Wayne County NcArchives Military Records.....Cogdell, Frank 
Revwar - Pension 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Guy Potts http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00017.html#0004214 January 19, 2017, 1:16 am

Abstracted from "Mary Slocumb at Moore's Creek Bridge"

As told by Elizabeth F. Ellet in The Women of the American Revolution 
(New York: Baker and Scribner, 1849).
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-revolution/4872

“The sun must have been well up, say eight or nine o’clock, when I heard a sound 
like thunder, which I knew must be cannon. It was the first time I ever heard a 
cannon. I stopped still; when presently- the cannon thundered again. The battle 
was then fighting. What a fool! my husband could not be dead last night, and the 
battle only fighting now! Still, as I am so near, I will go on and see how they 
come out. So away we went again, faster than ever; and I soon found by the noise 
of guns that I was near the fight. Again I stopped. I could hear muskets, I could 
hear rifles, and I could hear shouting. I spoke to my mare and dashed on in the 
direction of the firing and the shouts, now louder than ever. 

"The blind path I had been following brought me into the Wilmington road leading 
to Moore’s Creek Bridge, a few hundred yards below the bridge. A few yards from 
the road, under a cluster of trees were lying perhaps twenty men. They were the 
wounded. I knew the spot; the very trees; and the position of the men I knew as 
if I had seen it a thousand times. I had seen it all night! I saw all at once; 
but in an instant my whole soul was centred in one spot; for there, wrapped in 
his bloody guard cloak, was my husband’s body! How I passed the few yards from my 
saddle to the place I never knew. I remember uncovering his head and seeing a 
face clothed with gore from a dreadful wound across the temple. I put my hand on 
the bloody face; ’twas warm; and an unknown voice begged for water. A small camp-
kettle was lying near, and a stream of water was close by. I brought it; poured 
some in his mouth; washed his face; and behold — it was Frank Cogdell. He soon 
revived and could speak. I was washing the wound in his head. Said he, It is not 
that; it is that hole in my leg that is killing me. A puddle of blood was 
standing on the ground about his feet. I took his knife, cut away his trousers 
and stocking, and found the blood came from a shot-hole through and through the 
fleshy part of his leg. I looked about and could see nothing that looked as if it 
would do for dressing wounds but some heart-leaves. I gathered a handful and 
bound them tight to the holes; and the bleeding stopped. I then went to the 
others; and-Doctor! I dressed the wounds of many a brave fellow who did good 
fighting long after that day! I had not inquired for my husband; but while I was 
busy Caswell came up. He appeared very much surprised to see me; and was with his 
hat in hand about to pay some compliment: but I interrupted him by asking— Where 
is my husband?

“Where he ought to be, madam; in pursuit of the enemy. But pray, said he, how 
came you here? Oh, I thought, replied I, you would need nurses as well as 
soldiers. See! I have already dressed many of these good fellows; and here is one 
— going to Frank and lifting him up with my arm under his head so that he could 
drink some more water — would have died before any of you men could have helped 
him.

“I believe you, said Frank. Just then I looked up, and my husband, as bloody as a 
butcher, and as muddy as a ditcher, stood before me.

“Why, Mary! he exclaimed, What are you doing there? Hugging Frank Cogdell, the 
greatest reprobate in the army.

“I don’t care, I cried. Frank is a brave fellow, a good soldier, and a true 
friend to Congress. True, true! every word of it! said Caswell. You are right, 
madam I with the lowest possible bow."

Additional Comments:
This Frank Cogdell could be Francis Cogdell from Wayne County, NC. In Francis' 
Wayne County pension papers have a note written by Rd Manly stating that Francis 
and Jethro Odom were both in one battle together at Moores Creek.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/wayne/military/revwar/pensions/cogdell91nmt.txt

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