Stephen Tainter: "He Volunteered Again"
Stephen Tainter volunteered for service in American regiments many times during the Revolutionary War. In the early 1830s, he gave this sworn testimony in court as part of the process for applying for a soldier's pension. This transcription has a few words or phrases or punctuation noted with brackets for easier reading, historic details, or noting transcription difficulties.
Declaration of Stephen Tainter in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832
State of New York
Genesee County
On this Sixteenth day of October in the year eighteen hundred and thirty two presently appear in open court before the Judge of the Court of Common Plea, now sitting in the town of Batavia and for the county of Genesee and State of New York being a Court of Record and having a seal[?], Stephen Tainter, a resident of the town of Wethersfield in the county of Genesee and State of New York, aged seventy-Two years on the 13th October 1832, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, spake the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit 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 December in the fore part, in 1776, he enlisted while he was residing in Westborough in the county of Worcester, Massachusetts, with the State Service of Massachusetts in a Company commanded by Capt Kimball, Lieut. Rice, and in Col Sparrowhawk's [Sparhawk's] Regiment and in Gen. Warner's Brigade—served as a Drummer, enlisted for three months, marched to Hartford, Hence to Danbury Ct. And then went to Peekskill N.Y. and remained there about a month and then went down River and crossed over at Kings Ferry and went into New Jersey and was stationed at Bound Brook near Bridgewater and remained there until 30th March 1777 when his time expired, he was totally dismissed and went home.—
That some time in April 1777, he enlisted or volunteered again [in] the state militia for six weeks and went to Providence Rhode Island under Capt. Brigham as a 6 week drummer—and served the six weeks, was then totally dismissed and went home.
That some time in June 1777, soon after—after his return, he volunteered again and went as a private to Half Moon on North River for two months that he thinks he was in Capt Brigham's Company and was in Gen. Warner's Brigade—cannot recollect the name of his Regiment that while there he was ordered to go to Bennington and arrived there the day after the battle and remained till his two months expired and he was dismissed and went home.
That immediately after he got home, he was called out again and volunteered for three months and went to Tulls Mills in Schaghticoke was in Capt Brigham's Company—that the Adjutant was Buck [last name hard to read] —in Col. Wheeler's Regiment, that he remained at Tulls Mills until after Burgoyne surrendered, and was then dismissed having served his term out and then went home. Said he served [as] a drummer.—
That in March 1778 he volunteered again as a private soldier for two months and went to Rhode Island and was stationed at Tiverton And served his term there—that he cannot recollect the names of any of his officers—that he was dismissed and went home.—
That in July 1778 he volunteered again for five[?] months and went to Rhode Island as a Drummer—and was in Gen. Sullivan's army, in Capt. Nathaniel Fisher's Company in Col Waid's Regiment—that Wilson was Major—and Wood was Lieut. Col—that he was on the Island at the time of the battle but was not in it and retreated with the army from the Island—that he served the whole of his time there, was dismissed and went home.
That he never received any discharge, has no documentary evidence of his services and knows of no person living by whom he can prove his services.
That he was born in Westborough, Worcester Co. Massachusetts, 13th October 1760.
That since the war he has lived in New Fane Windham Co. Vt. 11 years in Sheldon in Massachusetts[.] 2 years in Somers in Ct. One year in Bradford Vt. 2 years in Ludlow Massachusetts 3 years—that he has practiced Physic for almost 30 years in a great many places and cannot recollect them all—that he has lived in Gainesville and Wethersfield, two adjoining towns, about 12 years—
That the Rev. Augustus Hurburt and Nelson Burdick live in his neighborhood are well acquainted with him and can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief in his services as a soldier of the Revolution.— He hereby relinquishes every claim whatevers to a pension or an annuity except the present and declares that his name is set on the pension Roll of the agency of any State.
Stephen Tainter
Subscribed & sworn to the day & year aforesaid in open court
Timothy Fitch, Clerk
Source:
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. National Archives. (Digital copy accessed through Fold3.com)
