LITTLEPAGE, JOHN CARTER - Revolutionary War Pension Record

Revolutionary War Pension Records
Page 4 Concerning John Carter Littlepage

State of Virginia, Hanover County Sct

On this twenty eighth day of February one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared at his own home, in the county aforesaid, before me, Parke Streeb a Justice of the peace for the said County, John Carter Littlepage a resident of the said county as aforesaid in the State aforesaid aged eighty years, 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 this county is the place of his nativity - That having received the first part of his education, he was placed in Secretary Nelsons office in Williamsburg to be prepared to make his way through life - That the circle in which he moved in Williamsburg, he having been introduced by Col. Byrd of Westover, was of the first order; it being Governor Bottomle Dunmore and all the genteelest families in the City and neighborhood. That being at the Seat of Government, immediately proceeding and at the commencement of the War of the Revolution - chance made it known to him, in the year 1775, that Lord Dunmore in his Council of State, proposed to [??] his proclamation, pointing among other things, to the securing of the person of Patrick Henry. That his feelings having been particularly in??ed towards Mr. Henry, he being a relation, and both of them having been born in the same neighborhood; he made a forced ride of near an hundred miles in about twenty four hours from Williamsburg to Col. Symes at Newcastle and back again (Col. Symes being the half brother of Mr. Henry) to have Mr. Henry informed of the aforesaid fact which chance had made known to him; that Mr. Henry might be on his guard. and it was this information, which caused the scout which accompanied Mr. Henry part of his way to the fine Congress.

That a company of volunteers, who styled themselves minute men, met at South Arms Bridge in this county, elected their officers, to wit, Samuel Meredith & Capt Meredith having been an Indian warrior, and was trained to a knowledge of the military sciences, the company meeting from time to time for the purpose of being trained in that although the said John Carter Littlepage resided at that time in Williamsburg, upwards of sixty miles from South Arms Bridge, he nevertheless volunteered himself a member of the said company and frequently attended the musters at South Arms bridge and that in this company he marched in the year 1775, being the six months tour mentioned in Capt Thos Precis affidavit - marked A

That as stated by Capt Samuel Tinsley in his affidavit marked B, he the said Littlepage did raise a company of volunteer cavalry - and among the service rendered by him and his company was one under Genl Muhlengerg in the year 1780, when he took a man by the name of Matthews, who said he was a Brittish disenter - but in a very few minutes the man showed considerable alarm and dipped his hand in his pocket and drew out some tobacco which he attempted to put in his mouth but it was struck from his hand and with it a very small ball in which was wrapped a letter from Genl Leslie, then in Possession of Norfolk directed to Lord Cornwallis in Charleston, making known to Cornwallis that he Leslie arguably to the order of Lord Howe had taken possession of Norfolk where he was ordered to remain on the defensive until Cornwallis could join him. This information being in our possession enabled our army to make arrangements to prevent the junctions between Cornwallis & Leslie. And the said Littlepage declares that in going into service under Genl Muhlenberg he marched from this county (Hanover) through the counties of New Kent, James City Surry Isle of Wight into Nansommond, where he took the said Matathews within about 12 miles of Norfolk the headquarters of Leslie. - and the said Littlepage further states that he forwards here - with an order from Genl Muhlenberg to him as Captain dated Nov 21st 1780 and marked D

That in 1781 when the Marquis Lafayette lay in the upper end of this county on his retreat from the Brittish that he the said Littlepage was very near being taken by the Brittish Light horse at Mr Robert Pages of Broad Neck and that he was chased by the said Light horse as far as Hanover County Houses(?) and that he went there with all possible speed to the Marquis Camp at Scotch Town to inform him of the near approach of the Brittish & that Genl Nelson was with the Marquis, and that Genl Nelson immediately recommended the said Littlepage to the Marquis as a proper person to conduct him the safest route to avoid the Brittish, and to form a junction with Genl Wayne who was marching his army from the North to join the Marquis. That he attended the Marquis and pointed out the route which he verily believes saved the army & which he also believes was the Marquis' opinion, which was evinced by the particular attention he paid him in the City of Richmond in 1824.

That the commission which he held as Captain of Cavalry, has either been lost or destroyed, which has been the case with a great many of his most valuable papers.

That as to his stating specifically the length of service he has actually performed it is not in his power: but he can state with confidence, that the service which he did render in the War of the Revolution, was of very considerable benefit to the United States.

That he is not able to attend the Court to make his declaration before the Court being prevented some what by age, lives(?) much more by disease which has confined him almost constantly to his room, and a great part of the time actually to his bed, for the last six or seven years.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension role of the agency of any state whatever.

Signed John C Littlepage.

Another document, dated 26 February 1833 by Thomas Price says in part: "The Government can't require a better recommendation of Mr Littlepages standing in Society than that of his enjoying the confidence of the Citizens of one among the largest counties in the Commonwealth who elected him a member of the Convention to frame the Constitution under which we live ....."