Biography
He was born to Benjamin Hinman (b. 1692) and Sarah Sherman in Woodbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut and died in Southbury, New Haven County, Connecticut. He served as quartermaster of a troop in the French and Indian War in 1751 under General Roger Wolcott. He received his commission as captain in 1755 in the regiment of Colonel Elizur Goodrich. There he was charged with defending Crown Point and the surrounding area. He was again promoted in 1767 to lieutenant-colonel, and in 1771 to colonel in the 13th regiment.
With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, he was commissioned in May 1775 as a captain of the 4th Connecticut Regiment. In May 1775 Benedict Arnold had stabilized Fort Ticonderoga which had been captured by the Americans. On June 17, 1775 Hinman arrived with a thousand troops from Connecticut to rebuild the fort. Because of his rank he claimed authority but Benedict Arnold objected until the three man committee of inspection including Silas Deane from Congress told him he must allow Hinman to command. Benedict Arnold later disbanded his troops and returned home.
Benjamin Hinman retired from service as a colonel in 1777 due to poor health. He represented his home town of Woodbury for 20 sessions of the Connecticut legislature, followed by Southbury (due to its incorporation) for eight more sessions. He also participated in the Connecticut convention to ratify the United States Constitution.
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