Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. R., Paul Louis Celoron, Continental (Foreign)
Page 1

(8-1776)

SERVICE
NUMBER

Continental (foreign)

Celoron, Paul Louis
Celeron 

B. L. R
Page 2

The Petition of Paul L. Celoron.

Late a bap ! in the 

Army of the united State, - [illegible]

to be allowed his portion of Bounty Land

[two horizontal lines]

26 Nov. 1811

Ref? to the Secretary Officer.

[two horizontal lines]

Mr [illegible]
Page 3

To the Honourable the Congress of the United States,

The Petition of Paul Louis Celoron an officer in the late American Revolutionary Army

Most respectfully showeth

That in the year 1776 he came from the Island of Martinique to the United-States, with accommodations, highly honourable, from the Governor of other authorities of that Island, and was appointed, by Congress, a Captain, by [underlined] B[illegible], in the American Army, that early in 1777 he joined the Norther Army under General St. Clair and served as a Brigade Major to Brigadier General Roche Fermoy, until St. Clair's retreat from Ticonderoga, he then joined and continued in General Gates's army, and attached himself to Col. Livingston's fourth Battalion of the new-york line, until the final capture of Burgoyne's Army, that is in 1778 of he attached himself to Pulaski's Legion and acted as Aide-de-camp to General Pulaski, until General Pulaski received his mortal wound before Savannah, he then joined and continued in Lincoln's Army, was taken prisoner at Charleston, and was exchanged - some time after, he then joined Lafayette's corps in Virginia - in which he remained until the capture of Cornwallis at york-town, and when the Army was disbanded at the close of the war, he left this country and obtained from the French government a military appointment at the Island of Guadeloupe and that he has been reduced to Indigence during the struggle of the French Revolution.
Your petitioner further states that in 1782 or 1783 whilst General Lincoln was resident of the guard of war, he caused
(four)
Page 4

four certificates of his honourable and useful services to 
be registered on the records of the guard on from General
Washington, one from General Lincoln, which records may
probably have been lost in the conflageation of the war
office in the year 1800.
Your petitioner further represents that his accounts
are regularly settled in the Treasury Department, as will
but that he has never received his military land granted
by a resolve of the old continental congress to the officers
and soldiers of the American Army, who served until the close
of the war.  That his present distressed circumstances the
military donation lands to which he humbly considers himself
intitled, is a considerable object to him in your petitioner
therefore prays, that your honourable body would take
his care under consideration, and grant him such relief,
iin the premises, as to your honours shall seem meet
and he as in duty bound will pray [illegible]
Paul Louis Celoron
by his attorney Paul Bentalou
Late Captain of Dragoons
in Pulaski's Legion
Baltimore 4th of November 1811
Page 5

War Department: Bounty land office
5 February 1829

The Honorable Peter Little

Sir
Finding that the papers intended to support 
the claim for bounty land of the United States
by Paul Louis Celeron as Captain in United
States army in the War of the Revolution, were
presented by you, I now return them to you.  They
were amongst papers of unadmitted claims
Captain Celeron has not been returned as having
served to the end of the War
 (^: or as having become a [illegible])
and war not entitled
to bounty land.  His merits as and officer
cannot be considered by us, who have only the
power to say whether the law gives him bounty
land.
[illegible] [illegible]
Robert Taylor

Peter Little [illegible] having to return the papers of
Captain Celeron [illegible] to the War Department these
[illegible] [illegible] [illegible] called for This 4th 1828
Page 6

No. 2

Copy of a Letter from Nat. Cutting, to Joseph Nourse Esq. Regr of the Treasury
dated. War Office 12th August 1811.

Sir
Some days since I received an application for Military
Bounty Land in behalf of a Captain Celeron, who served in the Armies of the 
United States during our Revolutionary War.
The Gentleman who makes the application is a very worthy man whom I 
much esteem and would gladly gratify, I have according had the Records
of the War Office attentively examined but cannot find the necessary evidence of the Military service rendered by Captain Paul Louis Celeron: no doubt the 
principal records of them were destroyed in the conflagration of the War Office in the year 1800.

Mr. Simmons, Accountant of the War Department,
says he knows the said Captain Celeron, personally: and thinks that his accts
were adjusted and paid at the Treasury, & not the War Office, and that
they may be traced under the title of "Auditors Reports". Will you have
the goodness to cause search to be made for them and please to to give me
such Certificates respecting this business as you may think proper.
I enclose you the Letter I have received from Mr. Bentalow of Baltimore
on this subject, wherein you will find a sketch  of Captain Caleron's services
that letter you will please to return me.

I am etc. etc. etc.
(signed) Nat. Cutting.
Page 7

The preceding letter is a true Copy from the Record in the War Office
of the United States.        
November 18th 1811
Nat. Cutting
Clerk charged with 
the branches of Military Bounty Land and Pensions
Page 8

Copy of a Letter from Joseph Nourse Esq. Regist.
Treasury, to Nat. Cutting.
Dated______Treasury Department
Register's Office, 14th August 1811
Sir,
Upon reference to the Records of the Treasury we
found the original settlement made with Major Celoron and certified
Copy of which I have the pleasure of enclosing to you and upon which
I hope you will be enabled to give Major Celoron his Military Lands.
" He was known to me during the Revolutionary War and I recollect
"was much respected by his Corps."____

I am etc. etc. etc
(signed.) Joseph Nourse, [illegible]

A true copy from the original on File in the War Office of the
United States.
November 18th 1811
Nat. Cutting.
Clerk tc. tc. tc.
Page 9

War Office, 18th November 1811

Sir
I had the honor to receive your letter of the [illegible]
relative to Documents in the Case of Captain Paul Louis Celoron
I have never been able to discover any other Record of his
Military services than the Account Current mentioned to Mr.
Bentalow in my letter of the 15th of August [illegible] and which
I now enclose to you with a Copy of my Letter to the Register of the
Treasury on the subject of this claim, together with Copy of his reply
which contains a brief but handsome Testimonial in favor of Captain
Celeron.  I transmit you also an Extract from Mr. Bentalow's
Letter to me on the same subject, which contains a succinct narrative
of the Military Services of the said Captain Celeron of which
I have no doubt is perfectly correct.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully,
Your obedient Servant
Nat Cutting

The Honorable
Alexander McKim
tc. tc. tc.
Page 10

The Secretary of War, in obedience to a Resolution of the House of Representatives
of the U.S. dated 20th November 1811, referring to him the Petition of Paul L.
Celoron for Military Bounty Land. has the honor to Report,
that it appears by authentic Records in the Archives of Government that
the said Paul Louis Celeron was in actual service in the Armies of the United States
in quality of a Captain in the Line, so late as the close of the year 1781: but it is
impossible to state with precision how much longer he continued in said Army, as
the principal Register of the Military Services rendered to the U.S. in their Revolutionary War, were unfortunately destroyed in the Conflagration of the War Office
which happened in the year 1800.___
______Although no positive proof is known to exist
that the aforesaid Captain P.L. Celoron continued a Member of the American
Army until the precise termination of the (R) War,_ yet as there does not appear
to be any proof to the contrary,__and as satisfactory evidence [word crossed out (of the thoughtful facts)]
does appear that he aided in achieving some of the most important Events of
that War and actually served until all the active operations of it were finished,
it should seem that in Equity he is entitled to the promised Bounty Land:
the final decision of this point remains with Congress.___
All which is respectfully submitted.
Page 11

Paul Bentalow Esq._____
address to the
Honorable Alex. McKim,
M.C.___in the case of
Capt. Celeron's claim to
U.S. [illegible]Lands__
[illegible] Nov. 24th 1811



Hon. Alexander McKim, Esq.
House of Representatives
Washington                SEAL Nov 24 [illegible] Md
Page 12

Baltimore 24th November 1811
Dear Sir
I duly received your letter of 15th  Just covering the
receipt of Mr. Gales, and as the information you then had the goodness to
communicate respecting my friend Celoron's claim, was of that nature
as not to call for an answer, I simply requested Mr. Dubois to tender 
you my thanks in the first letter he would write to you.
I have now before me your last of 22nd. Just received last evening,
which presents a very discouraging prospect indeed, as to the attainment
of what I conceive one of the most meritorious, just and equitable claim
that ever was presented to Congress; no doubt the unfavorable opinion
you have framed proceeds from your experience of the temper and
disposition of your house in familiar cases; of this I am utterly ignorant,
nevertheless impressed, as I really am, that the facts stated in the petition;
unless invalidated by the records of the war department; ought to be
admitted as the most satisfactory evidence in the case, permit me to
examine those facts, and to suggest such further observation as maybe
applicable to a fair consideration of them.
First then, The petition setforth that Celoron was a breveted
Captain in the American Army, by the old continental congress, that
early in the year 1777 he joined the northern army, and then goes on
tracing his services throughout the war until the capture of Cornwallis
at Yorktown, where he acted his part and as with that capture, all the
active operations of the revolutionary army terminated, the active
military services of my old command terminated also at that time, and
in common with the rest of the army, which from thenceforth had
Page 13

very little else to do but mere garrison duty.
2. A proper distinction must be observed between an officer appointed by brevet or by commission, not as to their rights as to pay and
[illegibe], for they were the same, but as to their stations they were
totally different, I mean, that a commissioned officer belonged to a
particular regiment or corps, his name returned on every periodical
muster and day roll all of that regiment or corps, but not so of the
officers by brevet, who had to apply directly and in person, to the Board of
war for their pay and other [illegible], to which they were entitled and
hence we find that Celoron's accounts were settled privately at the
Treasury and no doubt under the direction of the Board of War. 
3rd My friend Mr. Cutting has furnished you with an account 
[illegible] settled, as you say, [illegible] to the 18th of December [illegible]
it to be a mistake of your pen meaning no doubt 1781 and then you add
that this [illegible] that Celoron continued in the service until that time"
that account most assuredly [illegible] that fact, but it cannot be
implied therefore, that he then discontinued to be a member of the
American Army, no more than from any other of his antecedent  settled.
accounts.
4th Whenever a commissioned officer resigned he made his application
to the commander of his regiment or corps, and if the resignation
was accepted the commission was given up  and returned to the Board of War,
But the officers by brevet, from the colonel down to the Lieutenants;
when they wished to resign, they had to apply directly to the Board of War
where the commission was given up and no doubt the act recorded.__
therefore if no such application from Celoron is to be found at the
War Department, this must be taken as a prima facie evidence that
Page 14

he never did resign and consequently that he remained a member of the 
army, until disbanded; and indeed, in support of that opinion, we find
that about that time, he caused four certificates of his services; obtained
from the commander in chief and of three other superior generals; to be 
recorded at the war office, where they must be found if the records are in
existence, and moreover, can it be supposed that after having been in active
service, until the settlement of the produced account, that is to say, after
the last muster had been fired in anger, he could have been such an ideot
as to resign, and forfeit not only his emoluments, but what is of much greater
value to a soldier, namely, every title to military reputation?__The case
of [illegible] resignation, and motives for doing, are notoriously known
and in consequences of which, his claim for commutation and bounty
land [illegible] rejected; But my aged and indigent friend never resigned was
and [illegible] no possible motions to do it, and what he now claims, is but a [illegible]
small pittance indeed; therefore impressed, as I am, with his just and equitable
right thereto, and the difficulty of any speedy communication with him
at Guadeloupe, where we can now have a direct intercourse; I am
determined to go on with the claim as now established, and must beg of you
to [illegible] the petition without any further delay; I count on your hearty
support, and whatever may the result be, I shall not be the less gratefully
thankful for your exertion and remain truly
Dear Sir
Your friend and devoted servant
Paul Bentalow
Page 15

( The following is the copy of the letter I wrote to Nathaniel Cutting Esq
at the War Department and dated Baltimore 1st of August 1811.)
        Believing, as I do, that you are convinced of my receipts to serve
you when ever in my power to do so.  I make no apology in craving your
assistance, and enable me to answer promptly, the pressing demands of an
old fellow soldier of mine, whose needly circumstances have compelled him
to apply to me, to look after the portion of military land to which he
thinks himself entitled, and as his services, in the late revolutionary
Army, are as well known to me as my own, the following sketch from my
recollection, will, I hope, enable you to trace him through the records of
the War Department and which to ascertain the legitimacy of his present
claim.
        My friend, Paul Lewis Celoron, is a Canadian by birth, decended out
of an ancient military french family, who, in the latter and [words crossed out]
of the year 1776 came over from Martinique to the United States, strongly
recommended by the general and other authorities of that  island, and was
by congress appointed Captain in the American Army, I believe, by [illegible]
as I do not recollect that he ever was commissioned as belonging to any 
particular regiment; but this I know, that early in 1777 he joined
the Northern Army, then under St. Clair, and served as Brigade Major to
Brig. Genl. Roche Fermoy, until St. Clair's retreat from Ticonderoga, he
then continued in Genl. Gate's army, attached himself to Col. Livingston's
fourth Battilion of the New York line, until the final capture of Burgoynes
army, and in 1778 or so he attached himself to Pulaski's legion in
whose corps; from its first creation, I commanded the first troop
light Dragoons; Genl Pulaski employed Capt. Celoron as his aid de Camp
and remained in that situation until Pulaski received his mortal
Page 16

wound before Savannah, after that he continued in Lincolns army,
was taken prisoner at Charleston, exchanged some time after, he joined
Layfayettes corps in Virginia, in which he remained until the capture 
of Cornwallis at Yorktown; at the close of the war he left the country,
obtained from the French government a military appointment at the
Island of Guadaloupe, there he married a lady of a considerable fortune
which was totally lost during the struggles of the French revolution and
there the poor fellow is now reduced to indigence.
        From the forgoing, you will perceive that my friend is clearly entitled to his portion of the promised military land and from your situation
I flatter myself, you'll be able to tell me whether the appropriation  is
already made and stands on record at the War Department, and the title to
 be obtained from thence without any application to Congress
that this letter will be sufficient for the Secretary to order the delivery of this
title, on the power of attorney which I have.  I have the goodness to favor
me with your answer as soon as may be convenient and to let me know
how and whether I may obtain the small pittance for my distressed friend.
      (The following is a copy of the answer received from Nathaniel
Cutting Esq.)
      I have then long delayed replying to your letter of the
1st [illegible] in order, previously, to obtain all possible evidence in relation
to the equitable claim of Capt. Celoron No traces of his military services
can be found in the War Department from whence  conclude that the
specific record of them were probably destroyed in the conflagration  of the
War Office which happened in  the year 1800.
In course of my enquiries, on this subject, William Simmons Esqr
accountant of the War Department informed me that he was personally
Page 17

acquainted with Captain Celoron, and that to the best of his recollection said
officer's accounts, with the public, were originally adjusted with the Treasury
Department, and never appealed at the War Office; In consequence of this
information I wrote to the Register of the Treasury on the subject, and yesterday
received his reply- copy of which I now enclose you.
        This morning I submitted your letter together with that of Mr.
Nourse and copy of Captain Celoron's a/c which accompanied it to the 
consideration of the Secretary of War, who authorizes me to acquaint you that upon
an attentive investigation of the [illegible], there appears to be so striking a
similarity between the circumstances of this claim and that which was
lately submitted to congress, in right of the late General Alexander
Hamilton and which that body refused to grant, that he feels it a point
of great delicacy to decide.  His private opinion, I know, is that, as 
satisfactory evidence is adduced to prove that Captain Celoron served until all the
active operations of the war were finished, he is entitled in Equity to
the promised Bounty land; But the law required proof that he
remained a member of the American Army until it was disbanded:-
As this proof is not yet adduced, it would be deemed disrespectful to
the Legislation of our country, for him now to decide in favor of the claim
in direct opposition to the precedent which they recently established in
the case of General Hamilton.
        The next session of Congress is near at hand, and if you were to--
address to that body a memorial in behalf of your friend, Captain or Major
Celoron.  The equity of his claim ought to assure him a favourable 
result.
        His certified account current, that I have received from the Register
of the Treasury, will be a good document to accompany your memorial [illegible]
Page 18

(The following is a copy of the letter from Joseph Nourse Esq
to Nathaniel Cutting Esq
Treasury Department
Register's Office 14th August 1811

        Upon reference to the Record of the Treasury we found the
original settlement made with Major Celoron, a certified copy of
which I have the pleasure of enclosing to you and upon which, I hope,
you will be enabled to give Major Celoron his military lands.  He was
known to me during the revolutionary war, and I recollect was much
respected by his corps._ I am [illegible]

        To the foregoing, I have to add an essential opinion in my letter
to Mr. Cutting, which is this; That [illegible] Captain Celoron has informed me
[illegible] and of the year 1782 or beginning of 1783 whilst General
Lincoln provided the Board of war, then at Philadelphia, he carried
four certificates of his services to be registered in the records of
that Board and consists of one from General Washington
three from the Generals Lincoln, St. Clair and Baron de Kalb.
As to his been generally called Major it was, I believe, from his having
acted as an Aid de Camp, to General Pulaski, but that his rank was never
above that of a Captain in the army of the United States.
Paul Bentalow
Page 19

No. 1
Contract of a Letter from Paul Bentalow Esq to Nathaniel Cutting
Dated, Baltimore 1st of August 1811

My dear Sir
" Believing, as I do, that you are convinced of my
"readiness to serve you whenever in my power to do so I make no apology in craving
" your assistance to enable me to answer promptly the pressing demands of an old fellow
"soldier of mine, whose needy circumstances have compelled him to apply to me to look
" after the portion of Military Land, to which he thinks himself entitled; and as his services
in the late Revolutionary Army, are as well known to me as my own, the following
"sketch from my recollection, will I hope enable you to trace him through the Records
"of the War Department and easily to ascertain the legitimacy of his present claim.
           "My friend Paul Louis Celoron, is a Canadian by birth, descentes of an ancient
"military French family, who is the latter end of the year 1776 came over from
"Martinique to the United States, strongly recommended by the General and other
"Authorities of that Island, and was by Congress appointed Captain in the American
" Army. I believe by Brevet; as I do not recollect that he ever was commissioned
" as belonging to any particular Regiment; but this I know, that early in 1777,
" he joined the Northern Army, then under St. Clair, and served as Brigade Major
" to B. General Roche Fermey, until St. Clair's retreat from Ticonderoga.  He
" then continued in General Gate's Army attached to Colonial Livingston's fourth Battalion
" of the New York Line, until the final capture of Burgoyne's Army; and ^in 1778 [illegible] he
" attached himself to Pulaski's Legion, in whose corps, from its first creation, I
" commanded the first Troops of Light Dragoons.  General Pulaski employed Captain Celoron
" as his Aid-de-Camp and remained in that situation until Pulaski received his
" mortal wound before Savannah, after that, continued in Lincoln's Army, was taken
" Prisoner at Charleston, exchanged some time after, he joined Layfette's Corps in
                                                                                                                 Virginia,
Page 20

" Virginia, in which he remained until the capture of Cornwallis at Yorktown. At the
" close of the War he left the Country, obtained from the French Government a
" military appointment at the Island of Guadaloupe, there married a lady of a
" considerable Fortune, which was totally lost during the struggles of the French
" Revolution, where the poor fellow now is reduced to Indigence.
        " From the foregoing, you will perceive that my Friend is clearly entitled to his 
" proportion of the promised military Lands; and from your situation I flatter
" myself you will be able to tell me whether the appropriation is already made
" and stands of Record at the War Department, and the Title to be obtained
" from thence without any application to Congress?  and whether this Letter will be
" sufficient for the Secretary to order the delivery of the Title on the Power of Attorney
" which I have? have the  goodness to favor me with your answer as soon as may
" be convenient, and to let me know how and whether, I may obtain that little pittance
" for my distressed Friend?"
                                           [illegible scribble]
        The foregoing is a true Contract from the original on File in the
War Office of the United States.
                      November 18th 1811
 Nat. Cutting.
Clerk Charged with the 
Branches of Military Lands and Pensions.
Page 21

No. 2079

State of Captain Celorons account
adjusted by Mr. Simmons
Mr. Ramsey    Clerks
January 7th 1782
                         [illegible][illegible]
bal.[illegible]. 2316.23 [illegible]

Entered in [illegible] B.C 115

Two Thousand three hundred and
sixteen Dollars. twenty three cents
In [illegible]                     463.23
In Registered Debt.      1853
                              ___________________
                                     $ 2316.23

                          _____________________________


[illegible]

[written vertically on the page] a/c U.S. [illegible] Captain P.L.Celoron
[illegible scribbling]
No.4.
Page 22

Auditors Office
Philadelphia January 7th 1782

     This Certifies that we have examined the account of Captain Lewis
Celoron and find

          That the charges for pay a Captain in the line from
1 April 1777 to 15 March 1781 the sum of     940.
From Ditto as Captain in Pulaskis Legion from 15th
March 1777 to December 1781 the sum of   1726.60
from which deduction over charge of  51.60  1675.
for Six months extra pay as Brigade Major  144.
That his Rations from 2nd June 1778 to 31 July 1781
at 2 [illegible] Day amount to 2310 at 10......236.60
Ditto from 1 August to 31 December 1781
amount to [illegible][illegible][illegible]  32.27
                                                            _________
                        Dollars                        3047.87

That he is charged in the Pay Master Generals Books
with sundry sums of money in the old Emissions
received of the following persons     Vizt
        Mease and Caldwell
1777 April 1. 150 Dollars at 120 [illegible] Cent...........125.
        Jonathan Trumbull Esq
May.   40 dollars. at 157 [illegible]Cent.   25.43
June   120       Ditto 169.                                  71.
October 80    Ditto 382                                 20.84
1778 Feb 194       Ditto 464.                       41.72
         April 113       Ditto 519                          21.69
         May  40.       Ditto 580                            6.80                 187 ..78
                                                                     _________
     
 Advanced him by the Marquis Delafyatte 
March 80 Dollars at 480 [illegible] Cent                                   16.60
        William Palfrey Esq
September 10 Dollars at 690 [illegible] cent .........   1.40
November   189 Ditto at 697     " ............................25.74
He acknowledges to have received of Col. William
Palfrey on account of pay to September 1778. 110 Dollars
which is not included in the Pay Masters
      Certificate at 630 [illegible]Cent......................17.41            44.65
                                                                            _________
1779 August.  That he acknowledges to have received of the
      Pay Master of the Legion 540 Dollars at 2038[illegible]....26.44
                            3250[illegible]Cent...............                           43.18
                                                                                                ____________
      Joseph Clay D.P. M. General
 1780 January                    1404.00 at ...........3250[illegible]Cent          
                     Amount carried forward                                      443.95
Page 23

Amount brought forward
That he is charged in the Treasury books
with the following sum
1777 Feby 80 Dollars 103 Cent 77.06
1778 Decr 80 Ditto 747 10.63 87.69
1781 August 100000 Dollars Virginia Money at 500 for One
Received of B Harrison is 200."
Amount of Capt Celorons Debits 731.64
That from this State there appears a Balance
of Two Thousand Three Hundred & Sixteen Dollars 23/90
Specie due to the said Capt Lewis Celoron } 2316.23
That Captain Celoron asserts he received
the Sum of 100,000 Dollars Virginia Money when at
the Exchange 500 for 1 at which rate we have calculated
value in Specie, and carried the amount thereof
to his debt in the above State; tho it is our opinion
if it should hereafter prove not to be the real exchange
the difference whether to his debt or credit ought
to be brought into his next account
Wm Simmons
Wm Ramsey } Clks
Treasury Department
Registors Office August 14th 1811
I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the
Original
on file this office
Joseph Nourse R. S
Page 24

By L. office
7 Feb 1829
Capt Paul Louis Celeron
he has not been
returned as entitled
to bounty land
the papers are left
to be called for
R. Taylor
7 Feb 1829
Paul Celeron
Page 25

Hon P. Little
Capt. Celoron & papers
for Land for military
services
not yet [illegible]
Suspended
The Honorable Custus [illegible]
Secr. of War
Page 26

Sir
at the request of Alex Mc Kim I forward to
on the enclosed paper. I believe the Petition presented
to Congress continued in the purpose as 
refered to your
Department
Your Obt Sert
Peter Little
Washington Dec 2nd
1811
Page 27

Paul Louis Celeron,
Petition
Page 28

In the House of Representatives
of the United States
Tuesday 26th Novemr 1811
Mr. McKin presented a petition of Paul
Louis Celeron, by his attorney Paul Benton
of Baltimore in the State of Maryland
praying that the said Celeron may receive
a grant for the military bounty land, to which
he is entitled as a French officer, in the
revolutionary army; which was read and
referred to the Secretary of War
Attest,
Patrick Magruder Clerk