"EIGHT MONTH'S COMPANY" OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY
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"EIGHT MONTH'S COMPANY" OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY
 ILaRue9948
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Posted: 25 May 1999 12:00PM GMT |
Classification: Pension
Surnames: HOPKINS, Martin, Pamlin, Graves, Webb, Lucas
Persi records: Surname: Hopkins
Article Title: James Hopkins, declaration, 1832, Virginia
Periodical: William and Mary Quarterly
Volume: 10 Number: 1 (January 1930)
"Eight Month's Company" of the continental Army, By Mrs. Lenora Higginbotham (MacFarlane) Sweeny
Pay Roll of Capt. Azh Martin's County Militia, from Amherst County, belonging to the 4th Regt Virginia Malitia(sic), commanded by Colo(sic) James Lucas, taken from the 15th of June to 7th of September 1780, being 80 four days in the Continental Army.
Azh Martin.....Capt
Wm. Holt.......Lieut. (Substitute for William Bibb)
Lee Royapshas..Lieut.
Jas Alexander..Lieut. (Discharged)
Jno Martin.....Sergt
Jereh Walker...Drum Major
Josa Tuggle....Corp.
Saml Bell......Private
Absom Pollard.."
Saml Dinwiddie."(Dessarted from the battle of Camden)
Saml Carter...."
James Hopkins.."
Wm Pierce......"(Missing from the battle of Camden)
Wm Forbus......"(Dissarted from the battle of Hillsborough)
Wm Boulware...."(Missing from battle of Hillsborough)
Alexr Forbus..." "
Henry Plod....." "
Edwd Biby......" "
Nicholas Lynn.." "
William Phillips." "
Pleasant Dawson." "
William Murrah(Murray).Pvt."
Wm Bowman......Pvt. "
Robert Tate...." "
Owen Ohern....." "
Jacob Pucket..." "
Henry McClain.." "
John Clifton..." "
John Bowman...." "
John Miller...." "
Gideon Martin.." "
Thomas Church.." (61 Days)
Simn Ramsey...." "
John Cloe......" (Missing from the battler of Hillsborough)
William Purkins." "
Thos Price....." "
Jas Henderson.." "
Robert Gratton." (Taken Prisoner at the battle of Hillsborough: returned.)
John Brown.....Pvt.(Missing from battle of Hillsborough)
Bennet Henderson.Pvt. "
Jambes Obryan.." "
Alexander Pattern.Pvt.(Didn't Recd 50 acres Bounty; deserted at Hillsborough)
John Sobbing..." (61 days, deserted at Hillsborough)
William Marshall, Pvt.(Missing from the battle of Hillsborough)
(Two more names, one taken prisoner, but not legible.)
James Hopkins (Nephew of James Hopkins of "Annadale," Amherst Co., Va., Will P. May 16, 1803; Will Book 4, pp 86 to 110; left property to nephew James Hopkins of Pittsylvania Co., son of brother Authur(sic) Hopkins Decd., also money in trust to educate Authur Hopkins, eldest son of his nephew, James Hopkins, at a good college, preferable William and Mary.) Declaration gives an interesting account of why they deserted,--or, that is, returned home.--Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C., File--W-3553, Va. Wife, Mary.
James Hopkins' Declaration,--On this 17th day of September, 1832, personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the Court of Pittsylvania, now sitting, James Hopkins a resident in the State of Virginia, in the County of Pittsylvania, aged 67 years, on the 22nd February, who being first sworn according to law doth make the following declaration in order to botain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832,--
He entered the service of the United Staes, as a Substitute in the place of James Hopkins, Sr., sometime in the Spring of 1780 and marched from the County of Amherst and State of aforesaid, under command of Capt. Azariah Martin, Lieut. Wm Holt and Ensign Seay: The place of rendezvous was at Hillsborough, in the State of North Carolina; after our arrival there we were transfered to the 4th Regt Virginia Malitia commanded by Colo Lucas, from the County of Macklenburg, the Brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Stevens, from the County of Culpeper; After remaining at Hillsborough some time for the purpose of being disciplined, we were ordered to march to South Carolina and join Major General H. Gates, Commander in Chief of the southern Army at a place called Rugeleys Mill: On the Morning of the 15th August; rested the balance of the day and one oclock at night took off--the time of march to surprise the enemy before day, who marched at the same time; the two Armies met on the middle ground, a sharp skirmish between the advanced guards took place. That night the line was formed and the men stood under arms all night, the next morning, August the 16th the line was ordered to advance and a general engagement took place about the rising of the sun, which resulted in a shameful defeat of the southern Army; there was no place designated inthe event of a defeat at which we should rendezvous; we lost all out baggage and were destitute of any clothing except what little we had on; seperated from our officers and no means of subsistance--under these appalling circumstances, although our term of services was nearly expired, a considerable number of the company to which he belonged determined to make the best of their way home; After our return to Amherst County, a Court of enquiry convened and made an Order that we should all be sent back and serve a tour of eight months under regular officers; we were accordingly mustered and put under command of Capt Paulin, who marched us bacvk to Hillsborough, where General Greenes Army then lay, and we were transfered to the command of Capt Graves, from the County of Culpeper, who was assigned to take command of the men sent back from a few other Counties for the same offence. In a short time the army was ordered to march south, we passed through Salisbury and Charlotte and about the 1st January 1781, we took winter quarters on the North Side of Ceder River near the Ceder Hills, South Carolina.
Some time in the month of February, if his memory is correct, there was a general order issued for all men belonging to the "Eight Month's Company," as they were called, to be discharged and the young men be retained till their term of services expired--this reduced the Company very considerably.
Capt Graves was permitted to return home with these men that were discharged and the balance retained in service, was placed under command of Capt Webb and Lieut Webb, who he understood came from about Richmond, Virginia.
Shortly after this General Morgan defeted Colo Tarlton at a place called, Cowpens and took a number prisoners and had to make a rapid retreat to keep them from being retaken by the enemy--as soon as General Greene received the information he immediately marched off the Army to cover Morgans retreat and left this small Company of Eight Months Men, some of whom were stationed at mills to guard and keep them employed in grinding meal and flour for the use of the Army and some to guard the encampent; finally Capt Webb received orders to take charge of 8 or 10 waggons loaded with meal and flour and about 400 head of hogs to follow after the Army and we were in fact in rear of both Armies, when we reached Deep River in North Carolina, intending to go to Guilford Courthouse, we received inteligence that Cornwallis was at this plafe, we had then to change our route, turned to the right went to Halifax and Granville Countys and crossed the Roanoke River at Taylors Ferry, near which place in the County of Mecklenburg in the Stae of Virginia was a Commissary store where the Capt delivered the meal, flour and hogs, which we protected through safe thought a part of our Country that at that time, was literally speaking in the hands of the British and Tories; by this time our term of service was nearly expired, we were premitted to draw up a petition and sent it on by express to General Greene, stating our situation; that we were almost naked, almost worn out with fatigue and praying him to send orders to the Capt to discharge us, which he did, and we met the express in the County of Halifax, near banister River in State of Virginia where the company were accordingly discharged, which was about the 1st of March 1781; Hisdischarge has long since been destroyed that he has no documentary evidence, he claims to have served in the whole, nine months.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State, sworn to and subscribed the date above.
James Hopkins
Griffith Dickinson, Sr., a Clergyman in the County of Pittsylvania and William Swanson in the same County, were acquainted with Hopkins and declared he was 67 years of age, and was reputed to have been a soldier of the Revolutionary War; Sworn to and subscribed the 7th September 1832, before William Turstall, Clerk of Pittsylvania Court.
His service--
Spring 1780 9 months
Private under Capt Azh Martin
Private under Capt Pamlin
Private under Capt Graves
Private under Capt Webb
Private under Colo Lucas, State of Virginia
Battles participated in--Camden
enlisted in Amherst County, Virginia; date of application of pension September 17, 1832. His claim was allowed; resident at date of application, Pittsylvania county, Virginia. Died July 20, 1844, in Pittsylvania county, Virginia: was a widower, when in November 15, 1797 in Pittsylvania county of Virginia he Married Mary -----, a native of said County. His widow, Mary Hopkins, aged 92, applied for pension March 2, 1853, which was allowed; Their eldest son, Reuben Hopkins was born 1798.
(Copy has been typed as nearly as possible to article, with errors kept)
Article Title: James Hopkins, declaration, 1832, Virginia
Periodical: William and Mary Quarterly
Volume: 10 Number: 1 (January 1930)
"Eight Month's Company" of the continental Army, By Mrs. Lenora Higginbotham (MacFarlane) Sweeny
Pay Roll of Capt. Azh Martin's County Militia, from Amherst County, belonging to the 4th Regt Virginia Malitia(sic), commanded by Colo(sic) James Lucas, taken from the 15th of June to 7th of September 1780, being 80 four days in the Continental Army.
Azh Martin.....Capt
Wm. Holt.......Lieut. (Substitute for William Bibb)
Lee Royapshas..Lieut.
Jas Alexander..Lieut. (Discharged)
Jno Martin.....Sergt
Jereh Walker...Drum Major
Josa Tuggle....Corp.
Saml Bell......Private
Absom Pollard.."
Saml Dinwiddie."(Dessarted from the battle of Camden)
Saml Carter...."
James Hopkins.."
Wm Pierce......"(Missing from the battle of Camden)
Wm Forbus......"(Dissarted from the battle of Hillsborough)
Wm Boulware...."(Missing from battle of Hillsborough)
Alexr Forbus..." "
Henry Plod....." "
Edwd Biby......" "
Nicholas Lynn.." "
William Phillips." "
Pleasant Dawson." "
William Murrah(Murray).Pvt."
Wm Bowman......Pvt. "
Robert Tate...." "
Owen Ohern....." "
Jacob Pucket..." "
Henry McClain.." "
John Clifton..." "
John Bowman...." "
John Miller...." "
Gideon Martin.." "
Thomas Church.." (61 Days)
Simn Ramsey...." "
John Cloe......" (Missing from the battler of Hillsborough)
William Purkins." "
Thos Price....." "
Jas Henderson.." "
Robert Gratton." (Taken Prisoner at the battle of Hillsborough: returned.)
John Brown.....Pvt.(Missing from battle of Hillsborough)
Bennet Henderson.Pvt. "
Jambes Obryan.." "
Alexander Pattern.Pvt.(Didn't Recd 50 acres Bounty; deserted at Hillsborough)
John Sobbing..." (61 days, deserted at Hillsborough)
William Marshall, Pvt.(Missing from the battle of Hillsborough)
(Two more names, one taken prisoner, but not legible.)
James Hopkins (Nephew of James Hopkins of "Annadale," Amherst Co., Va., Will P. May 16, 1803; Will Book 4, pp 86 to 110; left property to nephew James Hopkins of Pittsylvania Co., son of brother Authur(sic) Hopkins Decd., also money in trust to educate Authur Hopkins, eldest son of his nephew, James Hopkins, at a good college, preferable William and Mary.) Declaration gives an interesting account of why they deserted,--or, that is, returned home.--Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C., File--W-3553, Va. Wife, Mary.
James Hopkins' Declaration,--On this 17th day of September, 1832, personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the Court of Pittsylvania, now sitting, James Hopkins a resident in the State of Virginia, in the County of Pittsylvania, aged 67 years, on the 22nd February, who being first sworn according to law doth make the following declaration in order to botain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832,--
He entered the service of the United Staes, as a Substitute in the place of James Hopkins, Sr., sometime in the Spring of 1780 and marched from the County of Amherst and State of aforesaid, under command of Capt. Azariah Martin, Lieut. Wm Holt and Ensign Seay: The place of rendezvous was at Hillsborough, in the State of North Carolina; after our arrival there we were transfered to the 4th Regt Virginia Malitia commanded by Colo Lucas, from the County of Macklenburg, the Brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Stevens, from the County of Culpeper; After remaining at Hillsborough some time for the purpose of being disciplined, we were ordered to march to South Carolina and join Major General H. Gates, Commander in Chief of the southern Army at a place called Rugeleys Mill: On the Morning of the 15th August; rested the balance of the day and one oclock at night took off--the time of march to surprise the enemy before day, who marched at the same time; the two Armies met on the middle ground, a sharp skirmish between the advanced guards took place. That night the line was formed and the men stood under arms all night, the next morning, August the 16th the line was ordered to advance and a general engagement took place about the rising of the sun, which resulted in a shameful defeat of the southern Army; there was no place designated inthe event of a defeat at which we should rendezvous; we lost all out baggage and were destitute of any clothing except what little we had on; seperated from our officers and no means of subsistance--under these appalling circumstances, although our term of services was nearly expired, a considerable number of the company to which he belonged determined to make the best of their way home; After our return to Amherst County, a Court of enquiry convened and made an Order that we should all be sent back and serve a tour of eight months under regular officers; we were accordingly mustered and put under command of Capt Paulin, who marched us bacvk to Hillsborough, where General Greenes Army then lay, and we were transfered to the command of Capt Graves, from the County of Culpeper, who was assigned to take command of the men sent back from a few other Counties for the same offence. In a short time the army was ordered to march south, we passed through Salisbury and Charlotte and about the 1st January 1781, we took winter quarters on the North Side of Ceder River near the Ceder Hills, South Carolina.
Some time in the month of February, if his memory is correct, there was a general order issued for all men belonging to the "Eight Month's Company," as they were called, to be discharged and the young men be retained till their term of services expired--this reduced the Company very considerably.
Capt Graves was permitted to return home with these men that were discharged and the balance retained in service, was placed under command of Capt Webb and Lieut Webb, who he understood came from about Richmond, Virginia.
Shortly after this General Morgan defeted Colo Tarlton at a place called, Cowpens and took a number prisoners and had to make a rapid retreat to keep them from being retaken by the enemy--as soon as General Greene received the information he immediately marched off the Army to cover Morgans retreat and left this small Company of Eight Months Men, some of whom were stationed at mills to guard and keep them employed in grinding meal and flour for the use of the Army and some to guard the encampent; finally Capt Webb received orders to take charge of 8 or 10 waggons loaded with meal and flour and about 400 head of hogs to follow after the Army and we were in fact in rear of both Armies, when we reached Deep River in North Carolina, intending to go to Guilford Courthouse, we received inteligence that Cornwallis was at this plafe, we had then to change our route, turned to the right went to Halifax and Granville Countys and crossed the Roanoke River at Taylors Ferry, near which place in the County of Mecklenburg in the Stae of Virginia was a Commissary store where the Capt delivered the meal, flour and hogs, which we protected through safe thought a part of our Country that at that time, was literally speaking in the hands of the British and Tories; by this time our term of service was nearly expired, we were premitted to draw up a petition and sent it on by express to General Greene, stating our situation; that we were almost naked, almost worn out with fatigue and praying him to send orders to the Capt to discharge us, which he did, and we met the express in the County of Halifax, near banister River in State of Virginia where the company were accordingly discharged, which was about the 1st of March 1781; Hisdischarge has long since been destroyed that he has no documentary evidence, he claims to have served in the whole, nine months.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State, sworn to and subscribed the date above.
James Hopkins
Griffith Dickinson, Sr., a Clergyman in the County of Pittsylvania and William Swanson in the same County, were acquainted with Hopkins and declared he was 67 years of age, and was reputed to have been a soldier of the Revolutionary War; Sworn to and subscribed the 7th September 1832, before William Turstall, Clerk of Pittsylvania Court.
His service--
Spring 1780 9 months
Private under Capt Azh Martin
Private under Capt Pamlin
Private under Capt Graves
Private under Capt Webb
Private under Colo Lucas, State of Virginia
Battles participated in--Camden
enlisted in Amherst County, Virginia; date of application of pension September 17, 1832. His claim was allowed; resident at date of application, Pittsylvania county, Virginia. Died July 20, 1844, in Pittsylvania county, Virginia: was a widower, when in November 15, 1797 in Pittsylvania county of Virginia he Married Mary -----, a native of said County. His widow, Mary Hopkins, aged 92, applied for pension March 2, 1853, which was allowed; Their eldest son, Reuben Hopkins was born 1798.
(Copy has been typed as nearly as possible to article, with errors kept)