Pension application of William Pollard S17638 f46VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 10/31/12
State of Kentucky Anderson Circuit Sct.
On this 14th day of September 1833 personally appeared before the Circuit Court of Anderson County now sitting William Pollard a resident of said County and State, aged 72 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 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, – He entered the Service in the year 1777 in Winchester Frederick County Virginia, where he resided, he was a Substitute and was employed in guarding prisoners at that place and served two months at which time [he] was discharged, I do not recollect the officers, He again entered the Service in the same year and served under Lieutenant Stephen Johnson for two weeks in guarding Tories from Winchester prison to Fredericksburg, from which
place, the Tories were taken as he was informed to Richmond for trial, in this service he was a
Substitute, in this year he was about 16 years of age, He again entered the Service of the United States, in the fall of the year 1780, but the month he does not recollect; as a Substitute for Robert Tiler, under Captain John Smith in the same County, and Lieutenant Calmes, for the purpose of going to Hillsboro in North Carolina, but the Company was ordered by the Governor to March to Richmond to which place they immediately marched, – In marching to Richmond they passed through Culpeper County, Orange County and he thinks the edge of Louisa, – From Richmond pursuant to orders joined General Steuben on the South side of James River – and he was discharged by General Steuben shortly before the end of his term of Service, which was three months, but whether his discharge was in writing, or not, he does not recollect, but if it was he has lost it, –
He was then drafted and entered the Service of the United States from the same County in the Spring of the year, 1781 (he thinks about the first of April) and served under Captain William Frost, Lieutenant Abraham Lindsey, and Ensign George Barnett, Rendezvoused at Fredericksburg, Virginia, and attached to the Regiment commanded by Colonel Elias Edmonds and Major Blackwell and marched to Richmond through Caroline and Hanover Counties, – remained in Richmond some time, and crossed to the South Side of James River, and remained in the Neighborhood, of James Town and the neighboring Country, for some considerable time, and afterwards crossed James River above Richmond, he thinks in Louisa County but not certain
– and in the meantime was detached to guard prisoners to Staunton in Augusta County and
delivered the prisoners to Colonel Boyer – in marching to Staunton he marched through
Charlottesville the day before Tarlton's [Bannister Tarleton's] Light Dragoons broke in and
dispersed the Legislative Assembly, after returning from this Expedition he joined the Army at
the Boswell's Ordinary he thinks this place was in the lower part of Louisa County – This Army was under the command of General Lafayette in this Army he knew Colonel Dark and many others of the regular Officers, he was discharged a few miles below Richmond about five days after the Expiration of his time of service, which was three months, we were solicited by our officers to stay until we were relieved by our own County, we did so, his discharge was a verbal one and all those who belonged to the Company, – He again entered the Service of the United States afterwards under the following circumstances, Sometime in July 1781, there was a draft and amongst the drafted man there was some Quakers, for whom there was substitutes Employed, there will was Light Horses pressed through the County, He entered as a Substitute in
the room of one of those Quakers, as a horseman, the footmen went on to the lower part of
Virginia, he with the other horsemen did not for several weeks then went on and he thinks were
commanded by Captain Bell and William Calmes, they then marched through Culpeper and Goochland Counties, crossed James River and went on to Cumberland old Court House, and there delivered their horses to an officer that was there with some regular Horsemen – they were without horses, and they went on and joined their Army at the mouth of Chickahominy on the North side of James River – and then marched on down to York, and was there on duty and fatigue unloading vessels &c which was on James River which General Washington had brought on – He served in this way until they were relieved by their County, which was about 5 days before Cornwallis surrendered [October 19, 1781], himself and several others were at Burwell's
landing when relief came and Lieutenant Calmes came by where they were and informed the
Commanding Officer, that he and those under his Command were discharged, and they accordingly returned home [after] a tour of 3 months. He William Pollard was born August 27 1761, taken from the record of his father, after the war he lived in Frederick County Virginia till about 1791 and then came to Kentucky and has been here ever since,
S/ Wm Pollard
He the aforesaid William Pollard hereby relinquishes every Claim whatever to a 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 and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
S/ Wm Pollard
[Jordan H Walker, a clergyman, William Hudgins and Dickson G Dedman gave the standard
supporting affidavit.]
[f p. 9: On September 26, 1837 in Marion County Missouri, the veteran applied for a transfer of
his pension benefit to the Missouri agency saying that he had moved there because his children
generally are living in that state.]
[f p. 23]
Palmyra Missouri January 10th 1838
Honorable Sir,
I received your letter informing me that I was transferred as a pensioner from the State of
Kentucky to that of Missouri, though you did not say where I was to apply, another reason why I
have ventured to write to a gentleman in high office and a stranger, is this, several years past I sent on to the Secretary of War for a Pension it was sent back with objections, which was that I claimed 12 months service as a regular soldier in the 8th Virginia Regiment, when I entered the service the 17th of February 1778 I stated from Winchester Frederick County where I was raised, marched on & joined the Army at Valley Forge, from 16 to 20 miles from Philadelphia the British then lay in Philadelphia, I think the British left their about the 20th of June our Army started about the same time, I was one that was detailed to guard our magazine & into Philadelphia I was taken with what was called then the camp fever & lay there in the Hospital & Barracks about 2 months, our Army & the enemy met at Monmouth [June 28, 1778] Court house in New Jersey & had a severe battle, our Regiment the 8th & 4th Virginia Regiment met with a considerable loss Colonel Abraham Bowman who commanded the 8th Regiment when I left it started on and was taken with the fever & ague & was detained in Trenton New Jersey several weeks I went on from there & joined the main Army at Middlebrook in Jersey, where they had taken winter Quarters, the Company I belonged to was Captain Barry's though he was not there till I was with the Company Richard & Philip Easton was the Lieutenant & Ensign which were brothers from my neighborhood, but in time of my absence those two regiments were joined together in consequence of the loss at Monmouth battle, & was then called the 4th Regiment –
Colonel Bowman had gone home he being a young officer & Colonel John Neville took the command of Captain Cooper then had the command of my Company, the time went from Winchester I engaged to serve twelve months but there was some that enlisted for a longer time,
Also there was a draft for twelve months, we all marched from Winchester together & joined the
Army at Valley Forge together when the Objections to the this declaration came to the Secretary
of War wrote to me that my name was not found on the Continental roll, & in that case I would
be obliged to prove by two credible witnesses the time I entered the service & the time I left it which I never attempted as it was out of the question at that time of day – I then drew another declaration for my militia tours & received a certificate for this little pension I am as sure my name is on some list as I have the pen in my hand. I can name some of my messmates, Daniel
Anderson, Sergeant, Samuel Redman, Bean Smallwood, Jonathan Sodus [?], James McKenzie my name must be misplaced in some way my age my height the call of my hair & eyes all taken down, would it be asking too great a favor of a gentleman of your rank to look into this matter for a poor old worn out fellow creature to try to get this hard earned money for me & am willing to satisfy your honor for the greatest of favors. I am not able to work I am week & feeble, now in my 77th year.
Respectfully Your
S/ Wm Pollard
NB When I sit the first declaration it was accompanied with a certificate sworn by Colonel
Bowman that never returned the Colonel did not know me [paper damaged and text illegible] a
Boy, I knew him, but I stated many things that turned up while there that satisfied him I was
there – I lived 38 years a neighbor to the Colonel near Lex Ky – he died a few months ago.
S/ W. P.
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $36.33 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for
services as a private in the Virginia service for 11 months.]
https://revwarapps.org/s17638.pdf
