The interesting thing about doing family history is realizing one of the greatest resources for gathering stories and linking families: Pension war testimonies. War is sad, but historically the records kept during each American war are of great worth. And when an ancestor does give testimony, either for himself or another, there are true gems to be found. Gallant stories. Acts of heroism. Bringing to life a name on a family chart that would have otherwise blended in.
Ensign Brintnel Robbins is my 5th great-grandfather, born 1756 in Connecticut and died July 25, 1836, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He fought every chance he could during the revolutionary war, and when he wasn't marching/fighting he was making saltpeter.
On his gravestone it lists his battles of engagements as Concord, New London, White Plains, Rhode Island, Monmouth, Trenton, Valley Forge, etc. Each time Brintnel enlisted he was in his brother Captain Samuel Robbins company
His grave mentions Concord, but in his pension he talks about fighting in Lexington. Battles is plural, so I suppose he was at Lexington and Concord:
"I was engaged in the battles of Lexington, we had a good deal of Sharp Shooting we had to retreat at the first onset but we soon got more help, and the British Soldiers had to fly in turn, we had an old cannon - we put it on a waggon, we loaded it with broken metal pots, which the women carried us, then we got log chains and loaded it with them, we shot at the Soldiers from behind fences, and walls and every place where we could protect ourselves from their fire."
Then he talks about marching from New London to New York where the waited for General Washington to retreat from New York Island to White Plains.
"I was engages in the battle of the White Plains. The British were within a short distance of us, and were marching and maneuvering within sight of us all morning, and the American army were mostly entrenched and on high or elevated ground not far from White Plains, the firing commenced about 3 O'clock in the afternoon, there were a good many killed on both sides, during the engagement three musket balls passed through my hat, but I received no wound . . . After the battle we were marched to North Castle where we lay for some time, and General Washington crossed the North River with part of the army and marched to a place called Fort Lee, which the British soon afterwards captured, they also captured Fort Washington about the same time, the company that I belonged to was dismissed at North Castle."
And later, with another enlistment:
"I was marched to Rhode Island and was engaged in the battle that was fought about 2 miles from the city of New Port, in or about the last of August of that year, General Sulivan was our commanding officer & General Tyler was there also. We got defeated and had to retreat by the north end of the Island. The enemy pursued us close and we had to face about and try them another spell, and we soon had hot work of it, we were constantly under arms for three days and three nights in succession, we got off the island in the night in boats and every way we could. General Lafayette was at this place, but not in the battle, we crossed Kings Bridge and the British did not pursue us any further."
There's some more, but these were the more exciting parts. At the end of the testimony he declares he was never wounded, despite "4 hard fought battles and a number of skirmishes," which is amazing.
One of the reasons I love studying family history is because it brings history alive and makes it personal, giving a different perspective than what is presented in history books. History is exciting! Tragic. Crazy. But none of us would be here now if these things didn't happen, and it's good to be aware.
Someday I hope to visit the east coast, so the places by ancestors lived and even fought, as I have several ancestors in the Revolution, War of 1812, and the Civil War, Gettysburg included.
Study your family history. You never know what tales you may unfold.
