Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29929, for Oliver Johonnot, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Wäss Sea Service Privater
Johnson, Oliver
S. 29929
CONTENTS

27200  Massachusetts Oliver Johnson n ot. Suffolk - in the State of Mass who was a Steward in the U.S. States commanded Captain Thompson of the _____ commanded _____ in the Mass . for Mass Rev. Privateer 1 Year 6 months Steward 6 " " Seaman
Enscribed on the Roll of - Mass at the rate of 114 Dollars _____ Cents per annum commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 th day of Feb.  1834 and sent to Colo  Samuel Durn Washington
Arrears to the 4th of Sep 1833. $ 285 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 th Mar 34 - 57 $ 342
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by George Taylor Clerk. Book _____ Vol. 2 Page 38

Application of Oliver Johnson for pension 28.663
Admiral 1 - 6 Stewart 6 Seamen Capt Thompson - Rising Star State. 16 Guns
Col Saml Burch Office of the Clerk of the H Reps

Declaration
The undersigned represents that he is a native, citizen of the United States, that he was born in Middletown Connecticut in the year 1760, that in Sept 1776 at Boston Massachusetts he entered as a Seaman the hard service of his country (in the Revolutionary War) on board of an armed Brig, of 16 Guns, call'd the Rising Empire (by the Seaman Rising States) James Skompson Esq. Commander commissioned by congress to cruise against the English, in the month of December of the same year we sailed in the said Brig on a cruise, in two or three weeks after we fell in with & captured an English Ship from White Haven England (Pensylvania Capt) bound to Jamaica, she was maned & ordered for Boston, but was recaptured & her prize crew carried to India & never returned till after the war was over. On a cruise of the Western Islands where captured an English Brig & Sloop, sent them to France. Then to the Bay of Biscay our cruising station but was taken in the month of April by an English Seventy four Gun Ship (the Terrible Commodore Sir Richard Dickerton) and retained on board this Ship from April to June after her return to Spit Heads until a Prison could be prepared for us. In July we were landed from the Terrible and carried before & examined by the Lords of the Admiralty who declared us Rebels & sent us to Prison as such to await our doom (as they said hanging). But thanks to the capture of Burgoyne & his Army, altered their conduct & treatment towards us, when we received the happy news of Burgoyne's fate, myself with twenty nine others, was confined in a Dungeon for attempting to make our escape, we were put upon half the prisoners Allowance, eight Ounces Bread & six Beef & some water for 24 hours. We remained in

prison (Fortune Prison near Portsmouth) until such time when we were exchanged & sent to France, on our arrival same month we found three ships of War belonging to the United States, namely, the Bonne Homme Richard Commodore John Paul Jones, Frigate Alliance Capt. Landais & Ship Genl. Mifflin of 20 Guns Capt. George W. Pabcocks, in the Month Aug t 1779 the exchanged prisoners were assigned by a United States Agent or Commissioner among the above named ships myself as a seaman on board the Mifflin, the three sailed nearly together, on that cruise the Genl Mifflin captured the British Sloop of War Tartar of 26 Guns on the coast of Ireland, this ship was sent out expressly to take the "Rebel Frigate Boston" commanded by Capt. Tucker (the Tartar carried six Guns & thirty men more than the Mifflin) amongst them was twenty or thirty Volunteers, the Tartar had 12 killed & 30 wounded amongst the former their Commander (Lieut. Greathead ) the Mifflin 4 killed 13 wounded, the Tartar arrived in Boston & brought in with her a fine deep laden Brig. prize that she captured bound for England, on our return cruise we captured two other English Brigs & recaptured a large French Ship, the Ship & one Brig arrived in Boston the other was lost at sea, the Mifflin arrived in Boston in December 1779 dismantled & hauled up for the winter. In the Spring 1780 the Ship Mifflin was repaired and again fitted for sea, Sailed & made a short & successful cruise I was unwell & could not go the cruise, on her return she was immediately fitted for sea again under the same Officers. I then entered and was Steward of the Ship drawing 2\frac{1}{2} Shares, we sailed from

Boston the latter part of August 1780, proceeded to the Banks of Newfoundland, in Sept captured a letter Martre Ship Carrying 18 Gun, from the West Indies this Ship was maned & ordered for Boston where she arrived in Oct 1780. Immediately after dispatching, the first the Sept gale commenced & lasted about eight days, after the gale was over found we were not far from Cape Hatteras, we there fell in with a scattered fleet of transports with supplies for Cornwallis Army under convoy of one Frigate & two Sloops of war, from this fleet we captured three ships with Ordnance, Stores, Provisions & Clothing, & was in chase of the party when we were discovered, pursued & taken by the convoy ships. The Frigate proved to be the Waligh (formerly American) Gallatea & Weyana Sloops of war 22 & 24 Gun, Ship, we were carried into Charleston South Carolina in the month of September, at Charleston we were put on board a prison ship & kept till Jan'y 1781 then exchanged and sent to Wilmington North Carolina, in Jan'y 1781 Sailed from Newbern N.C. in the month of March as seaman in a vessel call'd the Sally, taken by Admiral Rodney's Squadron, after their taking St Eustatia where we were bound, myself with others were put on board of the Monarch a seventy four Gun Ship (Capt Reynolds) after being transferred from ship to ship of Rodney's Squadron (then cruising off Martinico) a number of times & made to do ship's duty, we at last was put on board of a Prison Ship in the Islands of St Lucia May 1781 & kept there until after the action between the French & English Fleet (Count De Grasse & Admiral Hood) in this action of a hour the English were worsted & some of their ships much cut up one in particular the Russell a line of battle ship) most of her men killed & wounded, the American prisoners with myself, sixty in

number were taken from the prison Ship & And spent on board the Russell & compelled to help work the Ship to Antigua, in going into English Harbour the Russell got on shore and never could be got off, after the Ship was lost five the Americans were marched across the Island from English harbour to St Johns at the point of the bayonet & there imprisoned until a cartell arrived in December 1781 from Gloucester, Massachusetts, when a part of us were released & arrived safe at Boston the same month, it would be need less to detail the hardships & insults which we experienced from our inveterate foe. On our arrival home I found a new Brig building, she was soon launched & fitted for sea carried 16 Guns, was (called the Genl Seaman) Noah Stoddard Commander. I entered this vessel as ship's Steward and acting as Secy of Marins we sailed from Boston in March 1782 on a cruise in the Gulf of St Lawrence to intercept you in with the Quebec fleet from England, but in proceeding on our cruise we discovered a number of people on a desolate Island (Seal Island) on our near approach we found a Ship sunk, her top gallant masts just appearing above the water. She proved to be an English Frigate the Blonde of 32 Guns having struck on a rock & sunk in a very little time. The ship's crew with a number of Women that was on board had hardly time to save their lives, they landed on the Island two were drowned in the Ship they had not time to save any thing but a scanty supply of provisions they had been on the Island one week, we were released from their situation taken them

on board of our Brig, & landing them at a small harbor in Nova Scotia, Supplied them provision, sufficient to last them to Halifax where they proceeded on our cruise & captured a Brig from Barbadoes, sent her to Boston arrived in July soon after, but by detention in saving the crew of the sunken Frigate, we failed in our object in falling in with the fleet. therefore returned to Boston in May 1782. Refitted & Sailed in June, to cruise off New York where we recaptured the Brig, Sayette of Boston Capt James Smith, a large lumber loaded Ship of Newburyport & a pilot Boat Sehoone, belonging to Alexandria Virginia laden with flour & tobacco they all arrived safe in Providence R.I. when in chase of another vessel (which escaped into N.Y.) the Sehoone was anchored & driven on the Parley Shore by three British Ships. It was just at sun down, the smallest stood in nearest, came to anchor got springs on her cable & & fired on us a number of shots but night coming on, they hauled off shore & put to sea. In the morning they returned in hopes to destroy our Brig, in their absence & at low water, we got out our Provisions with four Brass cannon & small arms which enabled us to defend our vessel & prevent their burning of her with their boats, when they found that we could defend ourselves, they each gave us a broadside and sheered off & put into N.Y. Our damage was but trifling, rigging, some out & one man drowned & one other wounded after they left us & at high water, we got our vessel off shore our Gun & Provisions on board & arrived at Newport R.I. the next day, we there repairs damages, ship'd more men and sailed

Sailed again in August 1782 for our old Station off New York, after taking a Sloop laden with flour & Salt, we were captured Sept 1782 by a fifty Gun Ship & Frigate in a very heavy blow carried into New York Put on board the Old Jersey Prison Ship where a number of our men died, remained on board that filthy Ship until the news of peace Altho promised to be released if taken in the Gulf Scammel at any time for the crew of the Plough, which we took from Seal Island, but their promises were not fulfilled till December 1782. Arrived in Boston in the month Jan y 1783 The petitioner being now Old & Inferm Respect- fully submits his case to the Government or Congress of the United States praying that he may be put upon the Pension list agreeable to the last law made, & providing for the relief of those who served in the revolutionary war. All which is Respectfully Submitted
By your Humble Servt
Oliver Johnson
Commonwealth of Massachusetts } County of Suffolk }
On this fourteenth day of November A D 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Municipal court for the city of Boston now sitting Oliver Johnson a resident of Boston in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged 74 Years, who being sworn according to law doth on his oath make

the above declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 27th 1832.
We hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid in open Court before me Oliver Johnson Peter O. Thacher Judge of the Municipal Court of the City of Boston
We William Jenks a Clergyman residing in the City of Boston and Jonathan P. Hall, residing in the same City hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Oliver Johnson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be Seventy four years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhoods where he resides to have been employed in the naval service and that we concur in that opinion.
Wm. Jenks, Jon n P. Hall Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open Court, before me Peter O. Thacher Judge of the Municipal Court of the City of Boston
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that a seaman or a lieutenant of marines the above named applicant was employed in the naval service and served as he states. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Rev William Jenks who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Clergyman resident in the city of Boston, that Jonathan P. Hall

who has also signed the same is a resident in the same that both are personally known to the court and are credible persons and that their Statement is entitled to credit.
Peter Thacher Judge of the Mu- nicipal Court of the City of Boston.
I Thomas W Phillips Clerk of the Municipal Court of the city Boston the same being a Court of Record do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Oliver Dohonnot for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this twentieth day of November, A.D. Eighteen hundred & thirty three.
Thomas W Phillips Clerk.

See Clerk's certification opposite side of this sheet
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Suffolk ss To the several Interrogations proposed by the War department, the said Oliver Johnson states & answers as follows, on his oath, viz To 1 st That he was born in Middletown in the State of Connecticut, the first day of January A D 1760
To 2 nd That he has no record of his age
To 3 rd That he was living in Boston in the commonwealth when called into service & has lived there from the Revolution to the present time
To 4 th That he volunteered in the naval service. He was not a substitute for any one.
To 5 th That James Thompson was Commander of the Rising Empire, called by the seaman the Rising State, the further states, that he has stated under oath all the particulars of his service & under whom he served, in his General Declaration of the facts,
To 6 th That he never received any discharge, but continued in service until peace took place
And the said Oliver Johnson further states, on his oath aforesaid, that he has no documentary evidence, that he has been informed there is a person by the name of Reed still living in some part of this Commonwealth, who was impressed with him in Boston south in England
Municipal Court City of Boston Mr. J. H. F. D. 1833- Sworn to by the said Oliver Johnson in open Court this day before me Peter A. Tracber Judge of the same
Oliver Johnson

I Thomas D Phillips, Clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Boston, the same being a court of Record in the county of Suffolk, do hereby certify that the within contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Oliver Johounot for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court at said Boston the fourteenth day of November A.D. Eighteen hundred & thirty three - Thomas D. Phillips Clerk.
Served in the Rising in prison Empire from Sep. 1776 to July 1779 - 2 - 11 Served in the as steward Mifflin from July 1779 to Jan'y 1781. _____ 1. 6.
Making _____ 4: 5. as Service in National rep'd.
If a pension be allowed this old veteran I presume it will be in the capacity of steward.

Invalid
WIDOW, &c.
Army _____ File No. 29929
Oliver Johnson Stewart U.S. Navy Res. War
Act June 7. 1882.
Index: Vol. 2 , Page 38.
[Arrangement of 1870.]

1774 1700 74

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Feb y 10 th 1834.
I hereby Certify. That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that a Brig or Vessel called the Rising Empire belonged to the State of Massachusetts, and only one roll for service is found in this Office. and that the name of Oliver Johnson is not borne thereon.
Edward D. Bangs Secy