Pension Application Of Josiah Bemis, Nat’l Archives Microseries M804, Roll __, Application #W18581
I, Josiah Bemis, of Charleston in the County of Middlesex and the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do on oath testify and declare that on or about
the 1st of May, 1775, I enlisted as a private soldier into Captain Child’s
company of Foot, which was attached to Colonel Gardner’s Regiment, and that I
served in said company for the term of eight months in defending the rights and
supporting the liberties of the country against the common enemy…And I further
testify that at the expiration of said eight months, I enlisted for another
term of one year, into the company of Foot commanded by said Childs, which
company was then attached to Colonel Bond’s Regiment, Colonel Gardner having
been killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. That soon after enlisting, I marched
with said regiment to Canada, and continued in said company during the whole of
the year with an additional term of about six weeks, all of which time I served
my country faithfully according to the best of my ability, upon the continental
establishment, a part of the time as a private soldier and part of the time as
an orderly sergeant,and at the end of said year and six weeks, my term of
enlistment having expired, Iwas regularly discharged. I am a ___ in which I
live, and I have very little property _____. I am in the 64th year of my age
and am in an infirm state of health and not able to labor. Josiah Bemis,
Massachusetts District Court, Boston, 4 April, 1818.”