Thomas Chamberlain
1812 War Soldier   Invalid No. 9173
Sergt. Ky Volunteers 4-24-1816

 Letter to the Pension Department
To the Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War
Your petitioner would respectfully show, that he volunteered in Capt. Hart's company of light infantry, in 1812 war at Lexington, Kentucky. That he was elected a sergeant and served as such in said company from Aug 14-1812 until about March 10-1813; that during the campaign which was carried on in the northwest - he remained during the_____ in service was in both battles at the River Raisin, which were fought on the 18th and 22nd January 1813 in the last of which he was wounded by a ball which struck him across the back of his head and partially affected the skull and brain. He has since that time refrained from asking aid from government as long as he could do well without it although always suffering at short intervals, the effects of said wound, but he is now getting old and more infirm, suffers more from it and is less able to work, he frequently cannot raise up or stoop down without extreme pain through his brain. His physicians have told him, and which he himself believes results from the injury suffered by his wounds, he therefore prays to be placed on the pension roll of the state and as in duty bound ___ have prayed.  Signed Thomas Chamberlain

     In a statement made by Moses M. McCalla, Levi L. Todd, James L. Hickman, and Thomas Chamberlain saying that said Chamberlain volunteered in Captain Hart's Light Infantry Company 5th Regiment of volunteers militia in the U.S. service, that he was elected a sergeant of said company and served as such from August 1812 until after his return from captivity in March 1813.

     Said McCall served as adjutant, of the regiment to which Chamberlain belonged and was near him when wounded and saw him a few months afterwards. Said Todd was the orderly sergeant of Capt. Todd's company and also was near him and saw him whilst in that situation. Thomas H. Satterwhite, was an M.D. in Fayette County. W.M. Whitney M.D. in Fayette Co, also attended the soldier.

Thomas Chamberlain belonged to Captain Nathaniel G.S. Hart's company of Lexington Light Infantry in the 5th regiment of Kentucky Volunteers in the service of the U.S. and received injury across the back of the head while in the line of his duty and in the said service on the 22nd of Jan 1813 in the last battle of the River Raisin in the state of Michigan.

Source: Records of Revolutionary War Pensions of Soldiers who Settled in Fayette County Kentucky

Annie Walker Burns, compiler, Washington DC, 1936

Copy held by the Kentucky Room, Lexington Public Library

Call number: R976.947 B4128r KY1936