Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4195, Isaac Grant, Conn.
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(3--1776)

SERVICE
Conn

Grant, Isaac

NUMBER
R. 4195
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CONTENTS
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26.278 
Isaac Grant's Declaration 
Pensioner 
on Rolls, Bradley’s 
May 26  77 (was) deserted 27 Jany ’80 
H.U. Soper Agent – 
Batavia, N. Y. 
Rejected
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Declaration of Isaac Grant, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 - 1832 
State of New York 
County of Genesee }  SS. On this twelfth day of June in the year eighteen hundred and thirty three, personally appeared in open court, before the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting in the town of Batavia in and for said County of Genesee, being a Court of Record and having a seal, Isaac Grant, a resident of the town of Gainesville in said County of Genesee and State of New York, aged seventy three 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.   
That he was born in the town of Litchfield, Litchfield County, Ct. on the sixth day of April 1760. that he has no record of his age but believes he is of the above age from the best information he has received, that at the time of his entering the service in the Revolutionary war he resided in what was then called the Judea, (now Washington) in Litchfield Co. Ct. that in the month of June but on what day he cannot recollect, in 1776 he enlisted into the State militia or troops of the Connecticut line for six months,  that he was enlisted by Ensign Elihu Smith, of Judea in Capt Benjamin Mills Company of New Hartford in Col Philip B. Bradley's Regiment,  that his Lieutenants were Brinsmade and Foster,  that he marched to New York and remained there a short time, thence to Bergan Pt. and remained there till battle on Long Island - thence to English Neighborhood and about the first of November he was sent out to Fort Washington under Col. Hobbie,  Capt Couch and Ensign Smith,  went to guard the
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lines and on the 16th November the British & Hessians came up from New York and drew us into the fort where we were soon made prisoners of war by them and was marched to Harlaem Village and thence to New York and was then confined in a church and others in Bridewell and the Sugar House that he was confined there 2 about two weeks and was then put on board the ship called Grosvenor where he lay six weeks and had the small pox the natural way.  He was taken to the city and put into an old house called the hospital, that he remained there until most of his companions died.   While he by there. Lori Allen from Vt. came there and interceded with the Commissary of the Prisoners and got him out of the hospital and he was billited out in the city and clothed by him that he remained there until the last of February or first of March when he went home on his parol and sworn not to serve against the British until exchanged,  that he was delivered up to our guards at Maroneck and then went home.  That he served at this time as a private and was in the service at least eight months including the time he was a prisoner. That he was no other battle than the one mentioned above. 
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That soon after he was solicited to enlist again, that he made enquiries of his Col. (Bradley) whether he had been exchanged and that he informed him that he had been exchanged and he enlisted again as a private for three years in the Regular service in the Continental Army.  That he enlisted sometime in June 1777 as near as he can remember at Col. Bradley's house in Bridgefield, that he was enlisted by Capt Ely Catlin in his company and in Col. Bradley's Regt that he marched to Peekskill and was thence detached in a Lieutenant's Guard to Haverstraw docks to guard a beacon placed upon a high eminence with orders to fire it on the approach of the enemy up the river and remained there about four months and were there when the British went up and took Fort Montgomery
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and burnt Kingston when the Beacon was fixed - that when the guard joined the Regiment he obtained leave to go home for forty days and went home..   When his furlough was out he started to join the army at Valley Forge, that soon after he started about a half mile from home while at an inn for the purpose of getting refreshment he met Baron Steuben with his suite that the Baron seeing he was a soldier enquired his destination and he told him, he was on his way to join the Army at Valley Forge. He then told him if he would go with him he would bear his expenses.   That he went with him as far as Bethlehem Pa. and then left him and went to Valley Forge.  That shortly after he was sent on a command below Philadelphia, crossed the Brandywine at Wilmington went down to Chester. then went to Salem N. J. and while these two barges commanded by Captain Barry and Matthews came up the creek who had passed the British shipping at Philadelphia in the night and at their request we joined them went up the Delaware and destroyed forage to the amount of perhaps one hundred tons - that after going up the river as far as prudent we turned and rowed down in nearly all night and came to the month of the creek and there learnt that our troops had left Salem and that the British had possession of the ground. That he then proceeded to Port Penn where were some of our troops and there landed that there were a number of militia abouts collected there and they were going to take a transport (as they supposed) and requested us to join them which we did and soon after set sail when a thick for arose and we were separated from each other and when the fog disappeared barge in which was this declarant, was on the leeside of a large Frigate and just past the point of the island that he expected a broad side from the Frigate but they paid no attention to us. The tender in her rear however desired to attend to us. We gave them a shot and
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they returned it and we exchanged a few shots and then shot by the point of the Island and went ashore at Port Penn.  That we had a short skirmish on shore and then dispersed with orders to repair to our army and then went to Valley Forge and joined my regiment. That soon after his arrival at Valley Forge he was taken with the ague and Fever and was left behind while army marched after the British into the Jerseys that soon as he was able and soon after the battle of Monmouth, he joined his Regiment in Jersey.   That not long after he joined the army he was drafted out of the infantry into the Light Infantry in Col Butler's Regiment in Gen. Scotts Brigade and in Capt. Seldens Company. That he continued in active service, had several small skirmishes with the enemy and went into winter quarters at Reding. That he joined his former Regiment there and while in winter quarters.   That in the spring and soon after the opening of the spring campaign he was drafted unto the Light Infantry in Capt St. John's Company in Col. Meig’s Regiment and Gen. Waines [Wayne’s] Brigade. that he joined the Brigade at Sandy Beach, below West Point on 14th July 1779,  that we were immediately ordered on an expedition to Hay Point Fort with very strict orders, not to leave ranks for any cause and to run the first man through who disobeyed that we approached the fort at one o'clock in the night -  crossed the creek  - the abbatoes - and soon began to hear the watchword of our men, "The Fort is our vow”  which was not to be given on pain of instant death until within the works and the fort was carried at the point of the bayonet.   We then turned their cannon upon their shipping which soon caused them to ship their Cables and clear out.   That but one man was lost in the company and our Lieut. Palmer was wounded.   We found in the fort six of our men who were deserters who were sentenced to be hung.  Three only were hung the other three
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were pardoned. We secured the ordinance and soon after marched to Sandy Beach. That from the time he left Sandy Beach until he went into winter quarters at Baskin Ridge it is impossible for him to relate the particulars of his campaign as minutely as heretofore especially under oath as his children and children frequent by came around him and requested him to tell the stories of the war and he of course related to them the most interesting portion of his service which has kept them a fresh in his mind as if they were but yesterday.  Sometime in November after various movements through the lower section of N. York and through the Jerseys, he went into Winter Quarters at Baskin ridge below Morristown N.J. 
That about this time he learned to his satisfaction that he had not been exchanged that his Col. who had informed him that he was exchanged, had given him incorrect information, in consequence of which he had enlisted in violation of his parol and therefore when his Regiment was called to take the oath of allegiance, he informed his swearing and above taking officers of his situation, he was excused from the oath of allegiance and in December 1779 he received a pass to go into the country and left the army and went home. That he served under this term of enlistment at least two years and five months. That he did not receive any written discharge. that the written pass he received is lost. That he has not any documentary evidence of his services. That he does not know of any person living by whom he can prove his services.  That he resides so far from his former acquaintances and friends and has been so long separated from them that he does not think it possible to procure any testimony of his services. 
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That since the war he resided in Teignmouth Vermont to which place he removed directly about seven or eight months,  then Clarendon, Rutland Co. (now) about
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two years - then in Lennox, Berkshire Co. Massachusetts about four years - that he then removed to Washington County N.Y. and remained then till 1790 - then in Lennox till 1793 then in Colerain Hampshire Co. Massachusetts till 1794, then in Whitingham, Windham Co. Vermont till 1801,  then in Plymouth, Smithville & other towns in Chenango Co. N.Y. till 1830 then to Perry where he remained a short time in Genesee Co. N.Y. and then in Gainesville in said County where he now resides and has resided about three years. That the Rev. Asa Abel and James Russell live in his neighborhood are well acquainted with him and can testify as to his character for veracity and truth and their belief in his services as a soldier of the revolution. 
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State. 
Isaac Grant
Sworn and subscribed in open Court before me the day and year aforesaid 
T. Fitch Clerk 
We the Rev. Asa Abel, a clergyman residing in the town of Attica and County of Genesee and State of New York and  James Russell residing in the town of Gainesville in said County do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Isaac Grant who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be seventy three years of age 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 
Asa Abel
James Russell
Sworn and subscribed in open court before me the day and year aforesaid
T. Fitch Clerk
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T. Fitch Clerk 
And the said Court do hereby 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 said Court further certifies that it appears to them that Asa Abel who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of Attica in said County and that James Russell who has also signed the same is a resident of the town of Gainesville in said County, and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.   
Isaac Wilson 
James Taggart 
William Mitchell 
Horace S. Purnod
Timothy Fitch  Clerk of the said Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Isaac Grant for a pension.   
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 12th day of June 1833.
T. Fitch Clerk
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New York
Revol. 
Isaac Grant
Rejected
see letter to H. U. Soper
19 Sept 1833
4915
Act 7 June 1832
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Isaac Grant R. 4195
For letter dated Sept 19 1833 addressed to H. U. Soper, 
See claim of  Elisha Adams R. 28
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Hon. J. L. Edwards 
Commissioner of Pensions 
Dear Sir 
Herewith enclosed are the papers of Isaac Grant. He has not been able to obtain any proof of his service and I have no doubt that his papers bear such intrinsic evidences of their authenticity that his declaration will be satisfactory to the Department. He served in two other campaigns in Vermont, short ones, which I advised him it was unnecessary for him to set forth. He is a very respectable Member of the Methodist Church and from my short acquaintance with him, I should place implicit confidence in his statement. 
With much respect I remain Yr Obt Servt 
Horace U. Soper 
Batavia N. Y. June 14 1833 
I also enclose papers of Elisha Adams
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4195
Isaac Grant
REJECTED