As in several other stories, I have done a little weaving of the history of the times into this story on John Milam’s story, but the backbone of this story is a deposition that he made in connection with an application for pension. John Milam was 79 years old at that time, and some researchers have been inclined to doubt his memory of some of the events. I must say that in those instances where I have been able to correlate his story with history, I find his memory remarkably accurate. Especially in the case of the South Carolina battles, it is remarkable that he remembers even the names of the commanders. Apparently neither he nor those taking the depositions knew the correct spellings, but, remember, they had no dictionaries or spell checkers then. To the extent that I’ve been able to check it, I find John Milam’s story remarkably accurate and highly believable. Just a couple of editorial notes: Text enclosed within brackets, like this, [about 100 miles], means that I inserted the enclosed text. The rather arcane term "affiant" appears repeatedly in the deposition. To save someone the trouble of looking it up, that means one who swears to an affidavit. In this case that’s John Milam II.
Enough rambling. Let’s get on with the story.
Let’s listen while John Milam II [I’ll call him John Milam II, but his deposition indicates that he was called John Milam.] tells his story by means of a deposition that he gave when he was 79 years old.
"He states he was born in Brunswick County in the state of Virginia, 12 June, 1753. He further states His father moved from Brunswick to Halifax before he can remember,…"
The town of Brunswick was (and still is) located about 60 miles as the crow flies, almost due south of Richmond, only a few hours walk from the North Carolina border, and Halifax is about 80 miles almost due west of Brunswick. Yet John Milam II was to take up his gun and "march" hundreds of miles all around the East Coast in answer to the call for soldiering in the cause of the American Revolution.
What the motivated John Milam II to undertake this long journey will never be known to us for certain. But at least in his actions, he was a true patriot.
So that we can fit the events of John Milam II into the timeline of the Revolutionary War, let’s review very briefly what had happened before John Milam II enlisted in the Continental Army. Those who hate history, hang on a minute, we’ll be right back to John’s story. On April 18 and April 19, 1775, Massachusetts’s militiamen fought the British at Lexington and Concord. Then in mid-June of 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill took place. The next day, George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. He had a few engagements in the New York area the most rewarding being the crossing of the Delaware River at Trenton. This occurred the day after Christmas, 1776, and resulted in the capture of about 900 Hussein mercenaries by Washington’s troups. This pretty much brings us up to John Milam’s enlistment, so let’s return to his story.
"…he enlisted in the army of the United States in the spring of the year 1776, with Tapley White, Lieutenant, and served in the Seventh Regiment of Virginia of the line under the following named officers, That he enlisted for the term of two years. [The Seventh Regiment of Virginia was organized during March to May of 1776.] His Captain Nathaniel Cock, Joseph Hopkins and other Lieutenants; with this regiment officers was marched to Petersburg [a distance of about 130 miles] and after stopping there a short time was marched to Williamsburg [Another 50 to 75 miles depending on whether there was a convenient bridge] in the State of Virginia where they were stationed for some months and while there the declaration of independence was promulgated. [ The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, of course, but it probably took about 20 days for news to get to Virginia.] "From thence they were marched to Little York where a considerable skirmish took place a little below the town near an island which affiant and many others crossed where the battle was fought, the enemy plundered of about $10,000 worth of goods and many negroes were taken in the action and it was said that that property would be divided out among the troops but it was never done. Affiant does not distinctly remember the name of the Commander in chief of the British troops but believes it was Dunmore. "
[I have not been able to find Little York or to find a historical record corresponding to the battle that John Milam describes here. Possibly Little York was Yorktown which is about 20 miles from Williamsburg. One of the problems in finding historical references to this type skirmish is that Yorktown history has been dominated by the surrender of Cornwallis. Since that was the turning point of the war, all other things seem unimportant in comparison. Dunmore was, of course, Lord Dunmore, Colonial Governor of Virginia. I’m not sure if Dunmore actually commanded troops, but he did order Norfolk bombarded and then burned on New Year’s Day 1776. Of course, that was before John Milam had enlisted in the Virginia militia.]
"From thence Affiant was marched with the said Regiment through Alexandria and Georgetown, [near Washington, DC] thence to Baltimore [ A distance of over 200 miles from Williamsburg.] at Dumphriese where all were inoculated for the smallpox. Rather thinks there was a change of officers at Baltimore, Mosely was Capt., Richardson, Major, Nelson and McClanahan Cols., William Woodford Gen. [Brig. Gen William Woodford was with Washington at Valley Forge and later at the battle of Monmouth. But the battle of Monmouth was fought in late June, probably after John Milam had gone home.] "From thence he was marched with said army to Philadelphia [ Over 100 miles] there they remained some time. from thence they marched into the Jerseys to Morristown. [About 90 miles. Washington’s army went into winter quarters at Morristown for the winter of 1776-1777. That’s most likely why John Milam was there. ] "There Affiant appointed orderly sergeant, was stationed there with the sick for several months. Affiant was marched from (can't read) to the Valley Forge [Over 100 miles] when he took sick and was sent to Lancaster [35 to 40 miles.] where he remained sick until his time of service expired, after having thus served out his term of service two years, he returned home. [The winter quarters for Washington’s army for 1777-1778 was Valley Forge. It was a horrible time with little food and "scarcely enough clothing to cover their nakedness," as Baron von Steuben put it.
It was common for soldiers to leave when their term expired. In fact, droves of them went home even before their terms expired.] "He, during this said campaign in several little skirmishes, one on the Schoolkill, but they were too small to be mentioned here. [ "The Schoolkill" was the Schuylkill River, which wanders around through southeastern Pennsylvania and eventually passes by Valley Forge, which is probably where John Milam had his little skirmish.]
"After Affiant had returned from this campaign about two years was drafted for four months to go to the siege of Ninety Six or Cambridge it was called. [Ninety-six is located about 20 miles from the Georgia border near Greenwood, SC. The siege of Ninety-six lasted from May 22 to June 18, 1781.] Edmond King, Capt.; Alen Roser, Major, Gen. Green Commander in Chief. [This was Gen. Nathaniel Green, who had taken command of the southern forces from Horatio Gates after Gates’ disastrous loss at Charleston.]. Gen. Green made an attack on the forts of the enemy commanded by one Cooger as well as remembered, who (can't read) reenforced by the division commanded by Gen. Roddin. [The person John Milam calls "one Cooger" was actually Lt. Col. Cruger, a commander of New York volunteers fighting for the British. Roddin was Lord Rawdon, who did not actually arrive at Ninety-six until June 21, maybe a day or so after Gen. Green had ended the siege. Green did, however, use some of his troops to harass Rawdon’s troops, thereby slowing Rawdon’s advance toward Ninety-six. But, of course, keeping up this harassing activity did considerably divert Green’s attention and energy from the siege of Ninety-six.] "Green was forced to a precipetate flight and returned across the Saluda and beyond the Broad River. [Actually, with Rawdon approaching with 1800 infantry and 200 cavalry, Gen. Green decided to retreat north. He was, however pursued by Rawdon’s troops, and that may have been what John Milam calls "precipitate flight" The Saluda and Broad are rivers somewhat North of Ninety-six.] "The army returned to or near Chamblin (Camden) and there affiant's time had expired, returned home. [Camden is approximately east of Ninety-six by about 80 miles or so. They must have arrived there some time in early July.
"…from Halifax Affiant moved to Laurence (Laurens) County in the state of South Carolina where he lived 30 or 40 years, from thence to this County of Madison where he has lived ever since and where he now lives. " [End of deposition.]
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John Milam II married Nancy McClardy about 1790. She was born in about 1755. In 1813, after Nancy died, and while he was living in Laurens, SC, John married Poly Allison.
A Milam researcher, Vera Milam Ryker, indicates that John Milam II, probably had three wives and perhaps as many as 19 children. I have only two wives and the children I’ve listed below.
I’m not sure how the children are divided up between Nancy and Poly, but from the dates of birth, it looks as if John and Nancy had the following children: Dicey, Jane, Poly, Nancy, John, Wiley, Lucinda, William Bartlett, and Lucin Darella "Cindirella."
John was about 60 years old when he married Poly. So, it may be that they had no children.
John died October 26, 1838 in Madison, AL. He was about 85 years old when he died, an incredible age in that time for one of modest means.
One is tempted to speculate that John Milam may have had a wife before Nancy McClardy. He was 28 years old when he returned from the campaign in South Carolina and he did not marry Nancy until some eight or nine years later. Women were scarce in those days, but men and women needed one another desperately in those days, and it is unusual to believe that John would have remained single during those years. Unfortunately, that was well over 200 years ago, and so, like many other puzzling things about our ancestors, will probably remain a mystery.