Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7198, for Isaac Miller, Pennsylvania
Page 1

(8-1776)
SERVICE
Penn.
Miller, Isaac
NUMBER
R.7198
CONTENTS
Page 3

Springfield July 30 th 1836
Dear Sir I With an extract of your
letter of the 20th of May to the Hounorable
Tho H Sill before me & adress to you a
few lines on the subject of the aplication
of My father Isaac Miller for a pension the reason that
I write for him is his age and infirmity renders him 
nearly unable and the reason why I write to you insted
of having recourse to Mr. Sill is we live twenty eight miles
from Erie and it is but a chance time that he can
stand so long a ride From the above named extract
it apears his aplication has been rejected on the ground
of his aledging about six months services at two tours
while the law required but fore months I will narate.
to you his Explanatory Statements What he now says and what
I have always heard him state,, That He thinks in the month
of august 1776 Genrl. Washington retreated from Long Island across
the Jerseys sent out [illegible] for volunteers to go to his assistance
that he joined a compy vollunteered for the service uniformed
themselves With the [illegible] Couloured Hunting [illegible]
Chose their own officers and marched to Philadelphia
there recd their arms thence to Amboy where they
wore stationed that he cant recollect that they had any
reference to the term of service but to stay so long as
circumstances might require Remained at amboy about
two months was Marched back to Phila gave up their arms
Was dismissed Marched for and arived at home shortly before
Christmas that about the time of his getting Home Orders
for a Draft came that part if not all of the Vollunteers
stood a draft and himself and a John Blythe of the
volunteers were drafted Was Marched to Phila as before
having remained at home about two weeks that while
on this March p.h.ld. they heard from Gen. Washington
capturing one thousand prisoners but official statements
after published said nine hundred
Page 4

that he thinks the prisoners were taken on Christmas
night thinks from this circumstance they must have
marched on their second tour about Christmas Day
arrived at Philiadelphia was armd as before kept there about
two weeks the British then lying out at Trenton then marched
up the Delaware to the falls [illegible] over marched by a circuitous
rout to Baskenridge where they were stationed that in
the month of February there fell an unusual deep snow
which prevented the arrival of other troops and detained
them it being deemed not best for them to start by a
round about way through deep snow & bad roads
and when they were dismissed the extreme bad state of 
the roads much retarded their progress so that they did
not arrive at home till some of the last days of March
He says he thinks that we who never seen that day & those
trying times can hardly conceive of the feelings and views
by which they were actuated he says about the time
of his second tour the famous act of parliment called the
Boston port bill called up the energy of every patriotic
man that the writings of a Mr. Patric Henry of Virginia bring before
the people the hearings of P. Act around their zeal to 
enthusiasm that liberty was their spring of action
I have now wrote his Explanatory Statement so far as I
think it has any bearing on the point in hand
he says its but little more of this wants goods that
he will need that he has no ground of complaint
if he should be excluded from the benefit of the
[illegible] of government by the pennsion law, having
enjoyed the benefits of liberty so tory the only motive in
view at that time I do not know sir whether its your
practice to review such a matter if it is and this statement
throws any light on the subject by which this case my be
altered I am glad but the strongest motive
with my father is to have a fair unvarnished story
told and a fair statement of the case so as to do away
Reflections that might rest on him for as being though
an improper subject pennison.  Yours respectfully John N Miller
Page 6

State of Pennsylvania
County of Erie
On this fourth day of
February A.D. 1836 personly appeared in open court
before the Judges of the Court of Common
Pleas, it being a court of Record in and for the County
of Erie and State aforsaid, Isaac Miller a
resident of the township of Springfield, in the
County of Erie and State aforesaid aged Eighty
years; who being first duly sworn according to
law doth on his oath, make the following declaration
in order to obtain the provision of the act
of Congress passed June 7th 1832.  That he entered
the service of the United States under the following
named officers and served as herein stated.
That he resided in the township of
Hopewell, in the County of Cumberland and State
of Pennsylvania; and in the early part of September
1776 volunteered as a militia man in the company
commanded by Captain McKee, in the Battalion
commanded by Major Sharp, to serve a term of
Military duty, to go to the assistance of General Washington,
who was said to be at or near the White
Plains, at that time; there were three companies of
us marched together, under the command of Major 
Sharp: and tarried about two or three weeks at Philadelphia
to be reviewed and obtain arms:  he was stationed
at Amboy to defend the [illegible]. A part of the
[illegible] bay on Staten Island: he afterwards marched
to Philadelphia and was there dismissed, and returned
home about the first of December. Being in service about three months.
In the early part of the month of December 1776 shortly after he
returned home, he was draufted in the Militia, in the
County of Cumberland and State aforesaid; under the
Command of Captain McClay, whose company in the
Page 7

Battallion, was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
Robert Pebbles.  He marched as before to Philadelphia,
nothing remarkable occured during that march to Philadelpha, 
except the news of Washington having captured
a part of the enemy at Trenton.  He was stationed at Bracken
Ridge in the state of New Jersey, to protect the inhabitants
from foreigning parties; he had a small skirmish
with the enemy about twelve miles from Bracken Ridge.
That he returned to Bracken Ridge and remained there till some
time in the month of March following; he then returned to
Philadelphia and was there again dismissed in March having served
a tour of three months.   Sometime
in the year 1778 or 1779 he was again draufted, but while under
marching orders he had a sever fall which unfitted
him for the campaign, and afterwards he appeared before
the Court of Appeal and was exhonerated.  In the year
Lord Cornwallis was taken, he was again draufted and
marched toward Philadelphia about two weeks when
he heard of the capture of Lord Cornwallis, and immediately
after the reception of said inteligence he was
again dismissed and returned home.
He hereby relinquished every claim whatever to a
pension or an annuity except the present, and he declares
his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of
any State.  He has no documentary evidence, except
the letter hereby transmitted, and knows of no person
by whom he can prove his services in the Revolution.
I was born in the County of Cumberland, in
the state of Pennsylvania A.D. 1755. I have no record
of any age; I have frequently seen it in my fathers
family Bible.   I was living when called into service
in the County of Cumberland, in the state of Pennsylvania.
Since the Revolutionary War, I lived two years,
in the County of Washington, in the state of Pennsylvania; 
and then removed to the Township of Springfield, in
the County of Erie, and State of Pennsylvania where
I now live.   The first time that I was in the service
Page 8

I volunteered, the other three times I was draufted.
Some of the general officers names when I served as
a volunteer, were General Green and General Lee. There
were other troops, but do not recollect much about
them, and the general circumstances of my service I
stated before.   I do not recollect of ever receiving
a written discharge from the service.  The names of
persons to whom I am known in my neighborhood, 
and who can testify as to my character for [illegible]
and their belief of my services as a soldier of
the Revolution are the Rev Edson Hart, Samuel
Hollady, Andrew Cochran, Samuel Ray, Col
Thomas Foster, Robert Brown, John Boyd, 
the Hon John Grubb, and John N Miller
Sworn and Subscribed
in open Court this 5th
February 1836.  William Kelly [illegible] Isaac Miller
Page 10

We Mr Edson Hart a clergyman residing in the Township
of [illegible] County [illegible] and John N. Miller
residing in the Township  of Springfield in the same 
county [illegible]
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Isaac
Miller who has subscribed and sworn to the above
declaration that we believe him to be eighty years of age; that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where
he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and
that we concur in that opinion.
[signatures to right]   E. Hart
J. N. Miller
Sworn and subscribed the 
day and year aforesaid
[signature] William Kelly [illegible]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion
after examination that the said Isaac Miller was a Revolutionary
soldier and served as he states - and they further
certify that the above named Edson Hart is a clergyman
and John N Miller a reputable citizen both residing in Erie
County on whose testimony reliance may be placed.
certified Feb 5 1836  [signature] Henry Sheppen [illegible]
I William Kelly Clerk of the Court of Common Plea, for said county
do hereby certify that the [illegible] contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of application of Isaac Miller for a
pension.
In testimony whereof [illegible] [illegible] set my hand
and seal of office this 11th day of March 1836.
[signature] William Kelly [illegible]
[written perpendicular to right of text ]
[illegible & Isaac Miller
Page 11

Washington H R
Feg 26th 1855
Hon L P Waldo
You will much oblige me by
forwarding me a statement of the examination 
of the papers referred to in the within
letter
very respectfully
Yours
John Dick
Page 13

33,551
Rejected
let 2 May 1836
This letter in claim R5671, Wm. Johnson
Thomas N Sill
let 18 Aug 1836 I.N.
Miller
let Hon J. Dick [illegible] 30/55

did not save six months

[illegible] 7th June 1832
Page 14

[postal stamp and written] Mar 18 Pa

J.L. Edwards Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
(D.C.)
Page 15

Erie Penn
March 11 1836
Sir,
I herewith enclose the [illegible]
[illegible] of [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
Isaac Miller for pension
[illegible] illegible] respectfully requested that
[illegible] to the application may
be returned to me, as soon as may
be convenient
[illegible] with much [illegible]
[[illegible signature]
Thomas H Sill




To J.L. Edwards, Esq
Comm of Pensions