| Text |
Isaac Anderson is known for providing the most complete account of Lochry's ill-fated expedition against the Ohio Indians of 1781 in a daily diary he kept of the expedition and its aftermath. A detailed bio of Anderson and narrative of the expedition including a transcript of his diary can be found in Pioneer biography: sketches of the lives of some of the early settlers of Butler County, Ohio. The original diary is held by the Cincinnati History Library. The following excerpts from Anderson's Revolutionary War pension file validate the narrative in Pioneer biography. They include Isaac Anderson's personal declaration of service, and a deposition from Hugh Steers supporting Anderson's claim. Anderson returned the favor, providing two depositions in Steer's Revolutionary War pension file. Anderson also provided depositions in support of pensions for: Patrick Hunter, and .....
All transcriptions are faithful to the originals, which often feature poor penmanship, spelling errors, unusual grammar, and little punctuation. The remainder of Murphy's pension file (see pdf attached) contains routine correspondence concerning his petition and payments, and records requests for information from his pension file.
For additional information on Lochry's Expedition, see:
- Edgar J. Pershing, "Lost Battalion of the Revolutionary War, PA.," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol XVI, No. 3, (Washington D.C.: National Genealogical Society, Sept., 1928), p 44-51. Includes a history of the expedition, transcripts of communiques between Colonel Archibald Lochry and General George Rogers Clark, some of which were intercepted by the British, and a list of those killed and captured. Also details Mathias Fisher's role in the expedition and credits him with bringing the fate of the expedition back to Pennsylvania.
- Chris McHenry, The Best Men of Westmoreland, An Historical Account of the Lochry Expedition, (Lawrenceburg, Indiana: self-published, 1981). Includes a lengthy narrative of Westmoreland history leading to Lochry's Expedition. Also contains records known as the Haldimand Papers from the Canadian National Archives which list men captured from Lochry's Expedition and later imprisoned by the British at Prisoners Island, Coteau du Lac, Quebec, Canada. Also contains photographs of a list of Lochry's men from the diary Lt. Isaac Anderson. The original diary is held by the Cincinnati Historical Society.
- "Lochry's Expedition," Pennsylvania Archives, Sixth Series, Vol. II, Thomas Lynch Montgomery, editor, (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1906), 403-410. A further transcript of Lt. Anderson's diary.
(page 3) —————
The State of Ohio Butler County
Court of Common Pleas July term 1832 SS
On this Thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the judges of the court of common pleas for Butler County now in session Isaac Anderson a resident of Ross Township in Butler County afd. aged seventy four years, 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 7th 1832,
He entered the service of United States as an enlisted soldier for three years in the Pennsylvania State Troops in the month of August & 1776 in Westmoreland Co PA That the company to which he was attached was commanded by Capt Samuel Miller and that one Mathew Jack was a Leut. in the same compy & company belonged to the 8th regt in the Pennsylvania line & was commanded by Col. Enos McCoy, that one major Wilson commanded a battalion & regt. That after the afs enlistment, he remained with his company station at Ratangan(?) in Pennsylvania until after the capture of the Hessian troops at Trenton, when his regiment was ordered into the Jerseys – He recollects meeting the Hessian prisoners coming to Lancaster PA on his march to N Jersey, after remaining a short time in Jersey in the 8th regt afd 126 men were taken from this regt himself amongst them & organized into a rifle Corps under command of Capt. Van Swearingen & attached to Morgan’s rifle regiment which was immediately put in motion to harass the March of the British troops from New Brunswick to Perth Amboy & in the lapse of 13 days he recollects having very severe skirmishes with the British forces every day – Soon after this Col Morgan's regiment was ordered to join General Gates in the North & he marched with it & fought with
(page 4) —————
it in those battles which resulted in the surrender of Gen. Burgoyne – after the surrender of Burgoyne he marched with his regiment to Pennsylvania and on the 6th Decr 1777 was at the battle of Edge Hill where Maj. Morris of his regt was killed & himself shot through to the head (not readable)) and left on the field for dead. He was however after lying 24 hours in the snow taken off the field & carried a prisoner to Philadelphia where he remained until the English army evacuated that place, Being left in the hospital after the evacuation by the British, he joined his old regiment now commanded by Col. Broadhead not having been exchanged he did not bear arms(?) but served as (not readable) Until the expiration of his three years & was honorably discharged, his certificates of which he lost with other papers when prisoner by the indians in the expedition under Genl Clark as will hereafter appear.
In the spring of the year 1781 he was appointed by the Legislature of Pennsylvania a Lieut. of Rangers for 8 months & served as such in Westmoreland County ranging from Forts Barr & Wallace to Hannastown on afs frontier. His company was commanded by captain John Sherer. On the first day of August 1781 by orders to that affect he repaired with his company to Carnahans in Pa where he joined Loughrey’s regt which was now ordered to descend the Ohio with Genl Clark on his expedition against the (unclear) Indian tribes. although but a lieutenant he now commanded a company & had for his ensign Patrick Hunter - Loughery’s regiment in descending the Ohio was attacked 11 miles below the mouth of the Great Miami River & he with many others was taken prisoner. The Indians in this action were reported about 300 strong and were commanded by
(page 5) —————
the ferocious Mohawk Chief Brandt. He was taken by Brandt to Detroit and giving up to the British officer commanding at that point whose name he thinks was Aaron Shuyler Depeyster. Here after remaining sometime he was permitted to go to Quebec in order if possible to be exchanged, For this purpose he set out with others from Detroit & reached Montreal on 26 Nov. 1781 where they were compelled to remain Until May 1782 when himself & Another scaled the pickets in which they were confined & made their escape, after traveling 12 days through Unfrequented roads almost famished & naked they reached the borders of Vermont & from there he returned to his old residence in Pennsylvania in the summer of 1782. The commission which he held as Leut was lost with his first exchange when he was taken prisoner by the party under Brandt on the Ohio. This applicant states that he knows of no person living who can state any of the particulars of his service more than may be found in the deposition of Hugh Steers. Marked (A) circumscribed herewith – He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension role of the agency of any state
Sworn & subscribed the day and year afd
Isaac Anderson
Sworn & subscribed in open court 30th July 1832
John Reily Clerk
(page 6) —————
We Francis Montfort a Clergyman residing in Hamilton, Ohio and James McBride residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Isaac Anderson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe (inserted him) to be seventy four — 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
Francis Monfort
James McBride
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
John Reily Clerk
———
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states, and the court further certifies, it appears to them that Francis Monfort who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the town of Hamilton, Ohio and that James McBride who has also signed the same is a resident in the same town of Hamilton and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit
I John Reily Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Butler aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Isaac Anderson for a pension
In testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal of office at Hamilton this fourth day of August one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
John Reily
(page 21) —————
State of Kentucky
Boone County SS
This day personally appeared before me Robert S. Chambers the undersigned a justice of the peace in and for said county, Hugh Steers of lawful age who after being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth, that he knew Isaac Anderson as a Lieutenant in the service of the State of Pennsylvania in the year 1781 under Col Lougherry and that he the said Isaac Anderson Rendezvoused his company in Montgomery Westmoreland County Pa. on the 1st 4th day of August 1781 and marched from thence to join the army on the N. W. of the Ohio Commanded by Genl Clark on the 3rd day of August 1781. And this deponent further states that he himself was along as a volunteer in the company of volunteers Commanded by Robert Orr, and knows the aforesaid Isaac Anderson to be the identical man above refered to, And further this deponent states that from the place of Rendezvous they decended the Ohio River to join Genl Clark until the 24th day of August 1781, at which time they were defeated by the Indians about eleven miles below the mouth of the Big Miami and the said Anderson taken prisoner
Boone County State of Kentucky Hugh (his mark) Steers
I Robert S. Chambers a Justice of the Peace in and for the county of & state aforesaid do certify that Hugh Steers subscribed and was sworn to the above certificate and that the said Hugh Steers is personally a man I should say from Seventy Three to Seventy five years of age and that he is a man of credibility and that he is considered by his neighbors and where he is known to be a man of Truth
Given under my hand as a Justice of the peace this 20th day of July 1832
R S Chambers J.P. B.C.
(page 22) —————
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Boone County SS To wit:
I Willis Graves Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid to hereby certify that Robert S. Chambers Esq. whose signature is to the preceding certificate and before home the within deposition was taken is a justice of the peace in and for said County duly commissioned and qualified & that full faith and credit is due and ought to be given to all his official acts as such
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the seal of our said Court at the Courthouse in Burlington this 20th day of July 1832 and 41st year of the Commonwealth
All. Willis Graves Clk
———
3632
Issac Anderson
A Revolutionary Soldier
The state of Ohio Butler County SS
Be it known that before me William Hunter a Justice duly Assigned to keep the peace in the state County aforesaid (inserted: personally appeared Isaac Anderson Esquire again before named) who being duly sworn deposeth and saith (inserted: that) during the War of the Revolution he
(page 23) —————
in the month of August seventeen hundred and seventy six he enlisted as a soldier in the state troops of Pennsylvania for the term of three years as in his declaration to which this is attached & more fully apprised and that he continued in the Army for the said term of three years in conformity to his first enlistment.
And that afterwards about the middle of March seventeen hundred and eighty one he was appointed a Lieutenant in a company of Rangers by the Assembly of the State of Pennsylvania for the term of eight months received his commission from the Governor of Pennsylvania entered into the service as a Lieutenant and continued in this service as a Ranger at Forts Wallace Barr & Hannahs (inserted: town) on the frontier of Westmoreland county from the receiving of his commission until the first of August Seventeen hundred & eighty one at which time he joined the Regiment then under the Command of Colo Laughery and remained under his command until the twenty fourth day of August Eighteen seventeen hundred and eight one at which time Colo Laughery was killed & his Regiment defeated by the Indians about eleven miles below the Great Miami river and the deponent with others taken prisoner by the Indians - taken to Detroit where they were kept about a month They were then sent to Montreal and there declared Prisoners of War until the twenty sixth day of May seventeen hundred and eighty two at which time deponent scaled the Pickets and returned to the United States Passing through the state of Vermont and passing through Philadelphia reached his former residence
(page 24) —————
residence in Westmoreland County on the sixteenth day of July seventeen hundred and eighty two
At the time deponent was in the service as here in before stated the Soldiers pay was Eight dollars pay was eight dollars per month Sergeant twelve dollars Ensign twenty four dollars Lieutenant thirty (inserted: dollars) and a Captain forty dollars per month
Issac Anderson
Sworn & Subscribed before me the thirteenth day of December 1832
William Hunter
J P
------
The State of Ohio Butler County Ss
I John Reily Clerk of the Court of Common pleas Of the County aforesaid Certify that William Hunter Esquire before whom the within stated deposition of Isaac Anderson was taken was at the taking thereof a Justice duly assigned to keep the peace in the said county of Butler and that the signature thereunto annexed is his genuine signature
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Official seal at Hamilton the thirteenth day of December. One thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
John Reily
Capt Isaac Anderson
A Soldier of the Revolution
|
Fisher Family Genealogy
