Jefferson County TN Archives Military Records.....Rayl, Samuel February 1834
Revwar - Pension 
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Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com June 25, 2006, 1:45 pm

Pension Application Of Samuel Rayl, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 2007, Application #S4034
SAMUEL RAYL, a resident of Jefferson County, TN, aged 81 years in February 1834:

	“At the age of fourteen, he was bound by his mother to David Potts, a 

wheelwright of Burmudson County [PA], until he was twenty years of age. 

Declarant served his time out and after he was twenty-one in 1773, he moved by 

himself to the state of North Carolina, near Guilford Courthouse, about five or 

six miles from it.”

	“At his company muster ground, at the house of CHARLES BRUCE in 

Guilford County near Guilford Courthouse, the declarant, together with many 

others, volunteered under Captain JOHN ?ALLUMS [?ELMS] in the month of July, 

day not recollected, in the year 1776, for the purpose of marching against the 

Cherokee Indians who had attacked the frontiers a short time before and had 

murdered some women and children and some men. Declarant had been elected 

ensign in Captain ELMS company of militiamen more than a year before, and still 

was the ensign of the company. Declarant received his commission as ensign from 

the hands of Colonel ALEXANDER MARTIN, who commanded the regiment. HEZEKIAH 

RHODES was the lieutenant, as declarant believes, though he is not certain. 

JAMES DELAY was the orderly sergeant, as he believes, though he is not certain. 

The other sergeants and the corporals are not recollected.”

“At the same place and time another company volunteered under Captain LEAK, so 

pronounced. The place of rendezvous was Guilford Courthouse and on the 13th day 

of July 1776, this declarant reported there and within sight of Guilford 

Courthouse, a large body of men, many companies, number not recollected, were 

collected. Colonel ALEXANDER MARTIN commanded them. This declarant was ensign 

in Captain JOHN ELMS company. Captain FORBIS was one of the captains. Declarant 

does not now recollect any other captains’ names. There were no regular 

officers or soldiers.”

“Many of the men being unprepared with guns and provisions and clothing, had to 

return to their homes to make ready. They were ordered to make ready and return 

immediately. This declarant returned home, prepared himself, and returned in 

three or four days to Guilford Courthouse. Thence we were marched under Colonel 

ALEXANDER MARTIN towards the Cherokee towns. We marched a few miles only the 

first day, encamping the first night four or five miles from Guilford 

Courthouse. The third or second day, we reached Salisbury, within sight of it. 

Thence in four or five days, we marched to Cathey’s Fort, crossing on our way 

the Catawba River at the Root Bridge Branch. Here we remained a day or two 

waiting for reinforcements, who were occasionally joining us. The Root Bridge 

Branch was about a mile from Cathey’s Fort.”

“At Cathey’s Fort we remained for several days (about 3 or 4). From Cathey’s 

Fort, in a few days (five or six), we marched to Cowee Town, a Cherokee town on 

the Hiwassee River, crossing on our way, the mountains between North Carolina 

and what is now east Tennessee. We crossed the French Broad and Little Pigeon 

Rivers, and the Little Tennessee River. When we reached Cowee Town, it was 

deserted by the Indians. We burned the town. Here we found corn, fresh meat, 

hogs and chicken, and sweet potatoes, and we remained here several days, number 

not recollected. A considerable body of men from Georgia joined us at Cowee 

Town.”

“While we were at Cowee, the Over-Hill Cherokees we were informed, were coming 

upon us and 400 of our men were sent in two divisions and ordered to take 

different routes. This declarant was not in either division, though desirous of 

going, he was prevented by his captain on account of his having an attack of 

inflammatory rheumatism, brought on by wading French Broad. One of the 

divisions that took the right hand [position] met the Over-Hill Cherokees who 

were coming on. About two miles from Cowee, our men engaged with and routed 

them, killing nine of the Indians with a loss on our part of two or three men. 

From Cowee Town, we marched to a town, the name of which is not recollected, 

not far from Cowee, which we also burned. We also burned several towns not far 

from Cowee that were attached to Cowee Town, the names of which, if they had 

any, not recollected.”

“We returned to Cowee Town on Hiwassee River after having destroyed the towns 

and provisions of the Indians near the Cowee Town, and thence returned home the 

same route we had gone on. We started in July, day not recollected, and 

returned the latter part of October, day not recollected, making a service of 

three months and twelve days. This declarant received no written discharge, and 

never applied afterwards for a written discharge, never thinking it would be of 

any service to him to get one.”

“This declarant received pay for three months and twelve days service in this 

way: There was a sale at Cowee Town of property taken in the Indian towns. 

Declarant purchased a horse and his account was an offset against his pay.”

“In the month of March 1777 [this may have actually been in 1776, before the 

Cherokee expedition], day not recollected, declarant volunteered at his company 

muster grounds at CHARLES BRUCES’s house under his Captain JOHN ELMS, for the 

purpose of marching against the Tories on Cross Creek, who had been committing 

many outrages upon the Whig families in that and adjacent sections of country. 

THOMAS MCCRORY was lieutenant in this tour, declarant believes, though he is 

not certain from the impaired state of his memory. Declarant was ensign, 

sergeant or corporals not recollected.”

“At Guilford Courthouse, we collected together and thence we were marched under 

Colonel ALEXANDER MARTIN towards the Cross Creek settlement about seventy miles 

from Guilford Courthouse. Captain LEAK was one of the captains. There were 

several companies, number unknown to declarant, as they joined us on our way 

from different sections. We marched in a southerly direction towards Cross 

Creek, waiting for reinforcements. We got into a settlement of Tories eight or 

ten miles before we reached Cross Creek. About ten or twelve miles from 

Guilford Courthouse, we crossed Deep River. We delayed for some time in going 

to Cross Creek. The Tories were collecting in a body under CONNER DOWD. On our 

approach, they dispersed.”

“All the Tories we could catch were compelled to take the oath of allegiance to 

the state of North Carolina, and to support and maintain the independence of 

the United States against George 3rd, or any other king or foreign power. After 

doing this and destroying the property of those Tories who had been committing 

outrages upon Whig families, and had been aiding and abetting the British 

power, we returned home. We took some prisoners and had them tried at the 

townhouse of the country, name of the town and county not recollected. These 

Tories were suffered to go unpunished after taking the oath as above, which 

they did. When we had finished the destruction of the property of such Tories 

as had been committing outrages, their trial and had compelled all that we 

could take to swear the oath of allegiance to the state, we returned to our 

respective homes, and this declarant was discharged verbally by his Captain 

JOHN ELMS at Guilford Courthouse after a tour of three months…Declarant 

volunteered in this expedition in the month of March 1777 [or 1776] and 

returned and was discharge in the month of June 1777 [or 1776], day not 

recollected.”

“In the month of March 1781, day not recollected, this declarant was drafted at 

Guilford Courthouse by Captain JOSEPH HOSKINS for a tour of three months as a 

private soldier, he having resigned his commission as ensign in Captain ELMS 

company in the intermediate time between his tour to Cross Creek and the tour 

that he was now drafted to perform. Being a wheelwright and blacksmith, this 

declarant was detailed from Captain HOSKINS company immediately after he was 

drafted, and was placed at Guilford Courthouse under FRANCIS MCNARY, a 

commissary who had charge of the wagons and provisions for the troops. We 

supplied the British prisoners who were at the Quaker Meeting House near 

Guilford and our own wounded men, that were at Guilford Courthouse. This 

declarant was employed, when not with the wagons, in mending the wagons with 

both wood and iron and shoeing horses for the troops.”

“This declarant was engaged in the service as a private soldier from March 1781 

day not recollected, until late in May 1781, day not recollected. He was 

drafted and entered upon this tour early in March 1781, shortly before the 

Battle of Guilford, served out his term of three months as above stated, 

lacking twelve days, making two months and eighteen days. Declarant was 

discharged by commissary FRANCIS MCNARY at this service, no longer requiring 

the assistance of declarant…”

Answer 5th-there were no regular officers or soldiers where I served. In the 

Cherokee expedition under Colonel MARTIN, there was a Colonel PAISLEY…”

“…I was detailed for the service in the commissary department on account of my 

being a wheelwright and blacksmith and served in that dept. for two months and 

eighteen days, being engaged in attending upon the wagons, employed in hawking 

provisions and forage, and in mending wagons and shoeing horses for the troops…”

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