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On January 17, 1781, General Daniel Morgan, the brilliant strategist, defied conventional warfare tactics and placed his army with their backs to Broad River near the Cow Pens in rural Spartanburg District, South Carolina. Aware that he led many unseasoned soldiers , he asked each man to give him "two shots, " advising each could fall back after he fired his two shots.
The Irish born William Caldwell was one of the men to whom Morgan directed his request. His participation in the Battle of Cowpens was documented by W27727, his Application for Revolutionary War...
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On January 17, 1781, General Daniel Morgan, the brilliant strategist, defied conventional warfare tactics and placed his army with their backs to Broad River near the Cow Pens in rural Spartanburg District, South Carolina. Aware that he led many unseasoned soldiers , he asked each man to give him "two shots, " advising each could fall back after he fired his two shots.
The Irish born William Caldwell was one of the men to whom Morgan directed his request. His participation in the Battle of Cowpens was documented by W27727, his Application for Revolutionary War Pension. The application was transcribed by Will Graves.
Southern Campaign
American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of William Caldwell
W227271 Margaret fn130SC
Transcribed by Will Graves
The State of South Carolina,
Spartanburg District: to wit
On this 29th day of September 1832 Personally appeared in open court, before the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and Sessions, now Sitting, William Caldwell, a resident of Spartanburg District in the said State aged Sixty-eight 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 7, 1832 –
that he entered the Service under the following named officers and served as herein stated. I entered the service in the militia as a Substitute on or about the first day of March 1780 under command of Captain John Collins, and Colonel Thomas and served a tour of only three months. In July following I again joined the Army as a volunteer under Captain Collins and fought in the Battle at Blackstock's2 under command of General Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter] in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Thomas. I then continued in the service on various small scouts until the Battle at the Cowpens3, where I fought in Colonel Thomas' Regiment under command of General Morgan [Daniel Morgan]. -- I then thought in the Battle at Watkins4 both in the evening and morning fight. I then continued in the service under Captain Benning [?] and sometimes under Captain Collins sometimes against the Indians, and other scouting service until May 1782 at which time the company was generally disbanded and the men returned to their homes without any regular discharges. -- I have no documentary evidence of my services. --
I was born in Ireland, and have no record of my age, & do not know that any exists. --
I resided in South Carolina when I entered the service and all my services were rendered in South Carolina except three months in Georgia and a few days in North Carolina.
I never obtained a written discharge – and for my character for truth, and moral conduct, as well as my services, I respectfully refer to the Rev. William Dickson, Captain John Collins or any other respectable man of my neighborhood. --
I do hereby relinquish every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the Pension Roll of any State or the agency of any State. --
Sworn to in open court.
S/ Wm Campbell
S/ Jno B. O'Neall, Pres. Judge
1 BLWt17887-160-55
2 November 20, 1780
3 January 17, 1781
4 February 1781.
[fn p. 61: Michael Dickson, a clergyman, A. B. Moore and John Collins gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
South Carolina
Spartanburg District: to wit
On this first day of May 1833 personally appeared before the Subscriber a Justice of the Quorum Ex officio in and for said District, William Caldwell, who being sworn in due form of law, on his oath saith in addition to his Declaration herewith attached, that, under Captain John Collins I served a Tour of three months – in the year 1780 commencing on or about the first of March. In August following I again joined the Army, as stated in my Declaration, and continued until the end of the War, being upwards of two years – and according to the best of my recollection, I served in all two years and three months – I recollect this length of service, and other small tours of service of a few days, or weeks, are not recollected or County – all my services were rendered as a private, and I claim as a private only.
Sworn to & subscribed before me
1st May 1833,
S/ William Caldwell
S/ Wm Trimmier, J Q Ex Off
South Carolina
Spartanburg District: to wit
On this 20th of August 1833, personally appeared before me, William Trimmier a magistrate for the District aforesaid, William Caldwell, who being duly sworn on his oath, in addition to the declaration heretofore made and the Amendment thereto, saith that on the first of March 1780 he entered the service of the United States, as a Substitute, in the place of his Father John Caldwell, in the District of Ninety Six; for the Term of three months – under the command of Captain John Collins, in the Regiment commanded by Colonel John Thomas, that he was marched to Augusta, in the State of Georgia – from there to Cupboard Creek, where he remained two or three weeks – from there to Spirit Creek, where he remained until the fall of Charleston; shortly after the fall of Charleston, he was marched back to Augusta, where he was verbally discharged by Captain Collins, having served a tour of 3 months. – That the above service was rendered as a private Soldier.
After the Battle at Blackstocks Musgrove's in August 1780, I again entered the service, as a volunteer, under Captain Collins and Colonel Thomas's Regiment in the District of Ninety Six, and served as a private to the end of the war to wit, in July 1782, having served two years and three months from the commencement of my services – during which time I was in the Battle at Blackstocks, General Sumter, and Colonels Thomas and Chandler, commanded, the Battle at the Cowpens, General Morgan commanding the Regulars and General Pickens commanding the Militia – and Colonel Washington commanding the Cavalry, see former Declaration.
Sworn to & subscribed before me
20th of August 1833
S/ Wm Trimmier, JQ Ex Off
S/ William Caldwell
The State of South Carolina
Spartanburg District: to wit
Before me William Trimmier Judge of the Court of ordinary & Ex officio Justice of the Quorum in & for said District Personally appeared William Caldwell who being duly sworn & saith in addition to his original declaration & amendment thereto that by reason of old age & consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service But to the best of his knowledge & recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades –
On the 1st of March 1780 he entered the service of his Country in the Revolutionary War as a substitute in the militia of the State of South Carolina as a private in place of his Father John Caldwell of Ninety Six District for the term of three months under the command of Captain John Collins in the Regiment commanded by Colonel John Thomas and fully served out that term for which he was drafted. In July 1780, the day after the Battle at Musgrove's, he volunteered as a private in the militia under Captain Collins in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Thomas, in the District of Ninety Six & served until July, 1782 having served two years when he was fully discharged in the District of Ninety Six by Captain John Barry. His services were rendered in the South Carolina Militia – During the periods above named he was in the State of Georgia – For further particulars see the original Declaration and amendments thereto – during the periods above named he was not engaged in any civil pursuit – that he served with an embodied Corps called out as he was informed & verily believes by competent authority.
Sworn to & subscribed before me
the 11th of November 1833
S/ Wm Trimmier
S/ Wm Caldwell
State of South Carolina
Spartanburg District: to wit,
On this 27th day of May 1834, personally appeared before the subscribing Justice, William Caldwell who being duly sworn in legal form on his oath saith, that he entered the Army of the United States on the 1st of March 1780 under Captain Collins in Colonel Thomas' Regiment and served a tour of three months, principally in Georgia, – On the 19th day of August 1780 (the day after the Battle at Musgrove's on Enoree [River]) he again joined the Army under the same officers, and continued in constant service until the 20th of November 1780 when the Battle of Blackstocks on Tyger River was fought – he then joined the command of General Morgan, and remained under his orders until the Battle of the Cowpens on the 18th January 1781 [sic, January 17, 1781] – I immediately of [sic, after] the battle of the Cowpens, I joined the command of General Pickens in Captain Berry's Company and continued in constant service on scouts and as a spy on the frontier until May 1782 when he finally left the Army as before stated.
Sworn to & subscribed before me t
he date first above written.
S/ Wm Caldwell
South Carolina
Spartanburg District: to wit
On this 15th day of July 1834 personally appeared before me, William Trimmier, a Magistrate in and for said District, William Caldwell, who has recently received a certificate of pension for the sum of $26.66 under the act of Congress of 7th of June 1832 – And who being sworn in due form of law, for the purpose of increasing the pension aforesaid, on his oath saith, that on the first of March 1780, he commenced a tour of 3 months, under Captain John Collins, and performed the said Tour in said Company in Colonel Thomas' Regiment principally in the State of Georgia. On the nineteenth of August 1780, he again joined the Army at Musgrove's Mill (the day after the Battle at that place) and continued in the service, as he concedes, until the end of the War, to wit, in the spring of 1782 – and according to the best of his recollection, his length of service extended to 2 years and upwards – but to recount each period of duty, or the date thereof, is impossible – as his recollection has materially failed & he is unwilling to make statements unless clearly within his recollection.
Sworn to & subscribed before me
this 15th of July 1834
S/ Wm Trimmier, J Q. Ex Off.
S/ William Caldwell
South Carolina
Spartanburg District:
to wit Personally appeared before the Subscriber, Captain John Collins,5 who being sworn saith that he was well and intimately acquainted with William Caldwell, who makes the foregoing affidavit during the Revolutionary War, that said Caldwell did serve under the Command of this Deponent for some time – that he knew the said Caldwell to the so generally in the Service – as to induce this Deponent to believe that he did serve in the space of two years.
Sworn to & subscribed before me
15th of July 1834
S/ Wm Trimmier
S/ John Collins
South Carolina
Spartanburg District
Personally came before me the Subscribing Justice, Captain Thomas Hanna, who being sworn saith that he well knew William Colwell [sic] above mentioned during the Revolutionary War – that he knew the said Colwell to be in service and that he was an active and valuable soldier – this Deponent cannot recollect the precise time of his, the said Caldwell's Services, but from the good moral character of the said Caldwell, he would feel disposed to believe what he would say on his oath.
S/ Thos. Hanna
[fn p. 43]
South Carolina Spartanburg District: to wit Personally came before the Subscriber, a magistrate in and for said District, William Caldwell, who being sworn saith, that his Declaration and the amendments herewith attached, containing all the matter he can state as to his services in the Revolution. That he cannot recollect the days and hours of his entry or discharge from the different companies in which he served – nor even the number of the tours of Service – but from the best recollection which he can now have the time before stated, is short of the real time of his Service, and is made up of various small tours of service, and not of one general tour, as the Pension agent seems to think – that his recollection is too much impaired to recollect dates.
Sworn to & subscribed before me
18th ? 1834
S/ Wm Trimmier, JQ ExOff
S/ Wm Caldwell
South Carolina
Spartanburg District:
Personally came before me James Alexander6 being duly sworn and saith on said oath that he was well acquainted with William Caldwell in the Revolutionary war who then lived in the District aforesaid and has ever since, and that he entered the service of his Country about the middle of August 1780 and served a Tower [tour] of Duty under Colonel John Thomas Junior and that he also served another Tower of Duty under Colonel Benjamin Roebuck in the year 1781 and that he the Deponent knew him the said Caldwell to serve under other officers until the summer 1782 and the Deponent further saith that he was with the said Caldwell in 4 engagements in [&] during the Revolutionary War and that he has been acquainted with said Caldwell ever since and that he is a man of Respectability and Truth.
Sworn to and subscribed
the 4th day of November 1834
S/ Samuel Pierson, JP
S/ James Alexander
5 John Collins S8248
6 James Alexander W9327
Personally came before me the Subscribing Magistrate – William Caldwell who in explanation of his Revolutionary Services, on his oath saith that he did serve under Colonel Thomas when Colonel Roebuck was the Lieutenant Colonel – and that this may account for the certificate of the Comptroller General certificate of his services under Colonel Roebuck.
Sworn to and subscribed before me
6th February 1835
S/ Wm Trimmier, J Q Ex. Off.
S/ William Caldwell
State of South Carolina
Spartanburg district: to wit
Personally came before me the Subscribing Magistrate Captain John Collins who being sworn saith that he knew William Caldwell who now applies for an increase of Pension, during the Revolutionary War and that he knew no other by that name within the range of the Service of the said William Caldwell. This Deponent further states that Colonel Roebuck did serve as Lieutenant Colonel under Colonel Thomas and afterwards commanded as a Colonel separate from Colonel Thomas. This deponent believes that the applicant served under both officers, and is well satisfied that no other William Caldwell belonged to either Regiment.
Sworn to & subscribed before me
6th February 1835
S/ Wm Trimmier, J W Ex. Off
S/ John Collins
[fn p. 5: On July 27, 1840 in Spartanburg District South Carolina, Margaret Caldwell, 63, filed for a widow's pension under the 1838 act stating that she is the widow of William Caldwell a pensioner for his service in the revolution; that she married him December 20, 1792; that her husband died April 20, 1840; and that she continues to be his widow; that she has no record of her marriage but she sends with her application the back leaf of an old Confession of Faith in the handwriting of her husband.]
[fn p. 10: family record: William Caldwell & Margaret Crawford was married December the 20th 1792 Margaret Caldwell born the 20th day of February 1777 Act of the Commission of the General Assembly renewing the Solemn Leak & Covenant January the 3rd 1816 Ellennor Caldwell was born May the 28th 1816 John C Caldwell was born May the 21st 1797 Wrote by him this 22nd of June 1818]
[fn p. 14: On April 10, 1855 in Spartanburg District South Carolina, Margaret Caldwell, 79, filed for her bounty land entitlement as the widow of William Caldwell.]
[fn p. 17: On May 16, 1867 in Spartanburg district South Carolina, John C Caldwell , 70, executor of the estate of the widow applied for the reinstatement of her pension benefits following the Civil War; he states that she died October 22, 1863 leaving surviving her several children as follows:
Mary Miller,
Jane McKerley,
John C Caldwell,
Catharine Hadden,
Patrick C Caldwell,
James Caldwell,
Elizabeth Hadden,
Margaret Gaston,
Ellender Wright,
William K. Caldwell, and
Ann Anderson.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $80 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for service as a private in the South Carolina militia. This pension amount was increased from $26.66 per annum.]
May this memorial serve as an expression of the gratitude we owe William Caldwell for risking his life and braving the unknown to help build a new country: our America. |
