Pension Application of Isaac Robinson: R8900

                        Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris

 

State of Virginia}          to wit

Mason County}            On this third[?] day of November[?] A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the County Court of Mason now sitting Isaac Robinson a resident in the County of Mason and State of Virginia aged seventy eight years and [word illegible] who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832

that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated  that he was borne in December 1754 in Virginia near the North Carolina Line continued there till about 4 or perhaps 5 years of age, when he was captured by the Shawny [sic: Shawnee] Indians with whom he remained between 7 and eight years  bears upon his ears and nose visible marks of indian [word illegible] his ears[?] being shown as perforated[?]  was surrendered by the Indians to an officer called Berjack[?] or Boriack[?] at the then Fort Duquesne  was carried into Botetourt and returned to his parents in that County  Early in the year of 1780 about the middle of January [several words illegible] Company of infantry commanded by Henry Paulding  Lieut Thomas G[?] & Ensigns name not recollected  he served in said Company as an orderly Sergeant  marched to Bedford and there joined in the Company under the Command of Capt. Beaufort.  thence marched in Company with them along the river Dan and some of its tributaries to somewhere in Guilford County [North Carolina]  there joined the Army under the Command of Genl [Nathanael] Greene  was constantly with [Lt. Col. Henry] Lee’s Light Horse on picket guard being detached from the main Army till near the day of the battle  On the day of the battle we were placed on the Left Wing of the regulars and fought in the battle [see note below]  some balls shot on that day in the action cut his clothing & hair  during this engagement the Capt. left the Company  the Lieutenant staid with the men and this applicant personally saw and heard on the day of the battle Colo. [William] Campbell from the Holston country [in Washington County VA] giving directions to the Lieut. where and when and how to retreat[?]

We arrived at an Iron works [Troublesome Iron Works also called Speedwell Furnace] about 14 miles from Guilford Courthouse the next day about 11 oclock in the morning afterwards[?] and found the dispersed troops there collected and there met the Captain where the Army remained a few days and then the company to which I was attached were discharged and he returned to Botetourt County fatigued and sick and directly was drafted to go to York Town and in consequence of Sickness hired a substitute by the name of William Shelton who marched under a Captain called David May and it is believed served out his tour of Duty. he shortly after the Event of the Capture of Cornwallis say 3 or 4 years removed to the West to wit to what is now Mason County  acted as a spy throughout this period which intervened between the period of his removal as aforesaid up to the time of Genl. Waynes treaty [presumably the Treaty of Greenville signed on 3 August 1795] and was in one skirmish with the indians

he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State whatever.

            [signed] Isaac Robinson

 

And by way of supplement I have put in writing as well the answers to the questions directed to be propounded by the war department as follows viz.

Question 1st. Where and in what year were you born? Ans. I was born in what was then called Pitsylvania County in 1754. [see note below]

Question 2d. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?

            Ans. I have the record of my age which my father kept in his bible  it is in my possession

Question 3rd Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live?

Ans. When first called into service I lived the County of Bottetourt Va. and I also lived there when called the second time – since the revolutionary war with the exception of 3 or 4 years which I lived near Fort Pitt [now Pittsburgh] I have resided in Mason County which was taken from Kanawha County [in 1804]. In Mason County I continue to live

Question 4th How were you called into service  were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute And if a substitute for whom.

Ans.– I volunteered the first time the second time I was drafted

Question 5th. State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service– Ans. I do not know that I can [one or more words illegible] to what I have stated in my declaration respecting the general circumstances of my services – as to the names of the officers the Country through which I marched the actions in which I was engaged the hardships I endured I refer to my declaration

Question 6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it

Ans. I never received a written discharge  I was verbally discharged by Col Campbell

Question the 7th – State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the revolution – Ans. there are many persons – viz Doctor Jessee Bennett  Benjamin Thomas  Jno. & Alexander McCulloch and Wm. P Hall the late census taker

            [signed] Isaac Robinson

 

NOTES:

            Robinson appears to have been one of the Botetourt Riflemen recruited in January 1781 to guard prisoners captured at the Battle of Cowpens, and who were later part of the campaign leading up to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15. From the pension declaration of John Tate (S6191) it appears that the Botetourt Riflemen were with Lt. Col. Henry Lee at the skirmish at Clapp’s Mill around March 4 and with Col. William Preston at the skirmish at Wetzel’s Mill on March 6. According to Tate, after the latter skirmish his captain, David May, and the rest of the Botetourt Riflemen except himself and 13 others went home. Tate followed on the next day. Robinson’s testimony suggests that he, at least, remained through the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

            Robinson stated that he was born in “what was then called Pitsylvania [Pittsylvania] County in 1754,” but Pittsylvania County was formed from Halifax County in 1766. Henry County was formed from the western part of Pittsylvania County in 1776, and Patrick County was formed from the western part of Henry County in 1791.