John Fowler
Pension No. S31, 033

 

STATE OF KENTUCKY: FAYETTE COUNTY. On 17th September 1832 personally appeared in open court, but the Hon. Thomas M Hickey, judge of the Fayette Circuit Court, now sitting John Fowler, a resident of the city of Lexington in the county aforesaid aged 76, that he was born in Chesterfield County Virginia April 27th 1756 as appears by the register of births kept by his father which is not now in his possession; that he resided in Chesterfield County when he entered the service, he resided in Virginia until the close of the war in 1783 when he removed to Kentucky where he has resided ever since. He enlisted 1777 in the early part of the war, being commissioned Lieutenant in Captain Peterson’s company in Col. Goode’s regiment of militia in which station he remained during the war. In the spring of the year on the invasion of Virginia by General Mathews Goode’s regiment was ordered into active service and marched through Petersburg, towards Portsmouth the enemy having destroyed the stores and in the vicinity and evacuated Portsmouth, the regiment returned for a tour, the time not recollected. The first of January 1781, the militia was again embodied. He was still in his former post. Hid regiment was ordered to Manchester and thinks they met General Arnold, whose army marched to Richmond and returned, crossed river at Westover, thence through Smithfield, to Portsmouth. Goode’s regiment followed under the Baron Steuben or General W Lawson and approached near the line of the enemy of the arrival of General Phillips in March who took command of the enemy, the British army marched to Manchester, the militia retreating the whole way without a skirmish, the warehouse of tobacco, were burned by the enemy, when they returned to Hog Island and thence to Petersburg where they joined Lord Cornwallis, who immediately advanced towards Richmond, LaFayette retreated before him, 70 or 80 miles on the North side of James River above Richmond. Col. Goode’s regiment under Baron Steuben was on the south side of James River and marched up to point of fork. Upon the approach of the enemy to that place, the Baron evacuated it retreated. The enemy after destroying the public stores returned to Richmond, a part of his army being in Manchester, a skirmish took place near Manchester in an old field belonging to Samuel Bramel between Col. Lymco’s legion of the British and a part of Goode’s regiment in which he was several wounded on the head by a broad sword of the enemy and was taken prisoner along with Col Goode’s and Major Langburn aid to Marquis LaFayette and several privates. He was taken to Richmond covered with blood and soon became ensensible from the loss of blood and remained so for several days. He was often employed later on short tours, that he served between 1777 and 1783 more than two years. There are no loving witnesses that he knows of to prove his services within his reach. He refers to Francis Smith, leaving five or six miles from Manchester and the sister of the applicant leaving about seven miles from Manchester who can prove them.

STATE OF KENTUCKY, FAYETTE COUTY KENTUCKY 1832, September 17th. This day, Thomas Bodley, aged about 60 years, made oath in open court that about the month of September 1807 this affiant in company with Col Robert  Goode, John Fowler, Judge Todd Hubbard Taylor and others were riding from Manchester Virginia to the residence of Col Ro Goode, for the purpose of dining with Col Goode, and on the road Col Goode called to Captain Fowler and observed “Fowler, I suppose you recollect this place Goode.” Fowler said he did and Col Goode then stated the circumstances of their being attached on that ground by a detachment of Symcos as Tarleton’s horse (which is not now recollected) that Fowler was cut down by a strotee? From a broad sword and etc.

 

Source: Records of Revolutionary War Pensions of Soldiers who Settled in Fayette County Kentucky

Annie Walker Burns, compiler, Washington DC, 1936

Copy held by the Kentucky Room, Lexington Public Library

Call number: R976.947 B4128r KY1936