Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11469, Benjamin Whitman, Continental R.I.

SERVICE
NUMBER
continental R.I.
Whitman, Benjamin
R.11469
CONTENTS

Deer - 30.025 Benjamin Whitman Declaration
Ans d Hon. Mr. Deering March 26. 1836
Hon B T Deering H.R.

DECLARATION in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
STATE OF VERMONT, COUNTY OF Washington ss. On this 13 th day of March A. D. 1834 personally appeared, before the Honorable Supreme Court, within and for the County of Washington aforesaid, now sitting. Benjamin Whitman a resident of Durbin in the County of Washington and State of Vermont, aged 71 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:—
That he enlisted in the Army of the United States, in the year 1777 on or about the 6 th day of January as a private at Providence in the State of Rhode Island in Heath's Shoemakers Company of Infantry Col. Sugel's Regiment for the term of one year on the Continental Establishment. That he immediately joined the Army under Said Enlistment & continued in Service under Said Enlistment during the full term of one year, and a short time before his first Enlistment expired he enlisted as a private for the term of one year at the City of Philadelphia in Dec. 1777 under Capt. John Pierce in Col. Muhlenburgh's Regt & commenced Service under the Said Second Enlistment immediately after the Expiration of the first Service. That during the summer of this year Service he was transferred into the Second Regiment of Artillerists & Engineers where he served out the residue of his Second year Service or Enlistment, & a few days before it expired he enlisted in Said Regiment as a private for the term of three years, and continued in Service in Said Regiment without leaving the same under his new or third Enlistment. The last two months of the first year Service under this Enlistment he served as a Corporal & at the commencement of the Second year was made a Sargeant and served the two last years as a Sargeant in Said Regiment of Artillerists & Engineers and was discharged as a Sargeant on the 20 th day of January A. D. 1782 by Lewis Tousard Lt. Col. Comt. at West Point - as appears by the Original discharge herewith accompanying this declaration. The word "Sargeant" was inserted by Col. Tousard on his on his return from the parade, that having been omitted by his Clerk on representing the same to him it was written with his left hand he having lost his right arm in the Army. This I perfectly well recollect, as the Col. asked me

if I had got my discharge, I suppose I had & then mentioned the mistake or Omission to him & he corrected it as above stated - I never had any other discharge and this was meant to embrace the whole time of my Service, as it was one continued series of five years Service between one & two in the inf ry of Sullivan's He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state.
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. Benjamin Whitman
Attest, Joshua W. Vail Clerk.
And the said Court do declare their opinion that the above mentioned applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states.
I Joshua W. Vail Clerk of the Supreme
Supreme Court for the said County of Washington
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Benjamin Whitman for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 13 th day of March A. D. 1834
Attest, Joshua W. Vail Clerk.
* & Three & four years in the 2 d Reg t of Artillerists & Engineers - he never having left the Service or went home from the time he enlisted at Providence Jan y 6. 1777 untill his discharge Jan y 20. 1782 at West Point - The reason of his not applying before is, that he supposed his discharge was lost & did not know to the contrary until about a month since when he accidentally found it among his old papers - He once plied to a Mr. Dillingham who told him he not draw unless he could make proof & knew not where to procure any - And he now knows of no other proof but his discharge herewith forwarded - He went from Providence to the White Plains & was in the battle there - went to New Brunswick in New Jersey to a place called Kings Barracks - after that across the Delaware - crossed and was at the Battle of Trenton after to Valley Forge and was there and near Philadelphia during winter of 1777 - was in the Battle of Germantown - also in the Battle of Brandywine - after which returned to the North river & River to most point where he closed his Service - was discharged - Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid - Benjamin Whitman - Attest J. W. Vail Clerk -

The applicant claims a pension for his services as Sargent of Artillerists & Engineers. —

Vermont
Benjamin Whitman
Rejected
ans? Hon. B. F. Bemis March 26 th 1834 -
118169

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
11,469
P. O.
Benj. Whitman
Service: _____
REJECTED
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized.
_____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis.
Searched for _____
_____, 18

Statement of Benj a Whitman March 13. 1834

To all whom it may concern - This may certify that we the undersigned have lived Neighbours to Mrs Benjamin Whitman of Dunbury for the space of eight or nine years, and have found him to be a man of undoubted truth and veracity, and always believed that and understood that he was out in the revolutionary army and we also believe that Col Whitman is some where from sixty eight to 70 years of age
Dunbury Sept 27th 1832
Joseph Sawyer - Jon a Wyth Ira Carpenter Casper Carpenter
David Belding Thomas Freeman
Abel Griffith Amos Knowles Joseph Clark Roderick Phillips
John Cook Charles Cook Oliver Clark Isaac Jones Gerrit Huntley

Montpelier March 15. 1834
B. F. Denny Esq
Sir,
I send herewith the Declaration of Benjamin Whitman for a pension - also a Certificate made in fall of 1832 when he applied to Mr. Dillingham who told him, a good reputation would not answer for the regular Service he must obtain proof & Whitman knew of none -
He says about a month since a sash of glass was broken out of his window and his wife took some old rags & some papers out of a a Chest to stop into it - He happened to cast his eye on the paper & thought he recognized it - He told his wife to reach that paper to him, & behold it was his discharge; a paper he had not seen for forty years -
I thought the Certificate might be of service to show the reason of his not applying sooner - The signers are many of them known to me and are men of respectability - Ira Amos you know as he is the Representative from Duxbu- ry to the Legislature -
But I presume there can be no doubt but his name will be found on the roll -
The interlineation of the word "Sergeant" he was actually done as he has stated - Col. Tousard had only a short time before lost his right Arm - He presumes his name was signed as a blank previous to the loss of his arm - I examined him

Closely as to this part of the case - & I could not make him prevaricate or alter in the least - He says however he never received a warrant as Sergeant & whether the rolls will show him to have served as a Sergeant or not he cannot tell -
But he claims as a Sergeant
Please present his claim & of course let me know the result -
I am respectfully your obed. Servt.
J. W. Nail

Benj. Whitman Cont. (R. 9.) R. 11469

Second Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers
Adjutant's Office
By me Louis Louisant Lieut. Col. Commandant of the Second Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers in the service of the United States, the bearer hereof Benjamin Whitman, having served five years in the said Corps, and the term for which he was engaged being expired, is therefore honourably discharged; he having first received all his Bounty, Pay, and Clothing, to which, by his service, he hath become entitled from the date of his Enlistment to that of this Discharge, as appears by his Receipt (herewith annexed). And to prevent any ill use which might be made of this Discharge, by its falling into the hands of any other person, here follows a description of the said Benjamin Whitman. Five feet eleven and an half inches high, without shoes, nineteen years old, dark brown hair, blue eyes, fair complexion; by occupation a farmer.
Given at West Point this Twentieth Day of January A.D. 1792.
Louis Louisant
Lt Col. Comd 2 d Regt A & E
Registered in the Books of the Corps C. W. Brown Q.M.
I do acknowledge to have received from the United States all my Bounty, Pay, and Clothing, which hath become due to me for service from the date of my Enlistment to that of the above Discharge. Benjamin W. Whitman