LONGHUNTERS-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: James Potter
Date: Sat, 09 Jan 1999 11:04:24 -0700

Hi,
I am new to the list but am familiar with Allan Eckert's book "That
Dark and Bloody River". An individual I am probably most familiar with that
may fit into this book is James Potter b. Jul 6, 1759 Connecticut and
enlisted under Captain Jesse Evans. He served under Col. George Rogers
Clark and Lieut. Col. John Montgomery during the Revolutionary War as a
Virginia recruit.
According to James Potter's war records S. 17023 which are not real
legible but interpreted this way "sometime in September 1779 as near as he
can recollect - and from the Long Islands they marched by water down the
Holston to the Tennessee River and down the River to the junction with the
Ohio and down the Ohio to the Mississippi and up the Mississipi to the
Kaskaskia and stationed about two months from whence he marched by water
down the Mississippi to the mouth of the Ohio and up the Ohio to Fort
Vangant - where they were stationed during the winter of 1779 - and were
marched from thence down to the mouth of the Ohio and from thence to Fort
Yellow Back on the Mississippi. During all which ____ they had no engagment
except as they went down the Tennessee some Indians fired on them in their
canoes in what is now called the _____ in se, River but didn't execution nor
were they able to find them on pursuit - but some miles below they found six
Indians and after a hard row caught them - kept them as prisoners. And
after being stationed at Fort Yellow Back during the summer of 80 they were
ordered to Kaskiskia where he was honorable discharged by Col. Montgomery
sometime in September as he believes. - making a term of twelve months.
being his term of enlistment.
Declarent does not now recollect the number of the Regiment to which
he belonged nor does he know whither it was considered as belonging to
Virginia or North Carolina line - as he was young and inexperienced - He
states that the Regulars in company amounted to about 150 men - he also
recollects that Capt. Thomas Shilby - Capt. Quirk commanded companies in D.
regiment during this campaign he messed with Leonard Shoemaker and John
Slaughter and others. He states that he kept his discharge many years -
but finally lost it he knows not how nor where. Since the Revolutionary War
he has resided most of the time in Virginia where he resided at the close of
the war and a part of the time in the State of Tennessee for the last thirty
years he has lived in Coke county where he now resides.
He states that there is no clergy man in the neighborhood where he
resides, but that John Henderson & Wm W. Hancock are acquainted with him and
can state as to his church for veracity."
This was sworn before Geo. M. Porter Clerk on August 29, 1855 in
Open Court in Cocke county, Tennessee.

Although there appears to be one years difference between what is recorded
on James Potter's record and Allan Eckert's book, could someone enlighten me
as to the actual taking of Fort Kaskaskia and whether George Rogers Clark
made two trips to Fort Kaskaskia, one in 1779 and one in 1780 or was James
Potter an old man who couldn't remember his dates?

Maurice Potter

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