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This is the declaration of Captain William Cloud, R.S., son of William Cloud and Alice Hardin.
DECLARATION OF CAPT. WILLIAM CLOUD
Virginia, Grayson County) S.S.
On the 30th day of November 1832 personally appeared in open court before the County Court of Grayson now sitting William Cloud, a resident of the said county of Grayson and state of Virginia, aged eighty-three years who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer private soldier under Captain James Lyon in the fall of the year 1776, the declarant then being a resident of the present county of Patrick, Virginia, it then being the county of Henry. He marched in said company with an expedition Commanded by Colonel William Christian of the county of Botetourt, Virginia, as declarant believes against the Cherokee towns, a distance of three hundred miles through the wilderness. On this expedition, many Indian towns and crops were destroyed, and Mrs. Beane, who had been taken by the Indians, was rescued and restored to her friends. The Declarant does not recollect the precise time he was absent on this expedition, but supposes he was in service at least three months. The Declarant received no discharge for this tour because of the provisions given out in the wilderness on the return of the troops, they were directed to disperse and to make their way home as best they could. The hardships he underwent in the expedition produced a fever on his return which confirmed him a long time and was near proving fatal.
Soon after he recovered his health sufficiently, he was detached with about twenty others by the County of Henry----he still residing in that county–on expedition across the mountains as far as the Lead Mines, now in Wythe County, Virginia. The object of this expedition was to reconnoiter and obtain information of the proceedings of the Tories and disaffected persons who at that time abounded in that section of the country. He and party took one Torie prisoner and delivered him to Colonel Lynch who was then stationed at the Lead Mines for the purpose of keeping down the Tories and disaffected. The Declarant thinks he was in the service between twenty and thirty days, and that it took place in the spring or summer of 1777. Soon after this he found the situation of his family so unsafe where he then resided in consequence of the depredations of the Tories and his frequent calls from home that he removed them to the lower end of Henry County, on Smith River where he placed tem among friends. He was then appointed a Lieutenant under Captain John Purtle, but not commissioned in consequence of the unsettled state of affairs. Being an expert woodsman he was frequently detached on short expeditions against the Tories among the mountains, where they (Tories) were exceedingly troublesome. He remained about two months as Lieutenant under Captain Purtle, during which time–although he was not constantly in actual service–his service was more harassing than a regular tour of duty would have been as he was required to keep himself constantly alert and ready for call, and was frequently called upon, so that he could not attend to his domestic matters to any advantage.
He left his family where he had placed them as above stated and returned to the upper end of the county where he had formerly resided in order to be nearer the scene of danger and of action, and to render what service he could in keeping down the Tories who almost overran the southwestern frontier counties of Virginia and the adjacent counties of North Carolina. He was immediately appointed Lieutenant under Captain Jonathan Hamby and was then commissioned as such by the Governor of Virginia. His commission was burnt he believes among his other papers some prior years ago when his house was burnt.
In this company he continued to serve until nearly the close of the war when he was promoted to the command of the said company. During the whole of this last mentioned period, he was complete Minute-Man, being constantly on the alert, marching to and fro as occasion required, and being engaged in a number of short expeditions which is impossible for him to recollect in detail.
While Lieutenant under Captain Hanby as above stated, he served three months actual service being stationed at Headspeth and Megowans, the then County of Patrick, went on several expeditions in the neighborhood against the Tories who committed great devastations and who during the time killed William Fletcher, a Whig. In this town he served as Lieutenant under Eliphas Shelton in the year 1777 as well as he recalls.
In the year 1781, the Declarant still being a commissioned Lieutenant volunteered as a private soldier and served fifteen days under Maj. or Colonel Lyon Company officers not recollected, and attempted to find Gen. Green but could not do so until after the battle of Guilford and as they could not aid in the battle they returned home.
The Declarant was born in the month of September the 17th day in the year 1750 old style as appears by a transcript from his family register now in his possession in the County of Rowan State of North Carolina. He was resident of the County of Henry State of Virginia, when he first served a tour of duty – when he served the other times he was a resident of the County of Henry (now Patrick). He was resident since the Revolutionary War in the County of Grayson now established, but for a considerable part of this time, his residence was first in the County of Henry, then Patrick the counties having been subdivided several times. He still resides in the County of Grayson State of Virginia.
He served during the Revolutionary War five months & five days as a private soldier and five months as Lieutenant. He always returned from every tour he served. He has no discharge & has no documentary evidence of his services. He was not acquainted with any regular Officers being always in the militia services under Militia Officers. He is known to Archibald Stuart and William Carter (there being no minister in his neighborhood) who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. He knows of no living witness by whom to prove his services except Maj. William Carter of the County of Patrick and Maj. John Bedd of the County of Henry.
He recollects particularly two expeditions rather longer than the others. One into Wilkes County, North Carolina, against the Tories, and one to meet General Green (Nathaniel) in order to join his army. Major or Colonel Lyon, under whom he was a volunteer – though still holding the office of Lieutenant in Hanby’s Company – got lame and returned with his company, upon which Major Peter Hunston "beat up for volunteers" of which the Declarant was one, and again attempted to join Green's army. But before that could be effected, the Battle of Guilford was fought, and he returned to his command at home.
During a considerable portion of the time he was Lieutenant under Hamby, the said Hamby was in the Carolina on a tour of duty, and the command of the _____ with all its responsibilities devolved on him. The Declarant cannot ascertain the precise length of time he was in active service during the Revolutionary War. The nature of his service renders it impossible that he do so. But he can say and does say that during the whole war that he was constantly either in actual service, or ready and liable to be engaged therein, and he believed that if he could ascertain the precise time in the actual service, it would not fall short of two or three years. He further states that during the whole period of the war, his private affairs were almost entirely neglected, as he could not call one day his own. The Declarant has no documentary in his power to prove his service, and witnesses by whom he could prove it live in another county, are aged and infirm; however, and their evidence cannot be procured without great trouble and expense. If, however, he could procure the affidavits of these persons in time, he will do so, and forward it with this declaration. He lived in North Carolina near the line, his former residence. A short time after the close of the war, he removed to his present residence, thirty-five years ago (1797). It was then a part of Patrick County, but has since been attached (annexed) to Grayson County.
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity, except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid.
William Cloud
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** The pension application of Jacob & Polly Lawson states he served under Capt. William Cloud in Col. James Lyon's division
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tn/hawkins/military/revwar/pensions/lawson01.txt
** The pension application of Robert Hansley states he served in a company of Stokes County, North Carolina, militia under Captain William Cloud and Captain Jonathan Hawley.
http://searches.rootsweb.com/usgenweb/archives/tn/hawkins/military/revwar/pensions/hansley187nmt.txt
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