Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 24,630, Joseph Bangs, Mass. Sea Service
Page 1

Service
Mass
Sea Service

Bangs, Joseph
Desire

W. 24.630
Page 2

3208
Massachusetts

Desire Bangs widow of Joseph Bangs who was a private in the Massachusetts line

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 30 Dollars [0] Cents per annum, to commemce on the 4th day of March, 1843.

Certificate of Pension issued the 4 day of December 1843 and sent to Henry Morris Springfield [illegible]

Act of March 3, 1843.
Recorded in Book A
Vol. 1 page 37
Page 3

State of Massachusetts
County of Hampden ss.

On this twenty ninth day of February A.D. 1837-personally appeared before the Hon. Oliver B. Morris, Judge of the Court of Probate within and for the County Hampden, Desire Bangs, a resident of Springfield in the County of Hampden said State of Massachusetts aged seventy six years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed July 4th. 1836; That she is the widow of Joseph Bangs who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. That her said husband served in said War as hereinafter stated, to wit, Said Joseph Bangs in the year 1775 in April, immediately after Lexington battle volunteered, or enlisted, as a soldier, and marched to Boston under Captain Joshua Gray, in Col Enoch Hallet's Regt. He was on various tours of duty until July in the same year; at which time, he was Stationed at Yarmouth, near Dennis, in the County of Barnstable, at a place Black Earth, in a company of 27 men under Seargeant Samuel Hallett for the purpose of watching the movements of the enemy & for a purpose of a guard, on the North Shore of Cape Cod. He did duty on this station  for the period of six months, from July aforesaid. After the expiration of the six months service aforesaid, at Black Earth; he enlisted again, or was ordered into Boston, or its vicinity. He marched from Black Earth aforesaid to Roxbury and was present & assisted in building the fort on Dorchester Hights, and was one of the soldiers engaged in throwing bombs into the city, which caused the ....
Page 4

evacuation of the city of Boston by the enemy. He remains in the vicinity of Boston doing duty, till about the first of May 1776 when he returned home to Yarmouth aforesaid where he had his residence during the whole period of his Services. After the first of May aforesaid, he stood as a minute man, and kept his arms and accoutrements in constant rediness, and was called out several times after, for short periods in times of alarms - and it was his custom to carry his arms with him to publick worship, or wherever he went. He thus stood as a minute man till May 1778 - during which time he went with a party to Nantucket and took a quantity of flower from the tories - by force, which was designed for the enemy, and brought it iin to Plymouth, thence to Boston. He was also engaged in a skirmish at Nashuan [Naushon] Island, to present the enemy, taking off cattle from the Island. but did not prevent the enemy from taking the cattle, they being the strongest. She declares, the above to be the land service of her said husband, according to her best belief and knowledge. That she is unable to state the service more particularly in consequence of the elapse of time. She further declares, that in May 1778, her husband aforesaid enlisted into the navy service of the United States, and sailed from Boston on a cruise to the British Channel, and during the said cruise, several prizes were taken. He was put aboard of one of the [illegible] taken, as [illegible] & sailing master, and brought in the prize, into Bedford [illegible] That she does not recollect the name of the ship upon which he was aboard, but the crew consisted of 110 men. That She recollects that at the time her said husband sailed on the crews aforesaid, he gave her his silver shoe buckles as a token of remembrance, in case he would
Page 5

be lost. That her husband aforesaid, came into Bedford aforesaid, about three weeks after the vessel in which he went out arrived at Boston, it being in the month of October in the same year (1778) - as she recollects. That in December 17th 1778 she was married to the said Joseph Bangs. That in February following (1779) her said husband, again sailed from Boston on an other cruise, but where she does not know, and returned into Boston in August following (1779) That on the fifth of September 1779 her oldest child was born; and that in three week & three days from the birth of said child, her said husband sailed again from Boston on an other cruise. That she recollects this time from the fact, that her husband carried her on a sick ed, from his house to his fathers hours to be taken care of while he was absent on said cruise. On this cruise one or more prizes were taken and on this cruise, or some previous one he was appointed prize & sailing master on board of a prize which he took into Pamlico Sound through [illegible] Inlet. While on the return from this voyage, the ship made Nantucket Light, and was blown off in a storm, and the crew was put upon short allowance for fifty two days - This was before puting into Pamlico Sound aforesaid - during this cruise a [illegible] on short allowance, a British transport was taken, having on board 18 horses - which were killed or thrown over board. The military store were taken on board the American ship, and the transport supposed to go free, for want of provisions - That the said Joseph Bangs received a large sum of Continental money for his service as prize & sailing master on board of the prize
Page 6

prize taken into Pamlico Sound aforesaid which money being about one thousand dollars, was put into a small sugar box, and brought home. This circumstance she say she recollects, from the fact, that she has now the same sugar box in his possession, and from hearing her said husband say that it took $75 of said money to buy one bushel of corn He supposing at the time when he took it, it was current money and at [illegible]. He, her said husband, returned home to said Yarmouth in May 1780 - the day before the dark day - which she well recollects- That after his return aforesaid her said husband, stated to her that while he was at the South, he was engaged in a battle upon the water of Charleston S.C. She declares that she can not state the names of various ships or vessels in which her said husband served, but recollects the names of some of the officers, to wit, Captains McGee, Newell, Lieut's Russell L. Hows - That the particulars of his naval services are states as fully as she can recollect. For further proof of her said husband services, other than that furnished by her, She refers the Department, to the Military & Navy records, at the War Office-. That she has no documentary evidence of his services and that he has never been put upon the Pension Roll. 
She further declares that she was married to the said Joseph Bangs o the seventeenth of December seventeen hundred & seventy eight. That her husband, the aforesaid Joseph Bangs died on the thirtieth day of January eighteen hundred and nine; and that she has remained a widow ever since that period, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereunto annexed.
Desire Bangs
Sworn to, and subscribed on the day and year above written, before