Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31801, for Elisha Knight, North Carolina
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(S-1776)
SERVICE
Knight, Elisha 
NUMBER 
S.31801

CONTENTS
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Georgia 27.840
Elisha, Knight
of Merewether in the State of Geo [Georgia]:
who was a Pv. [Private] in the [illegible]
by Captain ---- of the Reg commanded
by Grary in the N. Ca
line for 19 months.
Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia
at the rate of 63 Dollars 33 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 16th day of June 34
and sent- Hon Jas M Wayne [illegible]
Arrears to the 4th of Mar: 34
Semi-anl. allowance ending Sept.--
190---
31.66
--------
$221.66
----------
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.

Rcorded by Nath Rice    Clerk,
Book E Vol. 6 Page 95
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Elisha Knight
31.108


Hon. J. M. Wayne
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Declaration. [underlined]                                 1. 
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832 -
State of Georgia
County of Meriwether⎬ S.S.-
On this twenty ninth day of May 1834 personally appeared before one W. Riter a Justice of the Interior of County Court in for said County Elisha Knight a resident of
said County of State aged eighty eight years & upwards, 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 7, 1832.-
1st.- That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers &  served as herein state: -
He was born about the line of Edgecombe & Halifax Counties, North Carolina is not certain which County but rather thinks Edgecombe.-He has no record of his age & never has history, has no learning & does not know the
year he was born in; he states his age as above at eighty
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2.
eight years & upwards from his recollecting well "Braddocks Defeat" which from History he is informed was seventy nine years ago & at which time he was a "good smart [illegible] Mill boy."-- His age then must have been nine or ten years he has estimated it at nine years which would make him born in 1746.--
When first called into service he lived in Natch County State of North Carolina where he lived until the close of the Revolution, about five or six years after the close of of Revolution. he removed to Edgefield district South Carolina, from thence removed to Washington County State of Georgia, from thence removed to Clark County Georgia, from thence to Morgan County Georgia, from thence to Jasper County Georgia from thence to Walter County George from thence to DeKalb County Georgia, from thence to Merriwether County Georgia, from thence to Troup County Georgia where he
in two years & from thence removed back to Merriwether County where he now lives & has resided for the space of two years past. -- In his first service he was a volunteer, lived in Nash County North Carolina, entered service under James Gray, Captain, Wilson Currell, Lieutenant, his major LColonel [Lieutenant Colonel] Forgitton,
Infantry service under State authority, rendezvoused at Tarborough North Carolina service was for three months, marched thence
Wilmington North Carolina, direct, where was stations during the service except about two weeks when we marched to Luore
stationed at Brunswick, N.C. returned to Wilmington where after remaining a short time was discharged at Wilmington at the end of the three months by written discharge by his Captain.--
This Discharge he kept & other Revolutionary Discharges & papers.
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thence to "Perdues hill" S. Carolina near Augusta stationed & remained there two weeks, there was a Log enclosed or Fort there & his company was pressed to remain & guard Fort & defend the place & County. Perdues hill was near & in right of Augusta in the State
Georgia.--Marched thence to Purensburg S. Carolina about twenty miles above. Savannah Georgia where was stationed & remained
one months & a half with plenty of Rice & no Bread. --On getting to this station he was attached to Captain Edward Clinch Company, Lieutenant & Ensigns name forgotten & also Majors, his Colonel was Joseph Clinch. --There was a large army of American troops stationed & encamped there all of that time under the command of Genl [General] Nash of North Carolina of which Detachment our company formed a pact but next joined the principal "Head Quarter until reaching Purensburg. Nash was a head had crossed at Augusta
before we armed I had advanced into Georgia alow August
& was defeated & scattered by the British & Tories at Brier
, he rallied & collected again at Purisburg as above
stated where he joined him after getting released from guard
ing a "full Pen" of Tories as it was called as
Woodleshill"
as before stated near & right of August, but on the South Carolina
side- From Purinsbury marched to the White House
ten miles, all the Army marched, marched thence to the Coosahather
by
&
Bridge S. Carolina where he was discharged by written discharge
Colonel Clinch which has long since destroyed as before
stated. Their destruction occurred whilst he resided in North County
State of North Carolina after the Revolutionary War. He served
this draft out comple six months. He has a very imperfect
recollection of the date of this service or any other as to years
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3
C
a long time but it there were destroyed by time exposure especially by being kept on an open Shelf in a Book I getting wet
when noticed were wet mouldered so that in opening them
they were torn unintelligible. Indeed they were instantly destroyed in this casual way they were lost. This service was in the Spring of the year that he entered, he returned in the Summer
He was a private soldier. He does not recollect the year of
this service, he cannot, he knows it was his first service that it was at the beginning early in the War. The object was to defend the court of North Carolina especially prevent the British from landing.  Their vessels were hovering off there. He entered in April was discharged in July, but what year is unable to say as he does not know, he only knows it was early in the war from this circumstance would think it to have been in 1777. This Militia service.
Whilst stationed at Wilmington 400 Catawba Indians came down as finally succour

2nd Service - He entered service still residing at the same place, was drafted for six months in the Militia under State authority of North Carolina, was a Private of Infantry,
rendezvoused at "John Perdues on Toisnot creek in Nash County North Carolina" his captain was William Harris, & Lieutenant
James Arline marched thence to Kingston North Carolina where
was stationed two weeks, marched thence to Cooks creek N.C. remained there one week collecting & preparing further supplies of
provisions, marched thence to Camden South Carolina staid there a few days, marched thence to Columbia thence to six mile creek.
The country about Columbia was then in military phrase known as the "Congarees". we staid lingering about there one day. Marched
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[handwritten]

being so long ago, but would rather believe it commenced in
November 1778 ended in May 1779

3rd Service. When on his return home after being discharged
as above at Coosahachee Bridge S.C. he met a detachment
of about five hundred American troops near Cross creek North Carolina
coming South. He joined them by becoming a substitute for
William Boykin who returned home. They were drafted men
some from Virginia, but principally from North Carolina
under State authority as militia Infantry under a call for
six months service. He joined near Croff creek & Cape Fear
river & marched across Coles Bridge on Drowning creek thence
across Pee Dee River at Mahaleys ferry South Carolina
thence out to the "Congarees", via Columbia & Gramby [illegible]
Augusta ^[insert] Geo. his captain was William Williams, his Lieutenant
& Ensign Major & Colonel forgotten, came to Augusta Georgia & remained two weeks, the Town had surrendered to the Americans troops three days before our company reached there - Left Augusta & marched 
to South Carolina striking the country at the Ch[?] Hills &
marching down the Congarees to near the Santee river & thence to
Cross creek NC where was stationed & remained two weeks -
During this service was reconnoitering & scouting the country
protecting the inhabitants & preventing Tory depredation, & the
formation of regular bodies of them - Before reaching
Cross creek the Detachment had separated into several
companys [sic] & squads for better observation of the Tories &
their hostile movements. Whilst at Cross creek [illegible] Corps
consisted of about two hundred men encamped in temporary Barracks.
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[handwritten]

Marched thence to Peacocks Bridge or Contenting river N.C. where
he was discharged by written Discharge by Captain Williams
which Discharge he lost as before stated & He did not make but
this original engagement complete of six months there being no special need of the [illegible], he entered it in May & was discharged either in September or October 1779, say the farther which will make 
the actual time not less than four months. - His Colonels name
he thinks was Wy[?] - Genl Clark he thinks then commanded at Augusta
He acted as a Private.
4th Service. - He entered service again still residing in Nash
County North Carolina as a Private soldier of Infantry, State
Militia of North Carolina, was drafted for six months, 
rendezvoused at Halifax town North Carolina Marched thence at Dan
river to near Hills Iron works & thence direct to Guilford
N.C. was there two or three days only when the "battle of Guilford"
took place between the American & British troops the former
commanded by Genl Greene the latter by Lord Cornwallis. -
It was a hard fought battle & well contested, but at length the
American militia particularly gave way & Greene was
worsted & retreated, [?] with him, retreating & taking a position
at Hills Iron works ten or fifteen miles from Guilford. During
this whole service his captains name was William Williams, his
Lieutenants name Jesse Powell, has majors name was Brinkley,
his Colonel was - Lilton. - He entered this service in the Fall
of the year, he thinks in October 1780 & was discharged at the end
of six months at Ramsays mills N. Carolina to which place we had
marched from Hills Iron works. He was discharged in May 1781
by written Discharge of Captain Williams which he long since
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[handwritten]

lost as before stated. After the battle of Guilford & one months
station at Hills Iron works, during which time that we staid at the
works, Greene pursued Cornwallis to Ramsays
Mills, we then
took part at Ramsay Mills by order of Genl Greene whilst he
was following & reconnoitering Cornwallis. - He was stationed
at this place upwards of four months making out complete
his original engagement of six months. -
He was discharged at
Ramsays Mills, N. Carolina. - He was in & fought in this battle of
Guilford; it commenced in the morning & continued several hours, the
Regular Troops were little engaged, the Virginia militia fought well. 
Summary service
1st Service 3 months.
2nd ditto - 6 ditto
3rd ditto - 4 ditto
4th ditto - 6 ditto 
19 months in all. -
Extra & additional service-
He made several short tours
as a volunteer, once under Colonel
Clinch against the Tories scouting the country about [?]
creek & Cape Fear ^[insert] N. Carolina [?] for about three weeks; they ^[insert] the Tories were hanging
on the rear protecting the rear of Lord Cornwallis. -
And he further states that he has no documentary evidence
by which to further substantiate his claim, &  knows of no
surviving associates by whom to prove his actual service
No surviving witness can be found by me if any lives. I have been
lingering in decrepit health for the last six years during which time
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[handwritten]

I have lived almost wholly at home [?] & private & have not
walked any for near a year from loss of the use of my limbs &
from old age & extreme obesity weighing near three hundred pounds 
In his present neighborhood he is known by Samuel Lewis &
Reuben Williams, Stephen Williams & Green Talbot who
can testify,
(two of them have done so) as to my character for veracity, &
their belief of my service as a soldier of the Revolution. 
There is no clergyman resident in the County sufficiently acquainted
with him & his patriot character to testify to this requirement. 
There is no clergyman with whom I have been familiar for the
last six years. -
And he further states, from the lapse of time & consequent
loss of memory he cannot be more particular & specific as
to the times, dates & circumstances of his service than as set
forth in the above Declaration, but he is certain that
he did not serve less than the above periods. -
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to pension or
annuity except the present & declares that his name is not
on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State. -
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
W. B. Ector JC
Elisha his X mark Knight
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[handwritten]

We, Green Talbot, residing in the County of Meriwether
State of Georgia & Stephen Williams residing in the same place
hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Elisha Knight,
who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that we
believe him to be eighty eight years of age & upwards; that he
is reputed & believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, & that we concur in that
opinion.-
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid. -
W. B. Ector J.J.C.
Green Talbot [signature]
Stephen his X mark Williams

And the said W. B. Ector Justice of the Inferior or County
Court in & for said County of Meriwether State of Georgia does
hereby declare 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, & served as he
states. And the Court (the said Justice) further certifies that it
appears to them (him) that Green Talbot who has signed the preceding
certificate is a resident in the County of Meriwether State of
Georgia & that Stephen Williams who has also signed the same
is a resident in the same place, & are credible persons, & that
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[handwritten]

their statement is entitled to credit. -
And the said Court (Justice) does hereby further certify &
declare that said applicant Elisha Knight cannot, from bodily
infirmity, being unable to walk at all or move without help attend
the Court- This Declaration having been taken at his residence on
account of said inability.
Witness my hand & seal officially
the day & year aforesaid
W. B. Ector J. C. seal [hand circled]
I, Levi M. Adams, Deputy Clerk of the Inferior Court of
Meriwether County State of Georgia do hereby certify that the
forgoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the 
matter of the application of Elisha Knight for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have 
hereunto set my hand & seal of Office this 2nd day of
June 1834.-
Levi M. Adams
J.C.
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[handwritten]

J. L. Edwards, Esqr.
Comm. of Pensions,
Washington City
Admit a private
19 mos $6333
Hon Jas M Wayne
HR
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[handwritten]

Newville, Meriwether Coty. Georgia
2nd June 1834

To J.L. Edwards Esqr.
Commr of Pensions,
Washington City -
Sir,
Herewith is handed you
the Declaration of E. Knight claiming pension as a
Revolutionary soldier. -
The result of his claim when decided on by the
Department you will please communicate to me
the above address

Resptfy yr obt. servt.
W. B. Ector
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[printed with handwriting]

31801
Revy INVALID.
File No. 31,801
Elisha Knight
Priv Rev War
Act: June 7th 32"
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 225
[Arrangement of 1870.]