Pension Application of James and Sarah Akers Copeland W6730
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia }
Loudoun County } Sct.
On this 8th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the Court of Loudoun County now sitting, James Copeland a resident of Loudoun County, Virginia, aged seventy three years, the 1st day of August 1832 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 7 1832. That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. I was born in Ireland on the 1st of August 1759 – this I have always understood, from a paper which contains the record of my fathers family & has been in my possession many years. My Parents removed to Loudoun County, Va. as I have always understood when I was three or four years of age. It was in the spring of 1778 I was drafted for twelve months service, in Leesburg, Loudoun Co’y. Va. & I was with others marched to Valley forge in Pennsylvania & there being allowed to choose my officer, I went into a Company of Infantry commanded by Cpt. Philip Slaughter of the 11th Virg’a Regiment & General [William] Woodford’s Brigade. I was at the Battle of Monmouth in June [28th] 1778. I was then attached to Woodford’s Brigade which on that day formed on the Right of the field. From the field Monmouth we were marched to the White Plains, where we remained for some time & then were march’d to West point on the North River, where I was employed on a fatigue party in repairing that Fortress. I continued to work at that duty till the army was ordered into Winter Quarters at Middlebrook in New Jersey. I was honorably discharged in the Spring of 1779. I have forgotten who signed my discharge. It has been lost for many years. The officers of my Company were, Capt. Philip Slaughter, as above stated, Lieut. Isaac Macks, Ensign David Williams and Isaac Brown, orderly Sergeant.
It was, as well as I can recollect about July 1781 I was drafted in Loudoun County, Va for a Militia tour of duty for three months and I marched in Capt. William George’s Company from Leesburg to Fredericksburg, thence to Richmond & Williamsburg Va. when arrived there, I was detailed from my Company and orderd upon the Lines where I was commanded by different officers. I was with the Light Infantry troops & very frequently engaged in slight skirmishing with the Enemy — During this time I was frequently under the command of Col. Heath [probably William Heth], who had but one eye. My time expired some few days before Cornwallis surrendered, and I was honorably discharged, which discharge I have also lost. I was not at the Siege of York & Gloucester, but being with the Light Infantry Troops was employed to do duty on the flanks or wings of the army along the Lines.
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. I herewith annex the Certificates of the Rev’d James Baker – Richard Copeland & James Love, duly sworn to before a Justice of the peace for Loudoun County, it being impracticable for said persons to attend in open Court at this time. Since the war of the Revolution I have continued to reside in Loudoun County. James Copeland
NOTE: On 27 Jul 1838 Sarah Copeland, 70, applied for a pension stating that she married James Copeland on 26 Apr 1787, and he died 15 Jun 1838. With her application is a copy of a bond signed 21 Apr 1787 by James Copeland and William McManemy for the marriage of Copeland to Sarah Akers of Shelburne Parish.