[9] Swartwout continued the tradition of family military service when, 21 days after his wedding to Aeltje in 1759, he was appointed captain of a company of Dutchess County volunteers.

The first organization under the Articles of Confederation created for counterintelligence purposes was the Committee for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies, later the Commission.

In effect, it was created as "secret service" which had the power to arrest, to convict, to grant bail or parole, and to imprison or to deport.

The board consisted of Egbert Benson, Melancton Smith and Jacobus Swartwout, with John Jay remaining as chairman.

Twenty-nine members of the Swartwout family served in the war of American independence, two having the rank of brigadier-general, three that of captain, three of lieutenant, and four of ensign.

[14] The Dutchess County militia or "Swartwout Regiment" was part of Governor Clinton's Brigade and William Heath's Division during the Battle of Long Island.

In the writings of General George Washington's manuscripts, Swartwout's regiment left Kings Bridge 18 October 1776, to fight in the Battle of White Plains.

During this period Prussian-American General, Baron Frederick William Augustus de Steuben, had his headquarters at the neighboring homestead of Colonel Jacobus Swartwout, standing immediately south of his later residence at Swartwoutville.

Others who visited and quartered at Jacobus Swartwout's homestead along with General Washington and Baron Von Stueben were, Marquis de Lafayette and, Israel Putnam.