MILITARY – REVWAR PENSION: James McDOWELL, 1833, Formerly of Lancaster Co., PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com July 24, 2006, 3:22 pm Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/pa/lancaster/ _______________________________________________ Pension Application Of James McDowell, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll #__, Application #S47832 Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, January 5th, 1833, James McDowell, a resident of Decatur Township, Mifflin County, PA, aged 77 years: “About the 1st of January, 1776 he entered as a volunteer under Captain Robert Allison of Little Britain, Lancaster County, PA; Colonel Porter commanded the regiment. Marched to Philadelphia, laid there about 10 days, then crossed into the Jersey, to ? Woodentown, from thence to the Battle of Trenton, and engaged in that battle; from thence to Princeton. Arrived there shortly after the battle, having been ? thrown out with many others on the march overnight owing to a mistake of a man of the name of Penrose, who was the guide of our branch of the army in the march the night previous to the battle, mistaking that part of the army under the immediate direction of General Washington, who, at the Cross Roads being ahead, was taken for the British Army. From thence to Morristown, at which place, he with others, were discharged and returned to the place from whence he started.” “About August 1777, he was residing in Armagh Township, the Cumberland (now Mifflin County, Pennsylvania) and went as a substitute for Robert ?Mishell of the same place, under the command of Alexander McCay, captain. Marched first to Carlisle and thence to Lancaster and thence to Marcus Hook, all in Pennsylvania. At that place, the company fell in with the regular army and marched to Wilmington, and was there employed for some time, throwing up works. Thence the army marched to the ?battle ?grounds of the Battle of Little Brandywine, and was in that battle, which battle was commanded in part by General Potter, who resided near him when at home.” “Marched afterwards to a place he thinks was called ?Bristol not far from Philadelphia, thence to the suburbs of Philadelphia, from thence to what was called the White Horse. From this position, the company with others, were detached to meet and annoy the British in their march from Brandywine to Philadelphia. Had a ‘scrimmage’ with the British cavalry, when a heavy rain came on and the Americans gave way and returned to the main army near Philadelphia.” “Was in the army under General Wayne at the Paoli, but he with many others, had taken shelter in a barn and escaped the massacre. From thence they marched by Potts Grove to Germantown. From thence he was sent as a guard with the wounded to Reading. From thence he went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and was there discharged and returned home.’ “That in the year 1778, in May of that year, he marched as a drafted militia man under Captain George Bell for a 2 months tour to Bald Eagle and were stationed there to guard against the encroachments of the Indians. From thence they marched back to Potter’s Fort in Penn Valley, now in Centre County, Pennsylvania. The Indians ?had ?gotten ??? this year at Bald Eagle. Was then discharged, having served the term of 2 months.” “In the month of April, 1780, he marched as a drafted militia man for a 2 months tour to Watson’s Fort, east end of Penn’s Valley under the command of William Wilson, and continued there during that tour, and from there discharged.’ “That about the 4th of June 1781, he marched to Bedford, Pennsylvania for a 7 months tour under the command of Captain ___ Boyd, where a ____ ‘scrimmage’ was had with the Indians, in which there were about 160 men killed and taken prisoner, among which were Captain Boyd, and Richard Johnston succeeded to the command of the company, from whom the annexed discharge was obtained, dated 3rd of January 1782. He does not know of any person now living that can prove the first 3 mentioned tours. That accompanying affidavits will show as respects the others.” Interrogatory: I was born in the County of Derry, in the north of Ireland in the year 1755. I had a record of my age, but it is lost, but the above is according to that of the information of my parents. When first called into service, I lived in Little Britain Township, Lancaster County. Removed to Armagh Township, then Cumberland, now Mifflin County when next ?called ____ that township and _____. Additional Comments: The soldier died February 25, 1840. There were no data concerning his family. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb