REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - EDWARD DORTON

Contributed by: Michael Dye [madye@fuse.net]

***********************************************************************
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.
http://www.usgwarchives.net
***********************************************************************

Revolutionary War Pension Record from National Archives 

Edward Dorton 

State of Kentucky 

Floyd County 

On the 12th day of December 1833, personally appears before the 
distingushed Justice of the Peace for the county aforesaid now sitting,
Edward Dorton a resident of Kentucky in the county of Floyd, aged 
eighty two years: who being first duly sworn according to the law 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 entered in 
the service of the United States under the following named officers 
and served as herein stated; that in the spring of 1776 the Indians 
became troublesome in the western part of Virginia so much so that it 
prevented a band of immigrants from proceeding to Kentucky. Said 
applicant was then residing in Washington County, Virginia and on the 
waters of Powell's River in Powell's Valley. Col. William Campbell the 
Col. of the county ordered that a volunteer company should be raised 
to supress the Indians: which company this applicant states he 
enlisted in as a volunteer for "six months" in the month of March 
1776, the day of the month not recollected. Under Capt. Bickley and 
Lieutenant Cowan, Ensign Robinson the company immediatley commenced 
their march down Powell's Valley to "Cumberland Gap" and there we 
were fired upon by the Indians. The firing was continued warnly by 
both sides for some time and the Indians gave way and fled. From their 
painted appearance we apprehended a more formidable band against us 
and accordingly retreated in all possibe speed to the stellements 
and ascertained that the Indians we fought was the Cherokees. We 
remained but a short time and being joined by more volunteers we 
again marched to the frontier. We got back on the last of July 1776. 
Having been back but a short time we was attacked near Cumberland 
Mountain by about forty Indians. We outnumbered them a few. The 
fighting commenced first by the Indians who lay concealed behind old 
logs and rocks. The skirmish lasted for three hours in which a few 
Indians were killed. Our company lost several--Dickenson, Humphery, 
and Solomon Kendrick. We remained here till August (the last part) 
and went back to the settlement all broke up and forted as they had 
done for six years before. We guarded the fort till late in November. 
We all recieved discharges certifying our service. 
On the first day of April next year 1777 the Indians again returned to 
Clinch and Powell's Valley and commenced murdering and plundering the 
settlements in that region. A volunteer company was raised by Capt. 
John Snoddy and Lieutenant Robinson (my ensign the year before) this 
pursant to Col. Campbell's orders, who was our Col., I volunteered 
for six months again. The fort was useless unless a force was kept in 
the field against the Indians, the settlements had no security. Col. 
Campbell did not accompany us but gave us his orders. 
About this time the Tories in North Carolina continued their 
operations and they were aided by a few from the South Fork of the 
Holston who frequently stole horses belonging to the Whigs and 
carried them to the Tories in Carolina. Our company marched down to 
the mouth of the North Fork of the Holston and took a western 
direction for Powell Valley on the frontiers. Here we remained 
scouting till August 1777, when we was attacked by a band of hostile 
Indians at day break. After an hour skirmish and running fight we was 
forced to retreat. The brother of this applicant was killed and skelpt 
by the Indians, also a man by the name Michael Auxier and another by 
the name of Litton and one William Priest was killed and several 
wounded. The Cherokee Indians was assembling in large numbers down 
Holston to commence war. They had painted themselves and had the war 
dance and for fear of being cut off we retreated to the settlements. 
Cocke of Carolina and Christy of Virginia marched to beat down the 
Cherokees. The Indians formed a plan to fall on the settlements on the 
Clinch and Gen. Christy sent one Martin to inform the fort of it. We 
all broke up and went to Abingdon. Not long after this Christy made 
peace with the Indians at the Long Islands which according to the 
applicants recollection in June 1777. He wishes to be understood that 
he cannot be positive as to dates but knows it was sometime before 
Col. Campbell went to Carolina when the applicant and his brother 
went with him. He then received his discharge from duty for his "six 
months". In the spring of 1778 the Shawnee Indians from over the Ohio 
broke out in the Clinch settlements in March 1778. The applicant 
enlisted for one year to scout and spy under Capt. Lewis and 
Lieutenant Hawkins. This was the manner in which the company was 
engaged. Col. Campbell states he was authorized to run the company 
for the purpose and that each man should recieve pay. The company 
divided in two's and four's and we ranged and spied all that summer 
and winter and until April 1779. We crossed frequently behind 
Cumberland Mountain down on the Kentucky and Big Sandy Rivers. They 
would generally leave the country for Kentucky or their nation in 
November to hunt and return early in the spring. This applicant 
served out his time and applied for his pay and Governor Patrick 
Henry stated that the state was not bound to pay; this applicant 
never got his pay. In July 1780 the day of the month not recollected 
this applicant and one of his brothers was prevailed on by Col. 
Campbell to accompany him against the Tories and British in the 
Carolinas and they did so and enlisted as new volunteers for no 
certain time. Something prevented us from starting immediately. 
Col. Campbell got word from Col. Cleveland that the Tories had fled 
from the Haw River and many from PeeDee and they had joined Ferguson 
(Major or Col.). We started from Abingdon all on horses and our Capt. 
was by the name of Looney. He thinks Col. Campbell's brother was a 
Capt. also. We crossed the Catawba high up in Burk's County, N.C. 
and came up with the British at a place called King's Mountain. 
Campbell was joined by Col. Cleveland and Major Shelby and Col. 
Sevier. There was a Frenchman there also by the name of Malmaday 
(this applicant thinks he was a Major) and Gen. McDowell were all on 
horses. When we got within one mile of the mountain we all hitched 
our horses and left them in care of some militia companies. The whole 
of us was divided; part of Campbell's men fell under Cleveland and 
one Sevier and Wilson. This applicant was one of them and marched up. 
They were on the side of the mountain. The firing commenced on the 
right wing (commanded by Campbell) and Shebly on the left, Cleveland 
in the center. The British with bayonets charged upon Cleveland's men 
and forced us to give back, but we all took turns. The battle lasted 
for some time and we made them all prisoners. The troops, or part, 
went over to Charlotte and we took some of the prisoners along. 
Gates' army was at Charlotte. From there we went to Hillsboro, N.C. 
and remained there but a few days and again went back to Charlotte 
where we all ------. Gen. Greene took command, this was in December 
1780 or 1781. In January I hired my horse to the Government of N.C. 
and belonged then to the light infantry. Our whole army went to 
Cheraw Hills, after the battle of the Cowpens we all retreated to 
Virginia. In February or March we gave the enemy battle at Guilford 
where we was defeated. A few days after this I left the service and 
returned home. I knew many officers during the service, to wit: Col. 
Washington, Capt. Charles Y. Wilson, Gen. Gates, Gen. Huger, Gen. 
Davis and Col. Davidson, Maj. Malmady, Col. Sevier, Maj. Shelby, 
Col. Wilson, Capt. Thomas H. Davis, and Lieutenant Hinner, Col. 
Hogan, Gen. Rutherford and many others. I have no documentary 
evidence in my favor. I received three discharges, the last time I 
did not receive a discharge but a recommendation. I do not know what 
has become of them. The fact was I cared nothing about them for it 
has been more than fifty years since. He hereby relinquishes his 
every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present one. 
He declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any 
state: Sworn and subscribed the day and date aforesaid: 

Edward Dorton