Questions asked the applicant by James Bennett and John King, two of the Justices of the Peace and Justices of the Court of Pleas???? Quarter Sessions for Sampson County, North Carolina:
Question 1: Where and in what year were you born?
Answer: I was born in Nansomond County in the State of Virginia, the 7th of February, 1761.
Question 2: Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
Answer: I have it on a slip of paper copied from my father's large family bible.
Question 3: Where were you living when called into Service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary War; and where do you now live?
Answer: When I was called into the service, I lived with my father in Bertie County. I was absent by land and sea one year and ten months. After my return, I was married. I moved to the State of Virginia near where I was born. I staid one year when I moved back to Bertie County, and from thence, about thirty-three years ago, I moved to the place where I now live on the North side of Kill Peacock Swamp and East side of great Coharie, Sampson County, North Carolina.
Question 4: How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer, were you a substitute, and if a substitute, for whom?
Answer: When a draft was pending for a term of nine months, our company was to furnish a quota of six men. The company offered to give any man that volunteered to go two hundred dollars Continental money. Rather than run the risque of being drafted, I took the money and volunteered for the term of nine months.
Question 5: State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such Continental and Militia regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service.
Answer: Colonel Hogan and Magor Higg commanded the regiment where I served, and Captain Redding Blount and Lieutenant Rueben Wilkinson commanded the company to which I belonged. I have no recollection of any militia regiments, nor do I remember who the officers were that commanded at West Point. Our regiments were encamped on the Commons back of the fort, and the soldiers of the fort and the soldiers of the regiment had no communication with each other. My employment was to wait on the Captain and Lieutenant.
Question 6: Did you ever receive a discharge from the service; and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
Answer: I received a discharge from the army from Colonel the General Hogan in Philadelphia after my return from waiting on Lieutenant Wilkinson. I know not what has become of it. When I received it, I had no idea of its being of any advantage to me, and I then entered on Board a Letter of Marque on a cruise to the West Indies.
Question 7: State the name of person to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your charachter for their veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution?
Answer: I know of no person who can testify at this time as to my services as a soldier of the revolution. A few years back I could have done so. I don't know whether any of them are yet alive or not, and if alive, I know not where they live. As to my character for veracity, I will state the names of Thomas Thornton, Sr. and Westbrook Lee, who have known me for about thirty three years, the time I have resided in this county.
We Thomas Thornton, Sr., and Westbrook Lee, farmers residing in Sampson County in the State aforesaid do hereby certify that we have known and been well acquainted with the applicant Thomas Tart who has subscribed to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy two years of age, that he is believed and reputed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion, and that we believe him to be a man of veracity.
Sworn and subscribed to the day and year aforesaid: (names of John King, James Bennett, Justices of the Peace, and Thad Thornton and Westbrook Lee, farmers.)
We John King and James Bennett, Justices of the Peace as aforesaid do hereby declare as our opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states; and we further certify that Westbrook Lee and Thomas Thornton who signed the preceeding certificate are very respectable farmers of this county; that they are creditable persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit; and we further stat that we have known the applicant, and believe him to be a man of veracity. Given under our hands the day and year first above written. John King, JP & James Bennett, JP.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, SAMPSON COUNTY
On this 15th day of August, 1833, personally appeared before us, James Bennett and John King, two of the Justices of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, Thomas Tart, a resident of Sampson County in the State of North Carolina, aged 72 years, and 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:
That as near as he can recollect, it was in the month of June, 1779, a draft was to take place in the Company to which he belonged, for the term of nine months, that the company was to furnish six men, that in order not to stand a draft, the company made up two hundred Dollars Continental money to any one who would volunteer; that rather than be drafted he took the money and volunteered under the command of Capt. Wm. Williams; and that himself and what men were drafted from the regiment rendevoued at Windsor Bertie County and remained there about a week; and from Windsor they were marched to the town of Halifax in Halifax County, but before they arrived at Halifax they met some Continental Officers who took Command of the Militia; that when they arrived at Halifax, there was a considerable army stationed there; that he was placed in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Hogan, and a Major Hogg, Captain Redding Blount and Lieutenant Rueben Wilkinson; that they were there stationed as much as three or four weeks; that they were marched from Halifax to go to West Point Fort on the North River, and as he understood, to fill up the Third North Carolina Regiment; that they marched under the Command of the Continental Officers already named; that when the Regiment go to New Kent County, Virginie, Lieutenant Wilkerson, as he supposes, got a parole to visit his father in said county, and took him (Tart) along with him to wait on him;
After staying with the father of Lieutenant Wilkinson some time, they went on after the Army, but never overtook them till they got to West Point. They went through Richmond, Fredricksburg, Alexandria in Va., Georgetown, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Princeton, N. J. They stayed all night. Lieutenant Wilkinson slept in a tavern and he slept in a cottage. When they arrived at West Point they found their Regiment back of the Fort on the Commons; That the regiment was there encamped in their tents until the ballance of their time of service expired; that he believes there were Several Armies stationed about in that country on the opposite side of the river and some were above them on the river; that there was a large iron chain strectching across the river as he understood to prevent the British shipping from going up the river; that he never was in any battle; that nearly all the time for which he volunteered he had to wait on his Captain and Lieutenant in their tents -- until Lieutenant Wilkinson and a Lieutenant Yarborough of another company fought a duel, and Lieutenant Wilkinson was wounded in the left arm; that he had to attend him; while under the doctor's care they went up the river to a town called New Windsor where there was a hospital. While there under the Doctor, their time of service expired, and the company discharged; and his commander that left home with him, big William Natfood, John Hale, John Hogard, Patrick Hogard, and Nathan Cobb returned home to Bertie County, North Carolina, without him; that his Lieutenant told him to go to Philadelphia where he would find Colonel Hogan who would give him a discharge; when he got to Philadelphia, he understood that Colonel Hogan was promoted to the rank of General. He ordered him (Tart) to be innoculated immediately with the small pox, and sent to the hospital in Philadelphia; that before he got well of the small pox he was taken with the putrid fever; that his life was for some time despaired of; that Doctor Jackson was principal and Doctor Ried assistant Superintendent of the Hospital; that when he was able to leave the Hospital, General Hogan wrote a Discharge and gave him, and told him he might go home -- but being yet feeble and left alone, he was at a loss what to do. He was told that he could get employ on board a letter of Marque bound to the West Indies on a trading voyage; he done so and went on board the Ship Clay, formerly called the Ship Liverpool.
They sailed from the port of Philadelphia, and when they had left the capes of Deleware, about three days, they captured an English Brig, laden with supplies to the English Army at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and sent her to Alexandria in Virginia. They sailed then to an island called Eustatia on Saint Eustatia where they unloaded their tobacco and stoves, and loaded the ship with salt, and returned to the United States. The ship was comanded by Captain Sterman Coulter and John Douglass, and Lieutenant Tanner A. Fisher. When we got as far as Chester on the Deleware River, the ice prevented her from going any farther; that he went to Chester and worked with a shoemaker for his victuals while he got his share of the prize money; when he returned to his father's house in Bertie County, North Carolina, being absent one year and ten months.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the presents, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of this agency or any states other than only on that of the agency of the State of North Carolina.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, in the presence of: John King. J.P.: and James Bennett, J.P. ---- Thomas Tart
