Giles Hawkins and the Revolutionary War

Shannon found the following information concerning our direct line (gggg-grandfather).  Something good to read.
 
 
On 2 MAR 1833, Giles HAWKINS went before the JP of Jessamine CO., KY and stated that he was born inFrederic Co., MD on 15 MAR 1755. An Act of Congress had been passed the previous year to grant benefits to veterans of the Revolution.
 
He stated that shortly after the Declaration of Independence had been signed, the government learned that there was a preconcerted plan of the British with the Indians. They planned to distress the frontiers of the US. with a combined chain of hostilities from the west side of Georgia on to the outer or northwest edges of the Carolinas, the western part of VA and the NW part of PA., to the lakes oif Canada, and had actually commenced hostilities by the Cherokee Indians and others who were at that time distressing the people living on Holston River in the state of VA.     
 
So the government ordered an army to be raised to go against the aforesaid Indians, by draft or volunteers to serve as militia or soldiers. He moved from the state of MD to Bedford Co., VA, and on 1 SEP 1776 he was called on by his captain to serve a tour of duty in the militia. for six months, and turned out a volunteer in the militia, and served the tour under Capt. Christopher Irvine, Lt. Jas Rupert and Col. Christian, commandant of the regiment, he went in and marched with Bedford Co., VA, against the Cherokee Indians and others along the SW part of VA on the Holston River.
 
On their march, while still 3 -4 miles from the Holston River, they passed the battleground where the Indians and their men had a skirmish, and saw the remains of several dead Indians on the ground. After passing the Long Islands, they joined with NC militia or troops. Then they marched on the Indian town and burnt up everything. The commanding officers offered the Indians terms of peace, but only some of them would accept the terms, so after waiting some time, the army received orders to return home, and started out.
 
They proceeded on the march until arriving on the Long Island in the Holston River. There they were overtaken by an Express bearing a flag from the Indians who had before refused the terms offered them. The army was stationed there until peace was ratified with the Cherokes and the US. On his return home to Bedford Co., he was discharged, which discharge he has either lost or mislaid, and could not find it.
 
He further stated that he removed from Bedford Co. to Botetourt Co., VA, where he was again called on in the fall of the year, 1781 - 1782, to go against the British , and turned out as a volunteer in the militia of the US to defend the Lead Mines on New River, in the state of VA. They marched toward the mines, and when they arrived near them, they received intelligence that the British had withdrawn their forces from the community. So they returned home and were discharged.
 
 He then moved to KY until the time he appeared in court. He relinquished every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the current one, and declared that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of KY or any other state.
 
 Jacob Rohrer, a clergyman living in Jessamine Co., KY and James Noonan certified that they were well acquainted with Giles, that he is 77 years old, that he had been reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he lives to have been a soldier of the Revolution . Then the JP, Thomas Butler, certified that Rohrer was a clergyman of Jessamine and that Noonan was a respectable citizen of the county and that both had sworn to him for the county.