George Washington's Lifeguard
In Memory of
JAMES M'CRORY.
Died Nov. 24th; 1840, aged 82 years,
6 mo. and 9 days.
Deceased was a soldier of the Revolution and was at the
battles of Germantown, Brandywine and Guilford
Courthouse and was one of Washington's life
guard at Valley Forge and served his country
faithfully during the war.
Peace to the soldiers' dust.
James McCrory was born May 15, 1758, at Larga, on the river Bann, in the County of Antrim, Ireland. He sailed from Belfast in 1775 when he was 17 years old and landed at Baltimore July 1st, in the same year. In 1776 he settled in Guilford County, N. C., and enlisted in the Continental army in same year. He was at the battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777, under General Washington at the battle of Germantown, and wintered at Valley Forge in 1777-78. Subsequently he fought under General Greene at Guilford Court House, March 15, 1781, was in the battle of Eutaw Springs, and in the battle of Stono. He was with General Gates at his defeat at Camden and with General Morgan in the glorious victory at the Cowpens. For courage, good service and meritorious conduct he was promoted to the rank of ensign in the Life Guard of General Washington, and while acting in this capacity, he was taken prisoner and confined on board a prison ship for six months. He came to Alabama while it was yet a territory, and made his home at Tuscaloosa for the last twenty-five years of his life. This true patriot died November 24, 1840, at the age of eighty-two.
"There is a list of North Carolina Continental troops published in the N. C. Historical and Genealogical Register, on p. 424 of which we find the name of James McCrory, ensign in the Ninth regiment under Col. John P. Williams, May 2, 1777. Thomas McCrory was a captain in the same regiment. The services of James McCrory are also stated in the proceedings of the 27th Congress, 2nd Session, in the Senate, February 4th, 1842, report of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims:
James McCrory was a sergeant in Capt. Cook's company of the 9th regiment, enlisted on the 15th day of April, 1776, for the term of three years; on the 2nd day of May, 1777, he was promoted to the rank of ensign. In January 1778, the nine regiments which composed the line, being reduced to three, the supernumerary officers were sent home, of which he was one. He then joined the nine months' men and marched to the south and was at the battle of Stono, the 30th of June, 1779, and was at Gates' defeat in August, 1780, and was taken prisoner on the 24th of February, 1781, by Tarleton's dragoons and was kept prisoner four months at Wilmington and then paroled; and in November, 1782, he took prisoner Colonel Bryant, a British officer, and gave him up to a regular officer of the American army.
In spite of this array of gallant services the committee reported adversely because of some technicality; but as the old hero had then been dead two years he was probably not very deeply affected or disappointed by the decision."—Mrs. P. H. Mell in Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society, Vol. iv, pp. 554-556.
Details of his service: He was an ensign, 9th Regular N. C. Line; enrolled on June 13, 1829, under act of Congress of May 15, 1828, payment to date from March 3, 1826; annual allowance, $240; sums received to date of publication of list, $2,160; John McCrory, agent.--Revolutionary Pension Roll, in Vol. xiv, Sen. Doc. 514, 23rd Cong., 1st sess., 1833-34. He resided in Pickens County, June 1, 1840, with Robert McCrory, aged 82. Census of Pensioners, 1841, p. 149.
The above information of James McCrory is copied from the Tuscaloosa Flag of the Union, December, 1840.
This information can also be found at the following web site: http://www.archives.state.al.us/al_sldrs/m_list.html
Also in Bethany Cemetery, which has also been known as the old Enon Cemetery and the Garden Cemetery, there is a tombstone erected in the memory of another Revolutionary soldier. The epitaph reads: In memory of Meridith Taylor a Revolutionary Soldier was born September 1764 and died March 29th 1844.
Cache placed with permission.
This cache was originally placed by: Pork King & The Bright Knight proud members of the MSGA. I adopted this cache in December 2005. This cache is a mini-micro hidden in Old Bethany Cemetery, near the grave of one of Gen. George Washington's personal Lifeguards.