Lewis Vallandingham Revolutionary War Pension Submitted by Dick Vallandingham " In June of 1831 the Congress of the United States voted to extend pension benefits to veterans of the Revolutionary War. Governmental records were often incomplete or missing so each veteran was required to document his service and supply the sworn oaths of reliable citizens concerning his military record and truthfulness. The following petition, Lewis Vallandinghams answers to questions posed by officials, is probably the best first hand evidence existing of Lewis life and experiences. Revolutionary War Pension Application The following is a transcription of the original government records. Forms of punctuation, capitalization and spelling are generally maintained as written. Dashes are used to indicate where words or phrases were indecipherable. Commonwealth of Kentucky County of Owen On this 3rd day of December 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the Owen County Court now setting Lewis Vallandingham. a resident of said County of Owen aged 71 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1831: That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That on or about the -- day of June 1776 he volunteered as a private soldier. Upon a tour of three months in a company commanded by Capt. Jackson who was appointed to guard the town of Alexandria in the County of Fairfax, Virginia. That he went with his said company to Alexandria where they were stationed during the whole of the said Tour of three months That they expected the arrival of Dunmore the British Commander & former Governor of Virginia and that they were there stationed in order to repel any attempt he might make upon the County but he did not make his appearance. That he was not during the said period commanded by any Colonel or Major the Capt. being the highest in command. That at the expiration of his said Tour of services vz. three months Tour having fully served out the same he was discharged by his officers and returned to his residence in the said County of Fairfax and State of Virginia where he resided when he entered the service as above mentioned upon his said three months Tour. He further states and declares that shortly after his three months service as above mentioned to wit about the --- day of September 1776 being still a resident of the said County of Fairfax and State of Virginia he again volunteered as a private soldier upon a three months tour in a company commanded by Captain Alexander and was attached to a regiment under the command of Col. Gilpin. That he rendezvoused with his said company and regiment at Alexandria in the said County of Fairfax and from thence marched through Maryland to Georgetown in the State of Maryland Now District of Columbia from thence to Fredericktown where he was taken sick with the Small Pox and lay sick for one or two months That he was informed the army marched to Philadelphia. That soon after he recovered from his said sickness his said Tour of service expired and he was discharged having served three months upon this his second Tour and returned to his residence in the said County of Fairfax He further states and declares that in the latter part of the year 1779 he left his residence in the said County of Fairfax and moved to the then County of Kentucky State of Virginia and arrived at Boonsborough on the Kentucky river early in January 1780 where he remained a week or ten days and then went to Boons Station a distance of 6 or 8 miles from Boonsborough which station was then under the command and control of Col Danl Boone at which station he continued under the command of Col Boone fighting the Indians and assisting to keep them in subjugation until about the month of May 1780 during all which time he furnished his own rifle and flints and ammunition and clothes and that the situation of the frontier inhabitants and hostility of the Indians made it necessary for him and all those with whom he was associated to use the utmost activity against the Indians He further states and declares that about the --- day of May 1780 he turned out as a private volunteer soldier on Boons Station and went under the command of Capt John Morgan to Strouds Station which place had been attacked by the Indians He states that he continued at Strouds Station under said arrangement for two months That he volunteered for said service of six months and served the said tour out fully and faithfully ----- at the expiration then returned to Boons Station. He further states and declares that soon after his return to Boons Station as above mentioned he went in the month of August 1780 he volunteered as a private soldier in a company commanded by Capt William Hays upon a tour of six months and marched with his said company to the mouth of Licking at which point they joined Col George Rogers Clarke who had ------------ upon an expedition against the Indians. That he marched with said army from thence to Chilicothe which place was taken by the army from the Indians and all the corn belonging to them at that point was consumed (?) and destroyed. That from thence they marched to Pickaway where they had an engagement with the Indians and lost 15 men killed dead on the ground ---- the number with Capt McAfee that many of the wounded after they returned to the falls also died. That immediately after the defeat of the Indians at Pickaway and the destruction of their corn the army returned to the falls of Ohio. He states that he served faithfully during the whole of this campaign in his said company and after having finally completed the said tour of six months and served the tour out he was discharged and returned to Boons Station where he remained but a few days when there was a call for men to go and assist in the defense of Bryans Station (about 11 or 12 miles from Boons Station which was like to be attacked by the Indians and he volunteered as a private and marched to Bryans Station under the command of Capt Craig and as one of his company. He states that this service was --- at the time and expected to be of uncertain duration but that he did serve upon that occasion as --- relief of said station and assisting in guarding it for the term one month and at the expiration of said period of time the said Station being there supposed out of immediate danger those who volunteered with him to go to its relief went away and he ---declared remained. He states that Bryans Station was under the command and control of Col Robert Johnson and Capt John Craig. He states that the time of his going to Bryans Station as ----- was in the month of February or March 1781. He further states that he continued to make Bryans Station his place of station and residence In the Spring of the year 1782 from this time he first went to ------ as a -------- and that during said service he was almost constantly engaged in scouting and other small expeditions against the hostile Indians in punishing them for their frequent depredations upon the inhabitants. That in the month of May 1782 he recalled to have acted as an Indian spy for about the term of two weeks. He states and declares that from the time of his arrival in Kentucky in January 1780 till the spring of the year 1783 his rifle was his constant companion and he was not able to recollect to have slept one single night during the whole of said period without having it in his arms. He states and declares that from the great lapse of time his old age and consequent laps(e) of memory he cannot make positive statements as to the particular times at which he entered the service nor the precise period or length of all his services but from his best recollection --- he served at ------ and in the manner above stated and set forth that from his best recollections had served in the Revolutionary War not less than 15 months as a private volunteer soldier 2 weeks as an Indian Spy in 20 months as a private soldier at Boons and Bryan Station When he was not engaged upon the above mentioned special Tour. He states that he knows of no person living whose testimony he can secure to prove his above mentioned services and that he has no evidence whatever of the said services. He hereby relinquishes -------- pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any state in the union. Given to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid by Lewis X Vallandingham * NOTE: At the end of the document in an aggressive scrawl Lewis petition is endorsed by Richard M. Johnson, future Vice President of the United States under Martin Van Buren (1837-1841). I do certify that I have been intimately acquainted with Lewis Vallandingham all my life as a son almost knows his father and I do certify that for the last 40 years and more he has been a member of the Baptist Society and the most ----- belief may be given to his statements and recollections ------- of his services in the Indian wars after the Revolution. ? IN HIS OWN WORDS ... The following are a series of questions posed to Lewis Vallandingham during his interview for pension benefits. There is at least one question missing (#1). 2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? Ansr. I have a record of my [age] at home in my Bible which makes me the aforesaid age. 3rd Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the revolutionary war, and where do you now live? Answer. When I was called into the service upon my first two tours of three months each I lived in Fairfax County, Virginia. When called into the service upon each of my three last tours I lived in Kentucky. Since the revolutionary war I have lived in the County of Scott part of which was formerly called Fayette County, Ky. up to the year 1830 when I moved to the County of Owen where I now live. 4th How were you called into the service - were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom? Answer. I was a volunteer soldier in all the tours of duty which I performed. 5th State the names of some of the 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. The first Company to which I belonged in Virginia there was no Col. only a Capt to guard Alexandria; the second Tour I went under Capt Alexander and Col. Gilpin in Virginia. I was taken sick with the small pox before I joined any other Regiment than that to which I belonged. When I was under Capt. William Hays in the ---- tour of duty which I performed under Genl Clarke, I recollect that there was no other brigade than Clarkes. I recollect Col Logan in Clarkes Brigade. When I was with Gen Harrison (?) I recollect that Col Hardin (?) was a militia officer and so was Major -------- Harrison was a regular officer. During all the services which I performed I received no pay whatever. In the first expedition I went with Genl Clarke to Pickaway & I received no rations except a little dry corn. In all the time I never received one stitch of clothing from the Government. 6th Did you receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it? Answer. I do not recollect whether I got a discharge from the two tours of duty which I served whilst a resident of Fairfax County, Va. I got a discharge from Capt William Hays for tours of duty which I performed under Genl Clarke but I do not know what has become of them & I recollect to have gotten a discharge from Captain Craig for the Tour I served with Genl Harrison (?) but have lost the discharges. 7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can speak and testify as to your character, for your veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution? Answer. I will name Samuel Herndon, William ----------, Sherwood Maddox, Thomas True as persons to whom I am known and who are my neighbors. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. His Lewis X Vallandingham Mark USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation.