Morrison's Pensions

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Pension Application for Enos Morse

W.20264 (Wife Anna)
State of New York
Genesee County SS
            On this 6th day of February 1844 personally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas of the said county of Genesee, Anna Morse a resident of the town of Barre viz the County of Genesee and the State of New York aged seventy nine year, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7, 1838 entitled “An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows”.  That she is the widow of Enos Morse who was a Revolutionary War soldier and pensioner under the Act of 1818 and 1832 and for particulars of his services she must refer to his papers on file in the Pension Office as she cannot sufficiently state them.—She further states that she was married to the said Enos Morse on the twenty second day of April in the year seventeen hundred and eighty three in Windsor, Burkshire County, [?] by the Revd  Elialis Fisk—That she has a family Record which as hereunto annexed of her marriage and the birth of her children—That said Record is in the hand writing of her said husband Enos Morse and that the same has always been in her possession and that of her said husband—She further declares that he said husband died on the Sixth day of November 1838—That she was not remarried to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January seventeen hundred and ninety four, viz, at the time above stated.
(Signed Anna Morse)
            Sworn and Subscribed on the day and year above written in open Court before H.H. Carpenter Clerk of said County.

State of New York
Monroe County SS.
            Samuel Baldwin being duly sworn deposes and says that he resides in the town of  Riga and was acquainted with him during a part of the time of the Revolutionary War.  That in the year seventeen hundred & eighty one or two or some where about that period this deponent & the said Enos Morse both resided in the town of Windsor in the County of Berkshire and state of Massachusetts. 
            That this deponent recollects distinctly that some time in the course of the said last mentioned years of the people in the said town of Windsor with whom he & the said Morse were acquainted talking about the said Morse in relation to the campaign after he had returned home to Windsor—recollects of his telling him of Johnstown battle and of the circumstances of a Field piece having been taken from them by the enemy—and about their mistaking a company of British for a Company of Americans—and various other circumstances of the campaign—That since the revolutionary war this deponent and the said Morse have always lived in the neighborhood of one other, both having moved from the said town of Windsor to the said town of Riga much about the same time—and having always lived little farther than two miles apart during all that time—That to the best of deponents recollection while he resided in the said town of Windsor during the revolutionary war he has heard the neighbours talking of the said Morses former services in the war, besides his enlistment already mentioned—but it is such a length of time ago that this deponent has but a faint recollection of it—That during all the time this deponent has been acquainted with the said Morse, the said Morse has maintained a high character for veracity & respectability. (Signed) James Baldwin [The name Samuel is at the beginning of the deposition but signed by James.]
            Subscribed and sworn this sixth day of October 1832 before me.  J. Cutter, Cep. Clerk

State of New York
Monroe County SS.
            On this 16th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before Addison Garrison, Circuit Judge of the 8th Judicial Circuit of the State of New York & Joseph Tobley & Samuel Castle Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the said County of Monroe & State of New York, at a court of Oyer of Terminer holden at the court house in the village or Rochester in said county the day and year aforesaid, Enos Morse resident of the Town of Riga, in the said County aged seven one [means 71] years who first being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following Declaration inorder to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832.
            That he entered service in the United States service at the respective times & under the circumstances following viz.
            That in the forepart of August 1777 this applicant was drafted in the Town of Sturbridge, County of Worcester & State of Massachusetts to serve as a private for the term of six months—he was enrolled in a company commanded by Capt. Abel Mason, Lieut. Putney & Ensign Solomon; and served in a Regiment of the Militia Service commanded by Col. Cushing, Lieut one Rice, Majr Rann & Adgt Hale—the levy of men under which this applicant was drafted, was for the purpose of engaging in an expedition against Genl. Burgoyne—This applicant with his company, was immediately marched from the said Town of Sturbridge, to Northhampton, from thence to Bennington inVermont, thence to Pollett in said State, where they remained abought a fortnight in guarding that place against an anticipated attack from the Indians: from thence they marched to Skeenborough, Now White Hall, thence back to Pollett & from thence to Stilwater in the State of New York [blot] the day following their arrival the battle of Stilwater was fought—the attack was made about three o clock in the afternoon upon Morgan’s Riflemen, about a half of a mile from the main body of the American troops – they were reinforced from the main body from time to time until dark, where the enemy was repulsed—the next day the enemy pet up an occasional firing—but there was no general engagement—the object of the Americans was to draw the British into general battle, but they avoided it—This applicant was not called out until the following day, when he with his Regiment was pushed in front of the troops—to induce a general engagement—The British at length withdrew to Saratoga heights, where they remained surrounded by the Americans until the 17th of October, when Genl Burgoyne surrendered them—The prisoners were marched from thence to a place near Boston—This applicant with his Regiment was then marched to Albany, thence to White Plains in New York where he was verbally discharged the first of Decr 177700
            That on the  7th of June he 1778 this applicant enlisted at the said Town of Sturbridge into the Regular Service of the United States for the term of nine months, in a company commanded by Capt. Smith &^ Lieut. Ashnel Taylor the other officers of his company he is unable to state, & served in a Regiment of the Continental line, commanded by Col. Marshall—they marched to Springfield where they mustered—thence to West Point passing through [blot]sburg & Fishkill—the other places through which he passed he is unable to state—At West Point they joined Col. Putnam’s Regiment –but were soon transferred to Col. Marshall’s—he was also transferred from the company into which he enlisted to one commanded by Capt. Soper—here they were employed in building Fort Putnam, until the month of July, when they were marched to White Plains—here they were alternately engaged as scouts for about six months—they were then marched back to West Point where they were employed & the residue of the time in Garrison duty—this applicant was discharged at West Point on the 7th of March 1779 by his Col. Marshall—
            In the latter part of August or forepart of September 1780 this applicant again enlisted as a private at the said Town of Sturbridge in the Militia Service of the United States for the term of two months in a company commanded by Capt. Samuel Ely, the other officers he cannot state—he was marched to Providence in Rhode Island—here & in Warrickneck, they were employed about five weeks in guarding against the anticipated attack of the enemy. [Crossed out “After the evacuation of Newport”] then they marched to Newport after it was avacuated by the British  & here remained until said applicant was discharged, which was as he believes sometime in the month of November following his enlistment—
            This applicants company was attached to a Regiment of Regular Troops, commanded by Col. Jackson, until about three weeks before the expiration of his term of service, when the Regiment was marched to the south the residue of his term he was attached to no regiment.
            After said applicant was discharged he returned to Sturbridge & there remained until about the last of May 1781, when he again enlisted for the term of six months into a company of Regular Troops, commanded by Kibby Smitt, the other officers of this company he is unable to state and served in a regiment of regular troops commanded by Col. William Shepard & Majr Porter—the other field officers of said Regiment he cannot recollect nor does he its number.
            This applicant with others who enlisted was marched to Springfield in Massachusetts where they mustered—from thence to West Point passing by what was called Bull’s Iron Works, to Robinson’s Farm near West Point.—here he was enrolled in his said company and attached to his Regiment aforesaid—from this said applicant with his Regiment & other Troops to the number of about three thousand, commenced a line of March, for what was called the Jerseys, on an expedition to take Staten Island, then passed by the British,-- they crossed the North [Hudson] River at Kings Ferry & marched to a place a short distance before Orangetown in New Jersey—it was a march of three days—here the Troops occasionally moved to other places nearby—the names of which he is unable to state.—
            The design was to wait for a favourable opportunity to make an attack upon the British on Staten Island—Soon after their arrival from West Point General Washington with Troops stationed himself at Orangetown.
            This applicant with the other troops remained at their station [Crossed out “before Orangetown”] aforesaid until in the fall when they broke up for winter quarters—no particular object having been effected—[Crossed out “once the applicant was engaged in”] Nothing of note or of remembrance transpired or was effected during the time—once they took from the British at a place called Esther Bargin or Bergin about eighty loads of unthrashed wheat, raised by the Tories & cut & about to be harvested by the British—at one time the body of the troops were moved down to the Jersey Shore, to cross over & make an attack upon the British upon the Island & they remained there during most of the night & returned with out effecting any thing for the want of boats in which to cross—the could not attempt to cross, without Boats sufficient to land a thousand men at a time.—[Crossed out “In the fall”] General Lafayette who was in command of the Infantry & marched with the troops from West Point and was with them during their campaign in the Jerseys—He presented each of the troops with an ostrich feather as a mark of respect.  This applicant was discharged by his Captain at West Point the forepart of December 1780—This applicant then returned to his residence in Sturbridge and in the last of August 1782 in the town of Windsor County of Berkshire & State of Massachusetts he again enlisted in the militia service of the United States for the term of three months in an Company Commanded by Captain Samuel Clark—Lieutenant Holdrich & Ensign Hale.  He with his company immediately marched for Albany passing through Lanesborough in  Massachusetts & Green Bush in the State of New York—At Albany he remained about a fortnight for a band? Of fat cattle to drive up the river to Fort plain they then marched for the Fort with the Cattle passing through Schenectady & Fort Hunter above Schenectady—these are the only places which he can recollect through which they passed.  At this place they were engaged most of the time in building a fort.
            In the latter part of said applicants term there was an alarm that the British were on their march for Fort Stanwix—This applicant & troops about three hundred in number were immediately marched for Schenectady to intercept them—They soon learned however that the British had arrived at Johnstown—they then directed their course for that place—Here they found & engaged the enemy about seven hundred in number including Indians & Tories—The attack was commenced by a division of two hundred under the commanded of Colonel Wittell [Willett]—He was repulsed—This applicant was in a division of one hundred men under the command of Majr Rowley—they were employed in flanking the enemy when the attack was made by Colonel Wittell.
            This applicant’s division soon attacked the enemy in his rear—at this time Colonel Wittell’s division had been wholly repulsed & his men being young had retreated for the fort.
            The action soon became severe & lasted more than an hour—Major Rowley was wounded the second fine [time] but continued during the action to give orders & animate his men—notwithstanding the superior force of the enemy, they succeeded in repulsing him & taking about forty nine prisoners & a field piece taken from Colonel Wittell’s division—a short time before the close of the action Colonel Wittell returned with about twenty men & joined in the action—Soon after this applicants division made its attack he was ordered by his Captain to pass to a company supposed to be under the company of Captain Moody in Colonel Wittell’s division; and request him not to fire, as they were so situated that if they did this applicants division would receive their shots—He started & on approaching the company he called to an officer whom he supposed was Captain Moody & made the request—he was answered that Captain Moody was not there, but Butlers Rangers.  They immediately opened to the right & left & fired a field piece—The effect was only to turn this applicant about in the direction of his company with force as to give him a good [blot] but one his way back—It was a company of the enemy who were in possession of a Field piece taken before from Colonel Wittells division—this was the first intimation they had that Colonel Wittell was not in the field or had retreated –The attack by this applicant’s division was  sometime continued supposing they were assisted by Colonel Wittell—This applicant with a pass of his company went with the prisoners to Albany.  There the applicant was verbally discharged by his Captain—He was not attached to any regiment in this term of service.  Colonel Wittell was the superior officer in command aided by Major Rowley.  That he has no documentary evidence of his said services—and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services, except Samuel Baldwin of the town of Riga in said county who can as he believes testify that he entered in upon his last term of service.
            That sometime on the forepart of the year 1817 the particular time he is unable state he applied for Pension under the Act of Congress of the 18th of March 1818 & was placed upon the Pension Roll but has been struck there from on account of property.—This date of his Pension certificate is the 24th day of Sept. 1819—that said applicant at the time of his application resided in the Town of Riga county of Genesee, but now Monroe—
            And hereupon the Court performed & put unto said applicant the respective Interrogatories prescribed by the War Department who upon his oath aforesaid, makes answer thereunto, as follows.
The first Interrogatory—He says that he was born in the Town of Sturbridge, County of Worcester State of Massachusetts the 15th day of Apl 1761.
To the 2d  He says that he has a record of his age in his family Bible in his possession.
To the 3d He says the respective time, he entered the service as aforesaid he was living in the said Town of Sturbridge County of Worcester & State of Massachusetts, Except his last term of service when he was living in the Town of Windsor County of Berkshire & State of Massachusetts—That since his revolutionary services he has lived, in the said Town of Windsor & in the said Town of Riga where he now lives—
To the 5th  He says he can recollect (besides those hereinbefore names as officers under whom he served) the names of Generals Gates, Patterson, Glover, & Niscon, Cols. Bigalow, Putnam & Nixon who were officers of the Regular Troops, where he served his four months at Stilwater & elsewhere as aforesaid—Cols. Bushing & Rice & Majr Rann of the Militia Troops, Captains Smith, Goodale & Bension of the Regular Troops, where he served his nine months term—Capt. Hoodany of the Regular Troops of his six months service in the Jerseys—Capt. Moody Lieut Williams & Adj Tootter of this three months service at Fort Plain –That there were no officers that he can now recollect which he has not—named with Troops where he served his two months term in Rhode Island.
To the 4th (hereinbefore omitted) He says he was called into the Service in the manner as he has hereinbefore stated in his said Declaration.
To the 6 He says he received a discharge of his nine months service signed he thinks by Col. Marshall--& also for his six months service in the Jerseys: which was signed by his Captain Kilby Smith—the Col. being absent as he understood on a furlough—he does not recollect of receiving a written discharge for any other period of his service—that said Discharges are now lost or destroyed.
To the 7th He says that the names of persons to whom he is known in his present neighbourhood who as he believes can testify when character for veracity & their belief of his services in the Revolution are [blot] Baldwin, James Turner, Henry Brewster, Joseph Emmerson, Ira Althup, & Samuel C. Baldwin—That he cannot state the circumstances of his services in the Revolutionary War, any further then as hereinbefore stated—
            And the said applicant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a person or annuity except the present and Declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll (as a person in the receipt of a Pension of the agency of any State.
(Signed Enos Morse)
            Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid.  J. Cutter, Dep. Clerk

Letter in the pension application folder
October 5, 1936
Mrs. Kenneth B.  Marsh
12 Livingston Avenue
Jamestown, New York
Dear Madam:
            Reference is made to your request for information relative to Enos Morse, Revolutionary War soldier who died in Elba, New York, in 1838.
            The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in the pension claim, W.20264, based upon the revolutionary War service of Enos Morse.
            He was born April 15, 1761, at Sturbridge, Massachusetts.  The name of his parents were not given.
            While living in Sturbridge he enlisted and served as private with the Massachusetts troops as follows: from August 13, 1777, until November or December, 1777, in Captain Abel Mason’s company in Colonel Job Cushing’s regiment and was at the surrender of Burgoyne: from June 7, 1772, until March 7, 1779, in Captains Smith’s, Soper’s and William Warner’s companies in Colonel Thomas Marshall’s regiment; from June, August or September, 1780, until November or December, 1780, in Captains John Kilby Smith’s or Samuel Ely’s companies in Colonel Jackson’s regiment.  While living in ?Windsor, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, he served from July 18, 1781, until November 2, 1781 in Captain Samuel Clark’s Massachusetts company and was in the battle of Johnstown.
            [In handwriting at the bottom of the page: “Under service shown in Mass. State report see ‘? Soldiers & sailsors’ which shows his living in BerkshireCo. In 1781.  From his description of marches it was during this enlistment that he was in battle Johnstown.  Solider was much confused in 1832, statement of enlistment & historical facts.”]  
This letter ends here, the rest is missing.
January 29, 1920
Mrs. Clyde Beebe,
617 Pipestone Street
Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Madam:
            In addition in the military history of Enos Morse W. File No. 20,264 Revolutionary War you are furnished the following data as to his children:
           

            Very respectfully,
            GM. Saltzgabe, Commissioner

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