This is a short story but worth mentioning it is a short story of Abigail O’Flyng and her husband and her three sons who fought honorably in the war of 1812, and I thought I would put down their story less they be forgotten.
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Abigail O’Flyng is the wife of Patrick O’Flyng, of the town of Batavia, in the State of New York, and during the late war Patrick O’Flyng, and three of his sons, Patrick, Temple E., and Edmund O ‘Flyng, as soldiers in the army of the enlisted United States. Patrick O’Flyng continued in the service until the 28th of June, 1815, and was then honorably discharged. Edmund O’Flyng, the youngest son, on account, of his distinguished good conduct and bravery, was discharged from the service, and obtained a cadet’s appointment in the Military Academy at West Point; Patrick O’Flyng, on account of his brave and meritorious conduct, was promoted to the appointment of a lieutenancy, and Temple E. O’Flyng to that of ensign.
Patrick led the for1orn of the first brigade, under the command of General Miller, in the sortie at Fort Erie; and of the twenty-four men whom he commanded, twenty were killed or wounded. Since the termination of the war he has died, without wife or child. Temple E. O’Flyng, on that memorable occasion, equally distinguished himself: he received a wound, of which he died the next day, leaving no wife or child.
Abigail O’Flyng in 1816, give this testimony in a petition to Congress stating that she had petition the War Department for bounty land which they did not received. In her petition she states that her husband Patrick, is old and infirm, and unable to attend to his business, and that she made a application to the War Department for the bounty land her husband and sons, and received the following answer; Patrick O’Flyng, being above forty-five, and her youngest son, Edmund, being under eighteen, at the time of his enlistment, the act of Congress does not authorize the Department to issue warrants for the land; and that, in consequence of the promotion of her other two sons, Patrick and Temple, to appointments in the army, they are not entitled to their bounty lands.
The committee looked over the petition and stated that the construction of the law was correct; Whoever the committee also felt that as her husband and sons had fought honorably for country and family, that they should receive the bounty land, and order a bill to be printed and sent to Congress.
Here is the Bill that went to Congress and passed.
CHAP. LXXII.—.An . Act, for the relief of Patrick O’Flyng, and .6’bzgail O’Plyng
and Edmund O’Flyng.
Be it enacted, &c., That the proper officer of the department of war be, and he is hereby authorized and directed to allow and grant to Patrick and Abigail O’Flyng, a land warrant for four hundred and eighty acres of land, in the same manner and upon the same terms that warrants for military land bounty are granted to the soldiers of the army of the United States.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the officer aforesaid be, and he is hereby authorized and directed to allow and grant to Edmund O’Flyng a military land warrant for one hundred and sixty acres of land, in the same manner and upon the same terms that warrants are granted to the soldiers of the aforesaid army.
Sac. 3. And be it further enacted, That Patrick and Abigail O’Flyng and they are hereby authorized to receive half pay for five years for each of their sons, Lieutenant Patrick O’Flyng, and Ensign Temple E. O’Flyng, who died whilst in the service of the United States.
APPROVED, April 24, 1816.
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