Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6,653, James Blanton, N. C.
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N.C           Blanton James           S.6653
                                                     carded
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29942
North Carolina
James Blanton
Duplin Co in the State of N. Carolina who was a [illegible][illegible] in the company commanded Captain Williams of the regt commanded Col Kenan on the N. Carolina mil for 8 mo 26 days from 1780

ribed [word is cut off] on the roll of N. Carolina
rate of 31 dollars 88 cents per annum, mence [word cut off] on the 4th day of March, 1831.

ficate [word cut off] of Pension issued the 25 day of May 1835 and sent to Patrick Murphy Esqr Taylois Bridge N.C

Arrears to the 4th of March 1835 $127.52
emi-ant. [word cut off] allowance ending 4 Sep 1835 15.94
[total of amounts] $143.46
Revolutionary Claim, Act Jun 7,1832

ecorded [word cut off] by Wm S Allison Clerk, 
E 2 Vol 6 1/2 Page 47

[written on right page] Date of Death not on AB
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State of North Carolina
Duplin County
Superior Court of Law
Spring Term 1835

On this the 24th of March A.D. 1835 before the Honourable Robert Shange one of the Judges of the Superioar Courts of Law [symbol] and Equity in [symbol] and for the State of North Carolina now presiding in the Superioar Court for the county of Duplin personally appeared James Blanton a resident of Duplin County in the State of North Carolina aged seventy years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated

1st In a company of Duplin militia under Capt Isham Shuffield. his other company officer he forgets in January 1780 and served two months as a private and was a drafted soldier ordered out by Col. James Kenan the acting colonel of the county for a draft and after having been drafted met  by appointment at a place called Hickory Hill near Rockfish [symbol] and marched thence to within about a mile [symbol] and a quarter of Wilmington [symbol] and encamped there a fortnight, thence to Jumping Run below Wilmington [symbol] and there stationed and remained six weeks - and discharged - While stationed at Jumping run the British were expected to arrive in Wilmington but did not was employed in guarding the magazine and keeping sentry at the camp The magazine being in the town - was no battle - At Jumping Run there was four or five hundred militia
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under Col James Kenan Abram Moulten Major has no  documentary evidence; but thinks he can prove this service by William Bevan of Bladen County

2ndly - In a company of Duplin militia under Captain Aaron Williams, Joseph Williams, Lieutenant David Williams Ensign in November 1780 and served six weeks as a private.
The whole company of militia belonging to the district in which he lived were peremptorily ordered out by Col Kenan for the purpose (as he understood at the time), of driving the enemy(who had just taken possession of Wilmington)out of the town, but apprehending it too dangerous an undertaking, waited awhile under arms for an accession of force from the upper Counties and after being joined by the militia from the adjoining Counties marched to Camp Branch, remained there a fortnight or ten days, thence to the Big Bridge, which, having been previously destroyed by the British, was then rebuilt.  The enemy were daily expected to came up the river in floating batteries - was in no battle - has no documentary evidence and knows of no person alive by whom he can prove this service, except Jacob Wells of New Hanover whom he thinks was in this town, to whose affidavit among the papers of his other application he begs leave to refer. 
    3rdly, At the expiration of the above tour, it being deemed unnecessary by the officers to continue the whole of the militia then out in service - a draft was ordered and this applicant was drafted & continued in service under the same officers as in the last mentioned tour - Capt Aaron Williams, Lieut. Joseph Williams, David
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Williams Ensign, James Kenan Col.,  Abram Moulton Major, and served three months as a private, commencing in January 1781 or perhaps February.  The draft took place at the Big Bridge where he continued two months - 
While there he was detached in a company under Capt James Gillespie upon an expedition called Fatigue, to go upon the British lines, reconnoitering - & while out on this expedition Capt James Love, a bold & intrepid officer, was killed at the eight mile house by the British in the night - This applicant left the place the morning before the massacre to return to join his company at the Big Bridge - thence across the North east river at Rocky Point then called White's Ferry - to Rutherfords Mills where we were reinforced by a troop of Horses under Col. Malmady, a French officer, and stationed awhile. 
Thence to Kingston on horse and carried with us those pieces of artillery - one brass piece nine feet long - During his station at the Big Bridge a skirmish took place on the opposite side of the River, and Col Brown of Bladen, wounded.  The canon was fired at the enemy from our side - We were entrenched - 
Upon our Fatigue expedition we took some British prisoners.  
At Kingston he was discharged & upon his return home he narrowly escaped being taken prisoner by Carnwallis's troops on their march from Wilmington - He has no documentary proof and knows of no person now alive (as Joshua Blake is dead) by whom he can prove his service. 
4thly - In a company of Duplin militia cavalry under the same officers as above
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via Capt Aaron Williams, Joseph Williams Lieut, David Williams Ensign, in May 1781 and served three months as a private and a volunteer - collected at John Williams's the district -illegible- ground & marched to Rockfish Bridge, and was employed in reconnoitering upon the British lines, they then having possession of Wilmington - The place of encampment and rendezvous was at Rockfish where we made entrenchment preparing for defense against the enemy who were expected to undertake & pass.
Detachments of our company would by turns march down to make what discovery they could of the British and kept sentry below their station -  In August 1781 the enemy under Craig & Mawhood made an attack both in front of & rear upon our forces at Rockfish - 
Very unexpectedly on our rear by the enemy's cavalry & put them(the Patriots)to rout. 
 There was a considerable force of militia at Rockfish - Col. Bludworth's regiment of New Hanover militia - Col Kenan's of Duplin & others from other counties, consisting of infantry and cavalry - During this tour he marched on one occasion into the upper part of Duplin now Sampson and joined a company of troop called Knockemdowns under Capt Hankins armed with holsters and staffs - In this excursion they took some tories prisoners - has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove this service - but probably he can by William Bevan aforesaid of Bladen, if alive. 
    Answers of James Blanton to the questions propounded to him by the Court aforesaid.
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1st  Born at Crop Creek, Cumberland Co. N. C. the 15 of March 1765.
2nd  I have no record of my age, had it but its lost
3rd  When called into service I was living in Duplin Co N. C. on the iron mine branch - since the Revolutionary War I lived one year in Onslow & two years in New Hanover & with that exception I have lived altogether in Duplin & I now live in Duplin
4th  I refer to my declaration 
5th  The only regular officers with the troops when I served were Capt. Joseph Rhodes, Benjamin Williams, Daniel Williams, & Robert Bannerman also Curtis Ivey - I never saw a Continental Regiment  The Militia Regiments I remember were Col. Kenan, Col. Bludworths & Col. Mitchells from Onslow. I saw others but don't recollect the names of their Colonels vis regiments from Cartaret Wayne & Hyde & Bladen - for the general circumstances of my service I refer to my declaration
6th  I never received a written discharge
7th  Alfred Ward Esq - Stephen Williams - Stephen Herring, Daniel Alderman John W. Boney - James Newton & others I could name.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State
James (his mark) Blanton

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open Court before me 
Jue Parsall C???
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We, Alfred Ward and Benjamin F. Blanton residents in the County of Chaplin do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with James Blanton who has sworn to & subscribed the preceding declaration; that we believe him to be seventy years of age, that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the War of the revolution and that we
concur in that opinion
Alfred Ward
Benj F. Blanton
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Jue Parsall CLC

And the said Court hereby declares it his opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states. The Court further certifies that it is made apparent him that Alfred Ward and Benjamin F. Blanton who have signed the preceding certificate are residents in the County of Duplin and credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit, and that there is no clergyman in the immediate vicinity of said applicant
Given under my hand the 24th day of March AD. 1835
Ro. Shange JSC???