Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1242, William Brookins, Mass. New York

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass. New York
Brookins, William
R. 1242
CONTENTS
[Lined area for notes]
[Lined area for notes]

William Brookins Pennsylvania
Rejected
did not serve 6 months
See let Hon R. M c . Coy
20 Feby 1873
1242

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1863.
1242
REJECTED
William Brooke
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Alleges: List of rejected (or suspended) claims, printed in 1852.
Re-enlisted: Shows cause of rejection as follows: He did not serve six months.
Attorney: _____
P. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18 .

Hon. A. M. Coy 20 Feb. 1833
O. L.
L 271
Recorded Vol. 8. Page. 319.

War Dept—
Pens. Office
Feby 20. 1883
Sir
The claim of William Brookins returned by you to this office. is rejected.
After stating that he served but three months at Saratoga, he says even in his the amendatory affidavit to his declaration, that he  is entirely unable to say how long he served in his 2 d town other town that he can only remember that he was ordered to march to Albany, and before reaching that place the order was countermanded and he returned home. It is impossible to compute his pension from so vague a statement indeed it is very  extremely probable that he was not engaged on military duty for the period fixed by law to obtain for an applicant. The lowest rate of compensation His papers remain on file, according to the usage of the Dept.
Hon R. M. Lay H. R.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 —
Pennsylvania County of Cumberland ss.
On this 4th day of Dec r 1832
Personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the court of Cumberland county State of Pennsylvania now sitting William Brookins a resident of the Borough of Shippenburg County & State aforesaid aged Sixty six years, who being first affirmed according to law, doth on his solemn affirmation make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the U. States under as a Volunteer in the Company of Capt m Hicock or Hitchcock Second Regiment which whose residence was at that time in the Town of Sheffield Berkshire County and State of Massachusetts our Lieutenants was David Tracy of the same town of my residence who did the duty of Adjutant in our Regiment, and a Noble of Sheffield to the best of my recollection David Tracy was an adjoining neighbor and was frequently in the service in my Father's Company — we Mustered our Company in the Town of Great Barrington at that time the seat of Justice for Berkshire County and was Inspected by General John Ashley who resided in Sheffield B. County and very shortly after we Marched to Albany in the State of New York from thence to Saratoga and joined our Regiment commanded by Colonel Seward of the State of Massachusetts & continued at Saratoga as our station for three months or more The time of entering the service & our discharge I have not any document to certify the failure of my memory, except the Year I well remember was seventeen hundred & Eighty- one the in the heat of the summer & we had snow after freezing cold weather before we were discharged, our whole Regiment was discharged together, therefore we had no individual discharges our Commander in chief at Saratoga was General John Stark the hero of Bennington Battle that was fought the same summer Burgoyne was captured, I remember very well the rejoicing we had on the arrival of the information of the capture of Corn Wallis & his army then was in camp but very frequently absent on scouting parties or detachments in order to contend with our enemy, sometimes travel- ing the whole night without ten minutes rest, other times encamping in the woods cold freezing weather with out fire when our party was small for fear of our enemies discovering us, was not in any regular Battle during the time of service but frequently placed when an attack was expect- ed every hour & some times every moment. frequent night alarms one out many I recollect in a distinct manner, Company was ordered to the redoubt where the enemy was expected to make an attack the Colonel M'Kinley took the command & requested two or three men to go and reconnoiter the woods that was near the Redoubt I offered my service with two more of my comrades we went to the edge of the woods where we could hear the enemy very distinctly walking among the leaves & sticks cracking under their feet we hailed but received no answer, one of my companions fired & the next one fired the first one loaded and fired again & very coolly reserved my

2 Hire expecting our enemies would come out where they might be distinguished in some degree, I expected a shot every moment at length I thought they was very near I fired and turning to any comrad, to see what they were about, I found they were fled leaving me alone I thought proper to return also, on entering the redoubt I reported my opinion to the Colonel &c, we waited some time for them & in the mean time climbed on to the top of the redoubt, & hollered for them to come on for we was waiting for them, there being a fire in the redoubt that shone upon me, the Colonel advised me to come down as I was to good a mark for them inition this circumstance with a View to Bring forward Colonel W H. Kinsler expecting he might be known by some of the war Department. In other time I was with a Lieutenants command order on a privet expedition Started about the setting of sun or little later crossed the North-River having a pilot we took a circuitous rout through fields & woods & swamps till about midnight or after, then halted in suitable place and left our knapsacks & pack, for Battle divided our little Band one part to advance a few rods a head to attack a house & Barn the inst ant we made the attack very successfully and Captor d two Canadian Officers as they were the border in the Barn we found them warm, & after securing them safely, the commanding Officer requested four men to Volunteer to go about one Mile farther up the River & Lake whoever we found there the was one of the four that undertook the business & we succeeded in taking two at that place on our Return we had to pass the place where we Captor d the first prisoners & our main body had Started, hearing one of our guns fired & expecting a rescue every moment however we escaped & returned to Saratoga safe with all our prisoners next morn after sunrise the exceedingly galigene &c
I was ordered on another Expedition Commanded By a Colonel Reid if my memory is correct respecting the commanders name we march a good part of the way in the night time crossed a very dangerous Creek on smooth logs very grossly some stumbled in & got out as they could sweat & cold being near the front we marched fore enough for the detachment to form again & waited along time suffering with the cold in silence as we were not allowed to speak audably for we expected the enemy to attack us every minuet we formed again & Marched to a rising ground on the west side of the Hudson or North river opposit old Fort Edward. There we found a Detachment of our army that had been sent out before us were there encamped without tents or huts as well as we - cold, next day we had a snowfall upon us & feared off very cold however we had to suffer out several days waiting for the enemy to attack us but they kept their distance till we was all but starved to death having only a small piece of Bread about as big as a mans fist without meat or any thing but river water for a number of days how long I cannot remember But this is a picture of part of our suffering during our Campaign It may be probable some may be yet Living who may recollect the great alarm we had that fall; an alarm was given with cannon & peastrippers sent down the State of New York & into Massachusetts the Militia arrived from Massachusetts nearly one hundred Miles & other parts flocked in to assist us, we had all the plan of the attack & our officers appointed their Station & read at the head of our Regiment that evening we expected the enemy would arrive, I was on the outward picket that night but before the enemy had found us we were Ready for them & they kept their

Distance from us, our mode of attack was to allow the enemy to advance near make one regular fire & then charge with bayonet this was our order I well recollect, a fresh supply of ammunition was issued that evening. I have been absent forty years from that part or section of the country where I was then known to have performed. I have passed through those scenes above mentioned that I do not now know of one living in this world that could testify to my services in the army during the important struggles for our Independence.
Interrogations put By the court Where and in what year were you born & known I was born in Marlborough Berkshire county & State of Massachusetts the sixteenth day of January One thousand seven hundred and sixty six 1766
2 o Have you any record of your age & etc. I have a record of my age in my Bible in my house taken from my Father's family Bible 3 o Where were you living when called into service & where have you lived since the Revolutionary war and where do you now live
I was born in the town of Marlborough, Berkshire county & State of Massachusetts. When I was called or entered the service I was living in the same town. In the year seventeen hundred & eighty two my Father moved with his family into the township of Philiston, Albany county & State of New York and I was enrolled in the company of Capt. John Scharmack and there was a call for men that season I with some other young men volunteered our services for an unlimited time to go to the frontiers of our State determined to stay as long as we were needed accordingly we equipped ourselves and marched a part of the way and our orders were countermanded and we returned home this was the last call for men that we had during the war or struggle for our Independence. And in the year of Seventeen hundred and eighty eight moved into the State of Pennsylvania Cumberland county and Borough of Shippenburg which has been my place of residence ever since & is now my home and I further state that I relinquish every other claim whatever to a pension or annuity Except the present and that my name was never placed on any pension roll
affirmed & subscribed in open court 4 th Decr A.D. 1832 Before me J. HAMPSON Clerk of Court The agency of any State Wm BROOKINS
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after investigating the matter and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department that the said William Brookins the above applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as such - and that the Rev. John C. Woody and David Nevin could not be produced in Court without too much inconvenience and expense to the applicant, and that the Rev. John Woody is a Presbyterian Clergyman Residing in the Borough of Shippenburg where the applicant resides, and that David Nevin is a Resident of the same place, and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to Credit, and that George W. Gurney Esquire before whom the said Rev. John Woody and David Nevin were examined and deposed to the facts above stated.

State of Pennsylvania } Cumberland County } ss.
I John Harper Esquire Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County Do certify that the above & foregoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application of William Brookins for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Carlisle the 4 th day of December A.D. one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
JOHN HARPER Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County
The above Certificate & seal amended agreeably to the XVI. Query on the objection returned from the War Department in the matter of the application of William Brookins for a Pension Certificate under my hand & seal of office at Carlisle the 11 th day of February, one thousand eight hundred and thirty three.
JOHN HARPER Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County Penn ya

State of Pennsylvania } Cumberland County } ss.
Personally came before the Subscribers a justice of the peace in and for said county the Rev John Moady a clergyman residing in the Borough of Shippensburg county of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania and Mr David Nevin residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Brooking who has made the foregoing declaration in order to appear before the court of said county to attest to the truth thereof that we believe him to be sixty six years of age, that he is reputed and believed, in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the 20th day of November A.D. 1832 John Moady David Nevin
John Moady David Nevin
State of Pennsylvania } Cumberland County } ss.
I John Harper Esquire Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of said County Do certify that George M'Ginnis Esq. Before whom the above affidavit purports to have been made is a Justice of the Peace duly commissioned & sworn into office and that the signature thereto purporting to be his is genuine. In Testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Carlisle the 4th day of December A.D. one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
John Harper Protho
Declaration of John Brooking Cumberland Co. Pa. a pensioner
Rev John Moady W. B. Paxton

State of Pennsylvania } Personally appeared before me the undersigned Cumberland County } ss. a Justice of the Peace in and for said County. William Brookins Esquire who being duly affirmed, deposes and says, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot depose positively to the precise length of his services, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below - under the following heads: For three Months I served as a private in the Company of Captain Hitch- cock or Hecock as mentioned in my declaration made in Court, which was in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty one and between the months of July and December of that year, but the particular dates of its Commence- -ment and termination I cannot now recollect - as to the second tour of service mentioned in my declaration mentioned I cannot recollect anything as to its limits, all that I can recollect is the call and my setting out with others for Hightstown as the place of rendezvous, and that the orders were countermand- -ed before we reached that place, and we returned home, in this Call -as a private, the call was made I believe in the month August or Sept- -ember of the year Seventeen hundred and eighty two, and further I know of no living witness by whom my Revolutionary services can be proved. Affirmed and subscribed this thirtieth day of February A.D. 1833 Before me
Wm Brookins
Emuel Davis
State of Pennsylvania County of Cumberland ss
I John Harper Clerk of the Court of Common pleas of said County do Certify that Emuel Davis is a Justice of the peace as above stated, and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is Genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my seal of office and subscribed my Name at Carlisle this fifteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three
Jn. Harper Clerk