US National Archives, Revolutionary War pension and bounty-land-warrant application files.
Microfilm at Birmingham pub library E255.R489 1960
Transcribed by Vicki Lais
Roll:1299 Hoffmire, Samuel - Hogeboom, Richard
Pg 231 - Hofstalar, George, NC
pg 239-244
The State of Alabama, County of Blount. On this 7th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared in open court before the Court of Blount County now sitting George Hoffstalar a resident of Gurley’s Settlement in the County of Blount in the State of Alabama aged seventy years who being first duly sworn according to laws doth on his oath make the following declaration an order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress dated June 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated, that on the first of August in the year 1778 he enrolled himself as a volunteer for the term of nine months in the militia of State Troops of North Carolina & to serve as a private therein in the company of Capt. David Cowan and at the time of his enrollment residence in Rowan County in the Town of Sallsbury in North Carolina and he was enrolled for the term aforesaid under an offer from the Congress of the United States or from the State of North Carolina of a Bounty of One hundred Dollars and he was then marched by the said David Cowan from Sallsbury to Guilford Court House and there a little north of Guilford we turned to the right and marched to the head of Mourns Creek near the Dan River and there we were placed under the command of Col. Lytle and Gen. Davidson of Rowan County North Carolina and Major Polk of the town of Charlotte who before that time had been wounded by a ball being shot through the corners of his mouth which had damaged some of his teeth, and we remained at the head of Mourns Creek and vicinity three months on duty and Capt. Cowan and his company were sent home on furlough and ordered to be ready to serve out their time when called on. David Dubbens was our Lieutenant or Ensign & the other subalterns name not recollected and he was again called out to serve out the term of his enrollment in the month of March in the year 1779 and joined Gen. Lincons army at Purysburg in South Carolina early in March and here he was placed under the command of Capt. Goodin a Light Infantry officer under Col. Archibald Lytle of Hillsborough North Carolina in the Battalian of Major Nelson all Light Infantry officers and were not any longer to serve under our first captain but placed under the said Capt. Goodin who commanded his company a short time, who becoming feeble and unable to march with the Light infantry, we were then commanded by Capt. Goodman another Light Infantry officer under Col. Lytle & Major Nelson and this deponent was infirmed and believes that his said last mentioned officers Lytle Nelson Goodin and Goodman were regular officers commanding the Light Infantry Troops; and from Puresburg we marched to a high Bluff below Augusta and from thence to Beach Island and thence to Colvins Farm on Savanah River and thence Continued Scouting several weeks below Augusta on the Carolina side and from thence we marched over to the town of Augusta after the British had left there and thence recrossed to Liberty Hill and from thence we crossed over and marched down to Briar Creek and we remained there encamped in an old field near the Burnt Bridge on Sud Creek about one mile from Gen. Ashes Army and this deponent was in the battle fought there when Gen. Ash was defeated Mayor Davy and Capt. Patten were in the action and commanded tthe Light Horse Col. Elbert was there & commanded Regular Soldiers & the Artillery, the Light Infantry and all that escaped with us swam the river and joined Gen. Rutherfords Army on the Carolina side. Col. Lytle lost many of his men some were killed and others drowned in attempting to swim the river. And after our defeat at Briars Creek we were marched to and engaged in the assault on Fort Stono in the summer following of Gen. Ashes defeat. My officers Col. Lytle Mayor Nelson & Capt Goodman was engaged in the attach and being repulsed at Stono Ferry we then marched & encamped at Bacons Bridge about twenty miles from Charleston and continued scouting with Gen. Pulaskis Dragoons - but the Light Infantry encamped separately but were generally scouting together. Several of Gen. Pulaskis Dragoons were Frenchmen and this deponent served until some time in September in the year 1779 & until his time was out and he was discharged at what was called the Five Mile House by Major Armstrong a regular officer and an old man near sixty years of age & this deponent was a private soldier during said service.
And he again enrolled himself as a private volunteer early in the month of September in the year 1780 (the day not recollected) in the company of Capt. Isaac White of the North Carolina Militia Mounted Men at the time of his enrolment _____ in Lincon County North Carolina and from the county of Lincon under Col. Greyham (but called Grimes) we marched & continued scouting in Lincon & adjoining counties until we were formed by Col. Shelby and several other militia colonels and marched with them and was in the Battle at Kings Mountain against the Tory Commander Major Furgerson. in this battle Furgerson was killed there was also a woman killed & lay by his side & said to his kept mistress--- in this battle we lost Capt. William Chronick (or Chronichle) a militia officer of Lincon County, N.C. and this deponent served under said officers three months and was verbally discharged early in December 1780. The Tories were march from Kings Mountain to Moraviati Town and There Raw corn was thrown to them like feeding hogs and this deponent was informed several were hung.
And he again enrolled himself as a private in the company Capt. John Weir of Lincon County North Carolina militia and was a volunteer therin commanded by Col. William Greyham and Major Carooth and were enroled for the term of three months and rendavouyed near the Last of January 1781 the day not recollected at McCowns Ford on the Catawba River and were there commanded by Gen. Davidson and remained there but a very short time (to Guard the Ford) to keep the British army from crossing. The British infantry marched the River under cover of their cannon and a battle ensued to Gen. Davidson was killed & this deponent was in said battle and Capt. Twitty & his company of militia was also engaged. We then on the same day retreated to Sallsbury and there Col. Masingtons Dragoons swam their horses over the Adkin River each man caried a bundle of oats before him & they crossed in this manner at Sloans ford, and Col. Greyham and his companys Capt. Twitty and Capt. Weir marched their troops down the river being unable to get over with out swimming our horses and being heavily pressed by the enemy - who encamped in Salsbury the same night after our defeat at the Calawba River we then continued scouting in Lincon and the adjouning counties until we served three months and were discharged in Lincon County the last of April in the year 1781.
And he again enrolled himself as a substitute in the place of John Carpenter in the company of Capt. Thomas Loftan under Col. William Greyham of the North Carolina militia in the month of May 1781 and the day of the month not certainly recollected but near the last of May and thence marched to Charlotte with Capt. Twitty & Capt. Loftins companys and from thence to Cross Creek against the Tories and continued there scouting on Rocky River and the waters of Pedee for about two months and then returned & continued scouting until he served three months and was discharged in Lincon County North Carolina in the latter part of August 1781 he was a private trooper in said tour and he again enroled himself a private volunteer in the company of Capt. Abram Forney from the County of Lincon of the Militia of the State of North Carolina and marched from home in the latter days of September in the year 1781 as the corn was getting hard and went to the Fronteer against the Cherokee Indians on the head of Swansno & Pigeon and French Broad and destroyed their corn and continued there scouting and served three months and was discharged after Christmas in December 1781. On this tour there were three companys & all mounted men. The field officers were Gen. McDowel & his brother Col. Joseph McDowel and Col. Miller all militia officers one Capt & his company was from Burke County and others from Lincon and Rutherford Counties in North Carolina. This deponent was nine months of his services in the Light Infantry and the Bal of his tours he served as a private Trooper under the several officers therein mentioned & the said deponent files the following answers to the several interragatories propounded by the court as prescribed by the War Department. First I was born in Fredrick Town in the State of Maryland and in the year 1763 from the best of my information & have no record of my age - my father died when I was about thirteen years old. I then went to Salsbury North Carolina where some of my relations lived and I resided there when first I entered the service I then removed to Lincon County where I resided during the remainder of my service & since the Revolutionary war I have lived in Salsbury N.C. then again in Fredrick Town Maryland & then in Hagers Town then resided in Tennessee near fifteen years then removed to Blount County Alabama & have been herre ever since about sixteen years & now reside in said County of Blount. I was induced to enter the United States service the first time for the term of nine months under an offer of a Bounty of One hundred Dollars either by the Congress of the United States, or the State of North Carolina & I then volunteered as well as all other times but one other was a substitute for John Carpenter I knew the following named regular and malitia officers Gen. Green, Mayor Hardman Gen. William Capt. Wm. Betty Col. William Masengton of Dragoons & one of his Captains Collia Chisom & Col. Marberry Gen. Ugee Major Taylor Major Dixon & Majors Armstrong who gave me a discharge & Major Davy & Gen Lincon a heavy man with a long nose & paraded on a grey stud horse. I knew Col. Micajah Lewis who was said to have been killed at the battle of Guilford & knew his brother William Lewis a Major & Joel Lewis I think was my Lieutenant under Col. Lytle a part of my time and one George Conner his Adjutant - Capt Palton I think was a militia officer and the deponent knew Capt Lytle said to be a brother of Col. Lytle he was a regular officer under Gen. Lincon. But believes he was not of the Light Infantry when Gen. Ash was attacked by the British Col Lytle with his Light Infantry were encamped near the Burnt Bridge in an old field near a mile from Gen. Ash. Major Davy came on his horse in full speed and gave Col. Lytle the first _____ of the approach of the British Army and requested him to parrade & march to battle without delay and he then instantly wheeled his horse & returned to his Dragoons I knew him well and recalled distinctly his loud and commanding voice on that occasion; Major Davy was also in the attach at Stono Ferry and was wounded in the thigh & he kept his wound bound with a silk handkerchief. I knew Lieutenant Helton a regular officer he was in the battle at Stono & disinguished himself for his boldness & died a natural death shortly thereafter. This deponent knew Major Dixon well, he was a regular officer under Gen Lincon he was an elderly man & resided on Dan River on the Virginia side & owned a ferry. This deponant was on many scouting parties with Gen. Pulaski & Major Davy & their Dragoons we frequently acted in concert - Our Light Infantry never remained long at a time with the main army but mostly with the Dragoons. This deponent knew Gen. Otho Williams first in Fredrick Town in the State of Maryland - where he lived & done business for a merchant & I frequently saw him during my services in the Southern Army after he was promoted. I think Major Hardmon and Capt. Betty were also from Maryland. This deponent received but one written discharge & that from Major Armstrong - & I gave it to Mayor Carouth for the purpose of drawing my pay but I never received my pay nor got my discharge again; and he has no documentary evidence whatever of his service aforesaid and he knows of no person living whose testimony he can procure to testify to his Revolutionary Services. I am known in my _____ neighborhood by John Gurley Thomas Rutherford Henry Tidmore Standwich Hays Joseph Calvert & john Levingston who can testify to my character for verasity and their belief of my services as a Soldier of the Revolution. He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the angency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Signed George Hofstaler (his mark)
Saul Jones, a clergyman resides in Guinns Cove & John Livingston testify they are well aquainted with George Hoffstaler, believe him to be 70 years of age, they believe him to be a revolutionary soldier.
