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Jacob's Service in the American Revolutionary War
1851 painting by Emanuel Leutze commemorating General George Washington’s crossing of the hazardous and ice-laden waters of the Delaware River en route to the Battle of Trenton, December 26, 1776. Jacob Smith was among the 2,400 troops under Gen. George Washington’s command at the Battle of Trenton, one of the single most critical victories of the American Revolution.
Some of Jacob's Payroll Vouchers . . .
Jacob Smith's first affidavit for a Revolutionary War Pension. Dated September 28, 1818, Age 59
Jacob Smith's second affidavit for a Revolutionary War Pension. Dated September 3, 1822, Age 75
Jacob's Military Discharge
Jacob's Military Land Warrant for 100 Acres of Land in Kentucky
Department of War Pension Roll Listing Jacob's Death as August 18, 1836
Winna's and son Gabriel's Affidavits for Winna's Pension Dated October 23, 1839
Henry Hammer's Affidavit
Henry Miller's Affidavit
Jacob and the Battles of Trenton and Princeton
In his modesty Jacob attested that he participated in the Battle of Saratoga and some skirmishes. And while the Battles of Trenton and Princeton were more skirmishes than battles, his failure to specify them requires a little additional digging.
We know Jacob enlisted in Captain Gabriel Long's Company of Riflemen on August 20, 1776; and that Captain Long's Company participated in the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776 and the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. On September 28, 1819 Captain Long provided an affidavit supporting Jacob's pension application in which he stated: . . . that he the said Gabriel Long marched his men to the North in the fall of Seventeen hundred & Seventy six, that he was in the action of Trenton in December 1776 & in princetown in Jany 1777. It being so long ago he does not particularly recollect whether the said Jacob Smith was with him in those actions or not but thinks it probable."
This in turn requires an examination of the payroll of Long's company.
Jacob enlisted on the same day as Isaac Miller and they are frequently listed adjacently on the company rolls. While there are no specific payrolls for Gabriel Long's company for 1776, his May 1, 1777 pay contains information on backdated pay. This payroll has an unfortunate fold in it which partially obscures Jacob's information. However, both Jacob and Isaac are reimbursed for seven months and twenty-three days of pay, which dates their reimbursement back to September 1776.
Gabriel Long's affidavit and the May 1, 1777 payroll are included below.
Gabriel Long's Affidavit (April 24, 1819)
Virginia Culpeper County to wit
Gabriel Long of the said County formerly a Captain in the Eleventh Virginia Continental Regiment this day personally appeared before me Philip Slaughter a Justice of the peace for the aforesaid County & made oath that on or about the month of August or September Seventeen hundred & Seventy Six Jacob Smith of the County of Rockingham & State aforesaid enlisted as a Soldier in his Company for three years, which Company was intended to join a Rifle Regiment then amassing, a part from the State of Virginia & a part from Maryland to be commanded by Col. Hugh Stephenson from Virga & Lt. Col. Rawlins & Major Otho Williams from Maryland, that he the said Gabriel Long marched his men to the North in the fall of Seventeen hundred & Seventy six, that he was in the action of Trenton in December 1776 & in princetown in Jany 1777. It being so long ago he does not particularly recollect whether the said Jacob Smith was with him in those actions or not but thinks it probable. He was & he believes that the said Jacob Smith was in several other actions with him. That in the spring of Seventeen hundred & Seventy Seven the said Long's Comopany was ordered to join the Eleventh Virginia Continental Regiment Commanded by Col. Daniel Morgan & that the said Regiment was a part thereof - that the said Jacob Smith served his time of enlistment for three years faithfully & was discharged at the expiration of his term, in one of the Northern States. Given under my hand this twenty-fourth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred & Nineteen.
Captain Gabriel Long's Company "Payroll and Subsistance due to the first day of May 1777"