Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 4,184, for Chapness Madding, Virginia
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Declaration of Chapness Madden
order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress
State of Tenn
Madison County S.S.
the tenth day of August A.D. 1832 personally
appeared in open Court before John M Johnson James
H Rogers and Jacob Perkins Esquires Justice of the Court
of Pleas and quarter sessions for said County Now Setting
Chapness Madding, who being first duly sworn as
according to law doth on his oath make the following a
declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress
of June 1832
That he is sixty eight or sixty nine years of age sometime during the present month, his mother told him he was born in in August 1763, and in 1779 he was on the muster roll in Virginia, and in that State of that time all persons of the age of sixteen were subject to military
duty. He has no record of his birth, but felt he is as old as he states. That he entered the service of the United States in the Spring 1780 in Pittsylvania County and was drafted in the Militia service and belong
to a company commanded by Captain Clemmons of said County. The company to which he was attached belonged to or was attached to the Regiment of Virginia Militia, - [it] assembled at Pittsylvania Court house and were entered into service in June 1780, and Major Henry Connoway, was Major, and marched us on to Hillsborough in Carolina
where he joined the army composed of Virginia and North Carolina Militia and some Regular troops - The Virginia militia were commanded by Genl Stevens and the North Carolina by Genl Cas[?] and the Continentals by the Baron De Kalb - in July we marched from Hillsborough and had not marched far before Gen Gates
who had been appointed commander in chief of the Southern Army [took the command of the whole army] He were badly supplied with provision
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and for some days had nothing to eat but green apples -
the army crossed Peder river at Mass'[?] ferry about twelve
miles above Cheraw Hills, when the sick had amounted
to a considerable number, say five hundred as I then 
understood, and they were left at Mass ferry under the command
of Maj. Connoway, somewhere on the way between there and
Camden - He was detailed as a guard to Six wagons which
was sent to the Widow Coles mill situated some 30 or
40 miles below the Cheraw Hills on the South side of Peder
for flour.- The balance of the army continued
on their march towards Camden S. Carolina, - after we
had loaded our wagon with Flour we started on our
road to over take the army, and when we fell into the
road leading from the Cheraw Hills to Camden, about
two and a half days drive from the Cheraw Hill, when
he met the retreating army of Genl Gates-- They had fought
as the soldiers told us on the 16th of August the
day after we started from the mill. - We were
told the British were immediately in their rear and
would up directedly, - we then turned our course with the
flour and drove on after the flying army and drove
the day and night without stopping to eat or feed our
horses until we got to Peder river which he reached
at the Cheraw Hills in the night, and the ferryman refused
to bring the boat over for us, supposing we were British (as he said)
attempting to decoy him over, - next morning
we crossed the given, and took up the river, with the
[illegible] of reaching Mass ferry where Major Cornoway had been
left with the sick, - we had gone about six miles when we stopped and got some food for the horses and a mutton for ourselves to eat, and before he had eat we were come upon by a land of North Carolina
Tories, who took in prisoners and drove off the flour - the
Tories were about sixty in Number and headed by
George Roberts, who called himself Captain, and they
carried us about half a mile to their Camp, where we
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found they had taken two wagon loaded with rum,
one they took from Col. Peter Perkins and the other for
Benjamin Langford both from Pittsylvania County
who had supplied our regiment with spirit on the march.
The Tories detain us until the evening of the day they took
us, and discharged us after taking from us every
thing we had except the clothes on our backs. I was then
lost from my Company and Regiment and made for
home and got there about the last of August, and had
taken sick directly after I arrived home. - In consequence of
[illegible] of our regiment returning home without leave, a
Court martial decided that all such should return
and serve three months more. And another draft
was had in Pittsylvania County, and we were ordered
to march with them and join the army at Hillsborough
But I did not march with the new drafts in consequence
 of my sickness, and Maj Commonay sent[?] me a
a furlough, until I should get well. I was sick
about five weeks, after which I started by myself and
overtook the army at Cheraw Hills on [illegible], where
the army at that time were stationed, and here I was attached
to the Company commanded by Captain Peter May of
Buckingham County Virginia, and our Regiment
again commanded by Col Stevens. - I came up with the
army early in December, Genl Green being the Supreme
Commander. Early in January 1787 about 250 Regulars
and 250 militia were ordered down Peder river
10 miles to suppress a band of Tories, that were distressing
 the County very much, -  I was of that party -
we marched all night and lay by concealed all day
and when he started expected to come upon them in
four days, but were seven days, we came to their
Camp in the night and it appeared from their
fires that they had just left them and we stayed
at there two nights and one day, hearing nothing of them
and started back to the Cheraw Hills nothing of con
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found they had taken two waggon loaded with him
one they took home let Peter Perkins and the other for
Benjamin Laward both from Willsylvania County
who had fled our regiment with spirit on the
the Tories detain us until the evening of the day they
thus, and discharged as after taking from as every
ing he had except the clothes on our backs. I was then
lost from my Company and Regiment and made for
home and got there about the last of August, and has
taken sick directly after I arrived home. In consequence of
or any of our regiment returning home without leave, a
Court martial decided that all such should return
and serve three months more. And another draft
was had in Pittsylvania County, and we were ord
to march with them and join the army at Hillsboro
But I did not march with the new drafts in con
begance of my sickness, and Maj Commonay me
a forlow, until I should get well. I was sick
about five weeks, after which I stacked by myself and
overtook the army at Chisam Hills on Recd, where
the army at that time were stationed, and her I was attached
to the Company commanded by Captain Peter May of
Buckingham County Virginia, and our Regiment
again commanded by Col Stevens. I came up with the
any early in December, Genl Green being the Supreme
Commander. Early in January 1787 about 250 Regulars
and 250 militia were ordered down Peder on
10 miles to sukfess a band of Tories, that were dis
tressing the County very much, and I was of that party
the marched all right and lay by concealed all day
and when he started expected to come upon them in
four days, but were seven days, we came to their
Camp in the night and it appeared from their
fires that they had just left them and we stayed
as their two nights and one day, hearing nothing of them
and started back to the Cheraw Hills nothing of con