Guilford County NcArchives Military Records.....Davis, John 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, 1:52 pm Constructed History Of Captain John Davis JOHN COOK-“The nineteenth day of July 1776, I entered the service of the United States as a volunteer, under Captain JOHN LEAK, Lieutenant JOHN DAVIS, THOMAS OWENS was our major. General RUTHERFORD commanded. I started from Guilford, North Carolina. We went through Salisbury and up to the head of Catawba near a fort called Cathey’s Fort, from that fort we crossed the mountain and went down the Swamano River, thence to the Indian towns upon the Tennessee and its waters, and destroyed sixteen of their towns. I remained three months in that tour, and returned home.” Addendum-“That he volunteered into the service of the United States for three months as a private on the nineteenth day of July in the year 1776, in Guilford County, NC, his place of residence at that time, under Captain JOHN LEAK and Lieutenant JOHN DAVIS, in a detachment commanded by THOMAS OWENS, all commanded by General RUTHERFORD. Joined his regiment at Guilford in the state of North Carolina, marched from thence through Salisbury in the state of North Carolina to the head of the Catawba River near a fort called Cathey’s, from the fort crossed the mountains and went down the Swamano River, thence to the Indian towns upon the Tennessee River and its waters, and destroyed sixteen Indian towns and after serving three months as a private was discharged from the service of the United States in the month of October 1776.” ISHAM SHARP-That he entered the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War as a drafted militiaman in the year 1779 [Cherokee Expedition was in 1776] in the County of Guilford, state of North Carolina, for three months under Capt. LEAK, Lt JOHN DAVIS. He does not recollect the name of the ensign. He was…put under Gen. RUTHERFORD and marched to the Cherokee nation, in which tour he faithfully served three months and was honorably discharged and returned home.” “Sometime thereafter in the latter part of the same year, he was again drafted for six months and entered the service of the United States immediately under Capt. ALEXANDER HUNTER, same lieutenant as stated above [Lt. JOHN DAVIS], and marched to various places through the country after the Tories, no troops having joined them in this way. He served full six months and was honorably discharged by his captain and returned home.” SAMUEL SHARP-“…That he served under the following named officers… Captain ALEXANDER HUNTER, Colonel JAMES HUNTER, General GREENE, Lieutenant JOHN DAVIS.” “He entered the service about the commencement of the Revolution, the year not recollected and served in the first tour about 4 months. “About eight months after his discharge, he was called out again by Captain HUNTER. We went to Salisbury and joined General RUTHERFORD’s division, from thence to the Indian towns in South Carolina, about 250 miles. At this town, we had a little battle against the British and Indians and defeated them [per the accounts of other men, this Cherokee expedition occurred in summer of 1776]. During this tour, we destroyed several Indian towns, the name of one of which was Sciota. After destroying these towns we were again discharged and he returned home after having served in this tour about 4 months, about the last of October. I still resided in Guilford County when I entered this service, served under Captain ALEXANDER HUNTER, Colonel JAMES HUNTER, and General RUTHERFORD.” NATHANIEL SCALES-That he entered the service of the United States in June 1777 [probably 1776], he thinks about the 10th day, as a private soldier in the company commanded by Capt. JOHN LEAK and Lt. JOHN DAVIS, in the regiment commanded by Col. JAMES MARTIN. That they marched from Salisbury, North Carolina under the command of General RUTHERFORD against the Chickasaw [probably Cherokee] nation of Indians. That in that campaign the army under General RUTHERFORD destroyed thirteen Indian towns besides destroying their corn and carrying off their horses. This applicant thinks that this campaign lasted six months. This applicant will here state that he has always been under the impression that he enlisted for 12 months as a private soldier because he got ten dollars when he entered the service. He enlisted at the Rocky Springs, North Carolina.” “This applicant further states that after they had subdued the Indians in the early winter, they were discharged. This applicant thinks he got a discharge but does not recollect who signed it, but he well recollects that Colonel MARTIN returned home with them. He also recollects that Captain LEAK ordered all those who had enlisted to be in constant readiness for active service, should they be called on. The other Colonels who served in this campaign were Colonel PAISLEY, Colonel GRIMES and Colonel ALEXANDER and the adjutant of that army was ROBERT MARTIN, brother of our Colonel.” “This affiant further states that he again entered into the service of the United States as a private soldier in the company commanded by Capt. ALEXANDER HUNTER as a volunteer. We served in the state of North Carolina against the Tories a three months tour. [See statement of Isham Sharp above, who says DAVIS was also lieutenant under Captain ALEXANDER HUNTER]. JAMES SCALES-“He volunteered under Captain WADELL TATE, Lieutenant JOHN DAVIS and JEREMIAH POSTON [?BOSTON] ensign, marched through Guilford County to Salisbury, North Carolina, thence to Camden, South Carolina. I entered the army under Colonel SHEPPERD. We remained pretty much stationary during our whole term of service, which was four months. At the expiration of my term of service I was discharged and returned home.” “…Personally appeared, THOMAS COOK, a resident in the eleventh district of Henry County, Georgia, aged eighty years…I entered the service in the revolutionary war as a volunteer in the year 1776, in July, under Capt. JOHN LEAK in Guilford County, North Carolina, first lieutenant in said company, JOHN DAVIS, said company belonging to Col. MARTIN’s regiment of said county and state. We joined the main army under Gen’l RUTHERFORD in Rowan County, State of North Carolina and from said county marched to the Cherokee nation where we burned and destroyed sixteen towns and villages together with as many of the Indians as we could get hold of. I then returned home which was on about the first of Nov. in said year (1776), being out four months. THOMAS ARMSTRONG-“He entered the service, he believes, in the year seventy- seven, in the month of April, under Captain JOHN DAVIS, who was afterwards cashiered, and GEORGE PEARCE the first lieutenant in the company, was promoted to the command of captain under whom he served till he quit the service. He was drafted for three months, which he served out, and did not return home till the month of September following, in consequence of sickness.” “The company to which he belonged was attached to the regiment commanded by Colonel MCDOWELL, whose regiment was attached to the forces commanded by General BUTLER, General LINCOLN being commander in chief of the whole North Carolina forces. He was drafted in the County of Guilford, in the state of North Carolina immediately before he went into service. He was at the Battle of Stono Ferry (he believes) [per Heitman, June 20, 1779] in the state of South Carolina, though not in that battle, being one of the guard of the baggage. Said battle was fought between the American forces under General LINCOLN and the British forces were commanded he believes, by PROVOST.” THOMAS CRAWLEY-“His third term of service was a voluntary enlistment in the company of Captain JOHN DAVIS, and was attached to the regiment of Colonel CHARLES MCDOWELL in the brigade of Charles BUTLER. This enlisment was from Guilford County, North Carolina, the time of service for six months. This enlistment was in February 1779. They took up the line of march from Guilford Courthouse, thence to Salisbury, thence to Charlotte, then to Golphintown on Savannah River, thence down to the High Bluffs where they joined General Lincoln, thence crossing the river and into Georgia, meaning to storm a British Fort on Briar Creek, but finding that the British had evacuated, they returned to South Carolina, thence to Bacon’s Bridge. Whilst there, they had a skirmish with MCGIRT and his Florida Scouts, killed seven of his men, we having but one man slightly wounded, thence to Simmon’s old field, from thence on the 20th of June, we marched on Stono Fort [per Heitman, June 20, 1779], fought that battle, but had to retreat. Thence retreated to the same old field and was there discharged.” JAMES FLACK-“He entered the service under Col. MCDOWELL, General BUTLER and Captain DAVIS of Guilford. That he entered the service in the month of April 1779, went on a tour of nearly four months, and that all that time he was under the command of the above named officers. In his first term, the company to which he belonged rendezvoused at Guilford in North Carolina. From thence, they marched to Salisbury, from thence through Charlotte. Then we crossed Savannah River and went into the state of Georgia, & near Augusta. We remained there but a few days before we returned and marched towards Charleston, and after rec____ing some time through the country, was discharged.” NICHOLAS MCCUBBIN-“That he entered the service as a volunteered in the County of Guilford and state of North Carolina in the year 1779, sometime in the spring and received in the regiment commanded by Colonel MCDOWELL in the company of Captain JOHN DAVIS and Lieutenant GEORGE PEARCE. That said PEARCE was afterwards made captain of the company. That he entered the service for the term of nine months.” “That his company first rendezvoused at Guilford old Courthouse. From there he marched to South Carolina, crossing the Yadkin at Sloan’s Ferry. That he was stationed about forty miles west of Charleston at a place called the PonPon Roads. That he remained there until after the Battle of Stono, which took place on Sunday the 20th day of June [per Heitman, June 20, 1779], as near as he recollects. That he fought in said battle until he received a wound in his ankle, which disabled him for some time. That his term of service expired shortly after the Battle of Stono. He recollects that General LINCOLN commanded on that day. He also recollects that General WILLIAMSON was there, and there were also several other generals there on that day. That General BUTLER commanded North Carolina troops. That he was discharged after having served his nine months by Captain GEORGE PEARCE, which discharge is lost.” “JOHN WHITWORTH…That he is well acquainted with NICHOLAS MCCUBBIN…that he knows he was in the service during the Revolution. That he marched with him from Guilford old Courthouse to Sumner’s Ferry on Savannah River. That he was in the company commanded by Captain JOHN DAVIS, that GEORGE PEARCE was lieutenant and one MOORE was ensign, as well as he recollects. This affiant states that he was discharged at Sumner’s Ferry and that he left said MCCUBBIN in the service. JOHN WHITWORTH-“That he entered the service in the County of Guilford for the term of six months as a volunteer in the year 1779, sometime in the fall of said year, month not recollected, in the company commanded by Captain JOHN DAVIS, Lieutenant GEORGE PEARCE and Ensign ___ MOORE, in the regiment commanded by Colonel PAISLEY. That he marched to South Carolina and joined the main army at ?Gerrets’ Ferry on Savannah River. He recollects that General BUTLER commanded the North Carolina troops, that General LINCOLN was the highest officer in command. That from Gerrets’ Ferry they marched to Sumner’s Ferry. That his term of service expired shortly after he arrived at Sumner’s Ferry. That when his term expired, he received a written discharge from Captain JOHN DAVIS which discharge is lost. That during a great part of this tour, he was compelled to take charge of a wagon and haul for the army. That he recollects that he received his discharge some few days before the Battle of Stono.” FLOWER MULLINS-“He states that he was in the regular service. He was commanded by GEORGE PEARCE, JOHN DAVIS, JACOB WILLIAMS, MELVIN and others, and was under the command of Generals LINCOLN, MARION, SUMTER and GREENE, but he does not know the number of the regiment, as he has forgotten ___ ____.” “That he entered the service of the United States about the first week in May in the year 1777 or 1776 or 1778 in Guilford County, state of North Carolina, the county of his residence and served three months and marched near Camden in South Carolina. This service was in the militia under GEORGE PEARCE, Major THOMAS OWENS. The company joined General LINCOLN near Camden and after the three months ended he was discharged by GEORGE PEARCE and returned home, but the discharge is lost.” “From Guilford they marched to Salisbury, from thence to Camden, thence to Augusta, thence to the Black Swamps, thence to Charleston, where he was taken prisoner and carried to St. Martin’s Island [Fort Moultrie] and was at St. John’s, exchanged and then came to Bacon’s Bridge, South Carolina, where the troops lay for some time, and then went to the Black Swamp and there lay a considerable time at New Providence, and from New Providence went to Augusta, from thence went to Golphin’s where they were stationed for some time.” WILLIAM MULLINS- December 1843-“This day, personally appeared, FLOWER MULLINS…that he is upwards of 82 years of age, and that at about the age of seventeen, himself and his brother WILLIAMS MULLINS enlisted (at Guilford County Courthouse…in North Carolina) under Major THOMAS OWENS, and they was then placed under the command of Captain DAVIDSON [JOHN DAVIS?] and served in the company of Captain DAVIS for the space of five or six months and was then placed under the command of GEORGE PEARCE, under whom they served during the Siege and Battle of Savannah [per Heitman, September 23, 1779 to October 18, 1779], and in the engagement at Jacksonborough.” “That they enlisted for the space of two years and six months and was together under the command of Generals COUNT D’ESTAING, LINCOLN and MARION, Colonel TINNEN, together with the inferior officers above named, and that him and his brother, WILLIAM MULLINS served together in the army of the Revolution under the above named officers from the time they enlisted for the space of something over twelve months, and after serving in the two engagements above alluded to, his brother WILLIAM MULLINS accidentally cut his leg with a tomahawk, which cause a rimming sore for some time, when the surgeon pronounced him incurable. He was accordingly discharged and went home, and after he went home, his wound was cured.” “Personally appeared, Sarah Mullins…that she is the widow of WILLIAM MULLINS… that she does not know the date of the enlistment, but respectfully refers to the testimony of FLOWER MULLINS who was with him and enlisted at the same time, and in the same company. He served, as she has heard him say, under the command of Captain PEARCE, Major THOMAS OWENS, Captain DAVIDSON [DAVIS]. She has heard him say that he was in the Battle near Savannah, Georgia, also at the battle or skirmish at Jacksonborough.” “She has repeatedly heard him and his brother FLOWER talking over their services. That they served their first tours together as regulars. Superior officers-she has heard him speak of being under the command of COUNT D’ESTAING, General LINCOLN and others. She has always understood that her husband was considerably over a year in the service, she believes, and so served a year and six months or thereabouts. That he lay three months under the care of the army surgeon, who finally gave up his case as hopeless and he was discharged, and after undergoing great fatigue and anguish, he arrived home and lay at least six months confined with his wound which was in the knee. GEORGE PEAY-“In the last of May 1779, our company of men was called out from Guilford County to join the army of General LINCOLN in South Carolina. I entered that company as a substitute for one Mr. ?RUMBY under Captain JOHN DAVIS, and GEORGE PEARCE lieutenant, and ROBERT MOORE, ensign. We marched to about a mile above Guilford Courthouse, when I was sent back by Colonel MARTIN to bring up some men who had remained behind. Before I could collect those men, the other part of the army fought the Battle at Stono Ferry [per Heitman, June 20, 1779] in South Carolina and were defeated and returned home. I did not again join them, but Captain DAVIS gave me a discharge signed by himself for a three months tour. I was in no battle and saw no regular officers this expedition.” ISHAM SIMMONS-“The claimant further declares he was drafted from the same county and state and served as a private in the militia under the command of Captain DAVIS and Colonel MCDOWELL for the term of four months, he is of the opinion in the year 1780, but the day nor month is he certain of, or even the year. During this tour, they had an engagement with the British at a bridge called Bacon’s Bridge [see pages 94, 219], and was discharged by Colonel MCDOWELL…” EDWARD WRIGHT-“That after he had remained some time in Guilford, he entered the service of the United States under Captain DAVIS, but knows that it was in the year that the British were fortified at Stono [1779] in South Carolina where they, under one General PROVO, had an engagement with the Americans under General LINCOLN. The relation of the fact at this time is to fix the time he commenced the service.” “After Captain DAVIS had made up his company as above stated, he joined Colonel TINNEN from Orange County under General BUTLER, who commanded a body of men and they all marched on through Salisbury and Charlotte into South Carolina and Georgia, being sometime on one side of Savannah and some times on the other. That after they had got into South Carolina, they were joined by one General LINCOLN who had an army under his command which was sometimes pursuing the British under General PROVO and sometime pursued by them. That they were marching in this way until the British under PROVO fortified themselves at a place called Stono, where they were attacked by the Americans under the command of General LINCOLN and held their position. The Americans not being able to dislodge them, the British army in a few days left their situation at Stono and marched off.” “This affiant further states that the time for which the company who were drafted by Captain DAVIS from Guilford entered the service was three months, which expired shortly after the engagement at Stono, when DAVIS’ company were discharged, and this affiant amongst the rest and they left the Americans at Stono when they returned home to Guilford...” 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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