REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - ASA WRIGHT

Contributed by: Rebecca Akins [bilakins@att.net]

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Greenville, SC

I transcribed this pension record as carefully as I could. Where there was a 
question of illegibility, I put a ?. Where there were blocks of unreadable 
material, I put .....

General Services Administration
National Archives and Records Service
Asa Wright, File Designation S18292 Rev.

South Carolina 23.790
Asa Wright
Greenville in the State of South Carolina
who was a pv in the command by Capt. - of the Regt. commanded
by Col Lyth in the NC line for tow years

Inscribed on the Roll of So Carolina
at the rate of 80 dollars - cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 8 day of Apr 34
and //W. R. Davis - H. R.

Arrears to the 4th of March 34 240
Semi-anl. allowance ending first Sept " 40

$280
Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Nath. Rice Clerk
Book E Vol. 6 Page 83

Greenville District

On this the fifteenth day of October personally appeared in open court before 
the judges of the court of common pleas now sitting Asa Wright a resident of 
Greenville District, State of South Carolina, aged seventy-four years who being 
first duly sworn according to law hath on his oath make the following 
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of...7th June 1832. That 
he entered the service of the United ...under the following named officers and 
served... (a slip of paper reading, "State of North Carolina, Caswell County, I 
hereby certify, That Asa Wright this Day appeared before me, one of the Justices 
of the said County, and took the Oath of Allegiance, agreeable to Law and under 
my hand this 16th Day of May Anno Dom. 1778- signature undecipherable" is glued 
to the document here)...He first entered the service on the six...May in the 
year of our Lord 1778, the day an...oath of allegiance was taken. He 
volunteered...Captain Robert Moore for nine months...was called the "New Levy 
Regiment" - Col. Archi...of the regiment, and Henry Dickerson...Major. He 
rendezvoused and encamped at "Moores..." Caswell County, North Carolina, for 
several months. The troops were then called upon to march to the north and went 
as far as Halifax CHouse, state of Virginia. Orders were then received for the 
troops to be marched back into North Carolina and be furloughed until further 
orders. This was done and he was accordingly furloughed for several months. He 
was then called upon to march and rendezvoused at Salisbury, North Carolina, 
untill the troops of Wake, Chatham, and Granville Counties came up. The troops 
were then under the command of Geral Lincoln and marched to the High Hill of 
Santee in South Carolina. There he remained untill the troops from the north 
came up. From thence he joined headquarters at Pensburgh in South Carolina and 
there met with the northern troops.

The troops were then taken and put under the regular officers. This applicant 
fell into Captain Goodman's company, but was still under the command of Col 
Archibald Ligette? and Major Hal Dickson. This applicant states that the nine 
month for which he volunteered did not commence running untill he joined 
Headquarters at Pennsburgh but that he drew pay as a soldier from the time he 
volunteered May 16th, 1778. He then marched from Pensburgh to Charleston, South 
Carolina. Immediately after he arrived at Charleston, the city was beseiged by 
the Brittish. The Brittish forces then fell back and ? at Stono. The American 
forces marched against them and the battle of Stono ensued. He was wounded in 
this battle. Shot in the left leg by a musket ball. He was then in the hospital 
near Charleston five or six ? and recovered. When he recovered his tour of nine 
months for which he first volunteered had expired. He then substituted himself 
for John Brothers for three months under the command of Captain Russell. He was 
at the Seige of Ninety Six under General Green. He then marched to Eutaw and was 
in the battle of that place. The term of three months which he served and 
substituted for John Brothers now expired and he again took the place of John 
Payne for three months. He then marched to Lister's Ferry. He was then 
furloughed and went with five hundred prisoners British & Tories to the Barrack 
in Virginia. The greater part of these prisoners were taken at the time Col. 
Cruger? of the British Army was taken. The prisoners were put under the command 
of Major Stublefield. When he returned he joined the army near the South 
Carolina line under the command of General Greene. He volunteered again and was 
employed as a hunter for the officers.

In this capacity he remained until the Sunday before battle at Guilford CHouse 
on the 14th day of March 1781. He was then discharged. From the time he entered 
the service of the United States on the 16th day of May 1778 he continued until 
discharged in March 1781. The whole of this time being two years and nine months 
he was either actively employed with the army under General Lincoln & General 
Lirun? or wounded in the Hospital near Charleston except the two times he was 
furloughed. He drew pay as a soldier during the whole of this time. He lived in 
North Carolina Caswell County when he entered the service. He volunteered twice 
and substituted himself twice. He was tin the Seige of Charleston, Battle of 
Stono, Seige of Ninety Six , battle of Eutaw and in a skirmish at the "Island 
Ford" on Yadkin River. This skirmish at the Island Ford took place as General 
Greene was retreating into Virginia and pursued by Cornwallis. He marched from 
North Carolina into South Carolina as stated above, and was with General Greene 
on his retreat into Virginia, and returned with him to Guilford CHouse. He does 
not recollect the names of any continental regiments but remembers Green, 
Lincoln, Col Washington and Lee, Ligette and General Rutherford. He has no 
documentary evidence except the oarth of allegiance here with annexed. He knows 
of o one whose testimony he can procure as to his services. He was born in 
Goodgelin (Goochland) County, State of Virginia on James River in the year 1759. 
Has a record of his age in the family Bible of his Father now in the possession 
of his brother in the state of Alabama. Was living in Caswell County North 
Carolina when called into the Service and has lived ever since the Revolutionary 
War in South Carolina and he now lives in Greenville District. He did receive a 
discharge in writing signed by Major Dickson but it was burnt up in this house 
many years since. He is known in his present neighborhood to Col. Thomas 
Brachman, Major Micajah Berry and many others who will testify to his character 
for truth and veracity and their belief in his services as a soldier of the 
Revolution. He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity 
except this present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the 
agency of any other .

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaidI
S. McDaniel, C. C. D.
Asa (his mark) Wright

We Nathan Berry clergy man residing in Greenville District State South Carolina 
and Banister Stone residing in the same hereby certify that we are well 
acquainted with Asa Wright who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration 
that we believe him to be seventy four years of age; that he is respected and ? 
in the neighborhood where he resides, he has been a soldier of the Revolution 
and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day and year 
aforesaid.

S. McDaniel C. C. D. Nathan Berry B. Stone

And the said court does hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of 
the nmatter and after putting the interrogation prescribed by the war 
department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and 
served as he states. And the court further certified that it appears to them 
that Nathan Berry who has signed thepreceeding certificate is a clergyman 
resident in the District of Greenville and that Bannister Stone who has also 
signed the same is a resident in the District of Greenville and is a credible 
person and their statement is entitled to credit.

?. S. Richardson ? Judge

I Sam McDaniel Clerk of the Court of Common Plea and General Affairs for 
Greenville District do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original 
proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Asa Wright for 
a Pension. The testimony whereof I have hereunto set my and ? office this 15th 
October 1833.

S. McDaniel C. C. D.