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James Flack (1753-1841)
Revolutionary War Pension Application

National Archives Revolutionary War Pensions, James FLACK, Westmoreland County, PA, S5407

On the twenty second day of May in the year 1834 personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, James Flack a resident of Ligonier Township in the County and State aforesaid aged eighty one years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.

That in the year 1777 this declarant entered the army in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania as a volunteer in a volunteer company commanded by Captain John Hinkson in the Month of September of said year. We were stationed at Palmers Fort in Ligonier Valley during the period of declarant's service at Palmer's Fort. He volunteered with others of the company to go in pursuit of a party of Indians who had committed a number of depredations in the neighborhood. We overtook the Indians in the night at a place called Blanket Hill three miles from where Kittanning now stands. We surprised and killed the whole party except one who was supposed at the time to have been the notorious Simon Girty. Declarant remained in the service at Palmer's Fort for three months when he returned home.
In the month of February or March 1778 this declarant entered as a volunteer in a Company commanded by Captain Robert Knox. We rendezvoused at Fort Ligonier in Westmoreland County from thence we marched to Pittsburgh where we joined General Hand who commanded as expedition intended out against certain towns in the Ohio country. We marched about sixty or seventy miles into the Indian country and destroyed two Indian Towns. The second Town was fifteen miles beyond the first. This delcarant was one of sixty volunteers by whom its destruction was effected while engaged in this service we were commanded Colonel Pumroy who was our Colonel. Declarant was one of the mounted volunteers. Colonel Crawford, Colonel Mason, and Colonel Stinson were attached to the expedition. He was absent on this Tour two months.
In the month of May in the year 1780 having gone to Kentucky he entered as a volunteer under Captain George Riddle who commanded a small fort called Licking Station situate on Licking River in Kentucky. The fort was about forty miles from Limestone. The Garrison consisted of about forty men and boys. On the 24th of June 1780 before sunrise we were attacked by a large force of British and Indians amounting as this declarant was afterwards informed by one of the artillery men to two hundred and fifty British and eight hundred and fifty Indians. The attack & defense was continued until about two hours before night. The enemy then brought forward a piece of cannon, which cut our picketing and compelled us to surrender. Declarant lost a horse and two rifles. One of the rifles had belonged to declarant's brother who was shot by the Indians while standing sentry at the Fort two days before the action. By our articles of capitulation we were to be retained by the British as prisoners of war, but no sooner had we surrendered than we were all delivered to the Indians with the exception of two individuals, Captain John Hinkson and Enos McDonald. The Indians bound this declarant and marched him to where Cincinnati now stands and from thence to beyond Detroit. The Indians then brought declarant to Detroit and delivered him up to the British. I came to Detroit on the 28th day of July having been with the Indians from the 24th day of June. Declarant's health being injured from the severe treatment he had received. He was allowed the privilege of the yard of the Barracks. After I had recovered my health I was confined in jail for three weeks for chastising a refugee for insolence. At the end of three weeks I was liberated from the jail and had the privilege of the Barracks yard as formerly. A few days after my enlargement I went into the Smith's shop with a fellow prisoner. I then saw two rifles which I had known before they were taken from Ligonier Valley by the Indians. We sledged the sides of the rifles together that they might be of no service to our opposers. For the act thirteen of us were placed on board a prison ship and sent down to Niagara. Below Detroit we made an attempt to take the vessel but one of our own party proving a traitor, our plan was defeated and we were all seized and bound. At Niagara I was offered four shillings sterling a day to assist in making gun carriages, this I refused and was again imprisoned for what they called my obstinacy. I remained in jail until about the first of May 1781. I was then taken to Montreal where I remained in prison until the last of June or the first part of July when through the willingness of Michael Rugh of Westmoreland County then a prisoner at Montreal, and afterwards a Representative of the said county in the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, I was taken out of jail and let to work for Captain Grant a British officer. I worked on an island opposite Montreal called Grant's Island and was allowed one shilling a day York money. After working some time I received a half joe from Captain Grant. With this I bought two compass dials, some cheese, a bottle of Rum and a pair of moccasins. Having made these preparations this declarant took advantage of a dark night and in company with five other prisoners crossed the St. Lawrence in a canoe and made the best of our way to Vermont and after ten days painful traveling we arrived at General Bailey's in Vermont. General Bailey gave us a pass to Boston and a recommendation to Governor Hancock. From Governor Hancock we got a pass to Philadelphia and an order for ten days provisions. At Sussex in the Jerseys I parted from my companions and came into Bucks County Pennsylvania where I arrived in the latter part of the month of August 1781. I remained in Bucks County for some time among my relations to rest after my fatigue and arrived at my fathers in Cumberland County in the month of October 1781. The declarant has no documentary evidence of his services.
James Flack

Where and what year were you born?
I was born in the County of Antrim in the Kingdom of Ireland in the year 1753.

Have you any record of your age?
I have no record of my age.

Where were you living when called into service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where fo you live?
When first called into service I lived in Ligonier Valley in the County of Westmoreland in the State of Pennsylvania. I have lived there since the Revolutionary War and I now live there..

State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served such continental and militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your services.
Declarent has no recollection of any officers or regiments but those mentioned in his declaration and to this he refers.

Did you receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it signed and what has become of it?
I never received a discharge from the service.

Selected Final Pension Vouchers 1818-1864: Pennsylvania, Volume 1

• FLACK, James, Westmoreland Co., 16 June 1841, formerly private James FLACK died 23 Feb 1841 in Ligonier Township, "his widow is also dead," only surviving child Margaret SKILES, wit. Hugh M. Skiles [sig.]. JP James CLARK [sig.]. Pittsburgh, 27 Jun 1841, William DRUM [Sig.] collected $26.54

The above documents kindly supplied by Jim Sellars - 10 Aug 2010
Whole documentation is also viewable on Ancestry.com (membership required)