USA > North Carolina > The state records of North Carolina, vol. XXII, pt. 1 > Part 11
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After the battle at Guilford (March 15th, 1781) the enemy hav- ing marched to Wihnington and left a garrison there, no militia ser- vice was called for in the west until the month of August, 1781, al- though the Tories under the protection of the British, had possession of the country south of the Cape Fear, until above Fayetteville, Colonel Fanning of the Tories, surprised Hillsboro, taking Governor Burke prisoner. General Rutherford, who was captured at Gates' defeat, having been exchanged, returned about this time, sent Gra- ham orders to raise a troop of Dragoons in Mecklenburgh and many of those who served the winter before joined the troop. There were but four married men in the troop and he was commissioned as Major in the command of Colonel Robert Smith, who had been a Captain in the N. C. line. The organization consisted of three troops of Dragoons, about 96 men and 200 mounted infantry. Two days there-
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after the General having received information of the embodying of Tories on Raft Swamp, who were about to retreat to Wilmington, de- tached Graham with the Dragoons and forty mounted infantry with orders to hold them at bay or impede their march so that he might follow and overtake them. When he did overtake them, charged with Dragoons, entirely defeating them, 20 or 30 being killed and wounded, entirely with the sabre.
Graham who was detached by Colonel Smith with one troop of Dragoons and two companies of mounted men, surprised at Alfred Moore's plantation, a mile below the ferry at Wilmington, and de feated 100 Tories, killed and wounded 12. The next day was in an unsuccessful attack on a British garrison in a brick house that cov- ered the Ferry opposite Wilmington, with one killed.
Graham was afterwards detached by General Rutherford with three Companies, one of which was Dragoons, by Brunswick, over Lockwood's Folly and Wacamo Rivers, to a place called Seven Oaks, near S. C. Jine, and was attacked about midnight by the noted Gainey of S. C., who was then under a truce with General Marion, but appears he did not consider it binding in North Carolina. The Cavalry charged defeating them and killed one. Graham had one killed, 2 wounded and four horses killed. This service lasted over three months and was in four battles. He recapitulated his service as follows:
From May, 1776, to Angust when Furlonghed-3 months.
From November 5th, 1778 to August, 1779-9 months.
From about June ist, 1780, to March 17th, 1781-9 1-2 months.
From about August 20th, 1781, to Ist December-to Wilmington -3 1-4 months.
IIc was born in Chester County, Penn., October 13th, 1759. Re- moved to Mecklenburg County, N. C., when about ten years old and was present in Charlotte on the 20th of May, 1775, when the Commit- tee of the County of Mecklenburg made the celebrated Declaration of Independence of the British Crown. Since 1792 he has resided in Lincoln County, N. C. Ile died November 12th, 1836.
WILLIAM GRAHAM.
Ile was residing in October, 1832, in Rutherford County, N. C., aged 91 years and stated that in 1776 he was appointed Commissioner
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to receive certain articles for the Minute Men in the Militia, by the Field Officers of the Province of N. C., at Cross Creek, he being at the time Colonel Commandant of the Tryon Militia, by an ap- pointment of the Congress at Hillsboro, N. C., in the following words : North Carolina, Hillsboro, in Congress, September 9th, 1775. This may certify that William Graham, Esq., is appointed by order of Congress, Colonel of Militia in the County of Tryon, by order. Samuel Johnson, President ; Andrew Knox, Secretary.' Ile con- tinued under that appointment until the military were better organ- ized and had a regular Governor, In the year 1779 he received another commission appointing him Colonel of the Lincoln Regiment of Militia, dated at Smithfield, May 12th, 1779, signed by Richard Caswell, Governor and J. Glasgow, Secretary.
Hle was attacked in September, 1780, in his own house, when, with David Docky and Win. Twitty, they repulsed about 25 Tories, killing one and wounding three as he believes. Shortly after that tho Tories, with an additional mmuber, returned to his house, removing all the moveables and clothing they found and six likely Negroes. Soon after this the officers agreed to assemble their forces at Brown's Creek, as a better situation to watch the movements of the British and Tories, but before many arrived, and before organization they were driven from the position. While on their way back were over- taken by the enemy at Wafford's Iron Works, where in the engage- ment the enemy were defeated, losing a mumber killed and six prisou- ers. The Americans had several brave men killed, among whom was Major Burrill Smith of Georgia, Thomas Scott and Capt. John Potts, that fell by the side of Graham. In a few hours after the battle, Ferguson came in sight, which caused a hasty departure from the place and after passing over Broad River, it became necessary to separate and reunite their forces. Ferguson marched on through Rutherford County to Burke Conuty, N. C., where an engagement took place and Major Dunlap, one of Ferguson's officers, was wounded which caused the enemy to return back. At this time the Americans began to embody and I (Graham) think the same Summer the battle of Ramsour Mills was fought" (June 20th, 1780). Graham was not in the battle but arrived there the next day in company with General Rutherford and Colonel Martin and was directed to kecp in readiness as strong force as he could raise, at a moment's warn- ing. Large bodies could not be kept together as they had nothing
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to subsist on, but Graham kept up what was called a "Flying Camp." He was over the mountains in, as he thinks, 1776, with General Ruth- erford against the Indians. He has in his possession many orders from different officers to perform duty, but too tedious to detail. Among them are: One from General Greene; five from General Rutherford; two from General Thomas Polk; seven from General Wm. L. Davidson and two letters of directions from Colonel Small wood. When the war commeneed he was wealthy, with a firm con- stitution and was stout, but in the seven years, in the prime of life, he served with all his strength and fortune, in defence of liberty and has lost all. This service as Colonel of Militia was more severe than that of officers in the regular army for the Militia in active ser- vice are without camp equipage, no commissary, no nninitions of war, except by accident. Now he is old and blind.
He was born in Augusta, Va., in 1742, and when the war com- menced he was living in Tryon, now Lincoln County, N. C.
He was the oldest Colonel in the frontier parts of North Carolina and much of the arrangements for their protection devolved upon him; such as selections of localities for Forts, which had to be erected and provided with a garrison. Ile names Waddleboro, Earles, White Oak, Russells and Botts, as Forts under his direction and superintendence and to whom spies reported.
PLEASANT HENDERSON.
He was residing in September, 1832, in Huntingdon, Carroll County, Tenn., and stated that he was born in Granville County, N. C., January 9th, 1756, and lived in N. C., until May 21st, 1830. when he removed from Chapel Hill in Orange County, the seat of the University of N. C., to Tenn., where he arrived July 7th following, and since that period continued to live in Carroll County, Tenn. Early in 1776 he volunteered in his native state, at the time the militia was called to suppress an insurrection or assemblage of Tories at Cross Creek near Fayetteville, with intention to join Josiah Mar- tin, the Colonial Governor who had taken refuge on board a small naval vessel stationed at the month of Cape Fear river, in the County of Brunswick. The volunteer companies were promptly raised in Granville County, one commanded by Cuthbert Hudson, the other by
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Thomas Satterwhite, of at least 75 men each. To the latter Hender- son was attached as Sergeant Major and both marched to Hillsboro (probably, though blotted) to join the volunteers of Orange county, from thenee going to Cross Creek, under the connnand, he thinks, of Colonel John Butler, afterwards General Butler, where they joined . Company of Continental Troops commanded by Capt. Robert Rowan. The next, or the succeeding day, a considerable force from the more western Counties arrived under the connuand of Alexander Martin of the Continental line. As the Tories had been defeated a day or two before Henderson arrived at Moore's Creek bridge (February 27th, 1776) he did not romain longer than was necessary to make prisoners of as many Tories as was possible, but returned, with others, to their respective homes-absent one or two months. In the latter part of summer or Fall of 1778 a brigade of Militia was ordered to be raised and sent to the aid of S. C. and Georgia, to serve six months after being mustered at Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Hender- son volunteered and was appointed Lieutenant in the Company of Capt. Richard Taylor, of Granville County, in the regiment of Col- onel James Landis.
At Hillsboro, on his march to Charlotte, the company joined some troops of the line, going leisurely to the point of rendezvous, collect- ing drafts, volunteers, carriages, provisions, etc. At Charlotte were a good many officers of the line, among whom was Colonel Dixon, Colonel Lyttle, Major Nelson and others. From thence marched to Charleston, arriving in the vicinity about the middle of December, and a few days thereafter General Lincoln came as commandant of the Southern Department. About Christmas intelligence was receiv- ed that the British had landed at Savannah, defeated the troops there and were in possession of the town ( December 29th, 1778). lle was immediately ordered to Purysburg on the S. C. side of the Sa- vannah river, about 20 miles above Savannah, where they joined the remains of the defeated army from the latter place and he became acquainted with Colonel Roberts of the Artillery, Colonel Mason, Capt. Doggett, who afterwards was killed in the battle of Stono (June 20th, 1779) and where also he met his brother William Henderson, Colonel or Lt. Colonel of, perhaps, the 3rd Regiment of the S. C. line, the same who was subsequently a General and wounded at Eutaw Springs (Sept. 8th, 1781). Soon after the arrival of the troops at the 22-9
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encampment, General Lincoln arrived and established his headquar- ters in the town. His principal aid was believed to be Edward Everett, of Virginia.
General Lincoln ordered a corps of Light Infantry to be organized, consisting of one Company of Regulars and three of Militia from the N. C. Brigade, with the command to Col. Lytle and Major Nelson. The Militia Companies were promptly filled from the brigade by vol- unteers and Henderson was assigned as Lieutenant in one of the Com- panies, commanded by Capt. Jameison. In a few days it was ordered to Augusta on the S. C. side of the river, with all possible dispatch as the British were pushing up a detachment on the Georgia side of the river. This march of 100 miles was performed in four days, tak- ing possession of a Bluff, on the S. C. side, called Fort Moore Bluff. The following morning the enemy arrived and took possession of Augusta. In a week or two General Ashe with reinforcements also arrived from North Carolina and as Senior officer assumed the com- mand. It was not long before the British evacuated Angusta and as quickly as possible the troops crossed the river in pursuit until inter- cepted by the destruction of the bridge at Brier Creek, which also prevented the junction with a strong detachment under General Rutherford, for the want of boats. Before it could be effected the enemy being reinforced from Savannah returned by a cirenitous route and surprised General Ashe with an easy vietory. Major Henderson was not in the battle, for the day after the arrival of the army at the bridge, he was selected and sent by General Ashe to Purysburg, General Lincoln's Headquarters, with a verbal communication, as to the wants and condition of his army. The intermediate country being so infested by Tories that a communication in writing was un- safe and impolitic. The battle of Brier Creek was March 3rd, 1779. The army retreated to General Rutherford's Station, the Twin Sisters Ferry, and remained in a great measure inactive until the expiration of its term of service abont the last of April. "Henderson was ap- pointed Paymaster of Colonel Sanders' (or Landis) regiment in which he was an officer as aforesaid."
His third and last tour of duty was in 1761. In consequence of Lord Cornwallis entering the State of N. C. in pursuit of the prison- ers taken at the Battle at Cowpens (January 17th, 1781), the Leg- islature or the Governor ordered a regiment of 200 mounted infantry to be raised and gave the command to Colonel Malmedy, a French-
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man (though Henderson believed he was a Colonel on the Continen- tal establishment), who appointed him, unsolicited, Major. The troops were embodied about the time Lord Cornwallis was at Hills- boro, N. C., and General Greene to the Northward, near the Va. line. The regiment did not join General Greene until two days after the battle at Guilford ( March 15th, 1781). Several counties south of Hillsboro were proverbial for the Toryism of their inhabitants and General Greene in order to prevent their joining the British army, directed its march into the disaffected Counties, there to manouvre in the best manner to intimidate the people and prevent them from strengthening the British Army. The regiment joined General Greene at the Iron Works in Guilford County to which he had re- treated after the battle at Guilford, and in a few hours it was ordered back to its former ground and did not join the General again until the day after he reached Ramsay's Mills in Chatham County. Ile detached it the same evening to Wihnington, a point to which it was believed, Lord Cornwallis was retreating, where, and in the vicinity, the regiment remained until their service expired. The only skir- mish the regiment had with the enemy was at Ramsay's Mills when a party of horse attacked, as the regiment made a charge on a picket guard not many yards from the quarters of Lord Cornwallis. Had it not been from the circumstance that the guard was surrounded by a strong fence that the horse could not break over the whole ground, a Captain would have been sabered. As it was it resulted in killing two of the advanced sentinels and capturing two. Henderson was ordered by Colonel Mahuedy to cover the retreat of the horse and consequently could not lead in the charge. A letter on file states he died about December 10th, 1846.
BENJAMIN HESTER.
In February, 1833, of Granville County, N. C., testifies that he joined Captain Taylor's Company at the Troublesome Iron Works the day after the Battle of Guilford C. Il., and distinctly recofleets the two incidents related by Capt. Taylor, viz: The attack on Tarle- ton's Dragoons and the affair at the cabin, as recited by him. Ilo thinks, however, that the name of the party wounded in retreating from the cabin and who afterwards died, was Capt, Crump (instead
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Drake). The hat that fell from his head when wounded was taken possession of by his brother Jo. Hester, who was present at the time. His brother John was also one of the party. Benjamin Hester states that DeGloback, who was with Taylor in the attack on the piekets of the enemy, had no commission at that time, nor did he receive it until afterwards near Wilmington, as his expression at the time of receiving it was "Dam 'em, I will fight them to the very hell." The 3 prisoners taken in that attack were wounded by the sword of Benjamin Hester. The two first were sentries at their post. On their retreat he captured the third who was sheltered behind a tree and he drove him along before him until he came up with the rest of the Company from whom he had been partially separated. DeGlo- back immediately ordered him to kill the Hessian, which was not done although somewhat maltreated. He was in the pursuit of Cornwallis to Wilmington, N. C.
WILLIAM HUNT.
William Hunt, a witness, of Granville County, in December, 1832, stated that in Angust, 1780, a regiment of mounted Volunteers was mustered into the service in Oxford, Granville County, N. C., com- manded by Col. Phil. Taylor of which he (Hunt ) was Major, which marched through Hillsboro to Salisbury, where was embodied another regiment of Volunteers under Col. Davie who took the command in chief of both regiments, from thence going to Charlotte, but before reaching the latter place, a detachment of the main body in advance had an engagement with the rear of the British Army, in which a son of General Locke was killed. The command had no particular desti- nation but to follow Cornwallis, so as to protect the country from the ravages of the enemy and to harass his army. They were for short periods at 6 Mile Creek, 12 Mile Creek and at Waxhaw Creek. When Cornwallis crossed the Catawba River they returned to a place or set- tlement called Providence, where they remained until relieved by General Smallwood. Their term of service was for three months but the General in command refused their discharge by reason of the unprotected situation of the country until one month later, when relieved by General Smallwood. John Taylor, Sr., was in the regi- ment, of which Ilunt had in part the command, but he was employed occasionally in the Commissary Department.
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JOHN P. IVES.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA-CRAVEN COUNTY-SS.
On this 14th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, personally appeared in open Court before George Wilson, John Harris, and John Brinson the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the County of Craven, JOHN P. IVES, a resident of said County, aged seventy-eight years in October next, who being first duly sworn doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832:
That he volunteered in the militia about the beginning of the Revo- lutionary war under Thomas Hyre and marched to Wilmington, North Carolina ; that this was for a term of three months-he was discharged and came home to Craven County. Ile remained at home about five or six months and then enlisted to serve six months, to be completed after leaving the State.
He remained in the State about three months after enlistment and then marched to Charleston under Capt. Weeks-William Caswell was Colonel (son of General Caswell). He remained at Charleston and news arrived that the British had taken Savannah. IIe was then marched to Augusta, the British and Tories retreated from Au- gusta, towards Savannah, the Whigs pursued under General Ashe. At Brier Creek, the enemy set fire to the bridge and while the Whigs were at work upon it they were surprised and after a little skirmish- ing retreated. Declarant says that his Captain (Weeks), took violent cold in crossing the Savannah river and died at a place called the Two Sisters, about four or five miles from Brier Creek. The de- feat at Brier Creek happened just about the time his term of ser- vice expired and he was regularly discharged at Kinston, N. C. In the course of the same year he enlisted for three months under John Council Bryan and was employed in guarding prisoners and marched with prisoners to Halifax twice.
JAMES JONES, OF DAVIESS CO., KY.
Vol. in Inf. 1778 in Co. Rowan, N. C., under Capt. Win. Wilson, John Todd, Lt., Alex. Dobbins, Ensign, Reg. under Col. Francis
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Locke, Brig. Gen'l Ruthherford. Rendezvous at Salisbury, N. C., marched thence through Mecklenburg Co. to Camden, S. C., thence to Santee River, crossing at. Nelson's Ferry; thence to Charleston, re- mained some days, thence to Purysburg on Savannah river, where ive joined Gen. Lincoln and the main army. Another time the B. army were marching near the S. river in Ga. Both armies seemed for some time watching each other on opposite sides of the S. river. Capt. W. was ordered from the main army and posted on a lagoon running into the river between Tubber's ferry and the Two Sisters' Ferry, and I was one of the guard sent with him. During the winter we had a skirmish with the B., who were ascending the River in boats near a place called the White House, where our commissary stores were de- posited ; thence by a forced march we went up the river to reinforce Gen. Ashe, who was encamped on Briar Creek in Ga., and we had reached the Ferry on Savannah river off wh. Gen. Ashe was en- camped and heard the firing of the Guns and a part of the army had answered, and we met Ashe on his retreat from the B. army. The whole army then retreated back and encamped at the Two Sisters' Ferry, where we remained some weeks and thence we marched to a place called Turkey Ilill, where we remained until the 10th day of March, 1779, when we were discharged, from whence, however, we were marched to our Co. off back to our homes in Rowan Co .- dis- charged, he thinks, by Col. Locke.
In 1780 I served a tour of three mo's in Mecklenbug Co., under Capt. Thos. Cowan, Lt. Samt. Knox, and Ensign John Morrison. Our Co. were horsemen. The Cols present with the army were Craig and Barringer. Gen'l Morgan who comdd. the Regulars, was our emdr. Were scouting on several occasions and made attack on B. at Polk's Mill, under Capts. Hart and Dixon. B. army then occupied Meck- lenburg C. II., but bet our discharge they retreated from Mecklen- burg and marched back into S. C. Ont 3 months.
In the fall 1781 volunteered as private in Rowan Co. for 3 mos. under Capt. Rich. Simmons. Lt. Hoodsman and Ensign John Car- son. Joined army on Pec Dec, Co. belonged to Col. Smith's Corps (Joseph Graham was Major). Gen. Rutherford was comdr. Marched to Raft Swamp, defeated a party of Tories said to be under McNeil; thence towards Wilmington, leaving Fayetteville on the left, till we arrived at a Brick Bldg. off Wilmington where there was a B. garri- son, but failed for want of artillery. John' Gay was killed at this
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place. Our commander was Col. Smith. Soon after this Capt. Sim- mons was ordered over the Cape Fear River, and marched on the N. E. river, which we swam on account of the B. having burnt the end of the Bridge, and marched into Wilmington, where we remained a few days, and then we marched down Cape Fear to a place called the Sounds, watching the B. vessels, which lay in the river. Here we reinained until our three mo's had expired and were discharged and went home.
This declarant further states, that during the years 1780 and 1781, he served seven tours as a minute man, which averaged at the least 10 or 12 days each tour, against the Tories, sometimes called out by the Colonels, sometimes by the Captains. These tours were in Ro- wan and the adjoining Cos. I was two of the afsd tours under Col. Locke and Col. Brandon, and marched as far as Broad River, where Col. McDowell was encamped. I was on one of these tonrs with Gen. Wm. Lee Davidson and we had a skirmish with Cornwallis' army at Cowan's Ford on the Catawba, and Gen. D. was killed at this place about the 1st day of Feb., 1781, as well as this respondent now recollects. This declarant served several other minute tours, which he does not enmnerate and claim pay for, but states that in the tours and campaigns before and herein specified he served faithfully fourteen months and upwards for which he asks for pay.
The applet. states that he was born in York Co., Penn., in the yr. 1760, and removed to settle in Rowan Co., where he resided dur- ing the Rev. war. About the year 1824 removed to present res. in Daviess Co. Ky., was a volunteer in all the tours performed.
WILLIAM LENOIR.
In May 1833 he was residing in Wilkes County, N. C., and states he was born May 8th, 1751, in Brunswick County, Va., and lived, during his service in the war of the Revolution, in Surry (now Wilkes) County and he has resided there since. He was a volunteer in the service and that his commission as Lieutenant was signed by Governor Caswell, as he believes, but by whom his commission as Captain was signed he cannot say, as both are lost. After the said war he was promoted to higher rank in the Militia and gave no at- , tention to the preservation of his former commission.
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In the year 1776 a requisition was made by the government, to raise a certain number of Militia, as minute men, and he volunteered as a private (although he was Lieutenant in the Militia Company of Capt. Joseph Herndon) under Capt. Jesse Walton, which was soon ordered to the eastern or lower part of N. C. to suppress an insurrec tion of the Scotch Tories. After he had proceeded about fifty miles assisted in the capture of the Tory, Colonel Gideon Wright, whoso house was surrounded in the night, and conveyed him to the little town of Richmond, where he was disposed of in some manner not now recollected. After this event Lenoir was taken sick on the road ren- dering him unable to travel, and Capt. Walton discharged him. He made his way home with much difficulty. The calls for Militia from Surry County to suppress insurrection were repeated in quick sue- cession and as soon as he was able to travel he volunteered as a Lieu- tenantof Militia Co. to which he belonged, commanded by Capt. Hern- don, which marched to Shallow Ford on the Yadkin, distant 60 or 70 miles, from the place of rendezvous, when orders were received to return home. A very short time after the Company was ordered to the same point of destination as before and after marching the same distance, they were again directed to return home. In these two expeditions Lenoir was absent five weeks.
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