THOMAS TART

Revolution Pension Application

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, SAMPSON COUNTY

On this 15th day of August, 1833, personally appeared before us, James Benn't and John King, two of the Justices of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, Thomas Tart, a resident of Sampson County in the State of North Carolina, aged 72 years, and 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 7th 1832.

That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated:

That as near as he can recollect, it was in the month of June, 1779, a draft was to take place in the Company to which he belonged, for the term of nine months; that the company was to furnish six men; that in order not to stand a draft, the company made up two hundred dollars Continental money to any one who would volunteer; that rather than be drafted he took the money and volunteered under the command of Capt. Wm. Williams; and that himself and what men were drafted from the regiment rendezvoused at Windsor, Bertie County and remained there about a week; and from Windsor they were marched to the town of Halifax in Halifax County, but before they arrived at Halifax they met some Continental Officers who took command of the militia; that when they arrived at Halifax, there was a considerable army stationed there; that he was placed in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Hogan, and a Major Hogg, Captain Redding Blount and Lieutenant Reuben Wilkinson; that they were there stationed as much as three or four weeks; that they were marched from Halifax to go to West Point Fort on the North River, and as he understood, to fill up the Third North Carolina Regiment; that they marched under the Command of the Continental Officers already named; that when the Regiment got to New Kent County, Virginia, Lieutenant Wilkinson, as he supposes, got a parole to visit his father in said county, and took him (TART) along with him to wait on him;

After staying with the father of Lieutenant Wilkinson some time, they went on after the Army, but never overtook them till they got to West Point. They went through Richmond, Fredericksburg, Alexandria in Va., Georgetown, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Princeton, N. J. They stayed all night. Lieutenant Wilkinson slept in a tavern and he slept in a cottage. When they arrived at West Point they found their Regiment back of the Fort on the Commons; that the regiment was there encamped in their tents until the balance of their time of service expired; that he believes there were several armies stationed about in that country on the opposite side of the river and some were above them on the river; that there was a large iron chain stretching across the river as he understood to prevent the British shipping from going up the river; that he never was in any battle; that nearly all the time for which he volunteered he had to wait on his Captain and Lieutenant in their tents -- until Lieutenant Wilkinson and a Lieutenant Yarborough of another company fought a duel and Lieutenant Wilkinson was wounded in the left arm; that he had to attend him while under the doctor's care; they went up the river to a town called New Windsor where there was a hospital, while there under the Doctor, their time of service expired and the company discharged and his commander that left home with him, big William Natfood, John Hale, John Hogard, Patrick Hogard and Nathan Cobb returned home to Bertie County, North Carolina without him; that his Lieutenant told him to go to Philadelphia where he would find Colonel Hogan who would give him discharge; when he got to Philadelphia, he understood that Colonel Hogan was promoted to the rank of General.

He ordered him (Tart) to be inoculated immediately with the small pox, and sent to the hospital in Philadelphia; that before he got well of the small pox he was taken with the putrid fever; that his life was for some time despaired of; that Doctor Jackson was principal and Doctor Reid assistant Superintendent of the hospital; that when he was able to leave the hospital, General Hogan wrote a Discharge and gave him, and told him he might go home -- but being yet feeble and left alone, he was at a loss what to do. He was told that he could get employ on board a Letter of Marquee bound to the West Indies on a trading voyage; he done so and went on board the ship Clay, formerly called the Ship Liverpool.

They sailed from the port of Philadelphia, and when they had left the capes of Delaware, about three days, they captured an English Brig, laden with supplies to the English Army at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and sent her to Alexandria in Virginia· They sailed then to an island called Eustatia or Saint Eustatia where they unloaded their tobacco and stoves and loaded the ship with salt, and returned to the United States. The ship was commanded by Captain Sterman Coulter and John Douglass and Lieutenant Tanner A. Fisher. When we got as far as Chester on the Delaware River, the ice prevented her going any farther; that he went to Chester and worked with a shoemaker for his victuals while he got his share of the prize money; when he returned to his father's house in Bertie County, North Carolina, being absent one year and ten months.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the presents and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of this agency or any states other than only on that of the agency of the State of North Carolina.

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, in the presence of:

John King, J.P. and James Bennett, J.P.

THOMAS TART

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