Pension Application of Absalom Ailstock: S6475
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia
Rockbridge County Sct.
On this day personally appeared in open court, before the Justices of said Court, said Court being a Court of record, and now sitting: Absalom Ailstock a resident in said County and State, aged 70 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 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated
This applicant is a free born Mulatto, and not being able to read, or write, is too unacquainted with dates to be particular, as to the exact periods when he went into service. This applicant states, that he was born in Louisa County, State of Virginia (the year he does not know) having no record of his age, where he lived until 12 or 13 years after the Revolution, when he moved to this County, where he has since lived. He states that his first service in the Revolution, was from the County of Louisa, in this state, the Militia having been called out by Divisions under Col. Nelson & Captain John Saunders, both of Louisa County, it being rumored that the British were about to land upon the Virginia Coast, he cannot state in what year this happened but believes it was in the year preceding Cornwallis’s defeat [on 19 Oct 1781], and thinks he was about 17 years old, from the circumstance, that a short time previous to this, he was not capable of standing a draught for 18 months, not being 18 years of age; the age required by Law, and that in the summer following the first tour, he did stand a draught for a term of 18 months, but drew clear – He states that he marched from Louisa County in the beginning of the winter, to Hanover Courthouse, in this state, where he went under the command of Col. Fountaine, and Major Winston, Regular officers, and Col. Nelson returned home. thence proceeded to New Kent Courthouse. received orders (as this applicant thinks from the Governor, after remaining one week at New Kent Courthouse, and returned to Hanover Courthouse, there remained two or three weeks. When Adjutant Mayers (if this applicant recollects right, he being called by the soldiers Sandy Mayers) was sent to the Governor for further orders, who returned with directions to dismiss the men. And this applicant returned, after a service of 4 weeks. he received no discharge, the orders from the Governor being a general discharge, to the Louisa Militia, as he understood from it being read aloud by Adjutant Mayers.
This applicant further states, that he was called out into the service of the United States, in the same manner as he was in his first tour, in the spring following, about the 1st of April in the year of Cornwallis’s Defeat, and marched from said County under Capt William Harris of Louisa County, directly to Richmond, where he joined the 2nd Regiment, under Col [Holt] Richardson and Major Armistead. The British he states had been at Manchester on the opposite side of the [James] river, and burned the Tobacco Ware houses, the ruins of which this applicant distinctly saw from the Richmond side. Thence marched down the River in Nelsons Brigade, how far he cannot say, but to a place called as he believes “Marben Hills” upon the river [sic: Malvern Hill in Charles City County], where the Brigade was stationed, for the reason as this applicant believes, that the British were in the habit of coming up the River as high as this place in two gun boats (little boats with a gun on each end) for the purpose of Plunder, whilst here Col. Richardson had a skirmish with these gun boats, two of which he took, and 17 men Prisoners, thence marched down the River about a days journey, thence across to Spotsylvania [!, about 50 miles NNW], where this applicants term of service expired, and he was discharged. This applicant gave his discharge to one of his fellow soldiers, not having a safe place to keep it, and has never seen it since. This tour was 3 months & 2 days This applicant states that he served another tour of 3 months service, having been called out in the same manner as formerly, about the middle of July succeeding the last tour, and marched near old Williamsburg under Capt Benjamin Harris of Louisa County, where he joined Nelsons Brigade (afterward at York called [Edward] Lawsons Brigade) Col Richardson was a field officer in this Brigade, and Major Martin had taken the place of Major Armistead, as this applicant believes. thence marched below Williamsburg, a short distance, where the Brigade encamped until Washingtons Troops came on from the north [14 Sep 1781], in the rear of which, this Brigade fell and marched on to York. this applicant states that the Battle was commenced on Sunday morning [30 Sep], by the French at the Poplar Redoubt, and the next day, the regiment to which this applicant belonged, was transfered to this redoubt, for the purpose of changing it into a gun battery. This applicant states that he was occupied during the siege in digging intrenchments, and making sand baskets and facines [sic: fascines – bundles of sticks] for the intrenchments & Batteries. This applicant received his discharge, by order of General Lawson, from orderly Seargeant Shelton, which discharge he delivered to one of his mess mates, for safe keeping, and has never seen it since.
This applicants service in this tour was 3 months lacking 4 or 5 days.
This applicant can refer to the personal knowledge of no living witness in his behalf. But to Daniel Ruth of his neighbourhood, James D. Davidson, Richard Marris and the Rev’d. Andrew B Davidson all of said County, as evidence in his behalf.
This Applicant hereby relinquishes every Claim 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 the day and year above written Absalom hisXmark Ailstock
NOTE: The application was not dated, but the pension certificate was issued 14 May 1833