Hello! I was able to spend some time transcribing (some words are a bit of a mystery), though also at times fun piecing the history together. Not everyhing might be spot-on accurate, so surely updates/suggestions are welcomed.
It is interesting to read the journey of a soldier, and how it all ties into some of the more familiar names/events in history.
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State of North Carolina
County of Wilkes
On this 30th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of (word-word-word) of the County of Wilkes State of North Carolina (word-word) a John Swanson a resident of the County of Wilkes, State of North Carolina, aged seventy on years, who being (word) duly sworn according to law (oath on the earth?) make the following declaration, (several words) June 7th 1832.
That he was born on the 11th Day of April 1761 in the County of Edgecombe and State of North Carolina, the second of which he (word) from that made by his father, in his family record, where hi lived (word) he was about twelve years of age, when he moved north his father to the County of Wilkes, in the said state, when he moved north the fall of the year 1780, when he was (word-word) for a three month time, and entered the service of the United States, in the (word) County of Wilkes, in a company of militia commanded by Captain Ethelred Jones (External note: Was an Ensign. 1780-1781, a Captain under Col. John Hinton, Jr. Early 1781, attached to Lt. Col. Thomas Farmer (Orange County Regiment). aka Dred Jones), and (word) at Hillsboro: where they joined the regiment under Col Thomas Farmer –
after remaining at Hillsboro a few days they marched (word) to Salisbury where they joined the troops under Genl Davidson and marched in a short time to (word-word) on the Catawba River, where they met with the army under Lord Cornwallis, attempting to offer a (word) – after a (word) skirmish of that (word-word-word) the opposing armies, Genl Davidson divided his troops and (word) about those hundred under command of Col Farmer, of whom the (word) was one he provided with (word-word-word-word-word-word) the (word) about few miles to a place called (word-ford?) where a portion of the British Army were endeavoring to (word), and when Genl Davidson had a (word-word) engagement with them, in which he was unfortunately killed, and the troops under his command totally defeated and (word) – the Americans then headed on foot as they could towards Salisbury, without (word) keeping the main road.
Endeavoring to keep themselves together – about six miles from the Catawba Col Tarlton with a party of British light horse (word) a small body of the Americans, of whom they (word) way one and attacked and dispersed them after (word) a few (word). (word) they succeeded in making their escape (word-word) having shown the Americans in the great confusion, they (word) these (word-word) after they (word) the (word) when the small party to which these (word) was attached not knowing where they would find the remaining (word) of the army, and (word) the British to (word) them every day and these term of service being about to expire, they proceeded home (word-word) this (word) believes he served about the middle of February 1781 – In the month of April, this (defendant?) reenlisted himself for twelve months (under a regiment made by the State of North Carolina for (word) number of twelve months (word), and (word-word-word) from whence they (word) marched under the command of a Sergent, to Hillsboro, where they were placed under the command of Captain (Elmer?) Dickson –
after remaining at Hillsboro a short time, they marched to a small farm in the County of Granville, then called Harrisburg, (was supposed to be (word) where they were stationed for some time, during which time the (word) from the (word-word—word) at that place on the final day of June 1781 at that place, this (defendant?) took what was called “the (word-word) oath” – From Harrisburg they marched back to Hillsboro from there to Salisbury under Genl Farmer and from there through Charlotte, Camden (word) to the High Hills of Santee where they joined Genl Greene – after joining Genl Greene they marched back again to Camden, and after they…
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-Dan