Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,896, Charles Duzua, French
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(3-1776)
SERVICE 
French
Duzua, Charles
or Dequise
or Dequisie
NUMBER
R.2896
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State of Virginia and County of Nelson to wit

On this 15th day of February 1834 personally appeared before me James Woods Jr a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid Charles Dequisie, a resident of the County of Nelson and State of Virginia aged eighty one years the 15th day of June last past who being 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 the 7th 1832. That he was a soldier in the french army at Orleans in the war between france and Great Brittain. that after the termination of that conflict in the latter part of the year of 1776 or the first of the year of 1777, Count vestine who was the french commander in that war, together with all his troops and vessels went to the aid of the Americans in their revolutionary war with great Brittain; the service they first performed was a watching one which had for its object the interception of the land and Naval forces of Great Brittain with a view to prevent a communication between them; in the fall of 1778 they landed in Savannah South Carolina and attacked the British army and after a severe battle the British was beaten and a great many of them taken prisoners, and taken charge of by the American Militia. he recollects to have seen General Marion there upon his arrival which was shortly after the battle; in the battle Count Pettine was wounded in his leg and it was inspected by the sergeants.  They then went on their vessels and made for France where they arrived in the winter 1778. on that occasion he was in the American service not less than one year and a half to the best of his recollection on the 12th day of May 1779. they set sail again from France under the command of Count DeGraffs the French commander; and on the 17th of August the company landed in Newport, State of Rhode Island where Count De Richmonds took command of the French land forces and De Graffs returned to command the fleet.  from thence they marched to Providence from thence to Peaks Hill where there was some small skirmishes  with some troops commanded by General Arnold, from thence to new York where they stayed some time; from thence to Philadelphia where they stayed a while, from thence to Baltimore where they stayed some time, from thence towards Virginia about fifty miles, and encamped a while; from thence to annapolis where they stayed a while and then went on
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board the fleet commanded by Count de Graffs; from thence they sailed for York and landed there, some in hampton, some on James River bay and some in Goucester; then they marched to York where they stayed cannonading and Bombarding and being cannonaded and Bombarded untill Cornwallace (Cornwallis) surrendered, which was in October 1781.  they then went to old Williamsburg where they were quartered untill the spring following, and his term of enlistment having expired and he being determined not to return to france, left the army and has lived in Virginia ever since. In that tour he was in the American Service not less than one year and a half to the best of his recollection; that his services in aid of the Americans in the revolution in all was not less than three years to the best of his recollection, and for those services he claims a pension. that in the whole of those services he was a private. he has no documenting evidence of his service nor does he know of any one now living by whom he can prove them. His pay was nine pence a day.  He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State or teritory. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid,

Charles Dequisie (his mark)

Questions by the magistrate:

1st: where and in what year was you born?  I was born in france as I have been told in a village called Champania the 19th day of June 1752

2nd: have you any record of your age and if so where is it?  I have none

3rd: where were you living when called into the service, where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live?  I was in the french army at orleans when called into the American service . After the revolution I went to the County of Caroline in the state of Virginia where I lived about 16 years; from there to Hanover where I stayed three years; from thence to Goochland where I lived about seven years; from thence to Sunburst County where I lived till Nelson was taken from that County and have lived in Nelson county ever since and am now living in Nelson County
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4th did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it? I never did because I did not apply for one for fear if I did I would be taken to france

5th how were you called into service - were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom?  I was a regular in the French army that aided the Americans in their revolution

6th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such continental and Militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service?  
the French General was Bochamps, my colonel was Orville and my Major John Boiyer, and I belonged to the 8th regiment of French regulars. I recollect to have seen Washington and Lafayett and other officers
at the Seige of York whose names  I do not recollect.  I know nothing of the no of any Regiment in the american army and the general services are set forth in my declaration as well as one recollection would admit

7th - state the names of persons in your present neighbourhood to whom you are known who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your service as a solider of the revolution?  Inquire of John H and James H Rodes

We John H Rodes & James H Rodes residing in the neighbourhood of Charles Dequisie who has subscribed and Sworn to the foregoing declaration, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the said Charles Dequisie, that we believe him to be Eighty one years of age, that he is a man of veracity and is reputed and believed in his neighbourhood to have been a soldier of the revolution and we concur in that opinion,  sworn and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid

James H Rodes
John H. Rodes


I James Woods Jr being a Justice of the peace in and for the county of Nelson in the State of Virginia do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with John H Rodes & James H Rodes who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing certificate that they
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are men of veracity worthy of being believed on oath and I do further certify that the reason why Charles Dequise's declaration was not made in open Court is because of his old age and the consequent inability to ride to the Court house, and I do further certify that it is my opinion after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the said Charles Dequisie was a soldier of the Revolution and served as he has stated. Given under my hand and seal this 15th day of February 1834

James Wood, Jr

State of Virginia
Nelson County

to wit

I Spotswood Garland, Clerk of the County Court of Nelson in the State of Virginia, do herby certify that James Woods Jr whose name is affixed to the foregoing certificate is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly commissioned and qualified, and that the signature aforesaid purporting to be his, is genuine.

In testimony wherein I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, this 17th day
February 1834, and in the 34th year of the Commonwealth

Sp Garland
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Charles Dequisie
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Charles Dequisie

Rejected - see let to Hon Cord
March 13 1837


2896
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Hon Wm F Gordon
March 4 1834

OC

R Vol 34 p 102
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Depart of War
Pen Off March 4 1834

Sir:

The claim of C W Dequisie has been examined.  The service rendered by Mr Dequisie having been under a foreign power, is not embraced under the act of Congress passed 7 June 1832.

His claim is therefore rejected and the papers places upon the files in this Office

[illegible]

Hon Wm F Gordon
HR
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Tho Cord
March 13
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Depart of War
Pension Office
March 13th 1837

Sir:

I have examined the claim of Charles Dequisie for a pension and have disallowed it, he having beloged to the French army and not embraced with the Act of June 7 1832

The papers are placed on file

Thos Hord, Esq
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Dequisie

Va
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(very faint document)

The Honorable Lewis Cass

I enclose a declaration for a pension for Charles Dequisie of Nelson Cty, on which I ask early action by the department.

I am respectfully

Wm Gordon
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33949

Charles Duzua

alias Charles Dequisie

private soldier

Declaration

Thos Hord
Pres
Mar 11
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State of Virginia
Nelson County

This day 28th of February 1837 personally came before me a justice of the peace in and for in County aforesaid Moses Fitzpatrick who is a man of strict veracity and whose statement is entitled to full faith and credit and being first duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith
that he is a clergyman in the Baptist Church in the said County of Nelson, and that he has known the declarant Charles Duzua (commonly Called Charles Dequise), for about twenty five years and that from his own statements and from my own observation I should consider him to be eighty five years of age or thereabouts and that his character for truth is such as to produce conviction on minds of all who are acquainted with him.  I do believe that he did serve as a soldier in the war of the Revolution as one of the French troops who came to our assistance and that the general belief of the neighbourhood is to that effect.

Moses Fitzpatrick

Sworn to and subscribed in my presence this 25th day of Feby 1837-
John M Smith
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State of Virginia     }
Nelson County,       } to wit?

I Spotswood Garland, Clerk of the County Court of the County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify, that John M. Smith, whose name is subscribed to the four foregoing certificates annexed to the affidavits of Charles Dequise, Charles A. Smith and Moses Fitzpatrick, stated on the nine preceding pages, (inclusive) is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly commissioned and qualified to said office, that full faith and credit are due to all his official acts as such, and that the said signatures, purporting to be his, are genuine.
In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of said Court, this 27th day of February 1837.
Sp. Garland, clk
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State of Virginia    }
Nelson County      } Towits  On this 20th day of February 1837, personally appeared before me a justice of the peace in and for the said County, Charles Duzua alias Charles Dequise a citizen of said County and State aged eighty five years on the 15th of June [illegible] and he being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions of the act of Congress passed 7th of June 1832.  That he came to America with the French Troops during the American Revolution for the purpose of aiding in the cause of the United States against Great Britain.  That he came in a French Frigate [illegible] Bank of 60 guns -- that he was a soldier in the artillery commanded by Count Rochambeau and joined the American Troops near Savannah in Georgia under the command of General Marion in the fall of 1779 - That place was shown in the possession of the enemy.  Count D'Estaing commander in chief of the French forces by land and sea was wounded in the engagement at Savannah in the right leg and as consequence lost his leg.  The French fleet then sailed for France and Count DGrass was first in command of the said Fleet which then sailed again for America and landed at New Port in Rhode Island on the 13th of August 1780.  The Troops remained there till the summer of 1781 awaiting orders & then marched to Fish Kill thence to Philadelphia & remained there a few weeks.  Thence to the neighborhood of New York thence to Baltimore thence to Annapolis & thence took shipping to Hampton in Va and from thence marched to the immediate vicinity of York Town which was in the possession of the enemy and joined the American army under command of Genl. Washington.  There
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constructed a Battery on the piney[?] field back of the said York Town about half mile distant - he states that he was at the said place during the siege and discharged all the duties of a soldier with fidelity.  This was in Octr. 1781 after the said Town was surrendered to the American forces.  The said troops to which he was attached were marched to Williamsburg and laid there in winter quarters the winter of 1781 & 2 and when the said troops marched to the north to embark for France he moved to the County of Caroline in the State of Virginia and settled.  The period of his service from the fall of 1779 into the spring os 1782 makes two years and three months of actual service in the cause of American liberty - He states that being exclusively with French troops; and having no acquaintance with others it is impracticable for him to prove his said services by the evidence of other persons.  He has no knowledge of any who can prove his services - He relies upon the circumstances which he has stated which occurred during his said services - He has frequently stated his services to other persons many years ago, and hopes their statements may be received as the best evidence he can procure in support of his claim.  He states that he has resided in Virginia since the year 1782 as a citizen that he was born in France.
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 any agency in any State - that he has no discharge. 
Charles Duzua alias Charles Dequise his mark X
Witness Jno B. Coles

Sworn to and Subscribed by making his cross mark in my presence and of another subscribing witness
John M. Smith
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And the Said justice hereby further certifies that he has known the Declarant for many years past and that he is a man of strict veracity and truth that his bodily infirmity would disable him from attending court to make his declaration -- and that the general and common belief of the neighborhood is that he was a revolutionary soldier and faithful in the performance of his duty as Such - and I am fully satisfied that such was the facts.
Given under my hand this 20th day of February 1837
John M. Smith
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The Deposition of Charles A Smith taken on the 20th day of February 1837 in reference to the application of Charles Deuzwa alias Dequise for a pension 
Ques. by the friend of declarant.
Were you present when declarant made his Declaration, and do you think it would have been possible for him to have stated the names of officers the places he was at and the
circumstances of his services without having had a personal and actual knowledge of them.
Ans. I was present when the Declarant
Charles Deuzwa commenced and ended the statement of his case, and I do not think it would have been possible for any ignorant and unlettered man as he is to have
had any knowledge of the names of the officers and of the places and circumstances of which he spoke in his declaration, unless he had had a personal and actual experience and knowledge of them
Ques. by same- How long have you known the Declarant, and what is your opinion of him as a man of veracity 
Ans. I have been personally acquainted with the Declarant for 25 years or more, and from every transaction and circumstance which has transpired within my knowledge or having, I believe him to bee as truthful a man as any in our community.  I believe him to have
a strict regard to the truth, more especially in matters concerning his own Interest.
Ques. by same- Have you heard him speak of his Revolutionary services heretofore, and have his statements been consistent and uniform.
Ans. I have heard him speak of his said services, tho not so minutely as to names, dates and places before, but as to the length of time he was in service. Some of the places he was at, and other matters occurring in
common conversation. I have often heard him relate
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and have had no reason to doubt the truth of
his statements.
Ques. by same- What is his condition in life?
Ans. He has always since I knew him had a small piece of land and very limited personal property- at this time his land is poor and I think requires much heard[hard] labour to cultivate - such as he is not able to bestow.
Ques. by same- What does his appearance and dialect indicate as to his natively?
Ans. his appearance and language indicate his place of nativity to have been in France- his language is still very broken, and difficult to be understand except by his acquaintances who have known him for some time.
Ques. by same-what do you suppose to be the age of the Declarant
Ans. Judging from his appearances and from what I have always heard and understood I should judge his age correctly stated in his declaration that 85 years
Ques. by same- Is it the common and general belief of the neighbourhood that the Declarant did serve as he states in the Revolutionary war
Ans. The common and general belief of his neighborhood is such-
Charles A. Smith
The above deposition was sworn to and subscribed by the above named Charles A Smith before me a justice of the peace in and for the said County of Nelson in the State of Virginia, and I hereby further certify that the
said Charles A Smith is a person of strict veracity and a man whose statement is entitled to full faith and credit not only as regards his character for truth but also his correct judgement given under my hand this 20th day of February
1837.