Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7209, for John Miller, Connecticut
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SERVICE
Conn.
Privateer

Miller, John

NUMBER
R. 7209

b. 1756 at Lyme Conn.
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28.029
Act 7 June 1833
Rejected

See letter to Hon. S. Flint
5 Dec 1833
V.M. Firor May 8, 1857

Deserted 7209
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I Henry Bartlett, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Court aforesaid in the matter of the application of John Miller for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 20th day of November 1833
Henry Bartlett Clerk

Declaration of John Miller

Ent 10 Feb 1777
Deserted Nov 27, 1778
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State of Ohio
Athens County Ss

On this 12th day of November, in the year 1833 personally appeared in open court, before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County of Athens, now sitting, John Miller, a resident of Lodi Township in the County of Athens aforesaid, aged seventy six years, 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 7 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
As well as he remembers, he first enlisted on or about the 1st day of April in the year 1775, at Lyme in Connecticut, where with his father's family he then resided in a Company of which Dr Samuel Mather of said Lyme was Captain and Robert Dennison (whom he well recollects) was Orderly Sergeant. The names of the other officers he does not now remember. As soon as the Company could be collected, which was within three or four days, they were marched to New London; where they were employed in blasting rocks and contracting a Fort for the defense of the town and Harbor, until some time in October of the same year, when they were dismissed. The Deponent having as he verily believes, served with said company the full term of six months.
On the first day of January, 1777, he again enlisted at said Lyme in Connecticut, for the term of three years, under Capt. Elisha Lee (Lieut. Daniel Wait) in a regiment commanded by Col. John Durkee, of which the Lieut. Col.'s name was Russell and the Major's name was Sumner. In April of the same year ^ he with his company joined the Regiment at Danbury the day after the battle in which General Wooster fell and recollected particularly being present and seeing his body committed to the grave. After remaining at Danbury two or three weeks, they were marched to Peekskill where they lay a a considerable time inactive; while there he recollects two soldiers were sentenced to be shot, he does not remember for what crime; nearly all the Brigade were drawn up to witness the execution; a file of twelve men were detailed to execute the sentence, when while their arms were presented a reprieve arrived, as he understood from Gen. Washington. Afterwards he marched with his company and Regiment from place to place in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and in October of same year was in the battle of Germantown acting on the left wing. After this battle they marched to Red Bank below in Philadelphia. He was in a detachment of several hundred men as they were thrown into Fort Mifflin and Mud Island for its defense, which was maintained for seven days after, and until most of the garrison were wounded or killed. He recollects particularly that a few days after the detachment to which he belonged was thrown into the Fort, the commander (Col. Smith) was obliged to be carried to the shore on account of being hurt by a spent ball. Lieut. Col. Russell of Durkee's Regt also [crossed out]
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was obliged to retire on account of fatigue and ill health. He remembers particularly that a day or two before the evacuation the Fort was nearly demolished and great destruction of lives was caused by the firings from a Frigate lying between the Fort & the Pennsylvania shore. When the Fort came to be abandoned he with the survivors escaped to Red Bank where he rejoined the rest of his Company & Regt. and soon after marched to Valley Forge for Winter quarters. During the winter he was the greater part of the time with his Company and Regt. employed in keeping guard and in assisting to build a Bridge over the Schuylkill under the direction of Col. Carleton. He recollects in the succeeding Spring, of 1778, being in a detachment of about 2000 sent out under an officer who was commonly called The Marquis, to cross the Schuylkill and take possession of a certain Church some miles distant from Valley Forge & about 12 or 14 miles from Philadelphia, but the detachment was dislodged from the Church by a body of the British getting suddenly between it and the Camp and was obliged to retreat precipitately and to recross the River, which was done by fording, and only for 8 men, principally Indians & Canadians were killed in the retreat. Soon after he was with a detachment of about 50 men from various companies of Light Infantry which was joined to Col. Morgan's Command, and employed in reconnoitering and harassing the enemy, in which service he maintained until after the battle of Monmouth, then followed the British in their retreat to Sandy Hook, harassing them as much as possible. In the latter part of July, as he thinks, he rejoined his own Company and served until November in various expeditions, none of which proved to be very important, until the Regiment went into Winter quarters at Milford; where he was soon after taken violently sick, and laid in the Hospital till his life was despaired of; and his friends came and took him home, in the latter part of Winter, where he remained in a very feeble state of health until after the expiration of his term of enlistment in consequence of which he did not rejoin the Army. He afterwards sailed on a cruise and board a Privateer commanded by a Captain Fosdick, who was successful in capturing and bringing into New London two armed British vessels.
In consequence of leaving the army on account of sickness he did not receive a regular discharge; but he is confident he served more than two out of three years for which he enlisted more than twenty months of which time he was with the army in actual service, except [crossed out] that part of the time in which he lay in the Hospital and as he has before stated, he served under his first enlistment not less than six months ^ not less than 26 months in all and for such service he claims a Pension. He has no documentary evidence and he knows of no person now living, whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. And in answer to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department he the said John Miller deposes and says: 
1st that he was born at Lyme in Connecticut July 10 1756 and is now past 76 years of age
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2nd that he has no record of his age, except an entry made by himself in his Family Bible from the information of his parents.
3rd that he was residing at said Lyme at the times of his enlisting that he afterwards resided 7 years in Massachusetts and 2 years in New York, after which he moved to Ohio with the early settlers where he has continued to reside about 36 or 37 years past.
4th That ^he voluntarily enlisted into the service of his Country, first for 6 months in the Connecticut Militia and afterwards for 3 years in the regular service; and never waited to be drafted.
5th that he recollects besides the officers he has mentioned under whom he served, Col. Morgan, Gen Greene, Gen. Washington and others; and many circumstances of his services, besides those he has related in his declaration, but now which are very material.
6th that he does not think he received a written discharge after his first tour of service at New London, as all the company to which to which he belonged were dismissed together on the expiration of their time. That he was prevented as he has stated, by sickness, from obtaining a regular discharge from the Continental Army.
7th that he is known to many in his neighborhood who if present would testify as to his character or veracity and their belief of his services, a list of their names described by themselves in 1832 is herewith presented.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a Pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State or Territory.
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
John Miller
Henry Bartlett Clerk

We Asa Stearns a Clergyman, residing in the County of Athens, State of Ohio, and David Douglas residing in the same county, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Miller who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 76 years old; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed the day aforesaid
Asa Stearns
His mark [hand drawn X] David Douglas
Henry Bartlett Clerk

And the said Court to which [crossed out] declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter; and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certify that it appears to them that Asa Stearns who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the said County of Athens, and that David Douglas who has also signed the same, is a resident in the same County and is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to credit.
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I Henry Bartlett, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Court aforesaid in the matter of the application of John Miller for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 20th day of November 1833.
Henry Bartlett Clerk

Declaration of John Miller
Enl 10 Feb 1777
Deserted Nov 27, 1778
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Gallipolis Ohio
April 5th 1857

Commissioner Pensions

Sir.
I would not trouble you with inquiries out of order, but, for the mere object of saving you trouble hereafter.
I will merely allude to your's of the 25th [illegible] to inquire if, the John Miller who applied for a pension in 1833 from Athens Co. Ohio has an agent, and if so, what was his name?
I understand a deserter once applied from Athens Co. by the name of Miller. The daughter of a John Miller wishes me to present a case for her; she says her father was not the one who deserted, I wish, however to be sure of that fact before I apply which I will be enabled to do if you will answer my question.
Very Respectfully,
V M Firor
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7209
P.O. John Miller
Service:

[stamp shows: REJECTED]

Enlisted: - ,18
Discharged: - , 18

Application field: - , 18

Alleges: 
Re-enlisted:

Attorney:
P.O.
- Recognized. - Contract
- Cert. of Dis.  Searched for - , 18
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John Miller
Certificate of neighbors
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October 15, 1832
This to whom it may concern that I John Miller now a resident of Lodi formerly for wel on to thirty years has lived in Carthage township. Both in Athens County Ohio wishes to make a demand according to the laws of his Country of a pention for his services during the revolutionary war
We the under siners do testify
Said John Miller to be a good neibour a good citizen and a man of truth.
William McKown
Samuel Price
John Bodwell
John S Kelly Esq.
Joseph Thompson
George D. Drake
Thomas Miels
Joseph Carsey
William Carsey
Abner Frost Jr
Benjamin Frost
Rufus Cooley J. Peace
Thomas Carsey
Joseph Frost
Silas Brown
Gordon H Cooley
Francis B Drake Jr
France B Drake Sen.
Isaac Carsey
George Jeffers
Edey Kelley
his mark [hand drawn X] David Douglass
his mark [hand drawn X] William Douglass
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We certify that John Miller lives in the neighborhood where he is reputed to be a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion and belief
John L Shelley - Esq
Francis B. Drake Senr
Francis B. Drake Junr
Joseph Thompson
Wm Mc'Kown

John Miller
certificate of neighbors