Allen Christian  (1754-1842) P-132705

Excerpted from the Revolutionary War Pension of Allen Christian, *S32170:

State of Indiana Shelby County SS:

On this 12th day of November 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Probate court of Shelby County now sitting Allen Christian a resident of Liberty Township in said county aged seventy nine years on the 22nd day of May last 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 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated Viz. As nearly as his recollection, now greatly impaired by old age can particular dates he was drafted into said service as a Private Soldier of the Militia about the middle or last of April 1781. He then resided in Bedford County Virginia. The company of Militia to which he then belonged at home was under the command of Captain Nathaniel Tate. He does not know the number of the Company and thinks he never did know it. It belonged before entering the service to a regiment commanded by Colonel Calloway, the number of which he has also forgotten or never knew. During six weeks as nearly as he can remember after the time of the above mentioned draft, his company the whole of which was drafted (himself among the rest) being still under the command of Captain Tate, and to be under his command in the expedition on which it was about to start, was marched at five or six different times to the town of Bedford the seat of Justice of Bedford County for the purpose of taking its departure on the campaign for which it was destined but at each and every time they were marched there during this space of time they were marched back, for the reason that Captain Tate was not prepared to start in consequence of a delay in the arrival of the orders intended to govern his conduct and movements. At the end of about six weeks however the orders arrived and said Company (and he this claimant) marched from the said town of Bedford to join the army of General Gates in Carolina. When Claimants Company was called into service Stephen Goggins either was appointed or had been and continued to be its Lieutenant and the four following persons its sergeants, to wit William Terry (who had been Ensign), William Toney, John Kinsolver, and William Bryant. They marched through New Pittsylvania and Old Pittsylvania Counties in Virginia, then to Hillsborough a town in North Carolina. There his company met General Gates’ forces and joined them. He does not remember the name of any of the officers of the Regular Army here present except General Gates and Colonel Stubblefield. At this place (Haw River) [sic] he and nine others were ordered to accompany, as a guard, the waggons [sic] which were then sent out in search of food, and the army passed on. This guard and waggons [sic], after obtaining what provisions they could, followed after and arrived at a place called Deep River, which he thinks is in South Carolina, and which the army had previously passed. After proceeding a short distance from this place they met a number of Gates’ men returning, who informed them that Gates’ army had been defeated in an engagement with the enemy about seven or eight miles (as they judged) from Deep River, at Cambden in South Carolina and that a retreat was ordered. This claimant and the rest of the waggon [sic] guard had reached the place called Deep River at the time of the battle as they knew from firing guns which they heard, and from which they judged the battle ground to be the distance above stated. They now according to orders retreated to Hillsborough North Carolina where they put up what they called “Bush Barrack’s” being constructed by setting poles on end in a leaning position after the manner of the rafters of a house, and then covering them with bushes of trees. These Barracks must have been from a quarter to a half mile in length. In these they lived miserably for several weeks until they were almost literally starved. At length about the last of August or the beginning or middle of September of the same year 1780 (Gates’ defeat was about the middle of August) at least four months and one half after the time he had been called into the service by the above mentioned draft and three months from the time they started from Bedford Virginia, they were dismissed at Hillsborough, and claimant returned home, which journey he performed in the space of ten or twelve days entirely exhausted by fatigue and want of food. During this engagement he was in no battle, being saved from that in which Gates was defeated by being sent to guard the provision waggons [sic] as above stated. He received on this occasion a written discharge which he has since lost, not having until lately considered it a paper which it would be to his advantage to preserve. The only portion of the regular army with which he was in company was that commanded by General Gates. He does not know of any other name used to distinguish it than Gates’ army or Gates’ men or Gates’ Regiment. Besides the circumstances mentioned he would further state that while at the Bush Barracks in Hillsborough a great number of men on account of their hard living and scarcity of food became dissatisfied and deserted, for which, all such were (as he understood) returned for eight months. The married men were however discharged after serving four months, but the unmarried men were compelled to serve the whole period. 2nd. About the middle of July 1781 he was again drafted with the same company under command of the same officers as in the first engagement. He was drafted as a private soldier of the militia and in that capacity he served both in this and the former engagement. He was still living in Bedford County Virginia. As in the first engagement they were delayed in starting for five or six weeks and for the same reason. They marched as before five or six times to the town of Bedford, and back again in full preparation for starting but waiting for the orders by which Captain Tate was to be governed. At length at least five weeks after they were called out by this second draft they marched from Bedford with the intention of again joining the general army, in the southern part of Virginia against which the movements of the enemy under the command of Cornwallis were directed. They marched through Buckingham, Amelia and Cumberland counties in Virginia to the best of claimants’ recollection. While in Cumberland County, where they had arrived after much delay, they heard that Cornwallis had been captured, and that their service would not be required. They were accordingly discharged while in Cumberland County, which discharge was in writing from his Captain but he has since lost it. This took place in the latter part of October 1781, and though he does not remember precisely the dates, at least three months from the time he was called into the service and six weeks after they had started for Bedford. He returned home immediately in doing which he spent about eight or nine days. He was in no battle during this engagement. Cornwallis was taken before he (this claimant) arrived at their destination. He did not during this engagement meet with any of the regular army. There was but one company with him in this march. He had a written discharge on this occasion also from his Captain which was lost. Claimant was born in Cumberland County in the state of Virginia on the 22nd day of May 1754. He has no record of his age at present, though he once had in a bible which has been lost. He has no documentary evidence of his service nor does he know of any living witness whose testimony he can procure as to the same. He refers to David McNeely, William McNeely, Thomas Haymond, Owen Haymond and Squire Love respectable persons in his neighborhood who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. He cannot state the periods of his services with more accuracy than he has done above – to wit – that in the first engagement he served as a drafted private of the militia at least four months and one half from the time he was drafted till he was discharged and that in the second engagement he served in the same capacity at least three months from the time he was drafted till he was discharged, making in all seven months and one half, without counting at least eighteen days which he spent in returning home after being discharged, but for which also he claims an allowance if consistent with the regulations of the department. After the Revolution he continued to live in Bedford County Virginia for 10 or 12 years. Then he removed to Giles County Virginia where he lived 10 or 15 years, then to Guiandott Virginia where he lived 10 or 12 years, and removed to Shelby County Indiana where he now lives. During the time of his two engagements he was occupied in no civil pursuits. He hereby relinquishes every claim 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 or territory. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

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 Allen      X      Christian

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