Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4038, Alexander Gillis, New York
Page 2

State of New York
Washington County
On this 16th day of September A.D. 1833 personally
appeared before me one of the Judges of the
Court of Washington County Common Pleas in and for said County Alexander Gillis a resident of the town of Argyle in the County of Washington and State of New York aged Seventy nine years on the Seventeen day of December last past 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 7th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the
following named officers and served as herein stated
That when he lived in the town of Argyle County of Washington
and State of New York and in the month of June A.D. 1777
the committee of Safety who had been appointed by the inhabitants of the town of Argyle aforesaid called on him this declarant to know whether he would accept of a Commission to command a Company of Rangers so called at the time - he accordingly volunteered and accepted,- they thereupon gave him a written commission signed by the said Committee and he was sent out with his company as a Scouting party and he went through the woods on to the frontiers to make discoveries of the State and condition of the enemy and make
reports to the said Committee on the nearest military posts-- that he was on his way at Whitehall then Skenesborough, Lake George and during this campaign was to several places - that he was continued in the service until in the month of December when he reported himself and Company to the said Committee of safety and they permitted him to retire during the winter season - he further Saith he served and performed his duty faithfully six months as Captain of said Company
This declarant further saith that his company at first consisted
of Sixteen and no other officer - that at the time of Bennington battle he was on the outposts and also at the Battle of Still Water he with his company was on the woods as a guard and a scout and was not embodied with the other Troops
This declarant further saith that while he lived in Argyle aforesaid and in Month of May he thinks in AD 1778 he was called into the service under his said commission and took the command of
Page 3

company and was sent out as above and he marched through the
woods and down Lake Champlain to Bullwaggers hay below Chimney and Crown Point and shifted from one place to another encamping in the woods during the nighttime and was continued in this campaign until in the month of October when he reported himself and his men to the said committee who discharged him for the winter season and his men retired - that he served and perform the duties of a Captain five months at least
This declarant further saith there were no others with him but his company and that the committee of safety who gave him his commission were John Williams-- Alexander Webster - M Todden. M. Taylor and James Beaty who have since departed this life-- That he kept his said commission until the close of the war and long
since he has lost it
That while he lived in Argyle aforesaid and he thinks in the month
of April A.D. 1779 he again volunteered and entered the service
having again the command of a Company of men-- that previously
according to the best of his recollection Gov. Chittendon of the State of Vermont sent him a commission to take the command of
Company of Rangers solely for the purpose of patrolling and scouting in the woods and he accordingly took the command and marched his men through the woods to Lester Pond in Vermont and scouted about and around [illegible]and also on and about Auter Creek and Lake Champlain on the Vermont side encamping in the wood through the night - and he was continued in said service until in the month of October when he was ordered to retire for winter quarters -That he served as a captain during this campaign Six Months
This declarant Saith that in some years the Indians and Tories left and returned to Canada except those who lived in these parts as soon as October and some years they remained longer and when they retired his services were not so much needed - his main business was to protect the inhabitants and more particularly if he discovered a party of the enemy coming into the Interior to report the same which he was careful to perform and did so frequently and often as it happened his reports were to the nearest military post by sending one of his men
That while he lived in Argyle aforesaid and in the month of
Page 4

May A D. 1780 he again volunteered under his said Commissions being called upon by the authority of Government and collected a Company of forty and marched through in the woods to Lake George Lake Champlain and as heretofore stated, and we also sent to several oher places - sometimes by the officers commanding at Fort Edward and at Fort George thinks Col Worney commended the Forts and he was continued in the service in this company until in November and was discharged for and during the winter - that he served as a Captain commanding a company six months
This declarant further says he sometimes drew his rations and a part of the time they lived on game they found in the woods taken [illegible] to take hard biscuits with them - that his services were very important to the safety of the inhabitants and to the success of our arms as the
Country was new and good part of the people were Tories -
That while he lived in Argyle aforesaid and in the month of May A.D. 1781 he was [illegible] and he volunteered under his said Commission and took the command of a company and scouted through the wood to Cambridge and from Fort Edward East- North-West and South in several places - does not remember the times or number of times that he continued with his company in the service until in October when he was again discharged by the Commanding officer of the Fort at Fort Edward - that he served as a Captain in this campaigns five months
This declarant says he was generally out having no Col or other officers but under the officer commanding military forts - was sent to keep a look out
That when he lived in Argyle aforesaid and in the month of
June A.D. 1782 he again was called upon and he volunteered
and entered the service under his commissions and took the
command of a Company or party and marched to his several
places of destinations as directed by officers commanding at Fort Edward as heretofore described and was continued in his command with his company until in November when his services was not needed and he was discharged - that he served in this Campaign Six Months as a Captain commanding a Company
This declarant further saith he was bound to the service as a