Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 22,032, Richard Wall, Navy France S.C. Sea Service

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Navy (Fnl. in France) D. G. Sea Service.
Wall, Richard
S. 22,032
Born in Ireland
CONTENTS

South Carolina 23.512
Dead Letter to R. Elfe 1. April 1842.
Richard Wall of Charleston in the State of S.C. who was a midshipman in the U.S. Navy by Captain Frigate the Richard commanded by Capt Paul in the Jones for 3 years - born in Ireland & Enlisted in France U.S. Navy
Inscribed on the Roll of S.C. Carolina at the rate of 144. Dollars  Cents per annum to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 26 day of Oct 33 Charleston and Sub Pensioner
Arrears to the 14th of Sept 1833. 360 - Semi-ant. allowance ending Mar 34 72 $ 432 -
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Nath. Rice Clerk Book E Vol. 6 Page 83.

April 1. 1842.
New Haven.
J. S. Edwards Esq.
Commission of the Hon.
Washington City
D. C.
Dear Sir,

Charleston 28 th March 1862
Sir,
Mr Richard Wall a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States, died on the 5 th Jany last. The amts of Pension due him up to the time of his death amount to $48 - He has left three sons, all of legal age, they  who are the G's in name in his will - They are desirous of receiving the pension money due their father at the time of his death; Will you have the goodness to let me know the proper form, necessary to entitle them to receive the said sum of money -
With great respect
Your Ob d Serv t Rob t Elf
J. L. Edwards Esq r Comm ee of Pensions.

The State of South Carolina District of Charleston }
On this Nineteenth day of December Anno Domini One thousand Eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared before the Honorable Thomas Lee Judge of the United States of America for the District of South Carolina, Richard Wall a resident of the City of Charleston in the State aforesaid aged seventy eight 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. th 1832. That in the year of our Lord 1779 he entered on board the Fugate Bon Homme Richard, Commanded by Captain John Paul Jones as a volunteer in the Marine Department; in the port of L'Orient in France. That some time previous to the month of August in the said year he was advanced by Captain Jones to the rank of Cadet of Marins. That after leaving the port of L'Orient on a cruise when off the western Coast of Ireland it became necessary to turn the ship's head from the land for which service a boat's crew was ordered who whilst thus engaged in towing the ship seized the opportunity to effect their escape. The said Richard Wall with Cutten Smit, Sailing Master and some of the crew were ordered to go in pursuit of the de- serters and whilst engaged in performing this duty was captured by boats sent from the land to take them after in vain endeavouring to escape. The said Richard Wall was taken to Ireland from thence sent to England and then detained in Horton Prison near Portsmouth until the

autumn of the year 1782, exposed to more than the usual hardships and privations, a prisoner of war is usually compelled to submit to, being put on very short allowance and daily threatened with execution as a rebel and traitor to the British Government. After his discharge from prison the said Richard Wall entered on board the frigate South Carolina and served in the capacity of Midshipman - until she was captured - And the said Richard Wall declares that as Cadet as aforesaid of Mauns, he had the rank of a Midshipman - 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 or
Sworn to and subscribed this 19 th day of Dec r 1832 James Terry Dist. Clerk
Rich d Wall
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named Richard Wall the applicant was a revolutionary seaman and served as he states -
W. Lee D.
I, Thomas Lee, Judge of the United States of America for the District of South Carolina - do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of this said Court in the matter of the application of Richard Wall for a pension - In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this day of December Anno Domini One Thousand Eight hundred and thirty two -

The State of South Carolina } District of Charleston } ss.
On this 19 th day of October Anno Domini one thou- -sand eight hundred and thirty-three personally appeared before the Honorable Thomas Lee Judge of the United States of America for the District of South Carolina, Richard Wall a resident of the City of Charleston in the State aforesaid, aged seventy nine Years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration (in addition to and as an Amendment of his declaration made on the 19 th December 1832) in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7 th 1832. That he was born in the County of Limerick in Ireland on the 25 th day of December 1754. That he has no original record of his age, the same having been lost with the Bonne Homme Richard. That when called into service, he was living at L'Orient in France and from the termination of the Revolutionary War to the present time, he has been living in Charleston South Carolina, where he is well known, particularly to the Honorable William Johnson Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and to the Honorable J. S. Richardson and E. H. Bay Associate Judges of the State Court of South Carolina. That he entered service in the Bonne Homme Richard in April 1779 as Cadet of Marines with the pay of a Midshipman and from that time until he was exchanged in April 1783 was in actual service, and in no civil employments whatever, making four years. That in this estimate he includes the time he was a prisoner of War to wit, three years as set forth in his former declaration and until landed when exchanged, since all that time he was entitled to pay. That he never did receive and could not have received any discharge from

from the Service because he was taken a prisoner and continued so until his arrival at Philadelphia. That he did not receive any written Commission nor were any given out to any person whatever as far as he knows and believes. All the Commission he ever received was a Breast plate given him by John Paul Jones to be worn as an evidence of his authority and rank. That John Mayrant Eugene is a material Witness to substantiate his Declaration in the premises. But that he resides in Sumpter District in this State, is very infirm and inca- pable by reason of his infirmities, of appearing in Court, or of appearing before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record in said District, as Deponent has reason to believe. That said John Mayrant was also on board of the said Frigate Bon- -Homme Richard, and has before given his Deposition in behalf of said Richard Wall, on the application or Petition of the said Richard Wall to Congress in the beginning of the year 1826, for Prize money and Wages, wherein the facts are all fully set forth and sworn to, and to which reference is craved. That there are no other persons known to him the said Richard Wall now alive who could substantiate the facts, (of their own knowledge) above set forth, except Captain Robert Wilson a respectable Revenue Officer in the City of Charleston who saw said Richard Wall on board of the Bon- -homme Richard at L'Orient.
Sworn to before me this
19 th day of October 1833
Richd. Wall
Attest Judge J. C.

We Israel Mounds a Clergyman, residing in the City of Charleston and John W. Mitchell residing in the same hereby Certify, that we are well acquainted with Richard Wall who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration; that we believe him to be seventy nine years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a Revolutionary Seaman, and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn & subscribed the day & 7 year aforesaid
W. M. J. W. Mitchell J. C.
Israel Mounds.
John W. Mitchell
South Carolina } City of Charleston } Captain Robert Wilson a Citizen of the United States and resident of the City of Charleston being duly sworn Depose to that in the Year 1778 or 1779, being quite a Boy, he saw the above named Richard Wall at L'Orient in France, performing duty on board of the Frigate Bon-Homme Richard then preparing for a Cruise. That he the deponent was at the time on board of a Merchant Ship from Philadelphia then at L'Orient and that said Richard Wall proceeded therefrom to sea in said Frigate. That deponent has every reason to believe and does verily believe that the facts set forth in the Declaration of the said Richard Wall are just true & correct in every particular. Sworn & subscribed to

the day and year aforesaid
And the said Cunk do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named Applicant was a Revolutionary Seaman and served as he states. And the said further Certifies, that it appears to them that Israel Allender, who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman, resident in the City of Charleston and that John W. Mitchell who has also signed the same with Captain Robert Wilson whose signature is to the foregoing Deposition are residents in the City of Charleston and are credible persons, and that their statements are entitled to credit.
W. Lee Dr. V. Judge S. C. Cunk.
I certify that I have known the above named Richard Wall for near forty years & have always understood that he served with Fidelity on Board of the Bonar homewards Richard in the War of the Revolution. I further certify that Mr Wall's standing as a citizen & man of character is such as to entitle him to the fullest credit for veracity.
William Johnson One of the Assessors of the Supreme Court of the U.S.
see last

In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Richard Wall a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau. S. 22,032.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     April, 1779 Cadet of marines Midshipman.  Sailed from L'orient, France, in 1779,  on Frigate "Bon Homme Richard," commanded  by Capt. John Paul Jones; was captured soon  after sailing, confined in Forton Prison, Eng-  land until Fall of 1782, when he was  exchanged and went to Philadelphia  and afterwards served on Frigate  "South Carolina" until said ship  was captured.   
Battles engaged in, _____
Residence of soldier at enlistment, L'orient, France,
Date of application for pension, Dec. 19, 1832. His cl. was ab.
Residence at date of application, Charleston, S. C.
Age at date of application, B. Dec. 25, 1754 in Limerick, Ireland.
Remarks: Soldier died Jan. 5, 1842, leaving  three sons, names not stated.
The above is the only Richard Wall found on the  list of Rev. War pensioners, of South Carolina.
Respectfully,
N. B. See McCrady's History of S. C.  Vol. I, Page 219.
Commissioner.

1915 Dec. 14. History to Harriet A. Wall. L.W. 1921 Apr. 4 Hist. to Mrs. George Fries.
Rev Invalid WIDOW, etc.
File No. 22032
Richard Wall Midshipman U.S. Navy Per War
Act June 7. 1832
Index: Vol. 6 , Page 83
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Richard Wall
1
Almira
Mary Ann
Q 144.00 144.00
Amelia
Charleston
S. Can.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Richards Hall which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? No VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes

2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? No
3
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No
4
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? No
5
XIV. †If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? No
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
XVI. ‡Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?  Yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? No
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
† QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
‡ QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
¶ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

Treasury Department Comptroller's Office February 3. 1849
Sir,
As the representatives of the undermentioned persons, are claimants for prize money, under the "Act for the relief of the heirs of John Paul Jones" — I will thank you to transmit to this Office as soon as practicable, the papers filed with their respective applications to obtain pensions for services in the Continental Navy — including all the proofs of identity and service at any time furnished to the Pension Office; — and which papers will be returned to you, so soon as their relevant contents, can be here copied.
With great respect Your ov. Servt M c Culloch Comptroller
James L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions
over

Joseph Fredericks John Terry Gilbert Wall & } Richard Wall }
Starks, Me. Whitfield Me Charleston S.C.

Applicant Charleston

The State of South Carolina City of Charleston
Thomas O'Handy a citizen of the United States and resident of the City of Charleston being duly sworn deponeth that he was a member of the Legislature of South Carolina in the year 1823, that he was a member of the Committee of the house of Representatives to examine the validity of the claims for services on board the South Carolina Frigate during the War of the Revolution; that the petitioner Richard Wall was subpoenaed as a witness on behalf of the State and attended as such, that during the said examination and from the testimony of Mr. John Mayrant who served on board the Frigate Bonhomme Richard, it appeared that the petitioner served as stated in the petition & declaration for a pension - Mr. Wall has been for many years a resident of Charleston and I have always understood the facts as stated in his declaration -
Sworn to before me this 19 th Dec. 1832 W. D. L. D. G.
I James Jervy Clerk of the District Court of the United States for the District of South Carolina do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Richard Wall for a pension - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of Office this 19 th day of Dec r (1832) One thousand Eight hundred and thirty two -
James Jervy Dy H. H.

I James Jewey Clerk of the District Court of the United States of America for South Carolina District do hereby certify that the annexed contain the proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Richard Wall for a pension — In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal at Office this nineteenth day of October A.D. 1833 —
James Jewey Dist Clerk

State of South Carolina } City of Charleston }
Captain Robert Wilson a Citizen of the United States and resident of the City of Charleston being duly sworn deposes that in the year 1778 or 1779 being at that time a boy and apprentice on board the ship Luke De Luzerne of Philadelphia, Thomas Bell Master, then on voyage at L'Orient in France he then and there knew of Mr Richard Wall, the person alluded to in the accompanying affidavit, being then and there, to wit, at L'Orient and heard there of his being on board of the Bon Homme Richard. That in the year 1782 or thereabouts he the deponent was in Philadelphia and there saw said Richard Wall and then and there understood that he the said Richard Wall was on board of the Frigate South Carolina and deponent thinks that he saw him on board. That after the declaration of peace of 1783 between the United States and Great Britain, he frequently saw said Richard Wall in Charleston where he now resides: and he hath every reason to believe that and doth believe that the facts & particulars set forth in the declarations of said Richard Wall are just and true.
Sworn to the subscribers the day & year aforesaid M c All Dr V 1 Judge S c Carolina
Robert Wilson

Feb 26 - 1921
Com m of Pensions Rev Pension Bureau Dear Sir Please send a State- ment of the Service and family history of Richard Wall, a Rev Soldier personed in Charlestown S. C. He is my grandfather
Mrs Geo Ferris Ladonia Miss

Marianna, Ark. Per sec
Dec. 5-10-
Commissioner of Pensions—
Please give me the record of Richard Wall in the War of the Revolution. He was from Charleston S. C. and drew a pension.
In 1840 he was 182
years of age - born 1738 or 9.
Thank you very much.
(Miss) Harriet Allison Wall.
Marianna
Ark.
Box 757.