Private and a Minuteman; of Elizabeth, N.J., Wilkes County, N.C., and Cumberland, Clinton, Russell and Wayne counties, Ky.
[01-1919] (Giles, Hiel, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, John, John)

He enlisted in 1778 for three months as a substitute for his father, Giles, in Capt. Larkin Cleaveland's Company, Col. Benjamin Cleaveland's Regiment. The unit marched to Ramsour's Mill to disperse an encampment of Tories, then to Hamblin's store in Burk County, and then to Wilkes Courthouse, where he was stationed until his term expired. He was discharged by Capt. Judd, who took command of the company after Capt. Clevealand was wounded on the Catawba River in an ambush on the march to Ramsour's Mill. He enlisted May 1, 1779, as a member of Montfort's Company and was discharged Dec. 1. In May, 1780, he volunteered for six months' service in Capt. John Morgan's Company, Col. Cleaveland's Regiment, and again was stationed at Wilkes Courthouse before joining up with other regiments for the march to the Battle of Kings Mountain. He was discharged at Hamblin's store, about five months after enlisting. He was drafted for three months into Capt. Paul Patrick's Company, Col. Elisha Isaac's Regiment, in June, 1780 [sic]. After a rendezvous at Hamblin's Store, they marched to and joined Gen. Rutherford's Brigade at Salisbury and joined the Continental Army under Gen. Horatio Gates. John's unit was involved in a skirmish at the mouth of Rocky River and then marched into South Carolina, where they took part in the Battle of Camden. Following Gates' defeat, John's company retreated to Salisbury, N.C., where Lt. Sewell took command of the company and marched the men back to Hamblin's store. There, Capt. Richard Allen took command and marched the men toward the head of the Dan River where they took several prisoners in a skirmish with Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis' troops and Tories. Back to Wilkes Courthouse the company went, where again John was discharged. Again John became a substitute -- for Bunell Brewer -- for four months in Capt. Alexander Gorden's Company. That unit gathered at Hamblin's store and joined the regiment of Col. Charles Armand at Charlotte, N.C., and marched to Camden, S.C., where it joined Gen. Nathaniel Greene's army. The men were marched into the hills of the Santee River where they remained for some time. They returned to Camden, crossed the Congaree River and then marched south where they saw action at the Battle of Eutaw Springs, where he assisted in guarding prisoners outside of Salisbury, S.C. John filed for a pension on Aug. 6, 1834, and most of this account is from that document. He died in Clinton County, Ky., and was buried at the cemetery at New Bethel Church near Parnell, Ky.