Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W 9247, for Henry Reese, Pennsylvania
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(3-1776)

SERVICE     Penn.
Md. Militia after Revolution

Reese, Henry
Mary

NUMBER     W 9247

CONTENTS
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of June 7, 1832.
United States of America
District of Maryland ss.

On this fifth day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty five, personally appeared before me Elias Glenn, Judge of the United States [deleted words] for the District of Maryland, Henry Reese, a resident of the city of Baltimore in the County of Baltimore and District of Maryland aforesaid, aged seventy five years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
[deleted words]
That he entered Captain [illegible] volunteer Company as a volunteer, on the first of August 1776, under the command of Colonel Climber; that they were immediately marched from Philadelphia to Amboy and placed under the command of General Roberdeau and General Mercer; that the Company remained at Amboy until the battle
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of Long Island was over.  When General Washington retreated across the Hudson he sent an express[?] to the Generals Roberdeau and Mercer to retreat with the company to Trenton.  Then Captain Deshey and Colonel Climer left the Company and went down to Philadelphia and Colonel Timothy Matlock took possession of the company - not liking the colonel and being a volunteer, I left the Company and joined Elisha Weed's company (being another of the Pennsylvania line of Volunteer Companies). The British making Brunswick a stopping place, General Washington ordered [?] Captain Weed's Company and others from Trenton to join the army again.  Then our Company's continued to harass the British at Brunswick until the fall began to set in, when they made push at us and drove us across the Delaware.
There we remained until near Christmas when General Washington made a plan to attack Trenton where the Hessians were - He divided the army of about two thousand eight hundred men into three divisions.  One he took command of himself and landed at Howells ferry about
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nine miles above Trenton.  General Cadwallader commanded another division in which I was, and the third General Owen commanded.  General Washington's Division only got across that night - our division and the other could not get over the river on account of the ice.
The next morning by day break an express [?] was sent to us by General Washington that he had got possession of Trenton, and that we must sent up a guard to take care of the prisoners, upwards of nine hundred of them.  We then were ordered to go to Philadelphia with the prisoners - then General Washington led us to look for the British, we met them in full force coming down the Frenchtown road, about thirty five thousand men - and we had hardly three thousand - we then retreated with the British close at our heels.
Next morning we had another engagement with them, and then drove them back to Princeton - at this time General Mercer was killed - after this we went into winter quarters at Morristown
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After remaining all winter in quarters short of provisions part of the time - In the summer, about the middle of May by permission of General Washington we went down to Philadelphia. In September we had news to march. that the British were in the Chesapeake off Turkey Point - we met them at Christine and Iron Hill - here we had to retreat - Then we had a short skirmish at Coocher's Bridge [possibly Cooch's Bridge]  - General Washington then fell back with his forces to Brandywine - then marched up to Chadd's Ford - there the British could not cross - but finally succeeded in crossing at [illegible] Meeting House and [illegible] about ten thousand men - General Washington sent up Sullivan's Brigade to stop them but he had to give way - The British coming down, General Washington retreated to the Turk's Head then down the road to Valley Hill.  Before we got there General Wayne's Brigade was nearly all cut off, by the treachery of one of the countrymen.
At Valley Hill we encamped and from there General Washington
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about three weeks afterwards, made an attack on the British at Chesnut Hill and Beggarstown - the British retreated and then went on and took possession of Philadelphia. This was about October or November 1777.  We then laid all the winter under the Charge of General Washington at Valley Hill in mud huts.
About the 10th June the British evacuated Philadelphia and General Washington left us, and went in pursuit of them to Trenton. We were ordered to Philadelphia there being about two hundred of us, volunteers, under the command of Captain Elisha Weed and Major Hays - the last left us before we reached Philadelphia. There we staid [stayed] guarding the prisoners and watching the property and preventing any assistance by provisions being sent to the British until about September 1779 when we were relieved by the invalids - disbanded and went home.
And he further makes oath that having read over the declaration which he made under oath before Hon. Thomas B. Dorsey on this sixth August 1834 - and herewith filed - it is
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true and correct; and he here refers to it for a more particular statement of his services - and prays that it may taken as a further Declaration on his behalf.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to any pension or annuity except the present - and he declares that his name is not on the pension role of ^any^ agency of any State.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court.
Henry Rees [Reese]

Elias Glenn
Discharge
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WAR DEPARTMENT
REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM.

I certify that in conformity with the law of the United States
of the 7th June, 1832, Henry Reese
of Maryland who was a Private in the Army of
the Revolution is entitled to receive twenty
--- dollars and ---- cents per annum, during his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semiannually
on the 4th of March and 4th of September, in
every year.
Given at the War Office of the United States
, this second day of May
one thousand eight
hundred and thirty six,

/s/ C. A. Harris
Acting Secretary of War.
Examined and }
Countersigned. } /s/ J L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions.
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Payment to be made at Baltimore by H. W. Evans Esq. Agent for paying Pensioners in the Agency of Maryland.

Recorded in the Pension Office, in Book 62 Vol. 5 Page 110 by Wm. S. Allison Clerk
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State of Maryland        }
Baltimore County Sct  }  I hereby certify that George W. King and Sam Purviance Gentlemen before whom the within affidavit and affirmation were made & who have thereto signed their names were at the time of so doing two Justices of the peace of the State of Maryland in & for the Ct. of Baltimore duly commissioned & sworn.
In Testimony whereof I hereto set my hand and and affix the seal of Baltimore County Court this 22 day of January 1841
Thos. Kell Clk
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State of Maryland:  Baltimore County Sct I hereby certify that on the nineteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety one a license issued from the office of the Clerk of Baltimore County Court directed to the Reverend Mr. Richards or any other person qualified by law to celebrate the rites of marriage between a certain Henry Reese and Mary Bartell of Baltimore County according to the Law there appearing to the said Richards no lawful cause or just impediment by reason of any consanguinity or affinity to hinder the same.
In Testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and affix the seal of Baltimore County Court on this 14th day of January 1841.
Thos. Kell Clk.
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Henry Reese
Maryland
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Henry Reese
Penn (& Md.)
W. 9247

[stamped] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [/stamped]
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Henry Reese 
Penn (& Md.) 
W. 9247  

[stamped] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [/stamped]
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[left margin] [illegible] Reese [/left margin]

Henry Reese 
Penn (& Md.) 
W. 9247  

[stamped] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [/stamped]
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Mr. Findley Sec. of State
Harrisburg
Pena.
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Henry Reese time of service in the revolution

from august 1st 1776 till the 1st of June 1777 . then from the 1st of September 1777 until 10 of June 1778
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Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
State of Maryland, Anne Arundel County, to wit

On this sixth day of August in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, personally appeared before the subscriber Thomas Beale Dorsey Chief Judge of Anne Arundel County Court, Henry Reese a resident of Anne Arundel County in the State of Maryland, aged seventy-three years, 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 7, 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following officers and served as herein stated.
"I was born at Philadelphia on the twelth [twelfth] day of April in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty one and am now seventy three years of age.  There is no record remaining of my age that I am aware of.  I was living in Philadelphia when called first into service and was at the time fifteen years of age.  I left the last mentioned City about forty two or forty three years ago and removed to Baltimore where I resided until about eight years since, when I again removed to my present residence at Waterloo in Anne Arundel County, Md.
I was called ^on the first of August '76^ into service by Gen. Washington, in Captain Deshey's Volunteer Company and under the command of Colonel Climber; and were marched from Philadelphia to Amboy, and
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there we were placed under the command of General Robert Doe and Gen. Mercer.  I was at this time but fifteen years of age and was of course a volunteer.  After the battle of Long Island, Gen. Washington retreated to New York and from there across the Hudson; and then sent an espress to Gen. Doe to retreat immediately to Philadelphia, for the British were in pursuit of  him (Gen. Washington), and some of us in the retreat which was made in consequence of this order, got down as low as Trenton.  About Trenton Col. Climer left us and Col. Timothy Matlock took the command.  But some of us disliking our new commander, I amongst others joined Captain Elisha Weeds Company of the third Philadelphia battalion commanded by Col. Bradford.  The British halted in their pursuit at Brunswick and we were ordered immediately back to Princeton where we kept the enemy in check until some time in September or October, when they made a push at us and drove us across the Delaware.  Here we remained until towards Christmas, when Gen. Washington formed the plan to surprise  the Hessians in Trenton on Christmas Eve.  For this purpose he divided his army into three divisions.  One of which he commanded himself, and with it crossed the river and took about 900 or a thousand prisoners.  The other two divisions were to have crossed at Bordentown and Burlington.  But when we arrived at those places, the river was so full of ice that we could not pass.  Having been thus frustrated ourselves, we were extremely anxious to learn what had become of Washington.  But next morning our commander received a letter from the Commander in Chief, desiring him to come and aid in securing the prisoners who had
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County Court, and that the above is his signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this fourteenth day of August 1834.
Wm T. Green Clk AA Coty Co.
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State of Maryland Baltimore County Sct.
I hereby certify that William Steuart Esq before whom the foregoing depositions were made and who hath subscribed his name thereto was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland in and for the City of Baltimore [deleted words] duly commissioned and sworn.
In Testimony whereof I hereto set my hand and affix the Seal of Baltimore County Court on this 6th day of January 1842.
Thos Kell Clk.
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8523
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To
J. L. Edwards
Commissioner fo Pensions
Washington
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Mary Reese, Widow of Henry Maryland.
Act 2d Feby '48 at $20 per annum commencing 4 March 1848
Payable to her

Cert to 
Geo. W. R. Bouldin
Baltimore,
Md.
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[illegible stamp and postmark]

Revd.
John Robb
Clerk of the House of Representatives, U. S.
Washington
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Mar 21
Maryland

Mr. Edwards esq
Pension Office
Washington City
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Baltimore March 15th 1836

Mr. Edwards Sir
I take the liberty of sending you a few lines by Mr Wise as I am anxious of knowing Something about my pension as it has been a long time since my papers was sent down to you as I have understood by Mr. Williams the united states attorney who drawed them of out for me and said that he would send them down for me it has been some time since and I have never heard anything about them that I begun to think  wether [whether] you had got them or not.

My reasons for being so anxious of knowing about them is that I am getting very old and is very much afflicted that I do not know how long I may be in existance and it would be very satisfactory to me to hear from you. If you would oblige me very much if you could arange [arrange] it so as to let me know by Mr. Wise the bearer of this letter. 
I remain your humble servant
Henry Reese
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Baltimore, 13th Jany 1836

J. L. Edwards Esq

Sir
I transmit herewith the papers of Henry Reese who petitions for a Pension. I trust they will be found [illegible] and that they are such by entitle him to the benefit herein sought.

This old gentleman is held in much esteem by the who know him; and great [illegible] is taken, in behalf of his application. He is very infirmed
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having not nearly all use of his legs and being about blind.

There seems to be no doubt of the truth of his narative; [sic] and he has been, I am told, always [illegible] by a soldier in the Revolutionary war.

I shall be exceedingly satisfied & received intelligence of his [illegible]

Respectfully
yr ob sevt
Nathl Williams
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Jan 25 1843
Maryland
Mr. Reese
Reese
J L Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington

3.75
86.80
90.25 [total sic]

J
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Baltimore January 23rd 1843

J. L. Edwards, Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions,
Sir,
On the 19th day of January 1841 I sent on to you my application to be placed on the Pension Roll of the United Sates as the widow of Henry Reese, who was a Soldier of the Revolution, and a Pensioner of the United States, at the rate of 20$ per annum, payable at the Maryland Agency. I was married to the said Henry Reese May 19th 1791. He died October 6 1838 And I have not intermarried again Since his death but still remain his widow. Ample proof of the above facts accompanyed my application.

On the 19 March 1841, You wrote to Mr. Alexander Yearley, in answer to my said application, "That the Act of July 7 1838, does not provide for an one who was not a widow at the time of the passage of that act". But having recently learned that the Department has decided that agreeably to the provisions of the act of August 23 1842, a widow may be allowed the pension notwithstanding her husband died Since the 7th July 1838. I hereby most respectfully renew my application as above stated
I am your obedient Servant
Mary her X mark Reese
Witness Susan Reese
Please direct to the care of Mr Alex Yearly.