Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 3,291, David Dieffenderfer, Penn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Penn
Dieffenderfer David or Diffenderfer
S. 3291
carded
CONTENTS

let to Hon. J. Strohm July 16 '46. Hon. J. Ekstein 19 th Feb. 1855. 1893 April 14 F.R. Diffenderfer history
N o 2945 Pennsylvania
* David Diffenderfer of Lancaster in the State of Pennsylvania who was an Ensign in the Company commanded by Captain Milhart of the Reg t commanded by Col. Harrocks in the Pennsylvania line for 1 year & 11 Months Ensign 11 Months Sergeants -
* David Diffenderfer. Records etc. Feb. 24 in
Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 235 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 30 day of December 1832 and sent to Hon. Wm. Hartley N. R.
  Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1832  352.00    Pension allowance ending 11. Mar. 1833  117.00     $469.00  
{ Revolutionary Claim, { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by D. Brown Clerk Book D. Vol. 6. Page 53

County of Lancaster. State of Pennsylvania ss -
On the 20 th day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas in & for the 2 d county David Differdffer a resident of the village of New Holland in Earl township in said county aged 80 yrs. 6 mo. & 11 days who being first duly qualified and sworn to law doth on his said solemn affirmation 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 U.S. in the year 1776 in the month of October with Captain David Wilbert of Philadelphia in the regiment of Col. Mawrke of Lebanon (then in Lancaster County now the City of Justice of Lebanon County). the Lieut. Col. of which regiment was George Stricker then of Frederick Maryland. the Major of said regiment was Ludwig Weltner of Frederick aforesaid. That he enlisted as first as aforesaid for three years. & afterwards (about 2 or 3 mo.) he enlisted during the war under the said Captain & the officers aforesaid. That he was at the battle of Trenton at the capture of the Hessians - and at the cannonading at Trenton about 2 d Jan y , 1777 - that he was at the battle of Princeton on or about 3 d Jan y . 1777 - that in May 1777 he was taken prisoner by the enemy two miles from

Munro Ref. toward Annapolis N.J. - that he was a prisoner about 5 mo. in New York city & about 5 mo. on Long Island, - that after about 10 mo. confinement he was exchanged in March 1778 - & joined his d. regiment at the Valley Forge in Penn a . while the British army lay in Philadelphia. - that he rec d . an enlistment commission in the army of the U.S. in June (about the middle) 1778 - that with the American army he pursued the enemy through New Jersey on their retreat from Phila a . and was present at the battle of Monmouth, having been with the reserve on the part of the army under the immediate command of Genl. Washington - that he accompanied the army a part of it as an ensign or officer to White Plains - Fort Hill N.Y. - then to Easton Penn a . - then in March 1779 to Wyoming Pa a under Genl. Sullivan & to Tioga where the army was joined by Genl. Clinton & marched to Genesee N.Y. where he was present at some skirmishes with Indians. - then returned with the army to Wyoming where his regiment was joined by Major Meltrne who had been absent on account of sickness since the battle of Monmouth - then marched to Wyoming Pa a Sunbury Pa a where he lay in garrison During the winter of 1779-1780 - that from the spring of 1780 he became unwell in the garrison & obtained a furlough from Col. Meltrne who

was the Col. of the Regiment in place of Col. Bausche who had deserted to the British army at the beginning of the battle of Princeton N.J. - that on his return he came home to his father's at Lancaster in Lancaster County aforesaid, and his health not being fully restored he in July 1780 resigned his commission of Colonel. -
That in spring of 1778 he made at his house of a mayormaker at Maytown in Lancaster County aforesaid & in June 1778 he engaged in the Pa. militia to serve for 3 mo. while serving he performed, all the time in New Jersey and at the expiration of said 3 mo. enlisted at Amboy as aforesaid in the regular army of the U.S. -
The sd. David D. Henderffe hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present & he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state

Affirmed to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid - in open Court -
Chas. Bachman Proth.
David Breffer derfer
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I, Chas. Bachman Secretary of the said Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application David Breffer derfer for a pension -
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court at Lancaster this twentieth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two -
Chas. Bachman Proth.
5550.
at Court -

No 5550
admitted
1 yr. 11 mo Ensign $230.00
1 " Sergt. 5.
$235.
Hon'ble W. Huester Ho. of Reps.

BRIEF in the case of  David Diffenderfer  of Lancaster in the State of Pennsylvania  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court of Com. Pleas
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 80 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served   Years. Months. Days.     In 1776 October enlisted for 3 years, & in 2 or 3 months after entitled for during the war, a Prisoner 10 months Gen. Capt. D. Mitchell, Col. Muerker, Major Wetmore   1778 June rec d a commission as an Ensign resigned in July 1780 service in all, 3 years 9 months Ensign 1.11, no. Leg  
5. In what battles was he engaged? Trenton, Princeton, Monmouth, some skirmishes with the Indians under Genl. Sullivan at Johnfield, N. Y.
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? not mentioned
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? The letter accompanying the declaration from Mrs. Heister states that the evidence of his service is in this office
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D. Brown Examining Clerk.

Department of the Interior, BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
Washington, D. C., March _____, 189 8
Sir
In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of David Diffenderfer , a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you will please find below the desired information as contained in his application for pension on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     1776 3 mo s Pr i Militia no date or name of officer Penn a   Oct 1776 War Private & Ensign David Wilhart Colo Henncke do.   mid 1778 June 1778 Received Commission as Ensign which he resigned in July 1780 about  
Battles engaged in, See annexed sheet Residence of soldier at enlistment, Oct 1776 at Amboy N.J. Date of application for pension, Augt 20 1832 Residence at date of application, New Holland Lancaster County Penn a Age at date of application, 80 years 6 months & 11 days Remarks: Before enlisting in 1776 he was at work at his trade of wagonmaker at Ragtown, Lancaster County Penn a
Very respectfully,
adg Commissioner.
Mr Frank R Diffenderfer Office "New Era" Lancaster Penn a

Frank R. Diffenderffer,
LANCASTER, PA.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE NEW ERA.

David Diffenderfer was in the battle at Trenton N.J. Dec 26. 1776 followed by the Cannonade Jany 2. 1777 & battle at Princeton N.J. Jany 3. 1777. At this time Colo. Hennecke deserted to the British & was succeeded by Colo. Weltner
About two miles from Near Monmouth N.J. he was taken prisoner May 3. 1777, confined 10 months in New York City & 5 months on Long Island, exchanged in March 1778, & joining his regiment at Valley Forge 18 months
The enemy evacuated Philadelphia June 1778 to March across N.J. for New York; Gen Washington left Valley Forge & intercepted them at Monmouth N.J. where a battle occurred June 28, 1778 an exceedingly hot day.
He continued with the Army to White Plains N.Y. & to Posts in the Highlands, then went into winter quarters at Easton Pen t
In March 1779 he marched to Wyoming Penn where in the Summer of that year he joined Gen Sullivan expedition against the Indians in the interior of N.Y.
He did not specify any battle, but skirmishing with the Indians - Gen Sullivan fought a large force of Indians at Newtown now Elmira N.Y. which was a severe battle.
He returned to Wyoming, was one of the garrison at Sunbury Pa. where he continued during the winter of 1779-80
His health was so impaired that he was furloughed Resigned his Commission in July 1780.

Lancaster, Pa., Feby. 7th 1893
Hon. Green B. Rauw
Com. of Pensions.
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir -
I am desirous of securing the military record of David Diffenderffer, a Revolutionary soldier, and a United States pensioner. He resided for half a century prior to his death, at New Holland, Lancaster Co. Pa. He died in 1847, I believe. The record is needed to complete some historical researches.
Yours very truly -
F. R. Diffenderffer
93291

Rev. War
3291. INVALID.
File No. 3291
* David Diffenderfer Enl. Pa. line
Act: June 7, '32
Index:—Vol. A , Page 96
[Arrangement of 1870.]
* David Diffenderfer. Records corrected, Feb'y 24, '92

Washington City July 15 th 1826 Col. J. L. Edwards
Dear Sir:
I have never taken any pains to acquaint myself fully with the pension laws, but have always referred those things to your judgment. An Answer to the all the inquiries contained in the enclosed letter may not be strictly within the line of your official duties, but as a part of cannot be answered without access to the papers in your office, I take the liberty of asking of you the favor to send me the answers required, as soon as your convenience will allow —
Very Respectfully
Yours &c
John Strohm

House of Reps, July 14. 1855.
Dear Sir,
May I request the form or an answer to the following inquiry?
David Diffenderfer drew a revolutionary pension of $235 per an- num 1832 to 1833 to 1846, when he died. If it had been satisfactorily shown that he served in the revolutionary army as an officer , would he have been entitled to a larger pension - or if that fact were now established, could his heirs obtain the difference between the pension he drew & that he would have been entitled to?
Respectfully Yours, Francis E. Webster
Am. S. P. Waldo.

New Holland Penn. Augt. 21 st 1832
Hon. Lewis Cass
Sir
Enclosed I forward the application of David Diffenderfer for a pension under the late act of Congress. Before I left Washington I ascertained at the Pension Office that the evidence of his service as an Ensign in the Revolutionary War appeared there on the Records. We have therefore furnished no further evidence of his service than his own affidavit, which I was informed was all that would be required in his case.
Will you have the goodness to direct the certificate in his favor to be made out and transmitted to me as soon as circumstances will permit. —
I have the honor to be Sir, very Respectfully your Obedt. Servt.
Wm. H. Hueston