MOSES HARRIS PENSION APPLICATION S13295
DECLARATION OF MOSES HARRIS
16 August 1832
In order to obtain the benefit of
The Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832
State of New York
Ss
Warren County
On this sixteenth day of August 1832 personally appeared before me Hiram Barber one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said County of Warren, Moses Harris a resident of the town of Queensbury County of Warren & State of New York aged eighty-five years on the 19th day of November 1831 who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated, to wit that he entered in the month of October 1775 into Capt. Kinney company (he believes Col Humphrey Regm.) of Minute Men, that he was out on alarms and scouting parties through the country as far as Livingston Manner and then plans discerning the Tories and securing the prosperity of the whigs for a large proportion of the time until Sept. 1776 at which time he entered as a substitute in to a Company of State Troops under the command of Capt. Ebenezer Heusted (said to be Col Sanders Regt.) and was appointed first or orderly Sergeant therein, that he immediately marched to Poughkeepsie and embarked on board a sloop and sailed to Fort Montgomery, from there to Fort Constitution an was there stationed under the command of Lieut Coll John Bailey until discharged which was in the month of December following. That he immediately returned to his residence and after remaining home nearly one week, he enlisted into a company of State Troops under the command of Capt. William Mead, and was appointed first or orderly Sergeant therein and was attached to Coll Humphrey’s Regiment that immediately after his enlistment he marched to Fish Kill Dutchess County, N.Y. from there to Croton River and thence to White Plains Westchester County, N.Y at which or near sail last named place he was stationed during his term of service and was occasionally sent out with scouting parties to New Rochelle. Rodmons Ferry & Bronx River and that at one time while out under the command Coll Henry Van Rensselaer and when near Kingsbridge they had a skirmish with a party of British Cavalry killed two men, and succeeded in engaging away about twenty cows. That his term of service for which he enlisted having expired in the Latter part of April 1777 he was discharges and returned to his residence a few days before stores were destroyed in Danbury, Vermont.
That he was employed in the secret service of the United States by Major Brinton Paige in the month of February 1781. That he went as far north as Kingsbury, Washington County, N.Y. that while there he fell in company with a party of Tories and feigning himself with them in sentiment he obtained their confidence, and was entrusted with packages to carry from one post to another, all of which was first submitted to General Schuyler. That he obtained information that the enemy were marching from Canada by the way of Ticonderoga and Canada Route the former under command of General St. Ledger and the later command of General Powel that he made a statement of their movements as near as he could ascertain. And with a package on the same subject, from Canada to the Tories went to Easton Washington County NY before he could find a man that he can entrust with them he then employed Mr. John Fish to carry them to General Schuyler in Albany NY. That General Schuyler after perusing said report and documents contained in the said package. Sent for him to devise some means to have a letter taken to the Governor of Canada, That General Schuyler then wrote a letter super scribed and directed to General Washington. Congratulating him with the news of the destruction of Rodney’s fleet and stating that by calling in General Starks Brigade he might have spent several more regiments for the invasion of Canada and other circumstances calculated to deceive the Enemy, that he immediately returned to Kingsbury and then engaged a Tory who held a commission under the Government of Great Britain to transmit the same to Canada as a price on an intercepted letter, on the reception of which as he was informed by the bearor of the communication, the Governor immediately countermanded his order and directed the troops to Return. That he continued in said service until the month of October following.
That the whole time for which he served was about two years and two months vis as a minute man from October 1775 until September 1776 – 11 months As first Sergeant in the State Troops from September 1776 (two terms of Inlistment until April 1777 seven Months. And as a spy & agent from February 1781 until October following Eight months.
That the time of his enlistment and during the Revolutionary War his residence was in the Town Amenia County of Dutchess and State of New York – that soon after the close of the War he removed in to the Town of Queensbury, County of Washington (now Warren) State of New York where he now resides.
That he has no documentary evidence (that he formerly had a letter from General Schuyler acknowledging his service as a Spy and thanking him for the same, and also a letter from Hon. John Taylor formerly Lieut. Governor of the State of New York on the same subject – That they were transmitted to Congress with a petition for a pension in the year 1826 or 27 which petition to the aided to the knowledge of this deponent been acted on nor the papers returned) that he knows of no person who can testify to his service.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state or territory
Interrogation by the Judge
1st Where and what year were you born.
Answer. I was born in the Town of Goshen, County of Litchfield State of Connecticut on the 8th day of November (old stile) 1746.
2nd Have you any record of your age, if so, where is it.
Answer. There was a record of my age in my Father’s Bibble, which is supposed to be now in the possession of my sister in Indiana.
3rd Where were you living when called into the service, where have lived since the Revolutionary War, & where do you now reside.
Answer. At the time that I enlisted I lived in the Town Amenia, County of Dutchess, State of New York & soon after the close of the War I moved in to the Town of Queensbury, County of Warren, and State of New York, where I now reside.
4th How were you called into service.
Answer. I entered service as a Volunteer the first term of service the 2nd I entered as a substitute of a man by the name Sinebunow.
5th State the names of some of the Regulation officers who were with the Troops where you served such Continental & Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the General circumstances of your services.
Answer. I can recollect Capt. Kinney, Heusted & Mead. Major Brinton Paige Coll. Humphrey, Baily & Van Rensselaer & General Schuyler.
6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service.
Answer. Yes sir. A Verbal one only no written one was ever given me
7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity. And therein belief of your services as a soldier in the Revolution.
Answer. Elder William Grant Palmer Jenkins.
Sworn to and submitted the day and year aforesaid before me
Hiram Barber a Judge Moses Harris
of Warren County Court
We William Grant a clergyman residing in the Town of Bolton, County of Warren, N.Y. and Palmer Jenkins residing in the town of Queensbury County of Warren NY hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Moses Harris who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration & that we believe him to be Eighty five years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the Neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Hiram Barber a Judge Wm Grant
Of Warren County Court Palmer Jenkins
And the said Judge does hereby certify and declare that it is his opinion after the investigations of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served with the States. And I further certify that from any acquaintances & knowledge of the bodily infirmities of the above named applicant. I believe him to be unable to attend upon the Court of Common Pleas of this county.
And I further certify that William Grant who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the town of Bolton, in the county of Warren, and that Palmer Jenkins who ha also signed the same is a resident of the Town of Queensbury and is a ????? person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Hiram Barber a Judge of Warren County
transcribed by Tom Lynch, Collections Manager
(c) 2024. Warren County New York Historical Society.
contact: [email protected]
Source: MOSES HARRIS S13295
National Archives Revolutionary War Pension Application
Warren County NY Historical Society, 50 Gurney Lane, Queensbury, NY 12804
Phone: 518-743-0734