Guilford County NcArchives Military Records.....Blair, Thomas 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, 1:33 pm Constructed History Of Major Thomas Blair Charles BREDEN-“At the time he entered the service of the U.S. he was a citizen of Guilford County, and being called out, he served a tour of 3 months as a sergeant in the company by Captain ROBERT BELL. The regiment to which he was attached was commanded by Col. JAMES MARTIN, Col Commandant, Lt. Col. JOHN PAISLEY & Major THOMAS BLAIR. He was mustered into the service at Guilford Courthouse, NC, marched from thence to Salisbury to the Catawba River, thence up the same, & crossed the French Broad River at Swamano. Continuing next to the valley towns, from thence, returned home, having served a tour of 3 months, was regularly discharged. Gen. RUTHERFORD commanded the expedition. He is now aged and very infirm and cannot state with certainty the time he first entered the U.S. service, but his best recollection and belief is that it was in the summer of the year 1776.” GEORGE DONNELL-“That he belonged to the regiment raised in Guilford County, North Carolina, the county in which he resided, commanded by Colonel JAMES MARTIN, Col. Commandant, JOHN PAISLEY, Lieutenant Colonel, and Majors BLAIR and OWENS were the other field officers of this regiment. He entered the service in the militia under a draft in August 1776 as well as he recollects, in the company commanded by Captain ROBERT BELL of Guilford County for the term of three months. He was mustered in service at Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina. From thence they marched on an expedition against the Cherokee Indians, passing through Salisbury to the Catawba River, thence up to the head waters crossing French Broad River at the mouth of Swamano, thence to the Tennessee River crossing it at an Indian Town, thence to Hiwassee River. He was not during the service, in any general engagement, but was in several skirmishes. The North Carolina troops were at this time commanded by General GRIFFITH RUTHERFORD. After our term of service of three months expired, we were regularly discharged and returned home.” WILLIAM DONNELL-“The Regiment to which he was belonged was raised in Guilford County, North Carolina, commanded by Colonel JAMES MARTIN, Colonel Commandant; JOHN PAISLEY, Lieutenant Colonel, and Majors BLAIR and OWENS. He entered the militia services under a draft in August 1776, day of the month not recollected, for the term of three months, in the company commanded by Captain ROBERT BELL of Guilford, which was the county of this applicant’s residence. Mustered in service at Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina, from thence marched on an expedition against the Cherokee Indians passing through Salisbury to the Catawba River, thence up to the headwaters, crossing French Broad River at the mouth of Swamano, thence to Tennessee River crossing at an Indian town, thence to Hiwassee River. He was not in any general engagement, but was in several skirmishes. General GRIFFITH RUTHERFORD commanding the North Carolina troops. After the term of service expired, we were discharged and went home.” LEE CLARK-…Some time in the fall of the year 1780, where he remained but a short time, before he was again drafted to march to the north under the command of Lieutenant ROBERT MOORE, Captain GEORGE PEARCE, Major BLAIR, and Colonel PAISLEY. That his company was organized under the above named officers at the Guilford Courthouse, commonly called Martinsville, and from thence was marched on southward through Salisbury on to Charlotte in Mecklenburg County, N. C, where they were joined by the forces under the command of General DAVIDSON, who took command of the army the assembling, and who was detained for the purpose of collecting a larger force with a view of going over into South Carolina to join the southern army there under the command of General GREENE. That he remained in the company for twelve weeks when he was discharged near the Catawba River.” FREDERICK SOOTS-“That immediately after Gates’ Defeat, he returned home, his term of service having expired, to Guilford County, where he remained only two or three days when he was drafted for the term of three months and immediately marched to Martinsville, Guilford County and joined a company commanded by Captain WILSON as a private and was attached to a regiment commanded by Colonel JOHN PAISLEY of Guilford County. THOMAS BLAIR of Guilford County was major of said regiment. From Martinsville he marched towards South Carolina in order to assist his countrymen in resisting the advance of LORD CORNWALLIS on North Carolina.” “That after the retreat of CORNWALLIS, he remained on the borders of South Carolina with his regiment and marched to various places…That he served out his tour of service of three months and was discharged by Captain WILSON...” JOHN MONTGOMERY-“Shortly after, he volunteered under Capt. MCREA in Maj. BLAIR’s command, going up Abbott’s Creek, in Stokes Co, after Tories who were dispersed. Absent two weeks in December 1780.” 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. 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