JAMES PEARCE Captain, North Carolina Line, $140.00 Annual Allowance $301.82 Amount Received February 20 1833 Pension Started Age 85 Died April 1 1833 (1835 Washington Co, TN Pension Roll) Capt. James PEARCE made affidavit for his Revolutionary War pension on 12 Sep 1832 "formerly a citizen of Washington County, now a resident of Sevier County," and declared that he was a resident of Washington County, "now Tennessee, then in the State of North Carolina, which county was then a frontier and bordered on a Nation of Cherokee Indians who were in liege with the British in the War of the Revolution and was at that time and before and after committing murders and confrontations on the said frontier in which he resided." He further declared that in the summer of 1779, he raised a company of volunteers in what is now Greene County by order of Col. John Sevier, marching them to the French Broad River, then Indian Territory, now Cocke and Sevier Counties in Tennessee, in company with Capt. Jacob Brown who also commanded a volunteer company from Washington County, their goal to prevent the Indians from crossing the river to the frontier settlements. In the spring of 1780, he again raised a volunteer company, which marched to Beaver Dam on Lick Creek where the Indians had come in on the frontier settlements... In the early fall of 1780, his company volunteered under Colonel Sevier, still a resident of Washington, now Greene, County, and marched to Gap Creek in what is now Carter County, Tennessee, where they were joined by Colonel Shelby's Regiment from Sullivan County, Tennessee and Colonel Campbell's Regiment from the western part of Virginia. They then marched on to "Kings Mountain atop the Yellow Mountains" by way of Bright's Trace. He further states that there was a hard battle fought on Kings Mountain, in which the American army was successful, the British Colonel killed and his army principally killed and taken prisoners. Immediately after his return to Greene county, he received orders from Colonel Sevier to march with his company to guard the frontier neighborhood on the Lick Creek flats against the Cherokee Indians and prevent Indian spies from getting into the white settlement. When he remained with his company serving as aforesaid, waiting the march of Colonel Sevier, whom he was to join where all together they had remained the time ten days. He marched his company and joined Colonel Sevier's regiment on Lacy Creek, now Jefferson county, Tennessee, in accordance with the order of the said Colonel Sevier. From thence, marched over the French Broad River, encamped on Boyds Creek, marched about ten miles on the following morning, was attacked by the Indians and had a battle in which the Indians were defeated with the capture of eleven of their men (none of the whites were killed). Found protection papers with the Indians and British protection papers, also British Civilians from the Thirtieth Regiment. Returned to an island in the French Broad River and encamped there some days waiting for Colonel Campbell's Regiment from Western Virginia. After the arrival of Colonel Campbell, we then marched on to the Indian towns which they burned and destroyed. Had several skirmishes. Killed some Indians and took some prisoners and returned home where he discharged his men verbally after having served the full time of nine months in said campaign.
That in the several tours before, states he served seven months and some days, and commanded as a Captain during the whole time, being elected by the company in which he remained their Captain and recognized by Colonel Sevier. The distance from the seat of Government being very great and the chain of mountains and unsettled country intervening furnishing such obstacles.
The officers of the militia elected in the frontier received no regular
commissions at the time but acted upon the authority of the election in the
companies and recognition of the superior officers, and he received his
commission on his march to King Mountain in North Carolina.
That he resided, as before stated, in Greene county, then Washington co., and there resided for many years but recently removed to Sevier and there resides at this time, but is now residing amongst those who knew nothing of his Revolutionary War service.
(Abstracted by C. Hamnett from Rev War Pension Claim No. W5529)
|
