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1637[2]

Journal of Thomas Anderson's 1st Delaware Regiment [1]

Prepared from copy obtained from the Library of Congress and identified as from the Peter Force Collection, Series 7E, Item 4, identified as Anderson, Thos. Journal, 1780, May 6 - 1782, Apr. 7.

1780   Miles.
May 6th Marched from Wilmington to Newark, � � � 11
" 7th Marched to the Head of Elk, � � � � � � 7
" 8th Set sail from the Head of Elk, in Company
with fifty sail of vessels, being the Se-
cond Maryland Brigade, destined for Pe-
tersburgh, in Virginia, at which place the
sloop I was in arrived on the 23d sailing
in all, � � � � � � � � � � � � � 		350
" 30th Marched off from Petersburgh, and encamped
at Rockaway Meeting House, � � � � � � 		15
" 31st Marched to Jones's Bridge, � � � � � � � 17
June 1st Marched to Commissary Lambs, Brunswick Co. 15
" 2nd Marched to Short's Ordinary � � � � � � 16
" 3rd Marched to Stoney Creek � � � � � � � 18
" 4th Marched to Taylor's Ferry on the Roanoke �
crossed at, and encamped on its banks, � � � 		8
" 6th Marched into Granville County, N. Carolina, � 18
" 7th Marched to General Parssons, � � � � � � 10
���
" 21 Marched to the Flatt River 485
" 21 Marched to the Flatt River, � � � � � � � 260.
" 22 Marched to Hillsborough, � � � � � � � 15
" 30 Marched from Hillsborough, crossed the Haw
River � � � � � � � � � � � � � 		15
July 1st Marched and encamped in the woods, � � � 6
" 2d Marched to Chatham Courthouse, � � � � 18
" 3d Marched � crossed the Deep River, and encamped
at Willcocks Iron Works at his Forge, � � � 		14

1638 [2]  
1780   Miles
July 18th Marched to his Furnace, � � � � � � � 12
" 19 Marched to Hollinsworths' at the Buffalo
Ford on said river, � � � � � � � � � 		18
" 25 This day General Gates took command.  
" 26 Captain Kirkwood and myself was sent out
after deserters, � � � � � � � � � � 		12
" 27 Marched to Widow Spinks, Randolph County, 15
" 28 Marched to Cottons, � � � � � � � � 15
" 29 Marched to Smith's Mill, on Little River, � � � 18
Aug.1st Marched � crossed the P.D. at Massey's Ferry,
and encamped on Ingram's farm, Hanson
County, � � � � � � � � � � � � 		10
" 2d Marched to May's Mill, � � � � � � � 15
���
    688
" 3d Marched to Thompson's Creek, which is the Line
between North and South Carolina. � � � � 		15
" 4th Marched and encamped near Anderson's Cross
Roads � � � � � � � � � � � � � 		17
" 6th Marched and encamped in the woods � received
Information that the enemy was adv-
ancing, � � � � � � � � � � � � 		5
" 8th Marched to Big Linches Creek, � � � � � 16
" 10th Marched and encamped in the woods, � � � 7
" 11th Marched to Little Linche's Creek, for to gain the
enemys right flank, � � � � � � � � � 		16
" 12th Marchd this Day and lay all night on
our arms, � � � � � � � � � � � � 		6
" 13th Marchd to Rudgeley's Mill � � � � � � � 16
" 15th Marched this night and met the enemy, � � � 7
" 16th About one o'clock in the morning met with the eni my at Sutton's farm and drove back their advance ���
    799

  [2] 1639
    Miles
" 16th guards. We then halted and formed the Line of battle and lay on our arms until daylight, at which time the enemy advanced and charged our left wing, where the Militia was formed, who give way, which give the enemy an opportunity of turning our left flank and got in our rear. The action soon became desperate and bloody for some time, but we were at last obliged[3] to give way, with the loss of our Artillery and baggage, and The loss of our Regiment in the action was Lieutenant Colonel Vaughan, Major Patten, Captains Leamonth and Rhodes, Lieutenants Purvis Duff Skilington and Roche, with seventy rank and file. Our marches on the retreat are such that I can give no particulars,  
Aug. 16th Until we arrived at Salisbury in North Carolina
on the twenty-first, but computed them at 		123
24 Marched and crossed the Yadkin River at the
old Trading Ford, � � � � � � � � � � 		7
  Marched from thence we marched to Guilford Courthouse,
and lay a few days, � � � � � � � � � 		530
  Marched from thence to Hillsborough, where we
came up with General Gates with the re-
mains of our Army, � � � � � � � � � 		45
Oct. 7th This day three was three companies of Light
Infantry chosen out of the Army, the first
commanded by Captain Brewin of the
Virginia Line, the Second by Captain Kirk-
Wood of the Delawares, in which I served as
Lieutenant, the third day by Captain Brooks
of the Marylanders, and the whole by Col. Morgan. 		___
    1018

  [2] 1640
Oct.8th Began our march and arrived at Salisbury the
the 15th Instant, � � � � � � � � � 		95
" 18th Marched to Colonel Lock's, � � � � � � 5
" 19th Marched to Fifers Mills, � � � � � � � � 15
" 21st Marched about two miles below Esqr Alexanders 23
" 22d Marched to Six Mile Creek and joined Militia
under the command of General Davidson � � � 		16
" 25th Moved our encampment in front of the Militia,
this place is within fifteen miles of Char-
lotte, While we lay at this place, Colonel
received his commission of Brigadier
from Congress[4], � � � � � � � � � 		1
    1508
���
[5]    

ENDNOTES
Added by transcriber

  1. This transcription was made from photocopies of a handwritten document from Library of Congress files, written on 8-/2x14 ruled paper similar to a legal pad. It is believed to be an old handwritten copy of the original journal. It was noted that a few details may be seen to differ between this version and the two versions (handwritten, edited/printed) of Kirkwood's journal. Such differences are not usually in dates, but are in other details such as phrasing, place names, and miles. It is apparent that Anderson and Kirkwood compared notes in the compiling of their journals, and it is probable that Rev. Turner had access to both when preparing his edited/printed version of Kirkwood's journal.

  2. Page numbers, written in what is possibly a different handwriting from the journal.

  3. Corrected to read: obliged at last, with no change in meaning.

  4. This comment is missing from the handwritten version of Kirkwood's journal but is present in Rev. Turner's edited/printed version, which would suggest that Turner made some editorial changes based on Anderson's journal. It may be seen that Gates letter to President of Congress 4 July 1780 was the probable cause for Morgan's promotion.

  5. Additional pages of this handwritten copy of Anderson's journal (through 17 January 1781) are present in project files.
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