USA > North Carolina > The state records of North Carolina, vol. XXII, pt. 1 > Part 10
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He was born in Rowan County, N. C., March 1, 1756, and when in the service he was on Catawba in that part of Rowan, now Iredell County and now lives there. He was mostly in what was called the partisan warfare and very little with the regulars as the Tories of North Carolina were sufficient to keep the Whigs engaged. He had a family record as kept by his father; it is lost.
ANDREW CARSON.
This is to certify that Andrew Carson hath served fifty-two days in my Company in actual service by general orders, Given under my hand March ye 23, 1781. D. CALDWELL, Captain.
This may certify that Andrew Carson hath served in the public service four weeks and two days under command of General Davidson.
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STATE RECORDS.
Given under my hand this 28th day of Feb'y, 1782. MICHAL ELSBURRY,
Lientenant.
These are to certify that Andrew Carson hath served in public servis two weeks after Briens and fifteen days at Deep river under the command of Captain Beasley.
Given under my hand this 5th day of August, 1782.
JOHN GRAHAM, Captain.
Inscription on tombstone in the family burying ground near Hous- touville, Iredell County, N. C .:
CAPTAIN ANDREW CARSON, Born 1st March, 1756, Died 29th January, 1841. He was a Soldier of the Revolutionary War.
WILLIAM LEE DAVIDSON.
(Petition filed in 3d Auditor's Office.)
To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled-
The petition of William Lee Davidson showeth to your Honorable bodies that he is the son and heir of General William Davidson who was a soldier of the Revolutionary War and served his country faith- fully from the beginning of said war until he was killed at the battle of Cowan's Ford on the Catawba River, in the County of Mecklenburg in the State of North Carolina.
"When the Revolution broke out on the 22d of April, 1777, the State Congress at Halifax raised four additional regiments, to the two already in service. Of the 4th Regiment Thomas Polk was Colonel, James Thackston Lieutenant Colouch, and petitioner's father, William Davidson, Major.
With this regiment, under General Francis Nash he marched to join the Army of the North, under General Washington, where he served until Nov, 1779, when the North Carolina line was ordered South to reinforce General Lincoln, at Charleston, S. Carolina. Pre-
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vious to this your petitioners Father, Win. Davidson had been pro- moted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the line. As the troops passed through North Carolina Colonel Davidson obtained a furlough for a few days visit to his family which he had not seen for three years. This saved him from the fate that befell Lincoln at Charleston; for when he approached Charleston, he found it so closely beleaguered by the British Army, that he was prevented from joining his regiment. When Lincoln surrendered, your petitioner's Father returned to Mecklenburg and rendered important services in subduing the Tories, who, encouraged by the success of the British became numerous, daring and dangerous.
He raised a troop of volunteers and marched against them. At Colson's Mill he encountered a strong force of Tories, and a severe engagement took place in which petitioner's Father was severely wounded. A ball entered the umbilical region and passed through his body near the kidneys. This had nearly been fatal. He was con- fined for two months with this wound. On his recovery he took the field having been promoted for his bravery to a brigadier general in the place of General Rutherford, taken prisoner at Camden, S. C. He was active with General Sumner and Colonel Davie in checking the advance of the British, and throughout this dark period of our for- tunes gave unceasing evidence of his untiring zeal in the eanse of his Country.
After the brilliant affair of the Cowpens (17th Jan., 1781), in which General Morgan, with an inferior force, chastised the temerity and insolence of Colonel Tarleton, Genl. Davidson was most active in assembling the militia of his district to aid Genl. Green (who had on the east bank of the Catawba joined the light corps of Morgan) in impeding the advance of the enemy, and it was his fortune to guard the very ford at which Cornwallis attempted to pass. At the head of three hundred men, he took post at Cowan's Ford.
At day break on the 1st of February, 1781, the British Army under Cornwallis entered the waters of Catawba (then swollen by heavy rains) at Cowan's Ford. The morning was dark and rainy. The light infantry under Col. Hall entered first, followed by the grenadiers and the battalions. The pieket of General Davidson chal- lenged the enemy, receiving no reply, the guard fired. This turned out the whole force of General Davidson, who kept up a galling fire from the bank. The guide of the British alarmed at the firing, turn-
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ed about and left them. This caused an unexpected diversion of the enemy from the expected landing of the force, and Col. Hall led them directly across. Col. Hall was killed as he ascended the bank. Lord Cornwallis's horse was shot in the river and fell as he reached the bank; three privates killed, and thirty-six British wounded.
Petitioner's father, General Davidson, in riding from the point where he expected the enemy to the point where they landed, was shot; the ball passed through his heart and he fell dead from his horse. "Your petitioner further showeth to your Ilonorable bodies that in consideration of the gallant services of his Father in the defence of his country-the Congress of the United States, in 1781, passed the following resolution-"Resolved, That the Governor and Council of the State of North Carolina be desired to erect a monu- ment at the expense of the United States not exceeding in value of five hundred dollars, to the memory of the late Brigadier General Davidson who commanded the militia of the District of Salisbury in the State of North Carolina and was killed on the first of February fighting gallantly for the defense of the liberty and independence of these States."
That petitioner's Father entered the service of his Country at the commencement of the Revolutionary War and continued in active service until his death at Cowan's Ford *-- a period of more than five years, serving part of the time as Lieutenant-Colonel and part as Brig- ndier General.
Your Petitioner has been informed that his said Father, Genl. Davidson was entitled to seven years half pay, by a resolution of Con- gress passed the 24th of August, 1780, and 21st of October, 1780, and having died or been killed in service his children are entitled to whatever may be due.
* See Wheeler's History of North Carolina.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,
OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF STATE.
I, William Hill, Secretary of State, in and for the State of North Carolina do hereby certify that it appears from the muster rolls of the Continental Line of this State in the Revolutionary War, that William Davidson entered the service in said line as a Major in the 4th Regiment on the 15th day of April, 1776, that he was a Lt. Colo. on the 4th of Oetr, 1777, in the 5th Regiment, and of the 1st Regi-
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ment in 1779. Retired from the Continental service on the 1st of Jan'y, 1781.
Given under my hand this 30th day of Jan'y, 1856.
W. IIILL, Secretary of State. (Copy).
34TH CONGRESS, 3d Session.
SENATE.
REP. COM. 1 No. 314.
S. 512. UNITED STATES.
JANUARY 21, 1857 .- Ordered to be printed.
Mr. EVANS made the following REPORT. [To accompany bill S. 512.]
The Committee on Revolutionary Claims, to whom was referred the petition of William L. Davidson, heir of General William David- son, deceased, having had the same under consideration, report:
That the history of the military services of the father of the peti- tioner is fully set forth in Wheeler's History of North Carolina, and in the Journals of Congress from 1775 to 1781. Ile was a member of the Mecklenburg convention, which, in May, 1775, made the first declaration of independence which emanated from the American people.
After the battle of Lexington when it became manifest that the difficulties between the colonies and Great Britain were to be decided by the sword, the convention of North Carolina raised six battalions for the common defence, and tendered their services to Congress. Of the 4th battalion, Thomas Polk was appointed Colonel, James Thack- ston lieutenant colonel, and William Davidson major. These ap- pointments were made by the Congress of the United colonies, on the recommendation of the convention of North Carolina, on the 7th of May, 1776. The North Carolina troops were marched to the North, under General Nash, to reinforce the army under the command of General Washington.
In this arduous service he remained until November, 1779, when
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the North Carolina troops were ordered to reinforce General Lincoln in South Carolina. In the meantime Major Davidson had been pro- moted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
As the troops passed through North Carolina, he obtained leave of absence for a short time to visit his family, whom he had not seen since he left them to join the northern army. It is stated in the pe- tition, and there is no reason to doubt the fact, that when his furlough expired, he immediately repaired to Charleston to join his regiment; but when he arrived in the neighborhood, he found the city so closely beleaguered that it was impossible for him to go in.
When Charleston eapitulated, in May, 1780, his regiment were made prisoners of war, and he, being out of active employment, re- paired to Mechlenburgh, his native county, and raised a volunteer corps for the purpose of keeping in subjection the tories, who were immerous in that part of North Carolina and the adjoining parts of South Carolina. In this service he was actively engaged until after Gates' defeat in August, 1780. In this battle General Rutherford, who commanded the militia of the Salisbury division, was taken pris- oner, and his command was conferred by the goverment of North Carolina upon Colonel Davidson, who thus became a brigadier of militia, retaining at the same time his rank in the continental army, ready to resume his connnand when his regiment should be exchanged or again recruited.
In January, 1781, whilst General Greene was retreating through North Carolina, pursued by a superior force of the enemy under Lord Cornwallis, it became of great importance to retard the march of the enemy as much as possible, and to enable the American general to eross the Yadkin before he could be overtaken. To this end Colonel Davidson, by the order of General Greene, posted his command, con- sisting of 300 militia, at Cowan's ford, on the Catawba river, which it was supposed was one of the passes by which the enemy would attempt to cross that river. This conjecture proved to be correct.
On the morning of the 1st of February, 1781, the enemy, in large force, appeared on the opposite side of the river. Their passage was resisted with great vigor and courage, and was effected at a heavy loss; but in the conflict the American commander was killed. In consideration of his gallant conduct, Congress, on the 20th day of September, 1781, passed a resolution requesting the Governor and council of North Carolina to erect a monument, at the expense of the
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United States, not exceeding in value $500, to the memory of the late General Davidson, who commanded the militia of the district of Salis- bury, in the State of North Carolina, and was killed on the 1 Feb., 1781, fighting gallantly for the defence of the liberty and inde- pendence of these States.
Under these circumstances, the petitioner claims for himself, and the other children of Colonel Davidson, the seven years' half-pay, to which they conecive themselves entitled under the resolution of Con- gress of the 24th of August, 1780, which is in these words: "Re- solved, That the resolution of the 15th day of May, 1778, granting half-pay for seven years to the officers of the army who should con- tinue in the service to the end of the war, be extended to the widows of those officers who have died, or shall hereafter die in the service, to commence from the timo of such officer's death." A subsequent part of the same resolution gives the allowance to the orphan children of the deceased officer, in case there be no widow or she should after- wards marry. From the facts herein stated, there is no doubt that, in consequence of the death of General Davidson, his widow, if he left one, and if none, his children, who were then orphans, were entitled to the seven years' half-pay."
He was one of those who were entitled to the seven years' half-pay under the resolution of the 15th of May, 1778, and he was afterwards killed in battle acting under the orders of Major General Greene. Ilis command of the militia, and bearing the commission of a major general of the militia, could not change the legality of the claim of his family, under the resolution of the 24th of August, 1780.
The committee, therefore, report a bill to pay to the petitioner, W. 1 .. Davidson, for himself and the other children of his father, the half- pay of a lieutenant colonel of infantry for seven years. They are not orphans now, but they were at the death of their father. If they did not receive it then, they are entitled now. Such has been the uniform construction of the resolution, as appears from many acts passed with- in the last thirty years.
LIEUT. COLONEL HENRY DIXON.
(In the Petition of Heirs of Lt. Col. Henry Dixon.)
Herndon Haralson, then of Haywood Co., Tenn., makes oath, May 11, 1840, "that in the year 1781 when Gen. Greene retreated thro'
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N. C. into Virginia before Lord Cornwallis, he, this affiant, re- ceived a Captain's Commission, raised a company of volunteers, equipped themselves, and joined the anny under the command of the said Colonel Dixon and Gen'l Pickens, and marched against a body of Tories in the neighborhood of Hillsborough, then commanded by Colo. Piles, which they attacked, defeated and ent to pieces on the 21st Feb., 1781-from thence in a few days they fought the bat- tles of Whitesil's Mill and Guilford Court House." Haralson also states that Dixon "Marched to the South, where in some action in which he fought he received a wound with a musket or a cannon ball, but in what part of his body he doth not now recollect."
Note-He was wounded at Eutaw Springs, S. C .- ED.
1
JOSEPHI GRAHAM.
In October, 1832, he was residing in Lincoln County, N. C., aged 73 years and stated that he enlisted in May, 1778, under Capt. Gooden in the Fourth North Carolina Regiment commanded by Col. Archi- bald Lyttle, a part of the time was orderly sergeant and the balance Quarter Master Sergeant, the term of his service to be 9 months after arriving at the place of rendezvous at Bladensburg in Maryland. They assembled at Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, N. C., where he then lived, from thence marched to near Virginia, receiving re- fruits from the other Counties. The field officers on this march were Colonel Win. L. Davidson, Major William Polk and Henry Diekson. Capt. Smith Harris and others were all assembled in Caswell County u! a place called Moore's Creek. At this place received the news of the battle at Monmouth, N. J., (June 28th, 1778) and that the Brit- ish had gone to New York City, and as their services were not wanted , at the North, the men became uneasy that the time of their service had not commenced and it was uncertain when it would. A meeting took place which with some difficulty was suppressed. Some officers broke their swords and some soldiers were crippled. "It was after- wards proposed to such of the soldiers as would accept, to take fur- loughs of which Graham was one," and he went home to Mecklen- burg some time in August. On the 5th November following he was enlled into the service under General Rutherford (Brigade of Mili- tia) for 5 months, in Col. Lyttle's Regiment. At the "10-mile
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house" they received their arms and camp equipage, from thence to Purysburg on Savannah River where General Lincoln commanded, and N. C. Regnlars were organized in two regiments, under Colonels Lytle and Armstrong, and the Brigade under Brigadier General Sum- ner. Graham was in the Company of Capt. Gooden, who with Capt. WV. Goodman were shortly after transferred to a regiment of Light In- fantry that was increased by some Companies of Militia after Gen. Ashe's defeat at Brier Creek (March 3rd, 1779,) and placed under the command of Colonel Malmedy, a Frenelnan, and Major John Nelson of the N. C. Line. From the time the regiment was formed Graham acted as Quarter Master Sergeant to the end of the eam- paign. Lt. Witton (of the Regulars) who was appointed Quarter Master, being in bad health, died about the last of the year, Graham discharged the whole duty the most of the time. During this service he was in a skirmish with MeGist (or MeGirt) who commanded the British Cavalry before Tarleton arrived. The regiment of Light Infantry was twice detached mider Count Pulaski, in one of which a Lieutenant, Chevalier DeVallier, (a Frenchman) in a rencountre with a British piquet, received a mortal wound. Graham was in the battle of Stono, June 20th, 1779, and discharged in August, 1779, at which time he was ill with bilions fever, from which he had not fully recovered at the end of two months. The fever together with the re- collection of the hardships in a southern campaign along the sea coast, had so depressed his spirits that Graham did not re-enter the service until May, when the defeat of Colonel Buford (of Virginia by Col. Tarleton May 29, 1760) was announced, with a report that the enemy were advancing. The militia were ordered out en masse and ho joined them. From his experience in military duties, he was ap- pointed Adjutant of the Mecklenburg County Militia. The County being on the frontier, with no other force to protect it, a part of that regiment, and sometimes the whole, was retained most of the summer. The foot under General Win. L. Davidson south-east of Charlotte, the ITorse under Colonel Davie, in detachments, patrolled the country as far as Waco and adjoining Counties in the west that were disaffected. On the 25th of September it was reported that the British Army were on the March from Camden, which caused General Davidson to im- mediately march with his command towards Salisbury and ordering Graham to join Colonel Davie at Charlotte, where he should take command of such inhabitants as the alarm should bring together,
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which were over 50. In the arrangements by Colonel Davie to opposo the entrance of the enemy into the village, Graham was placed in command of the reserve, which covered the retreat of the Americans - by molesting the advance of the British for four miles. This advance musisted of all their cavalry and a battalion of infantry, and when Colonel Davie was put in a supporting distance, a charge was mado in which Graham received nine wounds and was taken from the field to the hospital, remaining two months before his injuries were healed, but the "term" of service of the militia had expired and the enemy reported to be in Winnsborough, S. C.
As General Greene was soon expecting the British to advance in force, arrangements were adopted to raise men to oppose them, and Graham engaged upwards of 50 in two or three weeks, but the prin- cipal difficulty was to proenre arms, though generally they had rifles and nearly half the swords for the cavalry were made by Blacksmithy wid suspended higher up on the body than the later practice, in order to avoid entangling with the limbs when acting as foot soldiers.
After Tarleton's defeat January 17th, 1781, (At Cowpens, S. C.) the enemy in pursuit of General Morgan came to Cowan's Ford on the Catawba River, February 1st, 1781, and in the conflict there two of. Graham's Company were killed ( As well as General Davidson ) and it was the only Company that left the battle ground in order and covered the retreat at the same time. On the 7th of February his Company while hanging on the rear of the British, had a conflict with them, on their march from Shallow Ford, on the Yadkin to Salem, in which they were routed. His Company lost one killed and took five prisoners. After this the N. C. Militia were placed under the command of General Andrew Pickens of S. C., and Graham's Com- pany, with others, under Colonel Joseph Dickson, crossed Haw River, were detached by General Pickens in the evening with part of his Company and forty-five riflemen from Rowan and marched in the night of the 17th and at light the next morning, surprised, killed and took prisoners, a guard of an officer, with his 26 men, at Hart's Mill 1 and 1-2 miles from Hillsboro, where the British army was in emmp. The evening of the same day formed a junction with Col. Lee's Legion and a day or two after this Tarleton with his legion set out over Haw River to join Colonel or Dr. Piles with Pickens and Lee after him, including Graham's Company, and all the militia, equipped as dragoons, were placed under Lee in rear of his dragoons.
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On falling in with Piles and the Tories, instead of Tarleton passing along in front of their line drawn up, none of Lee's men knew their character, but Lee, as his men having so recently come to the south, did not know the distinguished mark of the Tories, but when the militia eame near and discovered the red strip of cloth in their hats, they made the first attack on them. Some of the blacksmith swords broke, others bent, &c. Tarleton, who was in the vicinity, as soon as informed of the result started for Hillsboro, the Americans pursued about half way and without overtaking him turned to the left up the country. The next day, with reinforcements, he attacked our piquet guard in the night in which engagement Major Mieajah Lewis, a Continental officer, was killed, and the Americans compelled to retire; this was followed by various movements, which brought both armies to the south of Haw River near Alamance Creek. On the 2nd of March a detachment of 800 men, all militia, except Lee's Legion, advanced in three columns, under his command, Graham and Com- pany in front of the left with orders to support the left flank. After passing through a farm near Clapp's Mills entering a coppice of woods encountered a large party of the enemy drawn up in position, a smart firing commenced, and after three or four rounds our line gave way, the ground was so hampered with thick underbrush, and the course of the Tories on the left flank, it was done with difficulty, re- treated about one mile to the ford on big Alamance, where Col. Otho Williams with the regulars under his command and Washington's Cavalry, were drawn up to support ; the enemy did not pursue more than 500 yards. In the affair two were killed, 3 wounded and 2 taken prisoners of Graham's Company, in all 7. On the first of March the time and service for which the men had engaged was up and about one-third of them would go home, the others were persuaded to stay longer, being daily in expectation of a general action.
The day after the battle Graham was directed by Lee to take 25 men to ascertain if the enemy were occupying the field and, if they had left, to follow the trail until he actually saw them which he did, on the Salisbury road within half a mile of their headquarters. He dispatched a sergeant with six men to inform Lee, and Graham with the rest of his party moved after dark through the woods in an unsne- cessful effort to capture two sentinels who fired at them, but as Gra- ham and his party proceeded a 1-2 mile up the main road met a patrol of cavalry, whom they hailed, then discharged a volley in their faces,
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causing them to retreat, leaving their officer a prisoner. Upwards of 100 cavalry were, as was afterwards learned from a deserter, has- tily dispatched from the British camp in pursuit of Graham the same night, who met a company of Tories on the march to join them and were mistaken for Graham's party. A charge was made with considerable slaughter before discovering they were friends. This small affair greatly discouraged the Tories in the South. A few days before they had been severely eut up by Lee's men and the militia whom, at the time, they had supposed was their friend Tarleton. It is not known that the Tories attempted to join the British afterwards. Subsequently Graham with his Company was in the action at Whit- sell's Mills on Reedy Fork under Colonel Washington, when Col. Webster with the elite of the British army for 12 miles passed so closely as to compel Colonel Otho Williams, the commander, to fight long in expectation of a general action. Being disappointed with only heavy skirmishing, in which they had acted a prominent part, his men determined to return home. General Greene directed Graham to go with them in order to keep them in a compact body until they got through the disaffected settlement on the cast side of the Yadkin River, which they passed on the 14th of March, 1781, and on the 17th most of the company arrived home. Owing to the early death of General Davidson under whose orders he acted, he received no written commission, but Colonel Dickson gave him a written dis- charge. During this service he was in S battles or skirmishes and lost four men killed, three wounded and two prisoners.
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