Guilford-Rockingham County NcArchives Military Records.....Bethel, William 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 18, 2006, 1:31 pm Constructed History Of Captain William Bethel THOMAS LOVELADY, a resident of Russell County, Virginia, aged eighty-three years: “That he entered the service the same year that Charleston in South Carolina was taken by the British [1779]. He then resided in Guilford County in the state of North Carolina, and was drafted for a three months tour to go against a band of Tories upon Cross Creek in the vicinity of Newbern, headed by one FANNING. The said THOMAS LOVELADY then belonged to a company commanded by Captain WILLIAM BETHEL. The name of the lieutenant and ensign not now remembered, the battalion to which his company was attached was commanded by Majors THOMAS OWENS and NELSON, and formed a part of the regiment of North Carolina militia commanded by Colonel MARTIN [although not mentioned by LOVELADY, John Paisley was serving in the same regiment as a Lieutenant Colonel under James Martin, Colonel], and served out the said tour of three months, and was discharged at Lower Little River Bridge and returned home, where he remained about ten days.” “…He volunteered for a three months tour again under the same officers, marched through the country lying between Guilford and the Congaree River, into the state of South Carolina, but had hitherto been in no engagement, and after marching from point to point for the purpose of attacking the enemy, that tour of three months expired, and they were discharged and returned home.” [Cannot determine from his description whether Captain Bethel was along on this next misadventure-probably not if Thomas Lovelady seemed to be in command of these 12 men.] “Twelve of his company set out together and on their return, called at the home of an old Dutch Tory by the name, he thinks, of ADAM APPLE, living on a creek called Stinking Creek, a stream he thinks, of the Big Alamance River, and asked for some refreshment, which was refused. Pinched by hunger which has few restraints, they helped themselves, and after eating, the company, except the said THOMAS LOVELADY and the Dutchman’s daughter, lay down upon the floor and went to sleep, and he requested the young lady to go to bed, assuring her that she would not be interrupted. She, however, declined, and he, knowing that they were in an enemy’s home, determined not to sleep, lest she should give notice to the Tories that they were there. He however, overcome by fatigue, fell asleep in his chair, and awaking sometime afterward, missing the young lady and found she was not in the house, and immediately waked up his companions, and advised them to leave the house, but they refused, and about daybreak or a little after, the band of Tories commanded by FANNING and Major BILL NICHOLS (the ___ the same who killed WILLIAM LETCHER in bed in the Long Hollows of Dan River), came up and surrounded the house.” “FANNING, whom the Tories called Colonel, shot one of their company by the name of JOHNSTON TYLER, and was in the act of shooting the said THOMAS LOVELADY, when the said BILL NICHOLS interfered, and said that he was acquainted with him, and had been raised with him, and by that means, saved the lives of the other eleven, but required them to take an oath, administered by the same FANNING, not to fight thereafter against his majesty, the king of Great Britain, and then released them upon a parole of honour. They then set out on their way homeward, and soon met with a company of Whigs, when six of their little party joined them, and the said THOMAS LOVELADY one of that number, and returned back to see the old Dutchman and his daughter, and their morning guests. But FANNING and his party having fled, they took the young lady into Stinking Creek and gave her a sound dunking, and left her in a situation not the best suited to carrying speedy expresses, and returned homeward.” SAMUEL SMITH-“That after his return home, he was placed under Captain BETHEL who we left at home, together with Captain SHARP for the purpose of forming companies of horse called minute light horse to check and suppress the Tories. That he was engaged in this service for the space of three months in reconnoitering the country and we marched over on to near the Shallow Ford on the Yadkin River for the purpose of dispersing a number of Tories who had assembled there, but before their arrival, the Tories had been dispersed by some of the troops near the place of their rendezvous. After this term of service, he was discharged by Captain WILLIAM BETHEL, which discharge he has lost.” PETER LESLEY, a resident of Davidson County, Tennessee, aged 71: “That…in the month of March 1780, I was drafted in Guilford County, North Carolina and mustered into service at Guilford Courthouse for three months under the command of Captain WILLIAM BETHEL, RICHARD VERNON Lieutenant, and ROBERT NELSON, Ensign. We stayed in Guilford about eight days. We then set out for Charleston in South Carolina by the way of Salisbury, then to Camden, then to Monck’s Corner. There we stayed a few days when Colonel WASHINGTON and his horse were routed with PULASKI and [Major JAMES] WHITE, by the British under Colonel TARLETON [April 14th, 1780, see Heitman, page 682].” “Then Capt. BETHEL’s company marched the next day about thirty miles, crossing the Santee at Nelson’s Ferry. We there met Gen. CASWELL with one thousand militia where we joined him on the Santee River and guarded Nelson’s Ferry and Dupree’s Ferry until we heard that Charleston had surrendered to the British [May 12, 1780, see Heitman, page 682]. Then we marched to Camden and on our way we met General BUFORD with three hundred regulars and one field piece. We all marched to Camden, then BUFORD marched to Salisbury, and we with CASWELL, marched to Pedee River at the Cheraw Hills. Then we marched to Fayetteville in North Carolina, where we stayed a few days. Col. MCDOWELL and part of his regiment were sent to guard several wagons loaded with salt [ROBERT RANKIN (b) dated this June 3rd or 4th, 1780] for the army, to Mecklenburg and Rowan Counties and when Capt. BETHEL’s company reached Guilford County, Col. MCDOWELL discharged us, for we had served a little over three months.” “Personally appeared, RICHARD VERNON…and made oath that he was acquainted with PETER LESLEY in two tours of duty in the Revolution War. That in March 1780 we rendezvoused at Guilford Courthouse, state of North Carolina. He the said LESLEY was a soldier under Captain WILLIAM BETHEL, and I was lieutenant in said company, and ROBERT NELSON, ensign. We then took up the line of march to South Carolina by way to Salisbury, where we met with General RUTHERFORD, who ordered us to march to Charleston, by way to Camden to Monck’s Corner, where we understood that the British had surrounded Charleston, so that we could not get in. There, where we lay a few days, and was routed by the enemy under Colonel TARLETON. From thence we retreated to the north side of the Santee River, where we lay until the arrival of Brigadier General WILLIAM CASWELL from North Carolina.” “We then formed a regiment called the third regiment of North Carolina militia, Col. JAMES BRANNON our field officer, where we continued as guard for the Ferries on said river, until we heard that Charleston had surrendered to the British. We then retreated to the Cheraw Hills on the Pedee River, from thence to Fayetteville in North Carolina where we were detached under the command of Col. MCDOWELL to guard some wagons loaded with public salt, to the County of Mecklenburg, North Carolina.” “Personally appeared before me, PETER LESLEY…He served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades: First I served three months as a drafted militiaman from the month of March 1780 as a private in Captain BETHEL’s company.” RICHARD VERNON-“About 15th March 1780, I volunteered in Captain BETHEL’s company in which I served as lieutenant and ROBERT NELSON as ensign. We marched about the time above stated from Guilford for the relief and defense of Charleston, SC. BETHEL’s company was attached to a regiment commanded by Colonel JAMES BRANNON in General CASWELL’s brigade. We entered South Carolina about the 1st of April 1780. We marched by Camden, from thence to a place called Monck’s Corner near Charleston, which the British, we understood, had entered as to make it impossible for us to give Charleston any assistance.” “On the 11th of April or thereabouts, the British under TARLETON attacked us at Monck’s Corners and routed us, after which we collected our scattered forces and marched to a place called the Big Savannah on Santee River, where we remained until General CASWELL with his brigade came to us, when we marched to Dupree’s Ferry on Santee where we remained some time acting as guards on the ferry until we heard of the complete fall of Charleston.” “We then under General CASWELL, fell back to Camden and from thence we marched to NC. Soon after this our term of three months expired. This tour is proved by AUSTIN SMITH’s certificate marked C who lives in Abbeville, SC, and who obtained a pension under the Act of 1818. This certificate is not certified by the clerk but by the justice of the governor of Abbeville District. We were disbanded about the last of June or first of July, having served upward of 3 months in this tour.” [Certificate C-Abbeville District, SC-“Personally appeared, AUSTIN SMITH and made oath…that he was well acquainted with RICHARD VERNON during the Revolutionary War. That he, the said RICHARD VERNON was first lieutenant of a company of militia formed at Guilford Courthouse in the state of North Carolina under the command of Captain WILLIAM BETHEL, for the relief and defense of Charleston, South Carolina, the regiment commanded by Colonel BRANNON, General CASWELL’s division or brigade. That they left Guilford some time in the month of March 1780 and entered the state of South Carolina about the first of April following. That they marched to Camden and from thence to a place called Monck’s Corner, where they understood that the British had entered and taken the town so as to render it impossible to give any assistance to the town.” “That on the 11th of April they were attacked by the British under Colonel TARLETON and routed at Monck’s Corner. That after that rout, they collected and marched to a place called the Big Savannah on the Santee River, where they remained until General CASWELL’s brigade came on. They then marched to Dupree’s Ferry on Santee, where they remained for some time acting as a guard on the ferry until they heard of the complete fall of Charleston. That they fell back to Camden with General CASWELL and thence to North Carolina where their term of service expired…” For RICHARD VERNON-“Personally appeared…PETER LESLEY…and made oath that he, said LESLEY was well acquainted with RICHARD VERNON during the Revolutionary War. That sometime early in the spring of 1780, we rendezvoused at Guilford Courthouse, state of North Carolina under WILLIAM BETHEL, Captain, and said RICHARD VERNON, lieutenant, ROBERT NELSON, ensign. We then took the line of march to South Carolina by way of Salisbury, where we met with General RUTHERFORD, who gave us our orders to march to Charleston by way of Camden to Monck’s Corner, where we understood that the British had surrounded Charleston so that we could not get in there, where we lay a few days and was routed by the enemy under Colonel TARLETON.” “From thence we retreated to the north side of the Santee River where we lay until the arrival of Brigadier General WILLIAM CASWELL from North Carolina. We then joined a regiment called the third regiment of North Carolina militias, Colonel JAMES BRANNON our field officer, where we continued as guards to the ferries on said river until we heard that Charleston had surrendered to the British.” “We then retreated to North Carolina by way of Camden, from thence to the Cheraw Hills on the Pedee River, from thence to Fayetteville in North Carolina where we were detached under the command of Colonel MCDOWELL to guard some wagons loaded with public salt to the County of Mecklenburg, North Carolina, our time of service being out when we was disbanded to return to our own homes. The above is ___red by the said Lieutenant RICHARD VERNON and said PETER LESLEY.” HARRIS, ROBERT-lived in Guilford County during the War, served under Capt. BETHEL, Capt. RAIFORD, was in the Siege of Charleston and the Battle at Monck’s Corners. ROACH, JAMES-Soldier lived in Guilford County at enlistment, early part of 1781, served 3 months under Capt. WILLIAM BETHEL as a private, then was a wagoner for 3 months. FRANCIS MANN-“That after that, he moved to Guilford County, North Carolina and some time after he had been there, he entered as a substitute for ____ ALLEN, for three months in year 1780 under Captain O’NEAL and WILLIAM BETHEL, Lieutenant, in the regiment commanded by Colonel PORTERFIELD and Major ARMSTRONG of the light infantry under General RUTHERFORD. That he marched from home and to and through various quarters of the intermediate country until the forces came to near G___ Creek, South Carolina, where the battle in which General GATES was defeated was fought [at Camden, per Heitman, August 16, 1780], at which the Americans were defeated and this declarant with the balance of his company escaped home and never were called upon afterwards, his term being almost out…” JOHN RANKIN-“South Union, Logan County, KY, January 1841 “Friend Jones, I received your letter of the 4th instant, by which you request me to give all the information I can respecting…said [ROBERT] SHAW’s war services in the Revolution…I know that he took an active part under the militia officers of Guilford County against the Tories in Randolph and other adjacent counties. In the month of March 1780, I volunteered to serve a three months tour in Charleston. Said SHAW was in the same company which was commanded by Capt. WILLIAM BETHEL. The regiment was commanded by Colonel BRANNON, the brigade by WILLIAM CASWELL. After marching and counter-marching on the British lines in hearing of the siege in order to keep the Tories from flocking to the British. On the 12th day of May [1780], Charleston was surrendered and we returned home in June with SHAW in company…The claimant’s [Elizabeth’s] brothers, JAMES, THOMAS, and ROBERT HAMILTON, if alive, can give a better statement of the things in question than that above.” AUSTIN SMITH, a resident of Abbeville District, South Carolina, aged 69 years: “That he was drafted for a three month tour and joined his company at Guilford Courthouse, the company commanded by Captain WILLIAM BETHEL, RICHARD VERNON, Lieutenant, ROBERT NELSON, Ensign. That he entered the service about the first of March 1780 and left the same about the 15th June 1780. That he resided in Guilford County, North Carolina when he entered the service. That he was drafted into the service at this time. That they rendezvoused at Guilford Courthouse and set out for Charleston, South Carolina.” “That they passed through Salisbury, and from thence to Camden in South Carolina, where they crossed the Wateree River. From there they went to McCord’s Ferry on the Congaree River, then passed through Eutaw Springs to Monck’s Corner, where they joined Colonel WASHINGTON’s Horse command with a remnant of COUNT PULASKI’s troops. That the next morning after they had joined Col. WASHINGTON, they were surprised by Colonel TARLETON with the British dragoons and completely routed [per Heitman, April 14th, 1780].” “That they afterward collected and marched to Nelson’s Ferry on the Santee where we lay until General CASWELL’s brigade of North Carolina militia. We were joined about that time by a regiment of Virginia Continentals commanded by a Colonel BUFORD and a Colonel HAWES. That he was attached to General’s CASWELL’s command and marched down the river to Dupree’s Ferry, where we lay and Colonel BUFORD at Lenoir’s Ferry above, acting as a guard on the ferry, where stayed until we heard that the British had taken Charleston, when we broke up our camp and marched to Camden, where we parted with Colonel BUFORD and his command. They took the road for Charlotte in North Carolina and General CASWELL took the road for Haley’s Ferry on PeeDee, where we crossed the river and went to Cross Creek in North Carolina, where we remained until our time of service had expired.” “I was acquainted with a Colonel BUFORD and a Colonel HAWS [Probably Col. HOWARD] who were officers commanding a Virginia regiment who were in service with the troops where I served, and from whom we had been but one day separated, whose command was destroyed at a place called the Hanging Rock above Camden.” WILLIAM MULLINS-“That he continued through the whole war and was a portion of this period of service under Captain BETHEL and he thinks in the regiment commanded by Colonel LOCKE or LOPP, and that he was in a battle fought at a place called Hanging Rock [per Heitman, August 1-6, 1780], and another by the name of Guilford Courthouse [per Heitman, March 15, 1781] and other ones that he cannot recollect the name of. That he states these facts merely from the recollection of his father’s conversation on that subject, being a man of no education at all…” “…appeared JOSHUA BROWN…that he was in the War of the Revolution as one of the Virginia Blues and went over to North Carolina to the neighborhood of a place called the Red House [January 1781]. This affiant then lived in Pittsylvania County, state of Virginia, and his captain who was by the name of Saulton took sick on the day they started and did not go. They were mustered into service under Colonel THOMAS OWENS and Major BUTLER.” “It was at this place that affiant met with PETER KING from Guilford County, North Carolina, with whom he became afterwards, well-acquainted. Affiant thinks PETER KING at that time was under a Captain WILLIAM BETHEL. Affiant has a more distinct recollection of PETER KING on account of his very [or merry] jovial and soldier-like manner than from any particular acquaintance with him, as affiant had lived previously in Virginia near the North Carolina line and PETER KING lived in Guilford County in North Carolina.” “PETER KING was a robust, strong, athletic man, was fond of sport, had a very strong and healthy constitution, and when not engaged in action or exercises, would be engaged in various pastimes such as running fool races, jumping and wrestling, which made affiant take more notice of him. Said KING was a resolute and good soldier and affiant and he would take a glass of rum together when they could get it.” “Affiant and said PETER KING were together at the Battles of Eutaw Springs [September 8, 1781] and Cowpens [January 17, 1781] and when the Battle of Guilford [March 15, 1781] was fought, cannot say whether saw KING was at Guilford or at Bell’s Mills. This affiant was engaged at Bell’s Mills against the Tories but was not at Guilford.” “Said KING would endure an insult from no one. He messed with a different set of men from affiant, and of course would be together only when the army was at leisure and not on the march or engaged in fight. Affiant cannot state how long KING served because he was not with him all the time, nor under the same officers, but said KING must have served more than two years and chiefly as a volunteer and on one occasion said PETER KING informed him he was then under an engagement for nine months. All this information and acquaintance was during the Revolution War and under Generals GREENE and MORGAN and Colonel WASHINGTON. The knowledge affiant has is from seeing said KING in actual service and not from any acquaintance after the war of the Revolution.” “The places the affiant has a more correct knowledge of seeing said KING in service are the following, to wit: Before and after the Battle of the Cowpens January 6, 1781], before and after the Battle of Eutaw Springs [September 8, 1781], before and after the Battle of Guilford [March 15, 1781]. On one time in July following after the Battle of Guilford, this affiant and PETER KING got discharged to go home, and then took a notion and volunteered again and served three months longer” PETER KING’S widow-“He then [March 1781] with some persuasion, agreed to stay at home and hired a substitute for one whole year, but after having paid the substitute a likely mare, bridle and saddle, he found that he would be compelled to go again, and volunteered for a whole year. Was stationed sometimes at Salisbury, sometimes on Pedee River as occasion might require. He was at the battle with the Tories on PeeDee River [Colson’s Mill?], Ramsour’s Mills [June 20, 1780] and at ____ Ford [if this was Shallow Ford under Captain William Bethel, then date was February 6th, 1781.” SAMUEL SHARP-“That after he returned home, he was several times called out in the state troops and employed generally as a commissary for several tours under the directives of General HAMILTON, and we were to provide provisions for the army under the command of General GREENE. That at the time of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse [per Heitman, March 15, 1781], he was on a three months tour under Captain WILLIAM BETHEL down on Haw River and part of the time on the Pedee River protecting the country from the ravages of the Tories. That Major OWENS had the principle command in this tour and gave him his discharge at the expiration of his tour of service, which he has long since lost or destroyed.” NICHOLAS MCCUBBIN-“That sometime in the winter of 1780-1781 he again entered the service as a volunteer militiaman for the term of six months in the regiment commanded by Colonel ABEL KOLB in the company commanded by Captain BEVELL [BETHEL?], and that he marched to Pedee in South Carolina, about six miles below Cheraw Hill, and continued stationed within about one mile of the Long Bluff until his term of service had expired, when he was discharged, which discharge is lost. That he volunteered and entered the service as last mentioned at the house of Colonel KOLB on the Pedee and was stationed there until his term of service had expired. That he received his discharge from Colonel KOLB, that said discharge is lost.” “That in August 1781, he again entered the service for the term of three months as a drafted militiaman in the regiment commanded by Colonel SMITH in Captain WILLIAM BETHEL’s company. That he served out his term and received his discharge from Captain WILLIAM BETHEL, which discharge he now has in his possession, and herewith transmits it to the pension office…” DANIEL WALKER-“…The first two as a private, the last as a lieutenant under Captain WILLIAM BETHEL. The last battle he was in was under Captain BETHEL at Wilmington in North Carolina…” Additional Comments: Constructed History is my term for a soldier who did not file for a pension himself, but about whom there is enough evidence from other soldiers to form an equivalent to a pension application. Most of the testimony comes from other men mentioning the officer or non-comm. officer, but in some cases, the actual soldier himself testified on behalf of other men, thus revealing his own history. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/military/revwar/pensions/bethel300gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 23.9 Kb