Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 802, Henry Breese, New Jersey
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State of New Jersey
Middlesex County   Ss.

On this Eleventh day of September Eighteen hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before Robert McChesney Esq and other judges of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting at New Brunswick in and for the county of Middlesex Henry Breese a resident in the Township of South Brunswick county & state aforesaid aged seventy seven years who being 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 entered the service of the United States under the following officers and served as herein stated.
He was born on the first of January 1755, In the Township of Franklin County of Somerset and state of New Jersey.  He was bound an apprentice at Hightstower in the county of Middlesex to Richard Jobs and this applicant entered the service under Captain Aaron Longstreet in the neighborhood of Kingston in the county of Middlesex where this deponent since the war has always lived, except part of a year when he was in Somerset.  He has no record of his age.  He entered the service as a volunteer militia man in the company of Aaron Longstreet Captain in the year 1776 our major was Scudder and our Colonel was Hyer - we went to Woodbridge Cr in the County of Middlesex for one month.  I was turned out as one of the flying camp men - they were one month over taken from the several militia companies and six were required from Captain
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Longstreets company and I was one of the six.  We were marched to Powles Hook opposite New York and were kept moving about from one place to another along the line for the whole month - our captain was Lyell - our Col. John Nelson - and our major I think was named Taylor.
My next tour was under Captain William Jones for two months.  We went to Elizabeth town, Springfield and Connecticut farms.
I belonged to Captain Longstreet company when General Washington retreated to Pennsylvania and we retreated with him and remained there from (blank space) till the General took the Hessians, which was the day after Christmas 1776.  We were ordered over the Delaware and in a few days marched to Princeton and was there the day or two after the battle.  I remember that Captain Longstreet asked the company the very day we retreated to Trenton if any of us had a mind to go after tories.  I said yes with others, and we went to Sourland and took tory Col John Vandine.
I was again soon called out, and as the British had possession of New Brunswick, I was in actual service nearly the whole time till they left there which was in June 177.  While the British were at New
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Brunswick we went out on a scout to Bennats Island under the command of Col. John Nelson, and we took major Richard Stockton, who was quartered there and brought him up to Princeton. Col Scudder and D. Thomas Wiggins were along.
I was at the battle of Monmouth under the command of Captain Longstreet From the early part of the year 1776 till the peace in 1783.  I was constantly out or always in readiness to march, but it is impossible for me at this distance of time to detail more at length than I have.  I am fully satisfied that I was in actual service during the said period as a soldier more than two years, tho' I have no documentary evidence of such service.
John Gulich, William Mershon and William Vantilbuyer belonged to the company of Captain Aaron Longstreet and will testify to my services.
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the one sent and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Henry (his x mark) Breese
 Sworn to and subscribed
the day & year aforesaid

   Joseph McChesney
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William Vantilburgh aged seventy one years of the County of Somerset being duly sworn according to law on his oath saith, that he is well  acquainted with Henry Breese, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that this deponent and the said Henry Breese belonged to the Company of Captain Aaron Longstreet in the year 1777, and performed monthly tours, and has no doubt that the said Henry Breese was in actual service as a volunteer militia man during the revolutionary war two year and upwards.
William VanTilburgh
Sworn to and subscribed
the day and year aforesaid
   Joseph McChesney

John Gulich aged seventy one years and William Mershon aged seventy one years both of the township of South Brunswick in the County of Middlesex being duly sworn according to law do on their several oaths say - that they are well acquainted with Henry Breese, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that these deponents belonged to the company of Captain Aaron Longstreet of the New Jersey militia during the revolutionary war - and that the said Henry Breese was also a member of said company that they have no doubt, that the
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said Henry Breese served as a volunteer militia man during the revolutionary war two years and upwards.
John Gulick
William Mershon

Sworn to and subscribed
the day and year aforesaid
   Robert McChesney


We, David Comfort a clergyman residing in the County of Somerset and Garret Breese residing in the township of South Brunswick in the County of Middlesex hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Henry Breese who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion -
David Comfort
Garret (his x mark) Breese

Sworn to and subscribed
the day & year aforesaid
   Robert McChesney
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And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states.  And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that David Comfort who has signed the preceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of Somerset and within a few miles of the applicant, and that Garret Breese, who has also signed the same statement - and William Vantilburgh, John Gulich and William Merson who have been examined as witnesses before the Court are entitled to credit

John S Vandyke
Wm B Manning
Simeon Mundy
J D Archatt

I, F. S. Vanarsdalen, clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Middlesex to hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Henry Breese for a pension.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said Court this eleventh day of September Eighteen hundred & thirty two.
F. S. Vanarsdalen
  Clerk
[seal affixed]
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Washington DC
8th May 1849

Col J L Edwards
Comm of Pensions
DC

  Will the comr. have the kindness to permit me to look at the papers in the case of Henry Breese, Wagon Master either of N.J. or Pa.  The object is to discover if there is not evidence among his papers to substantiatae the Claim of Henry Southard of N Jersey.  It is alleged by the Hon. Isaac Southard that he believes there are papers which were presented by Mr. Breese which he obtain from N.J. that may substantiate his claim to an increase

Respectfully &c
S. A. Peugh
for Col. I. Southard
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
May 17, 1854

Sir:

  Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An Act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the treasury of the United States," and the third section of the Act of August 23, 1842, extending the time within which Pensioners may receive their pensions from the Pension Agents,

the only child of Henry Breese, dec.

a Pensioner on the Roll of the New Jersey Agency, at the rate of Eighty Dollars per annum under the law of 7th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of September, 1834, to the 10th Feb'y 1835.

Respectfully yours,

J. M. Brodhead
Comptroller.

{handwritten: 17335 act '32)

to the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.
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   Supplemental Declaration of Henry Breese an applicant for a pension named in paper number No. 10.200.

State of New Jersey
Middlesex County  Ss   Personally appeared before me the Subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace in & for said county Henry Breese who being duly Sworn deposeth & Saith that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively to the precise length of all his Service but to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below & always in the grade of a private.  He voluntarily entered the service in the early part of 1776 & served one month as a volunteer under Capt Longstreet & Col Hyer  I was stationed at Woodbridge engaged in guarding that section of the State.  He next in the same year volunteered with five of his associates & joined the flying camp as it was called & he was one month under Capt Lyle & the whole flying camp as he now thinks under Genl Mercer & the men stationed on the east side of the Raritan engaged along from Amboy to Paulus Hook.  afterwards in the same year he again entered the service as a volunteer & served two months under Capt William Jones & was marched to Elizabeth town, Connecticut farms & Springfield.  I was all the time in that section of the State.  Immediately afterwards in the same year 1777 he volunteered again & served one month under Capt Longstreet.  this service commencing about the time of the retreat of Washington across to Jersey.  they next went up to Souerland & captured a distinquished tory a Col. Van Dyke & then joined Washington's forces & followed on over into Pennsylvania & was on the west side of the Delaware at the time Washington
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Captured the Hessians at Trenton & then recouped & they marched to Princeton which he reached a day of two after the Battle.  In the early part of 1777 I again was called out voluntarily, I served one month as a volunteer under Capt. Longstreet after the enemy had got to Brunswick I was stationed at  Branbury & under the command of Col Neilsen & engaged in guarding & protecting that part of the State on points along the lines & harrassing the enemy.  That during this service was marched under Neilson to Bennet's Island & captured a large part of the enemy.  Afterwards in the year1777 he served again one month as a volunteer under Longstreet & was stationed in the midst of the State.  Afterwards in the same year he voluntarily served four tours of a month each under Capt Longstreet & was stationed at Elisabeth town & engaged along the lines guarding & protecting the defensable families & property of his fellow inhabitants.  In the year 1778 he was out again & served five tours of a quarter each as a volunteer under Capt Longstreet & Col Neilson or a Col Zaylon I was stationed in the middle of East New Jersey guarding along the lines & during the summer  was marched to Monmouth & was in that the Memorable engagement.  In the year 1779 he again volunteered & served six terms of a month each as a volunteer under Capt Longstreet.  I was stationed between Elisabeth Town Woodbridge engaged in guarding as before, in  (?) in watching the plundering parties of the enemy.  In the year 1780 he was called upon again volunteered.  Served four terms of a month each under Longstreet Captain & was engaged at Elisabeth Town guarding as before along the lines  In the year 1781 he was out & served as a volunteer not less than four terms of a month
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each & was stationed in the eastern front of the State under Capt Longstreet & Col Neilsen or Col Zaylor & engaged in Shielding the defenseless portion of his fellow citizens & their property from the ravages of the enemy then disaffected.  He never received any written discharge from the service but is sure he was out much more even than he has particularized but cannot at this time specify any time being out in service & where duty called him - being always ready & during the times specified was not engaged in any civil pursuit  on these Services claims a pensin
Henry (his X mark) Bresse

Sworn & Subscribed this
20th July AD 1833
before me
  Peter P .Runyon
  Justice of the Peace

I Nicholas Booraem Clerk of the County of Middlesex New Jersey, do hereby certify that the foregoing are the original & supplemental proceedings, in the case of Henry Breese an applicant for a Pension, that Peter P. Runyon before whom the said supplemental proceedings were had is a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature Peter P. Runyon is in his own proper hand writing
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this twenty ninth day of July Eighteen hundred and thirty three
  N. Booraem Clerk
[seal affixed]