MILITARY – REVWAR PENSION: James WORKMAN, 1833, Formerly of Lancaster Co., PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com July 24, 2006, 3:33 pm Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lancaster/ _______________________________________________ Pension Application Of James Workman, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll #__, Application #S22606 Washington County, Pennsylvania, March 29, 1833, James Workman, aged 75 years on the 15th of September last passed: “My first services as a soldier commenced in the spring of the year 1775, when I was drafted for 4 months to serve against the Indians, and served out the whole time on the frontier settlements lying between Washington, PA and the Hocking River in the state of Ohio. I am, at present, unable to state the names of any of the officers or any important circumstances connected with this service. I only that that we were continually under arms and on the march from one settlement to another, wherever our services were most needed to prevent the inroads or depravations of the savages.” “I also served as a regular. I entered this service of the United States as a private in the regular service (if I recollect aright) in August 1775. I was enlisted under Captain Watson. I think his Christian name was James. The names of the other officers and the regiment I cannot now recollect. I left the service on this occasion as near as I can remember, on the 1st of June 1776. On this tour I served as a regular in the Pennsylvania line for 9 months. When I was enlisted, I resided in Washington County, PA, but being on a visit to Lancaster County, PA where I formerly had lived, I there enlisted and entered the service.” “Immediately after my enlistment, the company to which I was attached marched directly from Lancaster to Albany in New York. On our way to Albany, we passed through Philadelphia and the state of New Jersey to the Hudson River, where we were taken on board a vessel and sailed up to Albany. We lay in barracks in Albany during the whole of the ensuing winter. Early in the spring after we arrived in Albany, I had my foot very severely scalded by the upsetting of a kettle of boiling soup. This accident disabled me for active service and was the reason for my discharge from the army two or three months after, and my permission to return home.” “After my return home to Washington County from Albany, I was drafted in the fall of the same year, 1776, to serve as a soldier and spy on the frontiers against the Indians. On this occasion, I was in the service 3 months and 28 days. The officers who commanded the expedition, as near as I can recollect, were Colonels David Williamson and William Crawford, Major Stinson, Captain Eleazer Williamson, Daniel Leet and Captain ?Farnel, and other officers whose names I have forgotten.” “We marched from Washington, PA to the place where the town of Beaver now stands on the Ohio River below Pittsburg, and there built a fort called ‘Macintosh’s Fort’. After we had constructed this fort, we marched to the Muskingum River in the state of Ohio and built a blockhouse on the bank of that river. We then returned home, having been out just 2 days less than 4 months.” “In the following summer of 1777, I was again drafted to serve against the Indians and was marched to Zane’s Fort in Virginia where Wheeling now stands [now Wheeling, West Virginia], and from that 12 miles farther down the Ohio River to the mouth of Grave Creek. The company with which I marched to these places had in charge, a small drove of cattle for the use of the forts. On this occasion, I served between 5 and 6 weeks. The dangers of the season being over, we had permission to return to our homes.’ “In the following spring of 1778, I was again drafted into the same service for 2 months, the whole of which time I served. We were commanded, during this tour, by Colonel David Williamson. We marched from “?Kellam’s Blockhouse” on the waters of ?Dunkard Creek, near the Monongahela and not far from the foot of the Laurel Hill in Fayette, Pennsylvania. In this fort remained till the end of our 2 months, when we were relieved by another company drafted for the same length of time, and we returned home.” “In the year 1783 or 84, I was again drafted and served under Colonel William Crawford for 2 months or upwards. On this occasion, the company to which I was attached marched from Washington, Pennsylvania and crossed the Ohio River a short distance below Pittsburg at a place called ‘Logstown’, but before we reached the Ohio, we were joined by the other troops under Colonel Crawford. >From the Ohio River we were marched directly to the Plains of Sandusky in the state of Ohio, where we were met and encountered by the hostile Indians, and completely defeated, and obliged to seek safety in flight. In this engagement, our loss was very great in killed and wounded and we were obliged to leave all those who were disabled by their wounds to the mercy of the savages. Colonel Crawford was taken prisoner (and I have been informed since) was burned at the stake by the Indians. We were pursued by the Indians to the Ohio River on our retreat and great numbers of our men were either killed or captured. This is what is generally called ‘Crawford’s Defeat.’” “I should have mentioned in its proper place that I also was drafted and served a tour of duty for about 6 weeks in the spring of 1779. During the whole of this time, except so much as was taken up in going and returning, I was stationed in ‘Redstone Fort’ where Brownsville in Fayette County now stands. I am unable now, to state in what month I was stationed in this fort and who was its commander.” “I was born in September 1757. I have a record of my age in my family Bible. I was born in Lancaster County, PA. When called into the service in all and each of the several occasions I have mentioned, I lived in Washington County, PA, where I have lived ever since the Revolutionary War, and where I now live. On all the occasions I entered the service I was drafted, except only the time I was enlisted when I visited to Lancaster County, PA.” “…I know of no person at present who has a personal knowledge of my services, except Hugh Workman (whose affidavit is herewith attached) of this county, and James Seals of Greene County, PA…” Washington County, PA, personally appeared, Hugh Workman, aged 73 years in August next: “That he is well acquainted with James Workman…That to his personal knowledge, the said James enlisted in the service of the United States in Lancaster County, PA. I think it was in the fall of 1775, and remained in the service the greater part of a year, I think at least 9 months. When he enlisted, he resided in Washington County, PA, but was on a visit to Lancaster to see his relations. I, at this time, lived in Lancaster County.” “In 1777, I think it was, I removed from Lancaster to Washington County, PA. After I came to Washington County, I was drafted and served with the said James Workman a few days less than 4 months. On this occasion we marched from Washington to the Ohio River where Beaver now stands, and there built a fort which was afterwards called ‘Fort Macintosh.’ We were then marched to the Tuscarawas, a branch of the Muskingum River and there built a blockhouse. We then came back to Washington. His company (James Workman’s) was commanded by Captain Ogle and Lieutenant Biggs. Captain Leet was adjutant. Colonel David Williamson was with us, and a number of other officers.” “I also recall that James Workman was out on several scouts. Once I went with him down to the Ohio River at Grave Creek and ?Capteen in Virginia, but how long he served on this occasion, I cannot recollect. He was also in the frontier service as a spy against the Indians when I was not with him, and which I know nothing about, either where he went or how long he was out.” “The last time I have any knowledge of his having been in the service is when he was marched with myself from Washington, PA to the Sandusky Plains in Ohio. On this occasion the company with which we left home was commanded by Captain Leet, but before we got to the plains, a light horse company was raised from the troops, which I joined, and he remained in the infantry. The expedition was under the command of Colonels Crawford and Williamson and Major Daniel Leet. We drew pay certificates for two months service, but it appears to me now that we did not serve out the 2 months fully. This was in 1783 or 84.” Signed Hugh Workman. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 8.9 Kb