This is the Revolutionary War Pension Application of my mothers 4x great grandfather, James R. Alexander. He was a sergeant and ultimately a surgeon. Pension application of James R. Alexander W2901. Transcribed by Will Graves. State of Kentucky, Allen County. On this 14th day of May 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Judge of the Allen Circuit Court now sitting James R. Alexander a resident of said County & State aged 76 years on the 23rd of November 1832, 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.. 1st He was born on the 23rd of November 1756 in a house which stood on the line dividing States of Maryland & Pennsylvania.. 2nd He states his age from the traditions of his family & the information given him by his parents. He has it also recorded in his own Bible at home - transcribed from his fathers family record.. 3rd He was living in Cecil County in Maryland when called into the service. He has since lived in Mecklenburg County N. C. and Allen County (late Warren County) Kentucky in which County & state he now lives.. 4th In the year 1776 your applicant was a student in Nassau College N. J. On the coming of the British in that year to New York the alarm broke in college & your applicant returned to Cecil County, Maryland, where on the 1st of August 1776 he enlisted as a private in the company of Captain Walter Alexander in the “Maryland flying Camp” [as it was called] on a four months tour. Immediately after joining the Army he was appointed Sergeant of the company and acted as such while with the company. But he was taken sick about one month after enlisting at Elkton at which place we had rendezvoused & were stationed and from which his company marched leaving him there confined by sickness. As soon thereafter as he was able to march, he went with a company commanded by a Captain Evans to Philadelphia-- passed muster with said company as a soldier of Captain Alexanders company and went with said Evans company by water to Trenton N. J. thence to Princeton. Here he left Evans company and went on with another convalescent of his own company thence by New Brunswick & Newark to Hagerstown ferry (if he remembers right) on North River, where he joined his (Captain Alexanders company) and resumed the discharge of his duties as Sergeant in said company. From Hagerstown ferry he returned to Fort Lee. He entered the Fort after dark at night and on the next day the battle on York Island was fought between the enemy & Fort Washington. We [illegible word] in the capture of the Fort. He saw the battle from Fort Lee but was not in it. This was about the middle of November 1776. About two days thereafter the British crossed the North River above Fort Lee and were bearing down upon it with a view to engage General Washington there stationed - But he retreated (vacating the Fort) thro Princeton & Trenton - and there crossed the Delaware River. Our time of service having expired & our term of enlistment completed, he received a written discharge from his Captain on or about the first of December 1776 and then returned home. The lieutenant of Captain Alexanders company was named Harman; -- the Ensign Hamilton. He does not recollect the Colonel or the number of the Regiment to which he belonged. His Brigadier General to the best of his recollection was named Bell. His discharge is lost.. On his return home your applicant commenced the study of medicine. Having finished his course he returned to his fathers - who lived in North Carolina. In the latter part of May (say about the 25th) 1780 - being some short time after Charleston (S. C.) had been taken by the British under Lord Cornwallis and Colonel Bufords Regiment of Virginia troops been massacred by Tarleton your applicant volunteered as a surgeon to assist in nursing & taking care of the sick & wounded who had survived those two disasters. He continued in this service until the British came up to Sharlotte [sic,.Charlotte] in Mecklenburg County N. C. on or about the 15th of October 1780. The hospital was first kept in the Waxhaw settlement, S. C. in a Presbyterian Meeting house near the place of Bufords defeat - as soon as the sick & wounded were able to be moved they were carried to Charlotte N. C. at both of which places your applicant attended them. At the time the enemy reached Charlotte, most of the invalids had sufficiently recovered to go home and the hospital was broken up. Immediately upon the breaking up of the Hospital your applicant was appointed surgeon to a Regiment of Militia raised in Mecklenburg County (N. C.) commanded by Colonel William L. Davidson. His Regiment was first for a while stationed at Rocky River in company with a Col. William R. Davy [sic, William Richardson Davie] of Militia Cavalry - thence they both moved to Six Mile Creek between Charlotte & Camden where they joined Generals Smallwood & Morgan with their forces. While the Main Army were here a detachment under Colonel George Davidson & Colonel Washington took Rugeleys Mill by the well-known stratagem of the painted black pine log cannon. Shortly after this time the American forces were a good deal divided & detached of the purpose of guarding particular fords on the Catawba River and defending particular towns, important passes &c, in that section of the Country. In this employment while guarding Cowans Ford on said River Colonel William Lee Davidson was killed by a body of British who attempted to cross the River at that place - and who succeeded in doing so - and routed Colonel Davidsons Regiment having killed him as aforesaid. Here ended your applicants services in the Revolution - on or about the last of February or first of March 1781.. Your applicants recollection is imperfect as to the Regiment & officers of the regular service - when he reached Hagerstown ferry almost the first officer he remembers to have seen was General Putnam. He & Washington were the commanders. Washington first & he second over the American forces in that quarter. While your applicant was with Colonel Davidson, he became acquainted with two captains of the Delaware Light Infantry - viz. Robert Kirkwood & Paul Jackwatt. While in the Hospital department he became acquainted with Captain John Stokes of the Virginia line & Major Anthony Sharp of North Carolina. He (Captain Stokes) received 21 wounds at Bufords defeat. His right hand was cut off. He (your applicant) received no discharge for his services as surgeon. He has no documentary evidence of his services and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify as to his service.. Recapitulation - On the first of August 1776 he enlisted as a private, but was immediately appointed Sergeant in Captain Alexanders Company. He served four months as a surgeon in the Hospital near & at Charlotte (N. C.), four months & 20 days. As a surgeon of Colonel Davidsons Regiment he was engaged four months & 15 days - to the best of his recollection & belief and for such service he claims a pension. He has attempted above to answer the 4th, 5th, & 6th interrogatories prescribed by the War Department: in answer to the 7thHe is known in his present neighborhood to Mark Garrison, John Salon, Edmund Waggoner--&c., who can justify as to his character for veracity & their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.. Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.. S/ David Walker, Clk. S/ J R Alexander. State of North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. Robert Robison the present deponent being duly sworn in Solemn form of Law Deposeth and Saith that he was intimately acquainted with Dr. James R. Alexander late of the Said County of Mecklenburg & State aforesaid, & as he believes now a Citizen of the State of Kentucky & County of Allen - that he this deponent knows of his own knowledge that the said Dr. James R. Alexander did Serve as a Surgeon in the Hospital where the sick and wounded lay while in the Waxhaws and likewise in the town of Charlotte perhaps in the year 1780 - and this deponent further States that he well believes him and Served as Surgeon in the Army commanded by General Thomas Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter] during the Ten Months Service in the State of South Carolina, exclusive of the above term in the Waxhaws & in the town of Charlotte & this deponent further saith not.. Sworn to and subscribed before us the 22nd Day of March 1834.. S/ Matw.[sic, Matthew] Wallace, JP. S/ Dan Alexander, JP S/ Robert Robison, Esqr.. State of Kentucky Allen County May 10th, 1834. Sir: I wrote you some time since on the subject of proof of my service as surgeon in the Hospital Department in the Waxhaw South Carolina & at Charlotte Mecklenburg County North Carolina taking care of the wounded of Col. Bufords Regiment massacred by Colonel Tarleton, as also of the Militia wounded in scrimmages with the British & Tories together with my services as surgeon under General William Lee Davidson, & have no proof in this State by reason of death, that I wrote to two of my brothers in Mecklenburg County North Carolina one of them I knew (if living) could testify all my services in that department, the other was too young to remember much about it the letter to my two brothers being directed to be my eldest (my third & young brother informs me) was not taken out of the post office he being dead to whom it was directed. If I forget not, I mentioned as a circumstantial proof my having drawn specie indents from the State of North Carolina for those services, & expected to prove that circumstance by him who went with my father when I sent those indents to Congress but as one letter was not taken out of the office & the other accidentally destroyed his deposition was not taken. Enclosed I refer you the depositions of Captain William Alexander & Robert Robison both of Mecklenburg County North Carolina in both of which there is a mistake which I cannot let pass to you without noticing it (viz.) they certify their belief of my serving as Surgeon under General Thomas Sumter, instead of General William Lee Davidson. I cannot account for this mistake except in this way - I was with General Thomas Sumter nine weeks during that service & Captain William Alexander was a Captain in that Service under the then Colonel Wade Hampton, & could doubtless recollect my being there but I never made any claim for this service this might lead the other Deponent into the same mistake. This same William Alexander I have understood was an acquaintance of President Jackson in Mecklenburg, if so he will recollect him by his nickname of Black William to distinguish him from others of the same name. In my letter to you I mentioned the name of Captain John Stokes whose thumb & fingers of his right hand was taken off in the defeat in the Waxhaw. On lately reading the Biography of General Andrew Jackson, I saw it stated that he studied law in Salisbury Rowan County North Carolina under John Stokes, if this statement is correct I make my appeal to the President whether I have not told some truth.. Truth to me Sir, is very precious I would not corrupt my character as a man of truth for all the pensions in the World what would it profit me to gain the whole world by a falsehood, and lose my own soul?. Being now in my 78th year, I must soon put off my [illegible word] & appear before a just Tribunal where my thoughts, words & Actions will all be weighed in an even balance, then what good would be largest pension that can be conceived obtained by fraud do me? I rest my claim to the gratuity of my country on the veracity of the statements that have been made & subscribed myself.. Your unkown friend S/ J. R. Alexander. No. B. I received your communications of the 29th & 30th of April last on the 12th of May which gave the information of the certain Dr. Seldon of Virginia he may probably be the man I referred to in my letter; yet could not prove my Services in the Waxhaw as he left us on removal of the hospital to Charlotte.. From yours, &c. S/ J. R. Alexander. State of North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. William Alexander the present deponent being Duly sworn deposeth and sayeth that he was intimately acquainted with Dr. James R. Alexander late of the said County of Mecklenburg & State aforesaid and as he believes he is now a Citizen of the State of Kentucky & County of Allen that he this deponent knows of his own knowledge that he the said Dr. James R. Alexander did serve as a surgeon in the Town of Charlotte perhaps in the year 1780 and this deponent further states he well knows that the said Dr. James R. Alexander served as a surgeon in the Army commanded by General Thomas Sumter during the ten months Service in the State of South Carolina exclusive of the above term in the town of Charlotte. This deponent further saith not. Sworn to and subscribed this 22nd day of March 1834 before us. S/ Wm Alexander. S/ Dan Alexander, JP. S/ Matw Wallace, JP
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 23:15:38 +0000
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