The Battle of Guilford Courthouse

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse

the soldiers and patriots for whom there is evidence of participation

Presented by

National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution

Guilford Battle Chapter

Rachel Caldwell Chapter

Greensboro, NC

March 2018

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Table of Contents

Preface

3

Evidence of Battle Participation

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Bibliography

355

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Preface

The information in this volume was compiled entirely through many hours of volunteer work of a team of 25 women from the National Society of the

Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). The project was planned and executed as a service for The Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

whose mission is to preserve the battle ground and history of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse fought on March 15, 1781 near present day Greensboro,

NC during the American Revolutionary War. Project team members were from Guilford Battle Chapter, Rachel Caldwell Chapter, and a member-at-large.

They were not professional historians or scholars. Instead, they were diligent women, familiar with current standards of documentation, who were

dedicated to building a unique memorial to the patriots who came together on that fateful day near Guilford Courthouse where (as stated in pension

application of Joseph Newton R7635) "the memorable battle was fought, which will never be forgotten by me, or the American people".

This volume was compiled to honor the individuals for whom there is evidence that they participated in this battle. The content was limited, for the

most part, to participation in the actual battle and does not generally include those who played a supportive role or who were involved in the skirmishes

and events surrounding the battle. Evidence of participation in any Revolutionary War battle is not abundant. Most of the Revolutionary War records in

the custody of the War Department were destroyed by fire, November 8, 1800 and additional records were lost during the War of 1812. Those that

survived include muster rolls, payrolls or supply records. Although these may serve as acceptable evidence for participation in the war, they are not

relevant documentation for participation in a specific battle. The most abundant surviving evidence for participation in any battle is pension applications

in which an applicant or witness mentioned or described participation in the battle of himself or another. (note: for the purpose of the project,

Revolutionary War Bounty Land Claims were considered to be a subset of the National Archive's collection and reference to the set of pension

applications also includes these claims).

It was recognized early in the project that all pension application evidence was not equal. The strength of the evidence can be represented by a

continuum. On one end of the continuum, the events of the battle were described in such great detail that little doubt remained that the applicant was

an eye witness. In contrast, on the other end of the spectrum, there were examples of widows who gave testimony that they "thought" their departed

husbands had taken part in the battle. All examples generally found within this continuum were included in the volume. In addition, to provide insight

into the credibility and strength of the evidence for each entry, the phrase or paragraph from the pension file which relates to the battle participation

was noted and has been reproduced in this volume. The result, a compilation of both the names and the words of battle participants, preserve the

history of the battle in a unique way. The words and phrases which tell of the battle participation also tell of pranks, camaraderie, bravery, sacrifices,

joys and horrors and provide a unique perspective into the lives of these early American patriots.

For more context of the evidence of a given patriot's contributions, or for the purpose of historical or genealogical research, the user is encouraged to

refer to scans or transcriptions of the original pension application file.

It is appropriate to acknowledge the contributions of the volunteer efforts behind the website, Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension

Statements and Rosters which, as of this writing, contained transcriptions of over 20,000 Revolutionary War pension applications. The accessibility and

search-ability built into the website is credited for significantly shortening the time necessary to complete this NSDAR project.

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This volume represents a snapshot of the concerted effort of the NSDAR team which was initiated in October 2016 and completed in October 2017

during which over 2300 names were identified. There were said to have been about 4400 men who fought for the Americans that day. Some of the

names of those men have been forever lost to history and some are yet to be discovered. Although the main focus of evidence for this project was

Revolutionary War pension applications, there are other less abundant sources of evidence that represent acceptable documentation. These sources

include diaries, journals or obituaries and a few of the entries in this volume are substantiated from these sources. These types of sources are

potentially sources of evidence for additional names. Park visitors and historians are encouraged to continue to submit evidence of potential battle

participants to Guilford Courthouse National Military Park officials. In addition to this volume, a digital database exists which contains the information

and to which any subsequent findings will be added.

For decades, visitors to the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park have asked about their ancestors who were said to have fought in the battle. It is

hoped that this volume will provide a bridge for the current generation and our children's generation to connect with these historical events on a

personal level and to give them assurance that their own ancestor's contribution is remembered and honored.

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NAME

, Henry

Abney, Paul

Adams, David

Adams, Henry

Adams, James

EVIDENCE OF PARTICIPATION

Virginia documents pertaining to John Brent VAS2630: in and for the County aforesaid personally appeared John

Smith a resident of said County who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his Oath make the following

statement towit, that before and during the Revolutionary war he was intimately acquainted with Major John Brent

deceased [Brent came home from the war in 1781 and died shortly afterwards, his will was probated 6 Aug 1781]... I

was also with him in the aforesaid battles at Brandywine & Germantown. He also took into the service a waggon &

team and the said Waggon & Team and the driver who was a Black man named Henry was in the Battle of Brandywine

Germantown and was also at Gaites¡¯s Defeat where he lost his waggon and all the horses Except one that he made his

escape on Said Henry got his waggon & recruited his team & still continued in the service until the Battle of Guilford

Court House his waggon and Team & driver was there how long it continued in Service afterwards I Cannot say; [Later

in the same pension file, Thomas Gaines also states that Brent's wagon and driver continued in service in the year

1781];

Henry Norman gave deposition in Pension Application of Paul Abney (Abner) W23390: have heard him say that he

enlisted for during the war as a privet soldier I believe. have frequently heard him say that he was shot threw the

boddy at the battle of Guilford or brandywine have freqeuntly saw the wound or scar in his breast bone; [Similar

deposition by Joshua Abney in same pension file];

Pension application of David Adams S34622: Enlisted in the Company commanded by Captain Elisha Moore in the

second North Carolina Regiment commanded by Colonel Lytle, that he does not remember the date of his enlistment

but that it was directly after the Battle of Ramsour's Mills, that he continued in the Service of the United States, he

believes for five years and until after the Battle of Eutaw Springs in South Carolina, that he was in the battle when

Gates was defeated and in the Battles of Catawba River, of Guilford and of the Eutaw Springs;

Pension Application of Henry Adams W5595: he was called out together with many of his neighbours to go against

the British who were then in N. Carolina & had driven Gen¡¯l. Greene across Dan River into Virginia. He enlisted before

he joined Greenes army in a volunteer Company of which Jacob Moon was the Captain, Benjamin Rice Lieutenant &

Thomas Lumpkin the Ensign. He afterwards joined Col. Lynchs Regiment of Riflemen and was with Colo. Washington¡¯s

Light horse through various parts of N. Carolina He was at the battle of Guilford. [In same pension file, Henry Brown

gives affidavit that they were in the battle together and that Capt Jacob Moon received a wound and died 8 or 9 days

later];

Pension Application of James Adams R31.5: I James Adams of the County & State aforesaid do th hereby declare that I

enlisted in the Continental line of the Army of the Revolution for & during the War and continued in its service till its

termination at which period I was a private in Captain Mortons company in the Regiment commanded by Colo. Cox, in

Maj. William¡¯s brigade of the line in the State of Virginia... 1st Capt was Capt. Thompson (perhaps William not certain

as to christian name) ¨C he was killed at Gilford. Capt. William Morton was his next Capt who continued to command

till after the taking of Cornwallis; [Another James Adams (S8007) was drafted in the summer AFTER battle of Guilford

Courthouse, Another James Adams S16306, was ordered with about 50 others to go with Lieut. Williams to take

prisoners to Abermarle the day BEFORE the battle of Guilford Courthouse];

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