Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 35121, Richard Willson, Continental (Md.)
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SERVICE
Continental (Md.)

Willson, Richard

NUMBER
S 35121

CONTENTS
a res of Queen Anne Co. Md
in 1818 aged 63 yrs. & res. of Baltimore, Md.
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568.
Maryland

Richard Willson
Col Hartley
Captain
Continental
[Maryland crossed out] Line
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War

Inscribed on the Roll of Maryland
at the rate of 20_ Dollars per mouth, to commence on
the 2nd of April 1818 --

Certificate of pension issued the 16th of May 1818
and sent to the Pensioner, are
of N Brise, Judge, for you
Baltimore ---

from 24th April 1828
Arrearages to 4 Sept 1818    $ 84.33
4 Mo 11 days                        $ 84.33
Nine months
Revolutionary claims,
Act 18th March, 1818,
Difference of pension
have 2nd April, 1818 the date
of the first declaration                14.66
                                                 _________
                                               $ 102.00
Died on 27 June 1828 Decd

Agent informed of the
Death 2nd Oct 1818
Baltimore Md.
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Richard Wilson

application
for a
Pension

Admitted

[faded word]
[faded initials]
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State of Maryland Baltimore County sct.
Be it remembered that on the 24th day April 1818, personally appeared before the undersigned Chief Judge of Baltimore City Court, Richard Wilson aged sixty three residing in the City of Baltimore an applicant for a pension under the late Act of Congress entitled An Act to provide for Certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war, and then and there made the following Declaration under oath by the administered therein
That he the said Richard Wilson was in the year 1777, commissioned as a Captain in the United States army in a regiment commanded by Col Thomas Hartley and was afterward, appointed Air Defender to General Charles Lee and served in the said army more than nine months as Captain_ and returned from the army after the suspension of General Lee_ that he has lost his commission, have as he believes been robbed thereof with many other valuable papers since
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the war_ he further saith that he was in the Battle of Brandywine and the then commonly called Massacre of Paoli and in the Battle of Germantown that he the said Richard Wilson is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of te assistance of his Country for support.  and as further proof of his service int he army produces certain letters & Certificates hereto annex -
[signed on right] Richard Willson
Subscribed & sworn
before me
[signed] N Brice
Chief Judge Balt City Court
I hereby Certify that it appears to my satisfaction that the above named Richard Wilson did serve in the revolutionary war as stated in the preceeding declaration against the Common Enemy and is entitled to a pension under said Act of Congress_ done in pursuance of the Act of Congress aforesaid this   4th day of April 1818 ~
[signed] N Brice
Chief Judge Baltimore City Clerk
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City of Baltimore to wit:
I Thomas Harwood, Clerk of a Baltimore City Court do hereby certify that the Honorable Nicholas Brice Esquire before whom the foregoing proceedings appears to have ^been^ taken and Certified, and who has thereto subscribed his name was & at the time of taking and certifying the same and still is Chief Judge of Baltimore City Court duly commissioned and qualified and to all whose acts as such full faith and credit are and ought to be given as well in Courts of Justice as thereout --
[evidence of seal] In Testimony I have hereto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said Court this Twenty fourth day of April one thousand eight hundred and eighteen --
Tho Harwood Clk
Baltimore City Court
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35121

INVALID.

Revy

File No. 35,121
Richard Willson
Capt Rev War

Act:  18" March 18"
Index:-Vol. 2, Page 457

[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Respectfully returned to Major Wilson of Baltimore Maryland, to be confirmed[?] to the widow[?] [illegible] & regulations under the law of the 18th ultimo by [illegible]
Most Obedt. St.
G. Boyd
War Dept. Pension Office
April 5th 1818
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I John E. Howard, Lieutenant Colonel in hte Maryland Line of the army, in the War of the Revolution, do hereby certify and make known that I have for many years known Richard Wilson of Queen Anne's County and State of Maryland, who is now making application for a pension under a late law of Congress.  I have always, understood, and have good reason to believe that the said Richard Wilson served as a Captain in Colonel Harley's Regiment in the war aforesaid.  I particularly recollect being acquainted with him at Annapolis in the year seventeen hundred and eighty two when he was acting as Commissary for the State, and was generally called Major Wilson, but whether he had served as Major in Hartley's or any other Regiment
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Regiment I do not know __
I further certify that the said Captain, or Major, Richard Wilson was, in the last year, under the care of Doct.r Gibson who (as the said Doct.r informed me) removed by the knife a wen of a very large size from his back, and I have reason to believe that at the time he has thence other wens on his back, which are rapidly encreasing.  The said Wilson from the affliction aforesaid, and other causes requires a pension.
Given under my Hand at Baltimore the 20.th day of april 1818.
[signed on right] John E. Howard
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War Dept: Pension Office
April 21st 1818

Sir,

I have the honor to inclose to you, in answer to your letters to Genl. Smith myself of the 15" & 17 instants a blank form of certificate to be filled up by the Judge in favor of revolutionary officer applicants for pension under the late law - and to remark that I am sorry the objectionable features of the one sent to you, had not been stricken out before its transmission.  You will at [illegible words], Sir, that these Certificates, by drawing the [illegible] across a few words, are intended to apply equally to officers and soldiers under the law.  Your pension will of course commence on the 3d of April, instant, when your first tho' informal declaration was made before the Judge.  Your papers, however, have not yet been returned.
I am Sir, very respectfully,
Your most Obedt St.
G. Boyd

Richard Willson Esquire
Baltimore, Md.
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City of Baltimore, April 2.d 1818.
Richard Willson personally appeared before me and made oath on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, that he was a Captain in the Regiment of Col. Thomas Hartley of York Town Pennsylvania, and he received his Commission, to the best of his recollection, signed by General Washington, in February 1777.  That W.. Benjamin Stoddert, who was afterwards appointed Secretary of the Navy, was also a Cap.n in the Regm.n and that we messed together during the Campaign until the battle of Brandy-wine where Cap.n Stoddert was wounded and had to retire to the Country until his wound was healed.  The midnight battle, then commonly called The Massacre at Paoli, followed and happened on the 20.th of Sept.r, the battle of German Town on the 4.th of October, these three memorable battles were fought in the Course of twenty four days.  Col.n Hartley's Regiment was one of what were then called "one of the sixteen Regm.ts and by some called "Washingtons Guards"  The officers were selected from all parts of the United States, and recruited where they pleased.  After those Battles, I obtained leave of Capt. Hartley to return my rank in his Regiment and with his assistance backed (I believe) by Genrl. Wayne under whom we had fought, to act as Aide de Camp to General Charles Lee, who was
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then next in command to General Washington.
The 16 Regmts. instead of forming two grand Divisions of the army, for some reasons, perhaps, best known to Congress were attached to Regiments of the various States, and no promotion allowed.
This disgusted the Officers, and after some time, most of the young Gentleman of fortune was in need their Commissions.
General Lee died in less than two years after he appointed me one of his aids, and I never after, acted in the army.  I have served more than nine months, in the Revolutionary army, and have by misfortunes got into extremes indigent circumstances. 
I, Charles W. Hanson, an associate Judge of the sixth Judicial District of Maryland, do hereby certify, that major Richard Wilson, as well by his own oath, as by other testimony has satisfied me of the truth of the above deposition, which is this 3.d day of april 1818 --sworn to before me
[signed on right] Chs. W. Hanson [hand written seal after signature]
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dated Febr~y 10. 1818.
S. smith

Major Richard Wilson

Baltimore
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March 10 . Feb 3 . 1818
Sir

Your letter of 29 March came to me in January first. you appear to have served three years and will fall under the Senate's ammendment. I think the Bill will pass in some [illegible]. Why do you not apply to the State. they have granted pensions in cases less meritorious than yours.
Your claim was [illegible] by the Act of limitation, and never having been permitted before, would have no chance whatever for success ~ I [illegible] your situation, and trust you have no course of [illegible] to yourself, which is a great consideration. I am Sir  your Obed Servt
[signed on right] S Smith
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Rich.d Wilson  [illegible]

Washington
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[illegible] Town 24..th Feb 4. 1808

In the Winter of 1776 1777, the army being much  reduced, & the difficulty of recruiting great, and the problem affairs mound wearing {2 illegible words] Congress authorized Genl Washington, to create what were called the 16 additional Regiments _ & to appoint the officers.  These Reg.t formed the quota of no malitia state or states, but were on a different establishment _ & belonged to that under       they were soon raised _ but purchased became some Jealousy might be entertained, thos officers appointed by Genl W himself might be too much devoted to him, they were suffered to lanquish & decline.  They suffered more than any other part of the army, & were worse provided.  Each State took some care of the Troops, belonging to itself _ & furnished sometimes cloathing & other necessaries for them.  The 16 Reg.ts belonging to no states, was provided for by none.  no promotions were made in them I believe, higher than the rank of Captain [water damage to page] they decreased in number, the officers & men, were at length turned over to the states.
About Feb 3 1779; Hartley, & I think Pattorn, two of the 16 additional Regiments, were incorporated, & made the 11th Penns.a Reg.t _ such officers as did not like the arrangement resigned.  not liking the arrangement, I at that time resigned.
Both you & myself were Captains in Hartleys Regt - He recd our appointments in Jan 1777.  we joined the army with our companies, before the Fighting commenced.  I was wounded at the battle of Brandywine - & joined the army no more 'till the following year.  I well recollect you were in this Battle, and there not only in That, action, but in the affair of Paoli, & the Battle of German Town, you were initially allowed to have
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distinguished yourself as a gallant officer.  Tho unable to Join the army, I was constantly in its neighborhood, & frequently contacted to camps __and I well remember that Genl Wayne, as well as others, & well with pleasure on your conduct at some meeting home about Paoli__ and had promotion, gave by merit at that time, he would have apeared there you recollected it.   These things are the better impressed on my memory, because there was great intimicies between you & me in the army.  At this time, I was well known you possessed an Independent Estate.  Those not  employment & we honor & promotion, was your object  .
When you quit the army I know not. as soon as I was to travel, I returned to Maryland in the later end of May[?] & I before the army had gone into Winter quarters -- the next year -- perhaps in March, when I joined it, you was not there -- but I do not think it was understood you had resigned -- and I think I have some recollection that it was said you were to retain your com.n & be attached on the Family of some of the general officers.
This is all that I can at present recollect of your contribution in the army -- If I can be of any more [page torn] to you, it will afford me much pleasure.  as to arrearances of pay due you, I can know nothing -- but you seemed as these times, to have enough of your own to refund little the pittance the public paid in depreciation paper.  [illegible] Hartley, offi.r have large [illegible] claim on the Pbulic.  I am respectfully & in yr [illegible]
[illegible]   [signed on right] Ben Stoddert
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Captn Richard Wilson

Cecil County
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Baltimore April 21st 1818

Sir

In answer to your letter requesting my knowledge of you during the revolutionary war, having no aquaintance with you & in 1777 & 1778 seeing you occasionally with officers to whom I was known led me to inquire who you was informed that you was a captn Wilson of think of Colo Hazens Regt one of those raised to Commissioned by Genl Washington by an order of Congress in December 1767. of this information be of any service to you it is well, my memory being qually impaired from long bad health  I am with respect yours
my Obedient Servt
[signed on right] J Swan