Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 4941, Lewis Frederick Delesdernier, Mass
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State of Maine
County of Washington Ss.

On this twenty ninth day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the
Court of Probate now sitting, Lewis Frederic Delesdernier a resident of Calais in said County of Washington aged eighty year who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of
Congress passed June 7. 1832.-
That he was born in Halifax Nova Scotia in the
year 1752- has no record of his age- was living in the County of Cumberland N. S. when he
volunteered into a Company of French Arcadians commanded by Captain Boudro. The body of forces to which this company belonged was commanded by Col. Jonathan Eddy.- He being authorized the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to make a diversion by an assault on fort Cumberland in Nova Scotia. This assault took place on
the 30th of Nov. 1776. Thirty men or thereabouts as a covering party to some axmen were selected to make a [[first]] by attempting to cut down the pickets on the west side of said Fort - This declarant was one of the detachment. The object was to take off the attention of the garrison from the east side when the principal assault was to be made with scaling ladders &c.-  
Being [[convened]] they were discovered by several vollies of musketry from the garrison the commander of the detachment ordered a retreat. This declarant acted as Lieutenant & interpreter of the company to which he belonged although without a Commission
The next day Colo Eddy's forces together with
the confederate Indians & volunteers from St John & Machias commenced a retreat toward St John arrived there in ten days- 
The Declarant was employed by the Committees of safety of St John & Cumberland
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to return to the neighborhood of the Fort to ascertain what had become of the families that had been abandoned by that that [[retreated]].
Being considered as a spy he was obliged to keep [[sunted]] & to sleep in the woods & underwent many & [[several]] hardships- [[Convened]] at Machias in February 1777- Remanded at Machias till May following when Colo John Allen arrived at Machias he
being Commissioned by John Hancock President of Congress as superintendent of Indians in the eastern department.
Col. Allan engaged this Declarant as his
private secretary with a promise of a
Lieutenant's pay & emoluments - During the month of June & July the declarant accompanied said Allan on a mission among the Indian on St. John's River - On the third
of August following they returned to Machias with upwards of sixty canoes of friendly Indians- This declarant during this execution to wit on the nineteenth of July or thereabouts was appointed Deputy Superintendent
of the Eastern Indian Department by said
Colo Allen. The paper containing this appointment his has been sent to the Department of War at Washington-
On the twelfth of said August Sir George Collin's [[Flul]] anchored in Machias sound consisting of our [[our]] 44-Five Frigates- one Sloop of war & the Brig Hope of 20 Guns-- The avowed object was "to break up that nest of piratical rebels at the village of
Machias-

On the 13th of said August the Brig Hope & a small sloop with sixty or seventy marines protected by temporary barricades of timber & sundry boats came up the river burning
mills houses & barns on each side.- The Brig took her station of the month of Middle River with springs upon her cables & within that cannon shot of the mills & the village of Machias.- Two of them shot from a small cannon [[our]] shots convinced them that a
defense could & would be made. The Capt. (Dawson) finding (as this Declarant afterwards was informed) that the Brig would ground at low water got under weigh with four boats ahead of the [Commandard]] Sloop & six ahead
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of the Brig filled with men & commenced towed down t River- It being ebb-tide
George Stilman Major of the eastern Indian Department immediately
called for volunteers. Twenty five came forward & were equipped with muskets & twenty four rounds each - The declarant acted as aid to the Commander - The volunteers poured over the bridge & soon came a breast of the Brig & were command to fire upon the Boats as they could do the Brig no harm-- a brisk five was immediately opened from the Brig with [[gun __ister]] shot & vollies of small
arms from the marines
This fire was returned from the volunteers following the Brig along shore till she drove aground. Their ammunition being all expended a retreat was ordered- one of the volunteers was killed- none wounded. It
was ascertained from [[desities]] after this skirmish that between fifty & sixty were killed & wounded on board the boats.-

When the defense of Machias was made known at Boston John Allan then superintendent named a Commission as
Commander of that Post.-- At the same time the Declarant [[mid]] a first Lieutenant's commission in an Indian corps,- which commission it is presumed is now on file in the pension office at Washington. It is dated Oct 8th 1777 & signed [[Jm]] Powell President & other councilors of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
The next year in July this Declarant being on a
mission to the Indians at Pleasant Point was taken prisoner & carried to Halifax. An exchange of persons taking place this Declarant arrived at Boston in a [[Cartel]]
on the 11th of October of that year-
Bring taken such he did not arrive at Machias till 26th of November
This Declarant continued in the service at Machias & elsewhere among the Indians till [[prove]] in 1783 as will appear by a final settlement of record with Joseph Nourse Register of the Treasury in that year
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The Declarant further states that he has remained at Lubec Eastport & Calais in the United States since the Revolutionary war.- that he now lives at Lubec aforesaid

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State

He further says that Peter Godfrey Keeper of the Light at West Quady Head & [[Donue Sound]] [[ -- ]] can testify to his veracity & to their knowledge & belief of his revolutionary services.
Lawa T. DeLesdernier 

sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
John Dickinson Judge

WE Peter Godfrey & Daniel Small resident in Lubec hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Lewis F Delesdernier who
has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration- that we believe him to be eighty years of age & that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been an officer of the Revolution & from our own knowledge we concur in that opinion
Peter Godfrey
Daniel Small

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
John Dickinson Judge

And the said Court do hereby declare the opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories  presented by the war Department- 
that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier & served as he states-
and the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Peter Godfry Daniel Smith who have signed the [[prending certificate]] are residents of Lubec & credible persons & that the state is entitled to credit
John Dickinson Judge


State of Maine.
County of Washington Ss.

I Aaron L. Raymond Register of the Court
Probate, within and for the
Washington do hereby certify that the
foregoing contains the original proceedings
of the said Court in the matter of the
application of Lewis F. Delesdernier for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office
this twenty ninth day of September A.D. 1832
Aaron L. Raymond, Register
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State of Maine
County of Washington Ss.

Supreme Judicial Court Machias June [[Seven]] 1825
On this thirteenth day of June 1825 personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of record for said County of Washington, & having the power of fine & imprisonment Lewis Frederick Delesdernier, resident in said County, aged Seventy three years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the Acts of Congress of the 18 March 1818 and the 1st May 1820 that he the said Delesdernier entered as first Lieutenant for the term of ____ on the eight day of October in the year 1777 in the State of Massachusetts in the Company commanded by Captain John Preble in the regiment commanded by Colonel John Allen in the line of the State of Massachusetts, which regiment by a resolve of Congress passed February 15 1781 was placed on the Continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said Corps until June 3d 1783 when he was discharged from the service, in Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania; 
that he hereby relinquishes every Claim whatever to a pension, except the present; that his name is not on the roll of any State except Massachusetts; and that the following are the reasons for not making earlier application for a pension- 
that it was not till since the last term of any Court of Record in said County, that he ascertained that any resolve or evidence could be found that the said regiment was placed upon the Continental establishment -- 
And in pursuance of the Act of the 1st Ma 1820 I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress entitled "An Act to Provide for certain persons engaged in the land & naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War," passed on the 18th day of March, 1818; 
And that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities, contracts, or debts due to me, nor have I any income, other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed. That since the 18th of March 1818 the following changes have been made in my property; Viz. 
Two acres of land sold to William H Faxon as [[a]] Copy of the dee & the deposition of John Faxon hereunto annexed- Also the levy of an Execution in favor of the United States, upon all the real estate which I owned & much of which I had before sold as [[a]] Copy of said Execution & levy from the registry of Deeds in said County, hereunto annexed, fully appears ~
Lewis F. Delesdernier

Sworn to....
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Schedule of all the Estate, real & personal belonging to Lewis J. Delesdernier within named, necessary cloathing & bedding excepted -
One Cow one pig four months old
1 Bureau, old, birch - 1 Secretary, birch, 1 birch dining table
1 light stand. Six chairs 1 armed chair, 1 Iron Kettle, crack'd
Ordinary cooking tools for a family
1 Kitchen table

Lewis J. Delesdermer


Schedule of the family residing with me L.F. Delesdernier within named who by reason
old age & hernia am wholly unable to pursue any occupation, & have no trade or property
but have frequent need of medical attentions & nursing-

Names | Ages | Capacity of each to contribute to their support
Sophia Delesdernier | 42 | can scarce support herself

Gustavus Delesdernier | 10 | cannot earn his own living

Emily Delesdernier | 5 | do

Louis Fayette | 5 months | do

Lewis F. Delesdernier

An account of the property in the possession of the said Delesdernier on the 18th day of March 1818, and not now owned by him--

Description of the property
┃ names of persons to
whom disposed of | Line of Sale |
Amount of money or other description of property received in return

The several lots & parcels of land taken & described in the levy of the Execution
a copy of which is annexed (except one acre
of said land at Eastport, adjoining land of
Ezra Whitney, also included in said levy
but not owned by me -- | Taken by Execution
in favor of the United States as aforesaid | Levied upon July 19. 1821 | appraised at & Satisfying $8979,33 in part of said Execution

Two acres of land at Lubec | sold to WmH Laxon | Aug 8. 1820. & Jany 1, 1821. |
$67.44 in payment of my debt to John Laxon
Lewis S. Delesdernier
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To the Congress of the United States.

Your petitioner humbly sheweth, that Lewis F. Delesdernier, late a pensioner of the United States, he having been a soldier of the Revolutionary War, departed this life, February the 2d 1837, at the house of your petitioner in Baileyville, Washington County, State of Maine; at which time there was due the said Lewis F. by virtue of his pension certificate, the sum of one hundred and thirty one and 60/100 dollars, for four months and twenty eight days, being from September 10th, 1836 to February 2d 1837;
that said sum and more, was necessarily expended in care and support of him the said Lewis F. before and immediately previous to his demise, he being at the time and for several years before a lunatic;
that your petitioner was duly appointed his Guardian in 1833, and as the said Lewis's Guardian did receive his pension from time to time, as it became payable, for many years last past, the care and support of him the said Lewis F. devolved entirely on your petitioner, the oldest of two only surviving sons.- 
The said Lewis F. at his death, left no estate, save the amount due, as aforesaid from the United States, which sum, your petitioner, under the existing laws, cannot obtain without subjecting himself to great difficulties, delay and expense, and as no other pension can have any equitable claim to any part of the sum aforesaid, he solicits of your Honorable Body a special act, by which he may be enabled to procure said sum without further delay And in duty bound will ever pray.

Baileyville, Washington Co. Me.
16th December 1837

William Delesdernier
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I Gideon OBrien of West Machias in the State of Maine Certify That at the Commencement of the Revolutionary war I was a resident of Machias that early in that war Lewis F. Delesdernier came to this place and acted as a subaltern officer under Colo John Allen for some time, that he was dispatched by said Allen to negotiate with & keep quiet the Passamaquoddy Indians, that on this expedition he was taken prisoner and I understood was carried to Halifax- that he afterward returned to his command at said Machias and continued in actual service until the close of the war- that while the Enemy had possession of Castine (Bagaduce) I heard Col [[a allen]] say he had orders to march to the relief of  said place, and that he did march with part of his troops, and I understood proceeded about 80 miles when he heard of the defeat of our Navy there and he returned to Machias- & my impression is that said Delesdermier was with the troops- & further saith not- West Machias Jany 24. 1826
Gideon OBrien

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