Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 32,170, Allen Christian, Va.
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
Va.
CONTENTS

*
Christian, Allen

NUMBER
S. 32.170
Page 2

Date of death
not av AB
(Stamp)
(illegible)

23739
Indiana
Allen Christian
Shelby Co in the State of Indiana
who was a private in the comy commanded
by Captain Tate of the regt commanded
by Cob Colloway in the Va
line for 6 months

Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana
at the rate of 20 Dollars - Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 29 day of Nov
1833 and H F
Robinson Shelbyville

Arrears to the 4th of Sept  50. 00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 March 10.00
$60.00

⎨ Revolutionary
Act June 7, 1833

Recorded by Dan Boyd Clerk
Book E Vol 7 Page 107
Page 3

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
State of Indiana
Shelby County} SS
On this 12th day of November 1833 personally appeared in Open Court before the Probate Court of Shelby County now sitting Allen Christian a resident of Liberty Township in said County aged seventy nine years on the 22nd day of May last 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 Viz. As nearly as his recollection, now greatly impaired by old age can particularize dates he was drafted into said service as a Private Soldier of the Militia about the middle or last of April 1781. He then resided in Bedford County Virginia. The Company of Militia to which he then belonged at home was under the command of Captain Nathaniel Tate. He does not know the number of the Company & thinks he never did know it. It belonged before entering the service to a regiment commanded by Colonel Calloway, the number of which he has also forgotten or never knew. During six weeks as nearly as he can remember after the time of the above mentioned draft, his company the whole of which was drafted (himself among the rest) being still under the command of Captain Tate, and to be under his command in the expedition on which it was about to start, was marched at five or six different times to the town of Bedford the seat of Justice of Bedford County for the purpose of taking its departure on the campaign for which it was destined but at each & every time they were marched there during this space of time they were marched back, for the reason that Capt. Tate was not prepared to start in consequence of a delay in the arrival of the orders intended to govern his conduct and movements. At the end of about six weeks however the orders arrived & said Company (and he this Claimant) marched from the said town of Bedford to Join the army of General Gates in Carolina. When Claimants Company was called into service Stephen Goggins either was appointed or had been and Continued to be its Lieutenant and the four following persons its sergeants, to wit William Terry (who had been Ensign) William Toney, John Kinslover; and William Bryant. They marched through New Pittsylvania and Old Pittsylvania Counties in Virginia, then to Hillsborough a town in North Carolina, and thence to a place called Haw River, which he thinks is also in North Carolina, Here his company met General Gates' forces and joined them. He does not remember the names of any of the officers of the Regular Army here present except General Gates & Colonel Stubblefield. At this place (Haw River) he and nine others were ordered to accompany, as a guard, the waggons which were then sent out in search of food, and the army passed on. The guard and waggons, after obtaining what provisions they could followed after and arrived at a place called Deep River, which he thinks is in South Carolina, and which the army had previously passed: after proceeding a short duration from this place they met a number of Gates' men returning, who informed them that Gates' army had been defeated in an engagement with the enemy about seven or Eight miles (as they judged) from Deep River, at Cambden in South Carolina, and that a retreat was ordered. This claimant and the rest of the Waggon guard had reached the place called Deep River at the time of the battle as they knew from the firing of guns which they heard, & from which they judged the battle ground to be the distance above stated. They now according to orders retreated to Hillsborough North Carolina where they put up what they called "Bush Barrack's", being continued by setting poles on sand in a leaning position after the manner of the rafters of a house, and then covering them with bushes of trees. These Barracks must
Page 4

have been from a quarter to a half mile in length. In these they lived miserally for several weeks until they were almost literally starved. At length about the last of August or the beginning or middle of September of the same year 1780 (Gate's defeat was about the middle of August) at least four months and one half after the time he had been called into service by the above mentioned draft & three months from the time they started from Bedford Virginia, they were dismissed at Hillsborough, and Claimant returned home, which journey he performed in the space of ten or twelve days 
3 entirely exhausted by fatigue and want of food. During this engagement he was in no battle, being haved from that in which Gates was defeated by being sent to guard the provision waggons as above stated. He received on this occasion a written discharge which he has since lost, not having until lately, considered it a paper which it would be to his advantage to preserve. The only portion of the regular army with which he was in Company was that commanded by General Gates. He does not know of any other name used to distinguish it than Gates' army or Gates' men or Gates' Regiment. Besides the circumstance mentioned he would further state that while at the Bush Barracks in Hillsborough a great number of the men on account of their hard living and scarcity of food became dissatisfied and deserted, for which, all such were (as he understood) returned for eight months. The married men were however discharged after serving four months, but the unmarried men were compelled to serve the whole period.
2nd. About the middle of July 1781 he was again drafted with the same Company under command of the same officers as in the first engagement. He was drafted as a private soldier of the Militia and in that capacity he served both in this & the former engagement. He was still living in Bedford County, Virginia
As in the first engagement they were delayed in starting for five or six weeks and for the same reason. They marched as before five or six times to the town of Bedford, and back again in full preparation for starting but waiting for the orders by which Captain Tate was to be governed. At length at least five weeks after they were called out by the second draft they marched from Bedford with the intention of again joining the general army, in the Southern part of Virginia against which the movements of the enemy under the Command of Cornwallis were directed. They marched through Buckingham, Amelia and Cumberland Counties in Virginia to the best of claimants recollection.
While in Cumberland County, where they had arrived after much delay; they heard that Cornwallis had been Captured, and that their services would not be required. They were accordingly discharged while in Cumberland County: which discharge was in writing from his Captain but he has since lost it. This took place in the latter part of October 1781, & though he does not remember precisely the dates, at least three months from the time he was called into the service and six weeks after they had started from Bedford. 
He returned home immediately in doing which he spent about eight or nine days. He was in no battle during this engagement, Cornwallis was taken before he (this Claimant) arrived at their destination. He did not during this engagement meet with any of the regular Army. There was but one company with him in this march. He had a written discharge on this occasion also from his Captain which was lost
Claimant was born in Cumberland County in the state of Virginia on the 22nd day of May 1754. He has no record of his age at present, though he once had in a bible which has been lost. He has no documentary evidence of his service nor does he know of any living witness whose testimony he can procure as to the same. He refers to David McNeely, William McNeely, Thomas Haymond, Owen Haymond & Squire Love respectable persons in his neigh=
Page 5

borhood who can testify as to his character for veracity & their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. He cannot state the periods of his services with more accuracy than he has done above - to wit - that in the first engagement he served as a drafted private of the Militia at least four months and one half from the time he was drafted till he was discharged & that in the second engagement he served in the same capacity at least three months from the time he was drafted till he was discharged, making in all seven months and one half, without counting at least eighteen days which he spent in returning home after being discharged, but for which also he claims an allowance if consistent with the regulations of the department
After the Revolution he continued to live in Bedford County Virginia for 10 or 12 years. Then he removed to Giles County Virginia where he lived 10 or 15 years, then to Guiandott Virginia where he lived 10 or 12 yars, and removed to Shelby County Indiana where he now lives. During the time of his two engagements he was occupied in no civil pursuits. He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any state or territory
Sworn to & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Witness H. F. Robison Allen Christian x his mark

We Dudley Mitchell a Clergyman residing in the neighborhood of Allen Christian and John McNeely residing in the same neighborhood do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the said Allen Christian who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to have been seventy nine years of age on the twenty second day of May last, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Witness H. F. Robison Dudley Mitchell
John McNeely x his ark

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Dudley Mitchell who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman residing in the neighborhood of the said applicant and that John McNeely, who has signed the same, is a resident in the same neighborhood & is a credible person and that their statement is worthy of credit
Erasmus Powell, Probate Judge
of Shelby County
J.N.
Page 6

I, Sylvan B. Morris Clerk of the Probate Court
of Shelby County (Ind) do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application of Allen Christian for a Pension - that the said court is a court of record and that Erasmus Powell above named is Judge thereof & that the foregoing is his genuine signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal of office this Twelfth day of November 1833
Sylvan B Morris Clerk

28.524
Pension Application
Allen Christian
Shelby Co

from 1780 private
6 months
$20.
Can only allow as above

Tate
Calloway
Va.

H. F. Robison Att'y
Shelby Mill
Shelby County
Ind
Page 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal of office this Twelfth day of November 1833
Sylvan B Morris Clerk

28.524
Pension Application
Allen Christian
Shelby Co

from 1780 private
6 months
$20.
Can only allow as above

Tate
Calloway
Va.

H. F. Robison Att'y
Shelby Mill
Shelby County
Ind
Page 8

32170
Revy INVALID.
File No. 32. 170
Allen Christian
Act: June 1822
Index:--Vol. 2, Page 11
(Arrangement of 1870.)

1937 - May 19 Hist
to Myrtle  Armstrong
EL
Page 9

MYRTLE ARMSTRONG
1005 ELM STREET
SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA

February 25, 1937.

Veterans' Administration
War Records Division
Washington, D.C.

My dear Sirs,

Will you please help me with the Revolutionary
service of Allen Christian. He was a
private in the (strike through - Virginia militia )

He was pensioned in 1831, while a resident
of Shelby County, Indiana.

Thank you very much.

Yours very truly,
Myrtle Armstrong
Myrtle Armstrong

(stamp)
Received 
Feb 26 1837
Mail sub-div
Vet Adm
reader #75
Page 10

May 19, 1937
xxxxx
Myrtle Armstrong BA-J/EEL
1005 Elm Street Allen Christian-S.32170
Shelbyville, Indiana

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Allen Christian, who served in the Virginia troops and was pensioned while residing in Shelby County, Indiana.

The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, S.32170, based upon the military service in that war of Allen Christian.

Allen Christian was born May 22, 1754, in Cumberland County, Virginia. The names of his parents are not shown.

While residing in Bedford County, Virginia, Allen Christian enlisted in April, 1780, served as a private in Captain Nathaniel Tate's Company, Colonel Calloway's Virginia Regiment, marched to North Carolina, to join the army under General Gates, was ordered to act as a guard to the wagons which were sent out for provisions, had reached Deep River, when it was learned that General Gates had been defeated at Camden; the wagons with the guard then retreated to Hillsboro, North Carolina, where soldier was discharged having served at least four and one-half months: he enlisted about the middle of July, 1781, served under same officers as on first tour, started for the southern part of Virginia to join the army moving against Cornwallis but on reaching Cumberland County, was informed of the surrender at Yorktown, and soldier was discharged in said Cumberland County, having served at least three months.

After the Revolution, Allen Christian lived in Bedford County, Virginia for ten or fifteen years, then in Guyandotte, Virginia, for ten or twelve years, then moved to Shelby County, Indiana, where he was living when he was allowed pension on his application executed November 12, 1833, in Liberty Township, said Shelby County,
Page 11

There are no data in regard to soldier's family.

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person paid and possibly the date of death of the Revolutionary War pensioner, Allen Christian(S.32170), you should address The Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and cite the following data:

Allen Christian
Certificate No. 25139
Issued November 29, 1833
Rate 420 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1831
Act of June 7, 1832
Indiana Agency.

Very truly yours

A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator.