Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 1841, for Nathaniel Johnson, North Carolina

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
N. B.
Johnson, Nathaniel S. 1841 "Johnston"
Carded
CONTENTS

6342 Tennessee West
Nathaniel Johnson of Bedford Co in the State of Tenn. who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Branton of the Regt commanded by Genl Rutherford in the North Carolina line for Mexico for 14 mo. from
Inscribed on the Roll of Tennessee at the rate of 45 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 28 day of Feb 1833 and Genl H. H. Polk
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1832 72.49 Semi-ant. allowance ending 2 March 1833 24.16 $ 96.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by H. H. Sylvester Clerk, Book 20 Vol. 9 Page 157

1757 Capt. Johnson  Declaration
Adm. 12mo h/p 40 a 2 8 33 48 33
How Mr Polk

Answer.
The Continental & Regular officers which I now recollect - there, General Gates, I think, Gen. Caswell was a Regular, but am not certain & General Caswell. The Militia officers were, Generals Rutherford, Butler, Canfield and Lock, & Colonel Davis. I probably could have recollect more but have not at this time any recollection of them - I have no recollection of the names or numbers of the Continental & Militia Regiments - The General Circumstances have all been detailed in my declaration heretofore filed -
6 th Did you ever receive a discharge from the Service; if so by whom was it given, & what has become of it?
Answer I did receive 2 discharges for every term of service I rendered, who gave them cannot now say, nor do I know what has become of them, they are lost & cannot now produce them - I recollect that it was a general practice for the Captains of our Companies to give the discharges - I believe Capt Brendan gave me several as I served under him more than one term but I could not state the above fact on oath at this time
7 th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your neighbourhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and the help of your services as a Soldier of the Revolution -
Answer I know a great many persons who can state about my character, in the neighbourhood of Shelbyville Bedford County & where I now live there are not many living in my immediate neighbourhood who knew me

in other States or had much acquaintance with one there, as I know of Robert Morgan Isaac Anderson & James Graham who have known me for many years
Given to & subscribed in open Court this 10 th August 1832 } Nathaniel Johnston
W. H. W. Wick
We Robert Morgan & James Graham residing in Bedford County Tennessee, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Nathaniel Johnston who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration & interrogatories, that we have been acquainted with him since they could recollect, they believe up- wards of fifty years, that they believe him to be of the age represented in the foregoing declaration They further state he is reputed and believed in the Neighborhood where he now resides, and was reputed & believed in Maury County state of South Carolina where he lived when we first knew him to have been a soldier of the Revolution. We further state, we have often heard him converse with others who were reputed soldiers of the Revolution about events of the war, and in these conversations they appeared to agree as to many of the facts. We never heard his Revolutionary service doubted or disputed, & we concur in the opinion that he was a soldier of the Revolution. They further state that said Nathaniel Johnston the above applicant has been a Member of the Presbyterian Church for about forty years. for which time his

Character and standing in the same & through society has been fair, unim- -peached & correct
Given to in open court 18th August 1832
Robt Morgan James Graham
C. M. Wisick Atty
And the Court opined so hereby declare their opinion - after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states - The Court then Certifies that Robert Morgan and James Graham who signed the preceding Cer- -tificate are Residents of Bedford County Tennessee & that they are Credible persons and that their statement is entitled to Credit -
John B. Armstrong Samuel Phillips
J. D. Neill
I James M. Wisick Clerk of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions for Bedford County in the State of Tennessee, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Nathaniel Johnson for a Pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, at Office in Shelby ville this 18th of August 1832
C. M. Wisick

State of Tennessee } p. Bedford County }
On this tenth day of August 1832
personally appeared in open Court, before Samuel Philips, John B Armstrong, and John L. Crull, Justices of the Quorum, appointed to hold the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Bedford County State of Tennessee for the year 1832 - and now sitting Nathaniel Johnston a Resident in Bedford County & State of Tennessee of the age of Seventy Six in Seventy Seven years - who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the be- -nefit of the act of Congress proposed June 7. 1832 That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein after stated viz - He was born in Roan County North Carolina in the year 1756 as he has been informed and believes - in which County & State he resided until the year 1823, when he removed from to the County of Bedford in the State of Tennessee where he has ever since and now resides - He first entered the Service of the United States in an expedition against the Chero- -kee Indians, under Capt Brandon, The expe- -dition was commanded as he believes by General Rutherford, whether Rutherford was at the time of this expedition a Colonel or General he does not recollect - He entered the Service as a volunteer & served a fine Marches Term - They traversed that part of N. Carolina now called East Tennessee, par- -ticularly the country lying on Little Tennessee also the Northern part of Georgia, through the country lying on Tugalo River - Burned and destroyed the Indian towns & settlements on Little Tennessee & Tugalo Rivers - had many

Skirmishes with the Indians, but no General Battle or engagement, took many prisoners & killed many of the Indians - His expedition commenced in the early part of June and ended about the first of October - He cannot say what year, he is confident it was before the Battle at Camden called Gates's defeat. He recollects, the names of Col or General Rutherford, Col Branton, Major Smith & knows they were in this expedition as officers bearing the rank or honorary titles, many others probably not recollects - of  many Captains - Capt Branton commanded the company to which department belonged
Same time after he was discharged from the Indian expedition he again volunteered in the service of the United States under Capt Branton against an army of Tories, who were embodied in Lincoln County N. Carolina - This expedition was commanded by Col Lock & Major Rutherford, we met with the Tories at a place called Ramsour's Mills, in Lincoln County where we had a battle, in which the Tories were beaten defeated. The Whig Party lost. This battle about 20 killed & several wounded. Among our killed were Capt. Hall, Armstrong and Patton - I served in this expedition as well as I can recollect from one to two months. After the battle at Ramsour's above noticed, a plan was made for volunteers to go in pursuit of Col Bryan who had collected a body of Tories & was marching to join the British at or near Camden S. Carolina - This expedition was commanded by Generals Davidson & Lock - I volunteered & went under them in this expedition - I do not now recollect the name of my Captain - I think it was Capt Branton - We encamped at Salisbury N. Carolina - & pursued Col Bryan the

Montgomery and Anson counties to the Cherokee Hills, in S Carolina where we gave over the pursuit & returned home - We were in the service I think about two months in this trip - I first volunteered in the Light horse company, at the time the British came up to Charlotte from South Carolina, this was under Capt Brandon, and the call was made to raise men to check the British in their march through the upper parts of S Carolina as dependent understood. This expedition lasted about two months as well as dependent recollects, & was commanded by Col Davis & Major Graham the principal officers - All the above mentioned expeditions & tours was performed & completed previous to the Battle at Camden, better known by Gates defeat - but the time when they were performed I cannot state, nor do I know of any person by whom it can prove it - He states further that he after- -wards volunteered under Capt Hoggins in a tour of three months - which he served, General Rutherford was the Chief Commander - at the commencement of this tour of service - The Army commanded by General Rutherford rendezvoused at Salisbury from thence we marched towards Camden & formed a junction with General Gates Army not very far from the Cherokee Hills where the battle was fought we then marched with the main Army to Camden = Camden , I was in the Battle at Camden called Gates defeat - He further states he knew Genl Gates who commanded at this battle - also General Rutherford & General Branton, Col's Liddell, White

Majors Allcorn, White
Captains Huggins, Wilson,
He states further, he volunteered in the service of his Country, after the battle of Gates defeat as aponced, & served one or two months as Ensign  Lieutenant & Commander of the Company the Capt & lieutenant both being absent.
His Company or Army of Volunteers was raised at the time L d Cornwallis crossed the Catawba River - He was in a little skirmish on the Catawba River, at a place called Cowens Ford, between the Whigs & the British. At which place General Daniel one was killed - The principal officers who commanded this expedition were
Generals Davidson & Davis, — The length of this service was about one month as he believes — He further states that he did at several times after this period, enter the Army at the call of his Country, in some of which he served a longer & in some a shorter period of time. He cannot precisely say what would be the time he subsequently served, but supposes it would not exceed four months — He believes he served his Country during the Revolutionary war in the whole a period not less than eighteen months & probably not much more, but of the precise time he cannot undertake to state —

He states further, that at the end of every term of service as aforesaid, he obtained a discharge for the same, as he believes but he did not know whether or even would be useful to him, he states he has no knowledge of the manner in which he has lost them, but has no hesitation in saying they are now lost or mislaid or destroyed so that he cannot now produce them as evidence in this case - He has no documentary evidence in his possession of the facts spoken of & detailed in the foregoing declaration. Nor does he know of any person by whom he can prove the services aforesaid.
He does further hereby relinquish all and every claim or claims whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any state in the United States.
sworn to in open Court
10th August 1832
Nathaniel Johnston
E. W. Haddock
Whereupon the Court consisting of the Members first above mentioned, propounded the following interrogatories to said Nathaniel Johnston in open Court this tenth day of August 1832 Ques. 1 st Where, and in what year were you born? Answer I was born in Roan County state of North Carolina in the year 1755 or 1756, as I am informed & believe -
Ques. 2 d Have you any record of your age, & if so where is it? Answer I have not, -

Ques t 3 rd Where were you living, when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, & where do you now live?
Answer; I was living in Roan County N.C. when it was first called into the service of my Country; I continued to live in said Country & State during the Revolutionary war and ever since, until the year 1823. at which time I moved to Bedford County in the State of Tennessee, in which last Country & State I have lived ever since, and am am now living in the same.
Ques t 4 th How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer; or were you a Substitute? And if a Substitute for whom?
Answer - I was a Volunteer in all the cases above mentioned - One instance not mentioned in my previous declaration I would wish here to mention viz the men all Claped in the Clapes of seven or eight persons each of which Clapes had to furnish a Man if called for - One out of the Clapes to which I belonged was called for, I prepared to the others to go if they would give me a certain sum, they agreed to; and whilst I was preparing to start, a young man prepared to take my place for much of it, I accordingly substituted him. He has since advised I cannot claim any benefit for his services although he served. Unless this transaction might be considered as a Substitute hiring of which is not mentioned in my previous declaration, and to which I would be entitled for pay. I have in all the cases been a volunteer - This term was for Twelve Months -
Ques t 5 th State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops where you served - such Continental & Militia Regiments as you may have been a part of the General circumstances of your service.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Nathaniel Johnston a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     June 1 1776 5 mos. Col Branton Rutherford NC   1777 2 " " " Lock   1780 2 " " " Davis   1780 3 " " Huggins   1781 1 " Ensign Officers not stated.  
Battles engaged in, skirmishes during Cherokee Expedition, Ransours Mill, Cauden, Cowans Ford of Catawba River.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Rowan Co. NC
Date of application for pension, Aug 10 1830. This cl. was all.
Residence at date of application, Bedford Co. Tenn.
Age at date of application, Rowan Co. NC 1753 or 1754.
Remarks: No family data.
Respectfully,
J-2850  The N.C. books show his officers as Rowan Co. mil. (not Roane or Roan)
Commissioner.

Rev. War.
1841.
INVALID.
File No. _____
1841
Nathaniel Johnson, Pvt. N. H. Line.
Act June 7, 1832.
Index:—Vol. a , Page 194
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1916 Not. of Heir. to Mrs. J. J. Sumner. and

#2617 San Jacinto St. Houston - Tex. Oct 8 th 1916
Dept Interior, Bureau of Pensions Washington - D. C.,
Dear Sir:-
Please send me the Record of "Nathaniel Johnson", Rev. Col. buried at Shelbyville, Bedford Co., Tenn. & oligee
Yours Respectfully Mrs. Jas. Johnson Quinn.

An amendment to the declaration of Nathaniel Johnson, made at August term 1832 of Bedford county Court, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed 7 th June 1832.
State of Pennsylvania Bedford County
Personally appeared before me the undersigned, an acting Justice of the peace for said county, Nathaniel Johnson, who being sworn according to law, deposes and saith that by reason of old age and the consequent and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively to the precise periods of the war of the Revolution when he served, But according to the best of his recollection, his first tower of duty was in the year 1776 it commenced he thinks about the first of June in that year; and his second tower was he thinks in the year 1777 about Harriet his third tower was in the year 1780 he recollects the Wheel was in the year 1781 was in the year 1780 and his fourth tower of duty was at Gates defeat in the 16 th August 1782 and his fifth tower was in the year 1781, and the balance of his service he is not able to say what years it was in —
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 28 th Decem r 1832.
Nathaniel Johnson
W. R. H. R. Justice of the peace for Bedford county in the State of Pennsylvania

State of Tennessee Bedford County
I George Newton a clergyman residing in said county, do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Nathaniel Johnson who has subscribed and sworn to the accompanying declar- ation at August term 1832 of Bedford County Court, and who has also subscribed and sworn to forgoing amendment to said declaration, that I believe him to be the age he states he is; that he is respected and beloved in the neighbourhood where he now resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolu- tion and that I concur in that opinion; Sub- scribed this 29 th Decem r 1832
Geo Davidson
Geo. Newton
I hereby certify that George Newton who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing certificate is a clergyman of good standing in the Presbyterian church, and a resident of Bedford County Tennessee this 29 th Decem r 1832.
George Davidson
I James M. Kisicki Clerk of the Court of peace & quarter Sessions for Bedford County in the State of Tennessee do hereby certify that George Newton before William Carter Esq r before whom the foregoing affidavits were sworn to, are acting Justices of the peace in and for Bedford County duly qualified as such
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office, at office in Shelbyville 29 th of Dec r 1832
James Kisicki