William was named after is father and grandfather. The Militia Act of 1792 placed every free able bodied white male citizen at the age of 18 in the militia. The 13 colonies required its citizens to enroll and train in the militia. William Shepley turned 18 in 1806.

William served during the War of 1812, was captured at French Mills, later escaped. A local history of Groton, Ma. says he was sent to Sackets Harbor (sometimes spelled Sacketts Harbor) which was a protected harbor on Lake Ontario in Jefferson County, New York. On June 12, 1812 the Massachusetts' s House of Representatives issues a statement condemning the War of 1812 against Great Britain. Later the Massachusetts Governor calls out the local militia to suppress a threatened invasion during the war.

See Roll M233 at the National Archives. He enlisted Feb. 13 or 23rd 1813 at Groton, Ma. in the U.S. Army. His commander was Capt. H.H. Watson. Feb. to August 1813 he is at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. Therefore, he was not in the battle at Sackets Harbor mentioned above, but sent as part of the militia reinforcements. He enlisted for the period of the War. I don't know when he was discharged, but the Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24, 1814. The 3rd Artillery was under the command of Captain Horace Harvey Watson.

William Shepley is not on M313 Index to War of 1812 Pension Applications or on roll T316, Old War Pensions. He is not on Roll M1747 the index for Prisoners of War. William Shepley married Catherine Nutting 3 July 1817 in Groton, Massachusetts.

William Shipley