This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Franklin-Rice -Shelton-Wallin-Tweed Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/wNHBAIB/2984 Message Board Post: It has been alleged Roderick Shelton was at the battle of Kings Mountain and served in the Colonial Army. We recently had a chance to view the muster list of all the colonial troops who fought at Kings Mountain and found no Shelton listed for the Battle. Found were Franklins , Duckworth and of Course Servier. Does anyone know and can show us where Roderick Shelton Served ?
No Roderick in the pension applications either! If my memory is correct, at the front of the Revolutionary War Pension Application Index, for the SHELTON surname, there were a few with "SHELTON" only, no first name. In going to the actual documents for these SHELTONs with no given name, there still should be additional info about these people that might help identify them. I don't know if anyone has checked these out; but I have not. . The Patriot commanders, unfortunately for us, did not report or keep official rosters of those engaged at Kings Mountain. At best we know from whence they came (Watauga troops under Sevier & Shelby, etc.) and approximate numbers from each district. Arthur Paul SHELTON states on page 234 of his book on James SHELTON of McMinn County, TN (http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnmcmin2/SheltonIndex.htm ) that Roderick "reportedly had fought under General George Washington in the Continental Army in the Revolution from Virginia. He had fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain in North Carolina in 1880." AP does not provide his source for his "Kings Mountain" info. The only sources he provides that mention Roderick's military service are from his descendants. In my notes about Roderick I had a quote from somebody but I did not record who!! It says: . "I am inclined to believe that his name was James Roderick, he having taken his middle name for some reason, perhaps to differentiate him from the many other James Sheltons in Virginia and Carolina at that time. It is known that Roderick was in the Revolutionary War, having fought under George Washington in the Continental Army, but records in the archives do not list him. There is a James Shelton among the list of the 12 brothers where Roderick isnt listed who did fight in the Revolution, and I suspect that he and Roderick are the same." The source of info on my website said that George was a cousin of Roderick, being that George was the son of James. That James' brother, John, was the father of Roderick. It also said that George & a cousin, James SHELTON, were cavalrymen in the Revolutionary War. This information came from a Mrs. Willingham of Sheffield, Alabama, descendant of George. I still have not yet found my source that says Roderick & James served together, still looking. Here's some possibly relevant info from my own investigations: James is confusing; Roderick is unyielding; and so I picked George to investigate. Thanks to his pension application, we do have a little info on him. For starters, we learn that he was "reared in Buncombe County, N. C. where he resided when he enlisted in Capt. Gray's North Carolina company in an expedition against the Cherokee Indians." mIn a non-exhaustive search I found only one Captain GRAYs from North Carolina. Captain John GRAY was living in Randolph County, North Carolina, at the time of the Revolution & served as a captain in the 3rd North Carolina Regiment. I followed the 3rd Regiment around to learn more about them, most especially anything about Cherokee Indians. From Dec 1775 to May 1777 all NC regiments were headquartered in the south. Detachments of the 3rd NC Regiment defended Charleston, SC, in Jun 1776. There is documentation that the Chickamauga Cherokee supported Loyalists; so that might be a possibility. Something else encouraging is that in May 1777 the entire NC Brigade (9 regiments) was ordered north to serve under General George WASHINGTON. They gathered at Wilmington, NC, and then headed north thru Williamsburg, Virginia. (***SIDENOTE***) I must add that while at Wilmington they reorganized their regiments according to geographical districts. I put a note out on AMREV rootsweb email list asking if anyone could tell me the district for Buncombe. No response. They reorganized again (merged regiments) after their winter at Valley Forge. Inciidentally, while at Valley Forge WASHINGTON said of the NC Brigade that they were the most ill equipped, ill dressed, sorriest looking, etc., of all. Sounds funny but that's really sad to think of how they must have sufferred that winter especially. NC also had groups of 6-month volunteers (or draftees) which rotated as requested by the sourthern command later in the war.***END SIDENOTE***) By July (back to 1777) they were in New Jersey & then redirected to Wilmington, DE, to help counter a British attempt on Philadelphia. In New Jersey they fought at the Battle of Monmouth directly under WASHINGTON. Roderick's descendants say he served directly under WASHINGTON. Hmmm! ("Molly Pitcher" was there too!) I also came across something about the 3rd NC Reg engaging Major PATRICK FERGUSON at a time & place earlier that was not Kings Mountain, South Carolina I think. Many of the NC boys were captured & held as prisoners then. That would need more research. My interest in Buncombe County Sheltons began with the Stephen on the 1810 census. I love applicable history & so it has an enjoyable study even tho fruitless so far. I visited Shelton Laurel in the early 90s and was fortunate to make the acquaintance of a "cousin" who took me to Roderick's grave on a hill above the site of Roderick's "old home place". I took pictures. I would encourage you to visit if you have not yet been. I hope that some of what I've shared might save you some time overall. More than that, I do you find the answers you seek. Good luck! Sheila Gibson My own website now has a disclaimer & footnote on this subject!