Pension Application of John Mitchell: S5763

                        Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris

State of Virginia. Montgomery county.

            On this 3rd day of September 1832, personally appeared in open court, before the Justices of the court of said county now sitting John Mitchell a resident of the said county & state aged almost 72 years, who being first sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed 7th June 1832: That he entered into the service of the United States, under the following named officers and served as herein stated, in the county of Amelia in the state of Virginia in the year 1776 (as well as he can remember) he was drafted into service with other militia for no definite term. He entered upon services however as a Fife Major, and continued therein six weeks, under the following officers to wit Ensign Roberts (Lieutenant not recollected) Captain Rowland Ward; He does not remember that there was any officers present above the grade of Captain. There was but two companies together in this particular service. The other company than that to which he belonged was commanded by Capt. Wilson. He with the companies aforesaid was marched to Hampton in Virginia, and there stationed to watch the British and prevent if possible their landing. a British fleet lay at that time in the Chesapeake bay, in view of Hampton. Here he continued until having served six weeks he was discharged. In the fall of 1777 (as well as he can remember) in the said county of Amelia, he was again drafted into the service and entered therein under the following officers  Richard Craddock Lieutenant, William Craddock Captain, Dr. Cluman Major a Frenchman, and who had command of the forces to which the applicant belonged. in performing this tour of service he was first marched to Cabbin point [sic: Cabin Point in Surry County] in Virginia, from which after remaining there some time, he was marched to Williamsburg where he continued discharged, having been in service in the last tour six weeks. Again in the year 1781 (according to recollection which as to dates is very imperfect) in the same place Amelia county, he was drafted into the service and entered under the following officers towit  William Craddock Capt.  (Major’s name forgotten)  Richinson or Richardson Colo. [sic: Holt Richardson or Richeson] He & the forces to which he belonged having assembled at Hillsborough in North Carolina, were from there marched under command of Gen’l. [Stevens] Stevens to a point in S. Carolina (name not recollected [Rugeley’s Mill]) where he and the whole of the command of Gen’l. Stevens joined the forces of Gen’l. [Horatio] Gates [14 Aug 1780]. and on the succeeding night [before dawn on 16 Aug] the Battle of Camden was commenced by the advanced guard; The action became general on the following morning, we were defeated, and as well as we could, each man for himself retreated back to Hillsborough, where we remained about two weeks until the straglers had pretty well come in. The forces to which the applicant belonged were reduced to a Colonels command, and assigned to Colo. [Ralph] Faulkner; Capt. Price now commanded the Company, to which the applicant belonged. The forces having there organised they with the applicant were marched to a placed called New Garden in [Guilford County] North Carolina, where they remained some time to protect the whigs from the tories. after marching to and from various places in this country, he was finally marched to Guilford Court House where having remained there about a month he was discharged. This term of service embraced a term or five months. Some time after this last tour, this applicant again entered the service in the said county of Amelia, and was employed one month in collecting Bacon for the support of the army. This service was in lieu of service in the ranks. Again he was employed one other month in lieu of service in the ranks in taking care of Horses lately pressed for the light Horse service. He has no evidence further of any kind of his said services. He 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. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.                    [signed] John Mitchell

We Henry H. Chapman (resident of Botetourt about one mile from the residence of the applicant; and Joseph Duckwiler resident of the county of Montgomery about one mile and a quarter distant from the residence of the applicant) hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Mitchell, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be nearly of the age of 72 years that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. [signed] Henry H Chapman  Jospeh Duckwiler