William THOMPSON S6217 West Tenn. #19113 $285/year issued 2 Aug. 1833.
27 Nov. 1832 Franklin County, Capt. William THOMPSON aged 79 states he was born in Dobbs County, N.C., in 1753 or 1754 but has no record of his age. He volunteered in the early part of the war in the Dobbs County militia under Col. Richard CASWELL. He was a Dobbs County resident. A British Man of War ship was blockading the inlet of Cape Fear, about 40 miles below Wilmington, and the company marched to that area and remained until it was ascertained that the British wanted to blockade only, not land. He volunteered again under Capt. William FELLOW and marched to Bald Head below Wilmington. After some time he volunteered again under Capt. George MILLER, Lt., AXIUM(?) and Col. CASWELL. Marched to Moores Creek Bridge and had a battle with the Scotch Tories. The Tories were defeated, their commanders MCCLOUD OR MCCLERD and MCDONALD were both killed, among others. Only one American, John GRADY, was killed two were wounded. The prisoners were released upon taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. Early in 1779 he enlisted under Capt. Moring and Col. Jonas JOHNSON. Marched with Col. MCDOWELL’S regiment to Augusta, Ga., and attacked the enemy at Stono on 22 June 1779. The enemy was reinforced from the islands near Charleston and the Americans under Gen. Lincoln were repulsed. Affiant was then acting as Quartermaster Willoughby WILLIAMS, the Quartermaster of Col. JOHNSON’S regiment. He encloses his discharge dated 10 July 1779, written by Willoughby WILLIAMS, whose widow married the late Gov. MCMINN of Tennessee. The handwriting is probably known by the Hon. H.L. WHITE of the U.S. Senate. In 1790 he was appointed captain of the militia under Col. William MCKINNEY. His commission is attached. He remained in the service until the close of the war in pursuit of the Tories about the country. The times were so gloomy that many of the principal men and officers, namely Gov. CASWELL, Col. GLASGOW, Col. COBB and others fled for refuge west of the mountains, leaving us to defend for ourselves and the country as best we could. In April 1781 affiant and a small scouting party were attacked in Duplin County, N.C. by a detachment from Lord CORNWALLIS” army. He was taken prisoner and paroled, after having been robbed of his mare, saddle and bridle by a sergeant of the British Dragoons. The mare was valuable; he heard the sergeant say after taking her that he would not sell for 50 guineas. He resided in Dobbs and Wayne Counties, N.C., until 1796 when he removed to Washington County, Ga. In 1808 he removed from, there to Wilson County, Tenn. In 1818 he came to this county. Rev. Robert DOUGAN and Ellis OLDHAM vouch for THOMPSON.
14 June 1852 Thomas FINCH, administrator of the estate of the late William THOMPSON, appoints Tax W. NEWMAN his attorney. THOMPSON died 1 March 1836.