Revolutionary War Pension Application of Joshua Fry State of Kentucky County of Garrard

On the 21st day of January 1833 personally appeared, in open court, before the county court of Garrard County now sitting, Joshua Fry, a resident of the said county in the state of Kentucky, aged seventy-three years, who first being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. In the summer or fall of the year 1779 according to the best of his recollection, this affiant being a student of William and Mary College of Williamsburg, Virginia from Albemarle County in that state, entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in the Militia of Virginia under Capt. William Nelson and William Short now of Philadelphia lieutenant was marched from Williamsburg to Hampton, and there placed under the command of Col. Thomas Marshall, a regular office in the Virginia Line. He remained in service so long as the British fleet remained in Hampton Road. Soon after it left the road, this applicant was discharged. He does not recollect the precise time he was in service on this occasion, but supposes, to reckon from the day of departure from Williamsburg to the day of his return, that the distance to Hampton being about thirty-six miles, not much less than a month was spent The detachment had no conflict with the enemy, the British not having landed on the north side of James River, but did much mischief on the south with land forces under General Matthews if he mistakes not. He knows of no one now living except Mr. William Short above mentioned who was on this expedition. As soon as it was known to this affiant that Arnold had invaded the state and actually reached Richmond, its capital, he turned out as a volunteer finding his own horse joined a company horse from Louisa and Hanover Counties, under the command of Capt. William O’Calle. From Richmond he was marched to Williamsburg and thence to Hampton and served in the company as ----- to the American Army, which lay at Williamsburg under General Weedon during the winter and spring until the ----- end of April 1781. The British fleet lay in Hampton Road and Elizabeth River, and their army occupied Norfolk and Portsmouth to --- during this time. There was no fighting of importance. The company to which he belonged was employed principally in patrolling the country about Hampton. On one occasion part of the company took a small reading vessel that had run aground a little above Hampton. On another occasion, the enemy under Col. Dundar made a movement against Col. Charles Dabney, who was stationed at the halfway house between York to Hampton, the movement failed by the retreat of Dabney the night preceding in the direction of York, and Dundar retreated to his s---ing at Newport News. Our troop ---- on his rear and were drawn into an ambush but escaped without loss. Dundar was met on his retreat by Col. Malory and a few Militia of Elizabeth County, who were quickly dispersed, the Colonel and his nephew being killed and some others wounded. In the early part of September following, this affiant private soldier joined a company of Albemarle Militia under Capt. Benjamin Harris, marched to Williamsburg one hundred and forty-five or fifty miles to the main army under General Washington, preparing to lay siege to Cornwallis, then fortified in Yorktown, continued therewith until the surrender of the British army. After the capitulation, this affiant marched to Nolan’s Ferry on the Potomac with a Division of the surrendering army destined for Fredrickstown in Maryland. This division of the British army was received on the northern bank of the river by the Maryland Militia of the guard from York, discharged. This affiant reached his home in Albemarle about the middle of November, having been delayed a day or two on his way by attendance on his sick Captain. At Williamsburg he was promoted from the ranks to a lieutenancy, in which capacity he served during the siege and march to Potomac. Col. Holt Richerson commanded the Regiment and General Lawson the brigade, to which Capt. Harris’ company was attached. My brother, William A. Fry, joined Capt. Calle’s corps from the ranks of the infantry, but at what period I do not now recollect. He also served at the siege of York, but did not, owing I believe to sickness, escort the prisoners to the Potomac. This affiant has no documentary evidence of his several services or discharges. He hereby 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, or if on any on that of the State of Virginia. The time of service as stated above may be thus computed three weeks for the tour from Williamsburg, three and a half months in that under Calle’s, and two months in the one that ended at the delivery of the prisoners on the bank of the Potomac, forming in the aggregate rather more than six months. Joshua Fry Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.