Affidavit State of Tennessee, County Court, Bedford County, August Term 1832. On the 14th day of August 1832, personally appearing in open court before Samuel Phillips, John B. Armstrong and John L. Neill, Esq. Justices of said Court. Charles Brandon, a resident of the county of Bedford and State of Tennessee aforesaid, aged eighty three years or there abouts, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the latter part of February 1776, with Captain James Duff and served in the 2nd Regiment of Riflemen of the Continental Line, under the following named officers, he served in the Company of Captain James Duff under who he enlisted, in whose Company George Duff, a brother to the Captain, was Lieutenant and Joshua Lacy was Ensign. The aforesaid 2nd Regiment of Riflemen, to which he belonged and in which he served, was commanded by Colonel Thomas Sumpter, afterwards General Sumpter, and he belonged to the division of said Regiment commanded by Major William Anderson who also afterwards became a General in the continental Line during the war. The term for which he enlisted was twelve months and he served about the term of eight months during said enlistments, at the end of eight months, he returned home under a furlough and did not again return into service during the period of his enlistment but provided one Thomas Rhea to take his place as a substitute and to serve under an enlistment during the war. At the time he entered the service, he resided in Union County in South Carolina, on the waters of Pawlet (Pacolet) River. During this enlistment he was at the Battle at Fort Mouterie which was attacked by Lord Parker or Sir Peter Parker who commanded the British, for the American forces in the Fort were commanded by Colonet O'Rea and Francis Marian who held some commission but he is not positive what was then his rank. The regiment to which he belonged under the command of Colonel Sumpter was stationed some distance from the Fort to watch and counteract the movement of the British forces under General Clinton who it was expected would land his forces at Bottom's Landing on Sullivan's Island to assist the forces who made the attack upon the fort. He, however, did not land his forces as was expected during the engagement at the Fort which lasted about ten hours, the British Commander Parker was wounded and his vessel, a fifty gun frigate was shattered and much injured by the shot from the cannon in the Fort. One of the enemy vessels called the "Action" was abandoned by them and burned the next morning after the engagement. This engagement occured in the month of June 1776, as well as the applicant can now remember. During this term of service or enlistment, this applicant well remembers that he was under arms when the Declaration of Independence was made. He was at that time stationed in the barracks at Charleston and the troops was all paraded, and the Declaration read to them, as he believes, and as well as he can remember, by Edward Rutledge, the then Governor of South Carolina. Longtime after the aforesaid term of service, declarant states that he volunteered and entered General Green's Army and was at the Seige of Ninety-Six, the precise period at which he volunteered and entered the service in Green's Army, he cannot remember, but thinks it was sometime in the year of 1777. He belonged to Captain James Moore's Compnay, but he does not remember the names of any of his field officers. During this term of service, he was engaged in procuring provisions for the army about the span of four weeks. The army after the Seige of Ninety-Six, which ?????? to raise by the approach of the troops under Francis Lord Random, who had landed at Charleston and marched to the relief of the beseiged troops who was under the command of Colonel Cruger. This applicant with the army under the command of General Green, situated on Sandy River. A distance, as he thinks of about one hundred miles and struck his camp at the plantation of an old Mr. Beley. From this place, declarant was sent with a small detachment, he thinks of twenty or thirty in number under the command volunteered his services to go on alone, as a spy, to the British Camp, and cof General Henderson, to scour the country and spy out the situation of the enemy. He marched with this detachment on the back route til they reached Mud Lick, a branch of the Saluda River, and about the distance of fifteen miles from Ninety-Six. Having made no discoveries of the enemy at this point, declarant crossing over the Saluda River, proceeded on his route until he discovered that the enemy had left their encampment and marched towards the Eutaw, this intelligence, he carried back to the balance of the detachment under General Henderson and having then performed all the duties which were required of him, he was verbally discharged by General Henderosn and returned home to Pendleton where he resided when he entered into service, having been on duty in this campaign about six weeks as a volunteer. After this declarant performend no other service except upon Scouting Parties who was engaged for a few days at a time in pursuit of the Tories, when declarant was in regular service, he knew Captain Taylor, Jackson and Marygold who were all officers in the Regular Service. Declarant had a written discharge from the Regular Service, but he has lost or mislaid it so that it cannot now be found. This discharge which he received was from General Henderson, and stated the fact the Thomas Rhea had been received as a substitute in his place and had entered the service during the war. Declarant was born in the State of Pennsylvania, in York County. There was a record of his age made by his father in his family Bible, but he does not now know where it is. He states that according to that record, he was born on the 7th day of April 1750. Old Styles. Declarant has now no documentary evidence and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure to testify to his service. He hereby relinguishes every claim whatever 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 and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. J. McKisick, Clk. Charles Brandon We, Kimbro Allison and Job Cooper and T. Wilson, residing in the County of Bedford and State of Tennessee, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Charles Brandon who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration, that we believe him to be about 83 years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, that we concure in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid Jas. McKisick, Clk. T. Wilson, Job Cooper. SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION IN BEDFORD COUNTY TN Compiled by Helen and Timothy R. Marsh, Shelbyville, TN.
