Pension Application of Anthony Campbell: S9138
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia}
Bedford County}
On this 23rd day of November[?] 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the court of Bedford county now sitting Anthony Campbell, a resident of Russell parish in the County of Bedford and state of Virginia aged 72 years 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
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He entered the service of the United States in the County of Amherst Virginia the last of August in the year of 1777 he believes – he was called as a Militia Man & marched through what is now Nelson County, but then Amherst and Albemarle Counties to the Barracks near Charlottesville, Albemarle County Virginia, to guard the prisoners captured at Burgoyne’s Surrender [at Saratoga, 17 Oct 1777], and brought to that post as a place of safety. He does not recollect that there were any field officers, except Col. [Francis] Taylor with the troops, who consisted of merely a guard to keep the prisoners aforesaid. Reuben Jordan was captain of the guard. Roger Shackleford Lieut. does not recollect the ensign. He was discharged in September, not sooner in the month than the 10th day and performed a tour of one month & ten days duration at the least. He received a written discharge from Capt. Jordan, but what has become of it he is not able to say. There were no continental regiments or companies, nor any regular officers, with the troops at the Barracks during the time of his service there, whom he now recollects. He has no documentary evidence of his services during this tour, nor does he know of any person now living whose testimony he can procure to establish the same.
After his return from the above mentioned tour, he remained at home, in Amherst county Virginia, until the 10th day of January 1781, on which day he was drafted into the service of the United States as a militia man from Amherst county Virg’a, and served a tour of three months, to wit from the 10th day January 1781 until the 10th day of April following. He marched from the county aforesaid to Cabin Landing on James River then in the county of Amherst, but now in the county of Nelson Virg’a, from which he went by water down the said River to a place called Jude’s Ferry in Powhatan County, and thence by land to Richmond. From Richmond he marched thro’ Charles City [County] &c to Bowles’ Ferry on Chickahominy River, then went down said River to its mouth – and then up the James River to a place called Hood’s Fort, where he remained until he was discharged on the 10th of April 1781, guarding the Fort, (which was about 35 miles below Richmond) and the boats ascending and descending the James River. He had no field officers during this tour. His company officers were Richard Ballinger Captain – Thomas Jones Lieutenant, & Jno Matthews ensign. There we no continental Regiments or companies, nor any regular officers with the troops during this tour. He received a written discharge from Capt. Ballinger, but has lost it. He has no documentary evidence of his services during this tour – nor does he know of any person, by whose testimony he can prove them – except James Cottrell, who served with him in the army, and to whose affidavit (marked A) he refers.
Again when Col. Tarlton [sic: Banastre Tarleton] came up to Charlottesville in the summer [4 June] of 1781, he was drafted into the service of the United States a third time, as a militia man from the county of Amherst Virg’a. on the 4th of July 1781. under Capt. ___ Diggs. He marched from Amherst County, thro’ the Counties of Fluvanna, Goochland, Hanover, (leaving Richmond to the right) to Williamsburg. He was in pursuit of Tarleton, who was retreating [sic] from Charlottesville. He joined the army commanded by General [Edward] Stevens just before he reached Williamsburg. His field and company officers were John Pope, Col. William Cabell, Major, ___ Diggs, Capt., Charles Edes Lieutenant, & Bartlett Edes ensign –, with all whom he marched from Amherst County – when he joined the army under Gen’l. Stevens, Col. Pope, and Maj. Cabell returned home, and he was placed under the command of Col. Merriweather [sic: Meriwether] and Maj. Hardiman. He marched from Williamsburg to Jamestown, where he was in an engagement under Gen’l. Stevens with the British. He served two months this tour, at the least. He marched from Jamestown to a place called Mobbin’s Hill [sic: Malvern Hill in Charles City County], where he remained until the 4th of September 1781, when he enlisted for the war, and returned home on a furlough and there remained until peace when he was discharged by Col. Peter Rose, Col. of Amherst County Virg’a. He received a written discharge, but has lost it. The regular officers whom he knew in the service are Gen’l. LaFayette, Col. Merriweather and Maj. Hardiman. He has no documentary evidence of his services during this tour, & knows no person living by whom he can prove them. He recollects a continental regiment under Col. Sevier, with whom he served this tour. There were militia regiments from the lower part of Virginia, whose numbers and whose officers he does not recollect
In answer to interrogatories he states:
1. He was born in Caroline County Virginia, as well as he recollects of what his parents told him, in the year 1761, 6th January.
2. His father had a register of his age, which he believes has been destroyed.
3. He was living in Amherst County Virg’a. when called into service each time. He lived in said County until 1790, when he removed to Bedford County, where he has resided ever since, & now resides.
4. He was drafted every time
5. Gen’l. LaFayette & Col. Merriweather and Major Hardiman are the regular officers whom he knew in service – recollects no continental regiments or companies, except as above. General circumstances of his service stated in the body of his declaration.
6. He refers to the body of his declaration for an answer.
7. The Rev. William Harris & James Jopling are persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood, who can testify as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
There are many facts, names &c, in relation to his services, [illegible word], which he does not now recollect, both from loss of memory, and from the circumstance, that not looking toward any pecuniary compensation, he has been at no pains to keep their recollection alive.
According to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below – to wit – the first tour, one month & 10 days– the second tour, three months– and the third tour, two months– making in all, 6 months and ten days, for which he claims a pension.
He hereby relinquishes every claim 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
Anthony hisXmark Campbell
State of Virginia} to wit
Bedford County} (A)
This day [24 Dec 1832] personally appeared before me, Wm. R. Jones, a Justice of the peace for the county afores’d., James Cottrell, who represents himself to be 80 years of age, and made oath, that in January 1781, Anthony Campbell, who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration entered the service of the united states as a militia man from Amherst County Virginia – that he served a tour of 3 months (lacking[?] 24 days) in same company with said Campbell under Capt Rich’d Ballinger – that he left s’d Campbell in the army when he left there, in the second tour mentioned above declaration – and that the account of his services therein given by said Campbell he believes to be correct.