Caroline Co., VA Pension Application
Henry Chiles

Revolutionary War Pension Application
The below was copied from the application of Henry Chiles on file in the
National Archives, Washington, D. C.  Henry Chiles was born in Caroline County.  He
was drafted into service in Caroline County. By the time he applied in 1832 for his 
pension for service during the Revolutionary War, he was living in Madison County, Va.

In order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832,
State of Virginia, Madison TS

On this 23rd day of November 1832, personally appeared in open Court before
the Justices of the County Court of Madison, Henry Chiles, a resident of the
Town of Madison, in the County of Madison, in the State of Virginia, aged
seventy years the 18th of December next, who being first duly sworn according
to Law, doth on his oath make the following declarations in order to obtain
the benefits of the Acts of Congress passed Jun the 7th......1832.

He entered the service of the United States under the following named
officers, and served as herein stated.  In the months of August or September
1778, I joined a volunteer company in the County of Caroline Virginia for a
tour of three months.  The company was commanded by Captain Philip Bucker.  I
faithfully served the three months, and was discharged at Petersburg on the
3rd day of December 1778.  The company was marched to the Town of Richmond and
attached to the Third Virginia State Regiment
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then under the command of Major Dickerson.  Shortly after the Regiment was
under the command of Colonel John Tyler of Caroline and the Regiment attached
to the brigade commanded by General Spotswood.  From the Town of Richmond I
marched to Williamsburg, and from there to Old Jamestown where we had an
engagement with the enemy which resulted in our loosing twelve or fourteen
men, killed and wounded, and from talking from the enemy about the same number
of persons.  The British troops made their escape on board of their vessels
except the few killed and taken from Jamestown.  I marched to Ruffins Ferry,
twelve or fourteen miles below the City of Richmond and crossed to the south
side of James River, and from there to a plantation belonging to a man by the
name of MacKay.  he was said to be a Tory, and the field officer took up
quarters there in his house and remained there near two months.  From thence I
marched to Cabbin Point, and from there to Petersburg where I was discharged.
The discharge long since lost.
        Page 3
In the year 1779 in the month of May, I was drafted in the County of Caroline
Virginia where I was born and resided until 1800.  Then my second tour was for
two months.  I was attached to the company commanded by Captain Anthony New
and marched to the City of Richmond and attached to the Regiment of Militia
commanded by Colonel Mathews.  The Regiment attached to the Brigade commanded
by General Nelson from Richmond.  I marched to the neighborhood of Norfolk and
Hampton where I was discharged. In the latter part of the year 1779, I was
again drafted from the County of Caroline Virginia for a tour of two months
and attached to the company commanded by Captain John Tyler and again marched
to the Town of Richmond and attached to the Brigade commanded by General
Mecklenburg.  I was marched and counter marched during this tour to various
points in the lower part of Virginia and finally discharged near Norfolk.
        Page 4
In the year 1781, I was again drafted in the month of April or May in the
County of Caroline Virginia for a Tour of two months and attached to the
Company commanded by Captain George Madison.  I was again marched to Richmond
and attached to the Regiment in the command of Colonel Cary. and again marched
and counter marched to various points on the Rivers and Bays keeping a lookout
for the movements of the enemy.  Seven remaining more days at the same place
and finally discharged near Hampton in Virginia.

In the month of August or September 1781, I was again drafted from the County
and State I had heretofore been drafted from.  This time for a tour of three
months and attached to the Company under command of Captain Thomas Ellis.  I
was marched to Richmond in great haste and the day after sent with others to a
place called Malden Hills in Charles City County and attached to the Regiment
commanded by Colonel Dick.
        Page 5
After remaining at Malden Hills a few days attached to the company commanded
by Captain George Waugh.  I was appointed by him a sergeant and with a
sergeants guard, I was ordered to a place on the bank of James River called
Turkey Island for the purpose of keeping a lookout on the movements of the
enemy then on James River.  I remained with the men attached to the guard for
some time, and from there was ordered to join that portion of the army
stationed at the Malden Hills.  From the Malden Hills I was again ordered with
my sergeants guard to join a detachment under the command of a substitute
officer to take a stand on James River near the Malden Hills and lay in ambush
to wait the motions of some enemy vessels whose men were plundering the farms
on the River.  It was our good fortune to meet with sixteen of the enemy with
loaded sheeps and other articles taken from the adjoining farms just at the
moment that they had reached their boats.  The vessels to which they belonged
then lying in sight at anchor.  It was at this junction we gave them a fire
from every musket and killed or took out sixteen.  Fourteen of them and the
other two were severely wounded.  Would not take time even to bury the killed
but threw them into the River, burnt the boats and retreated with the two
wounded prisoners to the station at the Malden Hills.   From after reaching
the station at the Malden Hills, the commander at the time, Colonel Dick,
retreated with the view of joining that fraction of the American Army under
the command of General Waugh, and at the same time ordered me with my
sergeants guard to proceed in all haste to the County of Henrico to a long
string of bridges called the New Bridges and from thence to another string of
bridges called the Meadow Bridges, both of them crossing what is called the
Chickahominy Swamp with
        Page 7
orders to burn them both.   This order I faithfully executed and rendered
them unsafe to a pursuing enemy.  This service was performed without a cent of
money in our pockets on a single ration in our napsacks.  When it was finished
we made our way to the nearest farm house which was a Mr. Treachear and met
with what we greatly needed, meat, and drink in abundance, and no charge for
it.  From there we made our way to Captain Dowells on the Pamunkey River, and
was by him furnished with what we wanted to eat and drink.  The American Army
was then on the retreat to Raccoon Fords in to.............(illegible) and we
making every effort to overtake them and not meet with them until we reached
the Raccoon Ford.  The Army then commanded a movement towards the County
occupied by the enemy, which was effected by creating a new road, which I
assisted in making.  In a few days we had the enemy before as making their
        Page 8
way toward Yorktown.  I was at Yorktown on the Gloucester side, a few days
after the regular siege commenced, and remained with the surrender of the
British Army to the combined American and French forces.  After the surrender,
I assisted in guarding the prisoners to Gloucester in Virginia where I was
honourably discharged, and the discharge for this and other four, long since
lost.  The amount of my deferment tours for which I was drafted and
volunteered is twelve months, but in addition to that I substituted myself in
a four under Captain New in the year 1778 or 1779.  I remained in service this
four only twenty six days.  I was a substitute for Satchel Thacker of the
County of Caroline Virginia.  The only testimony I can procure from those in
service with me is the certificate from Patrick Carnal, William Coats, and
Robert Wright, all of the County of Caroline Virginia.  I refer to my
neighbors William Finks, Abraham Tinsley, Hackett Gibbs, and Charles R. Gibbs
of Madison as to my character and handling as a man of truth and veracity.  He
hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension of annuity except the
present and declaring that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency
of any State.  I favour to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

Signed Henry Chiles (his mark) Seal

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