WALTER BILLINGSLEY
NORTH CAROLINA TROOPS
REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION #R840
BRADLEY & MCMINN COUNTY, TENNESSEE
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832.
State of Tennessee
County of McMinn
On this 8th day of September 1832, personally appeared before the Justices of the County Court of said County, Walter Billingsley, a resident of said County and State, aged about 71 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, swears on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832. That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the year 1780, with a Sergeant Armstrong, he believes his name was Thomas, who said he was recruiting for Captain John Williams Company, to be attached to the 17th Virginia Regiment, but was never attached to any regiment after his enlistment, he remained at Salisbury North Carolina, where he was enlisted, and was engaged in making cartridges R. R. and in training by a person by the name of Williams. He was marched by Sergeant Armstrong, with others, down the ???? and Varassid at Sloan's ferry 7 miles from Salisbury, then assigned thru Gadkin again above the barnes, after receiving information that Buford had crossed the Gadkion, and followed him, and overtook him at the McLaw Mortuary house, where he was uncamped. Sergeant Armstrong and his whole party of recruits arrived about dusk at Buford's encampment, and the next morning ??? day break and Sun rise, Buford was attacked by the British forces under Tarbetor, and entirely defeated, and nearly all was killed.
Declarant make his escape into the woods, and on that day after Sun down he fall in with a regular soldier by the name of Whitlock, a Virginian, who had also escaped from the defeat of Buford. The day after the battle in the evening, the declarant and Whitlock fell in with a militia soldier, and the three saw two old negroes who told them that they was ??? 3 or 4 miles form the battle grounds, though the had been constantly going west of 2 days. On the 3d day they crossed the Gadkin, and ???? and ??? to the barn of a Captain William Coln, a militia Captain who was very much in the service during the war, and was known to declarant to in ????, ???? with supplies for the army. or down part of it, and under the guard of a few militia men. Declarant remained about 2 days with the nigger, at the end of which a company of tories under Samuel Bryant came upon us and made us prisoners, and took us the first day to Kimbroughs North or ??? win, a hard of Pedis, where Bryant men force was stationed -- the second day Bryant crossed Paduat ???? Island Ford -- on the 32 day they ???? to Anson Court house when was a party of Tarletan's Tragoons, who refused to take charge of the prisoners, of whom there are about 15 or 20; the a they were taken to the Gum Spring bites in Anson Court house and Pheraw, where they remained about a week, & was thence conducted to Cherawhid men game up to the British 71st regiment, commanded by Major de Cartz. How an inferior British officer named Thomas Proctor was sent with us in charge to Cowden -- lying the first night at a Captain Johnson's -- the 20 ??, in the woods, -- the third night, the same -- the 4th night on the bridge across Lyn??? Creek in the midst of D. Rawdon's camp, about 13 miles from Cowden -- and the 5th nigh they was lodged in the ??? of Cowden, here they were kept until about the 4th of January 1781, when the troops at Cowden consisting of Col. Hampton's regiment, a regiment of enlisted tories & husaries, and the Hessions ??? under Genl Lofliss, and guarding on Genl d'Horn. Declarant & other prisoners amounting to 18, set off under guard of about 20 men and overtook the British army on few days before the battle of Cowpens, and was wounded at Ramsours's mill on the north branch of Catawba.
Here they burnt waggons, in order to make rapid march after Morgan and the prisoners he had take to Cowpens. Thence they marched to Now Catawba when they had a fight with Genl Davidson, who was ???; thence to Solmoney; thence to the Hollow ford of Gaskins; thence two? the 3 Morrow Tours; thence West course to the Dun River, passing ???? ????; thence they marched to Hillsboro; thence a crossing How river battle of Guilford, and at last in the 12th March declarant made his escape, and on the 13th declarant met with his brother James Billingsley, Captain of a militia Company and who, as be ??? declarant, acted or guided to General Green not before, an on the day of the battle of Guilford. Here declarant's brother represented his case to Genl Butler, who sent declarant furlough while called upon, and declarant reached ???? in Randolph County the 22d day of March 1781. About the month of October declarant went to Sullivan County, and in December was employed in the station on Big Creek at Captain Coils. In November, declarant met with Sevier, and Tipton in an expedition against the Indians, crossing the Tennessee now at an Island ford above the mouth of Tellico, destroyed the townes of Eastwallen, Chickamauga, and ???? on Coosa, returned and crossed Hiwassee river at Hiwasse old town, the in to Tellico Plains, and at Chota bad a talk with the Indians, and returned from, and declarant has now been in Sevier, Tenn.
declarant was in the service and a prisoner about 2 years and a half.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of agency in any state.
Sworn to and described this day & year aforesaid.
Walter Billingsley
(his mark)
And the said court I hereby declare then opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states.
John Miller
A. Barb
Marshall in Cunningham
I, Archibald R. Turk, clerk of the county court of said county do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Walter Billingsley for a pension. In testimony whereof, i have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, at office in Athens, the 15th day of September 1832.
A. R. Turk, Clerk,
By his deputy M. Sherrill
State of Tennessee
Bradley County }
On the 1st day of January 1838 per ??? appeared upon the Justices of the County Court for Bradley County Walter Billingsley a resident in the County of Bradley and state of Tennessee in the present which was originally McMinn. When the said Walter Billingsley made his original declaration for a pension under the act of Congress of the 7th June 1832, who leaving, first duly sworn according to law doth in his oath make the following amended declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 that he was bornd in Baltimore County State of Maryland on the 14th day of July 1761 --- according to the ??? & information left him by his parents which record id ???? twice and ????. last or destroyed but a copy of which was take from it many years ??? is here ??? enclosed to the department, declarant first recollection was in Guilford County, North Carolina in that part which is now Randolph, but declarant resided in the county aforesaid untill about the first of June 1780 when he went to Salisbury where he ??? the 1st day of January 1780. solicited to enlist in the service of the United States by Sergeant Armstrong as mentioned in his original declaration. Declarant never was placed under Captain Williams nor joined the 17 Virginia Ridgement, if prays the department to have refer thus stated & also stated on the declaration to the ??? department & whether according to the rules of the same presumption is raised against him of his names bearing upon the Virginia Rolls of the said 17 Ridgement as he was attached to his ??? company nor to said Ridgement further whereas that from the day of his enlistment 1st of January 1780 up to Bufords defeat 1st day of June 1780 ??? four months that he faithfully served the United State as ??? soldier and asks a pension of the department for the same Declarant submits to the department whether according to the pension law and the rules of the department, he is entitled to a pension for the times he was a prisoner of war in the British lines & shows by reference to his original declaration that it was nine months making fourteen from his enlistment up untill after the battle of Guilford. When he was furloughed by General Butler which furlough has long since been lost. Declarant states that on the first day of December 1781 he was serving in Sullivan County then North Carolina ??? now Tennessee. He was ordered into the service of the United States by Colonel Sevier and in pursuance of said order he on the first day of December 1781 entered the service of the United States under Captain Coil as an Indian Spie at the station on big creek. declarant state that he does not now recollect of his having any Lieut or Ensign as he did not Enter nor was he attached to any army ridgement but was ordered by Colonel Sevier to spie against the Indians under capture Coil and said company spied in small security parties in protection of said station & Prewitts station and they ranged from Coils station to Prewitts Station and about Bays mountain sick creek defeat creed declarant served as an Indian spie. as aforesaid & in protection of said Forts or station under the command of Col. Sevier & Captain Coil from the 1st of Dec 1781 to the 1st of October 1780 as a private soldier this is the service named in Declarants original declaration where it speaks of his being employed in December, in the station at Big Creek which makes a term of service of ten months that he served as a private soldier in spieing against the Indians in which he had no engagement or Battle with the Indians but Frequently retook stolen property and give notice of approaching danger by the Indians, declarant again in the first day of October 1782 volunteered and entered the service of the United States as a private soldier under the following named officers Captain Anderson whose given name is not now recollected from the old age & consequence ??? of memory by believed to be Robert & who afterward was promoted to Major & George Russell ----- seceded Captain. His ??? in command Lieutenant John Tally Ensign William Newcum David Bragg Sergeant Corporals names not now recollected for causes above stated Col. John Sevier Major Tipton given name not now recollected from causes above stated reorganized at the mouth of Boyd's Creek on French Broad River ------- the 3rd day of October 1782 then marched the campaigns named in original declaration had no Generals the force consisted of Colonel Serviers Ridgement, declarant was honorably but verbally discharged upon the last day of November 1782 upon the Tennessee River above the mouth of Tellico declarant served this campaign Two months as a private declarant never received any written discharge. When he was discharged from spieing at Coils Station declarant shows that he has never done a monetary evidence of his service & does not Know of any person living by whom he can prove the same declarant prays a pension for so much of his service as was proved in the rules of the department declarant states ??? that he is acquainted with the following named persons resident in his neighborhood who can testify to his veracity & their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution to with the Reverent Henry Price Esq. Rick Baty William Cain John H Robinson Willis Burk William Jones & John W. Price Nathaniel Smith Alexander Westmoreland.
1st applicant state & shows that he was born in Baltimore County state of Maryland on the 14th day of July 1761
2 That he has no record of his age except a copy which was taken from the original which has long been burned or lost or discharged third copy is herewith Exhibit with this declaration
3 declarant state that upon he entered the service of the United States he was living in Randolph County state of North Carolina and that since the Revolutionary War he has lived in the states of North Carolina South Carolina & Tennessee & that he now resides in the county of Bradley state of Tennessee
4th declarant understand at the time he first entered the serviced of the United States that it was by enlistment & to be joined to Captain Williamson's Company of the 17 Virginia Ridgement but never was joined to said Ridgement or company that the 2nd time he entered the service it was by the order of Colonel Sevier - the third and last time that he entered the service of the United States ??? the campaign down the Tennessee River he volunteered
5 declarant was acquainted with the following named officers of the United States army at Salsbury, General Rutherford Genl McDowell General Davidson, Col. Lock Captain Gilbert Fall -- was acquainted with the following named officers in Sullivan County Colonel Sevier Colonel Loomy Major Tipton Major Anderson Captain Russell Major Sevier.
6 Never recovered any written discharge from the service --
7 That he is acquainted with the following named persons resident in his neighborhood who can testify to his veracity and their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution and to wit the Reverent Henry Price Elijah Bates William Carn John K Robertson Willis Bunk William Jones John W. Price Alexander Westmoreland Nathaniel Smith
Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid. Walter Billingsley (his mark)
John H. Robertson Clk.
We Henry Price Clergyman residing in the County of Bradley & in the same neighborhood of Walter Billingsley the foregoing Declarant and John H. Robertson residing in the same hereby certify that We are well acquainted with Walter Billingsley who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him seventy six years of age at the present date That he is respected and believed in the Neighborhood when he ?? to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that Opinion
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
John H. Robertson Clk
Such the said court hereby declare their opinion after the investigation matter, and after putting the interrogation prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the court further certifies that it appears to them that Henry Price who has signed the proceeding certificate is a clergyman resident in the county of Bradley in the neighborhood of Walter Billingsley the foregoing declarant and that John H. Robertson, who has also signed the same is a resident in the same county & neighborhood and is a credible person and that their statement
BIRTHS FAMILY
Walter Billingsley son of James Billingsley & Elizabeth his wife was
born the 11th of July 1761
Rev. War Section
January 20, 1915
Miss C. L. Barnett.
1014 Vermont Avenue, N. W.
Washington, D. C.
Madam:
In response to your undated letter received in this Bureau January 18th, requesting the record of Walter Billingsley for Mrs. N. J. Cruger, Hotel Bristol, 122 West 49th Street, New York City, year are advised that in the claim R. File No. 840 Rev. War, it appear that Walter Billingsley was the son of James and Elizabeth Billingsley and was born July 14, 1761 in Baltimore County, Maryland and while a resident of that part of Guilford County, North Carolina, which was afterwards Randolph County, in January 1780, he was enlisted by Sergeant Thomas Armstrong and remained at Salisbury, North Carolina, making cartridges and training, and at Buford'd Defeat he was one of the small body of recruits under Sergeant Thomas Armstrong and made his escape into the woods; afterwards while on his way to join General Gates' army, he was surprised by a company of Tories under Samuel Bryant, taken prisoner and carried to jail at Camden where he was kept until about January 4, 1781, when he and other prisoners under guard were marched to join the British Army which they reached a few days before the battle of Cowpens.
He was kept a prisoner of war in the British lines until March 12, and then escaped, and with his brother, Captain James Billingsley, succeeded in getting a furlough from General Butler and returned home March 22, 1781.
On December 1, 1781, while living in Sullivan County, then North Carolina, he entered the service as an Indian spy under Captain Coil, he was not attached to any regiment but was ordered by Colonel Sevier to protect different forts and stations until October 1, 1782, when he volunteered as a Private under Captain Anderson and Colonel John Sevier and served two months.
On September 8, 1832, while residing in McMinn County, Tennessee, he applied for pension which was not allowed, on the ground of insufficient proof of six months actual military service in an embodied corps or organization as required by the Act of June 7, 1832, under which he applied.
Very Respectfully,
?????
Commissioner