Born in Ireland in 1744, he immigrated to the United States and took up residence in Taneytown, Maryland. When war broke out in 1775, he, at the age of 32, heard the call and traveled down to Frederick Maryland and became a volunteer militiaman with his friend John Baum. Both Richard and John joined the same company commanded by Captain Michael McGuire (Founder of Loretto in Cambria County). Richard would marry John’s sister, Mary Catherine the following year and service another six years until hostilities ended in September 1783. He would endure overwhelming hardships, brutal cold, starvation, and defeats by the enemy, but eventually he watched the birth of our Nation when England surrendered. Now, his service to our country was great, but his greatness was not found in the war.

The first record of Richard Nagle living in Cambria County was in 1800 when the census noted he was living with his wife and four children. It is thought both John Baum, and he migrated to Cambria County together with their families at the request of their commander, Captain Michael McGuire. Both families are considered some of the earliest settlers the community of Loretto.

As Richard grew older, he began to become feeble and unable to work relying on the charity of others. But it would not be until 1828, at the age of 83 that his amazing story began.

A well-known newspaper in 1828 told the rest of the story in the article titled THE OLD SOLDIER-A Fact. Americans! READ AND REFLECT.

The story goes … In 1828, at the age of 83, Richard Nagle left home in the cold and snow of January and walked 130 miles to Harrisburg Pennsylvania to ask for his war pension from the State Legislature. As he walked, communities en route began to talk of his tale. People invited him into their homes for food and rest. Once in Harrisburg, he met with the legislature. So overwhelmed with his story, yet unable to grant him a federal pension, they gathered a small amount of money, bought him new clothes, and gave him a coach ticket to Washington DC. After a few days he found himself in the capital and sought out his State Representative in the House. His representative, unable to do anything, directed him to the War Department where pensions were given. The next day found him at the War Department and a clerk reviewed his papers only to say his documentation is insufficient to render a pension, because not only was there insufficient documentation he served, but he did not have the affidavits to prove he was impoverished.

Not knowing what to do, the story goes, he traveled to the White House and saw President John Adams who heard his story. Adams not believing him, stood up and yelled “Begone you imposter and dirty old rascal, I’ll have you horsewhipped!”

Dejected even more, he returned to his State Congressman who has no other course than to pay for his return to Cambria County.

But then the awful story of Pvt Richard Nagle went viral throughout the country. Newspapers published his story. A huge public uproar condemned President Adams. It so happens 1828 was an election year and Andrew Jackson was Adams’s challenger. Jackson, as part of his campaign for president, used the plight of Richard Nagle and other aging veterans to draw attention to their needs.

Jackson would win the Presidency and Pvt Richard Nagle received his pension. Richard was given his pension equivalent to half of one year’s salary of a Private, $40 a year until his death at 93.

In 1831 Congress changed the original 1818 Revolutionary War Pension Act by the removing the clause stating the Veteran needed to have proof they were impoverished, In 1836 Congress again changed the Act to give the spouse the veteran’s pension once he died. Both Richard Nagle and his friend John Baum are buried together side by side in the Revolutionary War Cemetery in Patton, Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
–Researched by Jeff Pounding, Col. (Ret.), USA Special Fources