Person:Charles Knight (390)

MILITARY: State of New York County of Genesse

  On this thirteenth day of September in the year of our Lord eight hundred and fifty two personally appeared before me, J. S. Steward, a Justice of the of the Peace in and for the Court and State aforesaid, Charles Knight a resident of the town of Elba, in the County of Genessee and State of New York aged eighty eight years being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration to 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 the Month of May, but on what day of the month not remembered in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, in the town of Colchester, in the County of New London and State of Connecticut he enlisted as a teamster for the term of six months under Roswell Ransom, a conductor of teams. That he was placed over a team of Continental forces oxen which belonged to Government at Colchester and drove the said team to White Plain in the state of New York though the towns of Hartford, Middletown, Litchfield and took the direct road to White Plains and he drove such a team at White Plains and near the North River and vicinity and drove ammunition, provisions, military stores and munitions of War for General Washington's army and he was at West Point, but was not there when Major Andre was executed but he was executed the same season that I first served as such teamster, but he did not take his team to West Point near to the west side of the North River that season. He was discharged in the month of November n the year 1780 and he believes he was discharged at  or near Fishkill in the State of New York, but he received no written discharge and he served six months before he was discharged but whether his time in returning home was included in his six months of service but day not known. He drove the team back to Colchester and there left it with the other Government team but what conductor of teams took charge of the teams he does not now remember. The train was well furnished (with food) by Roswell Ransom generally, but decarent received no clothing or he had a sufficient supply with him. His rations were one pound of beef per day but how much bread or flour provided he does not remember but it was nearly a pound per day and some days, he was allowed ½ pint of rum per day but he did not drink much. He returned by Old Hartford and received pay for his six months service which was ninety Dollars in Continental money and he received his pay at the Treasury Office in Hartford by some governmental paymaster but where he was he does not remember and he thinks he did not  there know him. It was not said Ransom. He further declares that in the month of May in the year 1781 at Colchester aforesaid he again enlisted as a teamster for six months and he believes he enlisted under Langford McCarty but it might have conductor said Roswell Ransom, for Clark McCarty, Langford McCarty and Roswell Ransom were all wagon conductors and resided at Colchester and all of them were enlisting teamsters at that time at Colchester [?] and he received 4 oxen and a cart to drive and he drove It to Hartford, Connecticut and there his cart was loaded with cannon which he carried to White Plains in May they came before 1780 and in 1781 he drew the said  2 yokes of oxen & cart carrying the same [?] that he did  the year before til the Army marched to the south of Yorktown and he was ordered to go with several trains to Yorktown and he did go with the said teams by what time he started he does not remember he believes it was in August, and till he started he drew said team at White Plains and vicinity and his leading to Yorktown with cannon and he marched through New Jersy & Pennsylvainia and after he arrived at Yorktown he drew cannon, military stores, provisions and munitions of War for General Washington's Army till into November 1781 and till after Lord Cornwallis and his army surrendered and he was discharged at Yorktown aforesaid November 1781 after he had served six months but received no written discharge and on his return to Colchester he stopped at Hardford and received ninety Dollars pay for his service from the Treasurer or paymaster at the Tresury Office, but who he was he does not know and he thinds he never new. He received no clothing, but he received the same rations he did the year before and the team was provided for by some of the conductors but who he does not know. The team died at Yorktown, his pay and terms for pay was 15 dollars per month for each year, the declarant did not know till the year 1846 that teamsters were entiled to a pension and he wrote his son George B. Knight for the accound of pay and rations and some other things which have forgotten and I tolds my son to write to him that my pay was the same as others received for like service and that the teams were provided by Roswell Ransom and he did provide the first year and I do not know but Ransom provided in 1781 do not know but Ransom provided in 1781 for a team , but I think he did not for I think that neither Ransom nor McCarty went to

Yorktown in 1781. Still I might be mistaken. I heard nothing further from Lynch and supported teamsters were not entitled to a pension.

  Two years ago last winter I employed on Guy Atkins to obtain a pension and he told me I was entitled to a pension if I could prove my service, and I made a declaration and some time afterwards my son received a letter from someone in Washington that I was entitled to a pension if I could prove the service and that is the last time I have heard from that application and whether he filed my declaration I do not know, and therefore [?] declaration to obtain a pension for said service. I have no documentary evidence to prove said service, but I have been informed recently that I can prove my service by one or more peroson who received with me. The declarent resided in Colchester aforesaid during said service and was born there and resided there some time after said War. The said Ransom and McCarthy were captains or conductor of teams in the employment of Government and not contractors and I suffered and I suffered and now believe  and know that I was in the service of Government and not an individual Subscribed and sworn to this 30th day of September Charles Knight, 1852 before me.

J. J. Stewart Justice

1. ↑ Colchester Vital Records, in Connecticut, United States. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records
   1:138.

   KNIGHT, Charles, s. [Joshua & Abigail], b. May 3, 1764