Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 12024, Peter Avery, Conn.
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE NUMBER
Conn. Avery. Peter S. 12024
carded
CONTENTS
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Connecticut. 31,00
Peter Avery, 31,005
of N. London in the State of Connecticut
who was a Private in the Army. commanded
by Captain Cray of the Reg commanded
by Col. Ledyard in the
line for
7 month & 7 dys
Conn. Line. July 12/05
Records completed
Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut
at the rate of 24 Dollars 11 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 3rd day of March
1837, and sent to Hon. E. Haley
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1836 - 156.71
156.71 Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by R. Burdin Clerk
Semi-anl. allowance ending
Book & 2 Vol. Page 1
Rift. M. 3 37
Died 17 October 1845.
Letter to Samuel W. Wood of
3. Audn, 27 March 1847.
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Hon. Elisha Haley
A.R.
33941
Peter Avery
Connt. 11
Adm for
7 one 7 dr $24.11 
M Carl Mililet
144.66
12. 5
156.71
Hon Elisha Haley
A.R.
9 Feb
Peter Avery
7 June Jul 32
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the
Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
State of Connecticut 
County of New London. Probate District of Stonington
On this 28th day of January AD 1837.
Personally appeared in open Court before Stephen Haley
Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Stonington
Now sitting in said District County and State aforesaid
Peter Avery a resident of said Town of Groton County of 
New London and State of Connecticut aged 72 years and
8 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
7th 1832, for a pension (Viz)
That during the Revolutionary War he
the said Peter Avery resided in the Town of Groton in
New London County, near to Fort Griswold which stands
on Groton heights on the East side of New London harbour
And that Long Island Sound adjoining said Harbour
was a place much frequented by the ships of the Enemy
during said war, that they frequently appeared off New
London harbour and sometimes anchored there as if about
to land. That whenever this was the case, Alarm guns were fired from said fort, and expresses sent out for
for the Militia in the vicinity of said fort, to repair there
imediately (and that such was then the spirit of Patriotism
that every one cheerfully obeyed the Summons) That in consequence 
of his contiguous situation to said fort he was
often called out on alarms and short tours of service,
That in May 1780, he was of the age to be enrolled in the
Militia and was enrolled in Capt Nathan Crarys
Compt in T. Groton, That in July 1780, the British 
Ships appeared off New London harbour Alarm guns
were fried at said fort, and an express sent to Capt
Crary for his company imediately to repair to said fort 
That he as one of sd Compt then went into said fort,
that Colr Wm Ledyard who then commanded for
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Ordered and stationed capt Crarys Company at a house
about two miles down before said fort towards the mouth
of the harbour to watch the motion of the enemy in case
of an attempt to land; that he continued to serve in this
tour of service for the term of three and half weeks, when
he was verbally discharged by sd. Capt Crary and went home
That in October of the same year 1780. the enemies Ships
again appeared in Long Island Sound off New London
harbour; Alarm guns were fixed and he then turned out as
a volunteer and repaired to said Fort Griswold where he continued
at that time in a comp commanded by Capt Wm
Latham (who was then a Capt in Sd fort under Sd Col
Ledyard) two weeks and was then dismissed by Sd
Capt Latham and went home
That in May 1781, he was drafted
to do garison duty in said fort Griswold for a term of
three months that he then went into Sd fort and was
was placed in the company commanded by Sd Capt Wm
Latham, that after serving out said term of three months he was verbally discharged by Capt Latham and
returned home,
That on the memorable 6th of September
1781. the Brittish Ships again appeared and came to anchor near the entrance of New London harbour,
alarm guns were then fired and he as a volunteer
went into fort Griswold to defend his counties rights
That soon after he entered into said fort, before any
troops could arrive there except the Volunteer Militia
of the imediate vicinity the enemy landed and
Surrounded the fort, the regular garrison of said
fort being then very small, the fort was defended
principally by those brave volunteers who had left 
Father and Mother wives and children houses and land
to offer and sacrifice their lives on the alter of their countries
Independence, that after the most desperate defence
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the Americans were finally overpowered by the Superior numbers
of the enemy and most inhumanly butchered by Brittish
Barbarity & that the monument raised on Gaston Heights in honour of those Heroes who fought and bled then will long 
perpetuate the deed of American bravery and British cruelty
which took place there, on that eventfull day; That he was
in the whole of said engagement, and that the first man
that was slain in the fort fell against him, That after
the enemy had gained possession of the fort, they Massacured 
without distinction all the Americans they could find
some few only saving their lives by running into the
Magazine Barracks &c that he ran into one of the
rooms in the Barrack where he found three wounded men
that the enemy soon fired into the room and killed those
three wounded men. That he ran into another room where
he found two more of his neighbors, that soon after the drum
beat and the firing ceased that he believes they were the
only three men in the Barracks that were not slain,
That the enemy then rushed in and robbed him of his hat
coat, watch, what money he had and a pair of Silver Shoe
buckles, That after they had buried their dead Spiked
the cannon & They ordered all the American prisoners
who who could walk to be paraded, that they amounted
only to about thirty men out of 200. That they then
Marched him with the other prisoners down to the water
and put them on board of a refugee sloop where he
remained three days without any thing to eat except a few
raw potatoes, after which he was put on board a Brittish
frigate and sent to New York where he was kept as a prisoner 
in the old Sugar House eight weeks, after which he
was landed on the Jersey shore about 250 miles from
home without any money, hat, shoes or but few clothes in a weak emaciated state of health in which situation
it took him many days to travel some, making in all
two and a half months of the most dismal anxiety and
Suffering from the time he left his fathers house in
Groton untill he returned there again. That there
were slain in fort Griswold in sd engagement, nine
men of the name of Avery most of them his near connexsion
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and heads of families residing in the same neighbourhood
That in May 1782. he was again called out on an Alarm
and stationed at Fort Griswold two weeks in sd Capt Wm
Lathams Company who was still a Capt in sd fort he being
of the survivors of the masacre that took place of 1781
said Fort then being commanded by Col McCellan
That he served as private Soldier in all the aforesaid
tours of duty, That he never received a written discharge
but was always verbally discharged by the Capt under whom
he served, that he does not know of any persons now
living who can testify fully to all of the aforesaid tours of
Service (the most of those who were them his companions in arms
having fallen in said 6th of Sept 1781.) But that Wm
Latham and Nathan Darrow of sd. Town of Groton
were knowing and can testify to a part of Sd Service
That he has no documentary evidence whatever of his
aforesaid service. That he was born in the Town 
of Groton in said New London County on the 14th day
of May 1764. That he has always resided in
said Town of Groton, That there is no record of his age
that he knows of except in the old family Bible,
That he hereby relinquishes 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
That in reply to the interrogatories
prescribed by the War department he states that
to the 1st 2nd 3d 4th 5th and 6th of said interrogatories, 
he has already set forth the answer as
far as he can recollect or is able to do in his foregoing
declaration. That in reply to the 7th interrogatory 
he states that he is known to the
Reverend John G Wightman a Clergyman
and Caleb Haley both of sd Town of Groton
and residing in his present neighbourhood
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in said Town of Groton in New London County
and State of Connecticut; who can testify as to his
character for veracity; and their belief in his services
(set forth in the foregoing declaration) as a Soldier
of the Revolution
Peter Avery
Sworn and Subscribed the day
and year aforesaid by the said
Peter Avery before the Court of Probate 
for the District of Stonington, in the
County of New London and State of
Connecticut before me
Stephen Haley Judge
We John G Wightman a Clergyman residing in the
Town of Groton County of New London and State of Ct.
and Caleb Hale residing in the same Town
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Peter
Avery of said Town of Groton who has subscribed and
Sworn to the above and foregoing declaration, that we
believe him to be 72 years and 8 months of age. That
he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where
he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution
and that we concur in that opinion and that he is a
credible person, Sworn and Subscribed the day and
year aforesaid before sd Court of Probate aforesaid
John G Wightman Clergyman
Caleb Haley
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion
after the investigation of the matter and after propounding the interrogatories prescribed by the War
department that the above named applicant, Peter
Avery was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as
he states. And the Court further certifies that it
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appears to sd Court that John G Wightman who signed
the preceeding certificate is a Clergyman is resident in
in sd Town of Groton in New London County, and that
Caleb Haley who has also signed the same
is a resident in sd Town of Groton and is a credible
person; and that their statement is entitled to credit,
And the Court further certify that it appear to 
them that William Latham and Nathan Dariard who have signed and
Sworn to the annexed depositions are both of them
Residents of said Town of Groton in sd New London
County are of the ages stated in their depositions and are both of them very credible persons
and that their statements are entitled to credit
Stephen Haley Judge
And the said Court further declare that they have
examined the record in the old family Bible of sd Peter
Avery age and have no doubt in regard to the
Antiquity of Record-
Stephen Haley Judge
I Nathan Daboll Clerk of the Court of Probate
for the District of Stonington C.t, do hereby certify
that the foregoing contains the Original proceeding
of the Sd Court, in the matter of the
application of Peter Avery for a
Pension. In testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and seal of
Office this 28th day of January 1837
Nathan Daboll Clerk
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I William Latham of Groton County of New London and
State of Connecticut aged 72 years do on my oath depose
and say that in the year 1780. I resided in said Town of
Groton, and have resided in sd Town ever since that period
That in the year 1780 I was drafted to do garrison
duty in Fort Griswold for a term of three months
and Served in said fort during said term of three 
months in a company commanded by Capt Wm
Latham, Sd. fort then being under the command
of Col William Ledyard, and soon after the expiration 
of sd three months I Enlisted into sd
fort to do garison duty for a term of one year,
that before said years service had expired the
Memoriable engagement [illegible] 6th of Sept 1781
took place. I was in sd engagement, and after
said engagement I was sent down to New York
as prisoner, and confined in the old Sugar house for
the space of three days, when there was exchanges made ┃
of a few prisoners, and I was fortunate enough to be ┃
one of those that was then exchanged, after my return
home my term of service having not expired
I went into sd fort again and was there in may
1782, and I well remember that Peter Adey of
sd Town of Groton was in sd Fort Griswold and performed
Garrison duty there during sd period of 1780 and 1781
& 1782. I well remember that the said Peter Avery was
in sd fort Griswold in the engagement on the 6th of
Sept 1781. and that he was carried a prisoner to New-
York and when I was exchanged and came away I
left him there, the exact terms of service that the sd Peter Avery
performed as aforesaid I cannot now reccollect but
think he was there at one time three months I
well acquainted with the sd Peter Avery who has Sworn
and subscribed the foregoing declaration for a pension
and have been ever since my childhood he is now
present before me and know him to be the same person
who served as above stated I believed the Sd Peter Avery
to be 72 years and 8 months of age and that this Statement entitled to credit
William Latham
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State of Connecticut
County of New London, Probate district of Stonington
on this 28th day of January 1837. Personally appeared
in open Court before me Stephen Haley Judge of the-
Court of Probate for said Stonington district now sitting
William Latham of the Town of Groton who signed
the within and foregoing deposition and made Solemn
oath to the truth of the same before me
Stephen Haley Judge
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I Nathan Darrow of Groton County of New London
and State of Connecticut aged 78 years do on my
Oath depose and say, that in the year 1780 I 
resided in sd Town of Groton, and now reside in I Sd 
Groton in the years 1780, 1781 and 1782. I performed
Garrison duty in Fort Griswold in a fort Commanded
by Capt Wm Latham. I was in Sd fort in the
engagement on the 6th of Sept 1781 and was
York
carried to New York after Sd engagement as a prisoner and confined in the old Sugar house, for a
term of eight weeks after which it was landed on the
Jersey Shore and returned home making a 
period of 2 1/2 months from the time Sd engagement untill I returned home, I will remember
that Peter Avery of the Town of Groton in Sd
New London Conly was in said Fort Griswold and
performed Garrison duty there a number times
within years 1780, 1891 and 1782, at one period
I believe he served three months, I well remember 
that he was often called out on alarms and Short
tours of Service. And I well remember that the
Sd Peter Avery was in sd Fort Griswold in the
engagement on the Sd 6th of Sept 1781. that he
was carried a prisoner to New York and remained
there the whole time that I did, I believe him to
be 72 years & 8 months of age. I have heard his
foregoing declaration for a pension read and 
believed the same to be correct. I cannot now
recollect the exact term of his service but have
no doubt but what he served the terms which he
States I have always been well acquainted 
with the Sd Peter Avery, he is now present before
me and now him to be the same person
that served as above stated; and that he is a credible
Person,
Nathan Darrow
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S.B. The Commissioner of Pensions will please
to direct his communications in regard to the
foregoing declaration to
Nathan Dabell Contro Groton
New London County Ct
[illegible]
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27 Feb
[illegible] Peter Avery
[illegible] E Haley
Let to Elia Henry H.R
Feby 13th 37
E. Haley
H E, Haley
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Declaration in order to amend the Declaration of Peter
Avery of Gorton for a pension "to witt" to do away
the objection raised "Why is it that he has not applied
for a Pension before"
State of Connecticut 
County of New London
Of Probate District of Stonington
On this 20th day of February AD 1837. Personally
appeared before said Court of Probate now sitting in said Stonington
district. Peter Avery of the Town of Gorton who on oath
doth make the following declaration in order to amend the
Pension
Office of the United States. and to do away the objection raised
"Why is it that he has not applied before this time for a Pension."
That he had intended subsequent to the passage of
the act of June 7th 1832 to have his papers made out, and
that he had frequently named this to Hon Noyes Barber
and also to Asa Fish Esq. whose deposition is hereunto annexed
But that from various causes he had neglected it till his declaration
which is now on file in the Pension Office of the United States.
That formerly he has been in pretty affluent circumstances and
did not so much stand in need of a pension as at present
That through many misfortunes and losses he has now become some
what reduced. that he finds himself growing old and stands in
need of every little assistance which he is justly entitle
suffered the more hardships
That he served as a faithful soldier and risked his
life for his
Country, and that now he considers himself a just recipient of that
Boon which his Country has intended for such sufferers, and that
he believes that he is the only surviving person that has not obtained a
Pension who suffered in that awful Massacre at Fort Griswold on
Groton heights Sept 6th 1781. (signed) Peter Avery
Sworn to and subscribed before said Court of Probate on
the day and year above written
Before me
Stephen Haley Judge
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I Asa Fish of Stonington, County
of New London & State of Connecticut aged
Forty six years, being duly sworn according
to law, do on my oath certify and say, that
I have been, from early youth. well acquainted 
with Capt Peter Avery of Groton
County and State aforesaid, that I believe
him to be more than seventy years of age
That I was, and acted as, Judge of the Court
of Probate for the District of Stonington in
the State of Connecticut from June, 1831
to May 1836. That during said period
many Declarations, were made before said
Court, by individuals, to obtain Pensions
for services performed in the War of the Revolution, under the act of Congress of 7 June
1832. That in the year 1834 Capt Peter Avery
above named appeared before said Court &
stated to me that he intended to apply for
a pension under said act as soon as he
could conveniently attend to the business
and produce his witnesses, among whom 
I recollect that he named William Latham
& [illegible] Avery Esq., That afterwards in said
year 1834 according to the best of my knowledge
as to time, Sd Peter Avery called on me
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in company with Sd William Latham &
stated that his object in calling was to make
his declaration; in order to obtain a pension
as aforesaid, as I was then ready and
waiting to sail in a packet for New York
& the Clerk of the Court not present, the business
was deferred by my request, to a more convenient
season, and that said Avery did
not afterwards, before me appear with his
Witnesses and make declaration
That Capt Peter Avery since my
acquaintance with him, for more than Thirty
years last past, has been very actively and
laboriously engaged in business that formerly
he appeared in affluent circumstances, and
was reputed to be wealthy, that since
he has been somewhat embarrassed in his
circumstances as is believed in his neighborhood
and is in the decline of life
Stonington February 20, 1837
Asa Fish
State of Connecticut. New London
County S Stonington Feby 20 1837
Be it known that on the day last aforesaid before the
Subcribed a Justice of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid personally
appeared Asa Lisle, subscribed & made oath in due form of law that the
deposition is true. & I certify that I believe him to be a credible [illegible]
Amos Clift Justice of the Peace
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I Elisha Haley, a representative in
Congress, from the State of Connecticut hereby
certify that Amos Clift Esq before whom
Is within and foregoing Deposition of
Asa Fish was taken, is a Justice of the
Peace in and for the County of New London
in the State aforesaid, and that the signature  
of said Justice Clift as purporting to be
his I believe to be his own proper hand writing
Elisha Haley
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I John G Wightman of Groton, County
of New London & State of Connecticut aged
Seventy years being duly sworn according to Law
on my oath certify & say that I have been
from my youth well acquainted with Peter Avery
of Groton County and State aforesaid that I have 
heard him say that he was entitled to a pension that I
have heard Peter Avery say that he was not ready to or prepared to call on his
Country & that he supposed he had been in better circumstances
than he is at present. And he has always been actively
engaged in business as much or more than he could attend
to with propriety and that he the said Peter Avery
frequently talks of doing things in the present time
And is apt to put them of to a future period
The above is according to my best recollection & Judgement
further the deponent saith not
John G Wightman
New London County 
Feby 20. 1837
Probate District of Stonington
Personally appeared Elder John G. Wightman and
made oath to the above deposition by him subscribed in due
form of Law Before me Stephen Haley Judge
I Nathan Daboll Clerk of the Court of Probate for
the district of Stonington Ct do hereby certify that the
foregoing contains the Original proceedings of said Court in
the matter therein contained. I testimony
whereof I have hereunto my Hand and
Seal of Office this 20th day of February
AD 1837. Nathan Daboll Clerk
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Revluary
12024
INVALID
File No. 12024
Peter Avery
Priv, Rev. War
Act: June 7th 1832
Index:-Vol. A, Page 13
[Arrangement of 1870.]