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Facts and Events
Revolutionary War Service Declaration
- State of Kentucky}
- Wayne County} Sct
- On this 25th day of Sept. personally appeared in open court Before the Justices of the county court of Wayne County Kentucky now setting James Piercy a Resident of Wayne county, in the county of Wayne and State of Kentucky, aged 70 years old on the 4th day of May 1832, 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 7th 1832
- That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated
- I the said James Piercy, doth declare that I was drafted in Bedford county in the state of Virginia on the 14th day of Febuary for the Term of six months not long before the Battle of Guilford [Guilford Courthouse NC, 15 March 1781] And Marched & served as a private under Capt. David Beard, William Ewing Lieutenant, & Saml Beard Ensign & Col. Charles Lynch & John Caloway Majer [Major] We first marched to Thomas Leftridges [sic: Leftwich’s] in Bedford County. we then marched towards the ferry on Roanoke, we then marched, crossing Dan River towards North Carolina to haw River in North Carolina. We then being in the Neighborhood of the British, marched and countermarched some time, until we had the Battle of Guilford, with the British commanded by Lord Cornwallace [sic: Cornwallis]. our Principal General was General Nathaniel Green [sic: Nathanael Greene] who had, a was stated to have 6000 Regular And Militia from Virginia And North Carolina About 400 from Virginia called light infantry and we served under & was commanded by Col. [William] Washington at & Before the Battle of Guilford, at which place we had a severe engagement and from the statement at the time there was 700 killed of the British & Tories. We had By Report 70 killed & wounded. [See note below.] three of our captains in my Regiment got killed. the name of the Regiment not known or remembered We were ordered to retreat three times by General Greens orders. Before we did retreat having driven them about a half a mile When we retreated, we marched to the old [Speedwell] Ironworks on Haw River [sic: Troublesome Creek], we here remained till the Dead was buried. We again marched after the British to [Ramsey’s Mill in Chatham County on] Deep River about 60 miles. the British leaving there about 4 Hours before we got there in a direction to their Shipping [at Wilmington]. we crossed deep river a few miles, and an officer believing the British had taken to their ships, and having no further use for us the Militia. We were all ordered to be dismissed for the Present to return home and our captain David Beard marched us Back to Bedford County where we remained untill further orders. And about the first of September the precise day not now recollected were again ordered & the most of us marched to the Seige of York [28 Sep - 19 Oct 1781] under our Captain David Beard of Bedford County & State of Virginia and Lieutenant Heath, his christian name & the name of the Ensign not recollected. our Adjutant Richard ________ illegible] & Col. William Trigg We first met at Flat lick [Flat Creek?] in said county, and marched to head quarters under Col. William Trigg in a direction to Petersburgh crossing James River at a place called old Jamestown, to Petersburgh thence to York Town on york River, where we were employed for some time in Ditching, & making a kind of Platform for the Cannon and standing on centry day and night, and some small skirmishing, untill the British surrendered. On the next day we were all mustered by our Officers and discharged in writing but have, long since have lost it. Having served 8 months as a private for which I claim compensation & subject to orders untill I was discharged at the sieze of York. I was well acquainted with & knew Gen’l. Layfaette & General Washington at the siege & many others And I claim compensation for eight months service I the said James Piercy am now old and very much afflicted with the Palsy, and have no Documentary evidence, & know of no person in this country whose testimony I can procure to testify to my services
- I the said James Piercy have no particular record of my age, but was born in Buckingham county, Virginia in the year 1762 where I lived till about 6[?] years old. my father and mother then moved into Bedford county Virginia, where I lived untill I was about 50 years of age I then moved into Franklin County in Virginia where I lived about 7 years. I then moved to Wayne County Ky. where I now live, and have lived about 15 years last mach [prob. March].
- I the said James Piercy relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the Present and declare that my name is not on the Pension roll of the agency of any state
- Sworn & subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
- (signed) James [his X mark] Piercy
- I am known by Abraham Vanwinkle & John Edwards my countrymen & neighbors who can testify to my veracity.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
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