Guilford County NcArchives Military Records.....Lesley, 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 17, 2006, 2:06 am Pension Application Of William Lesley, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 1551, Application #S31821 WILLIAM LESLEY, a resident of Oglethorpe County, Georgia, age sixty-nine years and eight months: “That he was born in Guilford County, North Carolina in the twenty- fifth day of November, 1762. [He] has a transcript of his age, which he took from the family bible. Was living in Guilford County when he was drafted to serve in the Revolutionary War between England and America. He entered the service in the militia of North Carolina under General DAVIDSON, in the year 1780, does not recollect the day, but it was in the month of August in that year as he marched from Guilford to Charlotte he met General GATES’ men returning from their defeat near Camden. Marched from Charlotte to Bushy Camps towards Ninety-Six.” “After arriving here, Generals GREENE and MORGAN took the command of the southern army and applicant’s commanding officers were Colonel PAISLEY, Major MOORE and Captain FORBIS. He belonged to the third regiment of North Carolina militia; was acquainted with the Maryland line who were the first regular troops of infantry that joined them. These were commanded by one HOWARD who was said to be a Virginian, an officer by the name of WILLIAM WASHINGTON (as he thinks) and another by the name of LEE, commanded the cavalry and overtook the southern army at Sloan’s Ferry on the Yadkin [River] as they were advancing towards Charlotte. This tour was of three months duration and its duties, as it happened consisted principally in marching from point to point. There was not so much as a skirmish during the whole tour.” “He was discharged from this tour at McAlpin’s Creek in North Carolina. His stepfather [JOHN WILEY] drew his discharge and kept it so that applicant never got it. Indeed, his stepfather claimed it as a matter of right, inasmuch as applicant was not twenty-one years old, contending that he was entitled to the proceeds of applicant’s labor until he was of age.” “In a very few days after his discharge from the first tour, he volunteered in the militia army in the same regiment and under the same officers, GREENE, the commanding general. A circumstance which assists his mind in arriving at the fact that the time between his discharge and his volunteering was only a few days is this: before he was discharged, HOWARD and WASHINGTON went on to the Cowpens in South Carolina, where they defeated TARLETON, and he recollects while acting as a volunteer, that he guarded some prisoners taken by them at the Cowpens, from near Salisbury to fifteen miles below Guilford Courthouse and there gave them to another party.” “He recollects that it was a cold, wet day and that the guard called at the house of Colonel PAISLEY, where they had plenty of liquor and a good fire. Among the prisoners was a Colonel BURKS, a Tory, who thrust himself in to get the benefit of the fire. PAISLEY asked him what he came in for. BURKS replied, to warm himself. PAISLEY showed him the door and as he retreated, took a chair and knocked him out of the door into the lane.” “From this place, the detachment went back and joined the main army again at Sloan’s Ferry. By this time, CORNWALLIS was said to be at Charlotte and our Colonel [PAISLEY] beat up for volunteers to go and stop a party of Tories who they heard were about to go and join him. He mustered about 300, of whom deponent was one. They set out and struck for the Fork of the Yadkin, crossed over into it, and went up to a place called the Cross Roads, about a mile from Shallow Ford and then while they were preparing for breakfast, the Tories came up on horseback, shouting praises to King George, and gave some appearance of being intoxicated. The detachment fired on them and killed sixteen. The rest fled rapidly through the woods. One man belonging to the detachment was mortally wounded, but deponent does not know whether he received his wound from the Tories or whether he was shot by carelessness in his own ranks [was this JOHN BRAWLEY?].” “They moved from Shallow Ford and encamped near the river. Next day, went on to Salem or Moravian Town, where they stayed and dried their clothes, and that night deponent stood sentinel four hours in an old field. Thinks this was sometime in December. [October 14, 1780, per Nothing but Blood and Slaughter, Patrick O’Kelley] Marched from that place to the main army at Sloan’s Ferry.” “Not many days after this, GREENE commenced his retreat to Virginia. On the retreat march, they passed through Guilford, crossed Haw River at High Rock Ford, and went on by the Red House, crossed Dan River at Boyd’s Ferry, waded Staunton and crossed Bannister on a bridge, and after passing some short distance beyond the old Courthouse in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, they stopped some days, took some rest and got provision. During this whole route, CORNWALLIS was close in pursuit, and the forces of the Americans he thinks were not more than 2000 men.” “Having got a few days rest, WASHINGTON with the cavalry, went back into North Carolina to keep the British from pillaging, plundering and getting provision, and the infantry also went back, leaving GREENE to recruit in Virginia. On their return march, they scoured the country in every direction until GREENE returned, when then joined him and marched on to Guilford to wait for CORNWALLIS.” “The night before the Battle of Guilford, CORNWALLIS laid at a place called New Garden Meeting House, and a detachment under the command of LEE and WASHINGTON and some riflemen commanded by a Colonel CLEVELAND, went out there and gave the British a smart skirmish before breakfast. CORNWALLIS arrived at Guilford Courthouse between twelve and one o’clock on the 15th of March, 1781.” “Just before the battle commenced, Colonel LEE rode up to the lines where deponent stood and used some thing like these words, “My brave boys, your lands, your lives and your country depend on your conduct this day! I have given TARLETON hell this morning and I will give him more of it before night!” and speaking of the roaring of the British cannon, he said, “You hear damnation roaring over all these words and after all, they are no more than we!” and he went on to flank the left of the American army. This deponent’s place in that battle was on the left of the artillery, not far from it. The 33rd and 71st British regiments breasted the 4th regiment of militia to which deponent then belonged. Their object seemed to be to take the artillery. The battle was commenced by the militia and two lines of them fought before the regulars came up.” “Deponent believes that this tour of volunteer service exceeded three months in duration, but for the purpose of being entirely safe in his statement, he is willing to place it at three months, which together with the three months tour heretofore described, makes six months service performed by this deponent in the Revolutionary War. He got no discharge from this last service. His captain [FORBIS] was mortally wounded at the battle just mentioned and died in about a week. Both before and after the services above mentioned, deponent was engaged in several scouting expeditions, but he cannot recollect any time with certainty and does not ask compensation for any more than the six months to which he has particularly alluded. Deponent does not know of any man living by whom he can establish his services. He had a brother [PETER LESLEY] two years older than himself, who was said to be alive five years ago, and who would be a good witness, but deponent knows not where to find him..." “And at the same term of the court came WILLIAM LESLEY, and on oath says that on reflection he has remembered the following officers who were with him, whose names he failed to recollect when he furnished the above statement, to wit: Major JOHN DONNELL, Adjutant ROBERT ROLSTON, who was sick and left the army and his place was supplied by JOHN HARVEY. Captains WILSON, SPARKS, and PEARCE, Lieutenant GILMER, WILLIAM RANKIN, foraging master, who was taken prisoner by the British near Ninety-Six, and Chaplain HALL, a Presbyterian Clergyman.” File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/military/revwar/pensions/lesley208gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 8.7 Kb