 Joining the King's Army, Adams served, during the Battle of Valcour Island, during Lake Champlain Campaign, in 1776 and raised an independent, Loyalist company, known as Adams' Rangers, which served, under British General John Burgoyne, in the Saratoga campaign of 1777.Four of Adams' sons served in his ranger company, with his eldest son Gideon Adams, acting as ensign.Following the war, Adams and his sons settled in the province of Upper Canada now present-day Southeastern Ontario, Canada alongside other disbanded British Loyalist troops and their families.