Humbly Sheweth,

That Your Memorialist is a Native of New Jersey, that he served during the last war as a Volunteer with the 80th Regmt. at the defeat at Ticonderoga & the reduction of Canada. That he afterwards embarked with an intention of serving at the Havanah, but arrived there a few days after its reduction.

That at the commencement of the late dissensions in America, he was firmly attached to His Majestys Person and the British Government, and was much opposed to the Measures & proceedings of the American Congress.

That in Novr. 1776, he joined the Royal Army at New Brunswick in New Jersey, and gave them every inteligence and rendered them every other service he was capable of.

That your Memorialist was at that time frequently employed by General SKINNER and others to procure information for the Royal Army, that he was in the Country on that service, at the time Colonel HARCOURT took the Rebel Major General Lee, and did actually join him on that occasion.

That your Memorialist did afterwards in the Month of December 1776 receive a Warrant to raise a Company for the New Jersey Volunteers, that he recruited several men, for whom he had been at a considerable other expence besides that of advancing them the Bounty.

That he was ordered under the command of Major STOCKTON, to take post at a place called Bennets Neck, with a small party of the New raised Levies. That in February 1777, the said party was by a superior Body of the Enemy taken Prisoners.

That Your Memorialist was marched in Irons from Princeton to Philadelphia Goal. That he continued closely imprisoned in different Goals untill some time in the month of August 1778, during which period he experienced insult, mortification and distress in a great degree besides involving himself in Debts to the amount of Several hundred pounds, some part of which he has already settled and paid, but by far the greater part, he has been heretofore unable to pay and still remains accountable for.

That he was exchanged agreeable to the Rank mentioned in his Warrant, that on his arrival in New York, he found to his great astonishment, that all the Companys in the Battalion to which he was appointed, were disposed of and your Memorialist left entirely destitute and unprovided for, notwithstanding One of the men he had recruited as a Common Soldier and to whom he had actually paid the Bounty as such, and had sent into the Country to enlist men for his Company, had during his Captivity recruited about 70 men for your Memorialist, and was then himself commanding a Company in the same Regiment.

That he was not able to procure the least restitution, relief or redress, and such was his reduced and necessitous circumstances, that he was under the disagreeable necessity of hiring himself as a Common Labourer in the Barrack Department to cutt fuel at 5/. the Cord.

That he never recd. the least compensation for the men he recruited, nor for the money necessarily expended in raising them, nor for his long and severe imprisonment and sufferings until the 24th Decr. 1779, when he was put on the seconded list as a Lieut. at 2/4 P. diem.

That he was declared guilty of high Treason, for having joined the Royal Army by the Laws of the State of New Jersey and his little property was confiscated and Sold for the use of the State.

He therefore prays, that you will take his case into your consideration, in order that under your Report he may be enabled to receive such aid and relief, as his losses, sufferings and services may be formed to deserve.

Asher DUNHAM

Halifax March the 7th 1786.

An Inventory of Lieut. Asher Dunham’s Losses sustained by the late dissentions in America.

Curry.

The small farm whereon he lived, laying in Hanover, Morris
County, containing about 60 Acres, whereon was a dwelling
House, Barn and orchard, and also a saw mill, half of              £ 280.0.
which said mill was his property, Cost him in Cash—

The Moveables of which he at present is not able to give a
particular Accot.

Great Britain, Public Record Office, Audit Office, Class 13, Volume 21, folios 154–155.

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