The history of the American Revolution has many opinions and stories.
The stories of the actual participants is captured and a treasure trove of information available through military pension applications which are just beginning to be explored.
In South Carolina, a project is underway called the Revolutionary War Pension Files Transcription Mission.
The goal of this mission is to dig, grind, root through the stories of over 80,000 Americans who lived, fought, died and struggled through the American Revolution. These stories were told if fortunate to have survived by the soldiers themselves. For the less fortunate, these stories were told the best they could by their widows and children.
These pension records are found at the National Archives, pension files from centuries ago tell the stories of the beginning of America. Most of these are written in cursive which if has a distinct difference from handwriting of today.
“Those letters really open up that period of time. The hardships that they encountered, the victories that they won,” said National Archives Director of Digital Partnerships and Outreach Carol Lagundo.
In honor of the Sestercentennial of the American Revolutionary War, the National Archives and National Park Service are teaming up to tell as many of these stories as possible through the Revolutionary War Pension Files Transcription Mission.
Who knows, maybe those seeking “Supplemental SAR Applications” could benefit from some of these pension records.
If you want to learn more, the full article is attached:
