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On this 16th day
of September in the year 1832 before the Honorable Thomas Stuart, Judge of
the Fourth Judicial Circuit for the state of Tennessee now sitting for the
county of Williamson, Robert Parrish aged about 76 years who being first
duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration
in order to obtain the benefit of an Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.
That he served four campaigns during the Revolution, the particulars of
which are as follows:
The first of which he volunteered and entered the service of the United
States some time about 1778 under the following officers. He served in the
company commanded by Captain John Anderson and Lieutenant John Martin in the
regiment commanded by Colonel Leroy Hammons; attached to the Brigade
commanded by General Williamson and marched from Augusta, Georgia where he
then resided, to Savannah where the British had blockaded that part, after
remaining there some time they were marched back to Augusta and there
stationed about a month. Then marched into the rage of the Cherokee Nation
and broke up a parcel of Tories killing and taking prisoners of the greater
part – were again marched back to Augusta and there discharged. If he
received a discharge for this campaign he has lost it. He does not think
that any regular troops served with him this campaign. He served this
campaign about three months.
He entered the service of the United States a second time in the spring of
1779 as a volunteer in the company commanded by Captain William Martin in
the regiment commanded by Colonel Leroy Hammons and attached to the Brigade
commanded by General Williamson and marched from Augusta, Georgia where he
still resided by the Savannah River then up the Tugulo River to Fort Kevin
which they there built. Then marched across the mountains and attacked the
Indians at Meddle[?] Towns whom they drove from the towns which were
destroyed. Then marched through the Indian country and destroyed all their
villages and corn fields which compelled them to sue for peace, which was
granted to them. Then returned to Ninety Six now called Cambridge and there
was discharged in the fall of the same year, making a tour of six months
that he served this campaign, of which he received a discharge, it has been
lost or destroyed. He recollects that General Pickett was with them this
tour but thinks he then had a Colonel’s commission and does not think that
any regular or continental troops served with him on this campaign.
He entered the service of the United States a third time as a drafted
militia man in the first of February 1781 under Captain William Hays,
Lieutenant Richard Hays and Ensign William Gill in the regiment commanded by
Colonel Rolla Downman[?] and Major Edward Garland attached to the Brigade
commanded by General Muhlinburg and marched from Lunenburg County, Virginia
(where he then resided having returned to that place from Augusta) to
Petersburg – to Cabin Point then to Suffolk, then to the Great Bridge to
Elizabeth River above Norfolk at which place a skirmish ensued between the
Riflemen under Colonel Bowyer and the enemy’s advanced guard who were placed
at the Bridge to guard it. From that place they marched to Broadwater in
Southampton County, Virginia and there deposited their arms and were
discharged in June, same year, 1781, making a term of four months this
campaign. He does not recollect that any regular or continental troops
served with him this campaign. If he received a discharge for this campaign
he has lost or mislaid it.
He was again drafted and entered the service of the United States a fourth
time some time in August 1781 and marched from Lunenburg County, Virginia
(where he still resided) to Petersburg, then to Newsom’s Springs and there
fell under Captain Joseph Night, Lieutenant Frederick Nance and Ensign Henry
Cook who were elected at that place in the regiment commanded by Colonel
Lewis Burwell and attached to the Brigade commanded by General Muhlinburg.
He then was marched to Hog[?] Island and then crossed the James River then
to Old Williamsburg and there fell in with the main army commanded by
General Washington, then to Yorktown and after remaining there on the York
side some time crossed York River and was stationed on the Gloucester side
under General Wuden and remained there till the surrender of Cornwallis. He
was then ordered with the company he served with to convey the prisoners to
the barricades at Albemarle Courthouse and was discharged in November or
December, same year, having served four months this campaign making in all
seventeen months that he was in the service of the United States during the
Revolutionary War, for this campaign he received no discharge. He served
during the campaign with Generals Lafayette and Lincoln and the officers
above named and the troops commanded by them.
He knows of no person by whom he can prove his services except Henry Cook
who was his Ensign during the last campaign mentioned in his declaration
which commenced in August and ended in November or December 1781. He is so
very old and his memory so weak that he has forgotten his personal and many
important transactions of his services and which might be useful to him,
such as the dates of his entering and leaving the service. The exact time
that he was born. But the above is all that he now recollects of his
services.
He was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia about the year 1756. When he
entered the service the first and second times he resided in Augusta,
Georgia and the last two times he resided in Lunenburg County, Virginia
where he resided after the Revolution till 1826, since which time he has
resided in Williamson County, Tennessee.
He herby relinquishes all claims whatever to a pension or annuity, except
the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the
agency of any state whatever.
Sworn to and subscribed )) [signed] Robert Parrish
in open court the day ))
and year aforesaid ))
[signed] Preston Hay, clk &c
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