The Revolutionary War Service of John Hickerson

Several pay roll documents exist that confirm John Hickerson served in the Lincoln County, during the Revolutionary War. These documents were transcribed and are included in the book, " and his men: Military Records 1778-1784" compiled by Margery Heberling Harding and published in 1981.

George Rogers Clark was the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. He served as leader of the Kentucky Militia throughout much of the war. In June 1776, Clark and John Gabriel Jones, another early settler of Kentucky, sought to petition to allow Kentucky to become a part of the at the outset of the American Revolution. Clark and Jones traveled via the to Williamsburg, where they convinced Governor to create Kentucky County, Virginia. Clark was given 500 pounds of gunpowder to help defend the settlements and was appointed a major in the Kentucky County Militia at just 24 years old. Four years later, in 1780, Kentucky County was divided into Fayette, Jefferson and Lincoln Counties.

The following pages from "George Rogers Clark and his men: Military Records 1778- 1784" show 4 tours of duty in which John Hickerson served in Kentucky in the Western theater of the war, while a member of the Lincoln County Militia. The Western theater was the area of conflict west of the Appalachian Mountains and was fought primarily between the American colonists and the American Indians with their British allies. British officials recruited and armed Indian war parties to raid American settlements in order to provide a strategic diversion for operations in the northeast.

First Tour of Duty Page 87 - Document 181 John Hickison (likely a Private, although not shown), served in April and May, 1781 in Capt. Robert Barnet's Company of Lincoln Militia, drawn into actual service of the frontier of Lincoln County under the Command of Col. John Logan.

Second Tour of Duty Pages 110 and 111 - Document 82 Sergeant John Hickison served from February through April, 1782 in a Ranging Party of Lincoln Militia drawn into actual service under the command of Thomas Montgomery by order of Col. .

Document 82 (continued)

Third Tour of Duty Pages 147 and 148 - Document 84 Sergeant John Hickison served from August 18 through August 27, 1782 in Capt. John Martin's Company of Militia on an Expedition to the Blue Licks under the Command of Col. Benjamin Logan.

Document 84 (continued)

Pages 144 and 145 - Document 77 August 17 - August 26, 1782

The third campaign in which John Hickerson participated was an expedition to the Blue Licks under the command of Col. Benjamin Logan in late August, 1782. Pages 144 and 145 in the book describe how Capt. William Caldwell, a Loyalist soldier with the British Indian Department, led about 50 Loyalists and 300 Indians in an attack to surprise and destroy , a fortified settlement in Lexington, Kentucky. The settlers discovered the impending attack and took shelter within their stockade.

After two days, still unable to breach the stockade, Caldwell withdrew when he learned a rebel unit of Kentucky militiamen were on the way. Men from Fayette County and Harrodsburg arrived at Bryan Station on August 18. The highest-ranking officer, Col. John Todd of Fayette County, was in overall command. Benjamin Logan, of the Lincoln Militia, was gathering men and had not yet arrived. The rebel militiamen could either pursue the Loyalists immediately, to keep them from escaping, or they could more safely wait for Colonel Logan, only a day away, to arrive with reinforcements. They decided to set out after the retreating Indians on August 18 and the following morning reached the Blue Licks, where they were ambushed by the Indians.

John Hickerson, as part of the Lincoln County Militia under Colonel Logan, would have arrived at the Blue Licks after the battle was over.

Fourth Tour of Duty Pages 158 and 159 - Document 74 John Hickerson served during September and October, 1782 in the Lincoln Militia under Capt. Samuel Kirkham on actual service guarding Saltworks. His rank is uncertain. "DO" is an abbreviation for "ditto". He was either a Sergeant, the same as the officer listed above him, since the ditto could imply his rank was the same, or he was a Private.

Document 74 (continued)