Sussex County, DE. - Revolutionary War Records: Gillis Hitch ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Mike Hitch http://www.mikehitch.com ************************************************************************ Gillis Hitch in the American Revolution Gillis Hitch served in the American Revolution. Based on that service, Gillis corresponded with the U.S. government later in life to try to collect his pension due to him. The documents are part of File Number R5049 of the National Archives, Revolutionary War records. That file includes an early letter from "Old Sholder" Gillis Hitch to Washington attempting to find out the status of his pension application. The letter, dated July 10, 1839, was written when Gillis was already an old man of about 81 years, having been born in 1757/58. He wrote the letter from Pentleton (sic) Co., Kentucky, or "Carntucky" as indicated about halfway down his letter. Also, by reading the complete letter, one can see that even in old Gillis' day, it was tough working through the Washington bureaucracy to get anything accomplished!! Note also that he states that he "neve Recevd one Dollar but the Eight that I tuck of the Drum Hed." In the Revolution, it was common to take all the booty from a battle, raid or other campaign and place it on the head of a drum for division among the soldiers that were involved. The booty may have consisted of anything from personal effects, watches, jewelry to actual cash or gold. In this case, it appears that Gillis seized the opportunity to enrichen himself by "Eight Dollars" off the drum head. In File R5049, there are other documents and correspondence that give many clues to Gillis Hitch's age, family and service records during the Revolution. For instance, there is a deposition in the file dated February 19, 1847 where Gillis Hitch appeared before Robert Taylor, the Probate Court Judge for Montgomery Co., Indiana, in another, more official attempt to secure his pension money. By this time, the document states, Gillis Hitch was 89 years old and living in the aforesaid county, and still attempting "to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 (i.e., the pension act)." The document goes on to give some good details of his service in the Revolution. It states that he served under Captain Vaughn "who was afterwards promoted to the rank of Col.", Charles Kid first lieutenant, and Mitchell Renshaw second lieutenant. He had "inlisted in August, two years after the commencement of the war," but cannot swear to the length of his service for "reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory." He thought, however, that his service covered about four years and six months. In the deposition, it states that Gillis Hitch had enlisted at "Bridge Branch, Sussex County, Delaware and marched to Dover, then to Wilmington, then Philadelphia and then back to Bridge Branch and was stationed there as a minute man to guard against Tories." His mother and elder brother kept a "public house at Bridge Branch" and he was allowed to remain there until the close of the war in company with fellow soldiers Joshua Cliffen, Bartholomew Adams, Richard Starrs and Thomas Matney. He could not remember whether he was in the "Continental or State Troops of Delaware but think in Continental." Questions were then set forth as part of the deposition. They are transcribed exactly as follows: Question 1st: Where and what year was born. Answer: At Bridge Branch now called Bridgeville, Sussex County, Delaware. Don't recollect the year. Question 2nd: Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? Answer: There never was any record made of my age. My father died shortly after my birth and all I know was from the age of my older brothers. Question 3: Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived sinse the Revolution war; and where do you live now? Answer: At Bridge Branch now called Bridgevile Branch and lived there sinse the revolutionary war untill within five or six years. Sinse that time I have lived here in Crawfordsville. Question 4th: How were you called into service: were you drafted draughted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom? Answer: I volunteered of my own accord. I took the bounty off the drum head and never received anything else but a cocked hat. Question 5th: State the name of some regular officers who were with the Troops. Where you served: Such Continental and Militia regiments as you can recollect; And the general circumstances of your service. Answer: I cannot recollect any other officers than those mentioned in my declaration. And the circumstances of my services are also stated in my declaration correctly as I believe. Question 6: Did you ever receive a discharge from the Service and if so by whom was it signed; and what has become of it? Answer: I received a discharge by the hands of Col Joseph ______ Vaughn. He brought it to me when he returned from receiving? His pay. I have sense lost it. I believe it was thrown overboard in the Chesapeak bay with other papers which I considered of no value at the time. Question 7th: State the names of persons in your neighborhood at present who can testify to your character for vericity and their belief of your services as a revolutionary soldier. Answer: I have no general acquaintance except as persons come to the house of my sons where I now live. I have but little recollection of their names. I don't go out any. I will name Samuel C. Wilson and Thomas Campbell, Ryland T. Brown and John N. Rush. In a later deposition by William Hitch (Gillis Hitch's son) in Montgomery Co., IN, dated October 3, 1851, it was indicated that Gillis died on November 7, 1847. He left no widow but he was survived by only known living children William, Gillis and John Hitch. Finally, William Hitch initiated a Power of Attorney on August 16, 1854 to "Charles C. Tucker of Washington City District of Columbia" to prosecute the claim of Gillis Hitch for Revolutionary War pension. There are no further records in the file whether the family ever received the pension that was entitled to them.