Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 6750, for Nathaniel Prentice, Connecticut
Page 1

Service - Conn.
Privateer


Prentice, Nathaniel
Margaret


Number - W.6750
B.L.Wt. 315-66-160-55
Page 2

R side


20809

Nathaniel Prentice
of Genessee in the State of New York
who was a private in the Company commanded
by Captain Miles of the Regiment commanded
by Col. Swift in the Conn.
line for 1 year


Indiana
LaFayette


Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of 40 Dollars ....Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.


Certificate of Pension issued the 5th day of Oct. 1833 and sent to M. Farnham
Attica


Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1833  $100
Semi-anl allowance ending 4 March 1834  $20


$120


{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by George C. Stiles Clerk,
Book E, Vol. 4, Page 72


Left side

Cir to Pension agent 15 June 1838.
_______________________________

To LaFayette Indiana from 
4 Sept. 1837. 2nd July 1838. Notification sent to Isaac Spencer 
Sparta, Indiana
_________________________

Letter to Pension agent 3rd Auditor
4 January 1839.
____________________________

Paid at the Treasury under the act of the 6 April 1838 from 4 Sept. 1837 to 4 March 1838
Agent notified 15 January 1839.
_____________________________
Page 3

Declaration 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 sixteenth day of October in the year Eighteen hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before the court of common pleas in and for the county of Genesee aforesaid now sitting Nathaniel Prentice a resident of the town of Attica in the said County of Genesee and State of New York aged sixty nine years and seven months 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 - 
About the first of May in the year Seventeen hundred and seventy nine he entered the service as a substitute for Stephen Branch who was drafted and served as such substitute for the term of six weeks in the Militia in the State of Connecticut under Ensign Joseph Babcock - that when he so
Page 4

entered the service as such substitute he resided in the Town of Preston - County of New London in the State of Connecticut - that he served the term aforesaid at Fort Griswold opposite to New London - that he had no Captain or any other commanding officer of a higher rank than Ensign Joseph Babcock above named under whom he served as a private during the term aforesaid - that there were no other commissioned officers there belonging to the militia that he was acquainted with Ezekiel Barry and Prentice Breed who were Sergeants belonging to his company and who served with him during the term aforesaid - that there was an artillery Company stationed there during the said term commanded by William Latham Captain, Henry Denison Lieutenant that the said Artillery Company belonged to the Militia of the State of Connecticut as he believes but does not know but they were regulars that the said Artillery Company and the said Company of Militia  were under the Command of Colonel William Ledyard who was then a Colonel or soon afterwards and was killed soon after the said fort Griswold surrendered to the British - that he the said Nathaniel Prentice was discharged at the said Fort Griswold in the month of June after he so entered the service; but received no written discharge - that after he entered the service he only marched from Preston to Fort Griswold aforesaid
Page 5

That in the month of July in the year Seventeen hundred and seventy nine the said Nathaniel Prentice was drafted in the Militia of the State of Connecticut for one month and that he served the term of one month as a private by virtue of such draft at Groton near said Fort Griswold commencing in July aforesaid and was discharged in the month of August following at Groton aforesaid but received no written discharge that when he was so drafted he resided at Preston aforesaid and marched directly from Preston to Groton which towns joined each other - that as such drafted private he  served the said term  of one month under Captain John Williams, Lieutenant Daniel Freeman and Ensign George Palmer and John Stedman first Sergeant - That there were one or two other Militia Companies stationed on Groton Hill but who commanded them he did not know - That there were no field officers to his recollection commanding at that station during the said month; but probably the said Colonel Ledyard commanded them
Page 6

That in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty or at all events in the year that Major Andre the British spy was execute and about the first of July in the same year he the said Nathaniel Prentice resided at Preston aforesaid and then and there enlisted for six months into the Company commanded by Captain Charles Miles; that he joined said Company at a tavern kept by Joshua Downer in a place called Preston City in said Town of Preston about the seventh day of  July last aforesaid and there the said Company to which the said Nathaniel Prentice belonged left the said town to join the army and that he the said Prentice marched with said Company under the command of said Captain Miles from Preston City aforesaid through Norwich Lebanon and on the direct road to Hartford in the State of Connecticut at which place the said Company drew provisions and immediately from there marched directly to Danbury in Connecticut and from Danbury aforesaid he marched with said Company under the command of said Captain Miles to Peekskil Hill or the East side of the Hudson River in the State of New York where he joined the  American Army and was attached to the Eighth Company in the seventh Connecticut Regiment at Peekskill aforesaid- that when he was stationed at Peekskill a week or fortnight the said Eighth company was commanded by Captain Hill whose Christian name he did not recollect - and Charles M.C. Daniel first
Page 7

sergeant - that said company had no Lieutenant or ensign - that the said Regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hezekiah Holdrich - that at Peekskill aforesaid he was acquainted with and saw General George Washington, General Greene, General Parsons, and General Huntington commanded the Brigade to which the said Company and Regiment was attached - From Peekskill aforesaid he the said Nathaniel Prentice marched belonging to the said Company Regiment and Brigade under the officers aforesaid directly to Kings Ferry and there crossed onto the West Side of the Hudson River from whence he marched under the command of the officers aforesaid and with the said army was at Tappan or Totowa about two months and that he was with the said army during that time as a private soldier and about the last of November or the first of December he with the said army marched back to the said Hudson River and crossed the same at King's Ferry and went into winter quarters in the Highlands near the Hudson River  - and there he helped build barracks for the soldiers - And when he returned to the said Highlands the said Seventh Regiment was commanded by Col. Herman Swift and before the army crossed King's Ferry the last time the said Eighth company to which he belonged was commanded by Captain Stephen Billings that about the middle of December next following he
Page 8

was discharged by receiving a written discharge from the said Colonel Herman Swift signed by him as commandant of the said Seventh Regiment  - That during the said term of six months which he served as aforesaid he knew the following commissioned officers of the said Seventh Regiment and who served therein during the term aforesaid; Colonel Herman Swift Lieutenant Colonel Hezekiah Holdrich, Captains Hiller and Miles and Billings above mentioned, also Captains Stephens, Convers, and Baldwin, That he saw Baron Steuben frequently during the term aforesaid.  That during the said campaign he knew Colonel Starr, Colonel Johnson, and Colonel Hoyt who belonged and served in the Second Brigade of the Connecticut troops in which Brigade he the said Prentice served as above stated - that during said campaign he was in no battles; and that the said General Parsons commanded the first Brigade of the Connecticut troops which composed a part of the army above mentioned and he belonged to the Second Brigade of the Connecticut troops under the command of General Huntington whose Christian name he has forgotten - That the said discharge which he received from the said Colonel Swift has been lost or destroyed more than forty years ago - That he knew Captain Chamberlain who belonged to and served in the said Seventh Regiment in the Second Brigade
Page 9

That in the month of July but on what day he did not know in the year Seventeen hundred and eighty one he entered the service of the United States as a substitute for Israel Burton Junior who was drafted into the Militia service for the term of three months; that when he so entered the service as such substitute for the said Israel Burton he resided at Preston aforesaid and in the month of July last aforesaid but on what day he did not recollect he marched from Preston aforesaid under the command of Sergeant Stevens directly to Norwich in the State of Connecticut at which place he was attached to a militia company under the command of Captain Joseph Carew, Henry Denison First Lieutenant, Seldon Second Lieutenant and whose Chrstiman name forgotten and Ensign Morton and from Norwich aforesaid under the command of the officers aforesaid he marched with said company being attached thereto directly to Hartford in the State of Connecticut and from Hartford he marched with said Company and officers through Litchfield and Fishkill to West Point on the West side of the Hudson River in the State of New York at which place he served as a private soldier in the said Company under the command of the said commissioned officers for the terms of three months and at the expiration of three months which was in the latter part of October or the first of November following he was regularly discharged from the
Page 10

service in the army at West Point aforesaid
That when he served in the army as aforesaid at West Point during the term aforesaid the said Company in which he served was attached to the Regiment of Connecticut Militia troops under the command of Colonel Canfield - that he knew Captain Couch, Captain Pardee, Captain Vaughan who belonged to and served in said Regiment at West Point during the said term of three months - that there were two other Regiments stationed there at the same time from the state of Massachusetts one of which Regiment was under the command of Colonel Dewry
There were some regular troops stationed there at the same time but he was ? he does not know under the command of General McDoogle - That while he served at West Point as aforesaid his company was commanded by the said Captain Carew Lieutenants Denison and Seldon and ensign Morton and Colonel Canfield - That he was two weeks marching from Preston aforesaid to West Point; that he served three months at West Point as aforesaid (but had no written discharge) he was one week marching home making in the whole term of service that campaign three months and three weeks ; and that when marching from Preston to West Point the company stopped one week at Norwich aforesaid
Page 11

And that in the month of August in the year seventeen hundred and eighty two he the said Nathaniel Prentice enlisted at Stony Point in the State of Connecticut into the Naval service on board the privateer sloop Randolph commanded by Nicholas Fosdick Captain and Lieutenants Thompson and Reider and Sailing Master Isaac Champlin and in the month of August aforesaid he sailed in the said privateer as a private under the command of the said officers in a Cruise off Sandy Hook and on the next day after the said privateer sailed she took two prizes one a small privateer and the other a small sloop and brought the said prizes into New London Connecticut in less than one week after the said privateer sailed - 
And that after they had disposed of the said prizes he sailed in the said privateer on the next day after they came into port under the command of the said officers and in about one week they took in British Brig as a prize and that he was sent into the port of New London with the said prize and remained there till the said privateer returned which was about the middle of September following which was six weeks in the whole after the said privateer first sailed; then the said privateer fitted for another cruise and on the first of October following the said privateer sailed in and he the said Prentice went on board of her as a private - she sailed from the port
Page 12

of New London aforesaid under the command of Captain Augustus Peck Lieutenant Rider and Champlin and the sailing masers' name he had forgotten - That he as a private cruised in the said privateer under the said officers off Sandy Hook till about the middle of October then instant at which time the said privateer was captured by the British Frigate Vestal and he the said Nathaniel Prentice was taken a prisoner of war and was carried into the port of New York and was then put into a prison ship which lay near the old Jersey prison ship and was confined as a prisoner of war on board the said prison ship from two to four weeks and then he was put on board of a British man of war of sixty four guns by the name of Prother which ship belonged to the British fleet under the command of Admiral Hood and that he was confined a prisoner of war on board the said Prother for the term of four months thru months of which time she cruised in the West Indies and that he was put on board  of her in the city of New York and she was about one month sailing from New York to the West Indies and the said Prother went into Port Royal in the Island of Jamaica and in said Port Royal he was confined in the hold of said Prother for refusing to duty on board of her and then some time in the month of
Page 13

following he was taken out of the said Prother and put into prison at Kingston in the Island of Jamaic and remained in prison there till he heard that peace was made between Great Britain and the United States and then he was put on board of a British vessel name unknown and sailed to Port Au Prince and at that place he got on board of an American merchant vessel by the name of Liberty and from Port Au Prince sailed to Newport in Rhode Island and from there he traveled home to Preston aforesaid at which place he arrived on the sixth or seventh day of July in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty three; that at the times last aforesaid when he entered into the naval service as aforesaid he resided at Preston aforesaid - that the foregoing comprises all the services which he rendered in the army of the Revolutionary war - that he always enlisted and served therein as a private soldier and that he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to the foregoing services or any part thereof in the Revolutionary war - 
That he has stated all his Revolutionary services as near as he can remember and the names of all the officers companies and Regiments - That he knows of no
Page 14

documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify this service -

That he was born at Preston aforesaid in the year 1763
That he has no record of his age 
That he resided at Preston aforesaid when called into service - 
That since the Revolutionary War he has resided in Preston aforesaid - 
Charlton Saratoga County New York - Amsterdam and Broad Albin Montgomery County New York and Attica Genesee County New York.

That he now lives in Attica aforesaid - 

That the names of persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution are Robert Earll Junior Judge of Genesee County and Landon Hood a Clergyman
Page 15

He hereby relinquished every claim whatever 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.

Nathaniel Prentice


Sworn to and subscribed
the day and year aforesaid
in open court

Timothy Fitch Clerk


We Landon Hood a Clergyman residing in the Town of Attica in said County of Genesee and Robert Earll Junior residing in said Town of Attica hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Nathaniel Prentice who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be sixty nine 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
Page 16

we concur in that opinion.

Landon Hood
Robert Earll Jr.

Sworn and subscribed 
the day and year aforesaid
in open court

Timothy 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 Court further certifies that it appears to them that Landon Hood who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in Attica in said County of Genesee and that Robert Earll Junior one of the Judges of this court resident in the town of Attica in said County who has also signed the said certificate are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.

Isaac Wilson
William Mitchell
Robert Earll Jr.
Page 17

I Timothy Fitch Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Genesee do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Nathaniel Prentice for a pension

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this sixteenth day of October in the year 1832.

T. Fitch Clerk
Page 18

State of New York
Genesee County ss.

Josiah Butler of Bennington in said County and Lott Burgs of Alexander in said County being duly sworn do severally depose and say that we are well acquainted with Nathaniel Prentice of Attica in said County who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration for a pension hereto annexed.
And further we depose and say that in the month of June in the year 1780 we enlisted as private soldiers for the term of six months into Colonel Butler's Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hoyt of the six month levies to increase the continental army which Regiment was attached to General Huntington's Brigade -that they joined the American army near Fishkill on the Hudson River - That they served in said Regiment and Brigade for the term of six months and were duly discharged - That they crossed the Hudson River at King's Ferry on to the west side of the Hudson and marched with the American army to ? Totowa Hackensack and in the vicinity of these places till fall and were discharged on the East side of the Hudson river - And further these deponents say that they have mostly conversed with the said Nathaniel Prentice and heard him relate a number of circumstances of the campaign of 1780 of the American army which he the said Prentice could not have known unless he served in that campaign - That he related a number of facts and circumstances relating to said campaign which we well remember - And from the facts and circumstances which he has related to us concerning the
Page 19

said campaign and movements of the American army we have no doubt but that the said Prentice served in the American Army for the term of six months as he has stated in the above declaration annexed - And further say that he the said Josiah Butler is sixty eight years of age and that the said Lott Burgs is sixty nine years of age - And further that the said Prentice is a man of truth and veracity.

Lott Burgs
Josiah Butler

Subscribed and sworn to this
16th day of October 1832
in open court

T. Fitch Clerk


I do hereby certify that I am acquainted with the above named Lott Burgs and Josiah Butler and that they are credible persons and reputable for truth and veracity and that they subscribed the above affidavit and made oath to the same before me.
Dated June 13, 1833

T. Fitch Clerk