practice and served for decades in the 3rd Regiment of the Connecticut Militia, ultimately attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel in early 1781. He commanded this regiment during the British raid on New London and the Battle of Groton Heights on September 6, 1781. Following his failure to properly assemble his troops or engage the enemy during the attack, he was court-martialed in 1782, found guilty of neglect of duty, and cashiered from military service. Stripped of his rank, he resumed his civilian legal practice in New London until his death in 1798.
Sources
Burke, William. Memoir of William Burke: A Soldier of the Revolution, Reformed from Intemperance, and for Many Years a Consistent and Devoted Christian; Carefully Prepared from a Journal Kept by Himself; to Which Is Added, an Extract from a Sermon Preached at His Funeral, by Rev. Nathaniel Miner. Hartford, CT: Case, Tiffany, 1837.