State of New York, county of Saratoga [?] On the fourth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in Open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Saratoga, now setting David R. Bogert a resident of the Town of Malta in the County of Saratoga aforesaid aged 70 years or will be 70 years of age on the 3rd day of February Next. who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his Oath Make the following declaration, in Order to Obtain the benefits of the act of congress past June 7th 1832.
David R. Bogert being duly sworn doth depose +[and] say that he
was born in the city of New York on the 3d of February 1763 as
will appear by his family record kept by his father until near
his decease in 1814. a record of which may also be found in the
Books of the Reformed Dutch church in New York That he is
now a resident of the town of Malta in Saratoga County. New York
+ in the 70th year of his age doth on his oath make the following
declaration. General Washing having retreated thro New Jersey
was followed by the British Army Hessians +c[etc]. In 1776.. there
was a considerable number of People of New Jersey took part with
the British. Many took protections + others were formed into regiments
and companies. A considerable number of people of Hackensack where
the deponent then resided were so formed under the command of
Col. Buskirk. When the Hessians were taken at Trenton. a
Spirit of resistance seemed to revive amongst the people, a company
was then formed at Hackensack out of the inhabitants who remained
true to Whig principles. + began to serve as long as their services
were required + most of those who escaped the various casualties
of a soldier's life did continue to serve till the end of the
war in 1783. Whether there was then a regular enlistment deponent
does not know. But thinks the company chose the officers John
Outwater was Captain Adam Boyd Lieut. Abraham Allen Ensign deponent
then /the commencement of 1777 + in the 15th year of his age/joined
that company + served with it at Hackensack + vicinity as a volunteer
not being then subject to do military duty by law. The company
were employed in guarding Hackensack. The little ferry. Pollevey.
Moonachje. And in scouting parties between the Hackensack and
Hudson Rivers. The English neighborhood. The liberty pole. Forts
Lee to Bergen + near Powles Hook where the English maintained
a garrison during the whole war/ except a few hours in 1779 August
16th when our army took it./ in the year 1779. The early parts
of the year neither day nor month recorded the company again engaged
to serve the country but whether they were considered as continentals
or state troops deponent does not know. The company then chose
Abraham Hugsman for Ensign and the Captain (Outwater) appointed
deponent a Corporal and the following day deponent acted as Corporal
+ continued so to act till he was taken prisoner in a skirmish
at Bergen. + after his exchange in December & assuming his
duties in the company he continued so to act till sometime in
February following and here deponent remarks that Captain
Outwater's company was completely isolated and acted during these
thrice years independently of all other troops as he thinks and
believes. Lord Cornwallis came up with 15,000 men + lay in the
vicinity several weeks. Still this company tho' actively engaged
in various military duties were not in company with continental
troops + when in 1778 Lord Cornwallis with 7000 men came
thro' Hackensack + went 5 miles southwest to the Passaic River
+ then returned and lay 3 weeks at the new bridge. Although the
regiment of militias composing all the militia of Bergen county
under Col. Teunis Dey were called out Col. Malcolm with the 5th
New York regiment came to Paramus + Col. Bailers regt of Light
Dragoons had lain there part of the summer + although major
(name forgot) with some men from Somerset were sent to Hackensack
+ Brigadier General Hurd with some militia and an old iron 9 pr.
came into the place in pursuit of parts of Cornwallis' army. Still
our orders were received from Capt. Outwater in 1779 Capt
Blanche commanded a company Capt Romain another Capt Hopper another.
North of Hackensack extending their services to Tappan Col. Febiger
with the Regt. Virginians lay there also. + the North Carolina
line at Paramus 9 miles west. These last kept a guard at the little
ferry which was taken by the English troops + which found Serjt.
Smith and some others he knew prisoners in the sugar house in
1779. The deponent further declares that during those 3 years
he does not know that Capt. Outwater received any orders from
any of the continental officers which laid at Hackensack or the
vicinity or from Col. Dey who commanded the militia regt. of Bergen
County. But that on an occasion of executing 2 felons the sheriff
Boyd called out the posse comitatus being apprehensive of a rescue
by the British parties in the vicinity. Our company formed part
of it + had previously guarded the goal on another occasion the
major of Col Bailers Regt named Clough commander in the absense
of Col Bailer. The quartermaster of the Regt pressed a quantity
of grain at the house of a farmer named Berry for the use of the
regt + Berry took out a writ for the Q master + Clough refused
leave to the sheriff to execute the writ, the sheriff called out
the posse when the regt of militia assembled and our company were
also assembled to assist the sheriff on but good men in the place
interfered + the major allowed the writ to be served. The major
was soon after killed when the regt was massacred at Tappan. The
deponent further declares that in 1779. he drew rations of flour,
pork/ whisky till he was taken prisoner and on $8.00 as one month's
pay. + that was all the compensation he ever received except that
the state of New Jersey had since the war paid him for his musquet
+ accruements taken with him deponent resided a few months
during 1780 at Kinderhook + then at Preakness near the headquarters
of General Washington where he joined the militia company of Cap
Mead Col Dey's regt and with them went on the lines 17th where
Cap Ward was building a second blockhouse on the spot that General
Wayne had unsuccessfully attempted to take in 1780 and after some
fighting drove him on board his gallies on the North River and
demolished the blockhouse while on the lines deponent was
detached with a party + served under Capt Hopper during
the last year of the war the deponent returned to Hackensack +
under the command of Cap Outwater but cannot say how long he served.
That he has resided in New York Dutchess County New York + Malta
since the war. Deponent further says that after the law had passed
under which he claims a pension he went to Hackensack + after
much inquiry found that Capt Outwater was dead + had left no papers
Ensign Houseman is dead. Lieut. Boyd being sheriff never
had any of the company papers + of all the men with whom
he served and who retained their memory of his services Sylvester
Maurice and Henry Berdand are all that are left and only 3 others
are living 2 of whom are entirely childish and Liet Boyd now 86
years old and now very sick emphatically said my dear sir you
and your family have suffered everything and if anything can be
got you ought to have it but how can you expect that I/ 86 years
old and nearly in the grave should remember your services. Deponent
further says these services were rendered 53 years since meaning
the most recent of them and his own memory being impaired by a
long service and fit of sicknesses as well as by time and usual
occurrences that take place in 55 years of a man's life. He has
not been able to remember many of the events of his military life
but there was little rest for the soldiers of that period
deponent further says that he has recently been informed that
Ensign John Terhune who commanded the party when deponent was
taken is living near Detroit + deponent further says that when
taken by Buskirk's regt he was carried into N York before Major
General Patterson then British Command in N York + in this street
he was separated from his companion John Losier (who was taken
with him) he was sent to the provost kept by Cunningham + deponent
to the sugar house kept by Serjt Hutton + that he has not been
able to find a man living of 300 who were confined there at that
time.
And further the Deponent says that the Company held their headquarters
in Hackensack + never were encamped nor were the Militia Reg't
or even the Continental Light Horse or Foot Regiments or parties-it
was not the fashion in those days. They laid in houses + barns
in woods + Swamps + open fields on the ground-The Company generally
maintained a guard at the Little ferry + in the Town + gererally
a party were scouting toward Powles Hook-parties of the Enemy
often came up from Pawles Hook + Sometimes other places + plundered
the place-one party burnt the house of the Sheriff and the Court
House- an other party came to Moonachie and killed three of our
Citizens + wounded three others + were repulsed by a part of our
Company in which I was-another came to the same place + were again
repulsed by our Company I was there then
10 of the Company with Lieut. Boyd were sent to surprize the British
picquet of Lord Cornwallis in 1778. + when we came into the guard
house (Tenpenny school house) we found it empty. Col. Burr
had taken the pickets without firing + carried them away and the
Enemy seemed then not to know their picket was taken. It is impossible
for Deponent at this distance of time to remember the various
skirmishes in which he was engaged with parts of his own + other
companies. Silvester Maurice. Henry Denny- James Chappel. Abraham
Allen. Peter Allen. Morris East + others were wounded and others
were wounded also but their names forgot.
If it is required that Deponent should name officers whom he knew
it would make a long list-Lieut. Warsenfeld. Bagley. +Freligh
were Schoolmates- he knew most of the officers of the N. York
line. Some of the Virginia line-Col. Hazen + some of his officers
Col. Lamb. + many of his Col. Proctor + many of his reg't. Col.
Baylor. Major Lee + his Capt. Van Swearingen. Col. Weisenfels.
Col. Willet. Etc, etc.
Deponent further says that as his engamements were not for any
particular period as far as he now remembered, so when on very
short notice he was going to Kinderhook + apprized his Capt. Of
it. The Capt did not offer him a discharge nor did deponent ask
for one or think on necessary.
The Deponent further states that he has now brought forward the
Evidence of Silvester Maurice = Henry Berdan in confirmation of
his own statement both of whom he knew + was known by them thro'
the whole war + that he is known by many of the inhabitants of
Ballston + Malta in Saratoga County.
Deponent further declares that he has not heretofore made any
application for a pension under any former Law of Congress
And that Alden M. Swain Henry Dolittle Moses Williams are well
acquated with Deponent and can testify as to Deponent character
for veracity + their belief this services as a soldier of the
Revolution.
And Deponent further states that he served under Cap't Outwater
at least three years in those years of 1777.1778.1779 including
the time he was a prisoner of war
And the deponent 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 this or any other
state-
Sworn to the subscriber the day and year aforesaid in open court-
(signed DAVID R BOGERT)
(signed Thomas Palmer, Clerk)
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