Pension Application of John Gilmore S8570
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia
Rockbridge County Ss
On this third day of September in the year 1832, In open Court personally appeared John Gilmore a resident of said County, who being duly sworn according to Law, on his oath made the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
That he believes he is now upwards of 72 years of age, that he has no record of his age, but from the information of his mother (now dead) he believes he was born in said County of Rockbridge (but at that time Augusta County) on the 9th of March 1760 and has always resided there. That he was drafted into the service in the Virginia Militia in the month of October 1780 & marched under the Command of Captain James Gilmore, Lieut. John Caruthers [John Carruthers], & Ensign John M Clarke, from said County of Rockbridge to Hillsborough in North Carolina, at which place the Company was reviewed by General [Horatio] Gates & ordered to join General [William] Smallwood, at a place then called New Providence [now in Charlotte], having done so they were transferred to the Army under the Command of General [Daniel] Morgan. fought in the Battle of the Cowpens [17 Jan 1781] under Morgan, & was one of the guard who conducted the prisoners from thence to Salisbury, being dismissed then, he arrived at home in said County of Rockbridge on the 6th day of February 1781 having been absent on duty & in going & returning, four months lacking one day.
That afterwards he served a second tour of duty. he was drafted about the first of June 1781 & marched from said County of Rockbridge under the command of Captain James Hall and Lieutenant Robert McKee, to the neighbourhood of Deep run church [just NW of Richmond], & placed under the command of General Muhlenburg [sic: Peter Muhlenberg] & afterwards, transfered to the command of Gen’l. Campbell. was in a skirmish at a place called Hot Water [Battle of Hot Water Plantation (Spencer’s Ordinary) 6 miles NW of Williamsburg, 26 Jun 1781] and also in another skirmish at James Town [Battle of Green Springs Plantation, 6 Jul 1781]. was dismissed at Bottoms bridge below Richmond & thence returned home in August, having been absent on duty & in going and returning about two months & twelve days. This applicant further states that his whole time of service (including the time of going & returning home) was more than six months. That he believes he never received a written discharge, although he is certain he served the whole time for which he was drafted. That all the company officers under whom he served he believes are now dead, & that he knows of no person now living who was in the service with him, except William Miller [pension application S5764] who was with him in the tour to North Carolina, and John Wiley, who was with him in the tour of duty below Richmond. He refers to James McDowell & William Moore Esqr. of this County for his Character as a man of veracity & that they believe him to have been a Revolutionary soldier.
This applicant 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. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above written John Gilmore