Press Room

Must Read News

Arab American Serves in American Revolutionary War

By James Badeen
Association of Patriotic Arab Americans in the Military
Posted on Wednesday August 25, 2004

Not much is known about the life of Nathan (Nahthan) Badeen, who was from what is today the Horan Region of Syria. The Badeen family, which resided in that area during the mid eighteenth century, were primarily farmers and merchants. It is believed that Nathan may have been shanghaied by French merchant men while he was trading with them in the area near what is today the city of Latakia. Eventually he was taken to Canada where he was either put off the ship or escaped. It is believed that he then traveled south into the American Colonies arriving in this country at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

Records indicate that he voluntarily enlisted in the Continental Army’s’ 18th Regiment on January 1st, 1776 which was being organized as a new unit at Cambridge, Massachusetts. Later, this Regiment played a vital role in the battle to liberate Boston from the British. Upon enlisting, Private Badeen listed as his place of birth “Lavan” which was the old Turkish name for what is today modern Syria, which was controlled by the Turks in those days.

Private Badeen went on to fight for his new country as a member of this new Regiment until on or about May 26, 1776. It was reported by his Commanding Officer, Captain Abraham Tyler, that he died in the service of his country while posted at Fort George near Boston. The exact circumstances of his death, as is his final resting place are unknown.