Guilford County NcArchives Military Records.....Swing, Mathias November 1832
Revwar - Pension 
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Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com June 17, 2006, 2:50 pm

Pension Application Of Mathias Swing, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 2333, Application #S7669
MATHIAS SWING, a resident of Guilford County, NC, aged 84 years in November 
1832:
	“That at the commencement of the Revolutionary War, in the spring of 
1776, he was called out on the Cherokee expedition [summer of 1776 to fall] 
(drafted) under the command of Captain WHITESELL, Lieutenant JACOB CLAPP, 
Colonel PAISLEY and Colonel MARTIN. That he was marched westward to the 
headwaters of the Catawba near a small stream making into the Catawba River. 
That he there ?joined the troops under General RUTHERFORD and marched thence to 
headquarters 10 miles east of the ridge. That he marched over the [Blue] Ridge, 
over the French Broad River, the Pigeon River, and destroyed the Watauga towns 
and destroyed many other Indian towns in the eastern part of the western 
territory, now the state of Tennessee.”
“That he was then marched back to a place called Hickory Ridge where the troops 
that were separated collected. That thence he was marched out and returned home 
and separated from General RUTHERFORD near the Catawba River. That he was 
dismissed by word. That he arrived at home in the fall after being from home 
four months. That from this time in ’75 until 1780? he was always ready at the 
call of his officers, Captain WHITESELL, Captain FORBIS, Colonel PAISLEY and 
Colonel GILLESPIE, and consumed in short tours after the Tories the half of 
this time (from ’75 to ’80). That owing to his advanced age, he is unable to 
give any correct or satisfactory account of this.”
“That he was frequently marched down to the Caraway Mountains or High Hills of 
Randolph [County] and to the Raft Swamps near Fayetteville, in both of which 
places the Tories under one Colonel FANNING were in the habit of taking refuge 
after their ravages on the Whigs.”
“That he recollects of one trip to Fayetteville rather longer than usual, and 
he thinks it was in the summer of 1777, in which he consumed five or six weeks. 
That he was frequently called out to quell the insurrections of Tories 
commanded by one Colonel BRYAN living up on the Yadkin River. That was marched 
another time and continued several weeks from home which Deep Creek, south of 
Fayetteville, now called Drowning Creek, so called from the circumstances of 
many Tories being drowned there…That he is known to GEORGE NEESE, JOSEPH MCLEAN 
and WILLIAM ALBRIGHT, who can and are willing to testify from their personal 
knowledge to his services…
January 1833-MATTIAS SWING-amendment to his declaration-“That he was a private 
volunteer in the minute company commanded by Captain WHITESELL and Lieutenant 
CLAPP. That the most of his services were performed and in fact all except his 
Cherokee expedition, in short and frequent tours after the Tories, sometimes a 
few days, sometimes many, and again weeks at a time, down into Randolph County, 
among the High Hills called the Caraway Mountains, down towards Wilmington and 
Cross Creek (now Fayetteville), up on the Yadkin, and often out into the 
immediate neighborhood. That the inhabitants south of him and as far down the 
country in Wilmington were pretty generally Tories.”
“That he lived as it were, near the dividing line between a great body of 
Tories and some Whigs. That the Whigs were either compelled to submit to the 
insults, ravages and murders of the infamous, cowardly and cruel Tories, join 
their party, or bear arms constantly and fight in defense of themselves and the 
cause, which they did espouse, and that he was out as aforesaid one half his 
time from the commencement to the termination of the war, and that he was 
compelled to go armed even when at home or at church. That he recollects of 
plowing with two guns with him in the field, one at one end of the field and 
the other at the other.”
“That there was one Colonel FANNING who stayed mostly in and about the Raft 
Swamp, down the country as a place of refuge. That he, Colonel FANNING was 
influential among the loyalists and would sometimes in person led, and often 
cause bands of Tories to be marched into the Whig settlements to murder and 
pillage. That to act with efficiency against these frequent and severe attacks, 
the Whigs early saw the propriety of forming themselves into companies and they 
were accordingly formed two companies in his section of Guilford, one commanded 
by Captain FORBIS and the other by Captain WHITESELL, the former an Irish or 
English company, the latter a German or Dutch company.”
“That these companies stood always ready to march with a minute’s warning at 
the call of Colonel PAISLEY, his commanding Colonel, which were frequent, very 
frequent. That these companies were generally successful in dispersing, taking 
prisoners and killing the many companies, mobs and bands of Tories that would 
rise and were sent against them. That the prisoners were sometimes released on 
a promise and charge to do better, and some who were thought to be the worst 
and most dangerous were conveyed and imprisoned at Martinsville, Guilford 
Courthouse. That he might be said with some propriety to have been a soldier 
throughout the war and must have done service, regularly called out, not less 
than two years…”

	January 1833-GEORGE NEESE-“That he and said MATTIAS SWING served with 
each other often, very often, from the commencement of Revolutionary War to the 
end of it. That his first service with him was on a tour of 5 months on a tour 
after the Indians in which they marched over the mountains into what is now the 
eastern part of Tennessee. That said SWING was a faithful Whig and was famous 
for his hatred to, and services against the Tories, and that with him he 
performed many and various tours up and down the country, sometimes down among 
the High Hills of Randolph County called the Caraway Mountains, often down 
among the Raft Swamps towards Fayetteville, up on the Yadkin River and 
frequently out in the immediate neighborhood.”
“That the country was during the war, greatly distressed owing to a division 
existing among the citizens. That there were two parties, the Tory and the 
Whig. That the Tories from this section of country were almost constantly in 
the habit of being in rebellion and committing depradations on the Whigs living 
higher up the country, a good many of whom lived in the lower part of Guilford, 
and who were compelled as it were, always to be on the defensive even when at 
home. That there was a certain Colonel FANNING among the Tories of great 
influence who took refuge among the Raft Swamps, who often marched bands of 
Tories to plunder, murder and pillage the Whig party. That affiant and said 
SWING have often given him a close, warm and long chase, and although 
successful against his men in killing, dispersing and taking them prisoners, 
yet they never had the gratification to catch this chief.”
“That there were many Tories likewise up on the Yadkin River, headed by one 
Colonel BRYAN against whom and his men, he and said SWING were likewise after. 
That the Whigs in his section of the country had to endure hardship and trouble 
to an extent experienced by few who were true friends of American freedom and 
independence during the struggle of the Revolution. And this affiant states 
that there are a few of his brothers-in-arms alive, men who went the whole 
length for freedom, who served (with faithful service too) for more than two 
years and among them he would name his old friend for whom he makes this 
certificate…”

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