Guilford-Caswell County NcArchives Military Records.....Baker, Peter Revwar - Pension ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com June 13, 2006, 4:18 am Pension Application Of Peter Baker, Nat’l Archives Series M804, Roll __, Application #W277 White County, Tennessee, PETER BAKER, aged 76 years: “He volunteered his services in Caswell County in the state of North Carolina under Captain JOHN ATKINSON, his Lieutenant’s name was WILLIAM PAINE. The declarant was at this time in the Light Horse service, Captain ATKINSON’s company being a company of that description. We were marched from Caswell County to a place called the Cross Creek in North Carolina, now, as this declarant is informed, Fayette. The object we had in view was to subdue and keep down the Tories who had at the time of which he speaks, become remarkably troublesome about Cross Creek, Wilmington, Georgetown and throughout that country.” “There was only 2 companies at Cross Creek the whole time which this declarant served during this term of service, to wit, the one to which he belonged and another under the command of Captain ADKINS and Lieutenant JOHN ELKINS. Captain ADKINS’ company was from a county joining Orange, but this declarant is unable at this period, unable to give the name. This was a six months tour. He served it out and returned to his father’s in Caswell County.” “He here remained some time, but how long he cannot state, when he enlisted for nine months under Captain WILLIAM LYTLE. His lieutenant’s name was WILLIAM LEWIS. Captain LYTLE’s company belonged to the 3rd regiment of Continental soldiers. Colonel ARCHIBALD LYTLE, a brother to Captain WILLIAM LYTLE, commanded this regiment. THOMAS DONAHOO was first major, JOHN ARMSTRONG second major.” “We were marched to Hillsborough where the troops had rendezvoused in Orange County, to Purysburg on Savannah River where we were stationed three months during the winter of 1778 as well as he can now recollect. There were two other regiments, the 1st and the 2nd of the same description of troops as those composing the regiment to which this declarant belonged, each regiment being from North Carolina, stationed with them at the same time. The 1st regiment was commanded by Colonel Thaxton. As to the balance of officers belonging to said regiments, he cannot say.” “From this place, in the spring of the year, the troops were marched about twenty miles up the Savannah River to what was then called the Black Swamp. The declarant would here state that the regulars were also stationed at Purysburg and the whole army marched to the Black Swamp, as above mentioned. We were here stationed and remained some short time, perhaps two months, where we were joined by the militia from North Carolina. Here this declarant was taken sick and was placed in the hospital. General Mosery, with about three hundred men as a guard, moved all the sick then in the hospital down to Charleston. Having received intelligence that the British had ascended the Savannah River to Purysburg and intended to intercept our passage to Charleston (General Mosery was commander at this time of the troops in Charleston from whence he had brought the guard above spoken of), we reached Charleston in safety. The army from the Black Swamp were marched still farther up the river and crossed over to Briar Creek where they had a skirmish with some of the British, as he was informed, not being with the troops himself.” “The declarant in the meantime, recovered his health and wished to return to the army. He was informed that he would be more secure in Charleston, that it was expected that our troops and the British would have an engagement. My reply was that if this was expected, I wished to be with the troops when that took place. My physician gave me a furlough and I went to my regiment about twenty miles from Charleston between a small town called Dorchester and Ashley River, to which point the army had been marched during his stay at Charleston. A few days after he had thus joined his regiment they were marched to and joined the militia again, they having been separate from the balance of the troops.’ “The whole army was then marched to Stono Fort. This declarant was in the battle at this place, where we lost of killed, about three hundred of our men. The British were defeated and retreated from Stono Fort to Port Royale. The three regiments from north Carolina were then marched back to the place above mentioned, between Dorchester and Ashley River. From this place about six or seven hundred of the troops, among which this declarant was one, were under the command of Colonel ARCHIBALD LYTLE, marched to Port Royale where we were stationed and remained until the expiration of our nine months, where we were marched to Charleston, from thence we took and guarded about one hundred prisoners to Salisbury, where this declarant received his discharge and returned again to his father’s.” “He remained with his father until the latter part of the year 1780, when he again volunteered as a Light Horse man under Captain SAMUEL MARTIN, THOMAS POLK was the name of his lieutenant. This was in Guilford County, NC, his father in the meantime having move from Caswell and settled in Guilford. We rendezvoused at Charlotte in Mecklenburg County. Captain MARTIN’s company was attached to Colonel POLK’s regiment. Colonel POLK marched his regiment to what was called Ancrum’s Ferry on the Congaree River where we joined four regiments of Dragoons from South Carolina commanded by Colonels WADE, RICHARD, JOHN and HENRY HAMPTON. “The five regiments being thus united, they were marched to Orangeburg in the state of South Carolina, where we were stationed, but how long he cannot with accuracy, state. General SUMTER was the commander-in-chief of the dragoons. From thence they were marched to with three miles of the Eutaw Springs, where we joined General GREENE, and were with the troops under his command, marched immediately to the Springs, where we had a severe conflict of about six hours duration with the British. This declarant was in that battle. It was fought on the 4th September in the year 1781. In this battle, this declarant’s lieutenant THOMAS POLK was killed. Major RUTHERFORD was also shot, died on his horse. We defeated the British.” “The next morning after, we pursued on after them, but General MARION, Colonel LEE. And Colonel MALBURY [MALMEDY?], returning from the pursuit who informed us that the British has returned to Charleston, which was at this time in the possession of the British. Shortly after this engagement, this declarant’s time, he having volunteered for ten months, expired, when we were dismissed and he once more returned to his father’s, who still remained in Guilford. This terminated his service to the country, Lord Cornwallis having surrendered the 19th of October of the same year.” “He states the names of the following persons who can testify as to his services, viz. THOMAS CRAWLEY, and WILLIAM BAKER. He also would say that TURNER LANE, JOHN BRYAN, JOHN AUSTIN and JOHN GREEN will testify as to his character.” File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/military/revwar/pensions/baker116gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 7.6 Kb