"From Alexander Hamilton to Pierce Butler, February 19, 1794," Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-16-02-0034.
Lewis, James A. Neptune's Militia: The Frigate South Carolina during the American Revolution, (Kent' OH: The Kent State University Press, 1999.
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to Asa Cole and numerous others as sailors and officers on the Frigate South Carolina SC1926
The Committee of Claims now moved on to the issue of members of the crew and marines of the frigate South Carolina that were illiterate as can be seen from the manner in which they signed their pension applications or their powers of attorney. The document continues as such:
"Of such of the individuals as could not write their names, a mark is made and it is manifest that the power had long before been filled up, and the names of the individuals for whom it was intended, signed in the usual distance such letters are made from each other in writing, so as, when it seems to have been necessary that a mark should be made, the mark in the shape of a cross invariably interfears [interferes] either with the last letter of the Christian [name] or the first letter of the Sir-name [surname].
And, of that class of powers, or [are] those given by:
Francis Barney
Edwin Bowen
Joshua Bowens
Joseph Byne
Richard Davis
John Dawson
Henry Dracon
Isaac Duval
Elias Emplement
Francis Foussard
Richard Lunt
Philip Prosser
Of the twelve men cited here, only two - Joshua Bowen (not Bowens as spelled here in this citation) and Richard Lunt - have stated positions on board the frigate South Carolina. Joshua Bowen was listed as a "Volunteer" which is a position the validity of which has already been called into question in this series of related posts. Richard Lunt was listed as a "Gunner's yeoman", another questionable position. Several other individuals do not appear in Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, section entitled "Appendix: Crew and Marines of the South Carolina, pages 135-170, with their last names spelled as here in this list but, with a slightly different spelling instead. All the remaining ten men other than Joshua Bowen and Richard Lunt are cited as "no position given".
But, the document continues in addressing the issue of these unusual positions found such as in the cases of Richard Lunt being cited as a "Gunner's yeoman" and Joshua Bowen being cited as a "Volunteer". The document continues as such:
In many other points of view, it is the fixed belief of your Committee the powers adduced are wholly Variant from the usual mode of executing powers of Attorney. In some instances, an individual who is entered on the Portage Bill Book as a master's mate, is personated and called in the power as a Marine, or Ordinary, a Volunteer, a Carpenter or a Gunner, just as chance or accident, for the time would Suggest; Proving to the entire satisfaction of your Committee, a fixed and selected design on the part of some 1 [someone] to defraud the honest sailor of his hard earned profits; and to impose upon the State of South Carolina."
At this point in the narrative, the writer of this blog has decided to cite all the definitive information that is known concerning each of these men listed above. Hopefully, this will clarify and illustrate the dubious nature of these claims "supposedly" on "behalf" of these same men. This information comes from the following sources:
Lewis, James A. Neptune's Militia: The Frigate South Carolina during the American Revolution, (Kent, OH: The Kent State University Press, 1999.)
Moss, Bobby Gilmer. Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1983.)
Revill, Janie, copier. Copy of the Original Index Book: Showing the Revolutionary Claims Filed in South Carolina Between August 20, 1783 and August 31, 1786, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969.)
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Francis Barney - In Lewis's work, page 136, he is cited as "no position given". Francis Barney appears in neither Moss's work nor Revill's work.
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Edwin Bowen - In Lewis's work, page 138, he appears with the alternate first name of Edward. He is cited as "no position given". In Moss's work, page 87, Edward Bowen is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A.1880A". Edwin/Edward Bowen is not cited in Revill's work.
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Joshua Bowens - In Lewis's work, page 138, he appears with the alternate first names of Josiah, Jofficsa, and Joshaway. His last name is cited as Bowen. He is cited as "Volunteer". In Moss's work, page 87, Josiah Bowen is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". Joshua/Josiah Bowen/Bowens is not cited in Revill's work.
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Joseph Byne - In Lewis's work, page 140, he is cited with the possible alternate first name of John. His last name is cited as the possible alternates of Byrne or Byrn. He is cited as "no position given". Joseph/John Byne/Byrne appears in neither Moss's work nor Revill's work. But, a John Byrn does appear in Moss's work, page 132, and is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". John Byrn is not cited in Revill's work.
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Richard Davis - In Lewis's work, page 143, he is cited as "no position given". In Moss's work, page 239, Richard Davis is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A 1880A". Richard Davis is not cited in Revill's work.
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John Dawson - In Lewis's work, page 143, he is cited as "no position given". In Moss's work, page 242, John Dawson is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". John Dawson is not cited in Revill's work.
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Henry Dracon - In Lewis's work, page 145, he is cited with the alternate last name of Deacon. He is cited as "No position given". In Moss's work, page 267, Henry Dracon is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". Henry Dracon/Deacon is not cited in Revill's work.
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Isaac Duval - In Lewis's work, page 146, he is cited with the alternate last names of Duvall and Douville. He is cited as "no position given". In Moss's work, page 277, Isaac Duval is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". Isaac Duval/Duvall/Douville is not cited in Revill's work.
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Elias Emplement - In Lewis's work, page 146, he is cited with the alternate last names of Eunsilemant, Eucplinaut, Emplimant, Emplemant, and Eusplemant. He is cited as "no position given". In Moss's work, page 297, Elias Eunsilemant is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". Elias Eunsilemant/et al. is not cited in Revill's work.
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Francis Foussard - In Lewis's work, page 147, he is cited with the alternate last name of Fonssard. He is cited as "no position given". In Moss's work, page 321, Francis Fonssard is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". Francis Foussard/Fonssard is not cited in Revill's work.
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Richard Lunt - In Lewis's work, pages 155 and 156, he is cited with the alternate last names of Luat and Luats. He is cited as "no position given" on page 155. He is cited as "Gunner's yeoman" on page 156. In Moss's work, page 585, Richard Luat is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". But, on page 587 of the same work, Richard Lunt is cited as "...he served as a gunner's yeoman aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A; C669". The final entry in this second citation - C669 - indicates that Richard Lunt did indeed receive a stub indent from the State of South Carolina for service during the American Revolution. According to Revill's work, page 385, on May 31, 1783, Richard Lunt did receive 52p/13s/3d for services rendered on board the frigate South Carolina during the American Revolution. Further research has indicated that Richard Lunt died in Newbury, Massachusetts on October 27, 1796 at the age of 53 years old. He is buried in the First Parish Burying Ground in Newbury, Massachusetts.
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Philip Prosser - In Lewis's work, page 164, he is cited with the alternate last names of Rossen and Rosser. He is cited as "no position given". In Moss's work, page 832, Philip Rosser is cited as "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina. A.A. 1880A". Philip Rosser/Prosser is not cited in Revill's work.
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There exists glaring discrepancies in this collected data. First, Francis Barney only appears in Lewis's work, page 136 and there only as "no position given". He appears in neither Moss's work nor Revill's work. So, possibly he is simply a created individual and not a real person at all. Second, all of the men, except Josiah Bowen and Richard Lunt, have as their only identification to service during the American Revolution, "...he served aboard the frigate South Carolina." There is no other indication that they were awarded a stub indent by the State of South Carolina for their defined and recognized services during the American Revolution. Third, the document number - Audited Accounts (A.A.) 1880A - is this very document, the veracity of which is being called into question as being fraudulent. Fourth, the two men who have actual positions on board the frigate South Carolina connected to them - Josiah Bowen and Richard Lunt - both have sufficiently vague positions to call into account their actual roles on board the patriot frigate. Fifth, the absolute plethora of spellings of last names is daunting and demands clarification.
But, all of this aside, the truly damning point concerns Richard Lunt. It is obvious from the research done here that he did indeed receive a stub indent from the State of South Carolina in the amount of 52 pounds/13 shillings/3 pence for his services during the American Revolution. That he received said amount on May 31, 1783 - directly after the end of the war. And, that he died in the fall 1796, long before this document began to circulate. There is no actual date on the document - Audited Account 1880A - but, there are dates of reference to other official documents the latest of which is 1817. This is over twenty years after the death of Richard Lunt and yet he is presented in the document as being alive, well, and wanting his recompense for services rendered in the American Revolution. Fraud is afoot in this attempt to collect back wages and unpaid monies from the state of South Carolina.