Letter from Connecticut Comptroller's Office - Connecticut - 1856 dated American Revolutionary War

Letter from the Connecticut Comptroller's office defending the validity of a military service certificate. He is surprised that a certificate he signed was questioned or rejected. He explains: He has signed such certificates for years. He is well known to officials in the U.S. Pension Office in Washington. The Comptroller’s Office has its own legal authority and seal. He suggests the rejection may have been due to a new or inexperienced clerk; his tone is formal but clearly irritated and defensive. The writer says he personally contacted the Chief Clerk of the U.S. Pension Office in Washington and he believes the problem with the certificate or pension claim will be resolved. He explains that Captain Bragg’s company: Was a detached unit, stationed at Saybrook (Connecticut) and operated independently, not formally attached to a regiment during service. This explains why the service record may have seemed irregular.

After the American Revolutionary War, pensions for veterans became an important but uneven form of recognition for their service. Initially, pensions were granted mainly to officers or soldiers who had been disabled during the war, reflecting the young nation’s limited financial resources and cautious approach to federal spending. Over time, public sentiment shifted, and Congress passed broader pension acts, especially in 1818 and 1832, which extended benefits to many surviving enlisted men and, later, to their widows. These pensions not only provided modest financial support to aging veterans but also created valuable historical records, as applicants were required to document their service through affidavits and testimony. Today, Revolutionary War pension files are a crucial resource for historians and genealogists, offering personal insights into the lives, hardships and sacrifices of those who helped secure American independence.