Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 37794, Joseph Bohan, Continental (Poland)
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(3-1776)
SERVICE Continental (Poland)
Bohan, Joseph
NUMBER S. 37794
CONTENTS
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(2,933)
Georgia Roll-
Joseph Bohan-
Captain                                         4
Pulaski's legion
[in] the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War
Continental
Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia -
at the rate of twenty Dollars per month, to commence on the 6th of May 1818.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24th of Sept 1818 and sent to B. Porter Esqr. Judge -
Washington, Wilkes Cy Georgia.
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1818. 
3 mo.26/31.4/30. 30th                               80.43
Semi-anl, all'ce ending 4 March 1819 -- 120
                                                                 200.43
{ Revolutionary claim,  }
{ Act 18th March, 1818.}
76 Two years

[Illegible note on left side of document]
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Captain J. Bohan
Pulaski's Legion
claims land
not entitled-- see
Col Bentelows letter
in Pension Office
Honorable W.M. Stevart
Bounty Land office
City Washington

[Mostly illegible in background:
Write to Col 
Bentelow
what he
of War]
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Eatonton Putnam County. 14 May 1826.
Honor'bl W. M. Stevart. I Joseph Bohan Requestet Mr Cobb to got moin Land Warrant for Revolutionary Services, and he reportet to me that y wars voundet by Col. Tarleton himself, and wars Distroyd from farder service; withs is a Mistake.
I Recived the Vount from one of Tarleton Dragoons in fiting Tree at one time in the manner I nowill relet; In Scouting I left main Company in the Wild, and I providet arunt of Fit, wan all at wans Tree Tarlettons Draguns rossed on me unavare, with I Fanciet, and one of them Khom behin me, and Kot me tru moin Capp, and iron Cros infact Kot moin hath, with met me Sink on van Laith of the horse, and in an insteng moin Lastanent hus name wars Presnel moin Country man Polander Khom to moin assistance, and kill the ver Mann hu Kot me, and I Recoveret on moin Sattle, and we took two presners; and Tree horses. I wars put in hospital by order of moin General Pulaski, and after I Recoveret goint moin Company Draguns at that time, wars General Arnold the Trayter Comandet Fort Vest Point, and Major Andre wars takan, and we condemt him as a Spy, and I wars prasent with moin Company Horse, and So I Continuet During the Warr in Continental Service and wars at littel Fork in Virginia, and France and wy tuk Ciranvallis this of Rath, and then I was wars Dischargt.
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P. S.
I was born in Poland moin farther hat only
one Son, and one Doytor Dogher, he send me in
Lattin Schul, Minsit, and Fornting Schul, wan
general Count Pulaski Khom to me, and persuades me Saing: we lost ouer Contry, and Liberty, gain one, and let us go to America. Moin Father being Death living me gut Property, and live moin Mother and Sister behind wars hart task for me.
I Studiet, and Cham to a Revolution, left moin Mother, Sister, and moin Property all behind, and Pulaski, Lovinsky his Soninla put ouers Selfs unter our Generalissimo Georgio Wassinton.
Joseph Bohan Senior
Capitan in Pulaski's Legion
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Ga 458
Postmarked AUG 2 city Illegible
Free
The Hon 
The Secretary of the
Department of War
Washington City
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Georgia Ss.
On the 24th day of July personally appeared in open Court the same being a Court of record to wit the Mayors Court of the City of Augusta in the County of Richmond & State aforesaid, Joseph Bohan aged sixty five years resident in the State of Georgia & City aforesaid who first being sworn according to Law does on his oath declare that he served as a Captain in the revolutionary war as will appear on reference to deponants affidavit & application for a pension now in the office of the department of War at Washington City & under which deponant hath heretofore received a pension. I do solemly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 & that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any other manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intention thereby to diminish it so as to bring myself within the act of Congress entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land & Naval Service of the United States in the revolutionary war passed on the 18th day of March 1818 & that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property securities contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than that contained in a Schedule hereto annexed & by me Subscribed
Joseph Bohan
Sworn to & declared 
in open Court 24th July 1821
Nicholas Ware
Mayor
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Schedule
A few articles of cloathing & a watch
It is considered by the Court now here in
session that the property of the said Joseph
Bohan is worth five Dollars as appears
by proof
Nicholas Ware
Mayor & Judge of the
Mayors Court City of
Augusta Georgia
I do hereby certify the foregoing to be a
True extract from the minutes of the proceedings of the Mayors Court of the
City of Augusta & State of Georgia on the
Twenty fourth day of July A D 1821.
Given under my hand & private
seal (there being no seal of office) this
30th day of July 1821
Wm Jackson Clk {Seal}
I do hereby certify that William Jackson
is Clerk of the Mayors Court of the City of
Augusta State of Georgia, and that
all due faith and credit is due to his
attestation as such
Sworn under my
hand & seal this 30th July 1821
Nicholas Ware
Judge of Mayors
Court City of Augusta
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Augusta (ga.) 2d Augt 1821.
Sir
Annexed is the Schedule of Joseph Bohan who is greatly in need of his pension. You will oblige me by enclosing his certificate &c that he may recover the amt. due him at the day of payment in Sept. next. 
Very respectfully
Yr Obt St.
Robert Raymond [Ill]
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Free
The Secretary of the
War Department
City Washington
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Georgia
Wilkes County
Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Inferior Court of said County, which said Inferior Court is a Court of record, Joseph Bohan who being duly sworn saith that in February 1776 he enlisted in the service of the United Sates under Count Pulaski that he continued in service as a private until the battle of Brandywine when he fought as a private and was soon after promoted to a Lieutenancy in the Company of Capt Hare and continued in that capacity until shortly before the battle of Monmoth when he was advanced to a Captaincy and commanded as such and fought
as such at said battle of Monmoth - This deponent further saith that near Philadelphia, at the sign of the White Horse in the fall of '78 he was severely wounded in a scirmish with a detachment of Tarltons Cavalry and in consequence of his wounds was soon after discharged - This deponent saith that he enlisted in the first instance as a Dragoon under Captain Hare who belonged to Pulaski's Corps and that in said Corps he rendered the whole of his service until the time of his discharge-
This deponent has attained the age of Sixty one and his children having all left him his family consists of himself and wife - that from their
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advanced age and the infirmities consequent therein they are in want of the said of your promises for the money for subsistence, and but for actual necessity the application would not be made.
Joseph Bohan
Sworn to before me this
6th May 1818
B. Porter
P.J.I.C.W.
Georgia
Wilkes County
I Benjamin Porter presiding Justice of the Inferior Court of said county which Court is a Court of record
Do certify that Captain Joseph Bohan who hath taken & subscribed the forgoing affadivit has this day deposed to the facts therein contained. That no further evidence of the said Joseph has been furnished, owing as he says to the circumstances of his not being able to procure the same on account of his age and his ignorance of the residence of any of his associates.
Given under my hand this 6th May 1818.
B. Porter
P.J.I.C.W.
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Georgia
Wilkes County
I Charles Smith Clerk of
the Inferior Court of the
County of Wilkes do hereby
certify that Benjamin Porter
Esq. who has assigned the foregoing
Affadavitt is now a presiding
Justice of the Inferior Court of
Wilkes County
Sworn under my hand
and seal of this office this 
6th day of May 1818
Charles Smith Clk
[Seal affixed]
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B. Porter, Esq;
Judge,
Washington, Wilkes
County, Georgia
Joseph
David Bohan, Capt.
Pulaski's legion,
Revolutionary claim.
The rolls of this regim't or corps, 
are not in the pension office. - 
The testimony, on oath, of two 
or more disinterested and 
credible persons, proving the 
service stated by the applicant, 
is required, in lieu thereof - 
The judge is desired to certify, 
under the seal of the court, 
that he is satisfied the claimant 
is in indigent circumstances, 
and needs the support of this country.
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Georgia Wilkes County 12th August 1818
The claimant Joseph Bohan produced 
satisfactory evidence by two of his neighbors, disinterested and credable men that he is in indigent circumstances and needs the support
of his country. Given under my hand the date above written
B. Porter
Presidg. J. I. C. Wilkes County Court
NB It is in evidence that the claimant came with Count Polaskie from Poland
B. Porter

[Lower part is from previous document.]
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37794
INVALID.
Revy         om
File No. 37,794
Joseph Bohan
Capt Rev War
Act: 18 March 18
Index:--Vol. 2, Page 47
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Suspd. See letters to
the Agent & Pensioner
June 28 1826. and to
J. Bohan 19 Dec 1826.
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(Copy.)
Baltimore 27th June 1826.
Sir,
Owing to the intervening Sunday, your
letter of the 24th was not received before yesterday, accompanied with a paper addressed to you, which I have, I think, well
enough deciphered, to assure you that the writer who signs himself Joseph Bohan, Senior Captain in Pulaski's legion, was neither Senior nor Junior Captn. not even a subaltern in that corps; I myself was the Senior Captain from its creation, in the Spring of 1778. This man who assuredly, has nothing of the polish in his name, says that he came into this country with
Genl. Pulaski; this cannot be true, for, from my certain knowledge, Count Pulaski had no other person in his retinue but a Polander, whose name was Zelenski, a man who served under him in the confederate war of Poland, followed him in his reverse of fortune, and in all his pitgriminations, until both arrived together in America; and when Pulaski, after the battle of Brandywine, (11th September 1777), was appointed to the command of all the cavalry, with the rank of Brig. General, Zelenski continued to serve under him; I believe, without a commission, until when, in the Spring of 1778, Genl. Pulaski gave up the
command of the cavalry, to take that of an independent Legionary Corps, granted by an special Resolve of Congress, and then Zelenski was appointed Captain of dragoons next to me in rank, in the Legion. Zelenski died of natural death in Charleston,
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I believe in 1779. He was the only Polander in the Legion. If there had been any other, I should certainly have known him, if even
he had been a private. This poor man relates to you a wonderful fight he had with three of Tarleton's dragoons, and that, he, in that
scuffle, with another Polander, killed one of the three dragoons, made the other two prisoners with the three horses, and himself came oft
so badly wounded that Genl. Pulaski sent him to the hospital, he does not say when or where this happened, but if it were true, it never could have been any where else but at the surprise of Genl. Huger's camp at Monk's Corner in April 1780, and as Pulaski received his mortal wound before Savannah on the 9th
of October 1779, he could not have been there to send this man to the hospital, he moreover talks, as if he would connect this exploit to the time and place of the discovery of Arnold's treason; which happened in the State of New York in September 1780; nearly one year after Pulaski's death. Upon the whole, you will
doubtless perceive, what to me is perfectly evident, that the poor man unable to make up a plausible story has contrived to trump up a most absurd ridiculous tale, in which there is not one word of truth; he must unquestionably be about three score and ten years, who, probably, from his peaceable, correct conduct, and perhaps needy circumstances excites the sympathy and good wishes of his neighbours, "who speak highly of him"; but as to his claim
on government for his revolutionary services in Pulaski's Legion, that is impossible; I should certainly have known him, and what is most singular, he pretends to have been precisely in
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the situation in which I was myself.
I am Sir very respectfully
Your Obed. Servant
(Signed) Paul Bentalou
William M. Stewart, Esqr.
Department of War,
Bounty Land Office,
Washington
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Baltimore 27th June 1826
Sir,
Owing to the intervening Sunday, your letter
of the 24th was not received before yesterday, accompanied with a paper addressed to you, which I have, I think, well enough deciphered, to assure you that the writer who signs
himself Joseph Bohan, Senior Captain in Pulaski's legion was neither Senior nor Junior Captn.  not even a subaltern in that corps; I myself was the Senior Captain from its creation, in the Spring of 1778, this man, who, assuredly has nothing of the polish in his name, says that he came into this country with
Genl. Pulaski; this cannot be true for from my certain knowledge, Count Pulaski had no other person in his retinue but a Polander whose name was Zelenski, a man who served under him in the confederate war of Poland, followed him in his reverse of fortune and all his pitgriminations until both arrived together in America; and when Pulaski, after the battle of Brandywine, (11th September 1777), was appointed to the command of all the cavalry with the rank of Brig. General, Zelenski continued to serve under him; I believe, without a commission, until when, in the Spring of 1778, Genl. Pulaski gave up the command of the cavalry to take that of an
independent Legionary corps, granted by an special Resolve
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of Congress, and then Zelenski was appointed Captain Dragoons next to me in rank, in the Legion.-- Zelenski died of natural death in Charleston, I believe, in 1779. He was the only
Polander in the Legion, If there had been any other, I should certainly have known him, if even he had been a private; This poor man relates to you a wonderful fight he had
with three of Tarleton's dragoons, and that, he,
in that scuffle, with another polander, killed one of the three dragoons, made the other two prisoners, with the three horses, and himself came oft, so badly wounded that Genl. Pulaski sent him to the hospital, he does not say when
or where this happened, but if it were true, it never could have been any where else but at the Surprise of Genl. Huger's Camp at Monk's Corner in April 1780, and as Pulaski received his mortal wound before Savannah on the 9th  of October 1779, he could not have been there to send this man to the hospital, he moreover talks, as if he would connect this exploit to the time and place of the discovery of Arnold's treason, which happened in the State of New York in September 1780; nearly one year after Pulaski's death. -- Upon the whole you will doubtless perceive, what to me is perfectly evident, that the poor man unable to make up a plausible story has contrived to trump up a most absurd ridiculous tale, in which there is not one word of truth; he must unquestionably
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be about three score and ten years, who probably from his peaceable, correct conduct, and perhaps needy circumstances excites the sympathy and good wishes of his neighbours,
"who speak highly of him"; but as to his claim on government for his revolutionary services in Pulaski's legion, that is impossible; I would certainly have known him and what is most
singular, he pretends to have been precisely in the situation in which I was myself.
I am Sir very respectfully
Your Obedt. Servant
Paul Bentalou
William M. Stewart Esqr
Department of War
Bounty Land Office
Washington