Private for the North Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War.∼married Ann Hais (Hays)
children of Alexander and Ann
James P. McLain
Martha A. McLain
John McLain
Elizabeth McLain
William McLain
Edwin E. McLain
David Dixon McLain
***

info courtesy of VCantrell

Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension application of Alexander McLaen (McLane, McLain, McLean) S17575 fn24NC
Transcribed by Will Graves rev'd 2/21/09 State of Missouri, County of Cape Girardeau On this 18th day of March in the year 1833 personally appeared before the County Court of the County of Cape Girardeau aforesaid Alexander McLaen a resident of the township of Byrd in the County of Cape Girardeau in the State of Missouri, aged 77 years and seven months, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in Order to obtain the benefit of the Provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he volunteered in the month of August in the year 1777 under the command of Captain Robert Alexander in the County of Lincoln State of North Carolina; that he mustered into the service of the United States under the command of said Captain in the town of Charlotte, State of North Carolina and entered a Regiment under the command of Colonel Frank Lock [sic, Francis Locke];

that from Charlotte he with said Regiment marched to the ten mile spring (so called) ten miles north of Charleston State of South Carolina; that at the ten mile spring the Regiment aforesaid lay together with a Regiment of militia under the command of Colonel Sanders; that after they had remained there a few days, Major Horry came to the place above mentioned from Charleston and proposed to raise from said Regiments, a company of Riflemen for the term of nine months; that this applicant volunteered to make one of said Company; that after the company was completed, permission was given for the officers to be chosen by the company of their number; that one William McKenzie was elected by said company as their Captain; that as soon as the company was raised, he, this affiant, with said company went to Charleston and returning lay at the ten mile spring until after Christmas following.

From thence he with said company marched under the command of Colonel Marion [Francis Marion] and with Colonel Frank Locke to Purrysburg on the Savannah River; that after remaining at Purrysburg about two months as he thinks, that from thence he marched with the company with Major Horry to join General Ashe [John Ashe] at a place called Brier Creek [sic, Briar Creek]; that the said troops arrived at Briar Creek; that the company to which he belonged and two artillery companies with two six pounders crossed over and were ordered to halt until the arrival of the militia under the command of General Rutherford [Griffith Rutherford], but before the militia under the command of Rutherford as aforesaid came up, General Ashe had met his defeat, and came and met us near or above the mouth of Briar Creek; that this affiant, with the companies above mentioned remained at the mouth of Briar Creek until the troops under the command of General Ashe had crossed over the Savannah River and then marched to the Two Sisters Ferry (so called)on the Savannah River, and after remaining there about four weeks, he went with the companies to Beach Island on the Savannah River; that he there received his written discharge under the hand of Captain McKenzie for the service of said term of nine months (having been wounded was discharged before the nine months had fully expired);

that afterwards he, this affiant, volunteered again in the summer of 1780 to make two companies of mounted rifle men to be raised by order of the Governor of North Carolina for the purpose of joining General Gates [Horatio Gates] who at that time was marching on from the North to South Carolina; that he, this affiant, mustered into the company of Captain Mattox, the very day that General Gates arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina; one Major Chronicles [sic, William Chronicle] had the command of the mounted riflemen above mentioned; that the two companies of mounted riflemen were not all assembled when General Gates left Charlotte, but it was arranged that the said companies should join him (Gates) at Rugeley's Mill; that after they were assembled they, the two companies, marched for that purpose – But before reaching the mill General Gates had been defeated, and this affiant with the two companies met him returning and also returned; That as he with the two companies had volunteered until the war should be over, he with the two companies were employed in ridding the Country of Tories, sometime under the command of Marion and Horry and sometimes under the command of General Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter];

that he with his company were at Ramsour's mill in Lincoln County North Carolina, but was not until the engagement with the Tories was over; from thence he marched with General Sumter to South Carolina and from thence was marched up to Charlotte under the command of Major Chronicle, and were used to intercept foraging parties through the Country; that afterwards the said companies under the command of said Chronicle joined Colonel Cleaveland [sic, Benjamin Cleveland] on the Catawba River for the purpose of affronting Colonel Forguson [sic, Patrick Ferguson] at that time recruiting in Rutherford County; that from thence he, this affiant, marched to Gilbert town in Rutherford County aforesaid, and from thence to a place called the Cowpens near Broad River, there joined what was called the mountain men, three regiments under the command of Shelby [Isaac Shelby], Sevier [John Sevier] and Campbell [William Campbell] and from thence to King's Mountain near the line between North and South Carolina and there met Colonel Ferguson, was in the engagement at King's Mountain; continued with his company until the defeat of Ferguson taking his men prisoners, at which place Captain Maddox and Major Chronicle were both slain; that after that Major Joseph Dickson [Dixon] was appointed by the a party to command said companies, and Samuel Martin appointed Captain of his (affiant's) Company, and were employed to range the Country arresting Tories &c; remained under Major Dixon until Tarleton [Banastre Tarleton] came after General Morgan and met with him at the place called the Cowpens and there had an engagement, and took all his foot men &c. Then pursued the foraging parties belonging to the Army of Cornwallis until he arrived at Guilford; was there in the engagement, and after that affair, he, this affiant, with the company marched with General Green [sic, Nathaniel Greene], until he entered South Carolina and was then discharged by the said Dixon and Martin as Major and Captain &c. That the said Company executed to Samuel Martin their Captain as aforesaid a power of attorney to draw their pay from the State of North Carolina;

that said Martin went off and was never heard from again by this affiant. That he has no documentary testimony about which he can establish the aforesaid facts. That he the said Alexander McLaen does hereby relinquish all claims of any other pension except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State. That this said Alexander McLaen removed to the County of Cape Girardeau in this State of Missouri nearly 30 years since where he has remained ever since. And to the interrogatories propounded by the War Department, and put by the Court, this said Alexander McLaen answers and says: I was born in the then County of Rowan in the State of North Carolina on the 10th day of May 1755. I have my age
recorded in my family Bible at my house, about 7 miles from this place. I copied it from the family records kept by my father in his Bible. I volunteered the first time under the command of Captain Robert Alexander, entered the service at Charlotte, North Carolina, and at the ten mile spring, near Charleston joined as a volunteer under Major Horry for nine months; the second time I enlisted or volunteered to make up two companies of mounted riflemen under the command of Captain Maddox, to continued during the war --

I was acquainted with General Sumter both when a militia officer, and also when he became a regular officer; with General
Rutherford, a militia officer; – with Marion and Horry, regular officers at various places; with General Greene when at Guilford and with General Morgan at the Cowpens; I was acquainted with Captain William McKenzie, by whom I was discharged from the first term of service for nine months. The last tour of duty I served under Captain Maddox until he fell at King's Mountain and then the balance of the tour under Captain Martin by whom I was discharged; That, one Chronicle was our Major, until he fell at King's Mountain and then one Dixon became our Major as before stated, with all of whom I was well acquainted.

I received a written discharge the first time from Colonel Marion, the last time from Captain Martin, both of which discharges I considered of no importance or value and from the great length of time they have probably been destroyed or lost and are not in my possession. I am known by General Johnson Ranney; to John Hays, receiver of public monies at Jackson Missouri; to General N. W. Watkins, to Peter R. Garrett Esq., Clerk of the County Court; to Henry Sanford Esq., Clerk of the Circuit Court; to James Thompson, to the Reverend Thomas P. Green and to the Reverend George B. Rigby, all of whom live near to me and I believe can testify as to my character for integrity and veracity and of their belief of my services as a soldier of the revolution. Sworn to and subscribed in open court this 18th day of March AD 1833. S/ Alex McLaen S/ Benjamin Bacon,
D. Clk for Peter R. Garrett, Clerk [George B. Rigby, a clergyman, and Peter R. Garrett gave the standard supporting affidavit.] Thomas Hill

That he volunteered in the summer of the year [text torn out and missing] as set forth in his and served as set forth in his declaration and continued in the [text torn out and missing] companies of mounted riflemen, mustered into service until about 2 weeks after the battle at Guilford Court house North Carolina, being in the month of March 1781, when the horses of said mounted volunteers being worn down and poor said applicant was discharged as stated in his declaration -- making on this service of lawful age being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that when he this deponent,
Volunteered into the company of Capt. Alexander, in the County of Lincoln in the State of North Carolina in the month of August in the year 1777; he this affiant, being then not quiet 16 years of age; Alexander McLaen who has subscribed the above declaration was also a Volunteer in said Company; that they the said McLaen and Thomas Hill were messmates, and so continued to be at different times for more than 6 months; during which time they marched with the troops under the command of Col. Frank Locke, and was with him at the 10 mile Spring, near Charleston, when the said McLaen joined a rifle company; but that the said rifle company to which said McLaen belonged, still continued with Col. Frank Locke & they had permission to menace together, as before; and then marched to Purrysburg, and after remaining at while marched or were sent to assist General -- that Briar Creek; Soon after at the expiration of 6 months or perhaps more the said McLaen having been disabled by a wound was discharged, the said Hill continued out his term of 9 months and was then discharged; and further saith not.

Sworn to and Subscribed in open Court March 18th 1833.
S/ Thos. Hill S/ Benjamin Bacon, D. Clk for Peter R. Garrett, Clerk State of Missouri County of Cape Girardeau
An amended declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1833 [sic, 1832] -- On this 22nd day of July A.D. 1833 personally appeared before the County Court within and for the County of Cape Girardeau in open court, Alexander McLaen a citizen of Byrd Township in this County of Cape Girardeau and State of Missouri, being the same Alexander McLaen, who appeared before this court on the 18th day of March 1833 and made at that time a declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act aforesaid, and being first duly sworn makes the following amended declaration in order to obtain the benefit of said act -- that he volunteered in the month of August of the year 1777 in the County of Lincoln in the State of North Carolina , in order to supply a contemplated draft as stated in his declaration heretofore made. That he served as a private as stated in his declaration nearly 9 months and was discharged as having served as set forth in his said declaration.

1 Thomas Hill W663 the term of 8 months all of which time he served as a private rendering the service at the places and in the manner set forth in his said declaration to which this is a supplement or amendment; that he was called into and continually kept in the said service, with an embodied Corps under confident authority, and that during said 2 tours of service he was not employed in any civil pursuit -- That he has no witness in this Country by whom he can establish the facts set forth in his declaration except what he has proved by Thomas Hill in relation to the first tour of service.

Sworn to and subscribed in open Court this 23rd day of July 1833 S/ Benjamin Bacon, D. Clk S/ Alexr McLaen for Peter R. Garrett, Clerk [James Hendricks gave a standard supporting affidavit.]