SURRY COUNTY, NC - MILITARY - David Allen, Revolutionary War Pension Application ----¤¤¤¤---- Madam: I have to advise you that from the papers in Rev. War pension claim, 8.16601, it appears that David Allen was born in Elizabethtown, NJ, in 1761. While a resident of Surry County, NC, he served during the Revolution at various times, 18 months in all, as private in the NC Troops under his brother, Lieutenant Adoniram Allen, and Colonels Martin Armstrong, Joel Lewis, Malmedy, Benjamin Cleveland and Micajah Lewis, and was engaged in the battles at Moore's Creek Bridge, Sunbury, Stono where he received a flesh wound in the left arm, and King's Mountain and in several skirmishes. He was allowed pension on his application executed December 5, 1832, while a resident of Alabama, near Franklin County, between said County and the Chickasaw Nation of Indians. Reference is made to a son, John L. The name of soldier's wife is not given. Note: I did not give the date of enl. (1777) as sol. was in a battle, Moore's Creek Bridge in 1776. N.M. Respectfully, .... from a letter to Miss Sallie Lightfoot, Paris, TX, dated June 16, 1924 From pension application of David Allen Jr. : .....it was in the year Seventeen Hundred & Seventy Seven, latter part, (he) thinks, but what month he cannot say, but it was warm weather--at that time I think the company was commanded by a Lieutenant by the name of Adniram Allen (who was brother to applicant) from that county we marched under Colu. Martin Armstrong, to Moores Bridge on Black river or creek, where we had an encounter with some (tories?), & defeated them, we then marched to Cross Creek, where all the prisoners (we?) had taken were discharged on parole---we were thence (re-?) marched to Surry County, North Carolina----Some short time after we (were?) under General Butler called to South Carolina (?) .......marched thence to Georgia, crossing Savannah River just below Augusta, we marched down said river on the Georgia side to a place called Sunbury, where we had an encounter with the British who were in the act of crossing the river, & their (rear?) was in part taken prisoners--(.....?) the river to the state of South Carolina, I moved on until (we?) rejoined General (Lewis'?) forces, thence we marched under (Lincoln?) to meet the enemy who were landed at Johns island & we met (thence?) at Stona, where we found the enemy aided with a strong breastwork, we were ordered to storm the enemy's works & to rely solely on (the?) bayonet--& as we were marching to do so we were met by two Brigades, or companies of (?) and as we were in about sixty yards of the works against orders a firing commenced, the (Hessian?) were vanquished, & we charged on to the enemies breastworks but they were(re-inforced?) from the island, we (failed?) in storming their(works?) and a general (frenzy took?) place, after which we were ordered to retreat at which time I assisted in taking (?) Major (?) the ground, he was wounded in the thigh with a (?) or grape shot, & he died in a few days afterwards---I think his name was (Moor--?), we marched about in that part of the states for some time & at about two months thereafter I was discharged. I went home to my father's in Surry County North Carolina having been on service from the time I first entered about Eighteen months, part of the time I was on furlough, being what was called a minute man & always in (?) or in service---At Stono I (?) a flesh wound in the left arm, which wound was inflicted with the enemies bayonet. In two or three months after all this I again volunteered under Colonel Benjamin Cleveland, who was (raised?) in North Carolina, after the forces then collected to march were ready, one Arthur Campbell,(I think his name war Arthur)-took command as well as I recollect by election--our forces were divided into three parts, one under (Shelby?), one under Cleveland(of whom I was one)--and one other party under Colu Williams(who was killed at Kings mountain)--when thus arranged we all together marched to Kings Mountain near the South Carolina line, there we had to fight, & vanquished the enemy( completely?) killing Furgeson the British Commander, we thence marched to Moravian town in North Carolina--there we disposed of the prisoners taken on parole; we were then permitted to return home after some(five?) months we were called on again & I was under the command of Major Micajah Lewis, under Colon. Micajah Lewis we were scouring through the country in various directions, and Major Lewis was killed by a (ball?) during the night, we were not again attached to any large body of forces, I was in a variety of skirmishes with the enemy & with Tories, after all of which I was regularly discharged, but I am not able to produce any documentary evidence of my discharge owing to the same having been burnt by a fire which consumed my fathers dwelling shortly after my return home to Surry County, North Carolina. I cannot recollect the (?) of Regiments or names of officers other wise than as above stated. Lincoln, (Pulask..?), & Malmedy I think were the only regular officers under whom I acted at anytime during the revolution----- I was in the service for more than two years & remained in the service until Cornwallis was taken--I was always a volunteer, some times under Militia officers & sometimes under regular officers as above stated. (Sworn to & susbscribed by applicant in open court 5 day of December 1832 (signed) David Allen List Clerk) Question by the court 1-- Where & in what year were you born--- Answer 1--I was born in New Jersey, I think as I have been told in Elizabethtown--I was a child when I left there. I think I was born in Seventeen hundred & Sixty One. Q. 2--Have you any record of your age, & if so where is it? A. 2--I have a record in my bible at home some Eighteen miles distant. Q. 3--Where were you living when called into service? A. 3--I was living in Surry County, North Carolina. Part of Q. 3Where have you lived since the revolutionary war, & where do you now live. A. 3--I moved from North Carolina to Georgia, from there to TN(Davidson County), and from there to Franklin County, Alabama, & I now reside just across the line between said county & the Chickasaw nation of Indians, where I live by permission from the Indian Chiefs of said nation-& I have lived at said places ever since the revolutionary war respectively as above stated. Q. 4.--How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute, & if a substitute for whom? A. 4--I was a volunteer. Q. 5--State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served; Such Continental & Militia regiments as you can recollect, & the (instances?) of your services. (There the applicant answered in substance as he has stated in him (former?) Petition) Q. 6--Did you ever receive a discharge from the service; If so by whom was it given, & what has become of it? A. 6--I (received a discharge?) from Coln. (Malmurdy?) which was burnt(....?) stated with my fathers house. Q. 7--State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, & who can testify as to your Character for veracity, & their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. A. 7--Applicant states that there is Hugh Pattit, sheriff of this county, & General James Davis, Michael Dukson, clerk of this court, & the presiding judge(...?) John J. (Winston?), (General John Coffre of Laudendale County Alabama) and many others, indeed almost all the multitude in the court--and also his Excellency, the President of the U.S., Andrew Jackson of Washington City ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Janice Allen Bertram jlbertram@geocities.com ___________________________________________________________________