Next, in his own words from a court document, are the experiences of Gideon Sikes, Soldier from Suffield, Connecticut, but, you see, he wasn't a soldier, he was a farmer who believed in this land and fought for it, leaving wife and children and farm so they could all have a better life.

On the 9th day of August 1832, personally appeared in open court before Luther Looners Judge of the court of Probate for Hartford County now sitting, Gideon Sikes a resident of Town of Suffield in said county, aged 79 years, who being first worn according to law doth in truth make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress [enacted]? June 7, 1832.

Let be entered he served this United States under the following named officers. His service are herein stated: December 1, 1775, I enlisted in the Army of the United States for thirteen yearly months until 1 January 177? (ink blot) as I 'd served for that period making fourteen months as compiled in soldier's pay. I served at Roxbury. Then went to New York City. Then into New Jersey. I was delayed at Peekskill. I served in Hunnington's Company, but commanded at that time by Capt. Hyde, finally by Hunnington. Samuel Wylly was Colonel. And [Spencer]? was General for this service.

I [leave]? because placed on the pension roll, but was struck therefrom on account of my property. My pension certificate is herewith provided.

In August 1777, I was ordered with the militia of Suffield to the South River. I went in the company of Capt Josiah King under Col Wyllys and served there for one month. We went to Peekskill and were stationed in the vicinity during this time.

In October of the same year the militias were again ordered to the North River and I marched in the company of Capt Josiah King under Col Hezekiah Wyllys. I marched to Peekskill. I marched up and down the river as the British fleet invaded. I served this time one month. Burgoyne was taken at this time. I was discharged at Fishkill.

In the spring of 1777 I was drafted from the militia and joined the army at Peekskill and served 2 months there. At Fishkill and the neighborhood I was in the company of Capt Griswald and Wyllys was Colonel. General Putnam was in command. At this time the regular army had the small pox.

I was born May 28, 1753. I suppose my birth recorded in the town records. I was born at said Suffield. I have always resided there except one year in Boston.

I never received any discharge from the service and have no documentary evidence of my service. I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present. I declare my name is not on the pension roll of the aforementioned state.

I do not [unattest]? the evidence presented by me in my former application on which I received this pension, but if they do not specify the term as I herein stated, I wish not to be precluded by said statement without further opportunity for explanation. I however suppose the rolls of the regiments must furnish full evidence of my service.

Gideon Sikes

General Israel Putnam was in charge of the troops sent to hold Long Island in August of 1776. General Howe, British Commander, sent his ships up the Long Island sound and landed. Since there were only 4,000 American troops who were not well entrenched on the Island and Howe landed 20,000 troops, the battle on August 22, went against the Americans. About 1/4 of Putnam's men died in the fight. The remaining soldiers retreated and Washington ferried them across the straits on the night of August 29-30.

General John Burgoyne, British commander of the northern army was to invade from Canada. He won an easy victory at Fort Ticonderoga, and decided to take his time a play along the way. His officers brought their wives and mistresses along and they had large banquets and parties every night. This gave the Americans much needed time to rally their forces and get their troops in place. Burgoyne was defeated twice at Saratoga and surrendered the northern army at there on October 17

Eighty Seven Years later we fought another war, but this one among ourselves over these same principles, the unalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Something every human needs, deserves and should never be deprived of in any way or for any reason.

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nations, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for thepeople shall not perish from the earth.