York County PA Archives Military Records.....Hamilton, Daniel October 7, 1832 Revwar - Pension ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com July 24, 2006, 3:20 pm Pension Application Of Daniel Hamilton, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll #__, Application S2280 Washington County, Pennsylvania, October 7, 1832, Daniel Hamilton, a resident of Somerset Township, aged 77 years: “I was born on the 10th day of April, 1755 in Marallon Township, York County, PA. The record of my birth is in my father’s Bible, now in the possession of my brother, David Hamilton. I continued to reside at the place of my birth till the month of August 1776, when I volunteered to serve a tour of duty of 2 months under Captain Robert W. Conaughy, Lieutenant William Hamilton and Ensign ____ Goudy. Our company marched first to Philadelphia where we were embarked in a vessel and conveyed to Trenton, and from we marched to Princeton, and from thence to Brunswick, and from thence to Amboy. At Amboy, we encamped and were employed 2 full months in erecting breastworks, and etc. We were, during this time, under the command of General Robideau, who was, I believe, a militia officer. After the expiration of 2 months service at Amboy, our company marched home again in a body under our officers and were discharged. I believe I never received a written discharge. This tour of duty, including the time coming and going was fully 3 months.” “In September 1777, I was drafted out of the 8th class of the militia company to which I belonged to serve a tour of duty of 2 months. Captain John King commanded the company. The name of the Lieutenant I cannot recollect, but Elisha ?Goudy was our ensign. We rendezvoused at Hunterstown and from thence to York near our county town. We then went up the Susquehanna River and took 25 Tories and brought them to York. Congress was sitting in York Courthouse at the time. We then marched to Valley Forge and went on duty under Colonel Dunlap.” “We, one night, marched under his command from Valley Forge towards Schuylkill River, surprised the British, drove them over the river, got some plunder and returned to camp the next evening. A few days after, we went up the Schuylkill to catch Tories and Quakers carrying provisions to the British, and had frequent skirmishes with the British Light Horse. We were discharged after serving our full term of 2 months, but I got no written discharge.” “In December 1777, I volunteered in a company by Captain James Ervin, Lieutenant Daniel Monteith, ensign’s name not recollected. He again rendezvoused at Hunterstown, marched to York our county town, crossed the Susquehanna on the ice, and went to Valley Forge. We were put on severe duty and had frequent skirmishes with the British Light Horse. During this tour of duty, we were again under the command of the same Colonel Dunlap after we joined the army. We sometimes encamped at the _____ billet on or near ?Charmeny Creek. I well remember one night, a man come into camp and gave information that he had seen 6 British soldiers go into the house of a Tory and said if some men would go, they might be taken. I went with 12 or 15 men under some captain whose name I don’t remember. We reached the house, where we lighted, and the captain, with myself and another to try the house. I saw the ____ men laying before the fire and gave information to the captain. We took two rails, broke the front door and succeeded in capturing the whole six, together with the landlord and brought them to camp the same night. On this occasion, I served 2 full months in camp, besides the time spent in going and returning. I was discharged at Valley Forge and was paid for 3 months in Continental money. I got no written discharge.” “In the spring of the year 1781, I was employed by Joseph Parkinson’s company under General Clarke, as a blacksmith to aid in building boats to carry the troops down the river and ? his ___ up the Wabash and etc, in an expedition to surprise and take Detroit. I was engaged in this employ 3 months. In the fall of the year 1779 I moved from York County, Pennsylvania to Washington County, PA, in which I was employed as before stated, in building boats for General Clarke’s expedition. “In the spring of 1781 (having in the fall previous been elected a lieutenant in a company of Washington County militia commanded by Captain John Walls [or Mills] and having received a commission as such) I raised a party of volunteers to join Crawford’s campaign and marched with them to Mingo Bottom, where we joined Captain Thomas Rankin from Chartiers Creek in Washington County, who had about 20 men. Then, together with my party, consisting of 19 men formed a company of which Captain Rankin was elected captain, I was elected Lieutenant, and Hugh Forbes, ensign. Our company was under Colonel David Williamson, and the whole under Colonel Crawford. We marched to Upper Sandusky where our disastrous defeat is too well known to require repetition. We were absent on this tour of duty one month, and for that time I received pay as a lieutenant.” “In the fall of the same year, say August or September, I, as a lieutenant raised a company of volunteers and marched to the relief of Whirling Foot, which was besieged by about 300 Indians. They were gone before we got there, but we ascertained their numbers from two deserters who came in. I can’t recall precisely he length of this tour of duty, but I do know I was paid for 1 month as a lieutenant. My commission as a lieutenant has long since been lost.” “Some time after this, in December of the same year, a company of volunteers was raised to go to Sandusky against the Indians. Of this company, William T.? Barr was captain, I was lieutenant, and John Finley was ensign. The orders, were however, countermanded before we got to Pittsburg. We were engaged about 2 weeks altogether, including the time we were making preparations.” “About the year 1789 or 1790, I was elected captain of a Light Infantry company (with blue uniforms) at ?Ginger Hill in Washington County, and in or about harvest in the year 1791, I was drafted with my whole company to serve a tour on the frontiers at Ryerson’s Station. Some murders had been committed by the Indians and we were sent to protect the frontiers. This tour of duty was for one month, and I received my pay as captain for that tour. My captain’s commission is also lost.” “In the spring of the year 1792, a call was again made for volunteers to go against the Indians at Tuscarawas. I turned out and raised a part of a company, and afterwards united with another party, and I was elected captain of the company. The other captain whose name I forget, was chosen lieutenant, and Benjamin Parkeson, ensign. We marched to Tuscarawas and after serving out our time, we returned to Washington, where we were discharged by Doctor Absalom Baird, at that time county lieutenant, and I received my pay as a captain for 1 month. This last expedition was under the command of Colonel David Williamson.” “After I left York County, I continued to reside in Washington County till the year 1798, when I removed to Kentucky, where I resided in Nicholas County till March last when I returned to my old place of rendezvous in Washington County.” This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 7.6 Kb