During this bicentennial year, with its emphasis on studying and understanding our country's past, it seems appropriate to include in our quarterly the recollections of a private soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War. What makes this soldier special is that he, John Wilson Scott, was an early settler in DeWitt County, lies buried within the county, and was the progenitor of a multitude of past and present citizens of our county. What follows is a transcription of John Scott's application for a pension, in which he narrated at some length and in great detail many of his experiences during his military service. Spelling and punctuation have been left as they appeared in the original, so that the full flavor of the narration remains that of John Scott in 1832. The copy of the pension application was contributed by Dorothy (Strange) Martin. "State of Illinois, McLean County on the Third day of December personally appeared in open court Before the County Commissioners being a court of record of McLean County now Sitting John Scott--a resident of Kickapoo presink in the County of McLean & State of Illinois-aged Seventy (or nearly So) who being first Duley Sworn According to law doth on his oath make the following Decleration in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress pased June the 7, 1832 That he entered the Servis of the United States under the following named officers and Served as herein Stated I did enter the Servis of the United States under the Command of Colonel William Camble & Captain James Dysart and his Seboltiran officers in the year 1780 in the Month of May did served the following towers of duty (vz) arley in the Month of May as above our offcers having received infermation that the Toreys ware committing murder and other depredations in Wilks County North carolina we therefore Struck our line of March and with Speed we came to the place and having taken sum of them prisoners, they gave Security for thare good behavour and all hostilitys Seased thare, and this being the case we Returned home near the last of July and arley in the Month of August we received orders to March for South carolina in persuit of Col. Forrgason a British commander having a large body of British & Toreys under his Command, and we Marched into North carolina (now the East end of Tennessee) and thare incamped untill Col. Seveir & Col. Isaac Shelby made up their Troops & then they joined us & amduately we Marched passing over the mountains in and threw Retherford County from thence into the South & down the South side of Broad River to the Cowpens & thare receiving infermation that the Ennmoney was lying at the Cherrikee ford on Said river we therfore Marched for that place and continued our line of March all nite but the Enmoney having removed we therefore without receiving aney refreshmant Continued our line of March and on Kings mountain we came up with the Ennimy and Klid there commander & a number of his Soldiers and made prisoners of the residue of them and took there waggons from them. This however was not done without Sum loss on our side thare was twentyone or thareabout kild on our Side, amongst the Slain was Capt William Edmiston Reece Bowen & John Baty the wounded not Recolected and after Berrying our ded we imployed those Waggons to carry our wounded back to Col. Walkers on Broad river to which place we Marched the prisoners, and our officers thare, holding council. it was thought proper to burn the waggons, and having received proper Testamoney, against one Col. Mills (a torey officer) and six of his adherents, they ware adjudged guilty of Murder, and by us amdiately hanged & hear we ware to leave our wounded, but a young man by the name of Iseral Highter being Shot threw the thy desired to be takinalong the mountain until Sutch Gap as he could cross and I with two others was appointed to this duty, all of which I promtley performed and the battle of Kings mountain being on the Sixth day of October 1780. I therefore was not able to reach home untill the last of November my way being impeded in cosiquence of danger, at times, and the bad Situation of the wounded man, and my fellow soldiers Started home at the Same time I Started with the young man. and having returned home, and previous to dismision, my before named Col. Camble pave orders for two companeys of his Mounted Vollenteers to Keep them Selvs in rediness to march, I having all the while, and in all the before named, missions belonged to Capt. Dysart's Companey, of Mounted Vollenteers, and so I continued, and we held our Selvs in rediness to March, and on the first of Feb. 1781 vie received orders, and Struck a line of March and Crossing the Mountain at the flour gap down threw the Moravion Towns and into Gilford County whare Generl Green was Incamped and Corn Wallis not far off There we Joined headQuarters and on the next day our Brave Col. Camble Marched us down on the Brittish lines, to watch the movement of the enmmony and on the third day being the 6th day of March we received orders to dismount and our horses and Saddles bridles being placed in the care of persons appointed to that duty we therefore Marched amdiateley to fire on the British, being then in hearing of thare drum beet--but we had not advanced more than one half mile before the British fired on those horsemen, scaterd and took sum horses, and mine was one of them appraised to Sixty dollars togather with my Saddle and bridle all which I lost on that day but we in a few minnits after hearing the firing of the pistles of the horse ware advansed in close firing distance of the Ennimoney on the Caney fork of how river at Whitsels Mills at whitch place tic had a Sevear Scrimmage with the Brittish, and on the day following we again got into Gennerl Greens Camp and Marched with the Gennerl a few days, but the weather being Blustary and cool & and we having lost our Blankets We therefore, received orders to March for home, but being near three hundred mile from home, and a foot (as I had lost myhorse) I did not reach home untill near the first of May 1781 and My Servises in all as a Mounted Vollenteer in the United States Servis amounted to a bout twelve months under arms as a privet. I hereby Relinquish every clame what Ever to a pension or annuity Except the present and declare that name is not on the pension Roll of the Agency of any State. MY(Court) have you aney Record of your age and where is it. An. My age was recorded in my fathers larg Bible from whence I have it. (court) whare ware you living when Cold. into Servis and whare have you lived Since (An) I lived when colled into Servi in Washington County Virginia from thence to South Carolinia from thence to Tennessee from thence to Indiana from thence to Illinois whare I now live I have alredy refered you to Sum of the reguler officers whom I Serve when in Servis (Court) did you ever receive a discharage from the Servis By whom was it gave and what has become of it. (An) I received a discharge from my captain but do not distinctley Recolect what became of it. (Court) State tie Names of persons in your Neighbourhood to whom you are known and who can testify us to your character for Verasity and good behavour your Soldier ship & Service as a Revolutioner (An) I Refer you to James Latta a clergiman and John Glenn who can testify conserning me. Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid (John Scott) Dated 3rd day of December 1832"