Pension Application of Savage Littleton S32378

The United States of America }
Territory of Arkansas }
County of Pulaski }

At a Circuit Court begun and helden in and for the County of Pulaski in the Territory of Arkansas at the Court House in the Town of Little Rock on the Sixth day of October in the Year of Christ one thousand Eight Hundred and thirty Four. Present Hon Benjamin Johnson one of the Judges of the Superior Court in and for the Territory of Arkansas, and assigned by law to hold the Courts in the Second Judicial Circuit of said Territory of which the Circuit Court for the County of Pulaski is one of said Circuit Courts.

Whereupon on the tenth[?] day of October in the Year of Christ, one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and before the same Judge the following proceedings were had to wit:

This day appeared Savage Littleton a citizen of the County of Pulaski and filed his Declaration in the words and figures following for the purpose of securing the benefit of the act of Congress approved the 7 day of June Anno Domini 1832 th granting pensions to the officers and soldiers of the Revolutionary War to wit:

United States of America } Circuit Court aforesaid County Territory of Arkansas } October Term AD 1834 County of Pulaski } Savage Littleton a Citizen of the County of Pulaski and Territory aforesaid aged Eighty Four years on the third day of March last. This day appeared in Open Court and being Solemly sworn on the holy Evangelists on his oath aforesaid doth make the following Declaration to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832.

He states that he was born in Kent County in the State of Delaware whence when small he moved to Johnson [sic: Johnston] County in the State of North Carolina. That he is from the best of his information Eight four years of Age. He states that on account of his advanced age and consequent loss of memory he cannot state precisely the dates and times of his service, but that to the best of his recollection it was as follows. He states that just before the battle at Moores Creek [sic: Moores Creek Bridge in Pender County NC, 27 Feb 1776], he determined to repair to the scene of action and enter the service of his Country, that he with two or three others started from their homes and hastened to join their countrymen, then near the scene of battle; that before reaching Moores Creek ;finding that the battle was over, they changed their course, and still resolving to aid their Country in her sinking fortunes entered South Carolina.

He further states, that immediately on entering that state, he attached himself to the Company of Volunteers under the command of their Captain Henry Counsel then waiting a call to go into active Service; that shortly after his arrival in South Carolina, but how long thereafter, owing to the causes aforesaid he cannot state precisely, there was a call for the volunteers to march to Charleston, he states further that upon this call, drafts were also made of malitia, and that he was about to be drafted but that he was released by his promise to serve as a volunteer until the end of the war. That agreeable to this promise he joined a Company of Volunteers, commanded by Henry William Arrington, to the best of his recollection with which company he marched to Charleston that some of the Company were on foot and some on horses, and that he himself was among the former; that they arrived at Charleston a day or two before the brittish fleet under the Command of Sir Peter Parker came into the harbor [before the Battle of Sullivans Island, 28 to 29 June 1776] and this company to which he belonged marched to Hadwell point [sic: Haddrell Point] so called and encamped when the Company was attached to the regiment commanded by Major Oree [sic: Horry] & Colonel Oree [sic: Daniel Horry] and to the part of the Army commanded by General [John] Armstrong, he also states that before the volunteers marched to Charleston it had been their intention to attack one Major Mansen of the British Army who was understood to be at a place called indifferently Sharup[?] Savannah, Club House, or Long Bay, however, they were prevented by the call to Charleston.

He further states that they remained encamped on Hadwell Point untill the fleet came in when the Volunteers were ordered to the upper end of Sullivans Island [at Breach Inlet] opposite Fort Moultrie, which position they were ordered to keep He states that he thinks there were about three hundred men in that detachment and that they kept this position until the British set sale for New York when they marched back to Hadwell Point and thence after about a month they moved into the interior where anticipating no danger from the British, the severity of their discipline was relaxed, and they had a measure at liberty, except they were continually forced to be out on Scouting parties against the Tories who were exceedingly troublesome. He states that the Captain of the Company to which he belonged was at first Henry William Arrington aforesaid, but that said Arrington shortly afterwards receiving the rang of Major, James Hicks became Captain and Lewis Connor Lieutenant of said Company. He further states tht according to the best of his recollection, about six months had elapsed after the arrival of the volunteers into the interior when a battle took place between the volunteers and the brittish at Hanging Rock in which he was engaged [see note below]. He thinks that there was only one command of the Major; and he believes the enemy to have been the 87 Infantry commanded by Archibald McArthur or McCarty; to which belief he was led by the circumstances of his having taken a prisoner afterwards by a party of the same regiment. In this engagement he lost his Captain James Hicks. He does not know whether he was killed in action or whether he was put on board a prison ship where he died. He states that he has heard both accounts. He states that the british kept the Ground, and the Volunteers retreated to the North, but he still did not leave the State of South Carolina. He further states that owing to the causes above mentioned, he cannot remember at what precise time the volunteers were next called to aid the regular forces, but thinks it was when General [Horatio] Gates was on his march to the State of South Carolina. At that time and when Lord Cornwallis was near Camden, he marched in the same Company to which he had theretofore belonged to join General Gates under Maj John Speed, but he states that is now impossible for him to state at what time the said Speed obtained the command of Major. He states that the company to which he belonged was after changed about and under different majors that the said John Speed was Captain of the Company to which he belonged after the aforementioned James Hicks and that he was afterwards elevated to the rank of Major, and thence to that of Colonel. He further states that the force to which He was attached had arrived to within three or four days march of Camden, when Gates was defeated [16 Aug 1780]; that they were hindered from joining Gates by McArthur (or McCarty) rushing into the aid of Cornwallis, and that therefore they gave ground again, and retreated to their former quarters, further in the interior, where they scattered, each man shifting for Himself. He further states that shortly after this He was taken prisoner, together with one other man, with arms in their hands, a little distance from the Cheraw Hills by a party from the troops of McArthur (or McCarty) who was then encamped with his regiment at those hills; He also states that McArthur or McCarty examined him closely; and that he confessed that he had been a soldier, that he was urged to join the British troops, but steadily refused and was paroled, which parole he broke three weeks thereafter, and was again in his company of Volunteers with arms in his hands; He further states that a few weeks thereafter the volunteers separated again, as the departure of Cornwallis from the State had made it in a measure quiet, but that still he was always subject to call, and was frequently in scouting parties, until the news arrived of the defeat of Cornwallis [19 Oct 1781]; He further states that during his whole term of service he was often acting as Sergeant or Corporal, and that He was in several minor engagements, which he cannot now particularize, that he does not make any account of the little skirmishes he had in scouting up and down; that he was [illegible word] at that, almost; He also further states, that during the whole term of his Service, he did nothing at Home of any value; He further states that after the end of the war he married in South Carolina, that after residing there about two or three years he moved to Georgia where he lived fourteen years that thence he went to Kentucky where he lived about six or seven years, that then He returned to South Carolina where he remained about two years, that then he again returned to Kentucky where he lived in Lexington one year, that thence he removed to Pore[?] River in then[?] Kentucky, where he lived five or six years, that thence he moved to Tennessee in which State he resided near Nashville one year, in Robinson [sic: Robertson] County seven or eight years, and in the western district untill about a year ago, when he moved to this Territory, all which he states according to the best of his recollection, not being able from the causes above stated to be more particular & precise. He states that he has not to his knowledge, in his possession, nor does he know of, any documentary evidence to prove his services, nor does he know now of any person alive who can testify to them. He refers to Wiley Palmer, Isaiah Palmer, and Johnson Williard, citizens of the County of Pulaski, who can testify to his character for veracity and as to their belief of his services as a soldier in the Revolution.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any agency in any state or Territory Savage hisXmark Littleton

NOTE: No battle with British troops is known to have occurred at Hanging Rock or anywhere else in South Carolina at the time stated by Littleton. There was a skirmish between North Carolina partisans and loyalists at Hanging Rock on 30 Jul 1780, and there was a battle there on the following 6 Aug. At the battle the loyalists and British under Major John Carden lost decisively to Gen. Thomas Sumters partisans. Major Archibald McArthur of the 71st Regiment of Foot was in the Cheraw Hills at the time of these engagements and was in command at Camden during the battle near there.