John Paterson (New York politician)

John Paterson (often spelled Patterson; 1744 – July 19, 1808) was a major general of the Continental Army under George Washington, and later a U.S. Congressman from New York.

He was born in New Britain, Connecticut and graduated from Yale in 1762. After graduation Paterson studied law, attained admission to the bar, and practiced. He was a justice of the peace in New Britain until 1774, when he moved to Lenox, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Lee and had at least one son and one daughter. He was elected to the Massachusetts General Court in both October of that year and in 1775.

When the American Revolution began in April 1775 Paterson was a colonel, and he marched with his militia unit to take part in the siege of the British Army in Boston. Paterson's command, the 1st Massachusetts Regiment saw action at the Battle of Bunker Hill. After the British evacuation of Boston, Paterson's regiment took part in the Invasion of Canada and the battles of Trenton and Princeton in New Jersey. On February 21, 1777 Paterson was promoted to brigadier general in the Continental Army.

During the Saratoga Campaign of 1777 Paterson commanded a brigade of Horatio Gates' army, consisting of the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 14th Massachusetts Regiments, and the 1st Berkshire County Militia Regiment.

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