Guilford County NcArchives Military Records.....Smith, William 
Revwar - Pension 
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Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com June 17, 2006, 2:36 pm

Pension Application Of William Smith, Nat’l Archives Microseries M804, Roll 2236, Application #S7555
	“WILLIAM SMITH, resident Guilford County, aged seventy-nine years…That 
he was born in Pennsylvania, but knows not in what county, on the 1st day of 
December, 1853 [meaning 1753], as always stated to him by his father, who had 
it written in his family Bible, which he once copied into his own family Bible. 
That his father moved when he was about three years of age to North Carolina, 
upper part of Orange County, now Guilford County where has lived ever since.”
“That from the commencement of the Revolutionary War, the citizens of his 
section of North Carolina were divided into two parties-the Whigs and the Tory. 
That he joined the Whigs, the friends of freedom, liberty and independence, and 
served his country from 1775 to 1781, sometimes at home a few days, and again 
out on service sometimes days, sometimes weeks, and sometimes months at a time. 
But from the dangers to which his party was constantly exposed and from the 
circumstances of his joining at an early period of the war, many of his 
neighbors, who formed themselves into a company called minute men, he stood 
constantly on the defensive both when out in service under the immediate 
command of his officers and when at home. That from old age and a very great 
failure of his memory, he is unable to give any correct history of his services 
so as to point out all the tours he made, when they were made, or the time he 
spent in performing each.”
	“That in, or about the summer of 1775, it was rumored in his 
neighborhood that the Tories had arisen down in the County of Orange and had 
committed depradations on Whigs. When the people of the Alamance (his own) 
neighborhood met together to consult what it would be best for them to do. That 
it was resolved by the meeting to send some two to ascertain whether this 
report was true; and that he and one JESSE MACOMB volunteered and went and 
found that the Tories were in arms and had wounded in a skirmish one WILLIAM 
DENT, Esquire, a Whig. That they returned immediately and brought to their 
friends this intelligence when they formed themselves into a company and 
marched with this commanded by Lieut. WILEY, Captain FORBIS, Colonel PAISLEY 
and Colonel GILLESPIE, and brought away said DENT, who was severely wounded, 
and placed him under the care of Dr. AGNEW, and returned after the Tories, took 
some prisoners and dispersed the balance. That he marched with Captain FORBIS, 
guarding the prisoners, to Martinsville, Guilford Old Courthouse, where they 
were dismissed on a promise to be peaceable citizens in future. That he cannot 
tell the length of this tour.”
	“That after this he was out tour after tour, down into Randolph County, 
after the Tories, and out from home in various other sections which he cannot 
now recollect, and continued thus to serve until about 1777, when he was 
marched down to Fayetteville after the Scotch Tories, and continued some weeks, 
scouring the Raft Swamps, took many prisoners, and lodged them in jail at Cross 
Creek (now Fayetteville). That in this tour, he was commanded by Captain FORBIS 
and Colonel PAISLEY. That he cannot recollect the time he spent in this tour, 
but must have been gone towards two months.”
	“That from this time until the summer of 1780, he continued to serve 
under Captain FORBIS and Colonel PAISLEY in various short tours down into 
Randolph County after the Tories who were often headed by one Colonel FANNING, 
who always escaped, in although his company were often successful in catching 
some of his men. That a description or history of these tours he cannot safely 
or satisfactorily give, but con____d in them all many months.”
“That he recollects a tour of some months which he made in the summer and fall 
of 1780, towards South Carolina, after the British, commanded [by] his 
aforesaid Captain FORBIS and Colonel PAISLEY. That there were other companies 
marched from his own county other than the one in which he served, and 
recollects one commanded by Captain MCADOW. That he joined other troops from 
other sections of North Carolina at Salisbury, North Carolina. That he marched 
thence for the south, and encamped at a place called New Providence, not far 
from a creek called Waxhaws. That a [party of] Tories were taken prisoners by a 
party sent out, but that he was not sent. That the troops at New Providence 
were commanded by Colonel PAISLEY, Colonel ARMSTRONG, General DAVIDSON, General 
RUTHERFORD and others whose names he has now forgotten. That the Americans were 
forced on account of the approach of a superior force of British to retreat 
north. That after they had marched through Charlotte, there took place a slight 
skirmish between the Americans and British cavalry. That when the retreat 
commenced, his Captain (FORBIS) continued his march home, where he arrived late 
in fall.”
“That he again marched under his Captain FORBIS and Colonel PAISLEY, and joined 
General GREENE on his march north before the British, and marched with him over 
Dan River to Halifax, Virginia, when he, with his captain, was permitted to 
return home to oppose the ravages of the Tories and British in his own 
neighborhood, and to use some means to secure his property, in which he was 
engaged when the Armies met and fought at Martinsville. That his captain had 
joined the troops again before the Battle of Guilford and was mortally wounded 
in said battle.”
“That his company was after this battle, again collected, commanded and marched 
under Captain ROBERT PAISLEY, after the British on their retreat south and 
continued this pursuit until they arrived at Ramsour’s Mill, where he was again 
marched home. That he continued to serve as above stated after the Tories until 
the close of the revolutionary war.”
“That he has always been a labouring man and from old age and decrepitude, is 
confined much to his bed and makes this declaration from his bed. That he 
cannot be taken to the Court of his county without great pain and fatigue…etc. 
That, as to his revolutionary services and likewise to JOHN FINLEY, who can 
from his personal knowledge testify to his said services. That he was not in 
any regular fought battle except a skirmish at Blair’s Mill. That he was always 
a volunteer…etc.”

Attached is an addendum from JOHN FINLEY:
	I, JOHN FINLEY hereby certify that I served in the revolutionary war 
with Mr. SMITH…that I was often out with him after the Tories down towards and 
at Fayetteville, and many other places. With him in a trip to the south beyond 
Charlotte, and marched with him north over Dan River, has heard his declaration 
and do believe from his personal knowledge that he has stated the truth.”
	It was requested that JOHN FINLEY more clearly explain how he was 
acquainted with WILLIAM SMITH’s service:
	“That he was well acquainted with WILLIAM SMITH during the 
revolutionary war, and did service with him from the commencement thereof to 
its termination. That the citizens of this section of North Carolina were from 
the commencement of the war, divided into two parties, the Whig and the Tory. 
That said SMITH belonged to the Whig party and always stood ready and took a 
very magnanimous and active part in defending his friends and the friends of 
freedom and independence from the aggression of the common enemy and those who 
took part with them.”
“That his services were rendered in the manner which he states in his 
declaration. That at the first of the war, the Whigs (among whom was SMITH) 
were compelled to resist the depradations of the Tories. They assembled and 
went out in service as necessity seemed to urge. But when these aggressions 
seemed rather to increase than diminish, it was resolved by many of the Whigs 
to form themselves into a company called minute men, to be ready at any and all 
times to march in a minute’s warning, so that their operations against the 
Tories might be united and more efficient. That said SMITH and himself both 
belonged to this company. That the regulation was that this company was to 
march at all times when there was necessity under whatever Captains the Colonel 
(mostly Colonel PAISLEY) should assign to command it. That those who composed 
this company were considered, called and looked upon as soldiers of the 
Revolution from the time the company was formed until the end of the war.”
“That owing to his memory having greatly failed, he is now unable to state the 
precise times when the company was formed, but knows that it was formed shortly 
after a tour, which those who formed afterwards the company, made after the 
Scotch Tories down about Cross Creek, now Fayetteville, in making which trip, 
said SMITH was in company. That this tour was in ’76 or ’77. That this company 
was often, very often down the country after the Tories. Sometimes down among 
the High Hills of Randolph County, called the Caraway Mountains, down among the 
Raft Swamps, down on Deep Creek, up the country on the Yadkin River, and often 
in the immediate neighborhood.”
“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. That he was also with him (SMITH) on the tour, which he mentions he made 
to the south, into the county of Mecklenburg, New Providence, and on the 
confines? of South Carolina in the latter part of 1780. That after he returned 
home, he again set out north, and marched with him to Halifax Old Court House, 
VA, but that he had to return home with his captain to quell an insurrection of 
the Tories. That SMITH was along with him. That said SMITH has for many years 
been a member and elder in the Presbyterian Church, etc."

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