Joseph Dunn of Caldwell County Kentucky

Joseph Dunn of Caldwell County Kentucky

Revolutionary War Pension Record

Pg 1 NC Service #S.12811; born in NC

Joseph Dunn of Caldwell County in the State of Kentucky who was a Pr Inf & C?? in the company commanded by Captain Porter of the regt commanded by Col Pickens in the NC line for 22 mon Cav; 3 mo ma

Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 93 dollars 33 cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of March 1833 and sent to Thos Haynes Princeton, KY

State of Kentucky Caldwell County.
20 August 1832 appearing before Martin A Rucker, James C Willer, Samuel M Asher, John W Marvin
Joseph Dunn – resident of Caldwell County Kentucky
Aged 77
Drafted in 1778 (to the best of his recollection) as a private in the militia of North Carolina from Rutherford County for a tour of three months and was mustered into service under Captain Robert Porter and Lt James McFaddin. That we were ordered to march down towards Cross Creek and joined the other companies raised for the expedition. After the junction of the troops Gen’l Rutherford took the command over the Regiment to which Capt Porters company belonged was commanded by Col Hampton. That in a few days afterwards we attacked a party a party[?] of Tories and Brittish near Cross Creek and joined a victory, taking a good many prisoners the most whom were afterwards released upon taking an oath to be true to America, or not to be found again in arms against us. That he continued in this service for the full term of these months and was regularly discharged by his Capt (Porter).
That about the beginning of spring of the year 1779 he volunteered as a private from the same county and joined a light horse company commanded by Captain Adam Hampton (son of Col Hampton) and com? After marched towards Georgia through South Carolina and joined Col Pickens near his own farm in South Carolina on Sinico? River, who was then collecting all the force in his power to oppose a body of Tories collected in the back parts of South Carolina with an intention of proceeding to Augusta (or was said) to join the Brittish. After Col Pickens had assembled all the troops he could, he began his march and came up with those tories (consisting of six or seven hundred) at Kettle Creek and there defeated them with considerable loss and Colonel Boyd their leader was among the killed. Several who escaped were afterwards taken and tried as traitors and five (he thinks) were executed. Some of these tories however reached the enemy and joined them. The defeat broke the spirit of the tories for awhile and preserved the gr??it of the ??tern part of the country. After this battle we returned to North Carolina and in a short time we were ordered (our Company of light horses) out under Col Hampton and General McDowel who was then stationed in the neighborhood with two or three hundred men. After joining McDowel the light horse was ordered to scour the country and if possible to intercept a party of Tories then in the country. The night after this detachment was ordered out a party of Tories Brittish from Ninety Six made an attack on McDowels camp and several were killed on each side. In the morning the horse were r??ed and ordered to pursue the enemy which was promptly obeyed and we came up with them at a house about nine miles distant, where we surrounded them and made a charge upon them and killed as many as nine or more and dispersed the others. After which we returned to Camp. In the attack on McDowel’s camp the preceding night, Andrew Dunn the first Lieutenant of the horse was one of thekilled (he was the brother of this applicant). That shortly afterwards the tories and Indians ?? out on the head of Brodi?e river and we marched to that quarter. After remaining there some time expecting the arrival of major Dunlap a Brittish officer, save of the light horse (having been on active service ?? ) were permitted to return home for a few days on parole. But the same evening Dunlap made his appearance and instantly attacked McDowel & Hampton and gained some advantage. Those permitted to return home hearing of the affair immediately returned but not in time to aid in the conflict, which was on a stream called caney. After this we marched to the head of Kots?teen to join in the expedition against Colonel Ferguson ?? who was conducting a Brittish detachment through the country. We joined Colonel Clark & Shelby on Kotstein and marched into North Carolina. The horse separated from the main army just after passing the mountains and were to meet again at a given point and at a certain time. This was so ordered by the Amm?ing officers for certain purposes. However before the time appointed to meet the main army finding it necessary to hasten the march to come up with Ferguson passed the place of meeting before the time and came up with Ferguson at Kings Mountain where an engagement was fought and Ferguson killed, and many prisoners taken. The horse arrived in a short time after the action and were ordered to take charge of five of the prisoners and conduct them to the Catawba River which was done and from there they were carried northward. This battle was fought in the fall of 1780 as well as he recollects. From Catawba the l?? horse of Captain Hampton proceed to other quarters of the country against parties of tories. Brittish and continued in this service until the end of the War in the fourth and that he with others of the company was discharged in the latter part of the year 1781 having continued in this volunteer service from the ?? 1779 to the latter end of 1787. He cannot fix the exact length of service, but he can safely say, it was as much as twenty two months having served in all twenty five months. In the times of the Revolution and particularly during the year 1780 & 1781 the whigs in the Carolina’s had to embody themselves under various officers and keep constantly in the field against the tories & Brittish, and the country notwithstanding all our exertions who march expired. He further states that in the light horse, he served with his two brothers Sam’l and Andrew Dunn, Noah Hampton and James McFaddin & others whose names he could mention but he does not believe that any of them are now living. And he declares that he knows of no person living who could prove his said service, and that he has not now any documentary evidence in his possession on knowledge which would go to prove his service, having lost his discharge long ago.
Questions:
I was born in Guilford County, state of North Carolina in the year 1755 and have often been told by my father.
I have no record of my age and only know how old I am from information given my by my father. I have a record of the age of my brother Andrew (who was killed at Caney Creek) and from that record I can tell very nearly my own, which must be now about seventy seven.
I was living in the County of Rutherford when I entered the service in the state of North Carolina. After the war I lived several years in North Carolina and moved to Georgia where I lived about 14 years and then moved to this county where I have lived ever since.
In the first tour I was drafted, but in all my after service I was a volunteer.
I served with no regular troops that I remember of my whole services and with militia. I will remember the regiments of Colonels Clark, Sevier, Campbell and Shelby in the King’s mountain expedition and of Col Hampton while I was with Genl McDowell.
Yes, I received a discharge from Captain Hampton but whether I did from my first tour of duty I have forgot. The one I did get has long since been lost and worn out.
I have lived a long time amongst my neighbors and I reckon all of them would give me a good name. I will name the Hon C Lyon, Michael Freeman, Wm Mercer, David F Bigham, A Harpending…..

Affidavit from Timothy McMan, a clergyman, William Mercer, William Holland…