Revolutionary War Pension: Peter FOREMAN (1833) Franklin Co., PA Contributed by: Jane Peppler (jpeppler@acpub.duke.edu) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** PENSION DEPOSITION OF PETER FOREMAN. Somewhat condensed. I tracked these two from Berwick Tp and am very interested in anybody who knows of them. Please contact me. State of Pennsylvania, Franklin County On this 11 June 1833 personally appeared Peter Foreman a resident of Path Valley in county of Franklin aforesaid aged 78 years on the first day of January last who made the following declaration. That he was born in that part of York County Pennsylvania which is now Adams County, on this first day of January in the year 1755 - that he his father had a record of the ages of the members of his family that is in his possession but that the same is somewhat torn and defaced. That during the Revolutionary War he was living in the Township of Berwidk in Yorkk County PA (now Adams County) and lived there at the time he entered the service of the United States and continued to reside there about eleven years after the War, when he removed to Path Valley where he has resided ever since being about forty years and continues to reside. That in the spring of 1776 he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in the COmpany of Captain Nicholas Bittinger composed of 110 men all volunteers. Our company went from York County to Amboy - We served as volunteers three months. That when his time was out he enlisted in the flying camp under Captain Nicholas Bittinger for five months - that his company was taken to Long Island and that he was in the Battle of Long Island on the 27th (24th?) of August 1776 and that he was at Fort Washington when it was taken by the British and Hessians in the month of November 1776 -- that about thirty-one of our company were taken prisoners but the rest of us made our escape and that not one of those who were taken prisoners of our company ever returned home. That he came with the others to Amboy and that when his time was out in the flying camp his father came for him and brought him home - that he was discharged from the flying camp at Amboy a few days before New Year. Robert Doe was our General, Clarke a lawyer from York was our Major and a Mr. Morrow was our colonel. General Mercer commanded the flying camp. That in the fall of the year 1777, in October, he was drafted in the company of Captain Andrew Foreman his father in the militia for two months - that he was taken with the company to Darby near Philadelphia, that he served out the full term of two months as was discharged. We were under General Potter who was a militia general from up the Susquehanna river, and Colonel Rankin of York County. That in the year 1778 he was again drafted for two months under Captain John Wampler of York county, that the company was taken to the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, and was sometime at Downingtown, sometime at Paoli, sometime at the Valley Forge, and that they had a skirmish at what was called the Gulf Mill that he got his discharge as well as all the company two days before Christmas about 6 miles from Philadelphia in the evening and the next morning we were at Lancaster having travelled in the night in order to get home before Christmas. We were again under Colonel Rankin. That he was again drafted under Captain Yeneweine for two months near the close of the war - that the company were taken and stationed near Philadelphia for some time and some time in Lancaster and was principally employed in making stockades near Lancaster and in guarding the prisoners. In the winter of 1825 he made application to the Legislature of Pennsylvania for a pension. That George Gelwix of Mifflin County had a knowledge of his services in the Revolution but he is dead, that before his death at the time of the above application his deposition was taken. That he knows of no other person living by whom he can prove his services. That persons to whom he is known in his present neighbourhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity he names Richard Morrow Esquire and John Green. That he played the fife sometimes in Bittingers and Andrew Foreman's companies. Signed June 11 1833 Peter Foreman