Pension Application of William McCutchan W1888
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia
County of Augusta to wit
On this 25th day of June 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the County Court of Augusta, William McCutchin a resident of the County and State aforesaid, aged 74 years the 27th Nov’r. 1832, who being 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
He was taken into the service in the year 1778 Every tenth man amongst the Militia who had not families being compelled as he understood to enter the regular service for the term of one year. He took the oath required of him in Staunton on the 3d day of June in the same year, and was ordered by Colo. Sampson Mathews to drive a waggon from that place to the head quarters of the American Army then at Valley Forge. The Brigade of Waggons to which he was attached was under the direction of Waggon Master David Steele. They crossed the Blue Ridge at Rockfish Gap, and received a load of bacon, partly at Orange and partly at Culpepper [sic: Culpeper] Courthouse, proceeding through part of Virginia, Maryland, Pensylvania, and New Jersey, they fell in with Gen’l. Washingtons Army between Morristown & Kings Ferry on the Hudson; shortly after the battle at Monmouth [28 Jun 1778], and proceeded with them to the white Plains. This declarant there made application to Gen’l. Green [probably Nathanael Greene, Quarter Master General] to Whom he carried a certificate from Colo. Mathews desiring to be replaced in the ranks, having found his occupation as a Waggoner extremely toilsome and laborious, this however was refused and he was compelled by order of Gen’l. Green to continue a Waggoner. He accompanied the army in that capacity from that place to Quaker Hill in the State of New York and from thence to Raritan River in New Jersey where they took up Winter Quarters. He was discharged at this place on the 1st of June 1779. The whole term of Service no [here and at places marked * several words are illegible from an ink spill] one year wanting two days, not including the time employed [*] discharged at the place of Winter Quarter. He served [*] Brigade under the [*] David Steele Waggon Master and Colo. Thompson Waggon Master General. Besides the regular officers already named incidentally he knew Gen’l. [Anthony] Wayne Gen’l. Mulenberg [sic: Peter Muhlenberg] and Major Gills an officer of Gen’l. Washingtons life Guards.
He was drafted in the year 1780 in a Company commanded by Capt Sam’l McCutchene [sic: Samuel McCutchan] and of which John McKamey [sic: John McCamey or McKeamy] was Lieutenant. They assembled at Mrs Teas’s (now Waynesborough) on the first of September 1780, as near as he can recollect, and marched from thence to Richmond with four other Companies under the command of Capt Smith, [Francis] Long, Givens and [John] Dickey. they remained at Richmond as a guard during the rest of the Tour. They had been drafted for three months but were discharged a few days before that time had elapsed. this declarant served not less than 2 months and 20 days. They were in no engagements, Capt. Long being the oldest in Commission acted as Major. This declarant acted as first Sergeant. He was drafted again in the year 1781 at the time when Lord Cornwallis was passing through Virginia. They assembled at Mrs. Teas’s near the latter part of June The officers of his Company were Capt Samuel McCutcheon and Lieutenant George Craig The Regiment was commanded by Colo. William Bowyer, and Thomas Bell acted as Adjutant. Proceeding from thence the Regiment joined the Army who were in pursuit of Lord Cornwallis near Richmond. This declarant was in no engagement. There was a severe skirmish at Hot Water [also known as Spencer’s Ordinary, 6 mi NW of Williamsburg, 26 Jun], and one or two others while he was in the Army, but he was sick during the time. He served in this Tour for 20 days and acted in the capacity of orderly Sergeant. Among the regular officers whom he knew were Gen’l. Mulenberg and Gen Steuben.
The whole time he served in the Revolution amounted to one Year three months & [blank] days
He would further state that he was born on the 27th day of November 1758 he has his age recorded in a family Bible in the possession of his brother who resides in his immediate neighbourhood, he received a written discharge at the end of his first Tour of service but it has been accidentally lost. He would suggest the names of John B Christian and William Sproul Esq’r persons to whom he is known, and who can testify to his 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.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid [signed] William McCutchan
State of Virginia Augusta County to wit
The affidavit of Samuel McCutchan taken before me Washington Swoope a Justice of the Peace for the County & State aforesaid this 21st day of June 1833 being first sworn, deposeth and saith that William McCutchan served a Tour of duty of one year in the regular service commencing the third day of June 1778 and in the fall of 1780 he served a Tour of duty of three months in the Virginia Militia under Capt. Samuel McCutchan. And this affaint further days that he believes William McCutchen to be a man of veracity and integrity, and further the affiant saith not. [signed] Sam’l. McCutchan
[Robert Fulton, pension application S8532, certified that he had served with McCutchan in the tour of the fall of 1780. William Willson (S6393) deposed that he had served the 20-days tour in 1781 with McCutchan.]
NOTE: On 19 Nov 1849 Jean McCutchan, 79, applied for a pension stating that she married William McCutchan on 20 May 1794, and he died 29 June 1848. In the file is a copy of a bond signed on 13 May 1794 by William McCutchan and Alex StClair for the marriage of McCutchan to Jean Finely, daughter of Robert