Entry in THE BERKELEY JOURNAL 1998 Berkeley Historical Society, p. 16 The Virginia Rifle Regiment Riflemen from the wilderness sections of Virginia, maryland and Pennsylvania were always popular with the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, so he prevailed on congress to provide for the enlistment of companies from these sections. In 1776, Captain Hugh sxtephenson returned from Bopston and together with Captain moses Rawlings, organized the Virginia-Maryland Rifle Regiment, of which he became Colonel and Rawlings Lieutenant-Colonel. It was comprised of men from Berkeley anf Hampshire Counties and men from Western Maryland. It consisted of eight companies: ... Seventh Company.... A list of officers and privates of the Company of Captain Abraham Shepherd of the Virginia ?Rifle Regiment raised in Berkeley County and being the first company organized by Colonel hugh Stephenson and, after his death commanded by Colonel Moses Rawlings in the Continental service from July 1, 1776, to October 1, 1778.... Privates Thomas Pollock West Virginia Data Base - Jefferson County Module Berkely County Records At a court held for Berkeley County the 18th day of November 1783. This last will and testament of Adam Moler, deceased, was presented in Court by Henry Little and Adam Moler, Junr., the executors therein named, who made oath that according to law and the same being proved by the oaths of Thomas Pollock and Melchor Stroop witness thereto .. Cartmell, T. K. We find, for instance, Daniel Morgan appearing in Winchester in the spring of 1777, with a commission and authority from the American Congress to enlist and organize two regiments of riflemen, to be known as the Eleventh and Fifteenth Virginia Regiments. Enlistments were quickly made; for we find him with the two regiments on the march May 31st, 1777, and reporting the following as the line officers: Daniel Morgan, Col. Thos. Pollock, Sergt. Major. Dandridge, Historic Shepherdstown, COMPANY OF RIFLEMAN WHO VOLUNTEERED IN 1776 "An Abstract of the Pay due the Officers and Privates of the Company of Riflemen, belonging to Captain Abraham Shepherd, being part of a Battalion raised by Colonel Hugh Stephenson, deceased, and afterwards commanded by Lieut. Colonel Moses Rawlings, in the Continental Surive from July 1st, 1776, to October 1st, 1778.: This is the heading of the paper which lies before me, brown with age, and frail with wear, so that in some places it is almost illegible. For our present purpose it will be sufficient to give only the names of the company. Later an attempt will be made to record the fate of each soldier who fought in this famous and ill-fated company. Abraham Shepherd, Captain. Privates Thomas Pollock. George Brown. Dandridge, Historic Shepherdstown CHAPTER XIV THE PRISONS OF NEW YORK The battle of King's Bridge, fought around Fort Washington, has been described so often and so well in the numerous histories of the Revolution that it is unnecessary in this volume to give more than the account contained in Major Bedinger's letter of the part the Rifle Regiment took in that affair. Lossing gives one of the best descriptions of the fight, to which we refer the reader. We have seen, in the last chapter, what sort of treatment the brave riflemen, who made such an heroic defence, received at the hands of their cruel foes. Out of 2,673 privates taken captive, nineteen hundred were done to death within a few days over two months. They were starved, neglected, and abused; confined in overcrowded and infected dungeons, some of them bayonetted and others hung on the slightest pretext, or without any pretext whatever, and without the shadow of a trial. All or very nearly all of Captain Shepherd's company, as we have seen were taken prisoner, where they soon perished, except a few who escaped, or lived to be exchanged. ..... The names and dates contained in the paper written by Henry Bedinger will now be given, and then the names of others of Captain Shepherd's Company who perished in captivity. LIST OF MEN RAISED BY HENRY BEDINGER THAT HE BROUGHT FROM NEW TOWN AND AROUND MARTINSBURG, AUGUST 1ST, 1776... One of these men and only one died at his home, a prisoner on parole. This was William Seaman, the son of Jonathan or Jonah Seaman, who lived near Leetown. He was sent home to die. The date of his death is given as July 8th, 1777. A few of this company were not in the action of November 16, 1776. Two were killed in a skirmish the day before and one, Peter Hill, in the battle around Fort Washington. Only two deserted to the enemy to save their lives. They were William Anderson, who deserted Jan. 20th, 1777, and Moses McComesky, who deserted June 10th, 1777. The part of the company who appears to have been exchanged late inDecember, 1776, was drafted into another rifle company on the first of January, 1777. Adam Sheetz, Adam Ryder, Thomas Pollock, Bryan Timmons, Thomas Mitchell, William Hicks, James Aitken and John Lewis are marked "Drafted, Jan. 1st, 1777." Appendix Pollock, Thomas. A private in Captain Shepherd's company. January 1st, 1777, he was drafted into another company. Pete ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 3:40 AM Subject: [WVBERKEL] Re:Revolutionary war time period > I have some notes saying my ancestor Thomas Pollock (listed in DAR index) was > from the Shepherdstown Militia. I understand he was held as a POW in New York > and released and sent back to Shepherdstown & told not to fight again then he > took up the cause again anyway! Where would one find records dating back that > far? > Thanks > Pam > > > ==== WVBERKEL Mailing List ==== > Address your BERKELEY County List > messages to:[email protected] > >

This was a very exciting piece of information for me. I and a friend are searching for information on John Keys who served with Capt. Hugh Stephenson. Does this source give any information on John Keys? Can you direct me to a location to help me find out more about this John Keys [he later settled in Martinsburg]. Would appreciate any help you can offer. Thanks! Thom Montgomery ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carrell Peter" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 8:19 AM Subject: Re: [WVBERKEL] Re:Revolutionary war time period > Entry in THE BERKELEY JOURNAL 1998 Berkeley Historical Society, p. 16 > > The Virginia Rifle Regiment > > Riflemen from the wilderness sections of Virginia, maryland and Pennsylvania > were always popular with the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, so > he prevailed on congress to provide for the enlistment of companies from > these sections. In 1776, Captain Hugh sxtephenson returned from Bopston and > together with Captain moses Rawlings, organized the Virginia-Maryland Rifle > Regiment, of which he became Colonel and Rawlings Lieutenant-Colonel. It was > comprised of men from Berkeley anf Hampshire Counties and men from Western > Maryland. It consisted of eight companies: ... > > Seventh Company.... > > A list of officers and privates of the Company of Captain Abraham Shepherd > of the Virginia ?Rifle Regiment raised in Berkeley County and being the > first company organized by Colonel hugh Stephenson and, after his death > commanded by Colonel Moses Rawlings in the Continental service from July 1, > 1776, to October 1, 1778.... > > Privates > > Thomas Pollock > > West Virginia Data Base - Jefferson County Module > Berkely County Records > At a court held for Berkeley County the 18th day of November 1783. This > last will and testament of Adam Moler, deceased, was presented in Court by > Henry Little and Adam Moler, Junr., the executors therein named, who made > oath that according to law and the same being proved by the oaths of Thomas > Pollock and Melchor Stroop witness thereto .. > > Cartmell, T. K. > We find, for instance, Daniel Morgan appearing in Winchester in the spring > of 1777, with a commission and authority from the American Congress to > enlist and organize two regiments of riflemen, to be known as the Eleventh > and Fifteenth Virginia Regiments. Enlistments were quickly made; for we find > him with the two regiments on the march May 31st, 1777, and reporting the > following as the line officers: > Daniel Morgan, Col. > Thos. Pollock, Sergt. Major. > > Dandridge, Historic Shepherdstown, > > COMPANY OF RIFLEMAN WHO VOLUNTEERED IN 1776 > "An Abstract of the Pay due the Officers and Privates of the Company of > Riflemen, belonging to Captain Abraham Shepherd, being part of a Battalion > raised by Colonel Hugh Stephenson, deceased, and afterwards commanded by > Lieut. Colonel Moses Rawlings, in the Continental Surive from July 1st, > 1776, to October 1st, 1778.: > This is the heading of the paper which lies before me, brown with age, and > frail with wear, so that in some places it is almost illegible. For our > present purpose it will be sufficient to give only the names of the company. > Later an attempt will be made to record the fate of each soldier who fought > in this famous and ill-fated company. > Abraham Shepherd, Captain. > Privates > Thomas Pollock. George Brown. > > Dandridge, Historic Shepherdstown > > CHAPTER XIV > THE PRISONS OF NEW YORK > The battle of King's Bridge, fought around Fort Washington, has been > described so often and so well in the numerous histories of the Revolution > that it is unnecessary in this volume to give more than the account > contained in Major Bedinger's letter of the part the Rifle Regiment took in > that affair. Lossing gives one of the best descriptions of the fight, to > which we refer the reader. We have seen, in the last chapter, what sort of > treatment the brave riflemen, who made such an heroic defence, received at > the hands of their cruel foes. Out of 2,673 privates taken captive, > nineteen hundred were done to death within a few days over two months. They > were starved, neglected, and abused; confined in overcrowded and infected > dungeons, some of them bayonetted and others hung on the slightest pretext, > or without any pretext whatever, and without the shadow of a trial. > All or very nearly all of Captain Shepherd's company, as we have seen were > taken prisoner, where they soon perished, except a few who escaped, or lived > to be exchanged. ..... > The names and dates contained in the paper written by Henry Bedinger will > now be given, and then the names of others of Captain Shepherd's Company who > perished in captivity. > LIST OF MEN RAISED BY HENRY BEDINGER THAT HE BROUGHT FROM NEW TOWN AND > AROUND MARTINSBURG, AUGUST 1ST, 1776... > One of these men and only one died at his home, a prisoner on parole. This > was William Seaman, the son of Jonathan or Jonah Seaman, who lived near > Leetown. He was sent home to die. The date of his death is given as July > 8th, 1777. > A few of this company were not in the action of November 16, 1776. Two were > killed in a skirmish the day before and one, Peter Hill, in the battle > around Fort Washington. Only two deserted to the enemy to save their lives. > They were William Anderson, who deserted Jan. 20th, 1777, and Moses > McComesky, who deserted June 10th, 1777. > The part of the company who appears to have been exchanged late inDecember, > 1776, was drafted into another rifle company on the first of January, 1777. > Adam Sheetz, Adam Ryder, Thomas Pollock, Bryan Timmons, Thomas Mitchell, > William Hicks, James Aitken and John Lewis are marked "Drafted, Jan. 1st, > 1777." > > Appendix > > Pollock, Thomas. A private in Captain Shepherd's company. January 1st, > 1777, he was drafted into another company. > > Pete > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 3:40 AM > Subject: [WVBERKEL] Re:Revolutionary war time period > > > > I have some notes saying my ancestor Thomas Pollock (listed in DAR index) > was > > from the Shepherdstown Militia. I understand he was held as a POW in New > York > > and released and sent back to Shepherdstown & told not to fight again then > he > > took up the cause again anyway! Where would one find records dating back > that > > far? > > Thanks > > Pam > > > > > > ==== WVBERKEL Mailing List ==== > > Address your BERKELEY County List > > messages to:[email protected] > > > > > > ______________________________ >