Fisher Family Genealogy

Lochry Expedition - Excerpt from Revolutionary War Pension File No. W6180, Hugh Steers

Lochry Expedition - Excerpt from Revolutionary War Pension File No. W6180, Hugh Steers



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  • Title Lochry Expedition - Excerpt from Revolutionary War Pension File No. W6180, Hugh Steers 
    Short Title Lochry Expedition - Excerpt from Revolutionary War Pension File No. W6180, Hugh Steers 
    Publisher National Archives, Textual Reference Branch  
    Call Number Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 
    Repository National Archives 
    Source ID S432 
    Text The following excerpts describe the Revolutionary War service of Hugh Steers as a volunteer in Lochry's Expedition against the Ohio Indians in 1781. Steers was captured when the expedition was defeated August 24, 1781 and held prisoner in the Indian villages of Ohio for two years before being released. Steers was released in spring of 1783 at the Falls of the Ohio (now Louisville) and from there returned home. His service is confirmed in two depositions by Isaac Anderson a lieutenant on the expedition who was also captured.

    All transcriptions are faithful to the originals, which often feature poor penmanship, spelling errors, unusual grammar, and little punctuation. The remainder of Steers' pension file (see pdf attached) is largely devoted to petitions by his wife Mary to obtain a widow's pension for Steers' service after his death in 1846, and records requests for information from his pension file. A complete account of Lochry's Expedition including the testimony of other participants is available here.



    (page 4) —————

    Declaration
    In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
    State of Kentucky
    County of Boone SS

    On this 9th day of August in the year 1832 personally in open Court before the Judge of the Boone Court now sitting Hugh Steers a resident of said County of Boone & state of Kentucky aged about 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 7th June 1832 – That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated – viz – He joined the company of volunteers commanded by Capt. Robt Orr in the County of Westmoreland & state of Pennsylvania on the 1st day of August 1781 & on that day rendezvoused on that day in said County & out on the 3rd day of said month of August He marched under Col. Archibald Laughery to join the army under Genl. Clark North West of the Ohio river against the Indians. & He descended the Ohio river with Laughrey’s (unclear) Capts Orrs Stokelys Campbells company under Col Laughery & on the 24th of said month of August an engagement took place between Col Laughrey & the Indians On the west bank of the Ohio river below the mouth of the big Miami some miles in which engagement Col. Laughery was Killed his regiment defeated & this applicant taken prisoner by the Indians & by also Indians carried to their towns on the Miami called Chillicothe & their at hard service & in a very suffering condition & with menace & threats of being burned He s there kept till the spring the of 1783 when the Indians with who He was with (inserted: a prisoner) moved to the waters of the St. Mary's (it was the Shawnee nation that He was with. After moving to the St. Mary's he was kept the prisoner for a few months until a flag was sent by the Americans at the falls of the Ohio to the Shawnees & and agreement was entered into that The white prisoners among the Indians should be given up & that this applicant among others were taken to the falls of the Ohio & given up. as soon as possible after being given up

    (page 5) —————

    at the falls of Ohio this applicant proceeded of the Ohio to Westmoreland County Pennsylvania where he had formally resided & went found Capt Orr & others of his old Comrades – Capt Orr gave him a certificate or discharge which was about in the fall season of the year 1783 which certificate or discharge of certification he gave to an officer in Philadelphia & from whom he received his wages – This applicant does not know of any personally (inserted: or documentary evidence) which he can prove his services – except Isaac Anderson by whom he has prove a part of it & who's deposition he herewith forwards to the War Department - He hereby relinquishes every 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 to and Subscribed this day and year aforesaid before me sole Judge Second pedl Dist. Ky,
    Hughe Steers (seal)
    H. O. Brown

    ———

    Commonwealth of Kentucky
    Boone County & cto

    We Lewis Cormer a clergyman residing in the County of Boone & state afs. & that Benjamin Fowler residing in the same county do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Hugh Spears who has sworn and subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy four years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the Revolution - and that we concur in that opinion.

    Sworn & Subscribed to this 14th day of August 1832
    Louis Cormer
    Benj Fowler
    in open court before me
    H. O. Brown Judge

    And the said Court to hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named

    (page 6)

    applicant Hugh Steers was a revolutionary soldier and served as he States – And the Court further Certifies that it appears to this Court that Lewis Cormer who is signed the preceding certificate as a Clergyman resident in the County of Boone & state of Kentucky – And that Benjamin Fowler who has signed the Same is a resident also in the said County of Boone & is a credible person. And that their statement is entitled to credit

    I Charles Chambers Clerk of the Circuit Court of Boone County do hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Hugh Steers for a pension – In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 14th day of August in the year 1832
    Ch. Chambers Clk B.C.C.

    (page 11) ————

    To the Honl the Senate and house of representatives of the United States in congress assembled. the petition of Hugh Steers a citizen of the County of Boone and State of Kentucky respectfully represents – That sometime in the year 1781 he volunteered his services as a soldier in the company then commanded by Capt Robert Orr in the regiment commanded by Col Loughery as set forth and described in the annexed affidavit Marked A – that he was at Loughery’s defeat which took place on the Ohio river, and was then taken prisoner by the Indians – that he remained a prisoner for nearly 2 years during which time he suffered many hardships – that the facts set forth in his affidavit (unclear) annnexed Marked B are (unclear) – He therefore prays that you honorable body will pass a Law giving him a pension for the (unclear) of his life - & in duty bound he will now pray

    Nov 7th 1828
    Hugh (his mark) Steers
    Test Reuben Graves

    (page 13) —————

    In the case of Hugh Steers it is proven by Isaac Anderson been a Leaut in the service of the U. S. that in the year 1781 Hugh Steers the applicant entered the service of the U. S. in a company commanded by Capt Robert Orr Col Laughery's Regiment. In August of the same year the detachment descended the Ohio river to the mouth of the great Miami where they landed and were immediately attacked by the Indians in nearly all killed and or taken prisoner

    The petitioner was taken and prisoner remained a prisoner for near two years where he suffered severely. He is upwards of seventy years of age Is poor and infirm and prays for a pension

    (page 33) —————

    State of Kentucky
    Boone County seal

    This day personally appeared before me Robert S Chambers the undersigned a justice of the peace in and for said County Isaac Anderson of lawful age who after being duly sworn the deposeth and sayeth that he knew Hugh Steers as a volunteer in the company of volunteers commanded by Robert Orr, a Capt under Col Laugherry in the service of the state of Pennsylvania in the year 1781. and that the said Hugh Steers Rendezvoused in Westmoreland County PA, on the 1st day of August and marched on the 3rd day following 1781 to join the army on the N. W. of the Ohio commanded by Genl Clark And this deponent further states that they descended the Ohio river to join Genl Clark until the 24th day of August 1781 at which time they were defeated by the Indians about 11 miles below the mouth of the big Miami and said Hugh Steers taken prisoner

    Isaac Anderson

    ———

    Boone County SS

    The foregoing affidavit or deposition of Isaac Anderson was sworn to and subscribed to before me R S Chambers a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county of Boone and state of Kentucky by the said Isaac Anderson and from the testimony of General Benjamin Fowler Moses Scott and George Potter who were? by me (unclear) as to the standing and credibility of the said Isaac Anderson I have no hesitation in saying that he is a man of truth and credibility. Given under my hand this 15th August 1832
    RS Chambers J.P.B.C.

    (page 37) —————

    The State of Ohio Butler County SS

    Be it known that before me James OConnor Esq. a Justice duly assigned to keep the peace in the county aforesaid personally appeared Isaac Anderson of the county aforesaid in the sixty ninth year of his age who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that being a Lieutenant in the service of United States under the Authority of the State of Pennsylvania during the War of the Revolution a party was raised in the Western part of Pennsylvania to aid General Clark in carrying or intending to carry a Campaign against the Western Indians – Troops for that purpose were appointed (inserted:to) Rendezvous at Col. Carnahan's in Westmoreland Pennsylvania troops were collected at said Carnahans in the first part of August in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty one and amongst the troops which were collected was a man by the name of Hugh Steers (who is now present with deponent he is now about seventy years of age) who joined in the expedition and who belong to the company commanded by Robert Orr – The detachment or regiment was commanded by Colonel Archibald Lochry. the said troops or detachment started down the Ohio river in the month of August and on the twenty fourth day of August in one thousand seven hundred & Eighty one the detachment by the orders of Colonel Lochry landed on the North (inserted: West) side of the Ohio river about ten miles West of the Great Miami river – as soon as possible detachment were landed they were surrounded by the Indians and defeated – about forty five or more were killed and the remainder of the detachment taking prisoners Amongst the Prisoners taken were the deponent and the said Hugh Steers – who was then a private in the company of the said Captain Robert Orr – soon after the capture the prisoners were separated. And further the deponent saith not

    Isaac Anderson

    Sworn and subscribed before me 26 July 1828
    James OConnor

    (page 38) —————

    The state of Ohio Butler County SS

    I John Reily clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the county aforesaid certify that James O'Connor Esquire before whom the deposition of Isaac Anderson within stated was taken was at that time of the taking then a Justice duly assigned to keep the peace in the said county of Butler

    In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and official seal at Hamilton the twenty sixth day of July one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight

    John Reily

    (page 39) —————

    State of Kentucky
    Boone County SS

    Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for Boone before said Hugh Steers who upon his of declares, that he is the same Hugh Steers mentioned and described in the affidavit of Isaac Anderson hereto annexed, that he belonged to the company commanded by Capt Robert Orr as set forth and described in the said affidavit that he procured the affidavit of the said Anderson for the purpose of applying for a pension, That he is now Seventy odd years of age, much infirm and unable to maintain himself by body labor – That the facts set forth in said affidavit are true – and that he is now induced to make the application for a pension, because he is poor, and infirm – and further saith not – sworn before me this 8th day of August 1828

    Reuben Graves J. P.

    Commonwealth of Kentucky
    Boone County seal

    I Willis Graves Clerk of the Boone County Court afsd do hereby certify that Reuben Graves whose signature is to the above certificate is Quo of the Commonwealth Justices of the Peace in & fore said County of Boone duly appointed Court approved & qualified & that full faith & credit is due his office and acts as such

    In testimony where of I do hear into set my name & office the seal of my said office this 8th day of August AD Eighteen hundred & twenty Eight
    Willis Graves Clk
     

  • Documents
    Revolutionary War Pension File: Hugh Steers, No. W6180
    Revolutionary War Pension File: Hugh Steers, No. W6180
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 4)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 4)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 5)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 5)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 6)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 6)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 11)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 11)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 13)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 13)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 33)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 33)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 37)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 37)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 38)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 38)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 39)
    Military: Steers, Hugh - Revolutionary War pension file No. W6180 (p 39)

  •  Notes 
    • Images from Fold3.com
      Original data:
      Publisher: NARA
      National Archives Catalog ID: 300022
      National Archives Catalog Title: Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, compiled ca. 1800 - ca. 1912, documenting the period ca. 1775 - ca. 1900
      Record Group: 15
      Short Description: NARA M804. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files.
      State: Pennsylvania
      Veteran Surname: Steers
      Veteran Given Name: Hugh
      Pensioner Surname: Steers
      Pensioner Given Name: Mary
      Service: Penn.
      Pension Number: W. 6180