 He served under Wigglesworth for much of 1777, encamped outside Philadelphia, but did not see battle during this period.Furloughed on August 22 for 60 days, he was discharged on October 22, 1777, the dates of his furlough and discharge apparently linked to the illness and death of his father Josiah Fairfield.Fairfield was initiated into the Masons in April of 1777, and held the office of Steward for the United States Lodge in Danvers in October 1778.