Guilford County NcArchives Military Records.....Fields, Ansel 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, 1:37 am Pension Application Of Ansel Field[s], Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 970, Application #W10021 ANSEL FIELDS, a resident of Sugar Creek Township, Shelby County, IN, aged eighty-five years: “Sometime in the month of July 1780 [The Cherokee Expedition actually took place in August to October, 1776, and George Peay’s declaration confirms this as the actual date], (he does not remember the day of the month), he entered said service as a volunteer of the militia and was sergeant during all his service, of the company to which he belonged.) He resided then in Guilford County, North Carolina. The officers of his company was Captain JOHN LEAK, Lieutenant GEORGE PEAY, Ensign JAMES LEAK. Claimant himself was the sergeant of the same, to which office he was elected immediately after he volunteered and before the company marched. He does not remember the number of his company, nor of the regiment to which it was attached. The latter was called the Guilford Regiment, and was commanded by Colonel JAMES MARTIN and Major ROBIN RALSTON. He was under the command of General RUTHERFORD.” “After his company was formed and their officers elected, they assembled at Spring Garden in Guilford County, NC, from which place they marched to Guilford Courthouse, on their way to which place they met with another company, which joined them and they marched together to the courthouse. There they met the army of the militia, consisting, he thinks, of three thousand men. He thinks there were among them, no regulars.” “From Guilford Courthouse they marched southward against the Indians who had been committing depradations on the whites. The first important point at which they arrived was Salisbury in North Carolina, about ninety miles from claimant’s residence at that time, thence they marched to Camden in South Carolina, at least one hundred miles farther, thence they marched about two hundred miles to an Indian town, lying on the Tennessee River, he thinks, in the state of Tennessee. He does not know the name of this town, but thinks it belonged to the Cherokee nation.” “This town they destroyed and burned the houses. They then marched thirty miles farther among the Ter??? Nation and took a white man called SCOTT, who had married an Indian woman. They were out of provisions, and returned home, where they arrived sometime in the month of October 1780. He there received a written discharge from his colonel which he has lost. He served during this engagement just three months. He was during this time, in no battle except at the destruction of the Indian town and a skirmish at the taking of SCOTT. He was with none of the regular forces, and thinks they were stationed at Cross Creek, now called Fayetteville, North Carolina. He does not recollect the names of any of the regular officers except Lieutenant BARNES, with whom he had been acquainted at home.” “While crossing a stream on their march, an officer of the Rowan Troops took up a soldier on his horse behind him, and there being a great number of reeds growing about the edge of the stream, the lock or trigger of the private’s gun caught among the reeds and was fired off. The load passed through the body of the officer and produced his immediate death.” “He received no commission as sergeant, and is now under the impression that the sergeant was at that time, a non-commissioned officer.” “About the last of November 1780, he again volunteered in the militia. His company elected the same officers [JOHN LEAK, GEORGE PEAY, JAMES LEAK] as before, he being reelected sergeant in which capacity he served during the whole of this, his second engagement, of course under the same officers as in his first engagement. He, at this time, resided at the same place as when he first entered. He does not remember the number of his company nor that of the regiment to which he belonged. The officers of the regiment were the same as before. His general was the same also.” “As before, his company assembled at Spring Garden in Guilford County, NC, and he marched to Guilford Courthouse where they joined the main army. They then marched one hundred and twenty miles to Cross Creek or Fayetteville, under the expectation that the enemy would invade that place. Here some of the regular army was stationed. Here they remained about a week during which time the regular army marched to Purysburg.” “After remaining at Cross Creek a week, claimant’s company and the rest of the army consisting, he thinks, of three thousand, marched to Salisbury, about two hundred miles from Fayetteville, were stationed there one month, and then marched to Camden, in South Carolina, where they stayed one week guarding Tories in the prison and awaiting the approach of the enemy. They then, upon the enemy’s arriving within three miles, retreated for the purpose (as claimant thinks) of leading them farther into the interior of the country. The British pursued them at various distances on their return to Guilford Courthouse.” “Shortly after their return to that place the enemy came up and a battle was fought [per Heitman, March 15, 1781], in which there was considerable loss on both sides. The Americans fought in an old field and the British in a wood. Claimant thinks both parties were beaten, as both retreated, the Americans having spent the ammunition. This battle took place sometime in March 1781. After this battle, the army was scattered. Claimant’s company scouted around in a circuit of fifty miles after the Tories.” “At length they returned to Salisbury, where they were stationed about a month, at the end of which time claimant received from the colonel a written discharge, which he has lost. This discharge was about the last of August 1781. He does not remember the precise day of the month on which he entered or left the service, either in this or the previous engagement. In this engagement he served just nine months as a sergeant of the volunteers of North Carolina. He received no commission as sergeant.” “When they retreated from Camden, they took the Tories from the jail with them, and lodged them in the jail at Guilford County, NC. He does not know the name of any other officers, either of the militia volunteers or regular army. During this or the former engagement, except those mentioned and Lieutenant BARNES, with whom as before stated, he was acquainted at home. During this engagement he was in no battle except that at Guilford Courthouse.” “Claimant was born in Hanover, Virginia, on the 5th day of January, 1749 or 1750, O. S., or what he generally calls Old Christmas eve. At the age of twelve years, he removed to Guilford County, North Carolina.” File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/military/revwar/pensions/fields162gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb