Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3,605, James Fleming, Md.

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Washington D.C. June 20th 1854
Hon L. P. Waldo
Sir

I enclose herewith a power of Attorney in the case of Mary Fleming widow of James Fleming dec'd, an applicant under Act of Feby 3d/53. I respectfully ask that the case may be reexamined with particular reference to the propriety and justice of rejecting it upon the evidence heretofore furnished to show that her husband was a "Tory". The evidence of service upon which the claim of the husband was allowed not being in the papers, I infer that it was obtained from the Rolls in the Pension Office. If so, it is not to be supposed that they would be silent in relation to the desertion &c of Fleming had such been the fact, and if nothing of the kind can be found there, I submit that the statements of the informer (Reeder) made after the death of Fleming when it is impossible to disprove them, except by circumstances such as I have mentioned, should not be received to blast the reputation of a man who retained (crossed out) received an honorable Commission in the Army of the Revolution, and against who not a word is uttered for half a century afterwards, and then when there is no one to vindicate his cause & fame from the

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gratuitous as aspersions of perhaps a personal enemy. Justice to the dead requires that this question should be carefully examined, whilst, in this case, the rights of the living demand that the evidence to sustain the Charge be conclusive and complete. That the statements
of Reeder, couched in language which indicates too plainly that he had no personal knowledge of the facts charged, will be so regarded, I cannot believe; more especially when it is noted that these statements were not made under the sanctions of an oath, before a person legally qualified for that purpose, and that there is nothing to shew that the person making them is entitled to any credit whatever.
If upon a careful review of the case, you
should arrive at the conclusion (as I think you
must) that the evidence adduced in support of
this charge is not sufficient to defend the claim
of the widow, I respectfully ask that her
certificate may be issued and sent to me.
Y
rs &c/
Jno R Dickinson