Well, I think I have my "proof". Follow along and see if you agree and tell me what you think. From some different records (printed below) I have gathered that FJD served with the following officers: Capt Jenkins, Col Paisley, Gen Rutherford, Gen Gates, Lt Copeland (or Copel?), Gen Greene, Col Washington, Capt George Ross, Gen Morgan, Col Hambright, Col William Grimes, Gen Smallwood, Gen Butler, Col Bratton and Capt Moffett. OK, here are some tidbits. Through cross referencing and all in a couple of books ("The Patriots at the Cowpens" and "Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution" [ FJD is listed in both!] among others) I've found that the CPT Jenkins FJD refers to is CPT William Jenkins. Lt. Copeland is 1LT John Copeland. COL Washington is COL William Washington. COL Bratton is COL William Bratton. CPT Moffett is CPT John Moffett. FJD gave first names for CPT George Ross and COL William Grimes. COL William Bratton was a COL in the SC Militia, under COL William Washington. COL Washington served closely under Francis Marion. CPT John Moffett was a CPT in the SC Militia. He served under COL Lacey and Gen Thomas Sumter. Sumter was an associate of Marion's. CPT William Jenkins served under COL Bratton before he was killed. CPT George Ross served under CPT John Miller, an officer known to have served under Francis Marion, and COL Bratton, among others. There is a "problem" with the book "Roster of Patriots who served under Francis Marion". Only soldiers that requested payment from the state of South Carolina are listed in it. In a book on Francis Marion's life ("A Sketch of the Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion" by William Dobein James) it frequently mentions Col Washington and also mentions Col Bratton. FJD claims to have been at Gate's Defeat and Sumter's Defeat. I could find record that Sumter was an associate of Gen Marion, but couldn't find clear records whether Sumter was assigned to or under Marion, therefore making him a Ranger. The same with Gates' Defeat, unclear whether Gen Gates was considered a Ranger. Several of the officers he mentioned were under Gen Marion and several of the locations were areas where he operated. In a book titled "Roster of Patriots who served under Francis Marion" there is a William Bratton mentioned. Also a Col William Washington and a Capt John Moffett. In "Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army 1775-1783" I found a listing for a Col. William Bratton, S.C. Milita, wounded in action at Williamson's, and a listing for Cpt John Moffitt, SC Milita. Then in a book titled "A Sketch of the Life of Brig Gen Francis Marion" (that's a great read) it reads "The most distinguished leaders, under Sumter were Cols...Bratton...". He saw action or was located at the following places: Salisbury, NC, York District, SC, Camden, SC, Congaree River, Wateree River, Ankrum's, Cowpens, Yorktown, Newburgh, NC, Guilford Courthouse, Gate's Defeat and Sumter's Defeat. Several of those locations are known locations of engagements of Marion's or his associates or of the SC Militia. Cowpens was a major battle and probably the biggest battle won by militia (including William Washington's "dragoons", Light dragoons were "cutting edge" military units, which is basically the definition of Rangers) in which British regulars participated. Here are some excerpts from the sources below: "He entered the service in York District, South Carolina he thinks in 1778 or 9 - under Captain Jenkins in the Militia Service in the Regiment commanded by Col Bratton - he served four months, was in two skirmishes during that time, served out his time and was discharged by Colonel Washington." (Col Bratton and Col Washington served under Gen. Francis Marion, the Ranger of the Revolutionary War.) "He was a private soldier at ANKRUMS [Ancrum's] on the Congaree under Gen. Green[e], Col. Washington." Just realized this! He said he was a private soldier, not that he was a private. The term "Private soldier" may refer to being militia instead of a Continental Regular. "from the (battle of) Cowpens was again marched about the country until the month of March when he was again in battle against the British at Guilford, N.C" Both of these were engagements where there was known "Ranger" involvement. At the bottom are complete sources. They give the locations he was and the men he served under. Declaration In Order To Obtain The Benefit Of The Act Of Congress passed June 7 1832. State of Georgia County of Habersham On this ninetenth day of November 1832 personally appeared in Court before the Court of Ordinary now sitting Francis Dover, a resident of said county and state aged seventy one years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He entered the service in York District, South Carolina he thinks in 1778 or 9 - under Captain Jenkins in the Militia Service in the Regiment commanded by Col Bratton - he served four months, was in two skirmishes during that time, served out his time and was discharged by Colonel Washington he then enlisted under Captain Copeland at Monks Corner in South Carolina for the term of two years - he was marched into North Carolina- was in the Battle a Guilford Court House where he was wounded in the leg and arm - under General Green he served out his two years and was discharged at Hallifax in Virginia by Captain Hambright - he was born in Orange County North Carolina in the year 1760. - has no record of his age - resided at the time of entering the service in York District, South Carolina - after the war he removed to Pendleton District South Carolina - from there he removed to Habersham County Georgia where he has resided ever since - he has lost all his discharges by the burning of his home. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present declaration that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid. Jonathan C Chastain C Court Frank J Dover. This is from a book called The Carolina Genealogist - Our People Lives and Legends FRANCIS J. DOVER, Revolutionary Soldier REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION [R 3052] State of Georgia, Habersham County, on May 9, 1838 Francis J. Dover, a resident of the state and county aforesaid, aged 78 years appeared in court to make the following oath relative to his Revolutionary war service to obtain the benefits of an Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. Entered service as a volunteer private soldier in GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. under Capt. Jenkins and Col. Paisley and Gen. Rutherford on the 11 July 1777, marched to Salisbury, N.C., where he was stationed under these officers for about 5 months. Then was marched to YORK DISTRICT, S.C., and from thence to CAMDEN [S.C.] where he was stationed, then through the S.C. countryside to the Congaree and Wateree Rivers where he joined Gen. Gates; Capt. Jenkins having been killed near Ninety-SIX [S.C.] Lt. Copeland was appointed in his place. Dover afterwards marched "through the county in different directions, sometime advancing, sometimes retreating, and sometimes detached on scouting parties. And was with Gen. Gates at his defeat near Salisbury and from thence was marched to Salisbury and thence again to the Congaree River in South Carolina and was placed under the command of Gen. Green[e]." He served for 23 or 25 months, then enlisted in either July or August 1779 in the Regular Continental Army under Gen. Green[e] for the duration of the war. He was a private soldier at ANKRUMS [Ancrum's] on the Congaree under Gen. Green[e], Col. Washington, and Capt. George Ross, stationed there about 3 months, then marched about the country until Jan. 1781 when he was in the Battle of Cowpens under Gen. Morgan. "They beat the British (Green[e] being at Broad River), from the Cowpens was again marched about the country until the month of March when he was again in battle against the British at Guilford, N.C., where he was w! ounded in both the leg and the arm. At Guilford was under Green[e] and the British were under Lord Rawson and Cornwallis. After the battle he was to different points to watch the motions of the enemy until they finally got into their entrenchment at York[town] in Virginia and where he remained at the Siege until the surrender of Cornwallis. After the taking of York[town] he was marched to Newburgh, N.C. [New Bern ?] at which place and in the neighborhood he was stationed for upwards to twelve months and until Peace was proclaimed, when he was regularly discharged by Capt. Bluford, Major Thompson, and Col. Lacy. According to the best of his recollection he served 4 years under this last regular enlistment and was discharged in Nov. 1783 by Capt. Bluford." To questions raised by the court he answered that he was born on the Haw River, N.C., about 40 miles from Guilford, but does not recollect the county, born the 28 June 1760. He had a record of his age, but it was burned in his house. When he first volunteered he was living in YORK DISTRICT, S.C., to which place his family had removed from Haw River, about a mile from King's Mountain battle ground. When discharged from the Army went back to York Dist., where he lived 3 or 4 years, then moved to Pendleton Dist., S.C., where he lived 28 years, then moved to Habersham Co., Ga. where he had resided about 19 years. He first enlisted and served 23 or 25 months as a volunteer, then immediately enlisted for the duration and served it out. He sometimes saw detached service under Col. Hambright, Col. Wilham Grimes, Gen. Smallwood, and Gen. Butler. He had received no written discharge as a volunteer during his first tour of service; he did receive a written discharge from the Continental Army after peace was proclaimed, which was he thought signed by Capt. Bluford and Col. Lacey or Washington. This discharge was burned in his house in York Dist., S.C., about 3 years after his discharge. Dover was known to Andrew Norris, George Ivester, and John Suggs who resided in his neighborhood, and can testify to his character and veracity. He knew of no other who could prove his service with the possible exception of HEZEKIAH DOVER "who saw him frequently in the Army of the Revolution" or ABRAM MULLINAX "if found yet alive in South Carolina." Sworn to in open court: Thos. McRae C.I.C. Signed Francis J. Dover [his mark] HEZEKIAH DOVER made a statement before the Court that he knew that his brother had first been a volunteer, then a soldier in the Continental Army, having seen him several different times in the Army though he [Hezekiah] was young at the time and did not remember the names of the officers. REV. JOHN SUGGS, a clergyman residing in Habersham County, ANDREW M. NORRIS, and GEORGE IVESTER, all of the same neighborhood certified they were well acquainted with Francis J. Dover, and believed him to be 78 and a Revolutionary soldier. The opinion of the court was that all were reliable persons and that Dover did in fact have Revolutionary service. Attested to by JAMES WILLIAMS, J.1.Ct., WILLIAM W. ALLEY, J.I.Ct and B.Y.PATTON,J.l.Ct. ABSALAM MULLINAX of Pickens Dist., S.C. appeared July 13, 1838 before John R. Slanford, J.I.Ct. of Pickens Dist., and declared that he had known Francis J. Dover during the Revolution, that he lived in York Dist., S.C., and saw Dover serving in the Army under Capt. Jenkins in the year 1777 or 1778, and also several different times during: the War. It was reported and believed that Dover served during the whole war and that the deponent fully concurs in that belief. ABSALOM MULLlNIX John T. Carter, Dep.-Clerk I. Ct. certified that John R. Slanford was one of the Judges of the Inferior Court, etc. From Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution I found his rejected suspension application Dover, Francis J. R3052 b. 28 June 1760, Haw River, Orange County,NC. d. 13 December 1851 While a resident of York District, he enlisted July 1777 and served five months under Lt. Copel, Capt. Jenkins and Col. Bratton and was in two skirmishes. He then reenlisted and served ten months under Capt. Moffett. He enlisted during June or August 1779 under Capts. George Ross and Copeland, and Cols. Paisley, Hambright and William Grimes of North Carolina. He was in the battles of Gates's Defeat, Sumter's Defeat, Cowpens and Guilford Courthous, where he was wounded in the leg and arm. In addition, he was in the siege on Yorktown and saw Cornwallis surrender. He was discharged during November 1783. (Moved so Ga.)