Pension Application of John Fugat S3369
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
State of Tennessee
Cocke County
Be it remembered that on this 27 day of May 1833 before the Worshipful the Justices of
the Court of pleas & quarter sessions for the County aforesaid appeared John Fugat aged
seventy years, and to obtain the provisions of the act of Congress of the 27th [sic: 7th] of June
1832 made and subscribed the following declaration towit. that he was born in the County of
Shenandoah state of Virginia on the 22d day of May 1764 according to the family register now in
his possession. that his father removed to Montgomery county Virginia where he was principally
raised, and in the year 1780 the fall of said year as well as recollected in october he was drafted
to perform a three months tour of duty as a militia man in the aforesaid County of Montgomery
State of Virginia, and was at the time aforesaid enrolled under Capn [Frederick] Edwards, and
was put under the command of Col [William] Preston, and marched from Montgomery across the
mountain at the Flower gap [in present Carroll County] to the State of North Carolina with a view
of joining Genl Green [sic: Nathanael Greene; see endnote] who at the time was in conflict with
the British army then in the carolina, that on the march they found the tories very numerous and
imbodied, and at the head of Catawba had an engagement with a body of tories & ranged[?] that
part of the country in order to suppress the tories, finding that they could not join Greens army
in time to render efficient service. and after subdueing the tories and restoring quiet in the up
part of North Carolina returned back to Montgomery County, and was discharged by his Captain
Edwards, said service being for three months and actually amounted to that time.
Again in the same winter after his return from North Carolina the Shawnee Indians had
been making depredations in the frontier and killing the inhabitants, and declarant was again
drafted to go against said indians and was enrolled under Lieutenant Harbert (the Cap’n of the
company not going) and the Indians not being imbodied the men who were drafted were sent
out in detached companies, & the company commanded by Harbert to which declarent belonged
scouted on the headwaters of Clench [sic: Clinch River] Bluestone and Sandy but the Indians
hearing of the approach of the militia retreated & the men returned home after being out in said
service one month, and this declarant obtained a discharge from Lieutenant Harbert.
Again in the month of February 1781 he was again drafted in the same County & state to
go to the south when Cornwallis was on his march through that Country and was enrolled under
Captain Edwards, and marched across the mountains through the flower gap, and was again
under Col Preston marched under him until the militia from that part of Virginia reached Salem
and Greens army being at the time at Guilford Court House marched on to that place & joined
him there, and under his command marched in pursuit of Cornwallis toward Virginia [sic: see
endnote] until orders were given to about four hundred of the Militia (declarent of the number
to return back & guard the prisoners who had been taken at Kings mountain & were then
stationed at Salem N Carolina, which service he continued to perform until the experation of his
time, being three months and obtained a discharge from Captain Edwards & returned home,
which said three tours of duty in the whole amounted to seven months and for which he claims
a pension or annuity.
That he has no documentary evidence by which to establish his said service, having lost
his several discharges. nor is there to his knowledge any person by whom he can establish his
actual servitude at this late period, but that William Forby and Spencer Forby are persons known
to him & he to them & by whom he can establish reputation of service. there being no resident
minister of the Gospel in his vicinity by whom he can establish said reputation of service. He
furthermore states that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state, and he
hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present.
Sworn to & subscribed in open Court this 27th day of May 1833. John hisXmark Fugat
NOTE: Fugat appears to have confused events on his first tour with events of the third. Gen.
Nathanael Greene did not take command of the Southern Army until about 2 Dec 1780, and his
engagement with Cornwallis did not begin until early Feb 1781. There would not have been
enough time after Oct 1780 for the seven months service Fugat claimed to have performed. A
correct chronology of events follows:
1780
16 Aug Frederick Edwards takes oath as Captain of Montgomery County Militia
1781
17 Jan Battle of Cowpens SC; Gen. Daniel Morgan captures 600 British
28 Jan Greene leaves Cheraw Hills SC to aid Morgan being pursued by Cornwallis
1 Feb Skirmish at Cowan’s Ford of Catawba River NC; Preston not present
14 Feb Cornwallis pursues Greene into Virginia
22 Feb Greene returns to North Carolina
25 Feb Col. William Preston with 300 Virginians joins Gen. Andrew Pickens in NC
2 Mar Preston at Skirmish at Alamance Creek
6 Mar Preston at Skirmish at Wetzel’s Mill
15 Mar Preston at Battle of Guilford Courthouse
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