Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 35,449, for Benjamin Hutchins, Massachusetts
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(S-1776)
SERVICE.  NUMBER
Mass. Hutchins, Benjamin  S. 35,449
Navy  or Hutchings
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11.422
Maine  R
Benjamin Hutchings
of Boothbay in the Dist of Maine who was a Mariner on board the ship Hancock commanded by Com. Manly of the U. S. Navey & Mass. line, for the term of 1 year 
Inscribed on the Roll of the District of Maine at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 14th of April 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 of June 1819 and sent to R. C. Voss Esq. Augusta, Kennebeck Co Me
Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1819  10 mo  85..83
Semi -anl. all'ce ending 4 Sept: 1819  48..
________
$133..83

{Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818.}

Benefit sent Dec 20 1820 R C Voss Augusta Maine
Death not in O. B
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I Benjamin Hutchins on oath testify and declare that I am a citizen of the United States and reside in Boothbay in the County of Lincoln & Commonwealth of Massachusetts and aged sixty one years, that in March 1776 I enlisted as a private soldier in the war of the revolution in the land service for ten months in Capt Israel Davis' company and served the time and without interruption of absence and was regularly discharged verbally I do not recollect about any particular regiment that I belonged to I was stationed at Boothbay aforesaid where our army was ordered to guard the coast, I always supposed that we were on the continental establishment we regularly drew our provisions from head quarters at Boston by our commissary and we were paid in continental money -
In the first of March 1777 I entered as a mariner on board the American continental frigate Hancock of thirty six guns, John Manley Esq. commander, after a cruise against the British of about two months, & after we had taken the ship Fox of twenty eight guns we fell in with the British frigates Rainbow of forty guns & Flora of their two guns & were by them captured and carried to Halifax and remained there prisoner about seven months and was then put on board the transport called the Royal Bounty with other prisoners to the number of 280 bound to New York - after being at sea about three days, the prisoners rose on the crew of the ship and carried her into Marblehead near Boston, about the first of March 1778 and so I made my escape from the British after being in the naval service and in prison as aforesaid about one year without interruption or absence - some time having elapsed between my entering on board the Hancock and her sailing on her said cruise -
And I further on oath testify and declare that from my reduced circumstances in life and poverty I stand in need of the assistance of my country for support -
And I hereby relinquish all claims to every pension allowed me by the laws of the United States if any may or have been so allowed - Benjamin Hutchins  X his mark
in presence of Jere Bailey
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts Lincoln Co.
 Be it remembered, That on this fourteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & Eighteen, pursuant to a Law of the United States, entitled an act 4 to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war made & passed on the 18th of March A.D. 1818 personally appeareth before me Jeremiah Bailey Judge of the Court of Probate. within and for the County of Lincoln in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the same being a court of record of said County the above named Benjamin Hutchins and after due examination and caution to testify and declare the whole truth, he maketh oath to the declaration aforesaid & subscribed the same in my presence; and on examination duly made by me the said Judge, it appeareth to my satisfaction that the said declaration is true. Jeremiah Bailey 

I John H. Sheppard Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Lincoln hereby certify that the aforesaid Jeremiah Bailey is Judge of said Court of Probate above named & that his signature to this caption is genuine & that the Seal aforesaid is the seal of said Court. John H. Sheppard
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April 18, 1938 Mr. George Wharton Rice West Southport Maine 

Benjamin Hutchins S. 35449 BA-J/MCS 

Dear Sir Reference is made to your request for information relative to Benjamin Hutchings of Lincoln County, Maine, who served in the Revolutionary War. The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in the pension claim, S.35449, based upon the Revolutionary War service of Benjamin Hutchins or Hutchings. The date and place of birth and the names of the parents of Benjamin Hutchins or Hutchings were not given. He enlisted in March, 1776, and served ten months as private in Captain Israel Davis' Massachusetts company and was stationed at Booth bay and was engaged in guarding the coast. On the first of March, 1777, he entered as mariner on board the American Continental frigate, Hancock, commanded by John Manley; after cruising about two months and capturing the ship, Fox, they fell in with the British frigates, Rainbow and Flora, and were captured by them and carried to Halifax, Benjamin Hutchins or Hutchings was held a prisoner at Halifax for about seven months when he with two hundred eighty other prisoners, was placed on board the transport called the Royal Bounty and sailed for New York. After being at sea about three days the prisoners rose against the crew and carried the ship into Marblehead, arriving about the first of March, 1778, and said Benjamin made his escape, went to Boston and was discharged. He was allowed pension on his application executed April 14, 1818, at which time he was living in Boothbay, Lincoln County, Massachusetts, aged sixty-one years.