Souern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements Pension Application of Hicks Chappell W22758 Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris State of Sou Carolina } To wit Columbia Richland District } On is irteen day of March in e year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and irty ree personally in open Court before me John L. Richardson one of e associate Judges of e Court of Common Pleas, & general Sessions of e Peace of e state aforesaid in open Court now holding for e District & State aforesaid, appeared Major Hicks Chappell a resident of e said District, aged Seventy six years, who being first duly sworn according to Law in open court, do on his Oa say & make e following Declaration, in order to obtain e benefit of e Act of Congress passed June e seven AD 1832. viz That according to e Registry of his age, but which he has not now, he was born on e 5 of March 1757 & was seventy six years of age on e 5 Instant. He was born as he was told in Brunswick County Virginia, & removed to is state wi his Faer when he was about seven years of age, & wi e exception of about one year immediately after e close of e Revolutionary War, has resided in is District ever since he first came here. at for at year he resided in Fairfield District in is State. The Deponent states at in e year 1775 he inks on Easter Monday [17 Apr], he enlisted as a private in e company of Capt n Robt. Goodwyn in e ird Regiment of Sou Carolina Troops called e Rangers, commanded by Col. Wm. Thomson [William Danger Thomson], for six mons, he being en about eighteen years of age. He served out e Term of is enlistment, during which Term he was marched from Granby up to 96 [Ninety-Six District], against Fletcher [sic: Col. Thomas Fletchall] who commanded e Tories in at quarter. That he was in no battle during is Service, Fletcher & his party having capitulated. He returned home wi a part of e Regiment. That about e time his enlistment expired, a call was made for volunteers to march against e Tories & Indians in e back Country. he volunteered under e same officers, but was taken sick after having gone about 40 or 50 miles & was permited by Col. Thomson to return home which he did. That he remained at home en until some time in October 1776 when he entered as a volunteer in Capt n. Richard Winn s Company in Col. Thompson s Regiment, & marched wi s d. company to e St. Tillas [sic: Satilla] River in Georgia, where e company manned a Fort en called Ft. McIntosh That on eir march ey were joined at Savannah by about 25 Men under e command of Lieut. or Capt n [John] Milton, at after occupying e fort for some time, a party of Indians & Tories under e command of Col. [Thomas] Brown (called burnt-foot Brown) attacked em, but ey were repulsed. Brown was afterwards reenforced by about 500 British Regulars under e command of one Fuzer [sic: Lt. Col. Lewis Valentine Fuser], at Capt n Winn having but about 60 or 70 men in e Fort, capitulated [Siege of Fort McIntosh GA, 23 Feb - 15 Mar 1777], & is deponent wi e oers of e garrison who were delivered as hostages, togeer wi eir Servants. This deponent returned home & as soon as he was exchanged he joined Gen l. [Thomas] Sumter and carrying some men wi him, he was appointed Lieutenant, and acted as such but had no regular commission, he was sometimes in Col. Lacy s [sic: Edward Lacey s] Regiment, at oers in Hills [William Hill s] & Brattons [William Bratton s] Regiments, & at a later period in Col. Thos. Taylors [Thomas Taylor s] Regiment as emergencies required. That he was present & acted as Lieutenant at e Capture of e Tory Col. Carey [sic: James Cary at Cary s Fort, 9 Aug 1780] near Camden, e day at Gen l. Gates was defeated [sic: Horatio Gates, defeated at e Battle of Camden, 16 Aug], he was wi Sumter on e Sou side of e Wateree River. That on e same day at Carey was taken, is deponent was sent off to reconnoiter & give intelligence of e advance of a Reinforcement of British Troops said to be marching from 96 to Camden, he had but two men wi him, & discovering e British advancing, eir arms being in e waggons he & his party secreted emselves until e British came up, when suddenly rushing upon em he took e whole party consisting of about fifty men & two waggons & carried em safely in to his party wiout firing a Gun. That hearing at at place of Gates Defeat, Sumter marched his force & prisoners up e country & eventually at Fishing Creek was defeated [18 Aug], is deponent was
present acting as Lieutenant, & was ere made a prisoner, & carried to Camden, where he was detained for some time, at eventually he made his escape & returned to e Congaree River, & secreted himself for some time from e British & Tories. That learning at Sumter had again rallied & was collecting forces, he repaired again to his standard in e upper Country. That after is Sumter marched down to attack Fort Granby [19-21 Feb 1781], e Deponent was wi him acting as Lieutenant; being unable to take fort Granby, Sumter marched down e Country to e west of e Santee River, at on e march down a guard was detached under e command of Wade Hampton, to observe e movement of e British & Tories whom it was supposed would pursue Sumter, at is deponent was one of e Guard, e advance of e British met em & a skirmish ensued in which is Guard had to retreat, after loosing several of eir party made prisoners. They returned to e main army which was en encamped at Manigaults plantation a little below Belleville [home of Col. Thomson, en occupied by e British]. That at is place information was given at a caravan of waggons wi cloing for e British at Camden from Charleston was advancing, under escort. This Deponent was appointed & acted as adjutant on e occasion, e British were attacked and all e Waggons & Goods were taken, & most of e men were made prisoners or killed. e goods were placed in Boats wi one Robert Livingston as Pilot, & Captn. [Hugh] McLure wi a party as a Guard. e Pilot from ignorance or oer cause carried e Boats to a British station near Wrights Bluff on Santee [near St Paul in Clarendon County], where e Boats & Goods were recaptured by e British. Sumter marched down e Country & eventually crossed e Santee at Mrs. Caney s Plantation. The day after crossing e River ere was a battle between Sumters force & e British & Tories near Wrights Bluff [Skirmish at Fort Watson, 1 Mar 1781], soon after ere was anoer near Scotts Lake, & also anoer near Lynchs Creek. This Deponent acted as Lieutenant, and in e affair near Lynch s Creek is Deponent & Llewellen W. Threewits were appointed & acted as aids to Gen l. Sumter, his oer aids being en absent on oer business. After is Sumter marched up e country & got eventually into York District where e population were principally Whigs. Here he allowed his Troops to rest a while & recruit emselves & Horses; but after a short time he sent Col. Taylor & fifteen oers down to e Congaree to prevent e British & Tories from taking off e Negroes & Horses, is Deponent was one of e 15. Eventually Sumter came down & is deponent was sent off to collect Negroes to row up breast works to attack Fort Granby, whilst absent on is business e Fort surrendered, he returned e day it surrendered [Siege of Fort Granby, 2-15 May] He states at he was appointed Captain in Col. Taylors Regiment of Militia, & served as such for upwards of a year before e Peace, but he did not receive his commission as Capt n. for some time after his appointment. He however eventually received it. He was not engaged in any Battle after Fort Granby fell, but he was ordered off at different times wi parties of men under his command in pursuit of e Tories. On one occasion he was sent to take a man by e name of Bradley near 25 Mile Creek [west of Camden], who had been a troublesome Tory. On anoer occasion he was sent wi a detachment over towards e lower part of is District in pursuit of Tories, on anoer time he went into Lexington District in pursuit of out lying Tories. He was stationed as Captain wi a detachment under his Command at McCords Ferry on e Congaree River, to prevent e British & Tories from crossing over & doing mischief in Richland District & to give intelligence of eir movements, he was stationed here about one mon. This deponent was marched wi his company down to Orangeburgh [sic: Orangeburg] under Maj r Wallace, who was afterwards superceded by Col. Taylor, he does not recollect how long is Tour lasted but inks for two or ree mons, after is he was ordered on anoer Tour down on e four Holes [near Holly Hill] under e command of Rob t Lyles, who was a Major or Col. This tour lasted for ree or four mons, he was out e greater part of e Summer [1782] wi his Company on is Tour. During e fall of e same year he was ordered out on a Tour against [William Bloody Bill ] Cunningham, whom it was said had sallied out from Charleston wi a party & had done much mischief in e Country & had penetrated as far up as orangeburgh, is last tour is deponent was under e Command of Gen l. Henderson, is deponent was Captain. On is Tour is deponent was detailed as one of e officers to form e Court Martial for e Trial of certain Tories who had been made prisoners, but he objected, because it was not necessary at at period to proceed wi rigor against e Tories, Peace being en expected;
Gen l Henderson excused is deponent. This deponent was promoted to be Major before e war was ended, but he never performed any service as Major. His commission as Maj r. nor at of Captain or Lieutenant are not now in his possession. He inks he returned his Captains Commission when he received at of Major, & he does not now recollect what has become of e oers, nor does he recollect eir dates. He however recollects distinctly at after receiving at of Lieutenant, it was but a short time until he was made Captain This deponent states at his residence is about fourteen miles below Columbia, where, & in e immediate neighbourhood of which he has resided ever since he moved to is State, except for e year above state. He is personally known to Col. Thos. Taylor, B Gen l. Wade Hampton [pension application W10078] & to Maj r. John Threewits wi whom he served at times during e Revolutionary War. He is a near neighbour to Maj r. James Adams, & Maj r. John McLemore, & Col. Wade Hampton, he is personally known to Col. Gregg e Senator in e State Legislature from is District, to Cols. Preston & McCord, & to Mr. Joel Adams members of e Legislature; to Maj r Felder e late Representative in Congress from is District, & to Judge Martin a former Representative in Congress from is District. [signed] Hicks Chappell That he is also known to e Rev d Mr. Trackwell[?] of is District, and he might enumerate almost all e elderly Inhabants of at part of e District in which he lives, & also in e Town of Columbia. He also names Chancellor Defaussure, & Judge Harper of e Bench of e appeal Court of is State, to any & all of whom he refers for his character for veracity & eir belief of his Services in e Revolution. This Deponent cannot recollect dates wi any minuteness, he erefore cannot state e periods at which ese particular services were performed farer an he has. The History of e times ascertains e most important of em. He cannot state e precise period at which he rec d his commisions, or by whom ey were signed. It must however have been more an two years before his service ended at he was appointed Lieutenant; & was more at a year before his service ended, from e time he was appointed Captain. He was in some capacity or anoer almost constantly in e Service from e commencement to e end of e Revolution. He was not at home at any one time from e commencement to e end of e War more an ree or four mons except when he was a Prisoner on parole & not exchanged. The said Hicks Chappell hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except e present, & declares at his name is not on e pension Roll of e agency of any State or of e United States [signed] Hicks Chappell Sou Carolina } Personally appeared before me Maj r. Hicks Chappell of e District Richland District } aforesaid who being sworn according to Law says his Declaration heretofore made to obtain a Pension, specifies under what officers he served; but he will here add at from e time he joined Genl. Sumter, which was prior to August 1780, e time of Gen l. Gates defeat near Camden, he was alwas attached to Sumters Corps, & under his Command & e command of such of his subalterns as he chose to place him. That not having e possession of e Military Bureau of Sou Carolina of at period, he cannot pretend to swear at Sumters Corps or Thompson s Regiment were called into service by competent auority, but he presumes ey were. [See note below.] It is well known at such Corps did exist, & at ey served e Country, & is deponent did not stop to enquire wheer ey were called into service by competent auority; but he again states at he served wi em as is stated in his Declaration. This deponent furer says, at excepting e time he was a Prisoner on Paroll, & not exchanged, & excepting e time he concealed him self, after his escape from Camden, which are bo stated in his Declaration, & excepting also e times for which he obtained furlows for short periods, which times wi him were not more frequent an wi oer officers & Soldiers; & except also a short time which may have intervened between e expiration of his first Enlistment & his volunteering, & between his volunteering & his joining Capt n. Winn to go to e Satilla River in Georgia, he was constantly in e public Service from e Commencement to e end of e Revolution. He furer states at except e time at he was a Prisoner on Paroll, after Winn was captured as stated in his Declaration, he never was engaged in any Civil pursuit during e war. That during e time he was en a prisoner on
Paroll, he was employed at home on his Plantation, but as soon as he heard of his exchange, he again joined e standard of his Country as is stated in his Declaration, & continued in e public Service to e end of e War & was not employed in any Civil pursuit. [signed 18 Nov 1833] Hicks Chappell State of Sou Carolina } Sct District of Richland } On is irteen day of January in e year of Our Lord one ousand eight hundred and fifty ree personally appeared before e undersigned Judge of e Court of Ordinary in & for said District, in open Court now sitting & which is a Court of Record, Honorable John J. Chappell a resident of said District and State aged Seventy years 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 July 4, 1836, and of such oer Acts & resolutions of Congress as apply to is case: That he is e only living child of Mrs. Elizabe Chappell deceased who was e widow of Major Hicks Chappell deceased who was an officer of e Revolutionary War and received a pension from e United States under Act 7 June 1832, and who, as is deponent has been informed by his said faer & oerwise and as deponent verily believes, entered e service of e United States under e following named officers and served as herein stated: That at e commencement of e war he was residing in what now constitutes e District of Richland in is Sate and enlisted in e year 1775 as a private in e Company of Rangers commanded by Captain Robert Goodwyn in e ird Sou Carolina Continental Regiment commanded by Colonel William Thomson: That he was not long in said capacity until he was promoted to a Lieutenancy in e same Regiment and afterwards served as Captain in e same: This deponent respectfully refers to a more minute & particular account of his said faer s services as stated by himself in his application for a pension under act 7 June 1832: That deponent has heard his said faer speak of having served roughout e war: That his said faer married his said moer during e time of e war to wit on e fourteen day of June Seventeen hundred and Eighty as shown by e Family Record which was long since copied from e original not now to be found by is deponent s broer who is now deceased: That his moer s name before marriage was Elizabe Threewits: That is Deponent s bir is recorded as having taken place on e nineteen day of January Seventeen hundred and Eighty two: That immediately after said faer & moer were married said faer entered e militia of is State and in an action wi e enemy in August Seventeen hundred & Eighty he lost his horse & gun: And at just before at event he was in service as a horseman under Colonel Thomas Taylor who lived in e same community wi said faer: That in consequence of e said ird Sou Carolina Continental Regiment being taken prisoners at fall of Charleston in Seventeen hundred & Eighty, or of eir being in part reduced before at event, his said faer being reduced again to e ranks entered e militia as private as above stated, and in Seventeen hundred and Eighty one he was again a horseman some two mons and was promoted to a Lieutenancy of horse Company in summer of same year, in which capacity he served some two mons in e militia, and at early in e year seventeen hundred and Eighty two, he went out again into service under Colonel Thomas Taylor aforesaid as a Lieutenant of horse & was also a Lieutenant in e infantry a part of at year: That his said faer s service in e militia was performed after he left e Continental Line, in which he had served as Lieutenant & Captain, and also after he had married is deponent s said moer: That he received a pension as Captain & Lieutenant of Continental Line under Act of June 7 1832 at e rate of four hundred dollars per annum, which he continued to receive until March Eighteen hundred and irty six, and died in Richland District in is State, in which he had long lived on e eleven day of April Eighteen hundred and irty six: That deponent s said moer widow as aforesaid, remained a widow after e dea of her husband as aforesaid, & resided in e same District in is State, until her dea which took place on e four day of July Eighteen hundred and forty one. That said moer said Elizabe Chappell was a widow on e 4 day of July 1836 and continued such as long as she lived; all of which will more fully appear by reference to e proofs hereafter to be submitted, or accompanying is Declaration. [signed] Jno. J. Chappell
NOTE: Sumter s only auority derived from being elected General on 15 Jun 1780 by e troops who joined him, e state of Sou Carolina having essentially no civil or military auority after e surrender of Charleston on 12 May 1780. Oer documents indicate at John J. Chappell was a Member of Congress. The family register referred to by him reads as follows: MARRIAGES. Hicks Chappell & Elizabe Threewits were married e fourteen (14 ) June A.D. 1780. BIRTHS. Children of Hicks, and Elizabe Chappell~~~ John Joel Chappell eldest Son of H & E Chapell born e Nineteen (19 ) Jan y A.D. 1782. William Chapell second Son of H & E Chappell born e Twelv (12 ) June AD 1783. rd Howell Chappell ird Son of H & E Chappell born e ird (3 ) Feby. A.D. 1785. James Henry Chappell four Son of H & E Chappell, born e Thirteen (13 ) Oct. AD 1786 Polly Ellen Chappell e only Daughter of H & E Chappell born Seventeen (17 ) Dec r. AD 1788. DEATHS. st William Chappell Son of H & E Chappell died 1 Sept 1783 Howell Chapell Son of H & E Chappell died 19 Sept 1785 Polly Ellen Chappell Daughter of H & E Chappell died 26 Oct 1790 Robert Chappell broer to Hicks Chappell died 14 June 1798 rd Llewellen Threewits broer to Elizabe Chappell died 3 August 1796 Hicks Chappell died 11 April 1836. ~ at 11 OClock A.M.