#52 Ancestors Week 27 - Independence - Thomas Adkins

Amy Johnson Crow at No Story Too Small has a weekly challenge to write the stories of your ancestors. This is week #27 and the suggested theme is INDEPENDENCE.  I'm highlighting the Revolutionary service of my of my 4th great grandfather, Thomas Adkins (1760-1845).

Since I wrote about Abner Adkins, my ancestor which is only halfway researched, I decided to highlight his father Thomas Adkins, an American Revolutionary Soldier. Thomas was born in South Carolina about 1760 and was living there when the American Revolution started At the age of 17 he enlisted.

Thomas Adkins served under Capt. John Templeton .He marched to Cambridge under Col. Lindsay and then to Augusta, GA, on to Briar Creek, where they had a very serious engagement and where they were defeated. They were repairing the bridge that ran through a three mile wide swamp, that the British had destroyed.  The work party had not been issued weapons and they were quickly surrounded by the British at three o'clock in the afternoon of 28 Feb 1779.  Many drowned trying to escape by swimming the Savannah River, some were shot.  About 200 men were taken prisoner.  As Thomas could not swim, he was taken prisoner.  He remained so for about six months.  On his escape, he rejoined his remaining outfit at Mock's Corner, SC.  He was discharged at the orders of General Greene. 

Plaque in Whitley county erected in 1976 for the Bicentennial of
 Kentucky of Revolutionary Soldiers

Thomas Adkins 1760-1845
Kaswick Cemetery, Whitley Co., KY

Thomas applied for pension on October 21, 1833 at the age of 73 while living in Whitley County, Kentucky. His pension file on Fold.3 has 123 pages. Many of those papers are his application and there are many from his widow's application after his death.  Although there are many witness statements all applications were denied for lack of proof of length of service. He had not kept his discharge papers.