Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8,001, Manuel Zeigler, Penn.
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Gettysburg Penna Nov 10 1853
Sir
Under date of 17th Aug ult I wrote to inquire after the case of Emanuel Zeigler, and in reply was informed by letter dated August 23rd, that for want of sufficient information as to the nature of the claim it could not be found. this information I now furnish - The case of Emanuel Zeigler is a suspended claim under act of 1832 for a pension for Revolutionary services - a Pennsylvania case. I had the honour, about the first of July last, to submit to the Commissioner of Pensions in person, my views of the case, and showed (as I supposed) sufficient reasons why the case ought to be allowed; my argument was filed with the case, and left with the Commissioner, it being understood that, he would refer to a new examiner for a report, and also review it personally before a final decision. Since that time nothing has been heard from it - the old man is yet alive, but very infirm and poor, and if what little of life remains to him could be made comfortable by the allowance of this claim there is no doubt it would be, to that extent, a vindication of public justice - any report may be addressed either to Mr. H. Longwell or to Your Servant R. G McCreary
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Pension Office, Augt 2h 1853
Sir,
The claim of Emanuel Zeigler for revolutionary services has been again examined upon the whole evidence, in connection with your argument. The error in the estimate made in the former letter of Dec 23/52 being admitted, a service is approved of four months.
There must be reasonable proof made of an actual service made of not less than six months. The statement of the applicant gives herein additional term of two months, during which he served, under Eichelberger, as a teamster. But it is obvious, that in regard to the time, he is wholly unsupported by any testimony, neither his brother nor sister admitting they were competent witnesses, giving so much as an impression in regard to the term of this service.
Nothing appears to warrant a presumption which it might be desired to frame upon the subject. 
Very respectfully
W Cole
Acting Commissioner
R G McCreary
Present
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Gettysburg Pa July 1, 1853
To the Commissioner of Pensions
Sir
In the case of Manuel Zeigler of Pennsylvania, now on your desk for re-hearing, I wish, in addition to the suggestions which I had the honour to submit yesterday, to make a single remark which was in my haste imitted; it is in reference to the deposition of Charles Zeigler to which objection was made on account of its being too little circumstantial and therefore not entirely satisfactory - it seems to me that the testimony of this witness (and others in similar circumstances) cannot properly be judged by the rule which applies to witnesses called to the stand in ordinary cases - there is this difference - a witness called to testify of maters of recent date must, if he knows the principal fact, also remember the attendant circumstances and ought to be able to detail these, but in this case the witness is speaking of a fact that occurred more than seventy years go, he was a boy of fifteen years at the time, it is but reasonable to suppose that contemporaneous circumstances have been long forgotten, but here is one impressive circumstance in his history, he saw he elder brother
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among the troops and one of them, he saw him taken to drive a team (probably on account of his youth as he was under eighteen) and the importance and strangeness of the event in the family had caused it to be remembered when all else is forgotten -
there is nothing singular in this, the experience of every man must furnish examples of the same kind where the recollection of particular facts and transactions happening in early youth remains distinct and vivid as the record of yesterday after time has obliterated every trace of accompanying circumstances -
I have felt it my duty to supply this suggestion in behalf of my poor old client and in vindication of the very respectable witness & I may here remark that if the latter were less conscientious and more disposed to sacrifice truth than he is it would have been very easy for him to furnish such a statement of circumstances (& that without fear of contradictions) as would have been abundantly sufficient to make out his brothers case.
I remain with great respect
Yours truly
R G McCreary
July 1 1853
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Brief in the case of Manuel Zeigler. Adams County and State of Pennsylvania, aet 7th June 1832.
Claim, ("original," [or "for increase."] [phrase in brackets is crossed out] 
Proof exhibited, (if original)
Is it documentary, traditionary, or supported by rolls? If either, state the substance.
Manuel served six months as a private - proved by John Garvin and Certificate of [the words Secretary of crossed out] Auditor General of Pennsylvania.
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State of Pennsylvania
County of Adams
On this twenty eighth day of January AD 1854 personally appeared before me a justice of the peace in and for the county and state aforesaid, John Garvin esq, a resident of Gettysburg in said county aged about sixty five years; and who i certify to be a credible and respectable person, who being duly sworn according to law doth say that he was born in York County (now Adams) previous to the year 1790, is not certain as to the date, but it was between 1787 to 1789; that he is well acquainted with Emanuel Zeigler [?] of Gettysburg, who has made application for a pension for services in the Revolutionary War; the this deponents father, whose name was William Garvin, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, that he often heard his father in his life-time speak of his services in said war; that his father was at one time drafted in the militia, and served under a Captain Eichelberger of York County, and was employed at that time in guarding prisoners near the town of York, that this was near the close of the war, and was the last service that his said father rendered, that the said service was, (according to this deponents distinct impression from his fathers statements) a two months tour; that Emanuel Zeigler above mentioned served in the same company, and at the same time, as he has often heard his father declare; that this deponents said father and said applicant both returned from said service at the same time, and lived near neighbours from
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that time until the time of his said fathers death which took place about the year 1820 - that this  deponent has known said Manuel Zeigler as long as he can remember, and has no doubt of the fact of his having served as above mentioned as he has it from his fathers statements - that this deponent frequently heard his father mention the fact that some time after the said service under the said Captain Eichelberger was made, he sold his claim for pay for the said tour to a speculator, for £5 - in silver; the claim being for a considerably larger amount, but that silver money being very scarce, the sum so received was rightly prized by him; that the speculator above-mentioned, at the same time bought up all the claims for service in said Company, so far as they could be had from the soldiers - and further deponent saith not
Sworn and subscribed before me the date first above written
C A Buehlen, J.P. State of Pennsylvania Adams County
Jno Garvin
I, W W Paxton Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do Certify that D A Buehler Esq - before to hear the foregoing affidavit was made is and was at the time of the doing of the same one of our Commonwealth Justices of the Peace, duly Elected, Commissioned and qualified [?] as such and that the Signature thereto [illegible] to be his is genuine
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of the said Court at Gettysburg this 30th day of May AD 1854.
W.W Paxton Prothty per A Cobean Dept
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Special
H. Longwell
Present