Sumter County ScArchives Military Records.....Mathews, Hugh April 8, 1842
Revwar - Pension 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com February 23, 2007, 2:09 am

Pension Application Of Hugh Mathews, Natl Archives Microseries M805, Roll __, Application # R7020
Sumter District, South Carolina}
	On this 8th day of April in the year of our Lord 1842, personally 
appeared in open court before the Court of Sessions and Common Pleas, Hugh 
Mathews, a resident of said District and state, aged 79 years, who being first 
duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration…:

 	That he was born in the year 1762 near Dan River in Guilford County, 
North Carolina [but has no record of his age] and removed at about five years 
of age with his parents to South Carolina in Craven County on Wateree River, 
where he remained until the winter before the fall of Charleston, SC, when he 
removed back to North Carolina to get out of the way of the British troops and 
resided in Guilford and Randolph Counties. 

	His services in the Revolutionary War were as follows: Upon the passage 
of General Gates’ troops towards South Carolina, I was pressed by Captain Brown 
of Colonel Armong’s  _____ Legion of Cavalry of the regulars, to carry 
expresses from Randolph County from the camp near Cox’s Mills on Deep Creek or 
River, to Lieutenant Decatur, who was stationed at Cross Creek (now 
Fayetteville). I remained in that employment  about a month and received no 
pay, and was discharged when the troops moved on towards South Carolina and 
left me to find my way home near a hundred miles without a cent.

	A few days previous to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (I was then 
living in Guilford County), Colonel Litterell of the militia collected together 
on horseback the county militia, to participate in the expected fight. I, Hugh 
Mathews, volunteered and was in service about ten days. We found ourselves in 
everything. We had gotten within hearing of the battle when it occurred, say, 5 
miles. We joined General Greene at the Ironworks the day after the battle and 
stayed with him about 10 days, marched under him to Guilford Courthouse, then 
to Bell’s Mills, then to Cox’s Mill in Deep River where Colonel Litterell 
discharged us.

	The winter following I volunteered under Captain John Rains of the 
militia of Randolph County, Colonel Isaaks commanding, and served as a trooper 
for three months, the term for which we volunteered. We found our own horses 
and accoutrements of every description except provisions, which were taken by 
Captain Rains whenever they could be found, and gave receipts for them to be 
paid by the public. We drew no pay. The particular object of this volunteering 
was to take Colonel Fanning, a Tory colonel of considerable notoriety. Colonel 
Fanning went down into South Carolina, and I believe left the United States 
with the British troops.

	Afterwards, in 1782, troops were required for 18 months service to go 
down into South Carolina. I was then living in Randolph County under Captain 
Zebidee Woods. Four men had to be furnished by this company. We assembled and 
were balloted, and it fell upon deponent to go as one of the four. We were 
placed under the command of Captain Thomas Clarke of the regulars. I do not 
recollect the higher officers, as I did not see them. We were to rendezvous at 
Guilford Courthouse, and to go south from that place. Wagons and teams were 
very much wanted to transport the troops and provisions; and the offer was made 
to the troops that any four of them that would join together and find a wagon 
and team for the use of the army, it would be deemed equivalent to the 18 
months service, and they should receive a regular discharge therefor. Relying 
on this offer, this deponent with three other soldiers, viz. Denny Hopkins, 
Robert Moore, and Ralph Lowe, amongst us provided a wagon and team, and 
delivered the same to Captain Thomas Clarke, who thereupon gave each of us a 
discharge. That discharge I have preserved ever since, and tho’ now much 
mutilated, is still legible and is in the following words: 

“State of North Carolina, Randolph County} 
	This is to certify that Hugh Mathews has furnished his part of one 
wagon and team for the use of the North Carolina Continental line for 18 months 
and is hereby discharged. Certified by me, this 15th day of September, 1782, 
Thomas Clark, Captain. The original discharge is herewith filed. 

	Two or three years after the Revolutionary War, this deponent returned 
to South Carolina and settled on the High Hills of Santee in Craven County (now 
Sumter District) where he has remained ever since with little exception. This 
deponent is residing some 100 miles from the scene of his services. He has no 
means of going there in search of living witnesses to tell the truth of his 
statements and there are none residing in South Carolina within his knowledge, 
and he has no documentary evidence to establish his claim other than the 
discharge hereunto appended. This deponent says that the discharge herewith 
filed signed by Thomas Clarke, captain, is genuine and in the proper 
handwriting of said Captain Thomas Clarke…etc. 

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