Pension Application of Randolph Lawson: R6205
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Illinois SS On this 28th day of April 1835 personally appeared in open court before
Johnson County the Circuit Court of said county now sitting Randolph Lawson a resident
of said county of Johnson and State of Illinois aged eighty two years on his birth day last past 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 was born in Cumberland county in the State of N. Carolina some time in the fall or winter of 1752 to the best of his information and belief; he does not know whether there ever was any record made of his age; if there was, he never saw it. He continued to reside in said county until he entered the service. He entered the service as a volunteer under Capt Cox his Christian name he does not recollect for a tour of three months, some time in 1780. They rendezvoused at Cross creek in said county, where they were organized under Col. ? Nawles (Knowles, or some name of that sound) they then marched towards Camden [South Carolina] near which place they met Genl [Horatio] Gates by whom they were then commanded, and soon after were engaged with Lord [Francis] Rawdon in the Battle of Camden, some time in August [the 16th] 1780. This applicant was not actually engaged in the Battle, being detached as a guard of the baggage, in which the Americans were defeated. They then retreated, and being greatly scattered and dispersed by the conduct of the Militia they did not get together to effect any thing again during this term of three months. He did not receive any discharge from this tour of three months, and there was nothing more of any interest or importance during this tour of service. He again entered the service as a volunteer for a tour of six months some time in January or February 1781. under Capt. — Duck he thinks under the same Col. He does not recollect where they rendezvoused, but when organized they marched on toward Guilford Courthouse where they met Genl [Nathanael] Greene, who commanded them and where they had an engagement with Lord Cornwallis, and were again defeated [15 March 1781]. this applicant was not again actually engaged, being young was again on detached duty as a guard of the Baggage. After the Battle Genl Greene marched on toward Camden where he attacked Lord Rawdon some time in April [Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill, 25 April 1781] but this applicant under the command of his same field officers, and he thinks, commanded by Genl Lee [Lt. Col. Henry Lee], was sent on a different expedition [Siege of Fort Watson SC, 15 - 23 April 1781] in which however he had no engagement that he recollects nor does he recollect of anything further being done or transpiring of note or interest during his term of six months. He was discharged however two weeks before the expiration of this tour of six months having served five months and two weeks making in all eight months and two weeks He received a written discharge from this last term of six months, which was destroyed by his getting his house burnt. He lived at the same place the second time he entered the service. He does not recollect any regular or Continental Regiments with which he served. He does not recollect the names of any of the Regular or Continental officers any further than he has stated. His discharge was given him by his Capt. which was lost as before stated. He moved from Cumberland co. N.C. to Patrick Co Va. then thence to Johnson co. Illinois where he now lives. There are no other circumstances which are of any note, or will be useful in the investigation of his claim. He has no documentary evidence of his service, nor does he know of any person who can testify as to his service. He is known to Hardin Prewitt, Daniel Hewitt, William Jeffers, William Munson, John Oliver, Jacob Dooly, and [blank space] in my present neighbourhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution 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. Randolph hisXmark Lawson