Bute County [see 1770 map] was formed in 1764 from the eastern part of Granville County. It was named for John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763. In 1779 Bute County was divided into Franklin County and Warren County, and ceased to exist.
Declaration of Independence of the United States, 1775
The translated pages (reddish colored lettering) of Jeremiah Walker’s pension petition are from a copy of the documents originally filed in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, but obtained from NARA as a Dickson County, Tennessee, document. I thought Jeremiah's narrative was very interesting and began to research his travels and battles during the war. I was amazed at his memory (he must have been near 80 years old) and precise details. As a lover of U. S. History and Military History, I have provided some historical information on a "Notes" page to enhance the significance of his military career and the time period. By adding the notes page, you can view the original translation in it's entirety without interruption by notes. You can selectively jump to a specific name or subject in the notes by clicking on any of the highlighted footnote numbers. Enjoy. [BW]
William Hill was born in Surry (now Stokes) county, N. C. on the 23rd of September 1773 and died in Raleigh on the 29th of October, 1857, being 84 years, 1 month and 6 days old.
In January 1908 he married to Miss Sarah Geddy, daughter of Col. John Geddy. They had a son and four daughters. She died on February 14th, 1833.
In 1834 or 1835 he married Mrs. Frances C. Blount, relict of Joseph Blount, Esq., of Chowan county. Her maiden name was Conner. She was a lineal descendant of John Archdale, a Quaker, who was Governor of Carolina in the year 1694. They had no children. She died after 1857. Source: RANCHO PANCHOCreated by Claire Ortiz Hill (William Hill, Secretary of State page with more information)
Rice, GARLAND — of Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, La.; a Representative from Louisiana; born in Lynchburg, Va., about 1795; pursued an academic course; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice; moved to Opelousas, La., in 1820 and continued the practice of his profession; elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry A. Bullard; reelected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-fourth Congress and as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Congresses and served from April 28, 1834, to July 21, 1840, when he resigned to accept an appointment as judge of the supreme court of Louisiana, in which capacity he served, with residence in New Orleans, La., until 1846; chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Department of War (Twenty-sixth Congress); moved to Brownsville, Tex., in 1846 and continued the practice of law until his death in that city in 1861; interment in a cemetery at Brownsville. Source: From the Biographical Directory of
the United States Congress 1774-Present
THOMAS, Philemon, a Representative from Louisiana; born in Orange County, Va., February 9, 1763; attended the common schools; served in the Revolutionary War; moved to Kentucky and settled in Mason County; delegate to the convention which framed the constitution of the State of Kentucky; member of the Kentucky house of representatives 1796-1799; served in the State senate 1800-1803; moved to Louisiana in 1806 and settled on the banks of the lower Mississippi River; member of the Louisiana house of representatives; leader of an uprising against the Spanish authorities, who exercised authority over what is now Mississippi and Louisiana, and commanded the forces which captured the Spanish fort at Baton Rouge in 1810; major general of Louisiana Militia in 1814 and 1815 and served in that capacity in the War of 1812; moved to Baton Rouge, La.; elected to the Twenty-second and Twenty-third Congresses (March 4, 1831-March 3, 1835); died in Baton Rouge, La., November 18, 1847; interment in the Old American Graveyard; reinterment in the National Cemetery at Baton Rouge, La. Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present
“Men of some means who were drafted were permitted to pay a substitute to serve in their steads. Many an indentured servant and apprentice entered the Continental Army as substitutes for their masters. Draftees persuaded constables to "sell them" vagrants and other petty offenders to serve in their places. A few British deserters and prisoners of war found their way into the Continental Army as substitutes…
People bought recruits from entrepreneurs. Enterprising businessmen could pay a willing recruit the official bounty and then offer him to draftees as a substitute. The high bidder among the draftees sent the recruit to the army, and the entrepreneur pocketed the difference between the private payment for a substitute and the public bounty for a recruit.” Source: A Common American Soldier; by Christopher Geist. CW Journal, Autumn 04
[I could not find anything on a "Captain Richards" other than the "Diary of Captain Samuel Richards" (view the diary in Adobe PDF) which gives a general narration of the Revolutionary War.]
The diary has an entry at the back of the book that states "At the close of the war Captain Richards returned to Farmington, Conn., and served as postmaster for twenty years. He married Sarah Welles, of Glastenbury, Conn., daughter of Jonathan Welles and Katherine Saltonstall. Their daughter Cornelia married John Lord Butler, and lived in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Captain Richards removed to Wilkes-Barre and lived there to be 87 years old. He is buried in the Hollenback Cemetery near Colonel Zebulon Butler, his comrade in arms and father of his son-in-law. He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati."
Fort Hampton [Image of Fort Hampton location near Gilbert Town, North Carolina] was named for Colonel Andrew Hampton, and located midway between Fort McFadden and Montford's Fort. The Revolutionary War pension application of John Bradley tells about his helping to build Fort Hampton.
Rutherford County, North Carolina
Fort Hampton was named for Colonel Andrew Hampton, and located midway between Fort McFadden and Montford’s Fort. Montford's Fort was in the Montford's Cove section. The fort was named for Montford Wilson, who received grants for extensive acres in the Montford Cove area. [This may be the Colnel Hampton Fort mentioned by Jeremiah. Colnel hampton fortified his home near Gilbert Town.]
“The last important engagement in the Carolina campaign of the American Revolution was fought in Eutaw Springs 30 miles northwest of Charleston, South Carolina. The American forces under General Nathaniel Greene attacked at 4 AM, driving British troops under Colonel Alexander Stewart from the field. Greene believed that if he could destroy Stewart he could end the British threat to the south once and for all. The American attack floundered when the men stopped to plunder the camp. The British then rallied and repulsed the Americans. The end result however, was that the British were too weak to hold the field anymore. After sunset, Stewart retreated toward Charleston. The battle was an important victory for the Americans; it forced the British to remain within Charleston and prepared the way for the siege of Yorktown.” Source: The Battle of Eutaw Springs September 8, 1781
[Find Eutaw Springs Battle also on this page: Jethro Exum Sumner;Nathanael Greene;Otho Holland Williams]
Michael Bacon, Revolutionary Soldier, received a lot of land for his service in the first range in South Carolina, and purchased lots 6 and 7 in the same range from John Stevens. On one of these last two was situated the bridge over the Ashley River, originally called Stevens's Bridge, but ever since and now known as Bacon's Bridge.
[p. 33] Upon the adjournment of the Jacksonborough Assembly [February 26, 1782], General Greene moved his camp from Skirving's plantation to Bacons Bridge, at the head of Ashley River. This was the bridge two miles above the fort at Dorchester; Bacons Bridge corresponded to the modern highway bridge on S.C. 165 across the Ashley River in southern Dorchester County. Greene's encampment was located at the crossroads just west o£ the bridge, and the army remained at this position throughout the spring of 1782.
[Ref 21 Apr 1782]
[p.35] On the morning of April 21, the Patriot cavalry under Captain Ferdinand O'Neal proceeded across Bacons Bridge to patrol the east side of Ashley River in the direction of the Quarter House. O'Neal soon discovered that a party of British horse under Captain George Dawkins had penetrated north of the American position as far as Slanns Bridge (where U.S. 17-A now crosses the Ashley River). The Patriots advanced rapidly toward the town of Dorchester and encountered the British patrol as it was leaving the village on its return southward. The two cavalry units charged each other, but before either side had gained an advantage, a second party of enemy cavalry, dismounted and armed with carbines, ambushed the Americans. O'Neal's men took the only avenue of retreat open to them, heading directly away from the river on the Gaillard Road. The Americans lost three or four killed and wounded, and nine men and fifteen horses captured by the enemy.6 The engagement evidently took place on the eastern outskirts of Dorchester near the bridge over Bossua or Boshoe Creek, which is today known as Dorchester Creek. Several roads in the country north of Charleston have been called Gaillard Road, but it seems clear that the Gaillard Road referred to in connection with this skirmish was the public road leading from Dorchester to Moncks Corner by way of Goose Creek, or modern state secondary road 230 in Dorchester County. Source: Terry Lipscomb, "South Carolina Revolutionary War Battles", Part Nine, Names in South Carolina, XXVIII, Winter 1981: [Dorchester was just outside of Charleston, SC (Northwest) at a fork of the Ashley River]
