Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 3712, for Robert Porter, Pennsylvania
Page 1

SERVICE Penn
Porter, Robert
NUMBER S3712 
carded
Page 2

22438
Ohio Pittsburgh
Robert Porter
[illegible] Harrison [handwritten] in the State of Ohio [handwritten] who was a Private [handwritten] in the Co [handwritten] comm [page torn] 
by Captain Kepley [handwritten] of the Rgt [handwritten] commanded
by Col. Doe [handwritten] in the Penn. a 
[handwritten]
line for 6 mos + 12 days [handwritten]

Let to Hon T M T McKerrnon
[illegible] 23 1837
Paid at the treasury under
the Act of
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State of Ohio
Harrison County Ss.

Before me Thomas Phillips a Justice of the Peace in & for said County, personally appeared James Porter (who is a credible witness & whose statement is entitled to credit) & being by me first duly sworn, says that he is seventy years of age that he is a brother of Robert Porter who has made a declaration for a pension, that in the fall of 1777 deponent was residing in Lancaster County Pennsylvania at his father's & that his brother the said Robert who was then there volunteered for two months into a company of militia which was commanded by Captain Patrick Marshall, that he marched from said Lancaster with his Company, & as deponent understood at the time served out the whole period of two months.  
The first time that said Robert entered the service & served under Captain Chambers as stated in his declaration, deponent has no [illegible] knowledge of, as said Robert was then residing with his uncle in Philadelphia.  But deponent always understood & particularly at that time that he did perform the services as stated.
James Porter
Sworn and subscribed before me this 31st day of August 1833
Thomas Phillips, Justice of the Peace
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[a round seal in the shape of a sun is attached to left side of document]
The State of Ohio 
Harrison County Ss.
I William Tingley of the Court of Common Please of said Harrison County do herby certify that the within named Thos. Phillips Esq before whom the within Deposition of James Porter was taken, and whose name to the Certificate thereof is Subscribed, was at the time of taking said Deposition, and to certifying & subscribing the same and now is a Justice of the Peace or Magistrate of said County duly Commissioned & qualified as such and that the within signature purporting to be his is genuine –

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court at [illegible] this 31st day of August, AD 1833.
William Tingley Clerk
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of an Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.

State of Ohio
County of Harrison Ss.

On this 9th day of April AD 1833, personally appeared in open court before the judges of the Court of Common Pleas, now sitting, Robert Porter a resident of Cadis Township, in the County and State aforesaid, aged seventy four 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 7th, 1832.  That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated.
In the early part of December, 1776, but he cannot recolect the precise day, being then about eighteen years of age he volunteered for three months, at the City of Philadelphia where he was then residing into a Company of Pennsylvania Militia or infantry commanded by Captain John Kepley.  A few days after he volunteered he was transferred to another Company, whose Captain was John Chambers & Liewtenant Robert Curry, but the ensigns[?] name he couldn't recollect.  The Regiment was Commanded by Col. Robery Doe during the fore-part[?] of his service, & in the latter part of it by Col. Thomas McKean.  The Brigade, he thinks, was commanded by Gen. Codwallader.  Shortly after he entered the service the militia marched from Philadelphia towards Trenton in New Jersey, to the number, to the best of his recollection, of twelve or fifteen hundred.  They marched first to Germantown & the next day, he thinks, they reached the commons near Trenton where they encamped.  While they were there, a battalion or Regiment of
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Germans were encamped on the same ground, & on the right of the Regiment to which he belonged.  The Troops had remained but  a short time in this situation, before the English forces under Lord Cornwallis were understood to be approaching from New Brunswick, & the American troops were obliged to re-cross the Delaware; which they had hardly competed before the British Light Horse came into sight.  Shortly afterwards, he, together with the troops to which he belonged, commanded by Gen Cadwallader marched down on the west side of the river to a place nearly opposite Burlington, where they attempted to cross the river in the night, but the ice rendering it extremely difficult, only part of the troops of which he was one were able to succeed in crossing, others immediately returned again.  This was the night before the Battle of Trenton.  The next day all the troops under  [crossed out / obliterated] of Gen. Cadwallader succeeded in crossing the river.  After a few days, he marched under Gen Cadwallader (he thinks through Bordertown) to Trenton.  Shortly after reaching Trenton, the British Army arrived there also from Princeton, when a cannonade was commenced between the two armies from the opposite sides of the creek which passes through the town & continued till after dark. Gen. Washington was at this time at Trenton with the Regular Troops.  About the middle of the same night, all the troops, Regulars and Militia, marched to Princeton.  And this deponent was this engaged in the Battle at that place the next morning.  In that battle, there were from twelve to fifteen of the company to which he belonged, killed.  He lost his knapsack & all his clothes, except what he had on, during this battle, & had his gun spoiled by the breech being knocked off.  About the time of the commencement of the engagement, the Lieutenant of his company, Robert Curry, abandoned his company
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and returned home to Philadelphia.  His Regiment was commanded at this time, he thinks, by Col. Thomas McKean.  Immediately after this engagement, he marched with the American Troops, under Gen. Washington, past Somerset Courthouse to a [feau?] called [Pluckenim?] where they continued a short time, & then marched to Morristown & went into winter quarters; after having remained for a short t time on what was called the "[Froth??rd] hill", near the "white marsh".  He continued at Morristown with his company until his three months engagement expired, when he received a discharge from Captain Chambers, but was [illegible] upon by him, with a few others of his company to continue for some time longer in the march.  The principal part of his Company, however, returned immediately home.  He remained there with his Captain in the service six weeks ^longer, then returned to Lancaster where he had resided before going to Philadelphia.  His certificate of discharge which he received, having to him no pains[? means?] to preserve it, has been, long ago, either lost or destroyed.
In the month of October AD 1777, and he thinks about the tenth of that month, he volunteered again into a company of Militia or infantry Commanded by Captain Patrick Marshall, which had been drafted, he thinks for two months.  The names of one of the Lieutenants, was William Big Law.  The names of the other officer of the company he cannot recollect.  The Regiment was Commanded by Col Bull.  The Brigade was Commanded by Gen. Irvine.  They marched to & crossed the Bradywine, thence to Downingtown, thence to the "Black Horse", they crossed the Skuylkill at Sweed's Ford, after having been driven from the "Black Horse" by a detachment of the British army that came out from Philadelpha.  A few days after this, while the militia to which he belonged Commanded by Gen Irvine were on the road leading from Philadelphia to Chestnut Hill, the British Army marched out from Philadelphia &
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considerable skirmishing took place between those militia & the British, while the former were retreating towards Chestnut Hill which was occupied by all the Regular Army under Gen. Washington.  They were followed by the British army, which took possession of a considerable[?] hill opposite to Chestnut Hill.  At this place there was no fighting of any consequence between the armies, and after a day or two the British marched back to Philadelphia.  In the skirmishingjust mentioned betwen Gen. Irvine's Militia and the British, Gen Irvine was wounded, he thinks in the hand, and Captain Marshall was killed.  A few days after this, he having served two months this tour, he left the army & returned home.  He did not receive any discharge.  He has no documentary evidence to prove his srvices, and knows of no person living by whom he can prove the same, except Samuel Logan, who, he believes, is living in Washignton County, Pennsylvania, who was in the same Company with him in his last tour of service, and his brother James Porter.

The answer to the questions put by the Court, he states
1st he was born at Chestnut Level[??], Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in November 1758.
2nd He has no record of his age.  He had a bible containing it, when he first volunteered at Philadelphia, but he has never seen it since.
3rd When he first entered the service, he lived at Philadlephia, when he volunteered the last time, he was living in LancasterCounty, Pennsylvania.  He has been living principally wince the Revolutionary war in Washington County, Pennsylvnaia, but about ayear ago he came to reside in Harrson County Ohio, where ha now lives, near the town of Cadis.
4th Both times, that he was in the service, during the Revolutionary War, he entered as a volunteer.
5th He recollects the names of General Washington, Sullivan, Green, Wayne, Stirling & Col Margau of the Regular Army, but cannot rememeber distinctly
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5th  He recollects the names of General Washington, Sullivan, Green, Wayne, [obliterated], Stirling& Col. Margau of the Regular Army, but cannot rememeber distinctly the names of the different officers (except of his own Regiment & Brigade) at the different periods of his service.  He recollects that gen. Washington was at Princeton & afterwards went into winter quarters at Norristown.  And Gen. Washington, Gen Green, & Col. Morgan were at Chestnut Hill, & he thinks Gen. Putnam, ^but is not certain.
6th He received a discharge from Captain Chambers from his first service, but none from the second, and that has been long since lost or destroyed.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not written on the pension roll of the agency of any state, or (if any) only on that of the agency of the State of Pennsylvania
7
[illegible] William Johnson Samuel Taggart Richard Campbell
Robert Porter [a signature]

[ill] William Johnson & Samuel Taggart residing in the Township of Cadis[Cadiz], Harrison County Ohio humbly certify that we are well acquainted with Robert Porter who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy four years of age, that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, & that we concur in that opinion.
Samuel Taggart[a signature]
William Johnson[a signature]

I Richard Campbell a clergyman residing in New Athens, Harrison County, Ohio, hereby certify that I have been for many years acquainted with Robert Porter, who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that I believe
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him to be seventy four years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he lives & in the neighborhood where he lately resided in Washington County Pennsylvania, to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that I concur in that opinion.
Richard Campbell

And the said Court do hereby declare this opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states.  And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Richard Campbell who has signed the foregoing certificate is a clergyman resident in the County of Harrison, Ohio, and that Dr. William Johnson & Samuel Taggart, who have also signed the foregoing certificate are residents in the same County & are credible persons & that this statement is entitled to credit.

[sideways writing] 27.306

The State of Ohio Harrison County Ss.

I William Fingley Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Robert Porter for a peneion.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Cadiz this 31st day of August AD. 1833.

William Tingley, Clerk [a signature]

[A paper seal affixed, embossed print not fully legible]
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Second Comptroller's Office
Dec 24th, 1839

Sir:

Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled, "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States", Robert Porter, a pensioner on the Roll of the Wheeling, Va. Agency, ay the rate of Twenty One dollars and thirty three Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept, 1838, to the 4th of March, 1839.

Respectfully Yours

Albion K Parris
Comptroller.

To the Commissioner of Pensions, 
Present.
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Pension Agency
North Western Bank of Virginia
Wheeling, Oct 17, 1840

Dear Sir: -

I enclose for examination voucher of Rob't Porter, Pensioner act 7 June 1832. claiming 12mo pay.

Yours [?]
A. Woods [illegible]
for[?] J. Steen Drowne [? unsure of this]


J. L. Edwards, Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
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My dear sir,
A certificate of Pension was paid on 1st Nov, 1833 to Robert Porter of the State of Ohio entitling him to receive $21.33 per annum to be paid at the Pittsburgh agency - the old man now lives in this County and thinks a mistake has been made in computing his service - I will, therefore, thank you to send me a copy of his declaration & evidence on file

Yours very truly
Th. M. J. McKennan
--
Washington Pa march
15 - 1837

J.L. Edwards, Esq.
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3412
Rev. War
INVALID. [illegible]
File No. 3712
Robert Porter
Privt Rev War
--
Act June 7 1832
Index:- Vol A, Page 299
{Arrangement of 1870}
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Second Comptroller's Office
April 24th 1841

Sir:

Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled, "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States", Robert Porter, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Wheeling, Va Agency, at the rate of Twenty one Dollars and 33 Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June, 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept, 1839, to the 4th March, 1840.

Respectfully yours,
Albion K Parris
Comptroller.

To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.
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Cadiz, Sept 20th 1833

Sir
At the request of Mr. [crossed out - James] Robert Porter, a resident of this neighborhood, who is an applicant for ap ension, I have prepared his papers & enclosed them to the War Department.  I hope they may be found, on examination, to be so far conformable to the rules established at the Pension Office as to entitle him to a certificate.  Th eprove his services, he has procured the deposition of his brother, James Porter.  In his declatation he has mentioned the name of another person residing in Pennsylvania, by whom he expected also to prove them in part, but that person resies at so great a distance & the applicant is so frail, he has not been & probably will not be able to procure his deposition, & hopes it may be disputed[??] with.
Very Respectfully
Your Obt. Srvt.
C. Dewey

Hon Lewis Cass
Secretary of War
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27.306
22.435
Robert Porter
Ohio

Adm. 6 Mo [unknown symbol] 12 days


[math calcuations]
20
 1.11
    22

42.66
10.63
    .33

C. Dewey
Cadiz
Harrison County
Ohio
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[this printed document has no handwritten contents]

WAR DEPARTMENT
Pension Office

Sir:

The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: } ). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with then; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.

--- At this point is a spreadsheet.
A Statement, showing the service of ____________

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
James L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
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[this printed document has no handwritten content]

2
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.

The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State Troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c, Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in Naval Service.
4. Indian Spies.

As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit on this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th June, 1832.

State, Territory, or Disctrict of __ County of __ } Ss.

On this ___ day of ___ personally appeared (a) before
A. B. a resident of (b) of ___ in the county of ___ and State, Territory or Disctrict of ___ aged (c) 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 provision made by the Act of Congress, pact June 7 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year of (d) ___, with ___ and served in the ___(e) regiment of the ___ line, under the following named officers:

[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers, the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers ; ) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]

He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not of the Roll of any Pension Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the state of ____

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

[And then will follow the certificate of the Court]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.

I ___ of the Court of ___ do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the originalof the said Court in the matter of the application of ___ for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this ___ day of ___ &c.

If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.

Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers, of Militia., except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and the State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:

We, A. B. a Clergyman, residing in the ___ and C.D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with ____, who has subscribed and sworn to the baove declarations; that we believe him to be ___ 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.

Sworn and subscribed the days and year aforesaid.

[and then will follow the certificate of the Court.]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interragories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A.B. and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the ____ and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, ____ Clerk of the Court of ___ do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court, in the manner of application of ___ for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of this office, this ___ day of __ &c.

Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.

If such surviving witnesses can not be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration {l} and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his
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[this printed document has no handwritten content]

3
alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted ; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his Case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
5 Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war
, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute?
And if a substitute, for whom?
State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.

To a soldier. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it?

To an officer. Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?


State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion.
If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character and standing of other persons giving such certificates.

The traditionary evicence is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the inquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.

Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before
required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper
county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.

Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.

No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before
the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the
declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

[a]The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow
the rule laid down for his guidance.

[b]The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not
conforming to the rule.

[c]The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.

[d] the defendant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.

[e] Every Continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every Claimant must state, with precision, the length of his Service and the different grades in which he served,in langage so definite as to enable the Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the
loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:

Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason
of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service; but, according to the best of his
recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades:--For year months, and days, I served as a ___; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law
directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indetermiante, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.

[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g]The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h]The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of
office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the
papers.

Mode of authenticating papers.

In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

Proof of Service

[j] In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must procehis service by two credible witnesses who are required to set forth in their affadavits the time of the claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and lint to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers, and State Troops. The proof required by rule in
note [j] applies to continental troops only.

[k] This traditionary evidence is indespensable in militia cases.
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact [this has been circled in this document]
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with this Declaration.