Pension Application

S.11978
Declaration. In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1 832.
State of New York
County of Cortland SS.
            On this 26th day of September 1932, personally appeared in open court before the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Cortland, now sitting John Ambler a resident of Truxton in the County of Cortland & State of New York aged seventy three years last June, 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 7, 1832.
            That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated.
            In the year 1776 in the town of Salem, Westchester County in the State of New York about the month of January he enlisted for three months in Captain Cornelius Steenrod’s company in the regiment commanded by Colonel McDogal rendezvoused at Homshook on the North river and remained there fortifying about three months and he enlisted under the same officers for nine months without leaving the service and marched from HomsHook to New York about the first of May 1776 was stationed near the grand Batter in New York and went upon fatigue on Governor’s Island about the month of July went into encampment about two miles north of the city near the Bull’s Head. Staid there till Gen. How[e] came on to Long Island he went onto the Island. Saw Washington there was there till Long Island evacuated by the Americans evacuated in the night saw Gen. Miggs on Long Island & also saw him in the City also saw Gen. Wardsworth of Connecticut stood sentry at Gen. Putnam’s [?] & then after the evacuation of New York went to seven miles stone was in the action of the time of retreat up to the seven mile stone from seven mile stone marched to frog’s neck and remained there a few days from there went to White Plains was in the action of White Plains McDogall had become a general and he saw him and Wardsworth during the action McDougall kept in the rear of his brigade during the retreat between them and the British. The British went into New Jersey and a part of the American Army followed them but his regiment remained at White Plains till winter and till his turn of enlistment expired and was discharged and went home having served one year after he returned home in the month of February at the said town of Salem his place of residence went as a substitute in Captain Woods Company of Boston Massachusetts and was stationed at Elizabethtown & the most part of the time and a part of the time at New Brunswick. His term of service was for three months the morning his time expires the British surrounded them & made prisoners of men of his company. But the Americans drove them back. He was born in the year 1759 in the town of Stanford in the County of Fairfield Connecticut and lived there till he was about 15 and moved to Wes[t]chester County New York and lived several years and moved to Duchess [Dutchess] County and from there to Columbia County and from there to Truxton where he now lives about five years ago and has lived there since. He has no documentary evidence of his services. Increase M. Hooker, Samuel Bishop of Truxton are acquainted with him and his reputation as a revolutionary soldier, he could not obtain the attendance of a clergyman conveniently.
            In the years 1777, 1778, 1779 he lived in the town of Salem in Westchester County and was frequently called out in the militia and guarded the lines &c.
            In the year 1777 at Salem aforesaid about the month of May near the first he volunteered under Captain Samuel Lawrence in the regiment commanded by Colonel Drake to go to Bedford at the time it was burned was out about two weeks at that time was in the battle had a brother killed there. He was also out under the same officers when Danbury was burnt was in the battle at Richfield when the British was on the retreat in which General Worcester was killed.
            Saw Arnold there he had the command of the wing of the army in which the applicant was he rode back & forward between he two armies the British were driven back to [?] to their shiping and there was fighting till they got aboard was out about a month scouting and other service at that time.
            In 1778 about the last of January he volunteered to go to take the refugees at Ward’s house near New York under Captain Lawrence, Colonel Drake and marched there had a battle with them drove them off kill[ed] some of them and took some prisoners. Staid there about one month at that time scouting round in different places. In 1779 he was out often on scouts served different times and acted as minute men about all the times. He has a record of his age. He hereby relinquishes all 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 any state. (signed) John Ambler
            Sworn & subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Samuel Hotchkiss Jr. Clerk of Cortland County.

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