Guilford-Randolph County NcArchives Military Records.....Donnell, 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 16, 2006, 1:27 am Pension Application Of William Donnell, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 831, Application #S3293 WILLIAM DONNELL, a resident of Wilson County, Tennessee, aged 72 years since the 26th April last: “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.” “The next service rendered the United States was upon a tour under Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE (as a volunteer), against the Tories in the mountains on the head of the Yadkin River, in the state of Virginia. Captain GILLESPIE was the highest officer in command of this tour, which continued one month. Cannot now recollect with certainty whether this service was in 1777 or 1778.” “I became a volunteer after the above tour was performed, in the company commanded by Captain GILLESPIE until the termination of the war, and was out on frequent excursions against the Tories in Randolph County, North Carolina. It would be impossible with him to state with anything like certainty, the length of time he was in the actual service of the United States, but feels authorized to state from his best recollections to state that he served at least 12 months altogether in this last mentioned service, for he was called upon duty nearly as many as twenty times. And did not pretend to follow any other avocation of any consequence or count? During the time he belonged to Captain GILLESPIE’s company of volunteers, he was called upon by Col. JOHN GILLESPIE, who was wagon master, to drive a wagon down to Newbern after salt for the army. He recollects that he left on Christmas day in the year 1780, and returned home about the last of March, making a term of service of three months. He served another tour of three months in the Raft Swamp or Wilmington expedition as it was called…etc.” From WILLIAM DONNELL’s amended declaration: “In 1776, commencing in August he believes, he served three months as a private. In 1777 or 1778, he cannot state which, he served one month as a private soldier on the Yadkin expedition. He served three months as a private or wagoner in 1780 or 1781, having left home in December 1780 and returned home in March 1781 on a trip to Newbern after salt for the army. In this year he was almost continually in public service as volunteer in the light horse commanded by Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE, and when he did go home it was generally to recruit his horse and get supplies of clothing for himself, so that he did not pretend to follow any other avocation, so that he believes he served not less than twelve months in this year, including the month of December 1780." File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/military/revwar/pensions/donnell158gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb