Revolutionary War Pension of Bowling Baker
State of Kentucky
Clay County
Submitted by Harley T. Bowling
Transcribed from the Actual pension by Sherry Baker Frazier and Harley T. Bowling
On the 22 day of October 1832 personally appeared in Open Court before the Judge of the Clay Circuit Court now setting Bowling Baker a resident in the County of Clay and state of Kentucky aged sixty nine years & some months. Who being duly sworn according to law doth on his Oath make the following declaration in Order to Obtain his benefit as an Act of Congress provides. June 7 1832.
That he volunteered the service of the united State as a drafted soldier for a tour of three months and served the whole tour as herein stated in a Company commanded by Capt. Paul Patrick and Lieutenant Robert Kilpatrick , which company was attached to a battalion commanded by Maj. Micjah Lewis and Martin Armstrong (both in battle of Kings Mountain) slf. Was the Col. Of the regiment. He states he was a citizen of Wilkes County N. Carolina and was over sixteen years of age when he entered the revolutionary service of the United States. That he entered in June 1780
He states he marched through Salisbury thence to the mouth of Rocky River at Pee Dee On the way his company joined with the troops commanded by Gen. Rutherford at which point Col. Davidson Commanded had a scrimage with the Tories and Col. Davidson was badly wounded (Battle at Colsons) July 21, 1780 slf. The enemy being put to flight the army marched down Pee Dee (river) on the North side to the Cheraw Hills and there crossed said river in a south direction and united with Gen.Gates army thence in a direction for Camden where lay the British Army and on the march was met by the British army near Sanders Creek there we fought and was defeated, this defeat is known by Gates Defeat and at the expiration of the tour was discharged.
2nd states that in December 1780 in Wilkes County N. Carolina he again entered the service of the United States as a Volunteer Revolutionary soldier for three months in a company commanded by Captain William Nall which company was attached to a battalion commanded by Maj. Joseph Phillips, stationed at Salisburry employed guarding British soldiers prisoners tories taken at the battle of Kings Mountain, and thence marched with the prisoners at the approach of Cornwallis to the Virginia Line and as he thinks delivered the prisoners to a regiment commanded by Col. Penn. And was discharged in March 1781.
He states that in September 1781 in Wilkes County North Carolina he again entered the revolutionary service of the United States as a volunteer for three months under the command of Capt. Samuel Johnston & Lieutenant Elisha Reynolds Major Francis Hardgrove commanded the battalion to which said Johnstons company was attached and from Hambleton (Hamlins)? store near the Wilkes County line marched to the Yadkin River at the shallow ford crossed and marched to the Moravian Town thence to Guilford Courthouse, (Battle of Guilford Courthouse)thence to Deep river N Carolina thence scoured and reconnoitered the country between Pee Dee and Cape Fear Rivers in pursuit of a body of Tories under the command of Col. Fanin and for the defense of that part of the country served out the tour and was discharged.
He states that in March 1782 in Washington County North Carolina he again entered into the service of the United States for three months as a substitute in the place of Richard Keen ? a mounted Volunteer he belonged to a company commanded by Capt. James Stinson this company was attached to the command of Col. Charles Robertson at Jo nesboro. This was an expedition against the Chickamauga Indian Towns in the Cherokee Nation. This was a mounted expedition, each soldier finding his own horse, marched from Jonesboro to the Long Island of Holston, then to Big Creek and the company to which he belonged was there united with the main body of the troops under the command of Col. Isaac Shelby. The army took up to march down Holston to Clouds Creek and there encamped, here a council was held and it was thought advisable on account of the inability to the impossibility of obtaining the sustenance and provender for the horses to stop the campaign until the ensuing fall. Capt. Stevenson my Captain was appointed to the command of a company of mounted rangers volunteers the army was then discharged after having been on duty about 4 weeks and returned to their homes. Captain Stevenson immediately raised his company of Mounted Rangers to range and guard the frontier settlement . He again Volunteered furnished his own horse united himself to the company and marched and stationed on French Broad River from there ranged the frontiers and continued in service under the command of Capt. Stevenson for four months. In this part of his declaration he claims in all five months service and furnishing his own horse and was then discharged.
He states that until September 1782 in Washington County North Carolina he again enlisted the service as a mounted Volunteer in a campaign of Mounted Volunteers against the Cherokee Indians for 4 months he belonged to a company commanded by Capt. Thomas Wood the expedition was commanded by Col. John Sevier and Lieutenant Charles Robertson. He was marched from Jonesboro to the big bend of NolaChucky river at Gen. Christys old camp and was united with the main army under Col Sevier, from thence marched the old war road and crossed the French Broad the big island thence marched to the Tennessee river crossed and continued the march to Hiawassee River crossed then marched through the Nation in various directions . We continued our march south to the Crusawitter river as then called by the natives and thence down said river to a large town called Begeastou. He states the army in scouring the Cherokee country killed some 18 - 20 Warriors took upwards of fifty prisoners killed one British Tory and burnt and destroyed twenty seven towns and thence commenced the return march to the ole chato towns and there we held a treaty with the chiefs of the Cherokee Indians made peace and obtained a large boundary of land as he understood and at this place the army was discharged from a long and fatiguing and perishing campaign and thence returned to their respective homes.
He states he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure other than that here who can testify to his service
He hereby relinquishes every claim
We Elisha W. Bowman clergyman in the county of Clay Kentucky and William Morris hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Bowling Baker who has sworn the the above declaration that we believe him to be sixty nine years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the revolution. A soldier against the Indian s as stated in the ?