Pension: Charles DeQuasie - Rev. War Contributor: Amber Dalakas Nelson County, Virginia ----------------------------------------------- Number R2896 - French Service State of Virginia and County of Nelson, to-wit: On this 15th day of February 1834 personally appeared before me James Woods, Jr., a Justice of the peace, in and for the County aforesaid. Charles Dequisie a resident of the County of Nelson and State of Virginia aged eighty one years the 15th day of June last past who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832. That he was a solider in the Frency Army at (Mcleans?) in the war between France and Great Brittain that after the termination of that conflict in the latter part of the year of 1776 or the first of the year of 1777, Count Destine who was the French Commander in that war; together with all his troops and vessels went to the aid of the Americans in their Revolutionary war with Great Brittain; the service they first performed was a (coarting?) one which had for its object the interception of the land and naval forces of Great Brittain with a view to prevent a communication between them in the fall of 1778. They landed in Savannah, South Carolina, and attacked the British Army and after a severe battle the British was beaten and a great many of them taken prisoner and taken charge of by the American Militia. He recollects to have seen General Marion there upon his arrival which was shortly after the battle; in that battle Count Destine was wounded in his leg and it was amputated by the seargeants. They then went on their vessels and sailed for France whence they arrived in the winter 1778;9. On that occasion he was in the American service not less than one year and a half to the best his recollection. On the 12th of May 1779 they set sail again from France under the command of Count DeGrafs the French Commander; and on the 19th of August the same year landed in new port State of Rode Iland where Count (DeRuchambo?) took command of the French land forces and DeGrafs continued to command the fleet, from thence they marched to Profidence from thence to Peaks Hill where there was some small skirmishing with some troops commanded by General (Arnote?), from thence to New York where they stayed some time from thence to Phillidelphia where they stayed a while from thence to Baltimore where they stayed sometime from thence towards Virginia about fifty miles and encamped a while from thence to Annapolice where they stayed a while and then went on board the fleet commanded by Count DeGrafs from thence they sailed for York and landed there some in Hampton some in James River Bay and some in Goucester then they marched to York where they stayed (canonading?) and bombarding and being (canonaded?) and bombarded until Cornwallace surrendered which was in October 1781. They then went to old Williamsburg where they were quartered untill the spring following and his term of enlistment having expired and he being determined not to return to France left the Army and has lived in Virginia ever since in that town he was in t American service not less than one year and a half to the best of his recollection, that his services in aid of the Americans in the Revolution in all was not less than three years to the best of his recollection; and for those service he claims a pension that in the whole of those services he was a Private. He has no documentary evidence of his services nor does he know of any one now living by whom he can prove them. His pay was nine pence a day. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state or territory. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid. his Charles (X) DeQuisie mark Questions by the Magistrate: 1st - Where and in what year was you born I was born in France as I have been told in a village called Champania _____ day of June 1752. 2nd - Have you any record of your age and if so where is it I have none 3rd - Where were you living when called into the service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live I was in the French Army at Orleans when called into the American service after the Revolution I went to the County of Caroline in the State of Virginia where I lived about 16 years and then to (Whi____n?) where I stayed about three years from thence to Goochland where I lived about seven years from thence to Amherst County where I lived till (release?) was taken from that County and have lived in Nelson County ever since and now living in Nelson County. 4th - Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it I never did because I did not apply for any for fear if I did I would be taken to France 5th - How were you called into service were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom I was a regular in the French Army that aided the Americans in their Revolution 6th - State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service The French General was (Rochanbo?) my Colonel was Otville and my Major John (Briyer?) and I belonged to the 8th regiment of French regulars I recollect to have seen Washington and Lafayette and other officers at the seige of York who whose names I do not recollect. I know nothing of the number of any Regiment in the American Army and the general circumstances of our services are set forth in my declaration as well as any recollection would admit. 7th - State the names of persons in your present neighbourhood to whom you are known who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution. Inquire of John H. and James H. Rodes We John H. Rodes and James H. Rodes residing in the neighbourhood of Charles Dequisie who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the said Charles Dequisie that we believe him to be eighty one years of age that he is a man of veracity and of respected and believed in his neighbourhood to have been a soldier of the Revolution and we concur in that opinion sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. /s/ James H. Rodes /s/ John H. 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