On the 19th day of June 1834, personally appeared on Open Court before Judge of the Court
of Common Pleas now setting Alexander McClung, a resident of Hanover Township in that county
aforesaid and State aforesaid, aged Seventy one years on the 5th day of March last past,
who bing first 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 7th
1832. That he entered the service of the United States in the year 1777 on the last week in June
or first week in July under the following circumstances and under the following named officers
and served as hereinafter stated.
I lived at the time I entered the service in Baltimore County, Maryland and was generally
occupied in driving my father's team of horses and waggons from that place to Baltimore
and other places. About the first of July 1777 Ihauled a load of sugar and salt for Edward
Murry to Balitmore which load I delivered to the Consynee at Fell point in Baltimore. Soon
after I discharged my load myself and team . . . pressed into the Service of the United States
by Thomas Foard a forage Master in the Service by whom I was attached to the division Commander
by col. Darby Lun which consisted of five Companies under the following named Captains: Edward
Oldham, Joshua Rutledge, Joshua Miles, John C. Owens and William Harvey, which several
companies do officered marched in about 2 weeks from Balitmore to join the Regular Army under
Was;hington, on the Brandywine. We marched directly towards Philadelphia, myself and three
other teamsters who were also pressed into the Service in Baltimore hauling all the artillery,
stores and camp equipages. We did not form a juntion with the Main Army until the 5th day of
October following at germantown in Penn. which was the day after the Memorable battle at
that place. When we arrived at Germantown the day after the battle, I with my team, was
immediately engaged in hauling the wounded to the neighboring houses and barns which were
converted into Hospitals for the time being. I think I was detained with my team at and about
Germantown for about two months from which place about the first of December we were marched
by Gen. Washington across the Delaware River into the State of Jersey to a place which I
think was called Prospect Hill where the militia were discharged and the regulars went into
winter quarters. Myself and John Deal were detained in the Service of the Regulars and were
dispatached with our teams about the middle of December under the Command of forage Master
William Guinn of the Regulars, with a platoon of soldiers as a guard to each waggan, to the
North River for two heavy Cannon, each of which made a good loand for a team. I think we
brought these cannon from Saratoga in New York. On account of the great distance to be travelled,
the extreme severity of the weather and the interruptions of the enemy, we did not get back
with these Cannon until Spring. I think we were engaged about four months in this encursion.
When we arrived with the Cannon where the main rmy were encamped they were mounted on a floating
battery in the Delaware river. We remained with the Army at the place engaged in various
services until Some time in the Summer of 1778 when it was ordered to march to the South and
myself and Deal compelled to accompany it From New Jersey where we marched to Philadelphia
from thence to the Susquehana river thence direct to Baltimore thence to the Patapico where
Elliott mills now stands thence (I think) to Georgetown on the Potomac thence across Virginia
toward the Carolinas. I was taken with my waggon into North Carolina. We Scarcely ever knew
where we were going, it was our business to just follow the Army, Sometimes we would travel
one day in one direction and the next in a different direction so that we rarely knew our
destination and gave ourselves but little uneasiness on that point. The army had been seperated
into various divisions before we reached the Carolinas. Son after the detachment to which I was
joined reached Carolina, it being encamped, was attacked in the night and driven off by the
enemy with the loss of nearly all its baggage. As soon as the Camp was attacked, myself and
Deal hitched up our teams and started off in the night to Save our teams from being distroyed or
carried off. We remained in the neighbourhood until we learned the fate our our detachment and
then started for home in Baltimore Co., Maryland which place we reached about the first of
November being about one month after the rout of the Americans in Carolina.
When we arrived in Baltimore on our return we unloaded the little that remained in our waggons
at the magazine at Falls Point and then went directly home, having been out in the Service full
sixteen months. During all this time we were engaged continually either in hauling in provisions
from the Country under the forage Master or hauling the baggage for the army. When on march . . . I was born
in Baltimore County, State of Mariland (sic) in St. James parish, on the 5th day of March
1763. I have a record of my age in my family bible which record of my age and birth and baptism
was copied from Parish records of St. James Parish, Md. When called in to the Service i lived
where I was born and there I remained until the year 1811 when I removed to Washington County
Pennsylvania where I now reside. The manner in which I entered the Service I have before stated
viz I was pressed or forced into the Waggon Masyters department with my team and waggon. The 5th
obligatory is fully answered in . . . general statement I never received a discharge from
the Army. They leave to mention the following named persons as being acquainted with me who
can testify to my character for veracity and their belief of my Service as a Soldier of the
Revolution. James McFearan, Robert Brierly, Capt. John Fulton, Wm. McCreery, late of the House
of Representatives, Wm. Jones, James Poandfast, Esq., james Denning & others . . . The reason why
I have not produced a Clergyman to Certify for me is simply that the Rev. Elisha McCurdy who I
am picked to attend for me has not come to Court. He lives 2 1/2 miles from the County town
and perhaps found it inconvenient to attend. I know no person living who has a personal knowledge
of my Service. I have no documentary evidence to prove my Service. I never received any
compensation for all the Services I rendered the United States except one Shirt and one pair
of Shoes which were given me by forage Master Guinn. I drew my rations regularly on the
other Soldiers and God know sometimes they were poor enough.
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a fund in as annuity except the present and he declares
that the name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any State.
And the Said Court do hereby declare their opnion that the above named applicant was a
Revolutionary Soldier and Served as he states. I Thomas Officer Prothoustry of the
Court of Common Pleas in and for the County and State aforesaid do certify.