Person:William Gipson (10)

GIPSON, WILLIAM Boone County Born-Nov. 25, 1753, Monks Corners, South Carolina. Service-Enlisted from Guilford Co., N. C., June or July, 1777, Capt. James Armstrong’s CO., Col. Wm. Armstrong Regt. Served 6 mos. Ordered out March or April, 1778, pri. same CO. and Regt. against the Tories. Proof-Pension claim S. 17437. Died-April 9, 1835. Buried on farm near Thorntown, Ind. Stone. Married-Nancy Roarch, 1795. Ch. Mary, b. 1796, m. William Williams; Delilah, b. 1798, m. James Riley; Jacob, b. 1800, m. Nancy Craw- ford; Sarah, b. 1802, m. William Williams; Nancy, b. 1801, m. Stephen Jett; Rachel, b. 1809, m. Andrew Hudson; William, b. 1811; John, b. 1814; Isaac, b. 1816, m. Mary Scott; Ester, b. 1819. Collected by Mrs. C. M. McClaine, Lebanon, Indiana.

https://bloomfield.lib.in.us/uploads/4/9/0/2/49026837/roster.pdf

Pension application of William Gipson S17437 f47NC
Transcribed by Will Graves 10/11/06 rev'd 8/29/15

State of Indiana, Boon [sic, Boone] County: SS
On this 19th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of
the Boone Circuit Court now in Session William Gipson a resident of the County of Boon
aforesaid and State of Indiana, aged seventy eight or seventy nine years, in December next, 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, &
served as herein stated, that in June or July in the year 1777, he volunteered and entered the company of Captain James Armstrong in Roan [Rowan] County, North Carolina. Besides
Captain James Armstrong, his company was officered as follows—one Sharp was Lieut.
[lieutenant], one Irvin was insign [sic, Ensign], and this applicant was first sergeant—the
company belonged to Colonel William Armstrong's Regt [regiment]. His company volunteered
to go down into the lower counties of N Carolina, in order to drive out & disperse the Tories collecting under one Eli Branson—His company rendezvoused at Salsbury [sic, Salisbury] Courthouse, otherwise Rowan Court house, two days, when they marched—No other company went with them—but Genl [General] Amas Lock [? probably a mistaken attempt to identify Col. Francis Locke, or Matthew Locke, both active Rowan County militia officers] and the said Colonel William Armstrong went in company with them. This applicant with the ompany marched from Rowan Court house to Randolph Court house—thence to Hillsborough--thence to Chatham County—thence up Deep River, to the Sand Hills—at the latter place the company took several Scots tories, and there hung one of them—thence proceeded up Deep River into Moore County, where they met with Colonel Philip Alston's Regiment, and marched with his Regt about 15 miles to the Col A's plantation—He recollects there was one Capt [captain] John Carroll and one Major Irvin belonging to Alston's Regt—At Alston's plantation they left his Regt, and applicant’s company proceeded low down on the Big PeDee [sic, Pee Dee] River, about the Swamps, on that river, where his company dispersed a collection of tories—He then, with his company, marched up that river to the Grassy Islands—where the company halted, and his captain took out about 30 men, among which number this applicant was one, and went to the lower end of Randolph County, to take or disperse one Hugh McPhorson [Hugh McPherson] & his associates, tories, who were there collected & forming into a band to commit depredations—
This force of 30 men ranged through the lower part of Randolph, & Rockingham Counties and went to a quaker meeting house in the latter county, where they took one Campbell, a lieut. in McPherson's company, and from thence immediately started to meet the balance of his company, left in command of Colonel Armstrong (Genl Lock having returned home when the company were at Randolph County on their march out), and they proceeded on their journey about four days, when at night some disaffected persons in their detachment, as it was supposed, turned Campbell loose & he made his escape—The company then proceeded and Joined Col Armstrong, in the lower end of Rowan County, on the Yadkin River, & then proceeded home, where he arrived about the last of November or first of December, to the best of his recollection, making a campaign of about six months, the term for which he volunteered—During his absence, his mother, a widow woman, was tied up & whipped by the tories, her house burned, & property all destroyed.
2nd This applicant would now set forth his 2nd tour of duty as a soldier of the Revolution—In the month of March or April, but the precise month not now recollected, in the year 1778, Genl Lock ordered Col Armstrong with the same company, or detachment, to march to the upper parts of South Carolina, on the waters of the Pee Dee River, to disperse certain tories then in that neighborhood collected—This applicant with his company under the same Col & Capt & other company officers (except he declined serving as sergeant) in pursuance of the Genl’s order, in the year & one of the months as above stated, met at Genl Lock's, where they rendezvoused one day & marched to the above place of destination, being about 60 or 70 miles from Rowan Court house—That he thinks sometime in the month of May, but is not certain, he & his companions in arms on some small branch of the Pee Dee or Yadkin engaged with a number of tories, & in the engagement Colonel Armstrong received a shot in the hips, which penetrated through & through—In this engagement there were three of his company wounded & several killed, to the best of his recollection—The tories were driven & a number killed and wounded—they were commanded, to the best [of] his recollection by one Bryant [Samuel Bryan], & is certain the tory company were a squadron of Bryant's men—Col Armstrong was taken home, where he shortly after to the best of his recollection died, with his wounds above described—and after the engagement above related, this applicant & his company in about three weeks returned home nearly direct from a little town in South Carolina [sic, North Carolina] called Charlotte—The company marched to Genl Lock's in Rowan County, and there, this applicant received a discharge from the Genl including his first term of service of six months and the last tour of duty—three months, which was certified in the same discharge—the last campaign he thinks terminated in the months of July or August & made nine months which he had then served his country in the cause of Independence. But the discharge showing these two terms of service, this applicant regrets to say were not esteemed as valuable as the prosperity of his Country, and the gratitude of the present generation, have since made it, and he in a short time afterwards lost or mislaid the same & has no knowledge at this time of its existence.
3. Sometime in the winter of 1789 [sic, 1779], this applicant’s family having suffered greatly by the disaffected party called tories, his home and patrimony having been almost entirely destroyed in consequence of the attachment of himself & his brother to the cause of Independence, he joined a very small party of Whigs who had been more or less harassed & inspired by the disaffected, which party were headed by one Risdel Moore (Col) Captain John Haley, Lieut Elijah Charles, Ensign Elisha Charles & others of Gilford [sic, Guilford] County, NC. This party ranged through Guilford, Randolph, and Surry Counties--That sometime in the summer of 1779, at one Wm [William] Brazleton's in Guilford County, he and his party were in the house, when suddenly two armed men stood at the door, they seeing the party within, immediately wheeled, and Col Moore nocked [sic, knocked] down one of the men, who proved to be the notorious Hugh McPherson, a tory—his party soon took the other one, who proved to be one Campbell & brother to the Campbell taken prisoner & made his escape during the first campaign above related—His party took both of these tories to Guilford Court house, about 15 miles from the place of capturing them—there a Court Martial was held composed of the officers of his party, and McPherson was condemned & shot in the presence of this applicant & Campbell was condemned to be spicketed, that is, he was placed with one foote [sic, foot] upon a sharp pin drove in a block, and was turned round by one Thomas Archer to the best of his recollection, until the pin run through his foot, then he was turned loose—This applicant cannot forbear to relate that as cruel as this punishment might seem to be to those who never witnessed the unrelenting cruelties of the tories of that day, yet he viewed the punishment of those two men with no little satisfaction, as they were then supposed to belong to the identical band who inhumanly inflicted corporal punishment upon his helpless parent, who had committed no other offense than that of earnestly exhorting her sons to be true to the cause of American Liberty. So notorious was the conduct of this applicant & his party towards the tories of that neighborhood, that they were compelled to range the country, not daring to return home to stay anytime or separate until about Christmas 1779, when he separated from his party where he staid for the most part of his time until about October or November 1780.
4. In the months of October or November 1780, there was to the best of the applicant’s recollection a call for a regiment of men in the counties of Guilford, Randolph, & Moore & Co Philip Alston & Capt Carroll wrote from Moore County, where they resided, to Guilford County, where he resided, requesting him to join their Regt to go to the southward & this applicant upon receiving this letter went without delay to Col Alston’s, & in about two weeks after his arrival the Regt was made up, and on or about the first of November, 1780, the regiment marched, as it was then said, to join Genl Green's army [sic, Nathanael Greene's army]—They crossed the Pee Dee at the Grassy Islands, thence towards Columbia, S. C. & within a short distance of that place had a slight "brush" with the enemy—thence they marched towards Camden—crossed the Watere [sic, Wateree] River above Camden—thence towards the Congaree [River], where his Regt joined Genl Pickens' [Andrew Pickens'] Regt, who took command—crossed this streambelow Columbia, S. C., thence they marched towards Savannah, crossed Brier [sic, Briar] Creek, & within a few miles of the crossing of that creek they joined the main army commanded by Genl Greene—thence down to the mouth of Briar Creek, where the American army halted & the British army came up & gave battle¹
—This applicant was [in the] engagement—He was close by Col Alston when he hoisted a white handkerchief upon the hilt of his sword, as a signal of his surrender--& this applicant, with twenty or thirty of the Regt, including Col Alston were taken prisoners—and a great number, but how many he does not recollect, were taken prisoners from other Regts—The prisoners in a few days were marched towards Savannah, and this applicant with the rest were there confined in an old ship called the old Roebuck, which was placed at a considerable distance out in the Bay--He thinks about 500 prisoners were in the ship, including what were in before, with the number captured at the mouth of Briar Creek—This applicant well remembers the severity of this imprisonment—He & his fellow sufferers were daily tempted to enlist into the king’s army by gold & promise—A great many listed [enlisted], & many died with disease—After he had endured for better than a month, his imprisonment, Col Alston proposed to him and several others—particular & personal friends, to make their escape from the ship by throwing certain scantling out of the port holes. This project was accordingly, about 10 or 11 o’clock that night, put in execution by the Col by throwing a few pieces of scantling out, as proposed—The Col got out, & this applicant alone followed him, the others not venturing the hazardous enterprise—This applicant, placing himself upon a piece of scantling, followed his brave Col & together with him, as a good Providence would have it, this applicant was after some little effort & the aid of the tide, which was then favorable, carried to land safe—He & the Col entered a swamp, & where they wandered that night—At daylight they were directed by the sound of an ax, to a Negro man, who was boating wood; or rather towing it out with a canoe— The Col soon made an agreement with the Negro to set him & this applicant upon a certain point, not now recollected, & the Col was to carry the Negro to the British & set him free as a reward for his services, & they were accordingly taken to the place—They then left the canoe in the care of the Negro, promising him to return soon & fulfill the agreement. That day, after the Negro landed them, they lazed [?]2 about plantations, then being in the enemy’s country, until night, when the Col left the applicant & went to a house, where he procured a piece of meat & returned—They attempted, dark as it was, to travel on towards the upper part of South Carolina-- After several days, they arrived at one Hughs', an acquaintance of the Col. He furnished the Col with a Negro, a horse, money, and clothes, and with this applicant, proceeded to the Waxhaws Settlement to the widow Jackson’s—mother of the now venerable President of the U States [Andrew Jackson], to the best of this applicant’s present belief—At the widow Jackson’s they stayed two days—There at the hands of the old lady, they both received a suit of clothes, & the Col was urnished also by her with a horse to ride home—They arrived at the Col['s] residence in Moore County, late in the winter of 1781—There the Colonel gave this applicant a discharge, and he thinks the last of February, 1781, making about four months—This discharge he also shortly after lost—He returned home to Guilford County & there stayed a few days, but such was the notoriety of his sentiments & feelings & attachment to the cause of Liberty, among the tories, that he did not feel safe to continue there but for a few days.
5th And about the first of March 1781, with one Captain Thomas Hamilton with about 14 or 15 others volunteered to go and meet the main army under General Greene, then retreating before the British—they met the main army at Charlotte, S. C.[sic, NC]--their little squad kept along near the main army for several days, until they arrived at Salisbury, and continued on in the same manner until they arrived at the Moravian towns, and thence through Guilford County—crossed the Haw River at the High Rock Ford—thence to Halifax Old Town in the state of Va [Virginia]—where Greene’s army was reinforced—& the British retreated, & the American army following recrossed the Haw River at the same place where the British burned their wagons—But this applicant’s party arrived on the ground before they were entirely burned—Next morning, Capt Hamilton of this applicant’s party had a little engagement with the flanks of the British, and this applicant had his horse shot from under him, lost his pistols, sword & cap, & made his escape back to the main army—Capt Hamilton procured a horse & equipment for this applicant, & he was again mounted—thence they proceeded to Guilford Court house & the British to Deep River meeting house. At these two places the two armies lay preparing for Battle several days—The 14th of March to the best of his recollection Capt Hamilton advised his party to join Col Little's [sic, Archibald Lytle's] Company and the party accordingly fell in upon the left wing of Lytle's Regt—And on the 15th he was engaged in the Battle at Guilford Court house—with army, retreated to Troublesome Iron Works on the waters of River, where they rendezvoused for one day with the main army--when with Captain Hamilton's squad, they again returned to near Guilford Court house & there discovered the British to be upon the move—They returned back to the main army, but found them just ready to proceed after the British—his party continued to follow the main army, Camped with it (if not out at night) for several days, when Greene turned again for South Carolina--Hamilton with his party, left the main army & went down into North Carolina, to one Colonel Crump's, who commanded a regt of militia, where this applicant with Hamilton's party, staid some days, perhaps a week--then they crossed the Pee Dee in S. C. Joined a party commanded by one Marion [Francis Marion], with whom they staid about two weeks, caught one tory, who was left with Marion to deal with—then Hamilton’s party went again to Genl Greene’s army, laying between the Wateree & Congaree [Rivers], when they came to the army, they were preparing to march to the Euta [sic, Eutaw] Springs, where the British army then lay--The day after they arrived, the army moved towards the Springs.
Hamilton's party continued to flank the main army until the day before the engagement at the
Springs, when they attached themselves to Washington's [Col William Washington's] corpse [sic, corps] of horse, & entered the engagement with the corps. The horse broke through the brush breast works enclosing the springs—Washington was taken prisoner, & they retreated back about 5 miles, upon the same road upon which they had marched to the engagement [Battle of Eutaw Springs, September 8, 1781] —There the party under Hamilton, again left the main army & went back towards the Springs, to take observations of the enemy—whom they found retreating & they returned again towards Greene's army & found him advancing towards the Springs—They proceeded with the Americans harassing the British until the latter took shelter in Charleston — Greene marched them up to what was called “the 4 holes” to winter, and a short time after their going into winter quarters the army had cause to celebrate & rejoice at the fall of Ld Cornwallace [sic, Charles Lord Cornwallis, who surrendered at Yorktown October 19, 1781]. Soon after this memorable event this applicant took sick--went about 4 miles from the main army, & lay at a private house all winter sick & in the meantime his party under Hamilton returned to N. C. In March or April he went into Camp where he found that Hamilton had left discharge with one Col ____ of the regular army and a recommendation or paper certifying the good conduct of this applicant, both of which this applicant lost or mislaid in a very few years—He returned home the summer of 1782 on foot, having the winter before, lost his horse—He hereby relinquishes all & every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & hereby declares that his name is not upon the pension Roll of the agency of any State or Territory of the U. States. This applicant in answer to the interrogatories necessary to be put of the War Department would state that --
He was informed by his mother that he was born in the year 1753 but he has no record of his age.
When called into service, he was living in Guilford County N. C., but volunteered in Rowan County in the same state -- He was as he is informed born at Monck's Corner S.C. Since the Revolution, he lived 3 years in Guilford County N. C. -- 2 years in Winchester Virginia -- thence 1 year in Rockingham County N.C. -- 12 years in Wilkes & Rowan Counties N. C. -- then about ___ on Clinch River Va, in 1800 he moved to Ky. where he resided until 1829, when he removed to this state and has resided in Boone County & in the same neighborhood for the last two years--
He would further state that he knows of no person now living who has any personal knowledge of his services as set forth -- that he has no documentary proof of such service -- that, he not being able to write his own name until he was about 40 years of age, was & is it yet incapable of preserving his papers -- He does recollect the names of other officers in the regular army of the list would be too tedious should he go over of the names been set forth
He is well acquainted with John Turner a clergyman living in his immediate neighborhood who is now laying very sick & unable to attend court also he is acquainted with Jacob Johns one of the Judges of the Boone Circuit Court before whom this declaration is made and William Turner who resides in this applicant's present neighborhood & who can testify as to his good character for truth & veracity.
S/ Wm Gipson

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year first above written in open Court.
S/ David Hoover, Clerk
[Jacob Johns and William Turner gave the standard supporting affidavit.]

[p 26]
The State of Indiana Marion County: SS
Personally appeared before me, the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for the
County of Marion and State of Indiana, William Gipson, who being duly sworn, deposeth and
saith, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades –:
For 2 years and 5 months, I served as a private soldier: and for 6 months I served as an orderly, or first Sergeant for such service I claim a pension.
And the said Gipson further upon his oath says, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise months of the several years he entered the service to perform these protive [sic, ?] tours of duty set out in his application, but the periods of the War when he served are therein mentioned to the best of his recollection.
S/ Wm Gipson
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 3rd day of May 1833 as witness my hand & seal
S/ Caleb Scudder, JP

[Facts in file: Veteran died April 9, 1835, place not stated; this file contains no family data.]

[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $90 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for service
as a private for 18 months and as a Sergeant for 6 months in the North Carolina militia.]

¹Veteran appears to be describing the Battle of Briar Creek, March 3, 1779.

https://revwarapps.org/s17437.pdf