Pension Application of Samuel Mitchell: R7283
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Illinois}
St. Clair County} SS.
On this 23 day of June 1834 personally appeared before the Honorable the County Commissioners Court of St Clair County & State aforesaid at the June Term of said Court Samuel Mitchell a resident of St Clair County State of Illinois aged seventy years who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832; he was born in the County of Louisa State of Virginia in the year of our Lord 1764 March 23rd as appeared on record in my Fathers Family Bible, in the year 1778 my Father removed into Botetourt County state aforesaid where he resided during the remaining part of the revolutionary war in the Summer of 1780 he was called into service by a draft against the Tories on New River now Montgomery County under Capt. John Mills where I served as a Sargeant; the time of service to the best of my recollection was not less than six weeks, shortly after my return home there was a call for volunteers to go to the South, there was two Companys of Rifle men rais’d in the County one Commanded by Capt. [Alexander] Handly the other by Capt. Roberson [sic: probably James Robinson] he volunteered and serv’d under Capt. Roberson as a private soldier and was mustered into service and march’d to the South the last of Nov’r. or first of Dec’r. and shortly after we were form’d by Maj’r. David Campbell who took the Command of the two Companies, when we got to Salsbury [sic: Salisbury] in North Carolina an express was sent to Gen’l. Green [sic: Nathanael Greene] to know what Corps we were to join, when we were ordered to join Gen’l. [Daniel] Morgan. which we did while Gen’l. Morgan was on his march from the Battle of the Cowpens to Catawba River, after crossing sd. River the prisoners taken at the Cowpens came to us and were marched off Imediately into Virginia. The Enemy forcing their passage across the Catawba where Gen’l. Davison was stationed who commanded the N. Carolina Malitia. our army then retreated to the Yadkin River and while the Regular troops & baggage were crossing the River Maj. Campbell’s Riflemen were ordered to guard the ford at a Creek abt. half a mile from the landing and before the baggage had all cross’d abt. 8 OClock at night the Enemy approached. we were ordered to fire and retreat in the skirmish we lost one kill’d 2 wounded & 2 taken prisoners we then retired before the Enemy across Dan River into Virginia where Gen’l. Green with the army halted at Halifax old Courthouse. when Gen’l Green was about to march back into Carolina he was discharged by Maj’r. Campbell which discharge he has lost he remembers seeing Gen’l. Green Gen’l. Morgan Col. [Henry] Lee & Col. [William] Washington, the time of service in this Tour from the length of time and loss of memory he does not now exactly recollect but knows it was not less than three months. He continued to reside in Virginia untill the year 1817 when he remov’d to St. Clair County State of Illinois where he now resides it being between 8 & 900 miles from his present residence where the services were perform’d it is not in his power to prove all the facts above stated, but the Rev’d. Edward Mitchell can — certify that I was in the Army during the Revolutionary war he hereby relinquishes every claim to pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid} [signed] Sam’l. Mitchell
NOTES:
See the pension application of John Hewitt (W2618) for a more-detailed description of the action in North Carolina.
The Rev. Edward Mitchell referred to was a brother of Samuel Mitchell and also a veteran (pension application W23991).
Pension was denied because Samuel Mitchell had not served at least six months, as was then required. After the minimum term was shortened to three months Mitchell applied again, but the application was apparently mishandled by an agent. The file contains a letter from John T. Mitchell, son of Samuel, regarding that application. It is dated Urbana OH, Aug. 22, 1854, and states that Samuel Mitchell was still living, aged 91, in Elm Wood, Saline County MO.