Declaration

           

In order to obtain the benefits of the Act of congress passed [June] 7th 1832.

 

            State of Kentucky,

            County of Butler,

    

     On this 12^th day of November 1832, personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Butler County, now sitting, Mathew Kaykendall [sic], a resident in the County of Butler and State of Kentucky, aged 74 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefits, of the Act of Congress passed June 7^th 1832.

 

     That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and sworn as herein stated.  That sometime in the month of June 1776, he volunteered in an expedition ordered by the governor of North Carolina against the Cherokee Towns from that state – but he resided in what was called York District in South Carolina when he entered the service, and was persuaded to do so by his uncle[1] who commanded the company in which he served on said expedition.

 

     That he served under Captain Joseph Hardin (of Cavalry) Lieut. Peter Sides (or, Sites).  There was also another company of cavalry on the expedition, commanded by Capt. Mabin, but does not recollect any Field Officers taking the command of the their two companies.  The expedition was commanded by Gen. Rutherford, who lived near Salisbury, N.C.   That he rendezvoused at Henry What---t--s [not readable] on the south fork of the Catawba River, and joined the main army under Gen. Rutherford at what was called the head of the Catawba River and - marched across French Broad River, & Pigeon into the Cherokee Country, where they burnt their villages and destroyed their corn and returned to North Carolina having served about four months from the date he volunteered until his return – where he returned to York District in S. Carolina, where he resided.  That during this     

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expedition he was in no battle, the Indians always avoiding them but they killed some, and took some prisoners.  There was no Continental companies on this expedition, being entirely militia men.

 

     That he afterwards moved to Burke County in North Carolina where he resided, when he was ordered by Col. Charles McDowell (after was general) in February or March 1780, to raise a company for the protection of the County against the Tories – which he did, and commanded the company between three and four months, and was in active service nearly the whole of the time.

 

     That about June 1780, he volunteered under Capt. Joseph McDowell of the Burke County Militia, where he resided, and served until after the battle of Kings Mountain, as a private, but does not recollect the day.   That he served in said company under Col. Charles McDowell (afterwards general) and joined him at the head of Cane Creek, in Burke County  – when he was in an engagement with a quantity of British and Tories under Dunlap and was defeated by them. 

 

     That after the defeat, he marched up Catawba River, to Catha’s where he remained a few days, until they heard of the British and Tories under Ferguson being in pursuit, when he crossed the Blue Ridge to Yellow Mountain [Yellow Gap Mountain], and thence to Watauga River – where he remained until joined by the troops of Cols. Campbell [William Campbell], Shelby [Isaac Shelby] and Sevier [sic - John Seiver] and then marched back across Catawba River to Kings Mountain, where Furguson was defeated, but was not in the engagement – in consequence of having gotten leave of absence to see his family as he passed thru the county, and as he returned to rejoin his company, he met Col. Charles McDowell, who informed him that he need not proceed, as there would be no fighting

 

 

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until his return.   He, Col. McDowell, was then on his way to see Gen. Rutherford to procure an appointment for one of the said Colonels to command the expedition, but in his absence they attacked and defeated Ferguson at Kings Mountain – about eight miles from which place, and after the battle, he re-joined his company under Capt. Joseph McDowell.    

 

     That he marched with the prisoners thru Burke County to Wilkes County, where some of the Tories were hanged, and others paroled – when the troops were disbanded, he having served about four months, but will not be certain as to the precise time. 

 

     That previous to the last mentioned expedition, he volunteered under Capt. Joseph McDowell, in an expedition of between three and four weeks, against the Tories, and met them at Ramsour’s Mill on the South Fork of the Catawba River, in S.C. under John Moore, a distinguished Tory, and defeated them. 

 

     That in the early part of December 1780, he volunteered, for five weeks to join Gen. Morgan – he does not recollect the day, but recalled distinctly that his five weeks were out the day after the battle at the Cowpens.  That he served as a private under Capt. Murray and Major Joseph McDowell, who had been promoted.  That he joined Gen. Morgan at Pacolet River in South Carolina, and retreated to the Cowpens, where he arrived on the 16th of January 1781, and on the next day, about sun rise, this engagement commenced, which resulted in the defeat of the enemy and in which battle he was wounded in the right arm, which has ever since disabled him from using it to advantage.  After the battle, he was discharged, and returned to Burke County, N.C. where he resided.  That he was born in Mecklenburg County S. Carolina, The 24th day of October 1758.  He is not certain

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that he has any record of his age, he had one, taken from the record made by his father but does not know where it is.  That he lived a few years after he was wounded at the battle of the Cowpens in Burke County N.C. when he moved to Washington County in said state, and lived there three or four years, when he moved to Davidson County, Tennessee - and lived there eight or ten years – when he moved to Logan County, (that part of which is now Butler County) Ky where he now resides.  That on his return from the first expedition against the Cherokee Towns, he received a written discharge, which is lost, but does not recollect by whom signed – and does not recollect whether he received any other.

 

     That he received no commission, but was called upon by Col. Charles McDowell, of Burke Co. N.C. and directed to raise his company for the protection of the County, as before stated - for which service, he received his pay-certificate as well as for the men who served under him.

 

     That he is acquainted with Rev. Joseph Taylor Thomas Lawrence in his present neighborhood who can testify as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution.

 

     He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any state.

 

 

     Sworn to and subscribed this day, and year aforesaid.

 

                                                            [signed by Mathew Kuykendall]

 

     We Joseph Taylor a clergyman, residing in the County of Butler and State of Kentucky, and Thomas Lawrence residing in (the same) hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Mathew Kuykendall, who has  [this is where I believe there is a missing page(s) missing from the microfilm]

 

 

NOTE – comments in [brackets] are those of the transcriber