REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION ABSTRACT - THOMAS BELL Contributed by: William (Chip) Pate [chip@pateandassociates.com] ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** PRIVATE THOMAS BELL Captain Bedinger's Company, Berkeley (Virginia) Militia Private Thomas Bell enlisted on May 1, 1781, at age 25, in Captain Bedinger's Company, Berkeley (Virginia) Militia, which was under the command of Colonel Darke. The company later served under Captain Moore, after the resignation of Capt. Bedinger. A resident of Berkeley County, Virginia (now West Virginia), Private Bell volunteered in the militia- initially for a three-month term-which was formed to intercept Cornwallis as he marched into Virginia. Over the next three months, the militia was present in Fredericksburg, Falmouth, and Williamsburg. After reenlisting for another three month term, Private Bell and his militia were marched to Yorktown, where the unit was merged into the main Continental army under the command of Gen. George Washington. Private Bell and others in his unit served in the siege of Yorktown and were present at the surrender of British General Cornwallis. He volunteered once again for duty after the surrender, and it appears from the records that he was present in New York, where British reinforcements were collected, and later in Boston to assist the French army. He served until March, 1782. In November 7, 1833, Private Bell petitioned for and received a pension for his service, while he was living in Washington County , Tennessee. The pension provided him with a $20.00 annual allowance, $60.00 of which was received. (From United States Archives records from microfilm.)