Family:Thomas Pitcher and Nancy Unknown (1)

From the Maryland State Archives:

Revolutionary War - Frederick County - Upper District (Washington County)

Enlisted by Capt. John Reynolds, Frederick Co., July 18th, 1776. Passed by Joseph Smith.

William Walker Wm. Patrick Edward Brown Moses Hobbins Archibald Mullihan Henry Coonse John Ferguson Edward Pain George Deale Wm. Bradford, volunteer Wm. Coffeeroth Benedict Eiginor Jacob Hosler John Wade Edward Dumatt Thomas Fowler Thomas Stogdon Daniel Murphey John Been Silus Tomkins Ludowick Kiding David Grove John Class Christopher Curts, (Cortz) Thos. Bissett John Hurley Henry Knave Wm. Messersmith Thomas Pitcher Thomas McKoy, D. S. T.

Recruitment in 1776 for Frederick County was done in three districts: 1) Lower District, which became Montgomery County, 2) Middle District which remained Frederick County, and 3) Upper District which became Washington County. Thomas Pitcher was in the Upper District. There were three companies for the Upper District lead by 1) Captain Aeneas Campbell, 2) Captain John Reynolds and 3) Captain Henry Hardman. Garret Clawson was in the 2nd Company. Under Captain John Reynolds were 1st Lieutenant Moses Chapline, 2nd Lieutenant Christian Orndorff (spelled Orendoff in other documents) and Ensign Nathan Williams. These companies do not appear to be part of any regular regiment, so may have been part of a battalion of militia. No other records for these companies exist after the initial recruitment lists. When enlisted these men were "effective and able-bodied" and had to be passed on by someone other than the recruiter. A Major Francis Deakins approved some of the units. Deakins was regular army. After the war Deakins was entrusted to survey the land to the west of Fort Cumberland in Washington County to be made into 50 and 100 acre parcels for regular army veterans, with 100 acres going to any recruiter who had signed up 20 or more men. This was to satisfy promises made when soldiers were originally recruited. Christian Orndorff had enlisted 22 men including Garret so possibly he had been looking for this additional acreage. The acreage was only for regular army.

By 1778 the 2nd Battalion of what had been the Upper District, now Washington County, was lead by Captain Christian "Orendoff," Jr. with a 1st Lieutenant Joseph "Rennolds" said to be son of John in the original document. This sounds like the same unit that Garret had been in. This was definitely a militia unit and the men were drafted for 9 months. Service in the regular army was for 3 years or the duration of the war. An inducement to enlist in the regular army was a promise of 50 acres of land after the three years of service.