CHRONICLES OF THE SCOTCH-IRISH SETTLEMENT OF VA; V. 2, pp 470 - 479
by Lyman Chalkley
http://www.rootsweb.com/~chalkley
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Bell's Company in the same Regiment; he was at the battles of Brandywine,
Germantown, Guilford, and last at the battle of Hotwater, in which he
was wounded in 8 or 9 places and taken Prisoner; he was taken to Williamsburg
by the enemy and paroled, and continued in the army to the end of the
war as a supernumerary officer; that he died in the town of Staunton in
the year 1788, having first made his last will and testament, dated 23d
September, 1788, and recorded in the clerk's office of said Court, leaving
the said Joseph Bell, Sarah Bell, Thomas Bell, and John Bell his legatees;
that said Thomas died in Albemarle, leaving a will dated 9th May, 1797,
in which William Love, Robert Washington Bell, Sally Jefferson Bell and
William Wells were named as legatees; that John Bell died in Augusta
County, testate, his will beng dated 11th February, 1797, and leaving the
said Joseph Bell his residuary legatee.
28th July, 1823: It is certified by the Court that it appears to the
satisfaction of the Court from the evidence of William B. Wallace and William
Steele, officers of the Revolutionary War, and of Smith Thompson and
Joseph Bell, soldiers in said war, that the facts in the order of 28th April,
1823, concerning the Revolutionary services and heirs of Samuel Bell
are true.
Philip Bowyer filed his declaration for a pension.
William B. Wallace filed his declaration for a pension.
William Steele filed his declaration for a pension.
Joseph Byars filed his declaration for a pension, August 25th, 1834.
John New filed his declaration, August 27th, 1834.
John Thompson's Declaration, 25th September, 1832: Was born in
County Derry, Ireland, 1st April, 1760; his father and family landed in the
City of Philadelphia in 1775 and proceeded immediately to Augusta County,
where declarant has resided continuously except four years spent in
Rockbridge County; he was drafted on the first of January, 1781, rendevouzed
at Teas's under Capt. John Cunningham, marched to Fredericksburg,
where he stayed three or four weeks, thence to Portsmouth, and was
transferred to Capt. Charles Cameron's Company; Sampson Mathews was
Colonel; was discharged at Portsmouth. Was again drafted in the same year
for three months; marched from Teas's under Col. Samuel Lewis and
Capt. Thomas Smith, where the company to which he was attached rendevouzed
about three months, and was discharged two or three days before
Cornwallis surrendered; that William Patrick marched with him during the
two tours.
Presley Raines filed his Declaration, 27th January, 1824.
William Kennerley's Declaration, July, 1833, amended July, 1834:
Mentions Capt. George Mathews, Lieut. William Robertson, Lieut. George
Gibson, Capt. George Moffett, Col. Sampson Mathews, Capt. William Bowyer,
Lieut. Samuel Bell, Lieut. Charles Cameron, Gen. Campbell, William
Campbell.
George Fifer's Declaration, 28th September, 1833: Mentions Capt. Daniel
McDaniel, Col. Michael Swoope, Capt. Treat, Michael Shirey.
James Robertson's Declaration, July, 1834: Mentions Capt. George
Moffett, Gen. Hand, Col. Hugart, Maj. Samuel McDowell, Capt. Thomas
Smith, James Johnston, Samuel McCune, Capt. John Givens, Capt. Charles
470
Cameron, Gen. Campbell, Major McCreery, Capt. Zachariah Johnston,
William Bowyer, William Kennerly, Col. Dickerson.
William McCutchen's Declaration, June, 1833: Mentions Col. Sampson
Mathews, Waggon-master David Steele, Waggon-master General, Col.
Thompson, Major Gibbs, Capt. Samuel McCutchen, Lieut. John McKemey,
Captains Smith, Long, Givens, Dickey, Lieut. George Craig, Col. William
Bowyer, Adjutant Thomas Bell, Robert Fulton, William Willson.
Christian Balsley's Declaration, 25th September, 1832: Was born in
Buks County, Penna., May 1st, 1756, and removed to Virginia in 1790;
enlisted in 1776 in the Company of Captain Heaster, First Lieut. Gist,
Ensign Brashes; served in the Pennsylvania Line; was living at Reading; his
company, with several others, were paraded there near the first of June,
1776; marched thence to Newtown, where they joined Col. Holler's Regiment;
Lieut. Col. Loots and Major Bott were also his officers; crossed
the Delaware to Trenton; thence to Princeton; thence to Lispertown; thence
to Amboy, where they remained a few weeks and marched to New York;
thence to Long Island; there they were attacked on August 27th; the day
before the battle he had been called out on picket duty, and on the morning
of the battle the picket was nearly surrounded by the British Light Horse
and compelled to retreat; they escaped through a piece of woodland and
marsh, which the enemy's horse had to pass around; a few were taken
prisoners, among them the declarant's brother; they passed over to New
York, thence to King's Bridge, thence to White Plains; a battle took place
there a few days after their arrival, but declarant was out on a scouting
party; thence across the river to Jersey; thence to Trenton, where the
alarm was given; the army crossed to Delaware to Pennsylvania, where
he was discharged December 29th. In July, 1777, he was drafted in the
seventh class; marched from Reading to White Marsh Hill, where he remained
facing the enemy until discharged; served two and one-half months;
was under the command of Col. Bull. In 1778, he was again drafted and
marched from Reading to about fifty miles above East Town, on the
Delaware River; was one of about 400 men sent to guard the frontier
against the Indians; Capt. Miller commanded one of the companies.
John Bell's Declaration, 22d December, 1834: Mentions Capt. Thomas
Smith, Capt. Joseph Patterson, Lieut. Andrew Anderson, Ensign James
Poage, Col. Sampson Mathews, Lieut. Col. William Bowyer, Capt. John
Dickey, Lieut. Robert Campbell, Samuel Bell, Maj. John Crawford, Dr.
James Allen, Francis Gardner.
Robert Fulton, Senior's, Declaration, October, 1833: Mentions Capt.
Samuel McCutchen. Lieut. John McKemey, Ensign David Gibson, Capt. Francis
Long, Maj. Samuel Bell, William McCutchen, Col. George Moffet, Capt.
James Tate, Lieut. James Mitchell, Ensign John Young, Col. William
Campbell, Capt. Tate, John Thompson, Sr., Capt. Thomas Smith.
Zacheus Cosby's Declaration, October, 1833: Mentions Capt. James
Dabney, Lieut. Benj. Timberlake, Major James Winston, Col. Meredith, Capt.
Richard Phillips, Col. Wilson.
William Armstrong's Declaration, 26th October, 1832: Of the Little Calf
Pasture. Was born in Augusta County December 12, 1759; the record is
in the possession of his youngest sister, living in Ohio; was drafted for
three months in March, 1778 or 1779; rendezvoused at Col Samuel Vance's, on
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Back Creek; marched to Clover Lick, thence, via Tygert's Valley, to the
West Fork of the Monongahela River, where he remained until the June
following, when his term expired and he was discharged. The object of
this draft was to protect the citizens of that part of the State from
incursions of the Indians; he was under the command of Capt. William Kinkead
and Ensign James Steele. About the first of March, 1781, he was again
drafted, and with other mounted men proceeded via Rockfish Gap, Lynch's
Ferry and the Sonca Towns, on Dan River, to North Carolina, where he
joined the main army of the south, then commanded by Gen. Greene; he
does not recall the place of this junction; after joining the army he, with
his companions, was dismounted and the horses were sent back; was in the
company of Capt. Guin during the whole tour in Col. Campbell's Regiment;
was in the battle of Guilford; they retired to Troublesome Iron Works, in
Rockingham County, North Carolina, where he was discharged. In July,
1781, he was again drafted for three months; rendezvoused at Staunton,
and marched via Charlottesville, Richmond, and Jamestown to York, where
he joined the main army under Washington; on October 17th he was
discharged, and returned home two days before the surrender; was under the
command of Capt. James Bell, Lieut. John Wackub, Ensign Alex. Crawford;
the regiment was commanded by Col. Samuel Lewis and Major William
Long. Smith Thompson, aged 84 years, on July 19th last, deposes that he
was fellow soldier with declarant at Guilford and Yorktown.
Abraham Weitsel's Declaration, October 23, 1832: Born in Lancaster
County, Pennsylvania, August 6, 1760; at the age of eleven he removed to
Shenandoah County, Virginia, where he resided during the Revolution,
when he removed to Augusta County; was drafted early in 1780, and
marched to Culpeper under the command of Captain All, where the troops
were disbanded; shortly afterwards he was again drafted and marched to
Falmouth under the same Captain, and there discharged. In 1781 he was
again drafted, and marched about the first of July to the headquarters of
General Stevens at Tinkling Spring, about ten miles above Williamsburg;
was attached to the Second Regiment of Virginia Militia; the Major's
name was Welch. Peter Weitzel deposes that he knows that his brother
Abraham served as he has declared.
Augustine Argenbright's Declaration, October 23, 1832: Age
seventy-seven; born in Shenandoah County, and removed when quite young to
Augusta; in 1778 he volunteered under Capt. Alexander Robertson on the
expedition against the Shawnee Indians, who were making incursions on
the Northwestern Frontier; proceeded from Staunton to Tygert's Valley,
which was then with the intermediate country almost a wilderness. In 1781
he volunteered and marched with many others from Augusta to repel the
invasion of the British under Cornwallis, who was then advancing into the
interior of North Carolina; shortly before the battle of Guilford he
received a furlough to enable him to visit a sick brother attached to another
corps of the army, who had been left on the road on account of sickness;
before his return to camp the battle of Guilford was fought, shortly after
which the troops were discharged; Captain Smith, of Staunton, was
commandant of his company; Col. Moffett commanded the Regiment; General
Campbell commanded the Brigade; Alexander Williams and George Kellar
were with him on this expedition. During the war a contractor arrived in
472
Staunton with an immense number of horses, and declarant was employed
four months (during which time he labored much on Sunday, such was the
urgency of the times) shoeing horses, being a blacksmith.
William Matheny's Declaration, October 24th, 1832: Aged 73 years;
enlisted in the United States Army in 1777 for three years, with Captain
Francis Willis, and served in the Sixteenth Regiment of the Virginia Line,
under Col. William Grayson, Lieut. Col. Powell, Capt. Francis Willis.
First Lieut. Christopher Greenup, Second Lieut. Cato Moore, Ensign John
Sitton; rendezvoused at Shenandoah River, in Berkley County, and marched
to Leesburg; thence to Philadelphia via Alexandria; thence to the Cross
Roads, where he joined the army under Washington; was afterwards in the
battle of Brandywine, where he was wounded in the left leg and taken
prisoner; was paroled on the ground, and taken to Pennsylvania (Lancaster),
where he remained until he was well; never heard of his being
exchanged and never went back into the army.
John Diddle's Declaration, October 24th, 1832: Aged 87 years; was born
in Pennsylvania in 1744, and raised there within seven miles of Philadelphia;
resides now sixteen miles southeast of Staunton; volunteered as one
of the militia of Augusta County against the Cherokee Indians in August,
1776, and rendezvoused at David Steele's in the Company of Capt. William
Christian and Lieut. Pat Buchanan; declarant was Sergeant; marched to
New River, and was put under the command of Colonel William Christian,
of the Militia; thence to an island in the Holston River, where they awaited
troops; thence marched for the Indian Nations, but near French Broad
River they were informed that a large body of Indians lay on the other
side, whither they crossed in the night, but the Indians had fled; thence
marched to the Indian Towns, where they lay for some time, burnt their
towns, and were discharged; arrived at home in November, 1776. Appeal
being made to the Augusta Militia to turn out against the British, he
volunteered, and with other troops from Augusta rendezvoused at Teas's in
January, 1781; Col. Mathews was in command; declarant was in Capt.
John Cunningham's Company; they marched to Fredericksburg, where they
lay a few days, and were then ordered to Portsmouth; they crossed the
James River at Cabbin Point; thence to Camp Carson, below Suffolk; was
in a scrimmage in which Capt. Cunningham was wounded; declarant took
a British Yeauger prisoner; was transferred to Capt. Charles Cameron's
Company; was discharged with the other troops and reached home in
April, 1781; Major William Willson was in the service with him on the
first tour, and on the second were Maj. William Willson and John
Thompson; Col. or Lieut. Col. Wm. Bowyer and Maj. Alexander Robertson, of
the Augusta Militia, served on the second. (Maj.) William Willson, aged
87, deposes that the foregoing declaration is true, and that the Ensign with
Capt. William Christian was Zachariah Johnston. John Thompson deposes
that he was a soldier and knows that declarant served the last tour.
Theophilus Wyatt's Declaration, October 25th, 1832: Born in Caroline
County, July 28, 1760; resided some years in Caroline; thence, in his youth,
removed to Hanover, where he entered the army; volunteered at Albermarle
Barracks in the early spring of 1780 (about the last of February), when he
became assistant to Col. Samuel Lewis, of Augusta, purchasing commissary
for the troops and prisoners then stationed at the Barracks; from there he
473
was ordered to Richmond, where he and Col. Lewis were furnished with
money and proceeded to North Carolina to make purchases; he was taken
sick, and left at Salisbury, where he remained two months; he returned to
Richmond, where he was employed in the Quartermaster's department until
the close of the war; he served first as assistant to Capt. Charles Russell,
Quartermaster at Richmond; he took charge of the public store at Westham
temporarily; he served also under William Rose, Granville Smith, and
James Kemp, officers under Col. Charles Porterfield, then Quartermaster
General of Virginia State Line; Rose, Smith, and Kemp acted as Porterfield's
deputies; after the death of Col. Porterfield, who fell mortally
wounded at Camden, South Carolina, his office was filled by Capt. Henry
Young (afterwards General Young), under whom declarant was next in
office in the Quartermaster's department; he was stationed at Richmond,
Manchester, Westham, Goochland Court House, Charlottesville, and Staunton;
he took an active part in removing the stores from point to point to
prevent their capture when the enemy came to Richmond and Charlottesville;
he drew pay and ranked as Captain in the Virginia State Line; he
refers to the affidavits of Colonel Churchill Gibbs and Richard Wyatt.
Shortly after the war, declarant was a merchant in Charleston, South
Carolina; he removed thence to Georgia with store goods; thence back
to Virginia, where he has resided in Caroline, Spottsylvania, Albermarle,
Nelson, Rockbridge, and Augusta; he lives now twelve miles east of
Staunton. General Robert Porterfield, an officer of the Revolution,
deposes, he is brother of Lieut. Col. Charles Porterfield, Quartermaster
General. 27th January, 1834: It is certified that Sally Wyatt is the widow
of Theophilus Wyatt, and that he died 29th December, 1833. 29th January,
1834: It is certified that the next of kin of Theophilus Wyatt are
Ann M. Wilson, wife of John Wilson; Mary A. Hillery, widow of Joseph
Hillary; Elizabeth D. Wyatt, Theophilus G. A. Wyatt, Sally L. L. Wyatt,
Virginia I. W. Wyatt, John W. L. Wyatt, the last three being infants.
Claudius Buster's Declaration, September 25th, 1832: Aged 68 on the
24th November last; entered the United States service in Albemarle County
in December, 1780, under Capt. William Grayson, Lieut. William Gooch,
Ensign Francis Montgomery, Orderly Sergeant Tarlton Woodson; entered
agreeable to his division on the muster roll in Albemarle County, where he
was born; he was discharged March, 1781, having served three months
either from the time they received arms at Richmond or from the time
they were received by Colonel (or General) Nelson at Yorktown; he does
not recollect which; there were two other companies from Amherst County
joined with Capt. Grayson's, one under Capt. James Barnet, the other under
Capt. Tucker; the Field Officers were Col. Dabney and Major Campbell,
all under the then Col. or General Nelson; he served at Yorktown, The Half
House, and near Hampton; once the British sailed up York River, landed
in the night time near The Half Way House and destroyed some property;
the Americans had marched from the place the evening before; a Col.
Mallory collected some men and gave them battle, in which he and some
of his men were killed. In May, 1781, it was rumored that the British
were on their way to Richmond, and there was a call for a great many men
from Albemarle; the following companies, and possibly others, went from
that County, viz: Capt. Daniel White's, Capt. Mark Leak's, Capt. Benj.
474
Harris's, Capt. John Burk's, Capt. Laney's; proclamation was made that
if any who had served the winter before would volunteer for six weeks,
it would count as a tour of duty; declarant volunteered under the following
company officers, Capt. Daniel White, Lieut. Nathaniel Garland, Ensign
Francis Montgomery (Montgomery volunteered); they all marched and
served under Col. Reuben Linsey; joined the main army under Lafayette
as they retreated out of Richmond; when Col. Linsey made a return of his
men he made no discrimination in favor of the volunteers, so that all
served three months after joining the main army; they marched and counter
marched several days, then marched northwestwardly nearly to Fauquier,
then southerly through Orange and Louisa to Albemarle; they were joined
by Generals Wayne and Steuben and their forces; after joining the main
army Col. Toles was put over Col. Linsey as First Colonel; there was also
a Major Mcllhaney attached to the Regiment, who was or had been an
officer in the regular army; the British advanced as far as Charlottesville,
routed the Assembly, and then retreated; our army followed them, but no
fighting took place until they got near to Williamsburg, where there was
some scrimmaging; once at a place called Hot Water, once at Hickory Nut
Church; shortly afterwards the British went aboard their vessels at Jamestown,
at which time and place there was a considerable battle; the Americans
lost many men, both militia and regulars; declarant was never in battle;
the Americans moved up to Maupin's Hill, sixteen miles below Richmond,
where declarant was discharged in August, 1781; he has been a Justice and
Sheriff of Augusta.
(Major) William Wilson's Declaration, September 25th, 1832: Was
born November 7, 1745, in Augusta County; first he volunteered in Capt.
Alexander McClenachan's Company, in which William McCutchen was
Lieutenant and Joseph Long was Ensign; they assembled at Staunton and
marched to Point Pleasant in August, 1774, having joined several
companies commanded by Capt. John Morrison, Capt. Samuel Wilson, Capt.
George Mathews, Capt. John Lewis, at the Great Levels, in Greenbrier;
they had a severe engagement at Point Pleasant, in which Col. Charles
Lewis, Capt. McClenachan, Capt. Morrison, and Capt. Willson were killed;
the whole number of killed and wounded amounted to 160; thence they werent
eighty miles to the Indian Towns, thence back to Point Pleasant; there
they remained six or eight days awaiting provisions, when they set out on the
return home, where they arrived and were disbanded after serving five
months; the officers he recalls were Andrew Lewis, Commandant; Charles
Lewis, who was killed, was his Colonel. He volunteered again in Capt.
John Lyle's Company, in which Wm. McCutchen was Lieutenant and
Joseph Long Ensign; assembled at Lexington in July, 1776, and marched
to Holston River, under William Christian; then returned home and were
disbanded in the middle of December; Joseph Bell served with him on the
tour. On 11th January, 1781, he marched from Widow Teas's as Sergeant;
marched to Richmond, thence to Fredericksburg, thence to Portsmouth,
where they joined the main body of soldiers under Baron Steuben; was
in two slight skirmishes with the British at this place; returned home and
were disbanded about the 17th April; was under the command of Sampson
Mathews; William Bowyer was his Colonel; Alexander Robinson was
Major; the Company Officers were Capt. Thomas Rankin, Lieut. Col.
475
Alexander Scott, Ensign William Buchanan. On his fourth tour, he served
as volunteer private in the company of cavalry of which Zachariah Johnston
was Captain, Charles Baskins, Lieutenant; Richard Madison, Ensign;
they assembled at Widow Teas's about the first of June, 1781; marched
to Richmond. The British were leaving Richmond and retiring to
Williamsburg, and declarant's company joined the main army of Americans
pursuing the British; the British remained but a short time at Williamsburg;
after leaving that place they were attacked by the Americans after
part of the British had passed over to Jamestown Island; many were killed
on both sides; after this declarant's company returned home; his Colonel
was William Christian; General Wayne and Colonel Campbell were regular
officers he knew.
George Runkle's Declaration, September 25th, 1832: Aged 77 years
on January 7, 1833; enlisted under Capt. John Luderwick and served in
the Pennsylvania Line; John Garrant was Lieutenant; declarant was a
citizen of Barn Township, County Bucks, Pennsylvania; they assembled at
Reading; marched to New Town, about twenty-five miles, where they
joined the Regiment under Colonel Holler; one Schull, or Skull, had
command of the Battalion; they crossed the Delaware to Trenton; thence to
Princeton; thence to Lispertown; thence to Umbi, or Amboy, where they
halted one month; thence to New York; thence over to Long Island, where
part of the army was stationed under Major General Sullivan; there they
had a severe engagement, in which the Americans were entirely defeated
and lost about 1,500 killed, wounded, and prisoners; Lord Sterling, their
Brigadier General, was taken prisoner, and declarant heard a report that
he had left them of his own accord and gone over to the British; those
who escaped crossed East River to New York, where they remained a few
days; thence up North River to White Plains, where they joined the main
army under Washington; he was in the battle of White Plains and stationed
on the right of the army; crossed North River to Hackensack, thence to
Lispertown, thence to Princeton, thence to Trenton; crossed the Delaware
and lay some time on the other side; his Brigade here left the main army
and marched to Reading, where they were disbanded.
William Patrick's Declaration, September 25th, 1832: Aged 69 years on
the 21st of last January; was drafted January 1st, 1781, and assembled at
Teas's; in Capt. Thomas Rankin's Company; about four weeks afterwards
he was assigned to Capt. Charles Cameron's Company, of Col. Sampson
Mathews's Regiment, of which William Bowyer was Lieutenant Colonel
and Alexander Robertson Major; was marched to the "Old Bird Ordinary"
on the way to Richmond; an express was received that Arnold was about
to go up the Rappahannock and destroy the stores at Falmouth; marched
to Fredericksburg, where they remained a few weeks, then marched with
the company and regiment to Portsmouth; near there he was in several
skirmishes on scouting parties; there his regiment joined General Muhlenburg
with several regiments of Militia and perhaps some regular troops
or "18-months men;" Baron Steuben was training the men at this place;
was discharged at Portsmouth, having served three months and nineteen
days. Was again drafted, and rendezvoused at Teas's, under Capt. William
Finley, about the first of August; in Colonel Samuel Lewis's Regiment;
Long was Major; the Company and Regiment marched to New
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Canton, thence to West Point, where they remained eight to ten days, and
marched back by New Canton, down to Cabin Point, crossing the James
River about twenty miles above James Town and again at James Town;
marched to Williamsburg, where they remained two or three weeks; proceeded
to York Town. joining the main army under Washington, Lafayette,
and Wayne; was there discharged, having been in no battle; York Town
was fought a very short time after he was discharged; was out two months
and nineteen days. He was born in Augusta about twelve or fourteen
miles east of Staunton on January 31st, 1763. Alexander Williams was
with him on his first tour and Smith Thompson returned with him from the
second.
Alexander Williams' Declaration, September 25th, 1832: Was born
within seven miles of Staunton in 1762; was drafted in August, 1776, in
Capt. Henderson's Company, and marched under the command of Col.
William Bowyer to join General McIntosh's army on the Western Frontier;
joined General McIntosh at Fort McIntosh, where he remained some
months; thence with the other troops to Fort Lawrence, where he remained
but a short time, and was there discharged, and reached home in January,
1777, having been in the service between five and six months. At
Fort McIntosh was a Colonel Richard Campbell from Virginia, who
commanded regulars; at Fort Lawrence was Colonel or Major Broadhead, who
commanded regulars. In March, 1777, he was engaged to serve as substitute
for Archibald Lockridge, one of the drafted militia, and marched
from Staunton for the protection of the Western Frontiers in the Company
of Capt. William Kinkead; was stationed sometime at a block-house called
Landers, on the Western Fork of the Monongahelia; there he volunteered
with other men to go to another block-house under Ensign James Steele,
of the Augusta Militia, where he remained a short time and was discharged,
on which tour he was absent four months. In February, 1781, he volunteered
as one of the militia of Augusta County, and marched with other
troops to South Carolina, in Capt. Thomas Smith's Company in Col. George
Moffett's Regiment; they joined the regular army near Guilford Court
House, and was selected as one of the riflemen and placed under the
command of Col. Campbell, of the Rifle Corps; was under his command in the
battle of Guilford, in March, 1781; was in service a few days over two
months; Capt. Augustine Argenbright can prove this service. Again he
marched in Capt. Thomas Smith's Company from Widow Teas's, under
Colonel Samuel Lewis, to Richmond, about August, 1781; marched to
various points in the lower part of Virginia; was a few weeks near
Williamsburg; thence with General Muhlenberg's Brigade to York Town; was
present at the siege and surrender in October, 1781, when he was
discharged; was in service about four months; William Patrick and Smith
Thompson were on this tour. Augustine Argenbright deposes that he
marched with Williams to Guilford Court House. William Patrick deposes
that Williams served as one of the Augusta Militia at the siege of York;
Patrick was there. Smith Thompson deposes that he knows that Williams
served the third and fourth tours.
Peter Fauber's Declaration, September 25th, 1832: Aged seventy-six
years and eleven months; was born in Germany; was drafted early in 1776
in the militia of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and marched under Capt.
477
Baltzer Ott; Curtis Grubb was his Colonel; General Armstrong was
commander of the Brigade; the company assembled at Capt. Ott's house and
marched to Lebanon, where it Joined the regiment; thence marched through
Reading, Trenton, Princeton, and Brunswick; thence to a village in sight
of New York called Woolridge, or Barren Town, where they remained
some weeks; were ordered thence to Paulus Hook, where they worked
three months throwing up fortifications; thence back to Barren Town, where
they were discharged. Shortly after the above tour, he was again drafted
under Capt. Holderbury; marched to Lebanon to guard the Hessian
prisoners captured at Trenton; about three or four hundred prisoners were
marched to Winchester, Virginia; at Lebanon declarant was appointed
Sergeant, with nine men under him, and guarded ammunition from Lebanon
to Philadelphia, where he was discharged. In the fall of 1776 the country
was thrown into great alarm by the landing of the British in great force
at the head of Elk in Delaware, about forty miles from Lancaster; was
drafted in the Regiment of Colonel Elder; joined the main army at Chestnut
Hill, where there was a severe engagement, and General Ervine was much
injured by a fall from his horse and taken prisoner by the enemy; was
within sight and hearing of the battle of Long Island; his brother, John
Fauber, marched with him the first tour in the capacity of a fifer; he
moved to Augusta forty years ago.
Peter Lohr's Declaration, September 25th, 1832: Was born within seven
miles of Little York, Pennsylvania, in 1751; left Pennsylvania for
Maryland when very young, and lived there some years; moved to Augusta
County about forty years ago; volunteered at Hagerstown in 1776, under
Capt. John Ronalds, First Lieut. Moses Chaplin, Col. Henry Shriock;
marched in July to New York, where his company was stationed a short
time; thence marched to Fort Washington, where he remained about one
month; thence to an encampment on a stream called Tuckahoe; the British
encamped in sight of the Americans under General Bell, who retreated to
White Plains, where they were overtaken about daylight by the British,
and the engagement lasted the greater part of the day; next morning they
marched to Croton Bridge, thence up North River to Fishkill, where they
crossed on the way to Philadelphia, when they were ordered to Fort Lee;
while declarant was at Fort Lee the British attacked Fort Washington and
were successful; declarant's regiment was not in that fight; the fort,
cannon, ammunition, and a number of the Americans were captured; declarant's
division retreated to Philadelphia, where they were discharged.
John McWilliams's Declaration, October 27th, 1832: Resides in the Long
Glade District; aged 72 years on 14th June last; was born in Summerset
County, New Jersey; first served in a company of light infantry under
Capt. William Morgan, Lieuts. Edward and William Lucas, Ensign Michael
Redinger; they marched from Shepherdstown, in Berkeley County, Virginia,
through Philadelphia, to Juille Town, about five miles from Brunswick, in
New Jersey; he had enlisted in this company in December, 1776, for four
months, and served until the first of April, 1777, when he was discharged;
he was in a small engagement March 1st, 1777, about one mile from
Brunswick, at Piscataway, and in several little skirmishes afterwards; he
remembers a company of Merlin militia commanded by Col. Stricker. In
September, 1777, he became substitute for _____ West in a militia
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company commanded by Charles Morrow, Lieut. Adrian Winecoop, Ensign
Thomas Swearingen; marched from Shepherdstown, Berkeley County, to
White Marsh, Pennsylvania, where he remained three months; his Colonel
was Philip Pendleton; arrived at White Marsh soon after the massacre of
Paoli. In May, 1778, he became substitute in a militia company for
Edward Tabb, of Berkeley County; marched from Martinsburg to Pittsburg;
William Morgan, the Captain under whom he marched to New Jersey;
was Major on this march; William Little was Captain; William Vestil
was Lieutenant; thinks the Ensign was Snell. From Pittsburg the
Company marched to Holladay's Cove, about twenty miles above Wheeling;
Major Morgan went with them; was discharged the last of August, 1778;
In September, 1778, he became substitute for William Williamson, of
Berkeley County; Josiah Swearingen was Captain, John Morrow was
Colonel; marched to the Ohio River, and crossed just below the mouth of
Big Beaver, and lay at Fort McIntosh a time; marched to Tuscarora Plains,
near the Indian Towns, where they built a Stockard Fort, and lay there
until some days before Christmas, when they marched back to Fort
McIntosh, where he was discharged a day or two before Christmas. In May,
1781, became substitute for Thomas Stuart, of Berkeley County, and
marched through Fauquier County to Fredericksburg; there he found Capt.
Stump raising a volunteer company of light infantry, which he joined and
marched to Richmond, where they were joined by the Yankey Infantry
called Captain Ogden's Company, and Major McPherson's Company of
Horse; Tarlton's troops lay on the opposite side; marched up to Albemarle,
followed by Tarlton; followed Tarlton back, and were discharged in New
Kent County. On returning from the last tour he found his own Company
of militia was ordered out on a tour, and followed after them; overtook
them on this side Pamunkey River; marched to the Old Magazine near
Williamsburg; thence to York, where he was discharged a few days before
the surrender. Michael Bedinger was Captain, _____ Thornberry was
Lieutenant, _____ Kamey was Ensign; declarant was a sergeant.
Jacob Vanfossen's Declaration, November 27th, 1832: Born September
8th, 1756, in Worcester Township, in the then Philadelphia County, and
moved to Augusta County after the war. In 1776 he joined a volunteer
company then forming in his neighborhood near Philadelphia; they were
to remain at home and be ready like minute men for instant service; Jacob
Wentz was Captain, Christian Weaver was Lieutenant, Benjamin Weaver
was Ensign; declarant was First Sergeant. In 1776 they were assembled
at the tavern of Jacob Wentz, their Captain, and marched to Philadelphia,
where they joined the command of Colonel John Bull, Major Robert Curry,
and Adjutant William Armstrong; thence to Amboy, passing through
Trenton, Princeton, Brunswick, and crossing the Delaware and Raritan
Rivers; they held Amboy to keep the enemy on Long Island from crossing;
were employed several weeks in digging intrenchments, and compelled to
work altogether at night; they suffered much from unwholesome food.
and found lime had been mixed with flour by a Tory miller; returned home
after two months' service. In September, 1777, was again called out;
Captain Wertz has been deprived of his commission; former Lieutenant
Christian Weaver was Captain; declarant was promoted to Ensign, which
he held during the war; they assembled at Wertz's tavern September 8th
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