Pension Application of Samuel and Ann
Ammon Moon Hancock: X916
Transcribed
and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia, Bedford County Sct.
On
this 24th day of December 1832 personally appeared in open Court,
before the County Court of Bedford,
now sitting, the same being a Court of record, Samuel Hancock a resident of the
said County of Bedford and State of Virginia, aged seventy two 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
the 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under
the following named officers and served as herein stated. That about the middle
of November in the year 1776 being then a resident of the County of Bedford and
State of Virginia, he volunteered to take the place of his brother Edward
Hancock [pension application W7648] who had enlisted for the term of two years
under Captain Gross Scruggs, he thinks in the Continental Army. at the time he
entered the service his brother was at home sick, and about nine and a half
months of his term of service had expired. He with about twelve others who
belonged to Capt. Scruggs company and who were then at home were ordered to
join Captain Lambert who had enlisted a Company in Bedford County and was then
about to march to join the Northern Army; they met at New London, then the seat
of Justice for Bedford County [now in Campbell County VA] and were marched from
thence under the command of Capt George Saunders and Lieutenant Archelaus Moon.
they crossed James River at Lynches Ferry (now Lynchburg) from thence he was
marched through Charlottesville to Fredericksburg at which latter place the
company remained until other companies which were to form a regiment should
arrive. When the regiment was formed it was marched under the command of Colo
Abraham Buford to Dumfrees [sic: Dumfries in Prince William County VA] where he
and the regiment were inoculated with the small pox. from Dumfries they were
marched to Alexandria where they remained until their recovery from the small
pox. before the army was ready to march he the said Samuel Hancock was seized
with the pleurisy and before he had recovered from that attack he was taken
with the bloody flux and a dysentary. so violent was his attack that his
comrades lost all hope of his recovery, they marched to the north under the
impression that he would die, and the report that he was actually dead reached
his father in the County of Bedford. After his company marched to the north he
was taken to the hospital where there were about fifty others sick, almost all
of whom died. He remained in the hospital for several months unable to rise
from his bed. He was finally through the agency of Doctor Tilton his attending
physician carried in a blanket to the house of a widow who lived in Alexandria
at whose home he remained, still unable to walk, until the time for which his
brother Edward Hancock enlisted had expired. Some time after Major Allison who
commanded a regiment from North Carolina discovered his situation and at his
solicitation procured a waggon and he was taken to the house of an Uncle who
resided in the County of Loudon [sic: Loudoun] and State of Virginia, at whose
house he remained for about three months, by which time he had so far recovered
as to be enabled to ride and he was taken by his father to his house in the
County of Bedford. When he arrived at home, he found that the company enlisted
by Capt. Scruggs were at home, their term of service having expired some time
before; In this tour he claims to have served fourteen and a half months, his
brother having enlisted as before stated for two years and having served at the
time he volunteered in his stead not more than nine and a half months. For
proof of his service he refers to the affidavits of Edward Hancock and Elijah
Cundiff hereto annexed. In the fall of the year 1779 being still a resident of
Bedford County he was drafted and served a tour of three months in the Militia
of the State of Virginia. he was marched from the County of Bedford under the
command of Capt. Jacob Early through the Countys of Buckingham, Prince Edward,
Cumberland, Powhatan and Chesterfield to Petersburg in the State of Virginia
where they joined the Army under the command of Gen’l. [Robert] Lawson. The
Colonels were William Leftwich and Charles Lynch – The Baron Steuben visited
the army frequently when on parade. He remained in Petersburg as the officers
said, waiting for movements of the British vessels then lying in the mouth of
James River. He remained at Petersburg until the time of service expired and
was honourably discharged. but his discharge has been lost. He can prove this
tour by Major Samuel Mitchell whose affidavit is hereto annexed. In the month
of December in the year 1780 being still a resident of Bedford County, He the
said Samuel Hancock again entered the service in the Militia of the State of
Virginia as a substitute for Uriah Squires and served as an orderly sergeant
for the term of three months. He was marched from the County of Bedford under
the command of Capt. John Trigg, his Lieutenant he believes was Simon Miller.
he was marched through several Counties in Virginia to Petersburg. from thence
to a place called Cabin Point, he thinks in the County of Surry where they
remained some time, from thence they were marched to Mackeys mills he thinks in
the County of Southampton Virginia, at which place as well as he recollects he
joined the army under the command of General Muhlenburg [sic: Peter
Muhlenberg]. The officers who commanded the regiment to which he was attached
were Colonel Merewether [sic: Meriwether] & Maj’r Declamon. from Mackeys
Mills he was marched to a place called the tanyard near Portsmouth, from thence
he was marched to near a British fort on Nansemond River in Norfolk County.
whilst there the army had several skirmishes with the British, from thence he
was marched across the Dismal Swamp to a place called Williamsons mills where
his tour having expired, he was discharged. His discharge has been lost he can prove this term of service by Isaac
Cundiff whose affidavit is annexed hereto. he thinks his term of service
expired about the first of March 1781. He remained at home in the County of
Bedford aforesaid not more than two or three weeks when he was again drafted
into service in the Militia of the State of Virginia, and was marched from
Bedford County under the Command of Capt. Adam Clemant, Lieut. Cobb & Ensign
Tate. He was marched to Salisbury in North Carolina at which place they arrived
in about ten days after being drafted. as soon as he arrived at Salisbury he
was appointed Sergeant Major to the Regiment. The Regiment was commanded by
Alexander Rose a Major. From Salisbury he was marched to Ninety six [in South
Carolina] where they had joined General Green [sic: Nathanael Greene], who had
laid Seige to the town and fort [starting on 22 May 1781]. They were engaged
here nineteen days when Lord Rodney [sic: Francis Rawdon] came up from
Charleston to the relief of the fort, when Gen’l. Green retreated [on 19 June]
and was pursued by the British to near Broad River, a distance of about 120
miles. the Army after crossing the river rested two or three days. When the army
left Broad river, he was left to give information to some of Lees [Lt. Col.
Henry Lee’s] troops who were out on a foraging party of the rout which the
troops had taken. The British at broad river having retreated back towards
ninety six; Lees troop was sent in pursuit when the foraging party returned he
joined them and he with Lees troop pursued the British until within about seven
miles of ninety six. They then turned down the river Saluda about twenty five
miles where they fell in with a foraging party of the British and took forty
five prisoners [probably at Friday’s Ferry on Congaree River near Columbia, 3
July 1781] They then marched to the high
hills of Santee where they again joined General Green. here he, with a number
of Militia were left to guard the baggage waggons belonging to the army and
about 150 prisoners. Green with the rest of the Army marched to Eutaw Springs
where he had an engagement [8 Sep 1781]. The Virginia Militia were shortly
afterwards marched to guard the prisoners who were sent to Virginia and he was
one of those. He was marched to near Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina
where his term of service having expired he was honourably discharged.
His
discharge signed by Alexander Rose and dated July 31st 1781 is
herewith exhibited. As will be seen by his discharge he served four months
during this tour and acted as a Sergeant Major. In the month of February 1782
he took a deserter from the Army named George Baney he was at considerable trouble and expense
with him. On the 26th day of February 1782 he delivered him to Capt.
A Kirkpatrick, whose receipt he has, and is herewith exhibited He can procure no other proof of his services
except such as is herein before refered to. In answer to interrogatories
propounded by the Court, the said Samuel Hancock states first that he was born
in the County of Chesterfield in the State of Virginia on the 28th
day of February in the year 1760
2nd. That he has a record of
his age taken from his fathers register by himself. The original is in the possession
of his brother in the state of Kentucky
3rd. When called into service
he was living in the County of Bedford in the State of Virginia where he has
resided ever since.
4th. That as stated in the
body of his declaration he volunteered the first tower. his second tour he was
drafted. His third he was a substitute for Uriah Squires and his fourth tour he
was drafted.
5th. He has in the body of his
declaration stated the names of his officers and Continental & Militia
regiments with whom he served and the general circumstances of his service as
far as he can recollect.
6th. He received discharges
for all the tours except the first. They have been lost, except his last
discharge which is now shown to the Court.
7th. He is extensively known
in his neighbourhood. he is known to every member of the Court of which he is
now the presiding member.
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.
Samuel
Hancock
NOTE: On 18 July 1839 Ann Hancock, 79,
applied for a pension stating that she married Samuel Hancock 11 Feb 1784, and
he died 14 April 1837. With her application is a copy of a bond signed by
Samuel Hancock and Archibald Moon in Bedford County on 9 Feb 1784 for the
marriage of Hancock to Nancy Moon. This Nancy Moon, AKA Ann Moon, was the widow
of Jacob Moon, killed at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on 15 March 1781,
according to pension application W4691.