On October 1, 1768, several regiments of British Soldiers arrived in Boston. Among them were the 14th Regiment (Irish) in which Army Lodge No. 58 was held, and the 29th Regiment (Irish) in which Army Lodge No. 322 was held. In the second week of November, 1768, the 64th Regiment (Irish), in which was held Army Lodge No. 106, also arrived. These Army Lodges brought to Boston a knowledge of the Order of the Temple.
They regularly held Masonic intercourse with the Lodge of St. Andrew, of Boston, which received its charter from the Grand Lodge of Scotland. On August 28, 1769, nearly a year after the arrival of the British troops, a Royal Arch Lodge was formed, and worked, during the years of its existence, under the supposed authority of the charter of the Lodge of St. Andrew. The record of the first meeting is preserved, and from it we learn that ten brothers were then present, of which six were soldiers and four were members of the Lodge of St. Andrew. British soldiers were chosen as the first three officers of the Lodge, which seems to imply that soldiers were its moving spirits and were best able to do the work. William Davis, a Past Master, and a member of Army Lodge No. 58 received four steps, namely, "that of Excellent, Super Excellent, Royal Arch, and Knight Templar."
From August 28, 1769 until 1794, possibly later, the Order of Knights Templar was worked in the Royal Arch Lodge, and from 1794, or later, the orders were worked without chartered authority or organized form. The knowledge of the ritual was at no time lost.
On March 12, 1802, Sir Henry Fowle, Sir Elisha Sigourney, Sir James Harrison, and others established Boston Encampment of Knights of the Red Cross. On December 21, 1805 these same Masons formed an Encampment of Knights Templar in Boston, and on March 15, the Encampment of Knights of the Red Cross was dissolved. Later the name was changed to Boston Commandery No. 2, Knights Templar.