USA > North Carolina > The state records of North Carolina, vol. XXII, pt. 1 > Part 9
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Ile remained at his father's one day and then went immediately and joined the troops under the command of Gen Green at Trouble- some Iron Works, the next day after the battle of Guilford. The
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militia were here discharged after remaining a few days and this de- clarant returned again to his father's.
He has no documentary evidence by which he ean establish the foregoing nor does he know of any person whose testimony he ean pro- eure who can testify to his services.
JOIIN ALLISON.
FRANCIS ANTRICAN.
(Extract from the declaration for pension (dated Feb. 4, 1839), of Francis Antrican, a resident of Granger County, Tenn., aged sev- enty-five years. )
He states that he entered the service in the State Line of North Carolina, under Capt. Thomas Donahough, about the 25th of April, 1781, in the First Regiment of State Troops, commanded by Col. Henry Dickson, in Gen. Summer's Brigade, at Orange Court House, in North Carolina, and was marched to Oxford and from thence to the siege of Ninety-six in South Carolina, where we joined the Con- tinental army under Gen. Green. This was the Spring after the battle of Guilford Court House, fought by Gen'ls Green and Morgan against Cornwallis. We were ordered on to Ninety-six to reinforce Gen. Green and at the siege of Ninety-six we lost over a hundred men and did not then take the place. This was in the month of May, a little after the middle of the month. After this Gen, Green marched his eomand, both Continental and State troops, to the high hills of Santee and the British retired to the Entaw Springs and in the early part of the Fall we fought the battle of the Entaw Springs against Lord Rawdon. Gen. Green commanded in person, a hard battle, and we took upwards of a thousand prisoners there. This battle was a little past the middle of September the same year after I enlisted or volunteered. This place is about forty miles above Charlestown where the British returned and we returned to the high hills of Santee again. When we got there Capt. Donahough, who was made Major after the battle of the Eutaw Springs, commanded the detach- ment that carried the prisoners up to Salisbury, North Carolina, where the prisoners were put in charge of a detachnient of militia who took them on, as I understood, to Virginia, and we were ordered back to join the main army again. We went on by Cheraw ( ?)
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and then to the high hills of Santee. We remained there until winter and then onr detachment was ordered on to a place called the ronnd O, and Horse Shoe. These two last places are close together. From this last place we were marched to, a noted place called Bacons Bridge, in South Carolina, where I remained in the service until the latter part of May, 1782, when my time was out, being a twelve months tour, but I staid in service a month over my time of enlist- ment before I was discharged, being thirteen months.
About this time there were orders for a few companies of volunteer envalry to be raised for North Carolina scouting service to keep under the Tories that were constantly doing mischief and phindering the country. When we were marched away about, or on, the first of June, and marched into North Carolina to a place called Cross Creek, where Fayetteville now stands, or about the place, we were under a Major Allen from North Carolina. This enrollment was for twelve months unless sooner discharged. I served about ten months in the service against the Tories for at this time there was no British in those quarters, and were all discharged by our commander Major Allen in both of these tours. I got a written discharge; the first way washed up in my jacket pocket and the other, in the lapse of years was lost, and I know not what become of it. The first tour my dis- charge was given by Col. Henry Dickson and the last by Maj. Allen as before stated. I then returned home to Orange County, North Carolina, about fifteen miles below the Court House, and moved into the upper part of the County fifteen or sixteen miles above the Court House and lived there five years, and then moved to a place in Tennessee, now Green County, Tennessee, near a place called Babb's Mills, where in the month of September, 1793, on or about the first of the month, I joined a company under Captain John Casey ordered ont by Gen. Sevier to go against the Cherokees down on the Holstein. We met and were enrolled and marched from the place not far from where Greenville town now stands to a place called Eastern station on the south side of Holstein river. We remained there to keep a lookout some time and were marched over the river to Campbell's station, and occasionally on the scout, and at the end of three months, which was the term of time we were called out for, we were marched back to Green County and were discharged by Capt. Casey, having received a discharge aud certificate for three months and seven days service. Again I was called out on a two months tour and met the first of March, 1794, and marched to Paint Rock near
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the Carolina line and then the edge of the Nation on the French Broad river, and discharged at the end of two months. Lieutenant Conway commanded the company. Again in November, the same year, I was called out again under Lient. Nathan Veach and served two months at the Paint Rock and discharged about New Year, 1795, as well as my recollection. Again I was ordered out by Col. Hill. This last tour I headed the company of about forty men and marched them to floof's station on the French Broad and remained there until the two months was out. At this time we were all frontier men and minute men as pioneers to save the scalps of our wives and little children, making in all nine months and seven days in the different tours against the Cherokee Indians, for all of which I had certificates for my services-when added to my former services against the Brit- ish, makes thirty-two months and seven days. * *
FRANCIS ANTRICAN.
WESTWOOD ARMISTEAD.
(Declaration of Westwood Armistead-Pension Office, Washington "(). W. & N. D. Widow-8100.")
Extract.
State of North Carolina,
Chatham County, 5th March, 1844.
Personally appeared before me, Thomas Bell, J. P., &e., Westwood Armistead, who (&c., &c.) :
"Sayeth, First that he is eighty-one years old, that when very young he was drafted into the Army in the year 1781, a short time beforo the Guilford battle; that at the time he was drafted he lived in the County of Northampton, and after being drafted he was ordered and did Rendezvous at Ilalifax on the Roanoke, in the State of N. Ca., and marched from there under Capt. Madrie to Guilford C. H .- was in the Guilford Battle-his whole Company fled, but again ren- dezvoused at Troublesome Iron Works, and that he was then returned a soldier for 12 months under Anthony Armistead, his brother. Then marched to Camden in the State of S. C., and was in the bat- tle which there took place ( Hobkirk's Hill). From thenee marched to Fort Motte, from thenee to Augusta in the State of Georgia, and was there again in battle. From there took up march for Ninety-Six, but was by the British taken prisoner on the way in a skirmish, and
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carried to Charlestown in the State of S. C .; was there put on board a man of war-the name of the vessel not recalled-remained in Charlestown for some time, was carried from there to England. A tight took place on the way between the ship carrying this deponent and a French vessel. He was landed on the Island of Jersey in the English Channel; was there sick for a considerable time. On recov- ery was sent to Spithead prison and was there confined until peace was made. Was then sent by cartel to Havre de Grace in France. There saw the American Consul from whom he received some money and a pass, and went from there to L'Orient, and there obtained pas- suge on board an American ship, commanded by Capt. Pearson, which landed in May or June, 1783, at Boston, in the United States. This deponent further declares on oath that he has not at any time received pay for any part of his services."
his WILLIAM X ARMISTEAD. mark.
Test: Thos. Bell, J. P.
WILLIAM ARMSTRONG.
( Extraet from the declaration for pension of William Armstrong made in Caldwell Co., Ky., May 20, 1893. )
That he entered the service of the United States and served as herein stated; to-wit:
During the Revolutionary War I lived in Lincoln County, State of North Carolina, and was a militia Captain of a company in said County when I first entered the service of the United States, which was in the month of July in the year 1780, and the following are the circumstances :
Just after the appointment of Gates to the command of the South- ern army, orders were received by the militia officers to hold a draft for men to serve in that army for three months. Accordingly the draft was made and six were drafted out of my own company, as well as I remember. I was commissioned the Captain of the Company from Lincoln and commanded as such during the expedition. We rendezvoused near Charlotte and my company was placed in Col. Alexander's regiment, and in the Brigade commanded by Gen'l Grif- fith Rutherford; one Wm. Rankin was Lieutenant in my company.
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STATE RECORDS.
From Charlotte we marched down the Yadkin river and thence across Black River to Ridgeley's Mills and there eneamped for the night. But at about 12 at night we received orders to hasten our march and join the main army as soon as possible. The line of march was im- mediately formed and we proceeded towards Camden. During the night our advance guards had some skirmishing with the enemy's guards, and sometime in the night we joined the main army.
About the dawn of day the battle of Camden commenced and soon ended in the defeat of our army. Having joined the main army so short a time before the battle commenced I am not able to describe the order in which Gates formed his men, but in regard to Ruther- ford's Brigade, I distinctly remember it was divided into platoons and on that day I had the command of a platoon instead of my com- pany. By whose fault this battle was lost I know not, but one thing I do know, it was not mine, for I know I done my duty. The blame was attributed to Gates, but whether he was obnoxious to the charge I will not venture to say. At any rate the loss was great and the fall of De Kalb at the head of the Continentals was an irreparable loss.
The bravery of this officer and those under him, and the undaunted courage shown by them when there was none to support them, created a universal sympathy for their sufferings and no doubt served to increase the blame against Gates. As soon as our terms of service were out we were discharged, which I think was in the month of October following, having fully served out the three months for which we were drafted. The success of the enemy at Camden gave the Tories more confidence and they became more bold, more daring, and more munerous. Assisted by detached parties of the British they marched through the country alnost with impunity, committing every sort of crime. They established posts in various places and for a while seemed to have subjugated the country. Yet there was a few who kept the field, and if it is not boasting to say so, I was one. About this time I was re-commissioned by the Governor of N. Caro- lina and appointed again a Captain in the militia of the State. Under this conmission I returned to Lincoln county to raise a volun- teer company and to join Col. Dixon who had the command of a regiment of volunteer militia. But on my return to my old company I found but eight men who were good aud true, the rest had joined the Tories. Such was the disaffection in that country at that time. With this eight I took the field about the first of November, 1780,
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and immediately joined Col. Dixon as a Captain of a volunteer com- pany of militia. After joining him my company was augmented and increased by adding to it such as were from Lincoln County and who had volunteered and joined Col. Dixon. This made my company more respectable. Col. Dixon was stationed in Lincoln at the time I joined him where we remained for some time for the purpose of restraining detached parties of the British and protecting the inhabitants from them, for at this time Cornwallis was marching his army through Lincoln County, Northward. We were all mounted men and for a while our duties were very severe. Cornwallis lay at Ramsour's and then crossed the Catawba at Beaty's ford and at Cowan's where Gen. Davidson was killed in defending the pass. Our regiment kept on the flanks of the enemy as much as possible and ob- structed their march. We pursued them in this manner as far as Salisbury. Near this place I was detached at the head of eight men to Sarvis' Mill (Rowan County), for the purpose of discovery, and on arriving there we came suddenly on 42 footmen and 15 dragoons of the enemy. They had reached there before ns and discovering our approach lay in ambush and fired on us as we entered the Creek, but luckily killed none. We turned to fire but at the moment discov. ered the dragoons advancing on us from their ambuscade. We re- treated across a contiguous old field with considerable haste. On arriving on the opposite side we halted and, strange as it may seem, we were not only not pursued, but the enemy were retreating them- selves in haste, having thrown out their forage ( for they were forag- ing party). I ordered a pursuit in turn and dispatched a messenger to Col. Dixon for aid, but none came in time to do any good and they escaped-we were too few in number to effect anything ourselves. On the next day we returned. This was sometime about the 1st February, 1781. Cornwallis was at this time in the pursuit of Gen, Morgan and Green. Morgan having defeated Tarlton at the Cow. pens in January previous and taken a good many prisoners, was en- deavoring to escape Northward with his prisoners, and Green, being at the head of the other Division of his army, endeavor- ed to form a junction with Morgan, as Cornwallis was endeavoring to intercept Morgan. However, by good fortune and great exertion, both escaped, and Green procceded on to Guilford where he made a stand and determined to fight. Dixon's regiment stopped at Salis- bury and returned again to Lincoln to oppose the Tories who had
4
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embodied in considerable numbers while the British army was march- ing through the country. On our return into that section of the State we found the Tories in such numbers that we were obliged to cross over the Catawba into Mecklenburg County, for we were too weak to oppose them. However, we again returned in a short time and moved from place to place as most needed our protection. Thus matters continued until the Fall of that year ( 1781). For after the capture of Cornwallis at York in October of that year, the Tories in that quarter seemed disheartened and it was not longer necessary for us to keep constantly in the field. Consequently Col. Dixon came to the conclusion to disband his forces, at any rate for the present and until they were wanted, and according discharged his troops some- time in the latter part of October, 1781, (I do not now remember the precise day-it is impossible).
During my service under Col. Dixon, we were engaged in many enterprises and many circumstances took place which I have not re- lated, and indeed my memory does not enable me to describe partieu. larly all the circumstances that happened. On my return from Cam den I found Col. Dixon,engaged in raising a Regiment of volunteers for the defence of the country and I immediately joined him as be- fore stated and went into my old company to raise my quota of men -. indeed get all I possibly could, and having been commissioned by the Governor of North Carolina Captain of the company from Lincoln in the expedition to Camden, and having been previously commission- ed Captain of a company in Lincoln, as such officer I used every exer- tion to raise men for the defence of the country. I entered into this last service under Col. Dixon sometime in the month of November, 1780, about the first of that month, and continued in that service without a days intermission until about the last day of October follow- ing. I remember distinctly we were not discharged until a short time after the battle at Yorktown and surrender of Cornwallis. I will mention that during the year 1781, while I was out on service, the Tories came upon my plantation in Lincoln County and destroyed nearly all my property and among the rest they took five horses from me. *
WILLIAM ARMSTRONG.
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STATE RECORDS.
WYATT BALLARD.
Towit : That he, the said Wyatt Ballard, did, in the month of February, in the year 1781, at the town of Warrenton, in the Coun- ty of Warren, in the State of North Carolina, enter into the regular army of the United States as a regular soldier in the company of Cap tain Carter for the term of twelve months, said company being a company of the Second North Carolina regiment commanded by Col- onel Dixon. But Col. Dixon being absent the greater part of the year this deponent enlisted for the regiment was commanded by Major Armstrong. Said Second Regiment was a part of General Sumner's Brigade, said Brigade being a part of General Green's command.
This applicant further states he faithfully served the United States as a common soldier in the corps before mentioned against the common enemy the twelve months for which he engaged and until near the last of April in the year 1782, when he was at Bacon's Bridge in South Carolina discharged by General Green ; that his dis- charge is lost.
The said Wyatt. Ballard further swears that he was at the taking of the following forts : at Wright's Bluff, on the Congaree, at Thomp son's Fort, and one at Friday's Ferry, and two forts at Augusta, and then in the battle on the 8th of September, 1781, at Eutaw Springs, in which battle he was wounded severely by a musket ball in the right arm which wound be shows.
JOHN BUTLER.
In his declaration for a pension, dated in April, 1818, in Bertio County, N. C., he stated that he was enlisted in Windsor, N. C., by Lieut. Thomas Blount Whitmell in 1776, and served in the Company of Capt. Jeremiah MeClure of the Fourth N. C. Regiment, and wax discharged after a service of 3 years, by Colonel Mebane, at Halifax. Wm. Hill, Secretary of State for N. C., certified February. 1819, that "It appears from the Muster roll of the N. C. Continental line of the Revolutionary War that John Butler, a private in said line enlisted May 5th, 1776, for two and a half years in the 10th Regiment in Capt. Baker's Company and was omitted in 1779."
In November, 1820, he was residing in Bertie County, N. C.,
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STATE RECORDS.
aged 66 years. Ile enlisted on or about May 4th, 1776, in the Com- pany of Capt. Jeremiah MeLayn or MeLean, for two years and six months at Windsor, and in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Thomas Polk. He was discharged at Halifax. He was in the battle at Charleston, S. C. The bombardment of Fort Moultrie at Charles- ton was June 12th, 1776.
JOHN DENNY.
Ile was in February, 1833, residing in Guilford County, N. C., aged 75 years, and states that about the middle of December, 1779, or '80 he was drafted into the Company of Capt. Frost & Lt. Hancock, marched from Rockingham, N. C., directly to Charleston, S. C., where they went into winter quarters, and remained there until April 4th, following when he received his discharge from his Captain and returned home. The next Fall he volunteered under Capt. Andrew Wilson, in which Company he served sometimes, and sometimes in that of Capt. O'Neal "And was used to counteract the seonting par- ties sent out by the British while on Dan River, Va., and in Rocking- ham and Guilford Counties," but does not recollect how long he was this engaged, probably, however, he thinks, at least two months. In the latter part of June, 1781, he volunteered and marched under C'apt. Robert Bell, with other Companies from the neighboring Coun- ties, to join General Greene, at Camden, then over the Waterce to Eutaw Springs and at that place he was engaged in the battle of September 8th, 1781, which commenced carly in the morning and very quickly became general. After the battle he was marched with abont 300 prisoners of the enemy, to Rowan County, N. C. During the battle his Company was placed under the command of a French Colonel, named, he believed, Mahnedy. He was discharged after 3 months service. His rank during his term of duty was as a private.
Ile was born in Ireland and brought when a child, by his parents to America and he settled in Chester County, Penn., where he lived until 1772, then with his parents moved to N. C., and settled in Guilford County, where since he has been living. In the reorganiza- tion of the Continental Army in 1778 and 9 and a more general one in the Fall of 1780 and early in 1781, Regiments and Com- panies consolidated which changed the officers in command, and some became supernumaries.
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STATE RECORDS.
ANDREW CARSON.
State of North Carolina,
Iredell County.
On this 22d day of August, 1832, Personally appeared in open court now sitting for said county, Andrew Carson a resident of said county and State, aged 76 years who being sworn, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of June 7, 1832. The first campaign he served under Capt. Joseph Dixon, Lieutenant Carr or Kerr, Ensign Ewin. He does not recol- leet the year, but it was late in the fall-recollect the snow was plenty (it was cold)-familiarly the snow campaign-Went out to 96 ( now called Cambridge) South Carolina under the command of Gen- eral Rutherford-his son James Rutherford was aide to his father, Wm. Lee Davidson was Adjutant. Was engaged with the Tories at 96, S. C. Was gone three months and discharged at Sherrill's Ford on Catawba by Captain Dixon, which discharge is lost.
The next campaign was against the Cherokee Indians under the command of Captain David Caldwell, the same general, adjutant und aid as before; started about August, 1776, lay 6 weeks at Cathies Fort, on Catawba, waited for the army to collect, marched against the Cherokee Indians, had a battle and defeated them on Tennessee River and destroyed some of their towns-don't recollect names-was gone 3 months and discharged at Cathie's Fort by Captain Caldwell, which discharge is lost. The next campaign was under Captain Cald- well and General Rutherford-was stationed at Purysburg on the Savannah River-remained say 4 or 5 weeks, then moved up the river to Two Sisters (so called then ) S. C., with the British on Georgia side of the river, whom we were watching. As the British moved the Americans followed them for 3 days when they learned the British had moved back and the Americans retraced their steps to the Two Sisters, then to Parisburg (Purysburg) lying alternately at the two places for 4 or 5 months. During the latter part of the Campaign had a battle at Brier's Creek, March 3, 1779, in which affair he lost two good horses. The tour was 5 months and was in fall and winter 1778-9 but he staid about 6 months owing to the relief not coming in time and was discharged by Generals Lincoln and Ruther- ford. From this time until Shallow Ford battle with Tories, he was 22 -8
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engaged in several small tours of days and weeks, at a time not recol- lected, except one month he was ont under Capt. John Read going to the Congaree, where he joined Col. Wade Hampton and was discharg- ed. Another tour was under Capt. D. Caldwell after Tories and foraging-about 52 days. Also he was ou duty for 6 weeks after the Tory Bryan who was followed down to the Pedee, under Col Lewis -overtook and defeated him at Colston's. Also a tour under Gen- eral Davidson of 4 weeks. Another of 31 days-was after the Tory Bryan under Capt. John Graham-he was at all times on the alert and considered a minute man with a good horse and arms. Previous to the battle at Shallow Ford he was informed of the marching of the Tories and mounted his horse to ride 62 miles to Headquarters of General Davidson, where he arrived about sunrise next morning, who immediately gave him the command of 52 men, with which he returned and after manoeuvering for two weeks he came upon and ronted the main body of the Tories at Shallow Ford on the Yadkin after an obstinate engagement in which Captain Francis, a Whig was killed. There being no officer ranking above Captain-each one com- manded his own men. Ile was out more or less until the battle of Guilford, where he arrived the day after it. This activity he con- tinued until the end of the war, serving as a ranger and commanding a Company of Volunteers at other times. He omitted to state that in 1776 in May he joined Colonel Mebane at Norfolk, Va., being one months service. The Colonel was going to Charleston "but did not get on he thinks till the battle."
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