Referred to in the file of Benjamin Banner. In 1779 or 1780 Banner marched under Capt. John Halbert against the Tories. They marched through the Quaker Settlement in Guilford County and back to Surry, a tour of about two weeks.

Ephraim Banner file reports rendezvous under Capt. Halbert about June 1, 1779, at Old Richmond. They marched through Surry up the Little Yadkin, from there on the Dan River, and then along the Yadkin River.

Joseph Banner file reports same tour under Capt. Halbert and Lt. Robert Hill.

See also William Merritt file containing declaration of William Merritt and affidavit of Robert Hill re service under Capt. Halbert.

Philip Evans pension declaration cites service to Battle of Cowpens under Capt. Samuel Hampton and Col. McDowell.

A Regular soldier who was present in November 1777 or 1778 when Capt. Joseph Philips enlisted Christopher Eaton and others into service at Surry old Courthouse or Richmond, NC. See Eaton file.

[Wm. Underwood file refers to receipt for service in Surry Co. militia from Moses Harris, 1780]

William Apperson pension file: Declaration of Elizabeth Apperson (76) – Stokes Co., NC – March 19, 1838 – William Apperson was a private soldier as a substitute for William Harrison under Capt. Joseph Philips in Surry County in Col. John Armstrong’s regiment. William marched “northwardly” and fought in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and White Plains and was at New York. Apperson served two years and six months (Harrison had served six months of a three-year enlistment.)

Declaration of Robert Head – Robertson Co., TN, 12 May 1835 – Robert was in Captain Spears voluntary infantry in Surry Co., NC, for a tour of three months. He marched to Salisbury and joined General Rutherford. They then marched to join General Gates before Gates’ defeat at Hanging Rock in South Carolina. During the battle his company was with the baggage wagons and were not in the action. The troops then dispersed.

He volunteered on November 8, 1780, in Surry County in a company under Capt. Benjamin Humphries in Col. Joseph Phillips regiment. They marched to Salisbury to guard British prisoners. He was with them until January 8, 1781, when he learned his father had died and his mother was sick and likely to die. He paid a substitute to serve the balance of his term.

General Green ordered Capt. Minor Smith to raise a company of volunteers as rangers. Robert Head volunteered for six months, serving under Capt. Smith and Lt. James Blackwell. During this tour the legislature at Hillsborough was broken up by Tories headed by Col. Fannin. The legislature went to Salem. The company scoured the country protecting citizens from the depradations of the British and the Tories.

Robert was 77 last November 30. He was born in Orange Co., NC.

He moved to Surry County, NC, where he lived during the Revolution. He then moved to several parts of northern South Carolina and then settled in Robertson County, TN, nineteen years before.

Declaration of Robert Head – 7 June 1832 – On November 8, 1780, he entered service. The company guarded prisoners to Salisbury and was there until spring 1781”when Cornwallis was overrunning that part of North Carolina.” They moved the prisoners to Virginia. Head was discharged February 8. Cornwallis crossed the shallow ford of the Yadkin on February 9.

A National Archives summary letter in the file states that Robert had thirteen children, ranging from William (b. 1786) to Jane (b. 1812). He moved to South Carolina, then back to North Carolina, and then to Robinson County, NC.

The file contains a certificate of substitution for Robert Head signed by Capt. Benjamin Humphries. The name E. Johnson is also on it – perhaps the substitute?

[file not fully abstracted – also contains an 1835 declaration of Robert Head]

Aff. of George Head – Robertson Co., TN, 2 Jan. 1854 – Age 59, son and administrator of Robert Head, who served in the militia from Surry Co., NC.

Robert Head married Martha Elder in 1785 in Surry Co., NC
Robert died in Robertson Co., TN, 25 Dec. 1838.
Martha died in Robertson Co., TN, 20 Feb. 1852.
Their surviving children in 1854 were: Frances H___, George, Hiram, John, Hugh, Sarah Ellis ?, and Martha Winters.

Wm. Epperson and Lewis Johnson have changed divisions; Epperson now stands in the second and has taken the place of Wm. Head, a drafted man in the first division, Wm. Head is therefore discharged. Aug. 2, 1779. Job Martin Capt.

3) Affidavit of William Head – Stokes Co., NC – Mar. 19, 1838 – William Head states he was well acquainted with William Apperson, whom he paid to serve three months in the militia in Head’s place.

John Evans pension declaration states he served in Surry County militia under Capt. Woolridge and Lt. David Hedgepeth [spelling uncertain].

Commissioner of North Carolina to lay the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina, about 1780. File of James Davis, Sr.

Pressed Casper Stults and 50 others were pressed into service by Capt. Pleasant Henderson to guard the commissioners running the line between North Carolina, Virginia, or Kentucky under Colonels Joseph Williams and Richard Henderson. Casper Stultz file.

[Note: There are apparently two Edwin Hickman's – the private soldier born 9 Aug. 1762 and Capt. Edwin Hickman, a brother of Thomas Hickman. Thomas was born 15 Oct. 1762 and could not have had a brother born in August of the same year. Perhaps these men were cousins.]

Declaration of Edwin Hickman – 15 Dec. 1832 – Stokes Co., NC –
Edwin was aged 70 years on 9 August last. Edwin Hickman entered the North Carolina militia as a drafted soldier for three months under Capt. Absalom Bostick in June 1780. He rendezvoused at old Richmond, then the county seat of Surry, and from there marched to Salisbury in Rowan County. From there to Phipers Mill, then he marched and served Gen. Rutherford's brigade near Beaties ford on the Catawba, then back to Salisbury where he remained a few days. He then marched to the trading ford on the Yadkin, returned to Salisbury, and then remained between ten and fifteen days. From Salisbury he marched southward and having been taken sick on the route was left in care of a William Bluman. He was in actual service for eight weeks previous to his illness. He was disabled from his sickness for five or six weeks. This tour was for three months.

In spring of 1781 Edwin served a tour of four weeks under Capt. Gaines or Capt. Cloud and received the enclosed discharge from Capt. Gaines.

Edwin Hickman also stated he served a six week tour under Captains Gaines and Cloud. This company was attached to the command of Gen. Pickens. During this campaign he was in a battle against the British at Allamance in Guilford County. He was also in an engagement at Whitesells mill on the Reedy fork of Haw River, also in Guilford County. His discharge is enclosed. In the above tours Major Joseph Winston was his major.

In fall of 1781 Edwin Hickman served a tour of three months under Capt. Humphries in Gen. Rutherford's Brigade and in Col. James Martin's regiment. A discharge from his captain and Col. Martin is enclosed.

He served a tour of two or three weeks under Capt. Gaines, whose company was attached to the command of Major Smith and Col. William Shepperd.

Edwin Hickman stated he was born in Culpeper Co., VA, on August 9, 1762. When he first entered service, he was living in Surry County and is now living in Stokes County (and has since 1789). He is known to John Venables and Joshua Cox, Sr.

Declaration of Edwin Hickman – 20 Apr. 1855 – Stokes Co., NC –
Edwin Hickman was a private in Capt. Absalom Bostick company in the regiment of North Carolina militia commanded by Col. James Martin. He makes this declaration to receive bounty land.

Original discharges in file
June 24, 1781 signed by James Gains, Capt.
Sept. 23, 1781 Signed by James Gaines Capt.
Nov. 15, 1781 signed by David Humphries Capt. & James Martin, Col.

Mentioned in William Southern file.

Thomas Hickman pension application refers to service under his brother Capt. Edwin Hickman.

John Maib, Sr. in his 1833 declaration states he was a private militia soldier in Surry County in a company commanded by Capt. Edwin Hickman. They marched under Capt. Hickman and his brother Thomas Hickman (Lt.) to the Shallow ford of the Yadkin River in search of Tories and then brought the prisoners captured at Kings Mountain from Guilford battleground to old Moravian Town.

Declaration of Lawrence Angel in his pension file: At the end of May 1781 Lawrence Angel entered service as a substitute under Col. Melmady , a French officer of the regular troops. Captain Hickman was commandant of Angel's company. Gen. Greene commanded this expedition to prevent the British, who had possession of Charleston, from spreading over the company. In a three month tour Angel marched through Roan and Mecklenburgh Counties, NC, to Camden, SC, and then returned home.

Declaration of Thomas Hickman -- * Aug. 1832 – Davidson Co., TN – Aged about 69 on 15 Oct. last. Thomas entered service in 1780 for three-month tour as ensign in Capt. William Meredith'' company in Col. Martin Armstrong'' regiment in Gen. Rutherford'' Brigade. They marched through Salisbury and down the Pedee, when they joined General Gates some time before his defeat at Camden. Hickman was one of the 340 men detailed to reinforce Gen. Thomas Sumpter and was with him on the Friday after Gates' defeat, when he was defeated. At that time Thomas was commanded by Col. Elisha Isaacs.

Thomas Hickman volunteered for 60 days in Capt. Edwin Hickman's company, Col. Robert Lanier's Regiment, in pursuit of the Tories that took the town of Richmond in Surry County. After their defeat a few miles south of the Shallow ford of the Yadkin River, Capt. Hickman's company was ordered to guard the military stores from Salisbury under the command of Capt. Edmond Gamble, a Continental officer, and guarded him as far as Dan River. This was in August or September 1781 soon after the battle of the Cowpens and a little after Cornwallis' army advanced into Guilford County.

Thomas Hickman again volunteered in Captain Hickman's company, Col. John Armstrong's regiment. He joined General Greene's army and was with General Perkins' brigade at the battle at the Allamance and also at Whitsells Mill on Reedy fork and was in the battle at Guilford and served two months and ten days.

Declaration of Thomas Hickman – 29 Apr. 1834 – Davidson Co., TN --

Thomas Hickman, a resident of Davidson Co., TN, aged 71 years states: Thomas was born 15 Oct. 1762 in Albemarle Co., VA. In 1780, while living in Surry Co., NC, he volunteered for a three month tour and was elected ensign in Capt. William Meredith's company. He served this tour in Col. Martin Armstrong's regiment and Gen. Griffith Rutherford's brigade. We marched from Richmond, the county seat of Surry, to the River Pedee and there awaited the arrival of General Gates' army. After the army came up, Thomas was with them the night before Gates defeat detached under the command of Col. Elisha Isaacs to reinforce General Thomas Sumpter. Thomas was in the engagement in which Sumpter was defeated the Friday after Gates' defeat which took place on the [*]. After I had served this tour, I went home.

In the close of 1780 Thomas Hickman served another two-month tour as an ensign under Edwin Hickman as captain in the regiment of Col. Robert Lanier. We were in service for these two months against the Tories on the Yadkin River, during which time the Tories took the town of Richmond in Surry County where I was living.

Thomas also served as a volunteer and ensign during 1781 two months under Edwin Hickman as captain in Col. John Armstrong's Regiment of General Pickens Brigade, first in guarding military stores from Salisbury to the River Dan.. Thomas then joined Gen. Greene's army and was with him in the battle at the Allamance and at Whitsell's Mills on the reedy fork of Haw River and was with them also at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

Thomas served as a private for another three months under Captain Edwin Hickman in Col. John Armstrong's regiment and was with General Graves' army at the Battle of the Eutaw Springs. Thomas stated he was not in that battle for my brother who was captain of the company to which I belonged was then sick and I was sent to nurse him. I myself was then taken sick and was not able to serve further but think that I am entitled to pay for the three months although I was not in the army the whole of that time but was sick part of it.

Thomas served altogether 10 months. He lived in Davidson Co., TN, almost ever since the Revolution.

John Maib, Sr. in his 1833 declaration states he was a private militia soldier in Surry County in a company commanded by Capt. Edwin Hickman. They marched under Capt. Hickman and his brother Thomas Hickman (Lt.) to the Shallow ford of the Yadkin River in search of Tories and then brought the prisoners captured at Kings Mountain from Guilford battleground to old Moravian Town.

William Southern's 1833 pension declaration describes service in a volunteer militia company of infantry under Capt. William Meredith in Surry County, Lt. Hill, and Ensign Hickman, for three months. They marched from Surry Courthouse to Salisbury and there joined headquarters under the command of Gen. Rutherford. From there they marched to a place called Rugeleys Mills near Camden, SC, and remained there for a week or ten days. There was a call for reinforcement to join Gen. Sumpter's Brigade to scour the country and rout a party of British and Tories around about the Cataba Tribe of Indians on the Cataba River. Southern and seven others of Capt. Meredith's company under Ensign Thomas Hickman marched and joined Gen. Sumpter on the Cataba River near the nation of Indians. During this rout, the notorious battle of Gen. Gates' defeat happened, and our army was compelled to flee from the enemy. Our army were "irregularly disperced" and retreated homewards. This happened about August 1780.