Updated November 25, 2022
Overview:
Isaac Gillham according to the pension file married in 1786 or 1787, the daughter of Thomas Kirkpatrick of York County, SC.
State of Illinois, Madison County On this 4th day of September in the year 1832, personally appeared in open Court before their Honors the Judges of the County Commissioners Court for Madison County now sitting Isaac Gillham a resident of Madison County and State of Illinois, aged 74 years, 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 the 7th 1832. That the said Isaac Gillham entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. That he volunteered in the fall of 1777, in Camden district South Carolina and was in the company commanded by Captain Robert Macupfee [?] (in the Company of Horse) in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Thomas Neale [Thomas Neel] and marched into Georgia and was stationed at Phillip's Fort for 50 days, he was then dismissed and returned home.
when the Colonel was killed in the Lieutenant Colonel and Captain both wounded, the next week the head of another battle with the Tories and British defeated the Tories, but the British drove them from the field. Soon after this General Gates sent them some reinforcements and they then marched to Camden where they took some baggage wagons. Soon after this Colonel Tarleton surprised them and defeated them.
He declares that he volunteered again as soon as his wounds would permit in the winter of 1781 and was commanded by Captain Barnett and Major Hartshom [?] He declares that he received in the battle with Colonel Tarleton several wounds and narrowly escaped with life and was disabled for a long time or to the succeeding winter, that they embodied at the Cross Roads in Camden district in marched to Friday's Fort on the West side of the Congaree River and laid siege to it and continued for 3 or 4 days when a band of the British from Camden came and compelled them to retire. That they then went down to a Fort 25 miles below at Colonel Thompson's and laid siege to it in were compelled to retreat from it. They then went down the River to Colonel Floods plantation where they cross the River and went to a Fort at Wrights Bluff Savannah to General Sumter's plantation and took his wife and son and some of his slaves which were left and took them far into the country where he was disbanded. He further declares that he was in several scouting parties in the year 1782 but short tours. He declares that he was in the service of the United States more than 2 years during the war of the Revolution, and served. He has no documents by which to prove his services never received any discharges, and knows of but 2 persons by whom he can prove his services they are John Gillham and William Gillham both living in Madison County and State of Illinois one of them was with him in the service the other knowing of it in have known him ever since. He was born in Augusta County, Virginia, on the 10th day of November 1757, and his parents moved to Carolina in 1763, and he lived there till 1800 when he came to Madison County and State of Illinois where he has lived ever since. He has no record of his birth, nor knows of none. He hereby relinquishes 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 to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Sig: Isaac Gillham
John Gillham
He was again drafted about the first of May 1780 and was commanded as stated in his declaration aforesaid and served as a private soldier till the 18th of August when he was a resident of the County of Madison hereby certifies that he is well acquainted with Isaac Gillham, who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration and knows that he served as therein stated as he was with him most of the time, and had the care of him while he was confined with his wounds and believes that he served more than 2 years in the war of the revolution. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Sig: John Gillham
William Gillham a resident of the County of Madison, hereby certifies that he is well acquainted with Isaac Gillham, who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration, and knows that he was in the service as stated in his declaration, and that he was at his house while he was confined with his wounds and believes that he was in the service more than 2 years. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Sig: Wm Gillham
State of Illinois, Madison County On this 10th day of June personally appeared before me the undersigned an acting Justice of the peace within and for the County of Madison and State aforesaid Isaac Gillham who being duly sworn according to law makes the following amended Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress &c passed June the 7th 1832. That he volunteered in the month of December about the 15th in the year 1777 at the place mentioned in his declaration of the 4th of September 1832, and served as a private soldier as stated in said declaration for 50 days and returned. He was drafted on the 29th of March 1778 and served as a private soldier and was commanded as stated in the said Declaration and served till August following when he returned home wounded and completely disabled and remained so till about the first or 15th of February 1781. He then volunteered and was commanded as stated in his former declaration and served as a private soldier till about the first of May 1781, when he was disbanded.
He declares that he was out in many scouting parties during the fall of 1781 the winter and spring of 1782 and had many skirmishes with the Tories & British and was under Colonel Bratton and Captain Barnett and served as a private soldier and served till sometime in the summer of 1782, and was completely employed so that he could not perform any private business during more than 6 months while he was employed in the scouting parties. But from old age and his consequent loss of memory he cannot recollect the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades, to wit:
for 2 years and 20 days I served as a private soldier, and for such service I claim a pension.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 10th day of June 1833.
Sig: Isaac Gillham
Sig: William E. Starr, JP
Sources
- Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements. Pension application of Isaac Gillham S32270, Transcribed by Will Graves. www.southerncampaign.org