MARLBORO CO., SOUTH CAROLINA - REV WAR - ODOM, Sion ************************************************ SCGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/sc/scfiles.htm Contributed to the SCGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Poquette May 27, 2006 ************************************************ Pension Application Of Sion Odom, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 1838, Application #S21035 Marlboro District, SC, 2nd day of October 1832, Sion Odom, aged 77 years: “…He was moved into South Carolina, Marlboro District by his father in the year 1779?, where he has lived ever since, to the present time. He enlisted in March 1776 in the service of the United States under Captain Samuel Wise of the United States army and marched down to the Ten Mile House north of Charleston, South Carolina, which was made headquarters until the men received further orders. The regiment stationed there was under the command of Colonel William Thomson, Lt. Colonel James Mason. Samuel Wise was there promoted to the office of major, and the command of deponent’s company devolved on Captain John Carr Smith.” “The regiment he was in was styled the 3rd regiment. It was stationed at the Ten Mile House about a month. Orders here reached Colonel Thomson to march to Charleston forthwith as news had arrived that the British fleet under the command of the British admiral, Sir Peter Parker was sailing to that place. They reached Charleston between daylight and sunrise in the morning went aboard a schooner and landed at Fort Moultrie. A few days after they landed, the British fleet under the command of Sir Peter Parker came in sight. General Clinton landed his forces on Long Island and threw up a bank of sand on the point of that island to ward off the balls of the Americans, whilst the latter did the same on Sullivan’s Island.” “The 3rd regiment being that in which the deponent served was detached to repel the land forces of the British General Clinton. The British general made two or three attempts to drive the Americans from their fortifications. He drew out his men from behind their embankment and marched them in platoons towards the Americans, but they were so mowed down that Clinton had to retire discomfited. The British fleet suffered severely. The main mast of the Admiral’s fleet was cut down. It was either an eighty or an hundred gun ship and lay in front of the battle.” “After the battle was over, the Admiral sent over to Charleston for a main mast. This was refused him, but they sent to him a supply of fresh meat for the wounded soldiers, with an answer that if he wanted a mast he should go to England for it. The fleet lay there, out of reach of guns for about two weeks. Whilst there, deponent heard them firing over their dead, seven or eight times a day. One of the British ships was sunk, but not over the guns. In this situation, she was fired on by the fort and returned a broadside. After that the men left her. Some of the American soldiers were proceeding to plunder this vessel when one of the American officers, seeing a smoke rising from it, said ‘Boys, don’t you go for the vessel is on fire near the magazine.’ This proved to be the fact, for on the morning of that day the magazine caught fire and she blew to pieces.” “Clinton moved round between the island and the ?ship? At least a part of his forces did land. Whilst there, the American floating battery took one of his ships commanded by a Tory captain whose name was Cunningham. Deponent knew at Fort Moultrie about the time of that engagement, the following named officers in the United States army: Generals Moultrie, Marion (who commanded Col. William Thomson), Lt. Colonel James Mason, Major Samuel Wise, Captains John Donaldson, John Carr Smith, Uriah Goodwin and Captain Perrymuss? [Paramus?].” “The battle at Fort Moultrie was fought by the 2nd and 3rd regiments. After the British left the neighborhood of Fort Moultrie there was an order for half of the 3rd regiment to march on to storm the fort at St. Augustine. Deponent was in the half which marched on for that purpose. They were to be joined by the Georgians. The Americans had proceeded as far as Savannah when they rec’d orders to march up to Augusta, the detachment was under the command of Lt. Col. James Mason. Stayed there about ten days. The men got a furlough for twenty days with orders to meet at Friday’s Ferry on the Congaree River, SC.” “They did so and about a month afterwards they were ordered to march to Eutaw Springs. The ___ and the 3rd regiment met there at Friday’s Ferry and the whole under the command of Colonel William Thomson, marched up five miles above the Eutaw Springs a little above Nelson’s Ferry on the Santee River. At this place they remained about nine months. They then marched to Charleston and half of the 3rd regiment was ordered to guard a number of wagons to the Cherokee nation to make a treaty of peace with them. This detachment was this deponent’s.” “They conducted the wagons to Tugeloo River on the boundary of North Carolina and Georgia. They were met by about six hundred and sixty six Indians and after having concluded the treaty, they marched back to Nelson’s Ferry, and from thence to Charleston with the other half of the regiment. They stayed at Charleston until the time they were enlisted had expired. Deponent had his discharge signed by James Mason and quit the United States army on the 14th of June, 1779, having served altogether upwards of three years.” “Deponent returned to Marlboro. He now corrects a mistake made in the first part of his declaration as to his residence. When he rec’d his discharge at Charleston, he returned to Marlboro and found that his father had moved to Richmond County, North Carolina to which place deponent went. He was there authorized by Colonel Charles Medlock and Captain Nicholas Greers? in catching deserters and those who were drafted in the militia and would not serve. He thinks he spent about six months in this business. He then volunteered in a regiment of Light Horse commanded by Colonel Wade, spent his time pursuing the Tories in Richmond County, NC.” “About this time, either General Cornwallis or some part of his army came to Cheraws. The officers commanding the regiment of Light Horse gave up their commands and the men went where they pleased. After this, he never was in any regular service, but from that time until the close of the war, turned out whenever called upon to suppress the tories who were plundering and murdering all over the country.” “At one time he was obliged together with his brother Richard Odom, to hide himself in the swamps of Crooked Creek in Marlboro District. He came out one morning very early to get some provisions which were to be brought to him at the cowpens by his sisters, when, before he know it he was surrounded by the Tories under one Captain Matthew Terry, and taken prisoner. They carried him over Gum Swamp in Richmond County. One of the Tories named John Turner, who had had a previous quarrel, declared he would kill him. He, however, appeased them by promising to be their guide in a scout they intended making to plunder the Whig houses. He started with them and as they were marching along on a very dark night, he lagged behind them and before they knew it, made his escape. The deponent recollects nothing else worth mentioning…Joshua Ammons who is now alive and served in the same regiment with deponent can testify to his services as a Revolutionary soldier.”