Jeremiah Harrell Revolutionary
War Pension

Pension Application

State of Indiana Marion County

On this 25th day of September, A.D.1832, personally appeared in open Court before the honorable Botheral Falcorris President, and George Smith and Joshua Stephens Esquires, his associates, Judges of the Circuit Court of the County of Marion above said, now sitting Jeremiah Harrold, a resident of the County of Johnson in the state of Indiana, aged 72 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit made by the provisions of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States in the Spring of 1776 (and he thinks in month of April) under the following named officers and served as herein stated: That he enlisted in the continental lines or among the State troops for the term of three years, at Orangeburg in the State of South Carolina, where he then resided, under one Col. Thompson who at that time raised a force amounting to several hundred men for the service, that after his enlistment he continued at Orangeburg a few weeks when he was marched to Charleston under the aforesaid Col., that he does not at this time recollect the names of the other field officers of the regt. to which he belonged, or of the officers of his Company other than his Lieutenant, whose name was Alexander Herrington: that he was immediately ordered from Charleston to Sullivans Island where he remained garrisoned for about one year. Of this Island Colonel Thomas had the command, and had also under his command about five or six hundred regular troops and three or four hundred militia making in all near one thousand men, that at the same time there was a considerable body of regulars stationed at fort Johnson opposite to Sullivans Island, but what was the number of those troops or their officers names are not now recollected. That some time during the month of June (about the middle) the British Fleet sailed into Charleston Harbour and commenced an attack upon Sullivans Island, a few days previous to which General Lee, who then had the command of Charleston, had received considerable reinforcement from Virginia and North Carolina, who were stationed at Haddrels Point and in front of the Town; the principal part of the engagement was between the shipping and the forces on Sullivans Island, in the engagement the Americans had between 30 to 40 men killed, and the British had two of their ships so injured as to be unable to recross Charleston barr and clear from the guns on the fort until assisted by the other shipping. This applicant recollects that at the time of the above engagement there were a number of Indians on the Island who had joined the continental army and manifested great bravery until alarmed (sic) by the explosion of the a bombshell by which three or four of their number who not being acquainted with the design of a shell which fell near them and attempting in a bravado to lift the same were severely wound (sic), upon this the remainder of the Indians, this applicant thinks about nine in number attempted to make their escape from the fort by fleeing across the bridge to the main land, being disappointed by the guard in crossing the bridge they threw down their arms and swam to the main land. That after remaining near one year on Sullivans Island he was again ordered to Charleston where he most generally continued during the remainder of his three years service, being only occasionally absent on excursions against the tories. That during this time he was on an expedition under (blank) Preston to the waters of Cass river that this expedition was composed of three or four hundred men including regulars and militia that they were joined by a party commanded by Col. Piles who were mostly militia, that during this tour they routed many tories who were doing great injury by burning fences and etc., but were in no (engagements?); this applicant states he was in the engagements under General Ash on Briar Creek in 1779 in which the Americans consisting of near two thousand men composed of N. Carolina militia and regulars were surprised by a party of British under Col. Provost and defeated with a loss in killed and wound (sic) of near four hundred men, he however thinks that this was after his discharge from the regular army. He states that when his term of service expired he received a discharge, handed to him by his Lieut. Alexander Herrington, above named, but by whom it was signed he is unable to say. That he had his house burned in Powells valley in Virginia by the Indians some years after the revolution, in which his discharge together with all his house hold affects was consumed. That having no education and being unable to read or write renders it extremely difficult for him to refer to dates, officers names, and many circumstances collected to show in so clear a light as he could wish his claims to a pension in pursuance of the act of congress. He states he was also in the battle at the Eutaw Springs which was long after his aforesaid time of service had expired in which he had a musquet (sic) or a rifle ball shot through his hat which cut off his hat band. That he was also in the battle at Kings Mountain under Colonel Campbell but being only in the militia service during the two last mentioned engagements he has but faint recollection of the officers names. He has been informed by the late Hon. James Noble, who for many years recognized him as a soldier of the revolution, that his name is not to be found on the rolls in the war department. He states that he was born on the Pedee (sic) River in South Carolina where he resided until a short time before he enlisted. That shortly after the revolution he settled in the state of Virginia where he married and continued until a short time previous to late war, when he removed to the state of Indiana, in which he has ever since resided.

He states as before that he is informed that his name is not on the rolls in the war department, that he has no discharge, or other documentary evidence of his service, that he at this time knows of no officers or soldiers whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service, he has but four acquaintances in this part of the state who have known him for any number of years. That he has been about 20 years acquainted in another part of the state with General Robert Hanna who now resides in Indianapolis this County and John Hanna who also now resides in the County of Marion and both of whom have even recognized this applicant as a soldier of the revolution. The neighborhood where he resides is sparsely settled. He is personally acquainted with no (unreadable). He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any state or territory.

Sworn to, and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open Court.

Teste JM Ray Clerk his

Jeremiah Harrold

mark

We, Robert Hanna and John Hanna both residing in the County of Marion and the state of Indiana do hereby certify that we have been well acquinted (sic) with Jeremiah Harrold, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, for about 20 years or nearly that length of time, that we believe him to be 72 years of age, that he has resided in the County of Johnson for a short time only, which is some distance form this place, that we have had but little acquaintance with him since he settled in the last mention (sic) county, but we most freely certify that he was always refuted and believed in the neighborhood where he has resided in the County of Franklin in this state during the most of our acquaintance with him, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and although from age, and want of information, he has been unable to refer to dates, and the names of his officers with much (unreadable), yet from the frequent and circumstantial manner in which we have heard him relate the incidents of the battles mention (sic) in the proceeding declaration we concur in the opinion that he was in revolutionary war (sic) and served as in the aforesaid declaration stated. We have also often heard him state the circumstances of the battle at Guilford Court house, in which he is believed to have been engaged in militia service, and the said John on his part states from his personal knowledge of the battle last aforesaid he has no doubt but that the said applicant was in the said Battle.

Sworn to and subscribed this 25th day of Sept. 1832 in open Court

Test James M. Ray Clerk of the Main Circuit Court.

Signed: John Hanna and R. Hanna

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogators presented by the War Department that the above names applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that John Hanna and Robert Hanna, who have signed the proceeding certificate, are residents of the county of Marion in the state of Indiana, and are credible persons, and that their statements are entitled to credit.


Signed: James M. Ray Clerk of the

Court of Marion County (being the Marion Circuit Court) do hereby certify that the foregoing (unreadable) (unreadable) proceedings of the said (unreadable) in the matter of the application of Jeremiah Harrold for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have (unreadable) set my hand and seal of my office, this 3rd day of October AD one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.

Signed: James M. Ray.

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