State of Tennessee }
Hawkins County }
Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions [May Term, 1834]

On this 27th day of May personally appeared before the Justices of the Court of Pleas and quarter session now sitting, Samuel Marion, a resident of Lee County & the State of Virginia aged 78 years, who being first duly sworn, according to Law, doth on his oath make the following Declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1776, with Capt Morris and served in the 7th Regiment of the Virginia line, under the following named Officers. This Applicant states that he was born in Goochland County in the State of Virginia on the 21st day of January in the year 1756, the day of the Month he cannot state not having any record of his age, but he recollects the month & the year is as he has stated, that there was a record of his age in a prayer Book & one of his sisters has it. This Applicant further states that he was living in Goochland County Virginia, when he entered the service of the United States, as an Enlisted Soldier, under Captain Nathaniel Morris, that he enlisted for two years & six months & served out the time as hereinafter stated. The Company to which this Applicant belonged gathered at Goochland Court house & was marched from thence, by their Captain, to Malvern Hills, at which place their Company joined Captain Lightfoot’s Company and also some Militia Companies, that they remained at this place about two weeks as well as he now remembers and from thence they were marched to Williamsburg where they joined the 7th Regiment, as well as he now recollects, under the command of Colonel John Mason from Little York and General Nelson, the Lieutenant was Wosten Johnson. Captain Porter commanded another Company at this place. The forces remained at Williamsburg about six weeks as he now remembers, and were then ordered to Little York, at which time they joined other Regular forces stationed there, of these forces General Nelson also had the command. At this station, they remained about six weeks during which time frequently they could see the British vessels at anc[h]or in the Bay, and as soon as the British vessels left the Bay, the forces, or a greater part of them, stationed at Little York, were ordered to Hamton, where they again saw the British vessels at anc[h]or & at this place they joined other forces under the Command of General Mulingburg, they remained at Hamton till the British vessels left the Bay, they were then marched from Hamton, by General Mulingburg, through Little York across York river and on to Goucester Court house, at this place they were stationed about three months, from thence marched to Guinns Island at which place they arrived & commenced entrenching during which time they were continually anno[i]ed by the cannonade from the British vessels anc[h]ored in the Bay, thence they continued their operations in entrenchment till the British vessels hoisted their flags and left the Bay, that the object of the American forces being to watch the movements of the British & prevent their taking the possession of any point. They did not remain long after the British departed but took up the line of march to head them at some other point at Guinns Island. Colonel Taylor and General Wese commanded. This Applicant further states that from Guinns Island, they marched through Dumfries on to Philadelphia, where they joined the Grand Army composed of Americans & French under the command of General Washington & LaFayette, at Philadelphia the whole Army remained but a short time when they received intelligence that General Burgoyne with his British forces had taken his march through the country, a part of the American army was then ordered to take up the lines of march under the command of Generals Gates & Arnold & Col. Morgan, that this company to which this applicant belonged was part of said detachment. This applicant further states that the American army under General Gates and the British forces under the command of Burgoyne were marching and counter marching for some time till Burgoyne crossed the Hudson river, and Gates Army being on the same side the two army[ie]s met not far from Still Water and had an engagement which lasted sometime and proved very destructive on both sides, that the night coming on put an end to the battle, that they were then marched in pursuit of Burgoyne to Saratoga, where the whole of the British army under Burgoyne consisting of British & Hessians surrendered prisoners of war amounting in all to about six thousand, that they also got at this victory a great many pieces of Artillery & muskets, in this engagement General Arnold was wounded, from Saratoga Col. Taylor was ordered out with several companies, belong to one of which, was this to take the prisoners on to Albemarl Barron that they proceed with them to Albemarl where they guarded them about three months, that from Albemarl the Company to which this applicant belonged, leaving enough to guard the prisoners were marched to Ground Squash bridge on the Pamunkey river, at this place they joined other forces commanded by Lafayett & Wayne,. while stationed at this place he obtained a furlough to go & see his mother & while on the way was wounded & taken prisoner by a company of British light horse who happened to be rainging the country, that he was taken to the British Army under the command of Cornwallis &. Tarlton, that he was ordered under guard & one night while the guard slept he made his escape & had to hide and lie about for five days during which time he ate nothing but sorrel & at last rached the American Army exhausted, after which he remained a short time and his Term of service for which he enlisted, being two years & six months, expired, & he was discharged by General Wayne who signed his discharge. This applicant further states that on the next morning after he received his first discharge, he again enlisted in the service for two years & six months more under Capt. Coleman Rice, after this they did not remain long at Ground Squash Bridge, but were marched from thence to Bottoms Bridge, here they remained a short time & were then marched to Jamestown at which place the British were then stationed, that their intention was to make an attack on the British at Jamestown, but they received information from some Tory of the intention of the Americans and abandoned the place, crossing the river and proceeded to Petersburg, to which place the Americans also ???, near Petersburg the American Army remained as long as the British did, during which time they kept up a continual cannonade. This applicant further states that from Petersburg the British retreated to Pigeon Hill & they followed & succeeded in driving them from Pigeon Hill into Little York at which place they remained till they were compelled to surrender to the combined forces of America and France under Washington and Lafayett. This Applicant states that he reamined at York during the whole of the seige till Cornwalllis surrendered, after which he proceeded to Federal City with the prisoners, where he was discharged by General Washington who signed his discharge & this Applicant and returned home. This Applicant further states that he had both his discharges burnt when his house was burnt some years ago that as of that time he had taken care of them. This Applicant further states that he never received a commission. This Applicant further states that there is no Clergyman living in his immediate neighborhood. This applicant further states that since the revolutionary war he has lived in Virginia and Tennessee and that he now lives in Lee County, Virginia and the reason he applied for his pension in Tennessee, Hawkins County is that he lives near the line & that he had formerly lived in Tennessee & that he could not have that attention to his business, in Lee County which he wished. This Applicant further states that he is now frail from old age & has lost his recollection of those times, but he has, as well as he can, stated the circumstances of his different enlistments & he is certain & can swear positively to the length of time he served which is not less than above stated making in all five years. This applicant further states that he has made the best proof of his service that he can which appears in the Depositions of William Stapleton, now a pensioner and John England also a pensioner hereto annexed marked nos. 1 & 2. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State, or … the State of Viriginia, Sworn to & subscribe this day & year aforesaid Samuel Marion Virginia.

X Signed Samuel Marion (his mark)

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states.

I Stokely D. Mitchell Clerk of the Court of Pleas and quarter Sessions from Hawkins County Tennessee do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Samuel Marion for a pension. And I the said Clerk further certify that William Babb whose signature appears to the annexed depositions and certificates is now and was at the time of signing the same as acting Justice of the peacefor Hawkins County Tennessee duly sworn commissioned & qualified and that said signature appears to be in his own … hand writing. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal of Office, this 27th day of May 1834.

Wm. O. Winston S. D. Mitchell Clerk B.Wm. B. Mitchell Clerk

Rogersville, Tennessee

This transcription was submitted by Daniel Marion.