Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14718, John Trumbull, Conn.
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(8-1776)
SERVICE [column head]
Conn, Trumbull, John
NUMBER (column head]
S14718
[Line across the page separating the top of the page from the two columns of lines below]
Carded [hand-written]
CONTENTS
[Remaining lines on page are blank]
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No 627 -
New York
John Trumbull

of New York in the State of New York who was an Adjutant in the Regiment
["commanded by Captain of the" crossed out]
commanded by Cd Spencer in the Connecticut line for three months, and Brigade Major adjutant General twenty one months. 

Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the Great of 565 Dollars ___ Cents per [damaged paper]
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 1st day of October 1832 and sent to the Petitioner New York

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832, 847.50
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 mon, 33 232.50
$113 [damaged paper]
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832}

Recorded by R Ela
Book D Vol. 5 Pa [damaged paper]
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City and State of New York
On this 26th day of July 1832, personally appeared before the Cour of Common Pleas for the City & County of New York. In Open Court before the Judges of the Same Court. 

John Trumbull a resident of this City, aged Seventy Six years. who being first sworn according to Law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act Congress, passed June 7th 1832.  viz

That He was born at Lebanon in Connecticut, on the 6th day of June 1756. The youngest Son of the Governor of Connecticut. 

That immediately after the Battle of Lexington on the 19th April 1775, He was appointed Adjutant of the first Connecticut Regiment, of which Brig ^ General Spencer was Colonel. Samuel Wyllys Lt Col. and Return Jonathan Meigs was Major. _ and with Lt Genl Spencer (his Colonel) proceeded immediately ([illegible] in the 5th Month of April), to the Vicinity of Boston, where, to wit at Roxbury on the right wing of the American Army 2d Regiment was stationed, & where He served with it as Adjutant until the 27th day of July following, when He was appointed Aid du Camp to the Commander in Chief: _ as [wit?] appears from the enclosed Certified Extract from the original Orderly book of that Campaign. 

That in this character He served some time, until W. Mifflin (his brother AdC.) and himself were succeeded in the General's family, by Edmund Randolph & Mr. Custis, both from Virginia, when the declarant was appointed a Major of Brigade in the Right Wing of the Army. __ in which character He served until the capture of Boston when He accompanied his Brigade to New York, and there served until He was appointed in the month of June 1776 by M. General Gates Deputy Adjutant General of the Northern Department, with the rank of Colonel. 

In verification of this part of his Statement 
it was his
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intention to have enclosed herewith a certified Extract from the Original orderly Book of Gen. Gates for the Campaign of 1776, which Book, with various other important papers of the General, are preserved in the Historical Society of this City: -- but the actual calamitous State of this City prevents for the present access to the Library: if required it shall be sent here after. 

That in November 1776, after the Enemy retired from the vicinity of Ticonderoga, He accompanied Gen. Gates with a Detachment of Troops to Newtown in Pennsylvania, where they joined General Washington a few days before the glorious Event at Trenton. 

That on the 22d or 23d Dec. He received orders to accompany General Arnold to Rhode Island in consequences of that Post having been recently occupied by the Enemy. 
That at this place (Providence) He at length received his Commission for the Office whose arduous duties He had so long and, faithfully performed, but dated, not as He had expected in June, but in September, by which variation of date He lost three months rank, at a period when promotions were unusually numerous -- this induced him to return the Commission, requesting either a Change & rectification of the Date, or permission to retire: and after some delay & Correspondences, his resignation was finally accepted. 

That this final settlement & close of his accounts was made at Albany in the Month of May 1777 -- by John Carter, the accounting officer of the Northern Department. -- which Settlement may perhaps be found among the papers of that day, in the Treasury and the said Trumbull for their declares that in the year 1778 He offered his Service to Gen Lavien as a Volunteer Aid du Camp in the Expedition planned against Rhode Island in conjunction with a French Fleet under the Command of the Count D' Estaing 

- And accompanied the Gen'l in that character from the moment of Landing on the Island until it was abandoned. 
The Testimony to these Facts, may, if required, be obtained from Surviving brother Officers.
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And this declarant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or annuity except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension roll of any agency in any state.
Jno Trumbull
 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
In open court
Abm Asten, Clerk 

And the said Court of Comm in Pleas for the City and County of New York do hereby declare this opinion that the above named applicant John Trumbull was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states in his above deposition. 

Jno J Irving
First and presiding Judge of the Court of Comm Pleas for the City & County of 
New York

S. Abraham Asten Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the City and County of New York do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Trumbull for a pension. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal of office this twenty sixth day of July in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty two. 

Abm Aster, Clerk
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][File cover with printed text and hand-written entries]

Rev War 14718 [handwritten]
INVALID

File No. 14718
John Trumbull
Adjuta: Rev War
Act: June 7th 1832
Index: - Vol. 1, Pag 379

[Arrangement of 1870.] [printed]
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I Ebenezer Huntington of Norwich a Lieut Colonel in the Army of the Revolution, do hereby certify that in the year 1775 Colonel John Trumbull was a resident in the City of New York, was during a part of the year 1775 an acting Brigade Major in the Connecticut Line of the Revolutionary Army & part of that year an Aide de Camps to his Excellency Gen. Washington, & that in the year of 1776, he was appointed Adj Genl of the Northern Army, this past length of time in those offices respectively as not within my Knowledge Recollections 

In the year 1779, I believe Col Trumbull joined that part of the Army stationed in the State of Rhode Island under Gen Sullivan & was as a Volunteer Aide to him in the expeditions on to the Island of Rhode Island, on which expedition I was a Field Officer in S B Webbs Reg afterwards called the 9th [paper damage] Conn Regiment --

Norwich August 18, 1832
Ebn: Huntington Lt Colonel
9th Connecticut Regiment in 
the War of the Revolution 

State of Connecticut
New London County Ss. Norwich August 29th 1832
Personally appeared General Ebenezer Huntington and made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by him subscribed
Before me
John Hyde
Justice of the Peace
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[Handwritten document cover]

25
Col. John Trumbull
City of New York

[updisde down at bottom]
[round imprint mark]
W. 1. 
Isaac Spencer
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I Isaac Spencer of Hartford, in the County of Hartford and State of Connecticut, now in the Seventy third year of my age, do testify and say that in the year AD 1775 I enlisted into the Regiment of Connecticut Troops, called Gen. Spencers Regiment [Second writing of Regiment crossed out], and commanded by Lieut Colonel Samuel Wyllys, and served at Roxbury in the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, Seven Months, and I well remember that John Trumbull Esquire of Lebanon, son of the then Governor of the State of Connecticut, served in the capacity and did the duty of Adjutant in said Regiment during the forepart of the campaign, and until he went to Cambridge, and (as I understood) was appointed Aid De Camp to General Washington, not long after he the said Gen'l Washington arrived and took the command of the American Army. I believe said John Trumbull served in said capacity of Adjutant at Roxbury about Two Months 

I lived with him a part of the time of his service as aforesaid, in the Family of General Spencer -- Isaac Spencer

State of Connecticut
County of Hartford  of Hartford August 27 1832
Personally appeared Isaac Spencer, and made solemn Oath to the above deposition of him subscribed,
Before me Cyprian Nichols Justice of the Peace
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I hereby certify that the wish in Isaac Spencer is well known to me, and is a credible witness - 

Cyprian Nichols Justice of the Peace
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[Handwritten numbers]

282.50
________

847.50
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J. L. Edwards
New York 28th year 1832
Sir
Your Letter of the 20th August was in course received, & in confirmation with your requisition I herewith enclose an additional declaration as explicit & minute as I can make clear that very few of my old Comrades can produce as much testimonies I have found in the Original Gen & Orderly books (the scriptures of Military [illegible]) and in the journals of Congress of the war of Truth to Civilians) -- and I trust therefore that minute precision of proof will not be required, for, after the lapse of Fifty five years it is not an easy matter to any man to prove his identity. 

I am Sir very respectfully
Your most Obedient Servant
Jno Trumbull
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[handwritten letter to John Trumbull]

No. 2

Adjutant Generals Office
Boston June 7th 1832

John Trumbull Esq

Dear Sir
I received your favor on this subject of your application for a pension. The books from which you wanted an abstract was taken away from my office by General wards family to whom it belonged some years since. But before it was delivered, I took a copy of it. The governor thinks the original is in Shrewsbury in the hands of General Wards son Thomas M. Ward Esq. who was the late Sheriff of this County of Worcester. From the Copy which I took. I extracted the General order of the 27th July 1775, announcing your appointment as Aid de Camp to the Commander in Chief. The order itself contains such internal evidence of authority that I should not think the Department would doubt it. If it is not sufficient for your purpose no one will take greater
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greater pleasure than I shall in looking up this original and obtaining from that the copy of this same paper which I now enclose. Or if you prefer it, a letter from you to Mr. Ward himself I am sure would receive immediate attention. 
The Pension is what you ought  to have had long ago, and I hope you will live long enough to make up for this arrears which are your just due. 

I am very Respectfully
Your friend and most obt serve

[signature]
Wm H Sumner
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[Handwritten document]

Head Quarters Cambridge 27th July 1775
General Orders
Parole Bedford 
Countersign Grifford
John Trumbull Esq being appointed Aid de Camp to his Excellency the Commander in Chief As is to be obeyed as such. 
A Court of Enquiry to set tomorrow morning at 8 o Clock in the Tutors Chambers, Wm Hall's to examine into a complaint exhibited upon oath in the public news papers against Benjamin Whitney Esq now a prisoner in the Colledge. All evidences and persons concerned to attend the Court. 

For the future when any deserters come to any of the out guards, they are, without the least delay to be sent by a Corporals Guard to the next guard in the Lines, who is immediately to escort them in the same manner to the Major General commanding that Division of the army who, as soon as he has examined them will forthwith send them under a proper escort from his Guard to Head Quarters. 
Some of the Deserters being made drunk [words crossed out] who came out last night from the Armory before they reached Head Quarters, it
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[handwritten document]
it will be considered as a breach of Orders in any person who gives Rum to a Deserter before they are examined by the General. 

A Subaltern Officers Guard to be mounted tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock at a certain distance from the Small pox Hospital. The officer to come this evening a 6 o'clock to the Adjutant General for orders. 

Adjutant Generals Office
Boston June 7th 1832

Copy of a General Order taken from the Orderly Book of Major General Artemas Ward which was loaned to me by his heirs and copied to be first among the archives of this office. 

[signature] Wm H Sumner, As Gen of Mass Mila
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[handwritten document]

Extract from the Orderly Book of Major General Horatio Gates, commanding the Northern Army of the United States from the 10th July 1776 to 3d June 1777. Presented to the New York Historical Society - & by them preserved. 

"Head Quarters July 18th 1776. (Ticonderoga) 
"Colonel John Trumbull is appointed Deputy "Adjutant General to the Army. He is to be 
"obeyed as such."

I do hereby certify that I have compared the above extract with the Orderly Book of major General Horatio Gates, Commanding the Northern Army of the United States, which Book is now in the Library of the Historical Society of New York, and that the said extract is Correctly & truly made therefrom - 

New York Historical Society
J. Delafield, Treasurer
24 August 1832
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[handwritten document]

City & State of NewYork
Personally Appeared

John Trumbull a resident of this City aged Seventy Five years, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his Oath make the following declaration, in addition to and in Confirmation as well as Explanation of another declaration made on the 26h day of July last, before the Court of Common Pleas for the City & County of New York, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by an act of Congress signed on the 7th day of June 1832. 

1st
That He entered into the Military Services of his County immediately after the Battle of Lexington as Adjutant of the first on Gen Spencer's Regiment of Connecticut troops, and served in the character until the 27th day of July 1775. 
Les this Certificate of Isaac Spencer (son of the said, Gen'l Joseph Spencer) now Treasurer of the State f Connecticut. 
Marked No. 1

2d
That on the 27th day of July 1775 He was appointed Aid du Camp to the Commander in Chief. In the enclosed Extract from the Original Book of Gen'l Orders of that Campaign, duly Certified
Marked No 2

3d
That He served as Aid du Camp for some time, and was then appointed Major of Brigade: - He has no means of ascertaining the precise day of his passing from one Office to the other but as the Rank & pay of the two offices were at that time the same, he conceives that in the distinction can't be important: he Equality of Rank & Pay of these two Offices may be seen by referring to th Journal of Congress of th 15th June and 29th July 1775. 

4th
That He remained at Roxbury in the Office & Rank of Major of Brigade until the Capture of Boston, and then must
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[Handwritten document]

to New York with the Army, and then continued to serve as Major of Brigade on the 27th day of June 1776. 
Leu Col Huntington's Certificate
Marked No. 3

5th
That on the 27th day of June 1776, He was appointed by Major General Gates, Colonel & Deputy Adjutant General of the Northern department and embarked with the General for his destination. The Evidence of the Authority & Right of Gen. Gates to make such appointment to the Journal of Congress of June 17th 1776 

6th
That on the 7th day of July 1776 He joined the wreck of the Army which had been driven out of Canada at Crown Point and was employed incessantly and arduously in his Office of Adjutant General in removing the [illegible] of sick, to the hospital at Fort George - in restoring something like Order to the Troops, & in removing the Fragment which remained to Ticonderoga, and when the hurry and confusion of this scene was over viz on the 18th of July 1776 the Ranks & Officer of the declarant was announced in the Army, in General Orders. 
In the Extract from the General Orderly book of that Campaign, which is preserved in the Library of the Historical Society in this City: Certified by the Treasurer, in the absence of the Librarian occasioned by the prevailing sickness. 
Mark'd No. 4

7th
That, in consequences of the Retreat of the Army from Canada, before the arrival of Genl Gates: - the subsequent conflicting pretensions of Major Gen. Schuyler, & Maj & Genl Gates to Command in the North, and the misunderstandings which arose from that source. Congress on the 12 day of September 1776 thought it proper to Elect your Declarant Deputy Adjutant General of the Northern Department -- See their journal of that date - of which election declarant was ignorant until He discovered it in the Course of the present examination of the Journals at Congress. 

8th
That the Declarent continued to do the Duty of Deputy Adjutant
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[handwritten document]

General at Ticonderoga, -- on the march to join General Washington behind the Delaware river, and at Rhode Island until the Spring of 1777 when, at Providence, He received a Commission as Deputy Adjutant General with the Rank of Colonel, bearing date the 12th day of Sept. 1776 --
Conscious that he had done his duty with fidelity, activity & zeal and often under very arduous circumstances from the 27th day of June: -- ignorant of the misunderstanding which had led to his election by Congress on the 12th Sept -- and indignant at the further affront implied by the long delay which had intervened between the date of the commission and its receipt, He immediately enclosed it in a Letter addressed to the President of Congress & returned it. - In the Journal of Congress will be found the following Entry. "14th March 1777, a Letter from John Trumbull
"Deputy Adjutant General of the Northern department, 
"with his Commission enclosed was read, and referred to the 
"Boad of War. 
9th
That a Correspondence was followed between an honorable member of Congress, and the Declarant, in which the Zeal and fidelity of his services were fully admitted, but as He persisted in the Justice of his claim to a Commission bearing date the 27th day of June, as a Right: -- and declined to accept the same if Offered as a Faver his resignation was finally accepted, as appears by the following Extract from the Journal of Congress. "19th April 1777, Resolved 
"that the resignation of John Trumbull ate Deputy - 
"Adjutant General of the Northern Department be accepted 

From all which it appears that the Declarant served as Adjutant of a Regiment from May to July 27th 1775
Three Months
as Aid du Camp or Major of Brigade from July 17th 1775 o June 27th 1776. Eleven Months. and 
as Colonel and Deputy Adjutant General from June 27th 1776 to April 19th 1777. Ten Months
in all 24 Months in the regular Services and
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[Handwritten document]

And the Declarant further states That in the Year 1778 He served as a Volunteer Aid du Camp to Major General Sullivan in the Expedition for the recovery of Rhode Island and was engaged in all the active and dangerous service of that period which occupied the entire Month of August 1778
One Month see No. 3

Makig his service altogether 25 Months, during 22 of which he held the Rank of a Field Officer

Sworn before me this 28th day of September 1832
Saml R Betts Judge of the United States for the Southern District of New York

[Ink blot and signature]
Jno Trumbull