Dale County AlArchives Military Records.....Bird, John October 4, 1832
Revwar - Pension 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com July 4, 2006, 3:09 am

Pension Application Of John Bird, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 243, Application # S10372
Dale County, Alabama, October 4th, 1832, John Bird, aged 77 years:
	“That he entered the service of the United States under the following named
officers and served as herein stated:

	“As militia under the command of Captain John Graves in Colonel Robert Gooden’s
[Goodwin’s] regiment, commanded by General Andrew Williamson in the Florida
expedition, the day of the month not recollected, in the month of June in the year
1776, and quit the service at the [inkblot] within a few days after General Gates
Defeat at ___? Rather near Camden in the state of South Carolina. Was at the battle
at Nassau Creek; also at Stono and then under command of General Lincoln. Was a
volunteer when he entered the service. Marched through Georgia into Florida. Was
afterward in General Thomas Sumter’s Defeat in the state of South Carolina near
Rocky Mount. Was also at a Battle at Rocky Mount. Was also in the Battle at Eutaw
Springs under the command of Thomas Sumter….”

Dale County, Alabama, November 8, 1833, John Bird:
	“The he volunteered in the service of the United States under the command of
Captain John Graves, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Kirkland, and General Andrew
Williamson. I was then living in the state of South Carolina, Camden District when I
volunteered under the above named officers. I was marched from the above named
district to a place called the Dutch Fork [in June, 1778, see below], between Broad
and Saluda, and rendezvoused at a Dutchman’s house, whose name was Ramsower
[Ramsour?]. At this place we joined General Williamson, then Williamson marched us
down the river to a place against Governor Wright’s plantation, and while we was
stationed here, the sun was totally eclipsed. [Per N.C. Continentals, page 151, this
was on June 24th, 1778.]”

	“From this place we was marched into the state of Georgia to Fort McIntosh near the
seashore. Then we was marched for Augustine and on our march, probably on the third
day, we come to Burn-footed Brown’s encampment where the said Brown commanded the
Tories, Indians, Negroes and British. Here we had a battle and our troops gave
ground till we were reinforced, and then we drove the enemy behind their
breastworks. General Clark was wounded and lost his negro and horse. The next
morning we was sent to take the breastworks and Brown and his men was gone. This
place we called Kettle Creek [per Heitman, February 14, 1779], as there was the
largest kettle there I ever saw. Here Williamson ordered us to turn back. On our
return we burned our wagons and after we passed Fort McIntosh. I served this time
four months.”

	“Secondly, I volunteered under the command of Captain Graves, and we rendezvoused
near the High Hills of Santee [his six month tour began in October 1778]. Here we
were commanded by Sumter and Kershaw and Frederick ?Kimbesal?. From this place we
were marched to a place by the name of Dorchester, a mail? Dutch? Village. Here the
northern troops joined us and they gave them horse beef to eat. From this place I
was marched within six miles of Clarkestown at a place called the Quarterhouse. From
this place I was marched to a place called Purysburg near Savannah. We was then
marched on the way to the mouth of Briar Creek by the order of General Lincoln to
join the southern troops at the battle at the mouth of Briar Creek. Here General
Ashe was defeated [per Heitman, March 3rd, 1779]. Our troops were on the other side
of the river from them in the time of this battle. After the defeat, we returned
home. In this tour I served six months.”

	“Thirdly, I was drafted and was under the command of Captain Graves. We was then
marched to the state of Georgia, at the town of Augusta. After we arrived there, we
was stationed in a high hill called Purdue’s Hill on the east side of Savannah River
at the mouth of a creek called Horse Creek. Was commanded by Colonel Kirkland and
within a very short time after we arrived here, the siege of Augusta commenced [per
Heitman, April 16 to June 5, 1781], and was retaken by our troops. At this time,
Burned Foot Brown commanded the Tories at Augusta. Then we returned home. At this
time I served one month.”

	“Fourthly, about this time General Gates and his army was marching for Camden on
the east side of the Wateree River and General Sumter was marching down on the other
side of the said river for Camden, and General Sumter sent an express to me to take
the name of every good man and take them with me and meet him at the mouth of the
Dutchman’s Creek by sunrise, which I done, but when we arrived at the creek, Sumter
and his army had left there about midnight. We pressed after him and overtook him at
Grave’s Ford on the Wateree River. Here Sumter received information that Gates was
defeated [per Heitman, May 10, 1781] and at this place turned his army back. We then
was marched up the river above the mouth of Rocky Creek. At this place the British
dragoons fell upon Sumter and his army and defeated us. While I was in this battle,
I swam the river on my horse and made my way to the Waxhaw settlements in South
Carolina. Some time after this, I returned home to Camden District.”

	“In the next place I was called out under the command of Kirkland and Colonel
Gooden [Goodwin] and we was marched for the Eutaw Springs [per Heitman, September 8,
1781]. In the battle at this place, I was left to guard the baggage wagon, which we
turned back some distance for safety.”

“I then served for short periods under different commanders and had many skirmishes
with the Tories too tedious to mention. I have forgotten to mention in my
declaration before this, that I was in the Battle at Stono[per Heitman, June 20,
1779] in South Carolina. In this battle, the British gave ground and we took their
artillery. They then were reinforced from their shipping and retook the artillery
from us. The British then took the advantage of the night and went off.”

“I also was in the battle at a place called Rocky Mount [per Heitman, July 30,
1780]. At this battle, Captain Whitaker was killed. I have served not less than one
year and nine months, with the exception of the above named services…I received a
discharge and it was signed by Colonel Kirkland. I received this discharge at
Purysburg. General Lincoln refused to sign it as he wanted to keep us and send us to
a place called the Devil’s Elbow. The guard discharge I lost since I been living in
Dale County…”


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