Two Savignac Brothers in the War of 1812
According to military records from the War of 1812, both "John" (Jean Baptiste) Savignac (1790-1834) and "Francis" (François) Savignac (1792 - ?) saw service in Michigan during that conflict. Both were in Major Witherell's detachment, serving under General William Hull, a Revolutionary War veteran who had later been appointed governor of the Michigan Territory by President Jefferson. John was inducted as a corporal and was discharged as the same. Francis, on the other hand, enlisted as a dragoon (mounted infantryman) in "Captain Richard Smyth`s Company of twelve months Volunteer Cavalry". Francis entered service on April 21, 1812, and upon enlisting he was issued a saber and a pistol, but he provided his own horse. He served until August 16, 1812, the day on which General Hull surrendered Detroit and on which Francis (and presemably his brother as well) became a prisoner of war.
Surviving company pay records for Francis show that he served for three months and twenty-six days; it further records the following:
Pay per month for self, 6 dollars, 66 cents
Amount of pay for self, 25 dollars, 63 cents
No. of horses, 1
No. of days, 118
Pay per day for each horse, 40 cents
Amount of pay per horse, 47 dollars, 20 cents
Total amount, 72 dollars, 83 cents
For the above it would appear that Francis Savignac's horse earned more per day than he did.
It took more than four years for Francis Savignac to settle his accounts with the U.S. Government for his wartime service. First of all, there was the matter of that highly paid horse which Francis had brought to serve its country -- the beast had apparently been liberated by the British and had not been returned to its rightful owner. Apparently seeking compensation, on December 15, 1816, Francis "Savenac", stood before Justice of the Peace Thomas Rowland in Detroit and did swear and depose that:
"... on or about the Sixteenth day of August 1812, he was a private Soldier in Capt Smyth's Company of Volunteer Cavalry and that he lost his Horse at the Capettulation of Genl Hull taken by the Enemy while he was in the Service of the United States and that he hath never received pay, compensation, or remuneration for the same that the evidence is the best he is able to procure, that he has never received any certificate vouchers for the same, and that he believes the value of said Hort to be forty dollars and no cents; and further the deponent saith not."
To this Francis affixed his mark:
his
Francis X Savenyac
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A witness, one James Bourgeas of Detroit, swore to the same.
The wheels of God and the U.S. bureaucracy grind slowly, and it apparently was decided that before reimbursing Francis Savignac for the loss of his fine Horse, there was this little matter of U.S. Government property which had been issued to him, viz.,the saber and pistol and which, like his horse, was missing in action. On January 18, 1817, Francis Savignac and his brother "John" stood before Peter Audrain, a Justice of the Peace in the Territory of Michigan and the District of Detroit. Francis swore to the following:
"Francis Savignac of Detroit in the Territory of Michigan, being duly sworn doth depose and say that on or about the Sixteenth day of August 1812 he was a private Soldier in a Volunteer Company of Cavalry Commanded by Captain Richard Smyth of Detoit and that lost his lance and pistol at the Surrender of Detroit taken by the Enemy while he was in the Military Service of the U. States and that he hath never received pay, compensation, or remuneration for the same that the accompanying evidence is the best that he is able to procure, that he has never received any certificate or vouchers for the same, and that he believes the value of said sword and pistol to be Thirty dollars and [no] cents, and further deponent saith not."
The "accompanying evidence" was apparently the affidavit on which his brother Jean Baptiste had made his mark, swearing to the same.
his
John B. X Savignac
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It is not known how the matter of pistol, saber, and Horse was worked out, or whether Francis received the compensation which he sought; however, the payroll record given above was dated June 19, 1817, which might indicate the date when Pvt. Francis Savignac ret. received his pay.