Although there are few details of the service of Joel Ott during the War of 1812, Fold3 has 29 pages pertaining to his pension application. Many of the hand written pages are difficult to read but they are interesting viewing.
Private Joel Ott
1792 Orangeburg, SC – 1879 LA
Son of Jacob Ott III
In the War of 1812, the United States took on the greatest naval power in the world, Great Britain, in a conflict that would have an immense impact on the young country’s future. Causes of the war included British attempts to restrict U.S. trade, the Royal Navy’s impressment of American seamen and America’s desire to expand its territory[i].
Joel Ott served in the War of 1812.[ii] He was a private in Captain Bickham’s Company of the Louisiana Militia from 23 December 1814 to 9 March 1815.[iii] He wrote, “I was on guard duty…when the Battle of New Orleans was fought.”[iv]Delayed communication caused that battle to be fought after the war was over.
He applied for a pension in the Spring of 1875. In June 1876 William Duncan wrote a letter to Washington, D.C. stating that Joel still had no reply to the pension request.
Mr. Ott is now Eighty – six years old and if there is a pension due him the government should not delay his claim any longer he is in Extreme poverty and the allowance of his pension would enable him to live comfortably the remaining portion of his life.[v]
Eventually Joe did receive eight dollars a month as a pension from the government.[vi]
[i] War of 1812; digital information, History (history.com: accessed May 2022).
[ii] Louisiana Soldiers in the War of 1812, digital record; Ancestry (ancestry.com: accessed May 2022) Joel Ott.
[iii] The American Revolution in South Carolina, The Orangeburg District Regiment Militia; digital image (carolana.com: accessed February 2019) Jacob Ott, Captain.
[iv] War of 1812 Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, NARA; digital images, Fold3 (fold3.com: accessed March 2022) Joel Ott.
[v] War of 1812 Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, NARA; digital images, Fold3 (fold3.com: accessed March 2022) Joel Ott.
[vi] War of 1812 Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, NARA; digital images, Fold3 (fold3.com: accessed March 2022) Joel Ott.
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A very fitting post right before 4th of July! Wow, 29 pages?! You definitely lucked out! I have seen a few with many pages such as that, but many have only one to a few, so you definitely hit the jackpot! Do you have more info that what's in your post, from the 29 pages? :)
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