Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 10,727, Erasmus Gantt, Md.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
Md.
Gantt, Erasmus
NUMBER
S. 10.727
carded
CONTENTS
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[two panel page: left panel below]
26.260.
Erasmus Gantt of ch[page torn here]
L.C. Co. in the State of [illegible]
who was a Cemiat in the Company commanded
Captain Hill of the Reg commanded
Col [blank] in the [illegible]
Troops -
Jr Comtt $160.00

Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia
the rate of 160 Dollars [blank] Cents per annum,
commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 20 day of May
1834 and delivd to Pen

Arrears to the 4th of Mch '30   480.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 80.00
$560.00
{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by JT Sprague Clerk
Book C Vol. 6 Page 15 

[right panel below: vertically on the page]
Letter to Presr Bk Metsopolis 20 May '34
B BK [illegible]
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State of Maryland}
Prince Georges County} Sct
On this twenty sixth day of May 1834,
personally appeared in open court before the
Orphans Court of said county now sitting
Erasmus Gantt a resident of Berkely County Va
aged 75 years in Augt last, who being 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 ^not being able to obtain record evidence in [illegible] County^ That in April 1781 je was appointed
Count in a Troop of horse raised by act of
assembly of Maryland for the defence of
the Bayshores & [illegible] James Macubbin Lingan
Captain, and Philip Hill Lieutenant, that
Hill never acted - By the certificate of Theodore
Middleton he will be found acting, or on duty in
said Troop in the spring of 1782. That he has
not much to [illegible] as to military achievement 
and was only engaged in two little skirmishes with
the [illegible] revolutionary war. This British [illegible]
had entered the Potomac in pursuit of part
provision, which [illegible] they landed and
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burnt the Dunding house of Col. Wm Lyles, he the said Gantt and 35 others under the command of Wm Dent Beall opposed their landing killed him or severely wounded many others but being overpowered with numbers had to give way and some more being made prisoners. After burning Col. Lyles house the ships moored some miles down the river and cast tenders at Dr. Bonds house, Major Beall followed them with his little volunteer corps and on the landing at Bond's house gave them a fair fight 35 to more than one hundred by a well-directed fire and [illegible], decisive charge with the bayonet for several minutes they gave way, we passed then to their boats, dragged several from them and brought them off our safety from the fire of the ships, waiting on their fear of killing their won men - In this skirmish we killed 10 or 12 men, wounded many and took 14 or 15 prisoners who were sent under guard to the county guard. The enemy made no other attempt on the river and after permission to bury their dead went out the Potomac - Said Gantt states that the troop in which he had a command this stationary during its existences had a powerful and [illegible] effect
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in suppressing disorderly conduct in some of the lower counties of the Eastern Shore of Maryland where certain characters, influential in their neighborhoods were misleading the [illegible] orders of the people. The fear of chastisement restrained them, and the troop kept up in [illegible] prevented an improper intercourse with the Barges of the enemy who were perpetually hovering on those shores. In this manner I remained in the troops stationed by my captain at Annapolis and had he made proper return of the muster roles, I should be furnished with proper proof of being at my post at the time Gen'l. Cornwallis surrendered at York but these being lost, I propose only proof of servile for one year. Yet under every inconvenience of this work, I enjoy the pleasing comfort of reflection that I did this [illegible] a part in winning the independence of our county and furnishing the foundation for the best government on earth under which I enjoy bounty and happiness.

I do hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension nor annuity except the present and declare
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that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency for any state.

Erasmus Gantt

Sworn to in open court before J Brookes, Edw Bell - Justices of the Orphans Court

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.

J Brookes and Edw Bell - Justices of the Orphans Court

Maryland Prince Georges County

I Philemon Chew register of wills and clerk of the orphan's court of said county do hereby certify that the aforegoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Erasmus Gantt for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal of office this 26th day of May 1834.

Philemon Chew - Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans Court
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Rev War
10:727
[checkmark] INVALID
File No. 10,727
Erasmus Gantt
Cornet Rev War
Act: June 7th 1832
Index: —Vol. A, Page 138
Arrangement of 1870.
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an order to Cornet Gantt
for £500 ___
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State of Maryland [illegible]
I hereby certify that it appears from the Records of Proceedings of the Governor [illegible] of Maryland that on the eighteenth day of September in the year Seventeen hundred and eighty one an Order was issued upon the Treasurer of the Western Shore in favour of Cornet Erasmus Gantt for five hundred pounds of the Bills omitted under the act for the  omission of Bills of credit [illegible] of the money appropriated for the defence of the [illegible] on account.
Given under my hand this fourteenth day of May in the year eighteen hundred and thirty four.
Thos Culbreth [illegible] of the Executive [illegible]
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DIstrict of Columbia Washington County [illegible]
On this 28th day of May in the year of our Lord eighteen Hundred and thirty four personally appeared Erasmus Gantt, before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace from District and County aforementioned, 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 [illegible…] not less than twelve months, as Cornet in Capt James Maccubbins  Lingan’s troop of Cavalry during the War of the Revolution. This troop of Cavalry was raised by an act of the Legislature of Maryland in 1780 for the defence of the Bay.
Erasmus Gantt
Subscribed and sworn to this 28th day of May 1834, before [illegible]
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State of Maryland
Prince Georges County
20th[?] May 1834
I do hereby certify that after the [illegible] at Campden, in Carolina, I was [illegible] Campaign under General Grain, I then with several [illegible] officers returned to Maryland, and received a Commission in the Infantry, as State Trooper.  In the Spring of 1782 I was with Erasmus Gantt at Annapolis, he was then acting as Cornet in a Troop of Cavilry on horse, commanded by Captain Hames Macubbin Ling[illegible], raised by order of an act of assembly for the defence of the Bay shores & other purposes.  As to Identity there can be no mistake, he was well known to me before that time & since.
Theodore Middleton
Certified before }
Maryland Prince Georges County to wit on this 20th May 1834 personally appears Theodore Middleton before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for said county and makes oath on the Holy evangely of Almighty God to the truth of the above certificate.
Geo.H. Lanham
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Prince Georges County, Maryland
20th May 1834
We the subscribers do [illegible] that we have known for along time with [illegible] with Theodore MIddleton, that he was an officer in the revolutionary army of America, always [illegible] a good Soldier & an honest man, and we do think that every [illegible] & respect is clear to the foregoing Certificate to Erasmus Gantt
Henry Tolson
Alfred Tolson
Signed in presence of
Geo. H. Lanham

State of Maryland Prince Georges County [illegible] I hereby Certify that George H. Lanham gentleman before whom the within affidavit appears to have been made and whose name is thereunto subscribed was on the day of the date thereof and still is one of the State of Maryland’s Justices of the Peace in and for Prince Georges County duly commissioned and Sworn.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the Seal of Prince Georges County Court this 23rd of May Anno Domini 1834
Aquila Beall Clerk of Prince Georges County Court
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25th April 1781 - Erasmus Gantt was appointed a Lieut. ___
18th Sept. 1781. He was paid £500- on account —
He can obtain proof that he served six months or more __
Mr. Gantt to make the declaration in open court [illegible]

[upside-down text:]
Certificate of the Clerk of the Council as to Cornet Gantts appointment
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State of Maryland, towit [illegible]
I hereby certify that it
appears from the Record of Proceedings of the
Governor and Council of Maryland now in
my office, that on the twenty fifth day of
April in the year Seventeen hundred and
eighty one, James Maccubbin Lingan was
appointed Captain 
Philip Hill Lieutenant
and Horatio Erasmus Gantt Cornet of a
company of Cavalry directed to be raised by
the act for the defence [defense] of the Bay.
Given under my hand this
fourteenth day of May in the
year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and thirty four
Thos. [Thomas] Culbreth Clerk
of the Executive Council