WILSON COUNTY, TN - MILITARY - John Higgins, Revolutionary War Pension Affidavit ----¤¤¤---- This is abstracted literim from National Archives Microfilm M-804, Roll No. 1271, file number #W365, Frames 499-567. The misspelled words and text have been preserved in their unabridged form from the actual deposition. Transcribed by Keith Fletcher 1997 Donated to TN Connections Archives 1997 Donated to TNGenWeb Archives Feb 2003 Declaration In order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress of the 7th June 1832. State of Tennessee) Wilson County ) On this 24th day of September 1832, personally appeared before the justices of the court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for said County of Wilson now sitting, John Higgins a resident of Wilson County & State of Tennessee, aged Seventy four years in the month of June last passed who being duly sworn, according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the year 1777, between the 1st and 10th of August of that year with Elias Edmunds who was then Captain & Samuel Blackwell Lieutenant and served in the 2nd Regiment, to his best recollection, of the Virginia line, under the following named officers: From the time of his enlistment for perhaps two years the company to which he belonged was under the Command of Capt Edmunds and believes that he was not attached to any regiment until we marched to the South - he was duly and regularly discharged by Major...with whom he was not well acquainted, but he well remembers he was discharged about the 20th of August 1780 which was about four days after Genl Gates defeat. And he recollects that his discharge was signed and given him by an officer of the Regular Army who was stationed at Hillsborough as he understood for that purpose-- he enlisted with Capt Edmunds for the term of three years & his time was out about six days previous to the battle at Camden or Gates' defeat. And in consequence of the entreaties of his mes[s]mates he was induced to take the place of Danl Cornwell for about ten days & for which Danl Cornwell gave him a new pair of leather breeches at the time they left Hillsborough for Camden. He enlisted in Faurquar County, State of Virginia for three years, about six miles from the Courthouse, marched from thence to little York, thence to Hampton, thence Norfolk & Portsmith [sic] then returned again to Little York & to Hillsborough, & from Hillsborough to the Battle near Camden the services during this time rendered were in guarding & for the purpose of defending the places above mentioned and the military stores -- for he belonged to the artillery and was on duty in the artillery corps when Gates was defeated-- he knew Baron De Kalb & saw him frequently whilst in the service believes he knew Genl Stevens at least he recollects of hearing of such an officer-- he knew Col Porterfield and saw him immediately after he was wounded in battle-- He knew Genl Gates well as their commanding General and saw him on his retreat, when he ordered every man to shift for himself. He was not in any other battle except Gates defeat. After he got his discharge at Hillsborough, having served about three years & ten days -- he returned home and in the Spring or first of the Summer in year 1781 he was drafted and served a tour of 3 months in the Militia -- he was mustered in service at Faurquar Court house and marched immediately down below Williamsburgh against Lord Cornwallis' forces and returned home after the expiration of his time of service and recollects that the militia who succeeded him were at the seige at Little York when Cornwallis surrendered. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Agency of any statement. (This last word should be "State" but was misspelled in the deposition) Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid his John X Higgins mark And the said court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. M Martin Benjm H. Billings E. C. Colbetts I Josiah T. McClain Clerk of the court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions in Wilson County, Tennessee, do hereby certify that the foregoing containing the Original proceedings of said court in the matter of the application of John Higgins for a pension In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and the seal of my office, at office in the town of Lebanon. October 2nd 1832 Josiah T. McClain Amended Declaration of John Higgins Tennessee ) Wilson County) Personally appeared before me the undersigned a justice of the peace foresaid County of Wilson, John Higgins, who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory, he does not remember the names of all his officers and cannot swear positively upon that point -- But he states again that his Capt Edwards commanded the company when he entered the service, he was then promoted first to the office of Major & then to the office of Col Commandant of the 2nd Virginia Regiment. Lieutenant Blackwell took the command of the company under the rank of Captain, when Capt Edmunds was promoted to the office of Major in the said Regiment & when Major Edmunds was appointed Colonel Capt Blackwell was advanced to the rank of Major. Henly Moore was our Ensign, but whether he or some other officer took the command as Captain he cannot now remember-- for it has been a long time, and he has not thought much upon the subject of late years until since the year 1832.--Genl Gates was commander in chief when he was in the United States. [It is assumed the drafter of this document in error omitted the word "Army" at the end of this statement] Whilst he was in the Militia service he was under the command of officers with whom he had no personal acquaintance being from different counties from that of his residence-- and his service in the militia was not of such importance as to fix the recollection of their names upon his memory-- he was not in any engagement whilst in the Militia service -. When he made his original application at court he was advised that the regular soldiers were not required to produce the testimony of a minister of the Gospel or other testimony & he lives about twenty five miles from the seat of Justice & there was no Clergyman then present nor can he now procure the testimony of a clergyman for the same reason (his distance from his own residence--)-- He does not know of any living witness by whom he can prove his services-- nor has he any documentary evidence to establish the same-- for he did not take care of his discharge from the regular army & did not receive one when his service or tour of duty was terminated in the Militia -- He was a private soldier during the whole of his services in the United States services Sworn to and subscribed before me this 25th June 1833-- his John X Higgins mark James C. Williford We James Davidson, & John McMinn residing in the county of Wilson & State of Tennessee do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Higgins who has subscribed and sworn to the original Declaration & the foregoing amendmendment thereto. that we believe him to be about seventy-four years of age, and he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed before me ) J.P. Davidson the 25th June 1833, and I certify that ) John McMinn those witnesses are credible persons and ) that their statement is entitled to credit. ) Jas C Williford ) I Josiah McClain clerk of the county court of said county of Wilson in the state of Tennessee do hereby certify that James C. Williford is an acting Jusctice of the peace in Wilson County and that his signature to the foregoing amended declaration and affidavit in the matter of the application of John Higgins for a pension are genuine In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal office June 25th 1833 J. T. McClain ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Pat Spradley patspradley@yahoo.com ___________________________________________________________________