Pension Number S8567
Updated November 25, 2022
Virginia: Amherst County to wit
On this 8th day of April 1833 personally appeared before me, Thomas N. Eubank,
A Justice of the Peace for the County of Amherst aforesaid, Archelaus GILLIAM, a resident of the said county and state of Virginia, aged about 78 years, who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on this oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated
That some time about Christmas of the year 1775, he enlisted under Capt. Thomas Patterson of the county of Buckingham VA where he then lived for the period of two years, that soon after his enlistment he was marched to the city of Williamsburg in VA where he was attached to the 6th Regt of Virginia troops commanded by Col. Mordecai Buckner that his company officers were Samuel J. Cabell, Capts Benjamin Taliaferro and James Barnett, subalterns
That the said Regt viz the 6th Regt to which he was attached in the character of a private soldier, remained near the said city of Williamsburg at a Camp called Springfield until the full of the year 1776 when I was marched through Pennsylvanian to the state of New Jersey were he was united with the main army under the command of Genl. Washington that after serving the army of Genl Washington he was with it when it was marched to Trenton on the night of the 25th December 1776 he thinks that they crossed the Delaware River at a Ferry called Carrols that he was with Genl Washing at the partial engagement at Trenton and the taking of the Hessians on the next morning at Princeton, That after this he has marched to Amboy in the state of New Jersey, was at Newark and that during the summer of 1777 he was attached to Genl. Morgan’s Rifle Corps and with that corps he joined the northern army under the command of Genl Gates, that he was at the battle of Saratoga and the capture of Genl Burgoyne and his army at that place, that at another time he was engaged with the British forces, he thinks at a place called Edge Hill. That after these services he was marched to a place called Valley Forge he thinks two years for which he had enlisted, discharged at that place about Christmas of 1777 when he returned to his then residence in the said county of Buckingham that some time after this, the day nor year he does not recollect he was drafted in the militia as a private soldier from the said County of Buckingham under the command of Capt Charles Patterson whose subalterns. Were James Barnett and John Barksdale that his company was marched to Norfolk, Virginia where he served his tour of three months when he was discharged.
That after the last mentioned service, but the day nor year he does not recollect he served a tour of three months to the best of his recollection as a private and a Substitute for his brother Charles GILLIAM who had been drafted for the tour from the militia of the county of Bedford, that the last mentioned service was performed under the command of Capt Adam Clemontt under whose command he was marched to South Carolina where he was at the siege and surrender of the British first called Ninety-Five.
That after the expiration of this tour he returned to the county of Amherst, there settled himself and has resided there ever since
That he has no documentary evidence to support his said claim, he herewith presents the testimony of two living witnesses both of whom testify as to his tour in the regular service and one of them also of the tour of three months performed as a substitute for his brother Charles GILLIAM
That he served in the whole two years and six months and he does not know that thence are any other living witnesses by whom he unto more fully prove his said service.
He hereby relinquishes all claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state Interrogator is propounded to the applicant
1st Where and in what year were you born?
Ans: I was born in the year 1754 on Tye River at a place then in the county of Albemarle but it is now in the county of Amherst, VA
2nd Have you any record of your age, and if so, where it is?
Ans: I have no record of my age I speak from what my parents told me of my birth
3rd Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolution War and where do you now live?
Ans: When I enlisted for the first service, spoken of in my declaration by 2 years I was a resident of the county of Buckingham, VA and was living there when drafted first, the second served by 3 months also spoken of in my declaration and was living there when I entered as a substitute of my brother Charles and shortly before or soon after the close of the war I removed to the County of Amherst and settled myself and have here lived ever since.
4th How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute and of a substitute for whom?
Ans: I first enlisted in the regular service for two years, after serving and that time I was drafted for 3 months from the militia and after serving that latter tour I substituted and served 3 months in the militia for my brother Charles GILLIAM
5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such continental and militia regt as you can recollect and the general circumstance of your service.
Ans: I enlisted under Capt. Patterson of the 6 Regt. but several under Capt Saml Cabell? Whose subalterns were Benj Taliaferro, and James Barnett, Col. Buckner was our Col. during my service in the regular army I saw many regular officers Genl Washington, Genl Morgan, Genl Gates and many others, I do not in the great elapse of time recollect the names of the militia Regts that served ____ at any time nor even the names of the militia to which I was elected.
My first militia tour was under Capt Chas Patterson who subalterns were James Barnett and John Barksdale. My second under Capt Adam Clermontt, subalterns not recollected and I do not remember where any of them lived or where they may after or not the general circumstances of my service. I have fully and circumspectly set out in the body of my declaration, which the applicant here repeated.
6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it signed and what has become of it?
Ans: I rec’d regular discharge from my various services but I do not now remember by whom there were signed, all of which discharges have been long since lost or destroyed.
7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can certify to your character for veracity and your behavior and your reputation for services as a solider of the Revolution.
Ans: I am known to the Reverend John Davis and John D. Davis Esq. who will testify to my character for veracity and good behavior, my reputation and there belief of my services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Acheli GILLIAM
Sworn to and subscribe the day and year aforesaid
We, John Davis, a clergyman residing in the county of Amherst and john D. Davis residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Archelaus GILLIAM who has subscribed and subscribes to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 78 years of age as he states, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution that we concur in that opinion.
John Davis
Jno D. Davis
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Tho. N. Eubank
And I Thomas N. Eubank a Justice of the Peace of the County of Amherst aforesaid do hereby declare my opinion after the investigations of the matter and after furthering the interrogation prescribed by the War Department as well as the reading of the affidavits of Jarratt GILLIAM and Jesse Reynolds which are hereto annexed, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the said Thomas N. Eubank further certifies that it appears to him that John Davis who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergy man in the Court at Amherst and that John D. Davis who has also signed the same as a resident of the same County of Amherst and that the said John D. Davis, Jarratt GILLIAM and Jesse Reynolds and John Davis are credible persons and that _____ is ____ to Court and the said Thomas N. Eubank further certifies that the above name applicant Archelaus GILLIAM from bodily infirmity is unable to attend the court of his county.
Tho. N. Eubank
[Archelaus GILLIAM is a son of William and Mary GILLIAM. He served at the Crossing of the Delaware, Valley Forge and at the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. A subaltern, adjective: (Chiefly British) Ranking as a junior officer; being below the rank of captain.]
Sources
- HeritageQuest. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land-Warrant Application Files. www.heritagequestonline.com