Pension Application of Joshua Critchfield S2476 MD VA
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris.
State of Ohio Fairfield County} Ss.
On this _th day of November AD. 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable
Frederick Grimke and his Associates Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, in & for said County, now sitting, Joshua Critchfield a resident of Clearbrook Township in the said County of Fairfield and State of Ohio, aged abut seventy nine 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 AD 1832
That he was borne in the County of Sussex in the State of N. Jersey about the 27th day of May in the year A.D. 1753
That in April A.D. 1774 he entered into Company, as a private soldier, at Wheeling in the State of Virginia, which Company was commanded by Capt. Wm. McMachan [William McMachan], Lieu. James McMachan and Ensign Morgan Jones. That said Company was attached to a Regiment under Major [William] Crawford and the whole commanded by — Dunmore [John Murray, Lord Dunmore] then Governor of Virginia. That he was engaged for, and served during one year assisted in raising the Fort at Wheeling [Fort Dunmore, renamed Fort Henry after the beginning of the Revolutionary War] – left Wheeling in October and went down the [Ohio] River to the mouth of Kanhawa river [sic: Kanawha River] under the immediate command of Dunmore – marched up the Hocking River to the Falls crossed from Pickaway Plains and assisted in taking two Indian Towns, one on each side the Sciota [sic: Scioto] River, Crawford then commanding – returned to Wheeling when he was dismissed from the service.
That in June A.D. 1776 Col. Moses Rolins [sic: Moses Rawlings] engaged him to recruit furnished him with money and promised him an Ensigns commission. That he enlisted a number of men but hearing of the defeat of the American forces in N. Jersey, the intended expedition was abandoned and he never rec’d. the promised Commission.
That in May A.D. 1777 he volunteered and entered the service of the United States, in the forces of the State of Maryland, at Cumberland, now in Alleghany [sic: Allegany] County, state of Maryland.
The company in which he served was commanded by Capt. Charles Clinton and Lieutenant Dickinson Simpkins. That in this company he served during three months acting in concert with the volunteer forces of Pensylvania and drawing Provisions and rendevousing alternately Cumberland and Bedford (Penn)
On entering the service at this time he took the oath of Alegience.
That in June AD 1778 he entered the service of the United States, in the forces of the State of Virginia, in the 13th Ridgment commanded by Col. Moses Rolins. That being a Blacksmith he was induced to join the line of Artificers at the instance and solicitation of Charles Clinton who acted as Quarter Master, (or perhaps Deputy Quarter Master, as William Wilson was called Quarter Master, and appeared to be higher in command than Clinton) That in the capacity of artificer he he continued in the army as aforesaid during Eighteen months, shoeing Horses and regularly rec’d from the Quarter Master the wages or pay of a soldier. That he chiefly was engaged at Cumberland, but on several ocasions went to distant places with the army, having a pack Horse furnished him by the Quarter Master. That he was discharged and returned home sometime in December AD 1779–
That having removed to Hampshire County (virginia) he was the drafted and entered the forces
of the State of Virginia with a view of repairing to York Town and assist at the Seige of said city [28 Sep - 19 Oct 1781]. That the company was commanded by Capt. McGuire. That he was instantly marched toward Yorktown but met the Prisoners (the surrender having before taken place) That he returned with his Company continued to guard the Prisoners during his term of two months when he was discharged and returned home
That he knows of no person now living by whom he can prove his services as aforesaid nor has he any documentary evidence of the same, never having rec’d. any written discharges
He hereby relinquishes every 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.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
NOTE: Joshua Critchfield made a statement supporting the pension application (S9242) of his brother, William Crihfield (as he signed)
https://www.revwarapps.org/s2476.pdf
