Guilford-Randolph County NcArchives Military Records.....Gillespie, Daniel 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, 2:14 pm Constructed History Of Captain Daniel Gillespie JAMES MCBRIDE-“On my return home [summer of 1776] I joined a volunteer company commanded by Captain ARTHUR FORBIS. This company, with three others commanded by Captains MOORE, WHITESELL and GILLESPIE, in the regiment of Col. JOHN PAISLEY, were employed principally against the Tories under FIELDS and WILLESBY. I performed in sundry tours in this service the duration and number of each not recollected, with an exception, which was three months. We ranged through Randolph, Chatham, Moore, Anson, Montgomery and Rowan Counties.” Colonel JAMES MARTIN-“After our return [November 1776] we had some little relaxation until express was sent me from our Courthouse that the Tories in the south end of the county, now called Randolph County, were in a state of insurrection with one WILLIAM FIELDS as their head Colonel, and wished to go to the British at Wilmington. I repaired to the Courthouse directly and ordered out DANIEL GILLESPIE our Captain of [the] light horse company and took FIELDS their leader and brother and three or four more of their leaders and brought them prisoners to the Courthouse and our gaol not being sufficient I sent them in wagons to Hillsborough gaol and previously I had ordered all their guns to be taken from them and all they could find among the disaffected and bring them to the honest Whig party that had none. The time that I spent at the Courthouse to order the suppression of the Tories in our County could not be less than six weeks off and on and I returned home to the Dan River, where I then lived.” CHARLES BREDEN-“Shortly after this, I served another short tour as a guard in taking prisoners from Guilford to Hillsborough. Was on duty eight days at least. He was again called upon to serve a tour of three months, but was discharged at the end of two months. This was called the Raft Swamp expedition, and he was in the company of horse commanded by Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE. Cannot state with certainty in which year the service was rendered, but believe it was in the year 1777.” DANIEL DONNELL-“That after being at home a few months, he volunteered in the company of Captain GILLESPIE, and was marched by him and Colonel PAISLEY, down towards Caraway Mountains after Tories and took many of them and put them in the jail at Hillsboro. That in doing this he must have been out near one month. That this was in the summer, that in the winter following, he went a volunteer in the same company after Colonel FANNING, a Tory, encamped in the same aforesaid mountains. That FANNING evaded the company. That in this trip, he was gone near a month.” “That after sometime perhaps in the spring of 1780, he went with the same company as named with its officers [Capt. GILLESPIE, Col. PAISLEY], about up to the Yadkin River after Colonel BRYAN, a Tory, but BRYAN was put to flight before their arrival. That he was marched in pursuit, and taken down to the junction of this river, with the Enoree. When his officers determined to return home. That in this tour he was gone some weeks, near a month.” Col. JAMES MARTIN-“In 1778 or 1779, I forget which, a party of Tories commanded by their leader one BRYAN on the Yadkin River rose in a body in Surry County and started to join the British at Wilmington and being informed of it by express I ordered out Captain GILLESPIE with his light horse company and I went with them, got on their track, pursued them as far as Uwharrie Creek and found they had got out of our reach, returned back home again. The time we spent then until we returned home was about six weeks, that is one month and fifteen days.” JEREMIAH CUNNINGHAM-“That sometime before the British marched into North Carolina from the south, he was ordered out by Captain GILLESPIE and was marched [as a] horseman in a troop commanded by said Captain GILLESPIE and Col. PAISLEY towards the Forks of the Yadkin River after Tories commanded by one Col. BRYAN. That BRYAN made his escape after ____ the troops arrived into his neighborhood. That after staying a few days to collect more forces as there were many under BRYAN’s command, he was marched in quick chase after BRYAN’s company in their flight to join the British in South Carolina. That he traveled in pursuit into said state down near the Cheraw Hills, and coming into the neighborhood of the British army, it was thought prudent to return. That he believes this tour was in the summer of 1780, and that he was out at least three weeks.” JAMES BARR-“That he volunteered his services at the age of 16 years under the command of Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE in Guilford County, North Carolina, and being a horse company. The company of Captain GILLESPIE was called the company of minute men, whose duty it was to be always ready at a minute’s warning to obey the officer’s summons to suppress the Tories. This was about the year 1778. The services which he performed as a minute man were as follows: Viz. First against a Tory Colonel by the name of BRYAN, Colonel PAISLEY commanding the whole squad or battalion. In this service we were in no battle, skirmish or rencontre, the Tories flying before us and scattering at our approach. He was out in this tour about three weeks.” “The next service which he performed as a minute man was against Colonel FANNING, another commander of the Tories; we marched upon him with the expectation of taking and defeating him, but he also fled at our approach and escaped. I was out in that tour one month. The next was against one WALKER, another leader and captain of the Tories. He likewise fled before us. In the service over three weeks.” “The next against Captain ELROD, was another leader of Tories. We chased him also out of our reach. In this tour, one month.” “The next against the same Colonel FANNING above-mentioned. We again drove him off and scattered his forces, he always eluding our grasp in spite of all our attempts. In this service, over one month.” WILLIAM DONNELL-“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 GILLSPIE 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.” 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. 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. WILLIAM KERR-“That a short time after his last mentioned discharge, he turned out as a volunteer for “during the War of the Revolution”, and met at Salisbury aforesaid, the day and year he cannot state. [He] was sergeant in a company of horse commanded by Captain JOHN GILLESPIE, Lieutenant DANIEL GILLESPIE, Major [JAMES] WHITE, Colonel WILLIAM R. DAVIE and General [WILLIAM] DAVIDSON. That he was marched into SC. [He] was in a skirmish with the Tories in Wahabs Lane [September 21, 1780], where they took 90 horses and 80 prisoners from the Tories where the British army appeared in sight before they left the ground. Shortly after which skirmish he was marched back to Guilford. That he served on this tour in the capacity of Sergeant, 3 months.” JAMES MCADOW-“In the year of 1778, I volunteered as a minute man in cavalry under Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE and JOHN GILLESPIE, colonel, against the Tories and British. I was often called out, some times for the space of two months and some times for a less period. I was often in pursuit of Tories, and routed Colonel FANNING, a noted Tory. I was out in all this service six months.” “The next service I was a volunteer in the cavalry under Captain GILLESPIE in Guilford. We rendezvoused at Charlotte in Mecklenburg, North Carolina and placed under the command of Colonel DAVIE. While at Charlotte, we attacked the Tories in Wahab Lane [per Heitman, September 21, 1780] and killed a number and took a number of horses. JEREMIAH CUNNINGHAM-“That shortly after his return he was called out under the command of Capt. JNO. [probably DANIEL, from the similar description of services by DANIEL GILLESPIE’s MEN] GILLSPIE and Col. DAVIE, and marched straightway south, passing through Salisbury, and joined the troops in the county of Mecklenburg about three or four miles beyond Charlotte. That these troops were commanded by Gen’l DAVIDSON. That he was continued there sometime.” “That he was dispatched with other horsemen after Tories encamped a few miles beyond the Waxhaw Creek [per Heitman, May 29, 1780]. That the troops killed 30 or 40 of these Tories and dispersed the rest. That on this being done, he was marched back to headquarters. That after staying some days in camp it was ascertained that the British with a superior force was hard by them, when he was marched back to Charlotte. That after being one day in Charlotte, the next morning came and made attempt to take the horsemen who were still in the village and separated from the main body of Americans under General DAVIDSON who had continued his march north. That after receiving a few fires from the enemy, he was marched in retreat as rapidly to join the main body of troops. That he was continued on retreat until he arrived on this side of the Yadkin.” “That he continued here some time, and was then marched under Col. PAISLEY to disperse a band of Tories collected in the Forks of the Yadkin not far from the Shallow Ford. That the Tories had been overtaken by a party of Whigs from the mountains and hills and scattered just before his arrival. That he was marched then under one Captain PEARCE and Col. PAISLEY to Salem, Stokes County, when he got a permit to go home, which was only 20 miles distant, to get clothes, with orders to join the army again as soon as practicable. But owing to his past exposure and his wading the Yadkin River (having permitted a friend to use his horse home before he started last for the Forks of the Yadkin) he was taken sick and confined for some time. That this service was in the latter part of 1780 and early part of 1781, and that in this tour he was out a long time, at least as much as five months.” WILLIAM SHAW-“I also served a tour of three months under Colonel PAISLEY against the Tories on Pedee River and the adjoining counties, but cannot distinctly state the exact period when it was. In the latter part of the year 1780, I attached myself to a company of light horse under the command of Captain JOHN GILLESPIE, DANIEL GILLESPIE- Lieutenant, and GEORGE PARKS, Cornet. DANIEL GILLESPIE subsequently became our captain, GEORGE PARKS, lieutenant, and WILLIAM KERR, Cornet, JOHN GILLESPIE having been promoted to the command of a regiment. From this period until the conclusion of peace, we were continually employed in scouring the country from Guilford County in North Carolina to Waxhaw Creek in South Carolina and were engaged in various skirmishes with the Tories and British, one at Charlotte [per Heitman, September 26, 1780], one at Wacham’s Lane [per Heitman, September 21, 1780] and sundry others of less note. We were in active service about two years and six months, two years of which I served in the capacity of orderly sergeant. Our principal commander was Colonel WILLIAM R. DAVIE, both at Charlotte and Wacham’s Lane…” DANIEL DONNELL-“That in the latter part of 1780, he was marched a volunteer in the said company [Capt. GILLESPIE, Col. PAISLEY], out to Mecklenburg County, that other companies were marched along with him, that he was a horseman, and had for his chief commander, General DAVIE. That he was sent thence with the horse troops to watch the movements of the enemy (the British), marching beyond Charlotte, near the Catawba River. That his brother-in-law, JOSEPH ERWIN [or ERVIN], who was with the troops, was taken very sick, whom by permission of his officers, he brought home, and returned again and joined the army near Rocky River in Mecklenburg County. That shortly after he and his company were dismissed, and returned home to Guilford completing a three month tour, for which he had volunteered.” “That he recollects of being once sent a particular trip during the war to Hillsboro, in addition to the above-named tours, to take provisions for which his captain considered him serving, and was gone two weeks. That he took many other short tours.” JAMES BARR-“After this we were called on to guard a public magazine at Guilford Courthouse for one month, which service was performed according to requisition.” “The next service was a three months tour under the same captain and colonel, and under General RUTHERFORD at Wilmington, NC. During this period, we were rendezvoused several times at different places, but were in no battles or skirmishes.” BENJAMIN STARRITT for JOHN FITZGERALD-“That we remained at home in the same neighborhood until GATE’s Defeat at Camden [per Heitman, August 16, 1780], immediately after which time myself and the said JOHN FITZPATRICK again entered the service of the United States in a light horse or cavalry company commanded by Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE in a regiment commanded by Colonel JOHN GILLESPIE. That the said JOHN FITZPATRICK remained in said service with this affiant and was in the mess with one HUGH MCCRORY, who was also a member of said company.” “That we remained in said service, being transferred to Colonel LEE’s Legion, which was just before the Battle of Guilford [per Heitman, March 15, 1781]. That we were both at said battle, after which time we remained in service under General GREENE and was marched to the south. That we remained in said service until close of the war, and was honorably discharged at the Fort near a place called the Two Sisters on Savannah River, after which time we returned home.” “That during the time we were in said service, the said JOHN FITZPATRICK was a good and efficient soldier. That affiant was occasionally called upon and acted as a lieutenant to his company. That we were in various other battles, to wit: Wahab Lane [per Heitman, September 21, 1780] against the Tories, and at Charlotte [per Heitman, September 26, 1780] and the Eutaw Springs [per Heitman, September 8, 1781]…” WILLIAM DONNELL-“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.” “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. JOHN GIBSON-“It was the last week of August or early in September 1781, he volunteered again, joined a company of horsemen commanded by Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE, Colonel JAMES MARTIN, of Surry County, North Carolina, commandant. They marched towards the south boundary of NC, near the Raft Swamps & Drowning Creek in pursuit of Tories who it was understood had there secreted themselves, and it proving impracticable to ferret the Tories out, this declarant obtained a furlough from Col. MARTIN to return home, with an injunction again to join his company as soon as possible. In obedience to this order, he in a few days thereafter aimed to rejoin his comrades; but while on his way, for that purpose, he met Colonel PAISLEY at Guilford Court House, who informed the declarant that the Tories were embodied on Deep River in Randolph and Chatham Counties in such force as to render his return to his regiment extremely dangerous, unsafe and uncertain. At the suggestion of Colonel PAISLEY, who was first colonel of the Guilford militia, the declarant relinquished the idea of rejoining Captain GILLSPIE and Colonel MARTIN, and volunteered under Colonel PAISLEY.” JAMES BARR-“The company to which he belonged was in the Battle of Guilford [per Heitman, March 15, 1781], but the applicant had gone to Pittsylvania Co, VA, to remove his father without the reach and abuse of the Tories, and returned to camp on the same day of the battle, shortly after it had ended.” “He was a standing minute man from the time of his enlisting as such until the end of the war, and performed the above terms of actual service, making in all a little over seven months and a half. He received a discharge from Captain GILLESPIE, but thinking of it as no value, took no care of it. It has long since been destroyed or lost.” THOMAS HAMBLETON-“On his return to his residence in North Carolina, he volunteered and joined Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE’s mounted dragoons. During this service he acted as a spy and pilot in different places until the 14th day of March 1781, when Colonel JOHN PAISLEY with his command marched to the place where the Battle of Guilford Courthouse was fought. On that day he was on guard and ordered to that post by General GREENE himself in person.” “After the Battle of Guilford, Captain GILLESPIE’s company by the command of Colonel PAISLEY, reconnoitered through the counties of Chatham and Randolph, NC in order to suppress the spirit of disaffection that prevailed in that country and in pursuit of Col. FANNING, one of the most troublesome officers belonging to the enemy, until the fall of the year 1781, when he was ordered out under General RUTHERFORD and rendezvoused near Cross Creek, from whence they marched on in the direction of Wilmington and intercepted the enemy at the Raft Swamps and forced them to retreat into Wilmington, from whence he returned to his place of residence in the County of Guilford and stood in readiness until the next call, which was made in March 1782.” WILLIAM KERR-“That in a very short time after his return from the above tour he was again called out, served in the same company when Captain GILLESPIE was made Colonel, Lieutenant GILLESPIE was made captain, GEORGE PARKS Lieutenant and he was made cornet. [They] left Guilford Courthouse, went to Salisbury, thence to Mecklenburg County, thence to Camden, thence to Charlotte Courthouse, where they joined the regular army, as near as he can at this time recollect, under General MORGAN. That during this tour he was in the Battle at Guilford Courthouse [March 15, 1781]. [He] was acquainted with General GREENE of the regular army, that General DAVIDSON was killed at the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River [February 6, 1781], when he fell under the command of Colonel WASHINGTON, that he was in the Battle of Cowpens [January 17, 1781] and Eutaw Springs [September 8, 1781], that he was in a skirmish with the British at Charlotte [September 25, 1780?], where Colonel DAVIE was his commander.” “That after the Battle of Guilford, he marched under General GREENE into Virginia, and was at the surrender of Cornwallis [October 19, 1781], though not in the battle. That after the surrender of CORNWALLIS, he was marched back to North Carolina and discharged but cannot recollect the name of the General who gave him his discharge. That during the last tour, he served as a volunteer in the capacity of cornet for the period of six months.” JAMES MCADOW-“We marched from Charlotte to Salisbury, then to Guilford and joined General GREENE in that action [per Heitman, March 15, 1781]. I served out the whole six months. I expect I can prove part, if not all of my services by Captain WILLIAM DONNELL, who was out in the service with him.” JOHN MCBRIDE-“That he also frequently volunteered under Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE and Colonel JOHN GILLESPIE in various expeditions against the Tories in Randolph and Guilford.” WILLIAM RYAN-“In the month of October following, he volunteered during the war, or as long as troops were necessary for the defense of the country and joined a troop of cavalry commanded by Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE. He was first engaged in dispersing the Tories that were embodying to join LORD CORNWALLIS in his march through North Carolina. Then joined General GREENE as he marched through North Carolina and went with him to Halifax, Virginia. He then returned to North Carolina and joined General PICKENS and Colonel PRESTON and went into Orange County for the purpose of attacking the Tories under Colonel PYLE, and marched thro’ ground on which Colonel PYLE was defeated on the same evening and before Colonel LEE had left the field [Heitman, February 25, 1781]. A few days after, he was in the Battle at Whitesell’s Mills [Heitman, March 6, 1781] in the eastern part of Guilford County. General PICKENS commanded the American forces at this battle. That he was taken sick and his Captain, DANIEL GILLESPIE, supposing he had the smallpox, sent him home.” “When he returned at the time of the Battle of Guilford [March 15, 1780] he joined his Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE and continued in service (with the exception of some short periods that he was permitted to go home) until the close of the war. That he was frequently called out against the Tories under Colonel FANNING and other Tory leaders and in the summer of 1781, he marched from Guilford County to the Raft Swamp near the South Carolina line and was about two months engaged in this service. On his return home, he heard of the surrender of LORD CORNWALLIS in Fayetteville.” “The Tories under Colonel FANNING and other Tory leaders seemed to be driven to despair by the surrender of CORNWALLIS. They divided themselves into small parties and prowled about the country and sought every opportunity to commit the most cruel and unprovoked murders and so frequent were murders, robberies and arson committed by them that the Counties of Guilford, Randolph and Chatham were in a state of continual alarm throughout the fall and winter of 1781, and the spring and summer of 1782. The troops of cavalry under Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE to which he belonged being volunteers and always holding themselves in readiness for immediate service, they were always called upon in the slightest alarm, and they kept up this continual and harassing warfare until about the close of the year 1782.” “That he does not now recollect whether he had a discharge for his first tour of service but if he did, he delivered it to his Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE. After the close of the war he presented his claim for his services and had, through his Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE, specie certificates to the amount of sixty-two pounds, ten shillings, which certificates he afterwards sold for 8 or 9 dollars, being all that they would then bring in market, which is all the income had from his country for his services in the Revolutionary War.” “Amended declaration of WILLIAM RYAN-“That he next volunteered in the “month of October 1780 as a private under Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE and was almost constantly in the service of his country until the April following and he verily believes that he served at least four months between October 1780 and April 1781…that from April 1781 until August of the same year he served under Captain GILLESPIE and other officers against the Tories as a private in the cavalry and was almost constantly in the field and he verily believes he served at least three months during the last-mentioned period.” “That in the month of August 1781, he was called on and marched against the Tories embodied at the Raft Swamp…that he served as a private under Captain GILLESPIE in this expedition and was in service at least two months. That after his return from the Raft Swamp…he served under Captain GILLESPIE in a number of expeditions against the Tories in the counties of Randolph and Chatham during the winter of 1781 and the spring and summer of 1782, and he is positive that he served four months and more during the winter of 1781 and the spring and summer of 1782…” THOMAS MCCUISTON-“The declarant further states that upon his return home from General GREENE’s army which was the last of March or first of April, he aided his father in putting his plantation in repair and joined some time in the last of April, a company of volunteer light horse, which had been formed by the neighborhood at an early period of the war, commanded by Captain GILLESPIE and Colonel PAISLEY, which company were generally kept in readiness to suppress the Tories in the lower part of Guilford and in Orange and also frequently under the necessity of crossing Deep River and passing over into Randolph and Moore Counties, a section of country lying between the waters of the Cape Fear River and Pee Dee, much infected by Toryism during the whole war. That he was engaged in serving in this company at various times and was in actual service three months.” “That sometime between the 15th and last of August, there was a call made for forces to march from the upcountry to suppress a strong band of Tories who had gathered between the Cape Fear River and the South Carolina line. When this declarant joined his company under the command of Captain GILLESPIE and marched on either to the lower end of Montgomery or Moore County, where they joined two companies of Lighthorse, one from Rowan and the other Mecklenburg County. That upon the union of the three companies, Colonel SMITH of Mecklenburg took command of the horse and General BUTLER had command of the infantry, who were dispatched for the same purpose.” “Colonel SMITH marched on his cavalry and left the infantry behind. That they went to a place called the Raft Swamps, where they found about three hundred Tories assembled near the edge of the swamp, when orders were given by Colonel SMITH to charge and spare not. Upon the charge, the Tories took flight and sought refuge in the swamp, leaving their horses and little provisions behind. All were killed who could be come at, some sought refuge by a narrow causeway which led through the swamp and in the hurry of flight, many were thrown from the passage with their horses into the mud and water where the horses were left floundering in mud and their riders shared the fate of war.” “That after this defeat, Colonel SMITH marched his troops through the low country in the vicinity of Wilmington and scoured pretty much all the disaffected sections of the lower counties, passed through Elizabethtown and upon the completion of the object of the campaign, Colonel SMITH dismissed each of his respective troops and Captain GILLESPIE marched his company home to Guilford and dismissed them in November. That he served in this campaign two months and one half. It was in this tour that he learned of the capture of CORNWALLIS. That the intelligence reached his company while at Elizabethtown.” “After the return home in November from the eastern part of the state, this declarant was frequently called upon to join his company under Captain GILLESPIE to suppress the Tories in the south of Guilford and Randolph Counties. That he served in this character six weeks at different periods which continued until the British evacuated Charleston, when the spirit of Toryism seemed forever to have closed itself in ____ in this state. That he served in his different campaigns eight months…That he never received a written discharge as General GREENE in the first instance gave him up to his father, and Captain GILLESPIE and Colonel PAISLEY were not in the habit of giving written discharges.” “This declarant further states that WILLIAM RYAN whose affidavit is hereto attached was with him the greater part of the service herein set forth.” ROBERT SHAW-That he was at the Battle of Charlotte [per Heitman, September 26, 1780] and after he returned home from this tour and remained some time during which…ROBERT SHAW and this declarant was married and immediately after we were married, the said ROBERT SHAW entered the service in a light horse company commanded by Capt. DANIEL GILLESPIE, and that her husband was then living in Guilford Co., and was shortly afterwards marched to Guilford Courthouse and was in that Battle [per Heitman, March 15, 1781], after which time ROBERT SHAW was continued in service until after CORNWALLIS was taken, after which time he returned home.” WILLIAM RYAN-“That he…WILLIAM RYAN served with him (ROBERT SHAW) as a soldier under Col. DONNELL, DANIEL GILLESPIE in the American service when the British come into this state, and he served with him several tours under GILLESPIE in the horse in 1781 and 1782, the length and time he served in all I cannot recollect, but we served in ’82 a good deal, I well recollect, for in them two years we was called on very often for service, for by the time we would get home, we was called out again. The British and the Tories was in the south part of the state and we had to go whenever we were called on.” THOMAS HAMILTON for ROBERT SHAW- that in the latter part of the year 1780, the said SHAW joined the service with this affiant as a volunteer in Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE’s light horse company and that he continued in service until after CORNWALLIS was taken, and that we was at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse together. This affiant further states that the said ROBERT SHAW was also at the Battle of Charlotte and at Wahabs Lane [per Heitman, September 21, 1780]…” “And afterwards, I, BENJAMIN STARRITT met with the same ROBERT SHAW in the army and in Colonel DAVIE’s regiment of horsemen and in Captain GILLESPIE’s company. This army of men engaged in battle with the enemy at Wahab’s Lane in Mecklenburg County, NC. We again engaged in battle with the enemy at Charlotte in the same state and county. The enemy was commanded by LORD RAWDON…” “…Afterwards General GREENE engaged in battle with LORD CORNWALLIS at Guilford Courthouse, and said ROBERT SHAW was there engaged in battle and acted bravely. Also the same ROBERT SHAW was again engaged in battle at the Raft Swamps [summer or fall of 1781]. In all of the above named battles, this soldier ROBERT SHAW was both brave and obedient and generally acted in the army as an uncommissioned officer…” JEREMIAH CUNNINGHAM-“That after the Battle of Guilford in 1781 (summer), he was again called out under Capt. GILLESPIE and Col. PAISLEY down among the High Hills of Randolph County, called the Caraway Mountains after Tories commanded by Col. FANNING, and must have been gone a month.” JAMES STARRITT- “He again entered the service as a volunteer light horseman in Guilford County, North Carolina, he thinks in the year 1778 or 79, under Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE and Colonel PAISLEY and JOHN GILLESPIE, and was stationed in the said county of Guilford, frequently scouting in various directions after the British and Tories. At one time he was marched to what was called the Raft Swamps, between the Pedee and Cape Fear River, where he had a severe engagement with the British and Tories under Colonel FANNING. He was again marched into Surrey County, NC to what was called the Hollows of the Yadkin, where we took a good many Tories…and remained there for some time. He was in the Battle of Guilford [per Heitman, March 15, 1781]. He was also in the Battle at Whitesell’s Mills [March 6, 1781]. He was also in the Battle at Pyle’s Defeat [Holt’s Racepaths, per Heitman, February 25, 1781] in Orange County, NC. He served, this time, two years and was discharged by his Captain GILLESPIE…He expects to prove his services by Colonel JAMES BLAIR and ISHAM HANCOCK.” “Personally appeared, ISHAM HANCOCK and Colonel JAMES BLAIR…ISHAM HANCOCK saith that he is well acquainted with JAMES STARRITT…and was acquainted with him in the time of the Revolutionary War…and saw the said STARRITT in the service of the United States in Mecklenburg County and in Guilford County, and at various other places in NC. The said STARRITT was under Captain DANIEL GILLESPIE as a light horseman…this deponent served a three months tour with him under the above stated captain.” The said BLAIR saith that he also was well acquainted with the said STARRITT in the time of the Revolutionary War. That he saw him in Captain GILLESPIE’s company of light horsemen in Guilford County, NC, where the said STARRITT then lived, and in what has been called the Raft Swamp expedition and at various other times and places…” PETER LESLEY-1781-“We then went down the country, crossed Deep River and crossed Cape Fear River below Fayetteville. Below Deep River, we joined Colonel JAMES MARTIN’s regiment under General RUTHERFORD which were some over 1000 strong, all militia. While on this expedition on Raft Swamp in the Tory settlement we were scouring the swamps in search of Tories, the militia on foot, and Captain GILLESPIE of the horse.” “About five of the horse came to a house in search of forage where the Tories fired on the horsemen and killed John MCADOW, a colonel [probably only captain] belonging to the horse. A short time after this, there appeared in sight of our camp a number of women and General RUTHERFORD sent a guard to conduct them into camp, and after they stayed under guard all night, General RUTHERFORD ordered that they be drummed out of camp with our camp kettles and two sticks. We stayed there about two months in this Tory settlement.” “The same year I served ten days in Randolph County after the Tories under the command of Captain GILLESPIE of about 75 men. We whipped several Tories and cut JOHN DICKEY very bad with a sword.” WILLIAM SMITH-“That this company would be out sometimes days, sometimes weeks, few and then many, and the times which they spent at home, they were compelled often to go armed, when in the field engaged at work. That this company was commanded much and very often by Captain ARTHUR FORBIS, who was mortally wounded in the Guilford Battle. Sometimes by Captain ROBERT PAISLEY, Captain GILLESPIE, and Captain BRASHEARS and almost always under the command of Colonel JOHN PAISLEY. That the tours mentioned to have been made down the country were made mostly to disperse companies of Tories collected by Colonel FANNING. That many of FANNING’s men were taken prisoners, others killed and the balance mostly as much dispersed as practicable. That said SMITH was always with him in these tours.” PHIPPS, AARON-Soldier lived in Guilford County at enlistment. Widow had no details except that he served under Capt. GILLESPIE." 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/gillespi319gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 36.6 Kb