Pension application of James Dougan S3306 fn15NC
Transcribed by Will Graves 3/9/10
State of Tennessee, Franklin County
On this 4th day of March 1834, Personally appeared before the worshipful the Justices of
the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of Franklin County, James Dougan a resident of the
County and State aforesaid aged eighty years the 4th day of January last, who being first duly
sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following Declaration, in order to obtain the
benefit of the provisions of an act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 --
1st In the year 1776, he then residing in Guilford County, North Carolina, volunteered to serve a tour of three months as Ensign in the company commanded by Captain John Collier on an expedition against the Cherokee Indians -- we rendezvoused at Guilford Court house -- & marched through Salisbury the Regiment was organized in part at the least at Guilford Court house & was commanded by Colonel Martin. They met with other troops in the Mulberry fields on the Catawba [River], where the Brigade under the command of General Griffith Rutherford was organized. We crossed the Blue Ridge and marched to the Indian Towns on the head waters of the Tennessee [River]. We destroyed the towns & growing crops -- the Indians having fled -- we remained in the Indian Country several weeks, marching from town to town, eating up & destroying the Indian crops. After performing this service, we returned home, having served the full term of three months, for which he got a discharge --
2nd In the year 1777, as well as he recollects, he again volunteered, to serve as Ensign
another tour for three months, in the company commanded by Captain Robert Bell. We
rendezvoused at Salisbury, where according to his best recollection the Regiment commanded by
Francis Locke, to which he was attached was organized -- from thence we were marched to
Camden South Carolina where we remained until our term of service expired. All the troops on
this expedition were commanded by General Rutherford having served the full time of three
months, he was regularly discharged.
3rd The next Campaign he served in was in 1779, he volunteered for five months, &
served as a Lieutenant by brevet, in the company commanded by Captain Enoch Davis, Colonel
Locke's Regiment, Rutherford's Brigade. We again rendezvoused at Salisbury, & marched to the
10 Mile House, in South Carolina, & from thence to Purrysburg which was then the headquarters
of the American Army commanded by General Lincoln. During our stay at this place a detachment under the command of General Ash [sic, John Ashe] was sent from the Army across the Savannah River, & had an engagement with the enemy at Brier Creek, in which they were defeated. About the same time he volunteered to go own detachment, against a party of the enemy, who worse said to be marching along the River; we had a battle, in which we were victorious. Captain Wilson had the command of a picket guard at the White House -- & in the battle -- we were relieved at that House & returned to Head Quarters where he remained, performing Camp & Garrison duties there & in the neighborhood -- Having served the term of five months, he was discharged & returned home with William Gray a private.
4th In the year 1780, being a Major in the Militia of Randolph County, North Carolina, he volunteered as such to serve a tour of three months in Collier's Regiment -- this
Declarant being first Major, -- They again rendezvoused at Salisbury, & from thence we marched
to Rugeley's Mills, the Brigade commanded by General Butler [John Butler] -- General Gates
headquarters was at Rugeley's Mills. The headquarters of the enemy was at Camden under the
command of Lord Cornwallis. The two armies met, about equidistant between the two camps, &
had a Battle in which the Americans were defeated -- The Army being defeated & dispersed --
returned home. General Butler having issued orders for the troops to reassemble, he
rendezvoused at Hillsboro under that officer. They remained there & in the neighborhood & in
Rowan County, watching the motions of the enemy & guarding the Country, until his term of
service expired & was regularly discharged.
He has no documentary evidence in his possession or power to produce. He states that
after the war, he resided in the State of Kentucky where his house was burnt, & with it, his
Commissions, discharges & all his other papers -- Nor does he know of any person, now living,
by whom he can prove his said services or any part thereof, except his brother Robert, whose
Deposition will be hereto annexed.
He was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on the 6th day of January 1754, according to the family Record, a copy of which is in his possession at home & removed as before stated to North Carolina. That he has already stated where he resided when called into service. He continued to reside in North Carolina until the year 1791, when he removed to Tennessee where he remained, about three years & removed to Kentucky, Logan County -- where he remained until about the year 1816 or 17, when he removed to Franklin County
Tennessee, where he has resided ever since.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present,
& declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State or territory.
He further states that in the year 1832, he caused a declaration of his services to be made
out & sworn to by him in Court & ordered to be [indecipherable word]. That he is informed &
believes, that the same was forwarded to the War Department, & was sent from thence to the
Clerk of the House of Representatives for information, he having referred to his Petition &c
placed several years before into the hands of the Honorable D. Crockett, who caused the same to
be referred to a Committee. He has received information from the House J. B. Forester [?] of the
House of Representatives that the Declaration so forwarded cannot now be found -- this accounts
for the delay in sending in this Declaration.
He does not recollect distinctly by whom his several Commissions were signed; but he
believes, his first commission was signed by Governor Caswell -- by whom the others were
signed he does not recollect, --
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
S/ E. Russell, Clk
S/ James Dougan
State of Tennessee Franklin County
The Reverend Robert Dougan, aged 69 years in December next, being first duly sworn,
doth on his oath state, that he well recollects, that his brother James, the Declarant was in the service of the United States during the Revolutionary War, as stated by him in the within
Declaration. He has heard him recite the circumstances of each tour, after performing the same,
& returning home, in substance as detailed in this Declaration. He has also often heard others
who served with him speak of the same transactions & services and that same way. He has not a
very distinct recollection of his several Commissions, but states positively that he has seen them, & at the periods of service spoken of in his Declaration, board the several titles of Ensign, Lieutenant & Major as stated in the Declaration.
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
S/ E. Russell, Clk S/ Rob. Dougan
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $201.66 per annum.]
http://revwarapps.org/s3306.pdf
