Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2086, Charles Cocke, Va. Indian Wars 1774 And 1790
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(8-1776) SERVICE Va. [star stamp] Cocke, Charles NUMBER R2086 NC
Indian Wars 1774 and 1790 [checkmark]
CONTENTS
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Virginia,
At a court begun and held for Lee county, at the 
courthouse thereof on the15th day of January 1838
Declaration 
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed
June 7th 1832.
State of Virginia Lee county towit,
On this 15th day of January
1838 personally appeared in open court before the court of 
Lee county, now sitting, Col. Charles Cocke, resident of Clarke
county in the state of Arkinsas, aged eighty eight years the 
12th day of November next, who being first duly sworn according
to lay, doth on his oath, make the following declaration
in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed 
June 7th 1832.
That about the month of July in the year 1780, he was
commissioned by the governor of Virginia as a captain of 
militia, in the then county of Washington in the said
state of Virginia, over a company of Rangers in the 
regiment at that time commanded by Col. Arthur Campbell,
the number of which, the declarant has now forgotten.
That he was stationed, with the company under his command,
during the balance of that year, and in 1781 at the 
Rockey Station Fort, in the then county of Washington
but now county of Lee, on the old Kentuckey trace, on the 
southwestern frontier of Virginia, that during that time,
which embraced a period of about eighteen months, the
declarant with some part of his command, was in constant
service, either in acting as spies, in pursuit of the savages, 
or in guarding the Fort. That being himself very active and
enterprising, and from his infancy accustomed to the
woods, and well acquainted with the Indian character and
wiley arts, he always himself, when spying was to be done
selected tow or three men of his command, on whom he 
could most depend for that service, and with them acted
himself as a spy, entrusting the protection of the Fort to
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his subordinates and the majority of the company.
That during this service, the declarant several times pursued
the savages when they would make excursions into the 
settlements, murdering the inhabitants and stealing their 
property. and on several occasions he was engaged in
bloody skirmishes with the indians; and can say with 
certainty that he killed several of them himself on those
occasions. That he too, was many times in the most
imminent danger, when sometimes alone, and at other 
times with but one or two individuals in company, and 
but for his activity and his thorough knowledge of the 
Indian habits and character, he must often have fallen
a victim of this savage feracity. This made of life, and
duty continued from the year 1780 until Sinclairs defeat
which the declarant thinks was in 1790. But his duties
were not so incessant after 1781 as the settlements were
growing more populous, other stations were created, and 
Major Andrew Lewis, Capt Hawkins and others were sent
out with aids. Major Lewis, with his command visited
this declarants station in 1782, which was the only aid
he received before the close of the revolution in 1783. When Major Lewis was here in 1782 the declarant joined him
in an expedition some distance down into what is now
the State of Tennessee, toward the cherokee towns, but
although they were often in the immediate vicinity of the 
savages, they had at that time no engagement with them.
But the declarant has but little doubt that this boldness
and show of [illegible] strength, intimidated the savages
and made them more cautious, and less frequent in their
incursions to the settlements, so that subsequently, up to 
the end of the revolutionary war, although the declarant
was continued in his command, as a guest at the 
Fort, yet his duties were not so laborious, as previously
nor his dangers often so imminent. After the revolution
ended his duties still continued for some years; during 
which he had several active, short campaigns. Previous to
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his appointment to the command of the Rocky Station 
Fort, he was on an expedition of about six weeks
against the tories on new [illegible] who were about [illegible]
to destroy the lead mines. This service he performed as a 
private soldier under the command of Capt Henry
Francis who was under the command of Col William
Campbell. and previous to this, and previous to the revolutionary
war, he was on an expedition against the north
western Indians in a company commanded by Capt
William Herbert in a Regiment commanded by Col. then
Major Christie. Col. Christie with his command was
near to Point Pleasant, at the mouth of Kanawha
when Col. Lewis defeated the indians at that place. This 
service was performed in 1774 as well as the declarant
now recollects, and he was engaged about six months on
upwards, commencing early in May, and ending the 
latter part of November following. For this last service
the declarant supposes the act of Congress has made
no provision, and he mentions it, for the purpose only,
of showing that his early life was one of activity and
danger. But he also supposes that from the time he took
command of the Rockey Station Fort about the 1st of 
July 1780 to the end of the Revolutionary war, he will
be entitled to a pension as a captain which rank he
held during that time commanding at the same fort.
The declarant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever
to a pension or annuity except the present and declares
that his name is not on the pension role of the agency
of any state. His post office address is Greenville,
Clarke county Arkansas.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first before
written.  Charles Cocke
Teste I.W.S. Morison D
Virginia, lee county towit
This day William Geary personally appeared
before the court of Lee county and made oath that his