Northumberland County PA Archives Military Records.....THOMPSON, James 1832 Revwar - Pension Penns ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: beryl meehan bmeeh1@hotmail.com September 28, 2005, 1:59 pm Rev War Pension Application S6220 / 5371 - Pension granted at rate of $480 per annum commencing March 1831. On 24 Sept 1832 in New Berlin, Buffalo Twp, Union Co, PA, Capt James Thompson at age 88 (born 1744) sworn statement of service to his country reads: I entered the service of the Untied States in 1776 in the Penna line for Capt....Major John Kiley (later Col) and Col Polley and marched from Northumberland to Philadelphia and then cross over to Slatteryfield in Jersey, thru Burlington to Trenton arriving there the Morning of the cannonading, thinks it was the beginning of January 1776 and that night marched to Princeton leaving their fires burning as ordered by Geo Washington., the sp? came out of Princeton early in the morning to meet us, there an engagement took place which did not last long, we beat them and took a good many prisoner. After the Battle of Princeton we crossed a creek, Gen Washington ordered Col Killy to have the bridge cut down. Col Killey cut the first log amidst a shower of bullets from the enemy; marched to Somerset Courthouse and stayed all night. I was on the picket guard that night, a very cold night, we were destitute for provisions having sent of our baggage wagons out to Bridgetown, marched then to sp? where were drew fire, marched to Morristown, stayed some days then marched to Short Hills swamp where we had a battle with the British. Major Crawford with part of Col Cook's Battalion came to our aid, killed a number of the enemy. We also had a skirmish at sp? Metaschen's Meeting House, lost one man and retreated to our headquarters at S?? swamp; we were then engaged for some time in scouting parties. A few days before we were discharged we had a skirmish with the British at carmans Hill near ash swamp, then marched to Morristown where we were discharged. I had then served four months and returned home. I next entered the service as a Capt of the 2nd Company of Foot in the 1st Battalion of Militia of Penna in the County of Northumberland under a commission which is hereto annexed dated 21May 1777 signed by Thos Wharton, Jr President and Y ?Matlock. Duty abt the 1st October 1777 we marched to the neighbourhood of Philadelphia commanded by Col James White and Gen James Potter who had been promoted, while on our march the Germantown Battle took place. After the British had taken possession of Philadelphia we were engaged in preventing the wagons from supplying them with provisions and guarding the inhabitants from the depredations of the enemy, we were thus engaged for two months, at the expiration of which time I returned home. In the spring of 1778 we were called out to guard the frontiers against the ...inour of the Indians. I marched as Capt under Col John Kelly (who had been promoted) from Buffalo Valley in Northumberland Co up the north branch of the Susquehanna as far as Fishing Creek, into the country as far as Loyalsock, Jersey Shore, Williamsport on the West Branch and as parties of Indians were almost daily making attacks upon the inhabitants, killing some and taking others prisoners; we were almost constantly engaged in skirmishes with the Indians. Many of the inhabitants had fled to the lower counties of Dauphin and Lancaster and some families had collected on Penns Creek to which place I had removed my family- and I continued in this service at different times making my service as Capt two years and two months, occasionally visiting my family until I was taken prisoner by the Indians on the 1st April 1781. The manner in which I was taken is as follows: I resided in Buffalo Valley in Northumberland County, the inhabitants principally had fled and I had removed my family to Penns Creek an was returning to my house for the purpose of procuring some necessary articles for the family when I was taken by four Indians who were secreted in the wood near a path along which I was passing, they had not taken me far until they also took a young woman by the name of Mary Young prisoner. They took us up the West Branch of the Susquehanna river and when night came they struck up a fire and they tied me by each arm to a ??eet and two of the Indians at either side of me lay on the rope, the girl lay between the other two Indians on the other side of the fire. The next day we travelled up the river a considerable distance, crossed the river in canoe, and spent the night in the same manner. The next morning at sun up we went up Lycoming Creek..at night I lay on my side so as to get a little more rope to enable me to turn which i could not do before, during the night when I found the Indians were asleep, I got the ropes loose and got up and could have effected my escape but could not bear the idea of leaving the girl with them, I looked around for a tomahawk but the Indians had taken care to lie on them. I then observed two stones which the Indians had provided in the evening to pound their corn, I took one in each hand and resolved on making an attempt to rescue the girl by attacking the Indians. I placed myself between the two Indians in the manner as before, struck one intending to hit him on the temple but struck him too high on the head, he immediately gave the alarm and the other Indian sprang up and drew his tomahawk and made an attempt to struck me, but stopped and spoke to the Indian who was wounded and then drew it again but at length declined to taken me on. The next day we crossed Lycoming Creek and continued our march day after day until Sunday night when we encamped on the Towanda Creek now in Bradford Co, PA. The Indians sent me out for some wood to make the fire, it was getting pretty dark, and I made my escape. I travelled all night directing my course by the North Star, towards morning it commenced raining and continued to rain all day and it being cloudy I could not see the course I was steering, the succeeding night was also cloudy, the next day when it cleared up I found from looking at the sun that I had been travelling out of the course I had intended, I changed my course and after travelling several days without any food except a few grains and the marrow of a bone which i found in the woods, I arrived at the same place on the Lycoming Creek where we had crossed when in company of the Indians. I then crossed the creek and avoiding the Indian paths I travelled on tell I came to the West Branch of the river at the same place we had crossed, I found two canoes one down out on shore and the other sunk in the river. I tried to push the canoe into the river but was too weak, I then got some round sticks shoved under the canoe so as to raise it off the ground and with a handspike succeeded in getting it into the river. I found a couple of paddles and I concluded it would be wisest to bail out the other canoe and then take both lest I might be seen by some Indians as I was passing down the river, and they might get the canoe and follow me. Now I got some bark and lashed the two canoes together and got out into the middle of the river and came down some distance when I came to a tree that had fallen into the river which my canoes struck and one of them sunk. I had then become so weak as not to be able to ...I remained in the other canoe but had lost my paddles as they drifted down the river before me, at last my canoe struck the shore and on looking around I discovered both my paddles lying near me on the edge of the river, I got them and again set sail down the river, when I came near to Fort Swartz which was on the river just above where Milton in Northumberland County is now situated. I was seen by some persons who were in the fort and came out and brought me to shore and took me into the fort being nearly exhausted with fatigue and hunger. Capt Dougherty and Capt Ferguson who were in the fort with their wives were very kind and attentive to me. This was on Thursday after I had left the Indians at Towanda. This terminated my service having lost the use of my right arm in consequence in being tied in night as to prevent the circulation of the blood. I had then served my country as a volunteer four months and as a Capt two years and two months in actual service. I had a number of Pay Rolls all of which being in part hereto annexed, others? lost or misplaced and cannot now be found. In looking over my papers I find a number of original receipts of payments made to some soldiers of my company which I also hereto annex. I was born on the 1st day of May 1744 in Chester Co, PA. The record of my age was in my father's Bible, my eldest brother got the Bible. I was living in Buffalo Valley in Northumberland Co of PA when I entered the service. Since the war to reside the principal part of my time in the same valley and which my children at different places. I did not get a discharge in writing from the service as a volunteer, nor did I ever serve any other commission than that hereto annexed. Judge Wilson, James McClellan, William Hayes, James Geddis, widow McClinihaw, Esquire John McCloy, Esq Joseph Kilwell, ...of the old respectable inhabitants of my neighbourhood can testify as to my character for veracity and their belief of my service as a soldier and Captain in the Revolution. I hereby relinquish any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is no on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn in court this 24 Sept 1832. Signed James Thompson. Statement by Thomas Hood, clergyman and John McClay both residing in Buffalo Valley also dated 24 Sept 1832. Statement by Seth Chapman, Hugh Wilson, and A D Leighton of the said court. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 10.0 Kb