In the great SOUTHERN CAMPAIGN Graves-Harris website Leon Harris has transcribed the 1832 pension application of this David Cockerham. [Well, I took the liberty of posting this before sending it to Leon and to Will Graves. The South being the South (where, as my triple cousin Lois Gore says, if you are not kin you are connected), Leon Harris emailed back his OK to quoting his transcription and added that we were probably cousins from his Rachel Cockerham who married a Wood. Oh, you mean my Cousin Edward's daughter!)] Here with thanks to [now I can say Cousin] Leon is the opening:
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension Application of David Cockerham: S8240 Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of North Carolina} Surry County}
On this 15th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of Record and opened and held as such this day for the County and State aforesaid, David Cockerham resident in the County of Surry and State of North Carolina aged sixty nine years on the 25th of November next, who being first sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832; that he the said David Cockerham entered the service of the United States for three months in the spring of the year when Charleston in South Carolina was taken [on 12 May 1780]; in the company commanded by Capt James Freeman of the said County of Surry; that he entered as a substitute in the place of his uncle William Cockerham of the County and State aforesaid; that his company commanded by Capt Freeman as aforesaid marched to Richmond then the County Town of Surry County. They remained at this place some weeks and from thence they marched to Salisbury in Rowan County; from thence they marched to Camden in the State of South Carolina; from thence to Nelsons Ferry [at Eutaw Springs] on the Santee River; from thence down this side of the River for the purpose of aiding in the defence of Charleston which was then besieged by the British. At Camden Capt Freeman joined Gen [Richard] Caswell from North Carolina, who with a considerable body of the North Carolina militia was also marching for the relief of Charleston – when Gen Caswell had gone on from [smudge] to Nelsons Ferry and from thence down the River towards Charleston and so near it as to hear the firing of the Cannons, he was informed by some of the American soldiers who had escaped from the siege, that Charleston had fallen, and he thereupon inclined the Troops under his command to march back to Camden; from thence he marched to Fayetteville in North Carolina, and from there on to a place called Dobsons Cross Roads in Surry County, but now Stokes County by a division of the said County of Surry. At Dobsons Cross Roads he the said David Cockerham was discharged but he does not now remember whether he obtained a written discharge; if he did he has lost the same.
And the said David Cockerham further states that again entered the service as a drafted militia soldier in the company commanded by Capt Edward Lovill [or Lovell] of Surry County for the period of three months; that they marched to the Town of Salem in the said County of Surry where they joined General Pickins [sic: Andrew Pickens; see note below] who commanded the Troops from South Carolina; after joining General Pickins they marched down into Randolph County No Carolina in pursuit of the celebrated Tory officer named Fannin, or Fanning [David Fanning]; from Randolph they marched into Chatham County in pursuit of the same Tory officer and his party, and not being able to overtake the enemy the whole company was discharged at a place called the Widow Deaton’s[?] in said County of Chatham; that he does not remember whether or not he obtained a written discharge, but if he did it has been lost – The time he was engaged for having expired. . . . .
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