Pension Application of Henry Cartmill: S29692
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
Virginia At a Circuit Superior Court of Law & Chancery held at the Court house for the County of Botetourt on Friday the 7th day of September 1832 –
On this 7 day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Honorable Allen Taylor Judge of the Superior Court of Law & Chancery for said County Henry Cartmill aged seventy eight years and 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 on the 7th day of June 1832 – that he was born in Chester County in Pensylvania [sic] in the year 1754 but has no record of his age that his father removed with his family to the County of Augusta in Virginia when he was an Infant where he remained untill about the year 1761 when he again removed to the neighbourhood of James River into what is now the County of Botetourt [formed from Augusta in 1769] where the applicant has ever since resided on the 26th day of February in the year 1779 he was Commissioned as ensign in the Militia of Botetourt County [word illegible] after which (the precise time he is not able to state) a requisition was made on the County for Militia to go against the Indians who had made an incursion in to the South Western part of the State this applicant was detailed for duty and marched in the company commanded by Capt. James Smith to the Noly Chucky [sic: Nolichucky River then in North Carolina, now Tennessee] a branch of Holstine river [sic: Holston River] on the way they were joined by the Company of Captain James Burnet from Roanoke in the same County when they arrived at the Noly Chucky river they found about four hundred men assembled under the command of General William Campbell (at that time a Colonel) a Council was held by the officers when it was determined not to pursue the Indians further and this applicant returned with his Company to Botetourt County he is not able to state accurately the time spent in this tour he believes he was absent more than three months the distance from his residence to the Noli Chucky is about three hundred and fifty miles
on the 14th of April 1780 [“[1781]” written above] he was Commissioned a Lieutenant in the Militia of the same County and in the month of July or August following he was again called into service and marched under the command of Capt’n. James Smith to York Town where he remained during the whole Siege after the Surrender of Cornwallis which took place on the 19th of October 1781 he went with the prisoners to someplace beyond Williamsburg where there being more officers than were necessary he was permitted to return home he performed these services for short periods but from the great length of time which has elapsed and his extreme age he is not able to state them distinctly on one occasion he thinks in 1778 there was an alarm that the Indians had attacked Denelly’s Fort in Greenbrier County in Virginia [sic: Donally’s Fort now in West Virginia] A Company of men under the command of Capt’n. Hugh Logan in which this applicant was an ensign was sent to their relief but before they got to the County of Greenbrier they were met by an Officer a Capt’n Hall who informed them that the Indians had retired on another occasion he does not recollect the time a Command of men was given to him and he was directed to range the Mountains between Fincastle and the Sweet Springs [now in Monroe County WV] & search for Indians this service he performed but the time employed in it he does not recollect he went with many others assembled to march to the Lead Mines in Wythe County to meet Col. Ferguson [ apparently the Col Patrick Ferguson killed at King’s Mountain 7 Oct 1780] who it was said was advancing with a large body of Tories from North Carolina to that point after getting as far as the Stone house in Botetourt County they were stopped by Col. [George] Skillern who commanded the Militia of that County untill more men could be collected and news reaching them that the Tories were dispersed they were sent home he has no documentary evidence of his service and hereby relinquishes all claims 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. Sworn to and subscribed in open court signed Henry Cartmill
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in the County of Botetourt State of Virginia, Henry Cartmill Sen of said County for the purpose of amending his declaration made the 7th day of September 1832 in Open Court of said County in order to obtain the Benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7th day of June 1832. Which declaration is hereto annexed; Who being duly sworn deposeth and sayith that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his services, but according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following Grades Viz. In the tour first mentioned in the annexed declaration, he served not less than three months as an Ensign under Captain James Smith. as an evidence of his Grade, he herewith exhibits his Commission under date 26th February 1779. In the second mentioned tour in the annexed declaration (In which he was at the taking of Corn Wallis) He served as a Lieutenant under Capt. James Smith a three months tour. as an evidence of his Grade, he herewith exhibits his Commission under date the 14 April 1780. in this part of the annexed declaration there is an error, which was probably made by the Clerk in copying, which reads thus “on the 14th April 1780 he was Commissioned a Lieutenant in the Militia of the same County, and in the month of July or August following he was again called into service of.” after the words (the same County) It should read thus “and in the month of July or August of the year following he was again called into service of
In the third mentioned tour in the annexed Declaration he served not less than two weeks as an Ensign under Capt. Hugh Logan
In the fourth mentioned tour in the annexed declaration, he served not less than three weeks. On that occasion he was ordered out by Colo. Skilren and was then an Ensign
In the fifth and last mentioned tour in the annexed declaration, he served not less that two weeks, as an Ensign under Capt. James Smith affors’d. The three last-mentioned tours were all performed prior to year 1780, that under Capt Hugh Logan, was performed under an older Ensign Commission than the one herewith exhibited, which he resigned and gave up to Colo George Skilren affors’d, and afterwards, that under date 26 February 1779 was given him. he is also inclined to the persuasion[?] that the fourth mentioned tour in the annexed declaration was also made under the first ensign Commission. – The fifth mentioned tour in the annexed declaration was made under his last ensign Commission.
The deponant further states, that he was not employed in any civil pursuit, during the performance of the service mentioned in the annexed declaration.
Sworn to and subscribed this 16th day of November 1833} [signed] Henry Cartmill