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Samuel Craig was lieutenant of the company in which Mathias Fisher served on Lochry's Expedition. Like Mathias he has captured during the attack and sold to the British. He was released and returned to Westmoreland County in 1783. He died five years later in 1788.
The following excerpts from his Revolutionary War pension file concern his widow Elizabeth's efforts to obtain a pension for his service. Heresy evidence of Craig's service is provided by Elizabeth and his brother John Craig. Direct evidence is provided by Ezekiel Lewis who served with Craig on Lochry's Expedition. Lewis statement is interesting for being the only document known to give the precise setting and time of the attack on Lochry's forces: "...near the mouth of the Big Miami River, at which place when we were about landing to cook our Breakfast about ten O’clock of the 24th day of August 1781and while we were kindling fires on the beach, the Indians who were concealed in the weeds on the Bank above us, Commenced an attack upon us & killed about Forty two and took the hole of the remainder prisoners no one Escaping to tell the news,..." Lewis's testimony is also interesting for providing the price of captured prisoners when sold by the Indians to the British at Detroit: "...the Indians sold us to the British at the price as this Deponent understood of ten Gallons of Rum Each or equivalent in other articles," Lewis escaped from the British with four others including Mathias Fisher, retiring home to Westmoreland County in 1782.
The remainder of Craig's pension file (not transcribed or shown) contains routine correspondence concerning Elizabeth's pension application, records of payments and requests from relations in the early 1900's for copies of Craig's file. All transcriptions are as faithful to the source material as possible including spelling oddities and punctuation which is often lacking. A complete account of Lochry's Expedition including the testimony of other participants is available here.
(page 4) —————
Westmoreland County
State of Pennsylvania
On the 20th day of May 1839 personally came before the Court of Common pleas of said County Elizabeth Craig a resident of Derry Township in said County aged seventy three years who being duly sworn according to law doth on her oath say and make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7th 1838 Entitled an act granting “half pay & pensions to certain widows” That she is the widow of Samuel Craig who was a Lieutenant in the company commanded by Captain Robert Orr the detachment of Troops which marched against the Indians under Col Lochry in the years 1781 (inserted seventeen hundred & eight one) (Eighty one) being Pennsylvania troops, This detachment under Col Lochry marched to the Ohio River, and the whole force with but few exceptions was Either killed or taken prisoners among the Latter of whom was your declarants husband Lieutenant Alexander (should read Samuel ed.) Craig and his Captain Robert Orr, your petitioners husband was taken to detroit and Niagara & remains a prisoner about a year & a half and returned
(page 5) —————
in the winter or Spring of seventeen hundred and eighty three - She further declares that she was married to the said Alexander Samuel Craig in the year seventeen hundred & eighty four in the Month of April but the day of the month she does not recollect and there is no record Evidence thereof and that her husband the aforesaid Alexander Craig (again should read Samuel ed.) died on the 28th day of August in year one thousand Eight hundred & Eight. That she was not married to him prior to his leaving the services, but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January seventeen hundred ninety four viz at the time above stated The declarant further states that her husband Entered the service of the state of Pennsylvania or she believes some time before the Expedition under Col Archibald Lochry marched from Hannastown against the Indians In the Month of August in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty one That she does not recollect the day of the Month of the Battle on the Ohio in which Col Lochry was defeated but that
(page 6) —————
her husband was absent in the service of the Country as a Lieutenant from the month of August Seventeen hundred & Eighty One until February of March Seventeen hundred & Eighty three that is Counting this time he was a prisoner with the Enemy.
Elizabeth Craig
Sworn & subscribed on this day & year above written in open court
John Clark Prot.
State of Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County ss
I John Clark Prothonotary of the burt of Common pleas of Westmoreland County Do hereby Certify that Elizabeth Craig who Sworn the above affidavit came into open Court before his Honour Thomas White Esq President Judge of the Court of Common pleas afsaid county and his associates John Lobengier & Thomas Pollack Esquires and made the foregoing affidavit on the 20th day of May AD 1839
attest John Clark Prot
(page 7) —————
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County ss
And now to wit with August the 19th 1839 personally appeared in open Court in the Court of Common pleas for the said County of Westmoreland being a County of Record Ezekiel Lewis who on his oath duly administered according to law Deposeth & saith that he was a Soldier in the company of William Campbell, a Captain of a troop of Light Horse or Dragoons in the year one thousand and seven hundred & Eighty one, which met at a place of Rendezvous at Col. Carnahans in West’d County with other troops all under the Command of Col Archibald Lochry, The Regiment or Detachment under Command of said Lochry Marched from said Carnahans for the Indian Country in the month of August 1781. Among the Troops in said Detachment was a Company Commanded by Captain Robert Orr, whose Lieutenant was Samuel Craig The said detachment or Command Marched to the Ohio at Pittsburg where we Embarked, including the said detachment Samuel Craig and proceeded down the
(page 8) —————
River in Boats till near the mouth of the Big Miami River, at which place when we were about landing to cook our Breakfast about ten O’clock of the 24th day of August 1781and while we were kindling fires on the beach, the Indians who were concealed in the weeds on the Bank above us, Commenced an attack upon us & killed about Forty two and took the hole of the remainder prisoners no one Escaping to tell the news, Among the prisoners was Lieutenant Samuel Craig, who I did not see after the prisoners were parted among the different tribes of Indians until we met at Detroit, which Deponent thinks was about the last of October in same year when the Indians sold us to the British at the price as this Deponent understood of ten Gallons of Rum Each or equivalent in other articles, this Deponent returned home 17th July 1782, being detained until that time a prisoner in Canada. Deponent does not know when Lieutenant Samuel Craig returned except from Report. Deponent made his Escape from Captivity with four others, before he was exchanged
(page 9) —————
or Discharged & in company with his comrades came home thru the Wilderness
Ezekiel Lewis
Sworn an Subscribed in open Court before me the date aforesaid
John Clark Prot
At the same time & place personally appeared John Craig who on his oath saith that , In the year 1781 Samuel Craig lived with me , the said Samuel Craig then being unmarried, He turned(?) out volunteer to March against the Indians He marched in August 1781 with Captain Orrs Company to Col Carnahans the place of Rendezvous for the Troops under Col Archy Lochry and as the Deponent understands was the Lieutenant of said Company. The said Lieut Saml Craig did not return from his captivity as a prisoner, (being taken with the rest of Col Lochry’s Defeat) until a few Days before Christmas in the year 1782. Deponent has often heard Captain Robert Orr say after his return to Captivity that Samuel Craig was his Lieutenant & has also heard form many others of the Company after
(page 10) —————
their return, the said Lieutenant Samuel Craig lived with the said Deponent (inserted: after his return from captivity) & made his house his home until he was married to Elizabeth Shields, now Elizabeth Craig the widow of the said Samuel Lieutenant Saml Craig. Said Samuel Craig & Elizabeth his wife wife resided together until the death of the said Samuel. Deponent Does not now recollect how long after Samuel Craigs return he was married, But he knows well they were married and has he believes by the Rev James Powers who is Dead for many years.
John Craig
Sworn & Subscribed before me the date first herein written
John Clark Prot
I John Clark Prothonotary of the burt of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County Do hereby Certify that Ezekiel Lewis & John Craig personally came into open Court on the 19th day of August 1839 and before the Honourable Thomas White Esq President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and his associates John Lobengier & Thomas Pollack Esqs and made & subscribed the foregoing affidavits
attest John Clark Prot |
Fisher Family Genealogy
