Scott County the Beginning
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Cpt. Dennis Trammell, Southern Campaign
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That he joined Captain Benjamin Few’s company of provincial troops of Georgia in the month of August 1777 under a promise that he should have the appointment of Lieutenant in said company, took the command as Lieutenant rendezvoused at Wrightsborough from there marched to Fulton’s fort upon the Ogeechee River in the State Georgia was there stationed for nine months having the command of the fort as Lieutenant but without having a commission. At the expiration of the aforesaid term of nine months a certain Thomas Ashby was appointed and commissioned as Lieutenant of said Company and took the command, this applicant considering himself badly treated refused to enter the service as a private and returned home. Col. Leonard Marbury commanded the Regiment as Colonel. General John Twiggs had the command of the troop of that district. Soon after his return home to his father’s in Orange County North Carolina he married and removed to South Carolina in Ninety Six district about the month of February 1779. About June, he again entered the service of the United States as a Militia Captain of a Volunteer Company of Horsemen, his appointment of Captain was procured through the recommendation of Doctor Robert Nelson. Joseph Barnett was Lieutenant, Reuben Barrett was Ensign, Col. John Thomas Senr. commanded the Regiment. General Andrew Pickens Commanded the Brigade. The Whig party and American forces in that Section of the Country at that time was not able to come to any general engagement with the British and Tories and had to keep upon the scouting order. After being in service for several weeks upon the scouting order this applicant came into the settlement, to visit his family and hear the news and learn what was going on amongst the British and Tories, the latter of which was in that Section of this Country by far the most numerous. At his own house he was taken prisoner by six Tories who had heard of his being at home and came upon him whilst he was sitting eating-he was unable to contend with such an inequality of numbers and capitulated with them. They allowed him to ride his own horse and deliver his sword to Col. Patrick Ferguson who at that time Commanded at Sugar Creek. But they deprived him at this time of his rifle, Gun, and Horseman’s Pistols. When he was conducted to the British Camp upon Sugar Creek as a prisoner, he there found Col. Thomas who commanded the Regiment to which applicant belonged also a prisoner and Captain Samuel Buffington also prisoners, applicant and three last mentioned prisoners were placed under guard together the
British and Tories lay bye in daytime and marched in the night for fear of being
surprised by the American forces. The prisoners were marched about the centre of the
Army under a double guard. The prisoners not being relieved by the American forces for
several days became impatient and agreed amongst themselves to make a break the
first opportunity. This applicant was to give the signal. And one dark night having given the Signal this applicant broke and luckily made his escape, neither of the others attempted to follow and were retained as prisoners. And afterwards Col. Thomas, Captain Blasingame and Samuel Buffington all belonging to the same Regiment (of this applicant) were sent to England as prisoners. Applicant after making his escape from the British and Tories returned home, found his family well and learned that Colonel Henry Hampton was stationed upon Silver Creek in Rutherford County in the State of North Carolina with a small force. Applicant immediately went on and joined him where he found his company and took the command of his Company again, from there-we marched down into the edge of South Carolina to Maj Richard Hampton’s plantation. There met with Col. Elijah Clarke and Col. Jones from the State of Georgia and united our forces together. That night we were attacked by Captain James Dunlap of the British Army and after a severe engagement repulsed the enemy and pursued them about fifteen miles thence returned back to the battle ground, buried the dead and made the best disposition we could of the wounded-from thence marched down further into South Carolina Below Lawson’s fork at the Cedar Springs where we had a skirmish with the British forces under the command of Col. Ferguson, dispatched Capt. James Dunlap to Wofford’s iron Works (also known as 2nd Cedar Springs), August 8, 1780] – the American forces were rather beaten and retreated across the Broad River at the Cherokee ford-remained there for several days. We then heard of a Major Lea and Captain Lantrip with a party of Tories in the fork of Enoree and Tyger Rivers. We stole a march upon them and gave them a general defeat in which action Lieutenant Barrett belonging to the Company which this applicant commanded was killed, from thence returned back into the frontier of South Carolina in ninety six district, remained there for several weeks, gaining strength and obtaining reinforcements, from there we marched down to Musgrove’s Mill upon Enoree River under the command of Col. Isaac Shelby (since Governor of the State of Kentucky) and Col. Clarke from Georgia where we attacked [Musgrove’s Mill, August 19, 1780] the Brit/sh and Tories that were stationed there under the command of Lt. Col. Alexander Innis and completely defeated them taking a number of prisoners-after sending the prisoners across the mountain for safe keeping, the place not now remembered-we marched from there to Black Stock’s ford on the Tyger River and attacked the British and Tories under the command of Col. Banastre Tarleton and after a severe engagement [Battle of Blackstocks, November 20, 1780] and Genl Thomas Sumter the Commander in Chief getting wounded and having to be carried off the ground in a litter, the American troops retreated from the ground from there we marched back into the frontier settlements of South Carolina in the district of ninety six aforesaid from thence marched down to Hogskin Mill where we had an engagement with Captain Dunlap who commanded a company of Horse and footmen ofBritish and Tories and defeated them-took a number of prisoners who were sent to Gilbert Town in Rutherford County in North Carolina-amongst which was Capt. Dunlap their commander-from thence marched to a watercourse called Long Cane near the residence of Gen I Pickens who had laid neutral all this time under the protection of the British. There had an engagement at Long Canes, December 12, 1780 with the Tories-applicant does not remember who commanded the Tories. Col. Clarke, Col. Candler & Col. Williams commanded the American forces-from thence marched to Augusta under the command of Col. Clarke and laid siege to Augusta which place was at that time in possession of the British and Tories under the command of Col. Thomas Brown who commanded the British and Col James Grierson who commanded the Tories took possession of the town and kept it four days and nights. The British and Tories begin reinforced retook it and the American forces retreated from there to Washington in Wilkes County in the State of Georgia. Remained there a few days and retreated back into the State of South Carolina into Ninety Six district, remained there for some time, getting reinforcements-from thence made a second attempt upon Augusta and retook it. Genl Twiggs was Commander in Chief. Col. Clarke and Col. Green and Col. Williams also commanded the American forces, from thence marched back to 96 District in South Carolina. Applicant there joined the Regiment to which he had formerly belonged which was at that time under the command of Col. Benjamin Roebuck. In the meantime Gen I Pickens had raised his troops and Genl Daniel Morgan from the East was sent on to the South and Gen I Pickens joined him. Applicant was also attached to the Army under the command of Genl Morgan and Genl Pickens. Genl Morgan had the principal command.
The British army composed of British and Tories under the command of Col. Tarleton, was there encamped upon the South side of Pacolet River near Grindal Shoals. The army under the command of Gen I Morgan retreated to a place called the Cowpens on January 17, 1781 between the head of horse creek and birch creek where the engagement took place between the two armies. That place being in two and a half miles of the residence of said applicant, and he being well acquainted with the local situation of the ground Gen. I Morgan called upon said applicant to assist in selecting the battle ground–said applicant with the company under his command, together with Gen. I Morgan and his lifeguard and Aide camp went out and selected the ground upon which the Battle was fought. After the battle ground was chosen, this applicant well remembers the impression of Genl. Morgan which was as follows-to wit, addressing himself to applicant, said he, “Captain here is Morgan’s grave or victory.”Early in the morning of the day following the engagement commenced, it being the 17th day of January 1781. Soon after the battle was over Gen. I Morgan’ moved off with the prisoners leaving this applicant with his company to bury the dead of both parties, and to keep off the scouting parties of Tories to wit, William “Bloody Bill” Cunningham and Col. Young who commanded scouting parties of Tories who would commit depredations and flee to the Indian Nation and other remote placed-with the Tories under their command. Our wounded was taken to the house of Doctor Robert Nelson who waited and attended upon them, he living within five miles of the battle ground. Applicant continued in that Neighborhood with his company for the protection of the wounded until after the battle’ of Eutaw Springs, September 8, 1781. Then gave up the command of the Company to Anthony Coulter and returned home; soon after his return home, one day when he was absent from the house a party of Tories came in search of him but failed to find him. The great hostility of the Tories toward this applicant being well known and understood he was advised by his friends, amongst whom were Col. Miller, Col. Porter, and Majors Rich and Singleton to leave that neighborhood. He accordingly retired to Henry County in the State of Virginia where he remained until the close of the war. He there turned out as a volunteer under the command of Captain Harston to arrest the delinquents who were stationed in what was called the Bull Mountain who had refused to serve in the war.
The object was completed in a few days not exceeding ten days. This applicant states that he was born in Amelia County in the State of Virginia in the year 1759, He has now no record of his age-when he was very small his Father moved to Orange County in the State of North Carolina from which place he first entered the service as stated in the foregoing part of his declaration. After the close of the war he lived several years in Henry County in the State of Virginia from there moved to what is now Tennessee.