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McMahans in the American South |
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MacMahans in Scotland and Noteworthy Laird s McMahans in the Thirteen Colonies and Early America, Including Tennessee, below the Mason Dickson Line. John and Jenny McMahan's Children Archibald and Ann Payne McMahan and Their Children Jessie and
Caroline Barrett McMahan and their Children
Other Descendents of John and Jenny
McMahan
Ti gerville
reache d Fairview Southern Methodist Church
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June, 2006 This narrative relies on various sets of family histories, North Carolina state and county records and Revolutionary War pension applications for information on Archibald McMahan. Descriptions of Archibald's community in the 1770's and 1780's and his military service in the American Revolution are drawn from The Old North State, The North Carolina Continentals, The Diary of David Fanning and a number of other sources which appear at the end of the narrative. Family narratives and his own statement in his pension application have Lancaster, Pennsylvania as Archibald's birth place, with the date ranging from 1754 to 1760. Archibald did not know for sure. He was probably born between July and December, 1761. The first official record of Archibald appears in the form of a roster of non-commissioned officers and private soldiers dated August 20, 1776, where he is listed as Arch'd Mahon. The second record was in a North Carolina land grant entered on November 20, 1778. He applied for 250 acres on Rocky Branch of Haw Creek, near the Haw River in the Hawfields community, west-south west of Hillsborough, N.C. ("Orange County Land Grants") In this land grant he was listed as Archibald Mahon. He was mentioned on August 27, 1788 when he was appointed to serve on a road jury listed as Archibald Mahen? (Orange County Court Minutes) and again in 1789 as he sold this property listed as Archibald Machon. (Orange County Records) The next mention of Archibald comes in his pension application, submitted on March 14, 1833 where he begins to describe his first military service which took place in the summer of 1776. In May of 1776, two months before the signing of the Declaration of Independence and eleven months after the Battle of Bunker Hill, a British squadron commanded by Sir Peter Parker appeared off the coast of North Carolina, and in early June began preparations to attack Charleston, South Carolina. The Cherokee Indians had formed an alliance with the British, and on July 1st, in conjunction with the British attack in Charleston, they attacked and massacred settlers along the whole frontier, from Georgia to Virginia. (Ramsey, p. 162) Parker's land forces were repulsed on Sullivan's Island and his naval forces were forced to withdraw from Charleston Harbor on June 28, and with this threat on the coast diminished, the four southern colonies turned their attention to the west and the Cherokees. It was decided to launch several expeditions at once. Georgia forces, commanded by Colonel McBury destroyed the towns and villages along the Tugaloo River, and South Carolina Militia , under General Williams, attacked and destroyed Sugaw Town, Soconee, Keowee, Ostatow, Tugaloo and Brass Town as well as Tomassee, Chehokee and Eustustie. (Ramsey, p163) In the meantime, an army of 2,500 had been raised in North Carolina, under the command of General Rutherford in reaction to particularly murderous raids near Rutherefordton and in Rowan County around the 12th of July. (Colonial Records of NC, Vol 10, p662) The Indians were driven out of those areas and General Rutherford made camp at Cathey's Fort, near Greenlees ford on the Catawba River, above the town of Rutherfordton. (Ramsey, p 164) Word of these raids reached Hillsborough and the Hawfields community and Archibald McMahan, 15 years old, "...entered the service as a volunteer before he was old enough to be subject to draft, to perform a three month tour against the Indians." He was "...under the command of Capt. William Murray, Maj. Hugh Tinnian and Colonel Thomas Taylor." (Pension Application, page 1) The Militia law of colonial government placed all effective men in the state from sixteen to fifty years in the militia and made them all subject to the draft. (History of North Carolina, Connor, p.438) The North Carolina Council of Safety directed the militia from the Hillsborough District and from Surry County to join Rutherford at Cathey's Fort, a march of approximate 150 miles. The Orange regiment from Hillsborough under Colonel Joseph Taylor, reached Rutherford's camp, but its assistance was not needed and it returned home. (Ashe. p. 552) Archibald noted in his pension application that he "...marched from there (Orange County) to Cathey's Fort, remained there for some time, had no fighting, returned again to Orange County, and at the end of his tour he was discharged." (Pension Application Page 1) The following list presents the men from Hillsborough who took part in this mission: Roll of Officers and private Soldiers detached from the first or Southern Battalion of the Militia of the County of Orange to march against the hostile Indians under the command of Col. Ambrose Ramsey. Maj. Hugh Tinnian Capt.William Williams Lt. Joseph Thompson Ensn. Edward Gwin Sgts. Of Capt. Murrays Co. Robert Powell Corporals of Capt. Murrays Co. John Williams, Drummer of Capt. Murrays Co. Jacob Albright Rank & File Robert Paysly James McMcall Charles McClury ,Amariah Reeves Howell Harwood John McAdams
Non-commissioned officers and private soldiers of Capt. William William's Co., as appear by Roll returned to Brig. Gen Persons. August 20th, 1776 Col. Butler's Detachment (Roster of Soldiers From N.C. in the American Revolution p.593)
Rutherford began his march on September 1, 1776 with two thousand privates, eighty light horsemen, and supplies for 40 days carried by fourteen hundred pack horses. He returned within a month, having completely destroyed the Indian towns and crops and scattered the Indians, many of which went to Florida to join their British allies. Subsequent actions in Eastern Tennessee by Virginia and North Carolina troops resulted in the Middle Cherokees ceding all their possessions east of the Blue Ridge (Griffin , p.35) Sometime after his tour against the Indians, he and two of his brothers were drafted to serve in the militia. But an arrangement was made for Archibald to stay at home while his brothers served their tours. Shortly after, Archibald was required to serve his tour, but this time he hired a substitute named Joel Ramsey. In September of 1781, Archibald was drafted to perform another three month tour, and this time he was stationed at Hillsborough to guard the jail and prisoners. William Payne was a neighbor of Archibald's in the Hawfields community, and he was drafted at the same time to serve a nine month tour. He hired a substitute named Richard Strason who was assigned to guard the jail along with Archibald. Earlier that same year, on June 25, 1781 the North Carolina assembly had elected Thomas Burke as governor of North Carolina. For the first two months Burke had performed the duties of office in Halifax until he received information that the Tories of Orange County were planning to rise and plunder their Whig neighbors. Coupled with this was the news that David Fanning, the notorious partisan leader, was operating in the vicinity of Hillsborough, attacking and plundering fortified plantations, sometimes executing the defenders. The latest word was that Fanning planned to sack Hillsborough. In September Burke made plans to return to Hillsborough, which was his home, to organize an extensive campaign against the loyalists. (North Carolina Continentials, p. 363) As the Governor was making his plans, the Patriot General John Butler, with a small body of militia, was encamped on the south side of Haw River, west of Hillsborough. Within three days of his arrival in Hillsborough, Governor Burke's heard that Fanning was operating in cooperation with the loyalist colonel Hector McNeil and the two were planning to surprise General Butler. The Governor sent a messenger to Butler with a warning and orders for him to move to a place of greater security. Butler retreated toward Hillsborough and Fanning followed. During the course of these movements Fanning learned that Governor Burke had returned to Hillsborough and was protected by only a small guard. The possibility of capturing the governor excited Fanning's ambition and he marched toward the town. Fanning's forces moved all night and approached Hillsborough in the early morning darkness. A heavy fog obscured the movements of his five hundred men as they slipped into town by different roads early on that Wednesday morning, September l2. By the time that the townspeople were alerted to their danger, there was no opportunity to organize resistance. The majority of the men chose to remain in their homes to defend their families. The steady fire of the invaders kept them separated and from going to one another's aid. (The N.C. Continentals, p. 364) The Tories gradually converged on the eastern part of the town where Burke's home was located. The governor put up a vigorous defense, aided by his aide de camp, Captain Reid, his secretary, John Huske, and an orderly sergeant of the Continental Line. They were soon overpowered, but Burke refused to surrender his sword because of the hostile posture of the Tories. Only after a British officer accompanying the loyalists assured him that no harm would come to him did the governor give up his weapon. Archibald and Richard Strason, as was mentioned earlier, were guarding the jail as Fanning attacked. The following excerpt from The Old North State provides one account of what happened next: "The jail guard, finding the the Governor was captured and perceiving their own danger, assumed the badge of their enemies, by substituting oats straw in their hats for their deer tails. and thus attempted to ride through the Tories in the streets; but Fanning recognized them at once and cried out, 'The rebels the rebels!' Then rushing upon them with the fury of a tiger, he broke his sword on the steel plate in the cap which was upon one of their heads". (P. 50, The Old North State) David Fanning's own account of the events that day (which follows later) does not include this incident. Having secured the Governor and all the prisoners they wanted, around 200, some of the Tories began to drink and rob the stores in Hillsborough. Tory Capt. John McLean did not drink, and he was put in charge of the prisoners After plundering the town, Fanning's men broke open the jail and released the prisoners. Some of the Tory's became so drunk that they could not get away when Fanning began to withdraw and they had to be left behind. The Whigs then rallied, and these men were taken prisoners. Among the prisoners taken by Fanning were William Kinchen and Colonels John and Alexander Mebane, but Alexander Mebane escaped through the high weeds which had grown up in the cross streets. He returned to his home and friends, in the congregation of the Hawfields, spread the alarm among the Whigs, and collected as many of them as could be got together. General Butler, who lived on the west side of the Congregation near the place where Judge Ruffin's mill now stands, came and took command of the men. A much larger number might have been rallied for the rescue of the Governor; for the Hawfields was one of the strongest Whig neighborhoods east of the Yadkin River, but as Fanning was so notorious for the boldness of his movements, whatever was done had to be done quickly. (The Old North State, P. 50) Here is David Fanning's own account of these events. "On the 9th of Sept I was joined by Col: M'Dugald of the Loyal Militia of Cumberland County with 200 men and Col: Hector M'Neal with his party from Bladen Of 70 men and in consequence of my advertisement I had also 435 who came in and many joined me afterwards. I had previously determined within myself to take the Rebel Governor Burke of No. Carolina and had a conversation with Major Craigg on the subject. I now thought
it a favorable opportunity as I found myself at the head of 950 men of
my own Regiment exclusive of Mcdugalds and McNeals Regiments. I acquainted Major Rains of my resolution, who approved of it. The Rebel General
John Butler and Col: Robt Maybin of the Continental army at this time lay
within 40 miles of our encampment on Cape fear River with 400 Continental Soldiers and Butler's militia. it was supposed by my officers I intended
to attack them. after marching 16 miles to Rocky River, I went a little distance
out of the Road to a friends house for Intelligence and situation of the rebels,
during which time the guide had my little army about two miles out of the way towards General Butler. On my Return to them I was under the necessity of making my Intentions known, and immediately directed my march for Hillsborough, pushed on all that day and the following night.
General Bulter learned that Fanning and his prisoners were heading South out of Hillsborough and crossing the river and that he planned to go down on the west side to reach the Tory region to the East. Butler decided to get there before them and occupy a favorable position to attack.. The ground at John Alston's mill, a little above or below what is now Lindley's mill, appeared the most suitable and that is where they chose to make their stand. The number engaged in the subsequent battles of Moore's and Cane Creeks is not known exactly, but according to the best traditional accounts, the Tories had about six hundred and the Whigs about three hundred. As the Tories were crossing the creek, and advancing through a hollow or strip of low ground along the road, the Whigs opened fire from the brow of the hill, on the south side of Cane Creek with tremendous effect. The Tories were taken by surprise and quite a number were killed and wounded. Before the firing began, Captain McLean ( The Tory Captain who did not drink) halted his men and prisoners in the rear and they all sat down to rest. On hearing the first fire of the Whigs, Governor Burke, and most of the prisoners, jumped to their feet and looked about; but the Captain told them to be quiet; for if they attempted to escape they should every one be shot down; and they had to obey. Tory Colonel McNeill, on seeing so many of his men cut down by the first fire, ordered a retreat, but then changed his mind and attempted to proceed. At the next volley of the Whigs, five or six balls entered the Colonel's body. and he fell dead on the spot, So did several others, and many more were wounded. Amid all this success on the part of the Whigs, and all this disaster and confusion among the Tories, Colonel Fanning decided to cross the stream at another place, and then, after making a little circle, he attacked the Whigs in the rear. The Whigs were taken by surprise, ".....and thrown into momentary confusion, but quickly recovered; and, for a short time, the contest was fierce and bloody. Nearly every Whig who was killed during the action fell at this time, and in the course of ten or twelve minutes. The charge of Fanning was furious until his arm was broken by a rifle or musket ball , and he was carried off the field. Viewing their situation as now desperate, considering the disparity of numbers, General Butler ordered a retreat, and commenced it himself. The men, in obedience to orders, were following his example, when Col. Robert Mebane got before them, and by arguments and remonstrances. so far inspired them with his own heroic spirit that enough of them returned to renew the battle and keep the ground. It seems to have been at last a drawn battle; for neither party claimed the victory, and neither appears to have kept the ground for any length of time. The Tories were glad to get away with their prisoners, and the Whigs became willing to let them go." (The Old North State, p. 51) Neither Whigs nor Tories really kept the ground and attended to the burying of the dead, but the next morning the neighbors met there and buried thirty-two in one pit. Besides these, according to the concurrent tradition of both parties, many of the dead were carried away by their friends and buried in the neighborhood. Of the wounded, some got away themselves and others were carried away by their friends and acquaintances. A number are known to have died of their wounds soon after. Between the foot of the hill and the creek the dead and dying were strewed about in every direction, and some of them were lying in the water. (Old North State, p. 53) The Tories left thirty-one of their number on the ground, who were too badly wounded to be removed, but they were nursed and cared for, some by the neighbors and some by their friends from a distance who came and stayed with them until they died or had sufficiently recovered to go home. Among the wounded who were thus left, was Malcolm Downey, whose sister, Mrs. Neill Murphy, walked all the way up to Cane creek from Robeson county. some seventy-five or eighty miles. and nursed him until he expired. (Old North State, p.53) "A few years ago, an old Quaker friend, who appeared to have been well informed on this subject. and whose powers, though he was then about fourscore, were unimpaired by age, told me that Col. McDougal, after he took the command, came, under great excitement, and to use his own language"in a foam of sweat," to the house in which the prisoners were then kept, and took an oath that if the Whigs did flank him, as
they were trying to do, and drive him to extremities, he would put his prisoners all to death, before he would suffer them to be taken from him."
'Whether this determination became known to the Whigs at the time, and had any influence in causing them to give up the contest, my informant could not tell; but if they were apprized of it, we presume, they would prefer that their friends should remain prisoners, than that they should be shot, en masse, by their captors." (Ibid) Here is David Fanning's account of the same event: "I left Hilsborough and proceeded 18 miles that night towards Coxes Mill, in the morning I pursued my march about 8 miles further to Linley's Mill on Cane Creek where General Butler and a party of Rebels had concealed themselves. Col. McNeal who had the advanced Guard had neglected to take the necessary precautions for our security, & by the Information of Capt. McLain from Cumberland County little River, and as soon as I discovered the situation we where in and having so great a number of prisoners, I left my station and pushed for the advanced Guard. On my coming up with Col. McNeal I enquired the reason of his neglect and before he could answer we were fired upon by the Rebels. They Killed 3 men amongst which was Col. McNeal who Received 8 balls through him and five through his horse. I then ordered a retreat back to where I had left the prisoners, and after securing them I made the necessary hours they retreated. I lost 27 men Killed and 60 so badly wounded that they could not be moved, besides 30 slightly but so that they could keep up with our main body. At the conclusion of the action I received a shot in my left arm. which broke the bone in several pieces and the loss of Blood was so great that I was taken off my horse. and led to a secret place in the woods. I then sent Lieut. Woleston to my little army for Col. Arch' M'Dugald and Major John Rains, and Lieut. Col. Arch' M'Kay to take the command and to send an Express to Wilmington for assistance as I was not able to take any command."( pp55-56, The Narrative of David Fanning) Colonel Maybin and General Butler pursued Colonel McKay and the Tories for 160 miles until Major Craigg from Wilmington met up with the Tories. David Fanning gave the following account of the flight to Wilmington: ".... Col. Maybin and General Butler pursued Col. M'Dugald and Major Rains all the way until they meet Major Craigg coming to their assistance they made their march good for 160 miles and never lost one prisoner but introduced Thomas Burk then Governor and his Regiment of Rebels to Major Craigg who Very well Excepted them and Major Craigg Introduced his Excellency and Regiment to the provo Master. I made enquiery Respecting the loss of the Rebels in the late action and found that the Inhabitants had Buried 24, and that the wounded they had left behind were 90. The party we had engaged I found to have consisted of 400 Continentals under the command Col: Mayben and General Butlers Militia." (pp55-56, The Narrative of David Fanning) The prisoners, including Archibald, proceeded on to Wilmington where they were handed over to Major Craigg, and put aboard a ship in the Wilmington harbor. The following is an account of one stop on the trip from Hillsborough to Wilmington. "Colin McRae, Esq., 'My father lived on Deep river - my mother's maiden name was Burke. When the Governor of that name was taken prisoner at Hillsboro, by Fanning and his company, they stopped at our house at night on their way to Wilmington. The Governor was put into an additional apartment at the end of the house, and there closely guarded. Our bag of meal was seized and cooked immediately; and having been previously robbed, my mother had no bed clothes except one cotton sheet which was carefully wrapped around my infant brother John, by his mother's side. One of the company seized hold of the corner of this sheet and continued to jerk and shake it until the infant rolled out on the naked floor. By way of retaliation, my mother made some attempt before day to let her namesake, the Governor, escape; but without success.'"( p 167 The Old North State) The prisoners remained in Wilmington, according to Archibald, for three or four weeks before the ship sailed to Charleston, South Carolina. Once in Charleston the prisoners were moved to the prision ship Ash, commanded by Captain Chapman, with William Billington as the ship's master. The ship was apparently anchored in Charleston Harbor. Archibald indicated in his pension application that they were held on the ship for about fourteen months. Duing that winter Colonel Lytle came aboard the ship and gave him and several of the other prisioners blankets. Archibald also saw a Colonel Washington, who was also being held prisoner, on the quarterdeck of the Ash. Archibald's wife Ann Payne McMahan, who was his neighbor in the Hawfields, said that Archibald's mother was trying to make arrangements during these fourteen months to have him released from the "hands of the enemy."(Ann McMahan's Pension Application) On October 23, 1782, there was an agreement for a general prisoner exchange. Included was Thomas Burke. Among others who were exchanged was Lieutenant Colonel Selby Harney, although he was still so ill in Charleston that he was unable to rejoin the army until a musket ball had been removed. Unfortunately General Greene had not captured enough field officers to exchange for Colonels Thomas Clark and John Patten or Major John Nelson. Also left in British hands because of the lack of proper ranks to exchange were eight captains, three captain-lieutenants, five lieutenants, and one surgeon. ( p. 382 N.C. Continentals) Archibald was dismissed from the ship and given a pasport to General Greene's headquarters which was just outside Charleston. He mentioned that no further service was required of him and could not remember whether or not he received a written discharge from the army. After he was discharged, he returned to Hillsborough, probably traveling
mostly on foot, and with some of his fellow former prisoners. The most
direct route from Charleston, South Carolina to Hillsborough, North Carolina
at that time would have been to go North out of Charleston, cross the Santee
River due West of Cape Roman by ferry and then travel North-Northwest across
Georgetown Precinct to the West bank of the Great Pee Dee River. The party
would have followed the road on the West bank of the Pee Dee to the North
Carolina line and entered Bladen County, moving due North on the West bank
of the Little River. At the headwaters of the Little River the group would
cross the Deep River at Cox's Mill and head Northeast to the Hawfields.
This route was approximately 250 miles and the trip would have taken around
ten days with no unforeseen problems. The group probably arrived home in
Early November, 1782. (Map, Henry Mouzon, 1775)
Bibliography and Sources The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century, J.G.M.Ramsey, Arno Press & The New York Times, Philadelphia: Lippincot, Grambo & Co. 1853 The History of North Carolina, Volume I 1584-1783, Samuel A. Ashe, Greensboro, N.C. Charles L. Van Noppen, Publisher, 1925 The History of North Carolina Volume 1 The Colonial and Revolutionary Periods 1584-1783, R. D. W. Carter, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York, 1919. The History of Old Tryon and Rutherford Counties, Clarence W. Griffin, The Miller Printing Company, Ashville, North Carolina, 1937 The Narrative of Colonel David Fanning, Edited with an Introduction and Notes by Lindley S. Butler, Briarpatch Press, Davidson, N.C. 1981 "North and South Carolina with Their Indian Frontiers" (Map) Henry Mouzon, 1775 The North Carolina Continentals, Hugh F. Rankin, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1971 The Old North State in 1776, Vol I &II with Index, The Rev. Eli W. Caruthers, D.D., 1854, Republished by the Guilford County Genealogical Society, 1985 "Orange County State Land Grants," # 153, 40396 (P. 39 of Abstracts), Orange County Records, Vol IX, 1-500. "Orange County, North Carolina County Court Minutes 1787-1793," Book IV Weynette Parks Haun (Page 52. "Orange County Records, Vol. IV, Deed Book 4 Abstracts" Edited by William D. Bennett, C.G. Raleigh, N.C. 1990. (P.128) Roster of Soldiers From N.C. in the American Revolution, p.593 North Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution, 1932 Seeman Press, Durham, N.C. ©2004 Gary L. McMahan |