Here are some notes concerning Westwood Armistead's Revolutionary War service.

 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR EXPERIENCES OF

WESTWOOD ARMISTEAD

by Bill Page of Bryan TX

 

Our knowledge of the war experiences of Westwood Armistead come mainly from his request for a federal pension.  Westwood Armistead made his testimony before William Hill, Justice of the Peace, in Chatham County, North Carolina, as part of the process of requesting a pension.  It reads:

 

"This day, the fifth March, A.D. 1844, personally appeared before me, Thomas Bell, one of the acting Justices of the Peace in and for said county, Westwood Armistead, and after being sworn, made the following declaration in order to obtain a pension under the Acts of Congress made and provided for the benefit of certain surviving soldiers of the Revolutionary War, viz:  this deponent sayeth, first, that he is eighty one years old [that is, born ca. 1763]; that when very young he was drafted into the army in the year 1781, a short time before the Guilford battle; that at the time he was drafted he lived in the county of Northampton, in the State of North Carolina, and after being drafted he was ordered to and did rendezvous at Halifax on the Roanoke, in the state of N.Ca., and marched from there under Capt. Madre to Guilford C.H. [court house] – was in the Guilford battle – his whole company fled but again rendezvoused at Troublesome Iron Works ..."

 

The Battle of Guilford Court House, took place on 15 March 1781.  The American forces, commanded by General Nathanael Greene, faced the British, under the command of Lord Cornwallis.  "As the British quickstepped across the field, bayonets fixed, the North Carolina militiamen stood for a moment, transfixed by the sight of cold steel.  Then they broke, throwing away weapons, cartouche boxes, and everything else that threatened to impede their flight ..."  (See Hugh F. Rankin, The North Carolina Continentals, 1971, pp. 304‑305).

 

A lot has been written about the retreat by the North Carolina troops.  Years later William Richard Davie, who was at the battle, recalled that about half the militia were positioned behind a split-rail fence, a “cover too insignificant to inspire confidence.”  Most of the North Carolina troops were unseasoned in battle - hardly the kind of soldiers one would hope for in such a key position. (Buchanan, John, The Road to Guilford Courthouse, 1997, pp.372-373).

 

General Greene and Light Horse Harry Lee both felt the North Carolinians had behaved ignominiously and said that they had fired without having fired a shot.  That charge, however, was not true, for eye-witness accounts indicate that the North Carolinians fired at least one volley.  One British captain reported “one half of the Highlanders dropped on that spot.”  The retreat itself appears to have been the result, at least in part, of their following orders by General Greene that after firing two rounds of fire the Carolinians should retreat.  (Pancake, John S., This Destructive War:  The British Campaign in the Carolinas 1780-1782, 1985, pp.178-179).

 

Amistead continued ... "and that he was then returned a soldier for twelve months under Anthony Armistead, his brother; then marched to Camden in the State of S.C., and was in the battle which there took place – Hobkirk's Hill ..."

 

Hobkirk's Hill fell on about 24 Apr. 1781.  (See B.J.  Lossing, A Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution, pp. 677-679).

 

Armistead continued, "... from there marched to Ft. Motte, from thence to Augusta in the State of Ga., and was there again in battle ...."  Fort Motte fell on May 12, 1781.  (See B.J. Lossing, A Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution, pp. 681, 683, 685).

 

Armistead's statement continued, "... from thence took up march to Ninety Six, but was by the British taken prisoner on the way in a skirmish and carried to Charlestown, in the State of S.C. – was there put on board a man of war – the name of vessel not recalled – remained in Charleston for some time, was carried from there to England.  A fight took place on the way between the ship carrying this deponent and a French vessel." 

 

Some insight into the British viewpoint can be gained from the following messages.

 

CHARLESTON, May 17, 1781.

 

Gentlemen:

 

Several prisoners on parole, having been this day taken up, and sent on board ship, the motives for which are explained in the enclosed copy of a letter to them; I am directed by the commandant to desire you will insert the same in your next paper, for the information of the public. I am, gentlemen,

 

Your most obedient servant, H. BARRY, Sec'ty., and D. A. General

(From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 3, p. 72)

 

CHARLESTON, May 17, 1781.

 

Gentlemen:

 

Many have been the representations which the outrages committed by the American troops, and their violations of all the humaner principles of war, have compelled me to make to such of their officers as commanded parties in this province; but more particularly have I been obliged to remonstrate against the rigorous treatment, in many cases extending to death, which the loyal militia, when made prisoners, most invariably experience.

 

These representations, gentlemen, having been grounded on the truest principles of benevolence, and which it behoves each side equally to have advanced, I was as much surprised as I was mortified, to find them in all cases practically disregarded, and in many, wholly neglected. It is therefore become my duty, however irksome to myself, to try how far a more decided line of conduct will prevail, and whether the safety of avowed adherents to their cause, may not induce the American troops to extend a proper clemency to those whose principles arm them in defence of British government.

 

Induced by these motives, I have conceived it an act of expediency to seize on your persons, and retain them as hostages for the good usage of all the loyal militia who are, or may be made prisoners of war, resolving to regulate, in the full extent, your treatment by the measure of theirs, and which my feelings make me hope hereafter be most lenient. 

 

And as I have thought it necessary that those persons, who some time since were sent from thence to St. Augustine, should, in this respect, be considered in the same point of view as yourselves, I shall send notice there, that they be likewise held as sureties for a future propriety of conduct towards our militia prisoners.

 

Reasons, so cogent, and which have only the most humane purposes for their objects, will, I doubt not, be considered by every reasonable person as a sufficient justification of this most necessary measure, even in those points where it may militate with the capitulation of Charleston; though indeed the daily infractions of it, by the breach of paroles, would alone well warrant this procedure.

 

Having been this candid in stating to you the causes for this conduct, I can have no objections to your making any proper use of this letter you may judge to your advantage, and will therefore, should you deem it expedient, grant what flags of truce may be necessary to carry out copies of it to any officer commanding American troops in these parts, and in the mean time the fullest directions will be given, that your present situation be rendered as eligible as the nature of circumstances will admit.

 

I am, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant, N. BALFOUR
(From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 3, p. 72)

 

Armistead continued, "He was landed on the Island of Jersey in the English Channel; was there sick for a considerable time.  On recovery was sent to Spithead prison and was there confined until peace was made.  Was then sent by cartel to Havre de Grace in France; there saw the American consul, from whom he received some money and a pass.

 

The American consul referred to probably was Thomas Barclay, the first American consul to serve in a foreign country.  He was appointed to serve in France in 1781.

 

The petition continued, "and [Armistead] went from there to L'Orient and there obtained passage on board an American ship commanded by Capt. Pearson, which landed in May or June 1783, at Boston, in the United States." 

 

Perhaps this procedure was not too uncommon.  John Blatchford also described taking a cartel to France, and then sailing from L'Orient to Massachusetts.  (See John Blatchford, The Narrative of John Blatchford, Detailing His Suffering in the Revolutionary War ..., 1865, pp. 44‑45.

 

On 22 July 1783, Benjamin Franklin, then in Paris wrote, “Our people who were prisoners in England are now all discharged.  During the whole war those who were in Forton prison, near Portsmouth, were much befriended by the constant, charitable care of Mr. Wren, a Presbyterian minister there, who spared no pains to assist them in their sickness and distress by procuring and distributing among them the contributions of good Christians, and prudently dispensing the allowance I made them, which gave him a great deal of trouble, but he went through it cheerfully, I think some public notice should be taken of this good man. I wish the Congress would enable me to make him a present, and that some of our universities would confer upon him the degree of Doctor.”  [2 Sparks' Dip. Rev. Corr., 462; 8 Bigelow's Franklin, 304.]

 

I believe that Forton Prison was located near Spithead, and may well be the place where Westwood Armistead was incarcerated.

 

For more information concerning the treatment of American prisoners-of-war in England, see: 

 

Alexander, John K. "Forton Prison During the American Revolution: A Case Study of British Prisoner of War Policy and the American Prisoner Response to that Policy." Essex Institute Historical Collections, 103 (October 1967), pp. 365-389.

 

Anderson, Olive. "The Treatment of Prisoners of War in Britain During the American War of Independence." Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, 28 (May 1955), pp. 63-83.

 

Prelinger, Catherine M. "Benjamin Franklin and the American Prisoners of War in England During the American Revolution." William and Mary Quarterly, 3d Ser., 32 (April 1975), pp. 261-292.

 

Cohen, Sheldon S. "Thomas Wren: Ministering Angel of Forton Prison." Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 103 (July 1979), pp. 279-301.

 

The petition concluded, "This deponent further declares on oath that he has not at any time received pay for any part of his services."  It was signed, "Westwood Armistead."