State of South Carolina



THE PENSION APPLICATION OF JOHN BISHOP

SOURCE: National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001

CITATION: Revolutionary War Pension Application of John Bishop, #S9279, Film 27 Roll 246, September 2, 1833.

State of South Carolina

Chester District

Personally appeared in open Court before me Peter Wylie Judge of the Court of Ordinary for said District. John Bishop and applicant for the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832 in order to amend his declaration who being duly sworn deposeth & saith that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory and the great length of time since his services were performed and no records being kept that he cannot swear positively to the precise length of his services that he has given a fair & true statement in his Declaration of his services according to the best of his memory & the names of his officers. That he remembers perfectly well the time of his entering the service in joining General Sumpter[i] from the circumstance of its being a few days after the memorable Hook’s Defeat[ii], which was in the latter end of June or the first of July 1780 & which was the first repulse the British had met with after they had overrun the country, but even with respect to this date particularly there is not an agreement among the people the oldest being nearly all dead. That he can only recollect from events that took place, but with respect to particular days or length of time he cannot recollect. That he can be more particular with respect to his last tour of duty. That he left home in February and did not return until in Harvest which must have made it a four months tour. And this was in 1782 and that Hooks Defeat was in 1780 there is no doubt which makes it about, (if the word about can be admitted for particulars cannot be stated), two years since he entered the service. Also as he has stated in his Declaration he still thinks he was not more than six months at home during that period but was engaged in the service of his country & prisoner with the enemy. He therefore claims for eighteen months service and being prisoner and trusts that he has given sufficient circumstances (although not precise dates which should not be required of any honest man at this great length of time), to satisfy the Department of the validity of his claim and is certified by the best men in the country which is all that he can do with a good conscience and must cest(sp.?) satisfied with whatever sum may be thought proper to allow him.

John Bishop

Sworn to & Signed in open court this 2nd day of September 1833 before

Peter Wylie J.C.O.C.S.C.

To the first Interrogatory he answers:

I have it from my Parents that I was born in the city of Philadelphia. I was brought to South Carolina when a sucking child. I suppose I was born about the year 1763 or 1764.

2ndAn. I have understood the record of my age was destroyed by the British or Tories when they destroyed & carried away everything of value in my Father’s house, except, as I was informed what my Mother saved by sitting on it. I made a record of my age after I was married & have it by me at home.

3rd An. I was living with my Father at what is now called Bishops old fields of Chester District. And have lived in the same District ever since.

4th An. I was at first a volunteer, I was afterwards drafted as I have stated in my declaration.

5th An. I was not acquainted with any regular Officers, or Continental Regiments, (I being but a raw boy at that time.) But I know Gen’l. Sumter very well. Col.s Lacy[iii] Bratton[iv], McGriff & Major Adare[v], now General Adare of Kentucky. Captains Wiscom(sp.?), Mills, Cooper, Whiteside, Heck(sp.?), & McClure who fell at the Hanging Rock Battle. And Col. Henry Hampton of the State Troops. All of which I believe is now dead, except General Adare.

6th An. It was not the practice to discharge the Militia as volunteers in waiting but only to dismiss them when their time of service was out.

7th An. I am so well known in my neighborhood having lived here from infancy that I can get any number that may be necessary to testify to the veracity of my character. But I will mention the names of Joseph Gaston Esq., Wm.Mered(sp.?), Samuel McCreary & John McCreary Esq. who knew me in the Revolutionary War. Also Col. George Gile & William McGarrity.

John Bishop

Sworn & Subscribed to on this day & year set forth in the Declaration in open court

Peter Wylie, (Judge of the Court of Ordinary of Chester District)

State of South Carolina

Chester District

Personally appeared before me Peter Wylie, Judge of the Court of Ordinary, in open court the said Samuel McCreary & being duly sworn according to law on his oath sayeth that he has known John Bishop (the present applicant for the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832,) & the family for nearly the space of three score years. And that they resided in the S.C. District now called Chester. And that as far as his acquaintance reached the said Bishop has always been considered a man of truth & veracity & what is generally termed a good citizen. And also that he knew him in the year 1780, at the time which taxed men’s souls and had every reason to believe his Declaration, that he took up arms in defense of his country about the time of memorable event called Hooks Defeat in the month of Harvest and that he bore arms under Gen’l Sumter from thence forward until the year 1782 as ficgnent (sp.?) as there was a call for troops. Which was almost constant. Being myself attached to Gen’l Sumter’s Brigades is well acquainted with the events of the times, & the campaigns through which he passed as stated in his Declaration. I well remember to have recognized said Bishop as one among the troops who came to relieve us at the station of Oringburgh (sp?)[vi] in the month of February 1782. As to his brother Capt. Henry Bishop, I knew him & verily believe he was wounded at the Battle at the Hanging Rock[vii]. And although I was in the engagement myself I did see him afterwards, but understood he was taken immediately to Charlotte & died before he got to that place with other wounded.

Sworn to ____ in open court this 24th Nov. 1832 Sam’l McCreary

Peter Wylie J.C.O.C.S.C

State of South Carolina

Chester District

Personally appeared before me in open court John McCreary (formerly a member of Congress from this district) and being duly sworn on his oath sayeth that he has been well acquainted with John Bishop the present applicant for the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832. And had been ever since in the better part of the Revolutionary War. That he believed they were two tours together in the Service. The one at Biggan Church[viii], the other at Oringburgh. That the said Bishop is a man of good character, truth & veracity; & has no doubt but that his statement in his Declaration is true & correct as far as ever his memory would serve him & ought to be relied on as such.

Sworn to & Subscribed this 24 day of Nov. 1832 in open court. J. McCreary

Peter Wylie (Judge of the Court of Ordinary of Chester District)

South Carolina

Chester District

Personally appeared Joseph Gaston of said district before the court of ordinary of said district and made oath in due form of law that he has been well acquainted with the applicant John Bishop and the family for the most of his lifetime perhaps as much as sixty years. That the family suffered much by the British in Revolution War by plundering, imprisonment and death and have deserved well of their country. And farther sayeth he is convinced that this applicant was with him in two campaigns that one was under Gen’l Sumter when they fought together in the Battle of Hanging Rock on the Seventh of Aug. 1780 where John Bishop had a brother Capt. Henry Bishop mortally wounded who died shortly after his wound. The other tour was under Col. H. Hamton[ix] when they were employed in collecting provisions for Gen’l. Green’s[x] army and guarding to his camp where they arrived three days after his Battle at Camden, about 25th April 1781. were then sent under Capt. Gaston to guard one of General Green’s aides Major Hairn to where Generals Sumpter and Marion were at the siege of Fort Motte[xi] at Col. Thomson’s. From thence they return home.

Sworn to and Subscribed this 24th day of Nov. 1832 in open court Joseph Gaston

Peter Wylie (Judge of the Court of Ordinary of Chester District)

-----------------------

[i] Refers to General Thomas Sumter. Apparently the spelling of “Sumpter” is also used in various documents. He was born in Virginia in 1734; died at South Mount, near Camden, South Carolina, 1 June, 1832. In March, 1776, he was appointed by the Provincial congress lieutenant-colonel of the 2d regiment of South Carolina riflemen, and was sent to overawe the Tories and Indians, who were threatening the upper counties of that state. But he does not seem to have distinguished himself until after the fall of Charleston, in May, 1780. On 12 July he surprised and cut to pieces Captain Christian Huck’s company of mounted infantry. He also commanded the American forces at the Battle of Hanging Rock. After the war, General Sumter was interested in politics, and at the time of the adoption of the constitution he was a zealous Federalist. He was a member of congress in 1789-‘93 and 1797-1801, United States senator in 1801-‘9, and minister to Brazil in 1809-‘11. He was the last surviving general officer of the Revolutionary war.

[ii] References to “Hooks Defeat” probably refer to the Battle of Huck's Defeat which was a significant turning point for the back country during the American Revolution. Early on the morning of July 12, 1780, a battle was fought near the home of Col. William Bratton in York County, South Carolina, which was to have far-reaching consequences for the Patriot cause. This engagement is known as the Battle of Williamson's Plantation or, more popularly, simply as "Huck's Defeat."

[iii] Edward Lacey was born in Pennsylvania in 1742. As a young boy he ran away from home and joined the exodus of Pennsylvanians to Carolina. Edward was taken in by William Adair, father of Major John Adair with whom he served during the Revolution. As a Captain Lacey lead a contingent of troops during the battle of Huck’s Defeat. Col. Lacey continued to lead troops under Gen. Sumter, fighting in several other battles in South Carolina. Following the war, Lacey was made Brigadier General by South Carolina and named a judge in the newly created Chester District. He was elected to the South Carolina legislature, serving until 1793. In 1797 he moved his family west, first locating in Montgomery Co. Tenn., then the farthest frontier, to the west of Nashville. He remained there for two years, then moved again to Livingston Co. Ky. where he served as a county judge. On March 20, 1813, he drowned while attempting to cross a flooded creek.

[iv] Refers to Revolutionary War leader Colonel William Bratton (1742-1815). Bratton was a native of York county South Carolina.

[v] Reference to Major Adare is most likely John Adair born 1757, died May 1840. He served from 1779 to 1780 under Col. Winn and was in the surrender of Charleston. Thereafter, he joined Gen. Sumter as a militiaman and was in the engagements at Williamson's Plantation, at Rocky Mount and at Hanging Rock and was made a Captain shortly thereafter by Sumter. By the fall of that year, he was a major. He was captured once and exchanged. He engaged in fourteen battles, the last of which was Eutaw Springs. At one time, he was aide-de-camp to Sumter. He served as a general in the War of 1812. Later he became

a member of Congress and was governor of Kentucky.

[vi] This location may be Orangeburg South Carolina. Thomas Sumter and his troops took Orangeburg on May 11, 1781.

[vii] This battle was fought Aug. 6, 1780. It occurred on Hanging Rock creek, S.C. between Col. Sumpter's Americans, some 800 in number. And about as many Loyalists commanded by Major Carden. After driving back the Loyalists, the Americans, becoming disorganized while plundering the enemy's camp, were in turn put to flight. The Americans loss is unknown, that of the Loyalists in Killed, wounded and missing, is recorded as 269. John Bishop’s brothers Henry and Nicholas also fought in this battle.

[viii] This location is most likely Biggin or Biggins Church built in 1712. On July 16 1781 British forces attacked Thomas Sumter there but the attack was broken and the British retreated The site of the church ruins is located in present day Berkeley County South Carolina.

[ix] Col. H. Hamton is most probably Colonel Henry Hampton. In April, 1781 a regiment of regular light horse was raised by Colonel Henry Hampton.

[x] Major General Nathaniel Greene (1742-1786) of Rhode Island.  Among America's officers, he was second only to George Washington.  Together, they shared the distinction of being the only Continental generals that served throughout the entire War of American Independence.  Greene distinguished himself in the Northern Campaign on the battlefields of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth.  In addition, he served the Army in the capacity of Quartermaster General.   However, his greatest contribution to the war came as commander of the Southern Department (1780-1783).   Arguably the war's greatest strategist, he successfully waged a war of attrition against the Crown forces in the South.  He led the Southern Army at Guilford Courthouse, Hobkirk's Hill, Ninety-Six, and Eutaw Springs.

[xi] Fort Motte was a two-story mansion that was captured by the British and fortified with a palisade and earthworks. It was attacked and burned by Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion. Today, the site is marked by a granite monument.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download