Revolutionary War Pension of Moses Nelson

This is not the complete pension record, just the part that relates to Kentucky.

Page 5-6

State of Kentucky
County of Bath

On this 8th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Honl. Judge of the Circuit Court of the County of Bath, now sitting Moses Nelson a resident of the County of Bath and State of Kentucky 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 passes June 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated (to wit)

About the first of June 1778 I enlisted in Captain John Holder’s Company in Rowan County in the state of North Carolina and marched to Kentucky. On the 24th day of June 1778 we arrived at Boonesborough Ky. where we found the people in the garrison, in a most distressed situation, in want of almost every thing within, besides the danger they were constantly exposed to from the Indians without lurking in the cane watching an opportunity to take a prisoner or a scalp.

In this situation we continued until the month of August ensuring when the ten Frenchmen and Capt. Blackfish the Shawnee Chief with 300 warriors appeared in sight of the forts and professed friendship upon condition that Colo. Boon would surrender the fort into their possession. Colo. Boon and his men declined to accede to the proposition then Capt. Blackfish proposed a treaty, which was agreed to. The next day Colo. Boon and his officers were to meet Blackfish and his Chiefs at a Spring about 60 yards from the fort. Accordingly they preceeded to the appointed place. At the conclusion of the said treaty, Blackfish said the custom among then was for two Indians to take hold of one white man, and shake hands strong to make a lasting treaty. When the Indians had got hold of the white men’s hands they attempted to make prisoners of them. The men from the fort fired on the Indians, they run and all our men got into the fort safe and unhurt, except one man who received a slight wound. The Indians then attacked the fort and besieged the fort for nine days and nights without a cessation of hostilities. They then raised the siege. The Indians continued very troublesome throughout the whole country. There were at that time only four garrisons in the Country (Towit) One at Boonsborough, one called Logan’s Station, the Falls of the Ohio, and at Harrodsburgh. We were kept in constant service. About the last of May 1779 Colo. Bowman raised a company of volunteers from the garrisons to march against a Shawnee town called Chilicothe. I belonged to Capt. Holder’s company. We arrived about day break at the town whereupon a battle ensued and continued until about 9 oclock when a Negro woman came out and told our officers that they had sent runners to Preaway [?] for Simon Gurty, and a strong party of Indians. Colo. Bowman upon that information ordered a retreat, we left the town. The Indians pursued us and about one or two oclock they came up with us in the woods. They attacked us, we formed and gave them battle, each party took shelter behind trees. We remained on the ground until late in the day where we charged them and drove them off the ground. We lost 9 men killed and got two scalps. We then returned to Kentucky, I went to Boonesborough and remained there till the spring 1781. I then went to the falls of the Ohio, and I think about the first May 1780. I enlisted in the regular service under Captain Weatherton in the Illinois regiment for two years. I marched immediately to the Iron banks on the Mississippi under the command of General George Rogers Clark, continued there until my term of service expired, marched back to Kentucky and was then discharged. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. And that he has so lost or mislaid his discharge so that he cannot get it, but can prove his services partly by Josiah Collins, and partly by Edward Parker.

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

Moses Nelson