Nicholas Myers served along side
John Weaver in 1780. His testimony on behalf of John Weaver was
instrumental in John receiving his pension. Nicholas deposition
provides yet another view of the events involving the 4th
Regiment of the Tryon County Militia (New York). It is a colorful
and interesting account of Nicholas’s service in the Mohawk
Valley during the Revolutionary War. The following are selected
excerpts from Nicholas’s pension file.
Revolutionary War Pension File (W.18546):
State of New York
County of Oswego
On this nineteenth day of September in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine personally appeared
in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas for the County
of Oswego now sitting Nicholas Myers a resident of the said County
of Oswego and the State of New York aged eighty years in the month
of January next who first being duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the
benefit of the pension 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.
That in the month of May 1777 being then in his Eighteenth
year he resided in the County of Herkimer and State of New York
and volunteered to serve in the Militia of said State - that he
was induced to volunteer from the entreaties of Captain Harter
and Ensign Bellinger - That the Regiment into which he volunteered
to serve were in garrison at Fort Dayton - The commanding officer
was General Herkimer - the name of his Colonel was Peter Bellinger
- that of his Lieutenant Colonel was Frederick Bellinger - that
of the Major was Klappsattle - that of his Captain was Harter
and that of his Ensign was ["John" inserted] Bellinger,
["the latter’s christian name he does not now recollect"
was struck through with a single line]. Some of the Privates in
his Company whose names he now remembers were John Dochstater,
Peter Dochstater, Christopher Belinger, Philip Harter + Jacob
Weaver - The name of his Serjeaut was [Melgar? probably referring
to Melchoir] Foltz.
That Genl Herkimer returned from the Battle
of Oriskany which he thinks occurred early in August 1777 with
his leg fractured by a Musket Ball received in that Battle - that
the General’s leg was afterwards amputated - he believes
that the Genl remained at the Fort only during
one night and was then removed to his residence on the Mohawk
River about 8 (eight) miles below the Fort and about 2 miles below
little falls, and where he believes the Genl
subsequently died of his wounds - Major Klappsattle was killed
in the Battle of Oriskany and Lieut. Col. Fred Bellinger was taken
prisoner - That Col. Peter Bellinger was their next Commanding
Officer at the Fort. - Deponent was not present at the Battle
of Oriskany but was left behind with others to guard the Fort.
that after the above mentioned Battle this deponent with
the Rest of the troops remained in garrison at Fort Dayton under
the Command of Col. Peter Bellinger, Captain Harter being still
the Captain of his Company - That some time in August of 1778
(this deponent still doing military duty at Fort Dayton) a large
detachment of Tories and Indians, amounting in number to seven
hundred as the deponent was then told + believes, under Joseph
Brant arrived in the neighborhood of the Fort - they committed
great depredations, burning the houses, barns + the crops for
two or three miles around - he thinks there was but one person
in the neighborhood who was killed, and he was a farmer - That
a Scouting party consisting of three men one of whom was deponents
brother were sent out from the Fort to ascertain the number of
the enemy +c ["+c" may mean etc.?] only one of whom
returned in safety to the Fort - his name was Helmer - deponents
brother’s name was John Myers - There were then in garrison
at the Fort only about Sixty regular militia men and about twelve
friendly Indians as well as he can recollect - Owning to this
disparity of forces they dared not go out of the Fort to meet
the enemy - That after destroying the houses, barns +c in the
County around, Brant and his troops left taking with them all
the cattle and provisions they could find.
That in June of the year 1779 as this deponent verily believes
the militia of Fort Dayton had a skirmish with a party of White
and Indian Tories numbering in all about Sixteen men - the Skirmish
took place on West Canada Creek about one mile from the Fort -
the circumstances of which were these viz:
Four men, three women and a boy had gone that day from the
Fort to Squire Foltz’ Farm distance about two miles from
the Fort - that this deponent stood on guard as sentry at the
Fort and in the Afternoon of that day heard firing in the direction
of the Farm - that he asked permission of the Ensign (Bellinger)
to go out to the assistance of the men and women, which being
granted he ran out towards them - that when he came in sight he
saw the Indians busy scalping the women, and he seeing their number
too great to approach too near, stood at a distance and fired
on them - that soon about ten men came rushing out of the Fort
and this deponent with them advanced on the Enemy who then retreated
and finally escaped - not one of them was either Killed or taken
prisoner - that two women were scalped, one of whom was dead when
the militia came on the ground - the other afterward recovered
and lived - the husband of the last mentioned woman whose name
was Dornbergher + who was one of the four men who went out to
the farm was taken prisoner by the enemy - All the others returned
to the Fort unhurt. The woman who was scalped and recovered was
scalped by her own brother who was among the enemy.
[This next section refers to the period during which both
Nicholas Myers and John Weaver served together]
That from the time of the last skirmish above mentioned
until january of 1780, he remained at Fort Dayton doing military
duties under the same officers above mentioned - that early in
said month of January he enlisted and was sworn into the Boat
Service on the Mohawk River for one year - that he was sworn in
by Doctor Peytrie a Physician and Surgeon and also at that time
an acting Justice of the Peace - he firmly believes that Dr. Peytrie
was than also the Surgeon to the Army at Fort Dayton - That the
duty of the boat men was to carry provisions, stores +c. from
Schenectady to Forts Stanwix, Plain, Dayton and Herkimer - Most
of the provisions were conveyed to Ft. Stanwix - he thinks there
were 16 boats in all on the Mohawk River during the year 1780,
though he does not Remember that they were all actively engaged
at any one time – the Commander of the Boatmen was Captain
Samuel Grey - the Lieutenants’ name was Peter
Keyser –
and Andrew Grey brother to the Capt. was Serjeant - that late
in the fall what month he does not now remember, the Boats were
frozen in the River while they were at Oriskany, but afterwards
the ice broke up and they took the boats down to Schenectady -
that at the last mentioned place when the whole Company of Boatmen
were together the Captain told them to go home, saying that they
were dismissed until they should receive further orders - that
he then returned to Fort Dayton and remained there doing military
duty as theretofore under the officers already mentioned until
the Spring of the Year 1781 - that he was not after his dismission
at Schenectady as aforesaid again ordered out to do duty in the
Boat Service - he believes that the United States Soldiers themselves
after the Year 1780 acted as Boatmen on the Mohawk River - He
received no written discharge, no other discharge than the verbal
one at Schenectady already mentioned - and he has no documentary
evidence of the Boat service being rendered by him.
That in the Spring of the Year 1781 this deponent removed
from Ft. Dayton with his Mother, Sister and Brother to Claverack
about 3 miles East of Hu[dson?] - that never having received
a written discharge from further service at Fort Dayton he has
no documentary evidence of the service rendered thereat, but he
believes there are two surviving soldiers of the Revolution whose
names are Jacob Weaver and Peter Dochstater residents of Jefferson
County whom he can procure to testify to the said service.
That in the month of October 1781 as well as he can now
remember and while residing at Claverack he called out with the
militia of that place to march up to Caughnawaga - they were commanded
by Genl. Robt. Van Rensselaer. - his Colonels name was Henry Van
Rensselaer and his Captains name was John Philips - they were
marched up to Caughnawaga to repel an invasion of the enemy under
Col. Butler and Major Ross - they were absent from home he thinks
two weeks - The Battle had taken place at Johnstown before their
arrival, and at Caughnawaga they were ordered to return home.
That after the last mentioned expedition in the same year
he was called out with the Militia of Claverack + Kinderhook and
marched as far as Stillwater to repel the British at Ticonderoga
- that he with about one half of the Regiment went only to Stillwater
and remained there under the Command of Major [Aoes?] of the Kinderhook
Militia while Genl. Robert Van Rensselaer advanced a head to Ticonderoga
with the other half - that they had no battle with the Enemy with
the enemy [yes, its written twice] during this expedition - that
they returned home after an absence of about fourteen days - That
the Expedition to Ticonderoga was the last service in which he
was engaged - that he remained residing in Claverack about one
year when he removed to Kinderhook where he lived about seven
years; whence he moved back to Herkimer County where he lived
about 20 years - that he moved thence to Sawyerfield Oneida County
where he lived about 22 years whence he moved to Oswego County
where he now lives + has lived for about 10 years,
Deponent has no record of his age - but he has been informed
and truly believes that he was born in the Town of Herkimer in
Herkimer County in the year 1760. –
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension
or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name
is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State.
Nicholas Meyers
Sworn to and subscribed the day
and year Aforesaid before me. D.H. Marsh Clerk
Oswego County We Edmund Hawks + Simon J. Vrooman residing
in the County of Oswego hereby certify that we are well acquainted
with Nicholas Myers who has subscribed and sworn to the above
declaration. - that we believe him to be eighty 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.
Edmd Hawks
Subscribed + sworn to the day + year aforesaid Simon J.
Vrooman
before me.
D.H. Marsh Clerk
State of New York
C[?] County
Nicholas G. Weaver being duly sworn maketh oath saith that
he is well acquainted with Nicholas Myers who has applied for
a pension and has been acquainted with him from his youth [?]
- that in the winter of 1778 said Nicholas Myers went as a soldier
under Capt Harter in company with this deponent from Fort Dayton
to Rome to guard a drove of cattle to that Fort this service [?]
no enemys.
That in August 1878 [error meaning 1778] said Myers went
also as a soldier in company with this deponent from Fort Dayton
to Rome to guard a drove of cattle to that [stature?] under Lieutenant
Weaver -
That in December 1778 said Nicholas Myers performed a similar
service under Capt Helmer these two last services lasted six days
each
that in January 1780 said Nicholas Myers performed a similar
service and Nicholas Myers having the command of the detachment
- this service lasted six days -
That in the Summer of 1780 said Nicholas Myers was employed
as a soldier (Corporal) to guard some goats up the Mohawk River
from Schenectady to Rome - This was in General Van Rensselaers
Expedition up the Mohawk - This service lasted four days at least
-
That in 1781 said Nicholas Myers was in siad service as
a soldier + ordered from [Claverack ?] up the Mohawk and actually
marched up to Caughnowaga where the detachment was dismissed -
This ervice was performed under Capt Miller Gen [Gansevoort?]
- This service lasted nine days -
In the same year said Nicholas Myers was in the service
of the United States + went from Claverick to Stillwater. this
service lasted thirteen days. Miller was Captain + Van Rensselaer
Gen -
Capt Harter [Commant?] at Fort Dayton in the years 1778
– 9 – 80 –
This deponent further saith that said Nicholas Myers was
in the service of the United States at Fort Dayton under Captain
Harter - as a soldier - and performed service as such during the
years 1778, 1779 + 80
That Capt Harters company during these years consisted in
part of aged + decrepit men and in part of young + athletic men
among the latter was the said Nicholas Myers and that a very large
part of the duty to be performed by soldiers in said county was
performed by the younger class - the [?] said Nicholas Myers was
busy those years engaged in [?] service a far greater portion
of the time than the average service of the whole company - but
the particulars of which this deponent cannot more definitely
state - that the roll wa regularly called morning and evening
in Fort dayton during those years and all soldiers required to
be present who were not absent on duty -
Nicholas G. Weaver
Sworn before me Feby 11th 1837
[?] Watson Williams
[?] 5th Circuit N.Y.
