Cochran, Thomas  S.16350

 

7 Sept. 1832. Adair Co., Ky.

 

    Thomas (X) Cochran of said county, aged 72, declares he lived in Campbell Co., Va at the time he was drafted in Aug. 1778 under Capt. Thomas Heath, Lt. John Hays and Ens. James Linsey. He served three months guarding a magazine in Bedford old town, now called New London. He received his discharge from Capt. Heath (there was no colonel at the barracks) and returned to his father.

    In the winter of 1778 he went to Georgia and in Feb. 1779 he volunteered under Capt. Reid who was beating up for volunteers in Wilkes Co., Ga., to go as a ranger or Indian spy. Mourning Hewitt was his lieutenant; Hugh Roan was ensign. He marched from Wilkes Court House to Reid's Fort, there drew his arms and was then out ranging through different parts of the country. The Indians were remarkably troublesome to the people. The summer following the Indians came and stole between twenty and thirty head of cattle. He and others followed them across the Oconee and Oakmulgee rivers about fifty miles. They overtook them where they were encamped and preparing something to eat. A battle ensued and they killed ten or twelve, took all the cattle they had stolen (with the exception of a few that were drowned before they overtook them)  and returned to Fort Reid. They took a good many muskets a few camp kettles also, and carried them with them. He remained in service at the fort and had very frequently to stand guard at night and was in a great many little skirmishes and sometimes would kill two or three Indians and sometimes more. He left the service in Feb. 1781 and returned to his father's in Campbell Co., Va.

    He has no record of his age. He lived in Virginia about fifteen years after he left service, moved to Tennessee and lived in that state one summer, and then moved to Adair Co., KY. He was born in Charlotte Co., Va., about 1760 on 8 April.

    Thomas Cochran of Adair Co., Ky., private in the company of Capt. Reed in the Georgia and Virginia two years, was placed on the Kentucky Pension roll at $ 80 per annum under the Act of 1832. Certificate 5343 was issued 8 Feb. 1833.