Souern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters Pension Application of John Boyd R1088 Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris The State of Ohio } Ss. Warren County } Court of Common Pleas July Term 1839 On is 15 day of July A.D. 1837 personally appeared in open Court John Boyd, a resident of e town of Lebanon, County of Warren and State of Ohio, aged seventy four years and upwards, who being first duly sworn according to law do on his oa make e following declaration in order to obtain e benefit of e provision made by e Act of Congress passed June 7 1832. This applicant states at according to e best information in his possession he was born on e 25 day of March in e year seventeen hundred and sixty ree in e Town of Winchester and e en Colony of Virginia; in which place and its vicinity he continued to reside until e 25 day of December in e year 1779 on which day he enlisted in e Army of e United States in e said town of Winchester, under one Lieutenant Charles McLean or McLane, under e promise of receiving e appointment of orderly Sergeant, which appointment he immediately received on his enlistment. From e period of his enlistment applicant continued in e recruiting service as orderly sergeant aforesaid, in e towns of Winchester, Millerstown, (now called Woodstock) and Staunton in e now County of Augusta Virginia until about e first day of September in e year 1780 when in company wi said Lieutenant McLean and about irty two or ree recruits principally enlisted by declarant under said McLean, he marched from e town of Winchester to e City of Richmond in said state, where he arrived wi said recruits in some ree or four weeks after leaving Winchester, and joined e Corp or Regiment of Riflemen commanded by Gen Daniel Morgan, for which Regiment said recruits had been enlisted [see endnote]; and in which regiment declarant from at period continued to serve until subsequent to e battle of Guilford [Guilford Courouse] in Nor Carolina in e mon of March [15 ] 1781. When Declarant joined said regiment William Darke was e Colonel; Stevenson or Stinson e Major and e company to which declarant was attached was commanded by Capt John Stead Charles McLean Lieutenant, & Rees Bowen Ensign. Very shortly after declarant arrival at Richmond and joining e Rifle Corps, Lieutenant McLean left Richmond and returned to Winchester for e purpose of recruiting; on his departure Rees Bowen was promoted to e Lieutenancy of e Company, and on at promotion taking place, is declarant received from Gen Morgan e appointment of Ensign of e Company commanded by Capt Stead, and wiin a few weeks ereafter when in e State of Nor Carolina received from e Continental Congress an Ensign s Commission. From e time of receiving e appointment of Ensign which he inks was in e latter part of e mon of October 1780 he immediately commenced acting in at capacity and continued to sustain at grade until his final discharge in e mon of March 1782. After Lieutenant McLean left Richmond, declarant saw him no more it was reported at he died shortly afterwards in or near e town of Winchester. From Richmond e Rifle Regiment commanded by Gen Morgan wi is declarant and his company, commenced eir march for e Sou, as near as declarant can now recollect, sometime in e latter part of e mon of October in e year 1780 accompanied by about ree hundred regular or Continental infantry: Declarant received e appointment of Ensign prior to marching from Richmond, but was not commissioned, or did not receive his commission, until arriving in Nor Carolina. They marched rough a part of Virginia to Hillsborough in Nor Carolina, where ey rested a few days: from ence ey marched to e Catawba River, where ey were joined by a party of Virginia Militia commanded as deponent believes by Col Campbell [possibly Maj. David Campbell]; and also by a regiment or squadron of rd Horse commanded by Col Washington [Lt. Col. William Washington s 3 Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons]. Crossing e Catawba river at a place called e Island ford e troops accompanied by e Militia and Squadron of Horse aforesaid, marched to e Eutaw Springs, when learning at e British Army under Lord Cornwallis, was in considerable force in e
neighborhood, and fearing an attack from a force superior to our own we marched to e Cowpens in Sou Carolina, where we arrived on e day preceding e battle at at place [17 Jan 1781]. Declarant was in e whole of at engagement, which he inks was fought about e middle of February 1781. In at affair e American troops were successful, and succeeded in capturing upwards of five hundred prisoners from e enemy. Shortly after e battle understanding at e British Army under Cornwallis were in pursuit of e American Army, Gen Morgan commenced a retreat wi e prisoners; marched rough a part of Nor Carolina, crossed e Catawba river [at Cowan s Ford, 1 Feb], and e next day e river Yadkin [at Trading Ford, 4-5 Feb]. When e American troops reached e nor bank of e Catawba, e British army was on e sou bank of e same stream; and such was e ardor of pursuit at when we crossed to e nor side of e Yadkin, e British were in full view on e sou side of at stream. From e Yadkin we marched in e direction of Guilford County, and on e same day at we left at river, we were joined by Gen Green [sic: Naanael Greene] and his suite, who had left his army to meet us and on e next day as declarant believes, we were met by e Army commanded by Gen Green. After joining at army, Gen Morgan s command crossed Dan River, and escorted e prisoners taken at e Cowpens to some point in Virginia. Returned, rested several days, and wi e troops commanded by Gen Green crossed Dan River at Musgroves Mill [sic], and marched to Guilford Court House, where we were joined by a body of Nor Carolina Militia, and where we remained until e battle of Guilford, which was fought about e middle of March 1781, declarant was in at battle. After e engagement, e company to which is applicant was attached accompanied eir regiment to e Sou; and applicant being desirous of returning home for e purpose of supplying himself wi cloing, was attached to, and dispatched wi a company of Riflemen commanded by Capt Cherry whose lieutenant s name applicant inks was John Moore and whose ensign had been killed in e battle of Guilford, to guard e prisoners taken at e Cowpens to Charlottesville in Albemarle County Virginia, wi a furlough from Gen Morgan allowing him leave of absence for five weeks after he should arrive at Charlottesville wi e prisoners. On arriving at e latter place, he left ere and went to Winchester remained ere until about e time of e expiration of his furlough, and en returned to Charlottesville, where he remained attached to, and serving as ensign of Capt Cherry s Company guarding said prisoners until e latter part of e mon of October 1781, subsequent to e Capture of e British forces under Cornwallis at Yorktown in Virginia [19 Oct 1781] when we marched wi e prisoners we were guarding to Little York in e State of Pennsylvania, where we remained in winter quarters, wi e American army under e command of Gen Anony Wayne, until e 25 day of March 1782 when declarant was finally and honorably discharged from e service. Declarant enlisted for during e War, and served from e period of his enlistment until e time of his discharge (including five weeks on furlough) for e period of two years and ree mons at least sixteen mons of which period he served in e capacity of an Ensign as before stated, & e balance of e time as an orderly Sergeant. After applicant s discharge from e service, he resided in e State of Pennsylvania until e year 1789 when he returned to Winchester Virginia remained ere until e mon of October of at year, when he removed to Augusta County Virginia where he married removed from ence to Rockingham County Virginia in 1791 where he remained until e year 1808; from ence he removed into e County of Lee in Virginia ence to Ohio from ence to Bourbon County Kentucky from ence to Lee County Virginia again, ence to Christian County Kentucky from ence in e year 1824 to Madison County Tennessee, and from ence in January 1836 to Lebanon, Warren County Ohio where he still resides. When is applicant was discharged from e service in 1782 he wi e company commanded by Captain Cherry, was attached to a regiment commanded by Col. Hartley and had been from e period of his arrival at York Pennsylvania Declarant obtained a written discharge which he inks was signed by one Van Reddeford, e Adjutant of Col Hartley s regiment. When declarant removed from Christian County, Kentucky to Madison County Tennessee in 1824, e said written discharge, and his Commission as Ensign, were left at e residence of his son in Christian County at son is now deceased, e papers supposed to be lost or destroyed. When left ey were not deemed to be of any value; and ough en in existence, ey are now lost to declarant, and beyond his power to
produce em. While declarant was in e service, and even prior to his enlistment he was intimately acquainted wi Gen Morgan; has seen Gen Green, Gen Wayne and Gen [Charles] Lee. He knows of no living officer, soldier or oer witness, who served wi him in e revolutionary war, and by whom he can prove his services. He hopes however, at e rolls of e Regiment to which he was attached, are preserved in e department of War, and if so, he inks his name will be found in em. He is now upwards of 74 years of age, is poor & stands in need of e bounty of his country; he has a record of his age. Ignorance of e provisions of e pension law, and oer circumstances unnecessary to detail, have prevented an earlier application for a pension. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except e present, and he declares at his name is not on e pension roll of any agency in any state. Sworn to & subscribed in open Court e day and year aforesaid [signed] John Boyd [On 26 Apr 1838 Boyd deposed at he did not make earlier application for a pension because he did not know of e act of 1832 until 1835, when he lived in Madison County TN, and at he applied as soon as pecuniary concerns permitted. A 2 July 1838 letter from Col. James L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions, states at no claim for service as a commissioned officer can be allowed unless ere be record or documentary proof exhibited of e applicant s having been commissioned by competent auority, and it notes at commissioned officers were not discharged, but eier resigned eir commissions, or were left out as supernumerary officers. A reply dated 10 July 1838 from Boyd s attorney states at e Virginia Auditor s office had been unable to find record evidence of Boyd s commission, but at in e meantime e affidavits of two witnesses had been obtained. The two affidavits, dated 24 Apr 1838, were by James Hudson of Todd County TN and John Miller of Hamilton County OH. Bo stated at Boyd had served precisely as he claimed, but ey did not state how ey knew of his service. Neier man was an applicant for a pension. The character of Hudson was certified on 27 Apr 1838 in Warren County by Nicholas Earheart and Margaret G. Boyd.] The State of Ohio Warren County Ss. {Application of John Boyd for a pension under e {law of 1832 Personally appeared before me a Justice of e Peace in and for said county and state Isaac Miller who being affirmed before me depose and sai at he is now in e seventy nin year of his age and will be seventy nine years of age on e 28 day of January 1839 according to records in his custody. This deponent states at he entered e service of e United States in e fall of 1781 a short time before e capture of Lord Cornwallis and was a corporal in a company commanded by Captain Benjamin Price who afterwards fell in StClair s defeat [defeat of Gen Arur St. Clair by Chief Little Turtle on 4 Nov 1791]. This deponent also states at he was acquainted wi John Boyd during a portion of is deponents service in e Army and at e said John was in a company commanded by Captain Cherry. This deponent states at he knew e said John Boyd at Hagerstown in e State of Maryland in e fall after e capture of Cornwallis where e company commanded by Capt Price was gaurding prisoners. The company commanded by Capt Cherry was also engaged in gaurding prisoners and deponent inks at e two companies remained at Hagerstown about ree or four weeks. This deponent furer states at he very frequently saw e said Boyd in Capt Cherry s Company and said Boyd acted in e capacity of ensign, ough he never saw his commission. When e Company commanded by Capt Cherry left Hagerstown deponent inks at it went to Little York in Pennsylvania and e said John Boyd was en in e company acting as ensign. After e termination of e revolutionary war is deponent again saw e said Boyd in what is commonly called e Whiskey Campaign [in PA, 1794] being bo in e same regiment commanded by General Darke And furer is deponent sai not Affirmed to & subscribed before me is 20 day of Augt 1838 [signed] Isaac Miller The State of Ohio } Ss. Warren County }
d On is 22 day of August A.D. 1838 personally appeared before e undersigned one of e Justices of e Peace wiin and for e County and State aforesaid John Boyd a resident of e Town of Lebanon Warren County Ohio aged seventy five years and upwards, who being first duly sworn, do on his oa make e following additional or amended declaration, to e one already made by him and pending in e War Department, in order to obtain e benefit of e provision made by e Act of Congress passed June 7 1832. Declarant states at shortly after e battle of Guilford in Nor Carolina in March 1781 he was attached to, and dispatched wi a company of Riflemen commanded by Captain Cherry of e Continental Army as he believes, to guard and escort e prisoners taken at e battle of e Cowpens to Charlottesville in Albemarle County Virginia. The ensign of Captain Cherry s Company had been killed in e battle of Guilford, and declarant officiated as ensign in e company commanded by Captain Cherry. We marched e prisoners to Charlottesville, from whence declarant went to Winchester, where he remained for a few weeks and en returned to Charlottesville. Declarant inks at a Major McCartney of Virginia commanded e escort from Guilford to Charlottesville. Declarant remained on duty at Charlottesville after returning to at place from Winchester guarding e prisoners until after e Capture of Lord Cornwallis and e army commanded by him, in October 1781: he en marched wi e prisoners we had been guarding to Little York in e State of Pennsylvania. In going from Charlottesville in Virginia to York in Pennsylvania, we marched rough e towns of Winchester Millerstown now called Woodstock, Martinsburg, to Hagerstown in Maryland, where we met wi a part of e prisoners taken at e Capture of Cornwallis, and where we remained as near as declarant can now recollect ree or four weeks. From ence we marched rough Frederick town and several smaller towns to York in Pennsylvania where we arrived sometime in e latter part of autumn, or in e winter; at all events it was after e commencement of cold weaer. After our arrival at York e barracks being occupied, declarant wi oers was billeted out or occupied a house in possession of a citizen of e Town. It was e impression of declarant at when he arrived at York e American troops at at place were under e command of Col. Hartley of e Pennsylvania line but he has a distinct impression at Gen Anony Wayne was at at place during a part of e time at declarant was at at post. He recollects being present and saw six men of e Pennsylvania line shot for a mutiny and an officer said to be Gen Wayne was present: twelve were said to have been convicted of e mutiny six shot, and six pardoned. d Declarant stated in his original application at he was discharged on e 25 day of March 1782. It was his decided opinion when he made at declaration at he was discharged or disbanded from e service at e time erein mentioned: But declarant is now under e impression at it must have been in e year 1783 of is however he cannot be positive: But of one ing he is positive, at he remained in e service at York until very shortly before e British prisoners at at place were marched to New York for e purpose of being exchanged or sent to England [last British troops left New York 25 Nov 1783]. If at was in e Spring of 1783 en declarant was in e service until March 1783. At e same time at Declarant was relieved from duty at York Captain Cherry and his company was also relieved, and marched to Martinsburg in Virginia, or started for at place: Captain Hershaw and Capt. Hawkins wi eir companies of Virginia Militia were discharged at e same time. Declarant in his original application stated at he was discharged The use of e word discharged may have been incorrect: he recollects perfectly at he did obtain a written paper, discharging him from furer service; but it may have been and probably was coupled wi e provision at he was discharged, until again called upon. He recollects of enquiring of Capt. Cherry wheer he was bound to return to Gen Morgan s Corps. en in e Sou, who answered in e negative: and is declarant was never again called upon to enter e service. After declarant was discharged as stated above, e Pennsylvania troops as it was said was left at York, and declarant understood at Gen Wayne Commanded e escort which guarded e prisoners to New York. Declarant understood at shortly after Capt. Steed returned from e Sou, he died, and to at cause is perhaps to be attributed e fact, at e name of Declarant does not appear on e rolls of e army; as said Capt. Steed must have been prevented from returning e roll of
his Company Declarant in his original Declaration, and in is additional declaration, has made a correct statement as near as his age and recollection will permit of his services in e Army of e Revolution or at least as far as such detail can tend to exhibit e leading facts in regard to his services. In some minor particulars he may be in error, particularly in reference to e time stated in his original application when he was discharged from e service. It may have been e 25 of March 1783. Declarant has however referred which is all he can do wi positive safety to e general historical fact, at it was about e time at e prisoners were marched from York in Pennsylvania to New York. And if at should be deemed unsatisfactory, he dont know at he can wi safety be more specific. If it was not until e 25 of March 1783 at declarant was relieved from e service, en declarant was in e service of e United States including e time he was on furlough ree years and ree mons. And furer deponent states at it was not until after e adjournment of e Court of Common pleas in e County at he heard read e last letter from e Commissioner of Pensions in reference to his application which is e reason is amended application was not sworn to in open Court. And furer declarant sai not. [signed] John Boyd [On 20 Dec 1838 Boyd sent a petition to Congress asking it to intercede wi e Pension Office on his behalf.] State of Kentucky } County of Christian } S.S. On is 28 day of October 1840 personally appeared before e Justices of e County Court of Christian County in open Court, John Boyd a resident of Christian County and State of Kentucky aged seventy seven years e 25 March 1840, who being first duly sworn according to law, do on his oa make e following Declaration in order to obtain e benefit of e provission made by e act of Congress, passed June 7 1832. That I enlisted for and during e war of e Revolution as recruiting Sergeant in e Army of e United States at Winchester Frederick County Virginia, on e 24 or 25 day of December 1779 under Lieutenant McLean in Captain John Steeds Company and Col. Dan l. Morgans Regement of Rifleman, That I remained at Winchester from e time of enlistment recruiting until e 5 September 1780 and en marched wi Leut. McLean wi irty two recruits to Richmond Virginia where we joined Col Morgan. We remained ere about weeks at which place I received a Commission as Ensign in Capt Steeds Company, and en marched to Hillsborough Nor Carolina, where he remained a few days and en marched on to e Catawba River, remained ere a few days and en marched and joined Gen l. Green in Sou Carolina [sic]. We were ordered by Gen l. Green to a place called Ninety-Six [sic: see endnote]. finding e enemy too strong for us we retreated to e Cowpens, where Col. Tarlton [sic: Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton] overtook our Detachment in January 1781 and we defeated em, taking about five hundred and twelve prisoners & killed near ree hundred. We en retreated towards Guilford Court-house wi e prisoners and joined Gen l Green after crossing e Yadkin River Cornwallis in pursuit of us. We continued on and crossed Dan River (leaving e prisoners) to Guilford, Cornwallis pursued us to Guilford where we had an engagement wi him in March 81. I was en detached under e Command of Major Stevens or Stevenson and took charge of e prisoners taken at e Cowpens and marched wi em to near Charlottesville Albemarl County Va. and continued ere in charge of e prisoners until Cornwallis was taken in Oct 1781 at Little York. We en marched our prisoners to Winchester Va. where we wintered wiin four miles of Town. having e prisoners still in charge, in e Spring of 1782 we were ordered on wi e prisoners to Little York in Pensylvania. in our march ere we went rough Hagarstown to Little York and fell in wi Genl Wayne who took e command ere. When we wintered in 1782 & 3, e Virginia Militia being discharged, we remained ere in charge of e prisoners until e 25 March 1783 when I was discharged by Col. Wm Hartley of e Pensylvania line to whose Regt I had been attached in charge of e prisoners, I would state positively at I was Commissioned an Ensign & served as such from
September 1780 to e 25 March 1783 e close of e War, at I kept my Commission & discharge among my old papers until some time in e year 1823 when in removing from Christian County Kentucky to Madison County Tennessee, my papers wi commission and discharge were left wi my son in Christian who suffered em to be distroyed, and my son being dead, I am unable to say in what way e papers were distroyed I cannot recollect by whom my Commission was signed, but I received it from Col. Morgan while at Richmond Va. In Warren County Ohio, I heretofore made my Declaration in order to obtain a Pension is act, and sent e same on to War Department and ere being some defect in it, perhaps in e time of my discharge which was improperly stated in 1782 in place of 1783, e papers were en handed over to Congress wi a Petition, which I understood in e Winter of 1838-9 passed favourably since which I have not been able to learn what has been done in e case, and I now present is as an additional Declaration which I hope in connection wi e oer one on file eier in e War office or Congress, will me to a Pension wiout e unaccountable delay at seems to attend Petitions in Congress, Owing to my being detached from my Company it may be possible at my name may appear on e Company Roll or wi ose having charge of e Prisoners I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or anuity, except e present, and declare at my name is not on e Pension Roll of any agency of is or any oer of ese United States Sworn to and subscribed e day and year aforesaid, [signed] John Boyd The Commonweal of Kentucky Christian County Sct. John Boyd who served as private & ensign in e Army of e Revolution would in order to enable e Honorable e Secretary of War, to find his name on e army Roll, and all e papers heretofore forwarded to e War Department and to Congress would state and make is as an amendment to his form Declaration, That in Labanon Ohio, where he resided for a short time, he made his first Declaration, and procured e testamony of James Hudson before e Mayor of Newport Ky John Miller in Cincinnati, Isaac Miller in Labanon Ohio, by whom he prooved his actual service as Ensign, at he en petitioned Congress and entrusted e same to e Hon Thos Corline[?] supported by e Certificate of e Hon Adam Huntsman, and was informed at his petition passed favourably, That he first enlisted as orderly Sergeant un Capt Jno Steed, McLane Leut and Rees Bowen Ensign, and shortly after his enlistment Leut McLane died, Bowen was promoted and e said Boyd Commissioned Ensign in his place, That after e Battle of Guilford, he was detached under e Command of Major Stevens in Capt Hawkins Company, togeer wi Capts Porterfield Cressup & oers to take charge of e prisoners, & continued wi em until in March 1783 when he was discharged These facts are state in order to enable e Secretary of War to find his name on some of e Army Rolls, He cannot conceive, how it is at oers wi testamony much less conclusive, have Drawn eir pensions, unless, it has so happened at his testamony as herein set for never reached e Department. He hopes if is is e case at he will be informed of it, as he is advised e testamony fully supports his case under e act which he claims. He asks a careful examination of all his papers, and has no doubt, his claim will be granted. given under my hand is 28 day of December 1840 [signed] John Boyd NOTES: There are numerous discrepancies in Boyd s declarations. At e time Boyd claimed to have joined recruits to Daniel Morgan s Rifle Corp or Regiment, Col. Morgan was in retirement. Morgan did not return to service until he was promoted to Brigadier General on 13 Oct 1780. Maj. William Darke was wounded at e Battle of Germantown on 4 Oct 1777 and remained a prisoner until 1 Nov 1780. He was not promoted to Colonel until 12 Feb 1781, and he did not serve in e Carolinas. I could not find any record of oer officers named by Boyd at e rank of Major and below, wi e possible exception of Rees Bowen. A Lt. Reece Bowen was killed at e
Battle of Kings Mountain on 7 Oct 1780. Island Ford was not on e Catawba River but on e Yadkin River near Salisbury NC. In late 1780 and early 1781 Washington s dragoons ranged in SC, but not as far as Eutaw Springs SC, and during is period Cornwallis was at Winnsboro SC. Greene had already joined Morgan before e crossing of e Catawba River. Musgrove s Mill is in Sou Carolina, far from Dan River. Morgan had retired from active service before e Battle of Guilford Courouse and could not have given Boyd a furlough at e time stated. All e prisoners were evacuated from e barracks at Charlottesville in Feb 1781 to prevent eir recapture by e British. After e Siege of Yorktown Gen. Anony Wayne was not in Pennsylvania but in Georgia and Sou Carolina. Gen. Wayne had been in e Nor during a mutiny by Pennsylvania troops, but at was in Jan 1781. According to Patrick O Kelley (Noing but Blood and Slaughter, vol. 3, p. 50), before e Battle of Cowpens Greene at first ought to attack Ninety-Six [SC], but e Virginia militiamen under General Stevens were preparing to leave for eir homes when eir time expired.