Editing Daniel Shays (section)

==Revolutionary War==
Shays joined the militia immediately prior to the American Revolution and attained the rank of [[Sergeant (United States)|sergeant]] in the regiment commanded by [[Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge]].{{sfn|Butz|page=14}} The [[Battles of Lexington and Concord]] took place on April 19, 1775, and the next day Shays's unit was mobilized and marched to [[Boston]].{{sfn|Butz|page=14}} His company took part in the [[Boston campaign]] and [[Siege of Boston]], and Shays fought at the [[Battle of Bunker Hill]].<ref>Richards, pf u. 95</ref>{{sfn|Butz|pages=14–15}} Shortly after Bunker Hill, Shays was commissioned as a [[Second lieutenant (United States)|second lieutenant]] in recognition of the bravery and skill he demonstrated during the fighting.{{sfn|Butz|pages=15–16}} In late 1776, Shays joined [[1st Rhode Island Regiment|Varnum's Regiment]] of the [[Continental Army]], with which he served during fighting in [[New York (state)|New York]] and [[New Jersey]].{{sfn|Butz|page=16}} After performing temporary recruiting duty in Massachusetts during late 1776, on January 1, 1777, Shays was promoted to [[Captain (United States O-3)|captain]] as commander of a company in the [[5th Massachusetts Regiment]].{{sfn|Butz|page=16}} During 1777, Shays took part in several engagements in upstate New York, including the [[Battles of Saratoga]].{{sfn|Butz|page=17}} 

After Saratoga, Shays continued to serve with the Continental Army in upstate New York.{{sfn|Butz|page=30}} As commander of a company in the Corps of Light Infantry, which was commanded by [[Anthony Wayne]], Shays took part in the July 1779 [[Battle of Stony Point]].{{sfn|Butz|page=30}} He subsequently served as commander of a company under the [[Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette|Marquis de Lafayette]], which patrolled farmland on the New Jersey side of the [[Hudson River]] to prevent British troops from foraging.{{sfn|Butz|pages=30–31}} In 1780, Lafayette presented several officers, including Shays, with ornamental swords in honor of their military service.{{sfn|Butz|page=36}} Shays sold his for cash to help pay off debts; he argued that there was nothing wrong with his action, because he already owned a sword, but his decision to sell his was frowned upon by his peers.{{sfn|Butz|page=36}}<ref>{{cite book|author=Gross, Robert A.|chapter=The Uninvited Guest: Daniel Shays and the Constitution|editor=Gross, Robert A.|title=In Debt to Shays: The Bicentennial of an Agrarian Rebellion|publisher=University Press of Virginia|year=1993|isbn=978-0-8139-1354-4|page=1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HpSIYclyYogC&pg=PA1}}</ref> After British officer [[John André]] was captured while collaborating with Continental officer [[Benedict Arnold]]'s plot to surrender [[West Point, New York|West Point]] to the British, Shays was assigned as one of the captains of the guard who oversaw André's imprisonment, a task for which Continental Army commander-in-chief [[George Washington]] personally selected him.{{sfn|Butz|pages=34–35}} Shays was present when André was executed on October 2, 1780, and was probably the officer who escorted him to the gallows.{{sfn|Butz|pages=35–36}} Shays resigned soon afterwards, and was discharged from the army on October 14, 1780.{{sfn|Butz|page=38}}