Pension Application of Robert Wade S6325
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Virginia }
Loudoun County } Sct
On this 17th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the County Court of Loudoun County now sitting Robert Wade a resident of s’d. County & State, aged seventy one years & five months 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.
1. It was in the Winter of 1776 – 1777 I was called out with the Loudoun Militia under Captn. Taylor, who was an Irishman, & was made the 1st Sergeant in his Company. Some four or five hundred Refugees & Tories arriv’d in Leesburg guarded by some Maryland Militia – they came over Nolands ferry, as I understood from New Jersey. I was ord’d. to Fredericksburg with those men. I perform’d this service which occupied 3 or 4 weeks & then returned home.
2. In the fall of 1780 I was drafted for 3 months into Capt Thomas Humphreys’ Company of Loudoun Militia – Leut. Jno. Thacher [sic: John Thatcher] 1st Leut. afs’d. Company – I was not call’d on to do duty on account of this Draft till Feby 1781 then marched to Bowlis[?] Run border of Prince Wm. County, join’d Col. Wests [Charles West’s] Regt. of Militia – after waiting three days for orders then march’d to Bowling Green thence thro’ Falmouth & Fredericksbg on to Williamsburg where Gen’l. Wheadon [sic: George Weedon] commanded – other officers not recollected. I was at Williamsburg when [Gen. Benedict] Arnold landed about 4 miles below, where a Major [Samuel] Cox, I think, commanded about 300 Men. He sent to Gl. Wheadon for a reinforcement which was refused & Cox was ord’d. to retreat on Williamsburg, which he did. We then left the last place & as he came at the north part of the Town, I saw the British enter the South part. We continued our retreat to York River 15 miles – that same night a call was made of 150 of picked men to go out on a reconnoitering party to return and watch the Enemy. I was one of said party which was commanded by Major [Thomas] Armistead. I recollect it was a night of very severe duty. we march’d all night in the rain & in the morning halted at Hanover Court House to refresh ourselves. we then directed our march to James Town. In the forenoon I was taken sick, which, my Capt. observing he took my musket from me and James McFarlen a member of s’d Company was sent with me to seek the shelter of some friendly House. I was rec’d. into the House of an old Lady about ¾’s of a mile above the ferry on James River – I had been there perhaps over two hours when a Battle was fought near the ferry by the Enemy and Armistead’s Troops [1 Jan 1781]. The latter retreated losing 32 prisoners; the most of these were soon parolled & sent home. The Americans kept on to Richmond that night. Myself and McFarlane were left at the House of the old Lady. Feeling myself better on the next day McFarlane & myself set out for Richmond. – we got there safely; I was very weak & the Doctor said I must go to the Hospital, to this I was much opposed & my humane Capt. Humphreys placed me in a private family where I recovered in about ten days and joined my Company. We continued at Richmond till our time expired about the 1st[?] June 1781 when I returned home.
3. It was in August 1781 A call was made for half of the Militia to march to Gloucester & York Town – I recollect I had expected (from the report about) that I should be called out probably in August & I hasten’d to sow some Rye, which I finished by the 2d week in August; it was but a day or two after this I was order’d to march & was put in Capt. Josiah Moffett’s Company of Loud’n. Militia John A Binns 1st Lieut. of Loudoun Co’y. Wm. Moxley was the orderly Sergeant & Geo. Hammatt first Sergeant – both of Leesburg other officers not recollected. – the call was for 3 mos. we march’d as fast as possible & thro’ the same Country as at first – on our arrival @ Gloucester, our Company was placed under the command of a Col. [William] Campbell of the U.S. Regular Army. There I remained doing duty until L’d. Cornwallis surrendered the 19th Oct, 1781 and for better than 3 weeks after. – Capt. Moffett was then ordered to guard 4 or 500 prisoners to Nolands ferry on the Potomac in Loudoun which we did – delivered the same to some Maryland Troops return’d. then & I was then discharged about the last of November 1781. tho’ of a strong frame & usually healthy I had suffered so much from severe duty that soon after my discharge I was taken sick of 3 or 4 weeks. – this service lasted about 3 mos tho’ the whole year was lost to me in my business. I was probably engaged as well as I can recollect about 8 mos. in all. I have no documentary evidence & I do not know of any person whose evidence I can procure at this time to testify to my service – Major Gustavus Elgin of the Loud’n. Militia is very aged & infirm, he can certify to my service in the fall of 1781 & I will try to procure his certificate to accompany this Declaration
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. [signed] Robert Wade
And the sd. applicant being interrogated by the Court saith in answer to 1st. Interrogatory – that he was born in Fairfax Co’y Va. in Feb’y 1761.
2. that he has no record of his birth. His fathers bible which contains the record of the family became the property of his sister who married, removed to the western Country some 16 years ago & is probably dead.
3. [Lived] first in fairfax Co’y – since I have been five years old I have resided in Loudoun County
4. 5. 6. 7. He answers in his declaration.
Loudoun County } Sct.
Virginia }
This day personally came before me a Justice of the Peace for said County Gustavus Elgin who made oath that he commanded a company of Infantry of Loudoun militia at the Siege of York & Gloucester in 1781 and was present when Lord Cornwallis surrendered those posts – and he distinctly remembers having seen Robert Wade of Loudoun County at said siege & that he was a member of Capt Moffitts Company of Loudoun Militia. He further saith that he has long known said Wade & esteemed him to be a man of veracity & believes he is 71 years old. Given under my hand this 17th day of August 1832
Loudoun County }
Virginia }
On this 23d day of October 1832 personally appeared before me Samuel M Edwards a magistrate for said County Robert Wade a resident of said County & state known to me, who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath make the following Declaration in addition to the Declaration made by him the 17th of August 1832 in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of June 7, 1832
1. That his first service as set forth in his Declaration aforesaid was in Dec’r. 1776 or Jany 1777 but which month he cannot recollect. That to the best of his recollection this service embraced a period of four weeks.
2. That his second term of service began about the middle of February and ended as nearly as he can recollect the 20th of May 1781 making 3 mos. & 5 days.
3. That his third term of service commenced the middle of August 1781 and ended the last of November 1781 embracing a period of 3 mos and a half.
making in all 7 mos. 20 days —
On a careful recollection as he can give to events so long past, he verily believes the present is a correct statement & that he cannot make it more precise. [signed] Robert Wade
NOTE: Charles Binns, Clerk of the Loudoun County Court, certified that his brother, John A. Binns, was a Lieutenant in Moffett’s company at the Siege of Yorktown.