Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. Wt. 1585-200, Louis De Saussure, S.C.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
S.C. 
DeSaussure, Louis

NUMBER
B.L. W't. 1585-200
CONTENTS
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Affidavit of
H. W. De Saussure
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State of South Carolina Richland District }
Personally appeared before me Henry W DeSaussure, who being duly sworn, Saieth that the late Louis DeSaussure, a native of Beaufort District, was a younger brother of his father, the late Daniel DeSaussure, and entered the army of the United States as a lieutenant in the Third regiment of the Infantry, originally called Rangers, & Commanded at first by Colo. William Thompson, & afterwards by Colo. James Mayson -
This Deponent doth not recollect or know the year in which his Uncle entered the army; but he believes it was sometime in the year 1777. He is known to have been in active service early in 1778. This deponent further states, that his 
Said Uncle Louis DeSaussure, was with his regiment when General Lincoln, together with the French Troops, under the Command of Count D'Estaing, made
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made an assault on the lines of Savannah then in the possession of 
the British troops on the 9th day of October, 1779; and they were 
repulsed with great slaughter.
Lieutenant Louis Desaussure led a company of his regiment to the 
attack on that disastrous day, & was wounded. He & other wounded 
officers were immediately put on board a transport ship, & sent round 
to Charleston; But he died on the passage of tetanus or lockjaw produced 
by the wound. His body was brought to Charleston, & was buried with 
military honors, in the cemetary of St Michael's church; and a marble slab 
was erected to his memory, & placed against the Inner South wall of the 
Church, where it still remains.
This deponent further saith that at the time of the death of his Said Uncle
Louis Desaussure, he was unmarried, & left no children - nor did he leave 
any wife. and the late Daniel Desaussure was his Elder brother & Heir, & 
has been dead many years. This deponent is the only son of the late 
Daniel Desaussure, & was constituted by him the heir at law of
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the Said Louis Desaussure -
This deponent has heard, & he believes from some of the officers of the 
Regiment who were intimate with his Uncle, Louis Desaussure, that at 
the time he was slain by the Enemy, he was entitled to promotion, as a 
Captain in the Regiment, but that he had not the received his commission 
as Captain. But this deponent has no knowledge of the fact himself; and 
cannot say whether the report was correct; though it is probable from his 
having been in the service for several years, before he was Killed.
Henry W Desaussure

Sworn before me
31 August 1829
James S Guignard
Ordinary
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Louis Desaussure
No. 1585
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DEPARTMENT OF WAR.

Regulations for the heirs of Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army, who
were slain by the enemy, or who have died since the war, and have not received
land from the United States.
By an Act of Congress of the 16th September, 1776, it is provided, that the Officers and Soldiers
who engaged for, and continued to serve during the war, or until discharged by Congress, and the heirs of
such Officers and Soldiers as shall be slain by the enemy, shall receive land in proportion to their rank.
N. B. Those who engaged for three years, or for any other period than during the war, or who died of
sickness, fatigue, or casualty, are not entitled to land from the United States.
The following declaration (and enclosed blank form of heirship) must be filled up and signed by the
proper authorities:

State of South Carolina County of Richland District }

I, Henry WD Desaussure heir at law of Lieutenant Louis Desaussure
do, upon oath, testify and declare, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that Louis Desaussure
did enter the army of the United States and served in the regiment No. three under 
the command of Colonel Thompson, afterwards Mayspm of the  South Carolina line; and
that he continued in the service aforesaid until the 9th Oct 1779 when he was slain by the Enemy -
I further declare, that I have never received a warrant for the bounty land promised to the said Louis
Desaussure on the part of the United States; nor do I believe that he ever received it, or transferred
his claim to it in any manner whatsoever; therefore,
Know all men by these presents, that I, Henry W. Desaussure aforesaid, do
hereby constitute and appoint the Honble Robt. T Hugue to be my true and
lawful attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United 
States, a warrant for the quantity of land due to me as aforesaid; and my said attorney is hereby fully au-
thorized and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys under him, for the
special purposes above expressed.
Attest,
Henry Wm Desaussure
24 Sept. 1829

Personally appeared the above named Henry W. Desaussure subscriber to the
foregoing declaration, and in my presence acknowledged the power of attorney thereto subjoined to be his
free act and deed, for the purposes therein mentioned.
Attest,
John M. Davis
Justice of the Peace.
24 Sept 1829

In testimony that the abovewritten
John M Davis   & Notary Public & ex officio a was a magistrate
authorized to administer oaths, and take acknowledgments, &c., in the State of So. Carolina at
the above date, and that his name there subscribed appears to me to be his usual signature, 
I have hereunto affixed the county seal, and subscribed my name [obscured words], at Columbia
twenty fourth day of September 1829
day of September
1829
James S. Quignard
Clerk of Court
Richland District

[court seal attached]
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Sacred
to the memory
of
Louis Desaussure

He was a native of Beaufort District
and an officer in the 3rd regiment
of the South Carolina Line of Troops
raised for Continental Service
During the War of the Revolution.
Whilst leading on his soldiers to the assault made by General Lincoln on the British Lines at Savannah on the 9th Day of October 1779 he received a wound from a musket shot of which he died in few days aged 34 years
His body was brought home to his afflicted friends and interred in the cemetery of this church.

I hereby certify that the above is a correct transcript of the inscription on a marble tablet in St Michael's Church in Charleston So Carolina and that the said Tablet has been erected for many years.

[thin wavy line above the words "Turn over"]
Turn over

[R. Simmons]
Church Warden
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I do hereby certify that the tablet placed on the South wall 
in St Michaels Church, and alluded to in the foregoing page 
has been to my knowledge, erected for upwards of thirty years.   
and that the copy given of the inscription is a perfectly correct one.

Alex'r Garden
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Certified Copy of
Epitaph, on the
mural tablet
in St Michael's
church in honor
of my uncle
Louis Desaussure
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Charleston Aug 21 1828.

This is to certify that The Honorable Chancellor Wm. H. DeSaussure
is a member of the State Society of the Cincinnati of So Carolina.  
And that he was elected on the 4th day of July 1807 on failure of 
lineal descendants as the eldest Collateral Branch of Louis De 
Saussure, who died of his wounds received at the Storming of the 
British Redoubt before Savannah.

Alex'r Garden Clk
President of the State Society of South Carolina

S. B. R. Finley
Secretary
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[typed letter]

April 6, 1937

Louis DeSaussure
Wt. 1585-200
BA-J/AWF [handwriten  initials]

Mrs. A. F. Feaster
2315 Joseph Street
New Orleans, Louisiana

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Lewis DeSjazer or DeSaussure, who was listed in the 1790 census from Edgefield County, South Carolina.

The data which follow concerning Louis DeSaussure were obtained from claim for bounty land, based 
upon his service in the Revolutionary War. This is the record of the only Louis (Lewis) DeSaussure found on file in the Revolutionary War records of this office.  The surname was searched under various
spellings.
  
Louis DeSaussure was a native of Beaufort District, South Carolina. The date of his birth, and names of parents were not given.

He was Lieutenant in Colonel William Thompson's 3rd South Carolina regiment, and at the siege of 
Savannah on October 9, 1779, was mortally wounded by a musket ball that took "the skin off his head"; he 
was placed on a hospital ship and on the way to Charleston, South Carolina, died of lockjaw.  His 
body was carried to Charleston and there buried with military honors in the cemetery of St. Michael's Church. the time of his death, he was unmarried and aged about thirty-four years.

His nephew, Henry William Desaussure, was allowed
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bounty land on account of the service of Lieutenant Louis Desaussure, on his application executed September 24, 1829.

   The said Henry William DeSaussure was the only son of Daniel DeSaussure, who was the elder brother of the above noted Lieutenant Louis DeSaussure. 

   Henry William DeSaussure was a resident of Richland District, South Carolina in 1829, and was addressed as Judge DeSaussure.

   In a statement made, August 21, 1828, it is shown "that the Honorable Chancellor Wm. H. Desaussure is a member of the State Society of the Cincinnati of South Carolina, and that he was elected on the 4th day of July 1807, on failure of lineal descendants, as the eldest Collateral Branch of Louis DeSaussure, who died of his wounds received at the storming of the British Redoubt before Savannah.

   In order to obtain the location of the land referred to herein, you should apply to The Commissioner of the General Land Office, Washington, D. C., and give the following data-

Warrant #1585-200 acres- Issued December 24, 1830.


Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
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War department
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War Depart: Bounty Land Office
23rd Jany 1829

The Honble
Robert Y. Hayne

Sir:
Your letter inquiring whether the heirs of Lieut.  Louis DeSaussure of the South Caroline line, who was slain by the Enemy, are intitled to bounty land in his right, and what is necessary to be done by them to obtain it?  And also whether the heirs of Doct James E.B. Finley, of the Penn'a line are entitled to bounty land ? is received.  In answering the inquiries, I must remark that the returns we have of officers slain by the Enemy 
are accordingly imperfect, and the name of Louis DeSaussure is not on them.  Hence it will be necessary for his heirs to prove that he had a commission in the troops on continental establishment and that he was slain by the Enemy. To facilitate them in preparing the papers, 
should such proof be within their reach, I send you the forms with which the heirs must comply.
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and to which just be added such proof when obtained.  I have further to inform you that no surgeon James E.B. Finley 
of the Penna line has been returned as entitled to Land, but that warrant No. 714 issued on the 8th of April 1790 to James Edward Burr Finley, surgeon of the Massachusetts line for his bounty land.   It issued to himself, and whether any patent was issued on it must be Learnt at the Genl Land Office.  There is little doubt, I think, but that you have mistaken his line, and that this is the person about whose right you are inquiring.
[illegible name]
Robert Taylor
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Certificate by the
ordinary of Richland
District
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STATE OF South Carolina Richland District } 

Ordinary's Office, 31 August 1829

I certify, that satisfactory evidence was adduced to me, to prove 
that Henry Wm. DeSaussure is the Nephew and 
heir at law in fee to Louis DeSaussure late an office in the 
third Regiment of the South Carolina Line 
of Continental Troops.

Given under my hand and Seal of Office, this thirty first 
day of August 1829

James S Guignard
Ordinary 

The above form will answer for the following States:
Maine,
Massachusetts,
New-Hampshire,
Rhode-Island,
Connecticut,
Vermont,
[all above states] Judge of Probate.
New-York,
New Jersey,
[above two states] Surrogate.
Georgia,
South-Carolina,
[above two states] Ordinary.
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The Hon'ble
Judge De Saussure
Charleston,
South Carolina

Mail from 
32 M.H.

May 17
Col: Warren
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Echan Grove, 22. May. 1829

Dear Sir.

I should have answered your enquiries relative to your Uncle Lieut. Lewis De Saussure sooner, but have been Examining, Ramsay, Moultrie & my Orderly both, to see if I could find anything mention'd which would fix the time of his entering the service, or the Reg't he belonged to.  --  I knew Lieut. Lewis De Saussure very well, in the Army of the Revolution, while it lay at Purisburg, under the Command of Gen'l Lincoln in the year 1779.  The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th (the Regiment I belonged to) & 6th were there.  I was stationed with Major Huger (of the 5th) at Fort Johnson, 'till 
about 3rd Jan'y 1779, when I was order'd to Purisburg, and became acquainted with L DeSaussure; and am pretty certain he belonged to the 3rd Reg't.  Further, he was in the Siege of Savannah, & in the Storming the Lines on the 9th October 1779.  I was twice wounded, left on the field of Battle, taken prisoner & never saw him afterwards.  
I saw a return of the Killed and wounded on that day, while I was a Prisoner
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in Savannah, I recollect very well his Name was among the Wounded.  I was sent to Charleston in October 1780, then in the possession of the Enemy, where I was told my many of our acquaintances Surgeons
& others, that altho' his would appear'd to be a slight one, it was a mortal one & caused his death, on board the Hosptial Ship, on its passage to Charleston, immediately after the storm.  I understood a musket ball, had just taken the skin off his head, without appearing to have injured the bone. I recollect the circumstance of his 
wound & Death was often spoken of when I got among my old Comrades.  I hope to be at Columbia about the 1st July, on my way to Pendleton, and will if I see you, give you any further information, I may collect from my orderly Books, as I have not finish overlooking them.

With great regard,
& friendship, Dear Sir,
Yours -- Sam. Warren.
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P.S. I have found the following extract of
Gen.l Orders Charleston 21 July 1778 - which I think fully proves I was correct about the Reg't DeSaussure belonged to-- 
"John Butler also of the 3rd Regiment, for 
desertion is sentenced to receive 100 lashes but considering the good Character given him by D. DeSaussure the court thinks him an object of mercy, & recommends him as such."

South Carolina Richland Dist: }
Personally appeared before me, Col Samuel 
Warren, and made oath that the
statements in the above letters are just and 
true to the best of his recollection & belief.
Sworn before me  }  Sam. Warren. Capt. in the 17th August 1829 } Continental army during Wm. H. Brickell }  the Revolution in 5 So. Ca. reg't
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2315 Joseph St.
New Orleans, La.
Mch. 18, 1937.

Veterans administration,
Washington, D.C.

Have you any records of one Lewis DeShazer (?) DeSaussure only under command Gen. Wayne Headquarters Ebenezer, Burke Co. Ga. April, 1782.  He was listed in the 1790 census from Edgefield Co. S.C. 
Any information you can give will be very much appreciated.

Very Truly,
Abigail Feaster
(Mrs. A. T. Feaster)

[Stamp]

RECEIVED
MAR 22 1937
MAIL SUB.DIV.
VETS ADM.
READER NO. 3