Up in the Old Spencer Addition, the original graveyard that eventually became Rose Hill Cemetery, sits a granite memorial monument to Andrew Ferguson, a 90 year old veteran of the Captain Harris' Virginia Militia of the Revolutionary War. What makes him special is that he was one of the few black veterans of the Revolutionary War.
Andrew Ferguson was born in Dinwiddie County, Virginia in July of 1765. A pension record from 1838 lists his father's name as Andrew Perley/Peeleg/Peeley. The writing was difficult to read and it is unknown what his last name actually was. In fact, we don't even have the name of his wife or any children.
In his pension record, dated August 15, 1838, he states the following:
"I am a colored man. I was born in Dunwidie County, Virginia Free and was seventy-three years old in July last and fifteen years of age when I was drafted into the service of the United States back General Green who was at the time (the first of January 1780) in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Two weeks previous to my being drafted and in company with my father (Andrew Peeleg (?) as he was called) was taken prisoner by the British under John and James Cuglie (?) Cruger (?). We ran away from them because they whipped us with the cat of nine tails and fell in with American soldiers under Green."
He talks a good bit about his service and battles that he fought. At the bottom of the pension application it is noted that he received $20 per annum starting on March 4, 1831 for service as a private for 6 months in the Virginia militia.
His pension records state that he served for some time in the Continental Army under General Green. This would have been after 1776 when George Washington lifted the ban on black enlistment. Around 1780-81, he was wounded in the head by Cornwallis' troops near the Guilford, North Carolina, probably at the Battle of Guilford Court House which was fought in March of 1781. A silver plate was put in his head and he spent several months in recovery before returning home to Virginia.
He stated in his pension application that he fought at the Battle of King's Mountain, South Carolina on October 7, 1780. A few years ago, the Park Service placed a bronze plaque in what is now King's Mountain National Park that commemorates three African American's who fought in the Battle: Esaias Bowman, John Broddy and Andrew Ferguson.
He came to Indiana between 1820 and 1830. Unfortunately, little seems to be known about him as there are few records. The editor of the Bloomington Courier described him as being well-liked. He worked odd jobs around town for various people, probably for little pay.
In 1855, he applied for bounty land from the government. Bounty land was land that was awarded to Revolutionary War soldiers as a sort of thank you for serving. It was usually in an area that was not well settled as a means of expansion. I am not sure why he didn't apply for his land earlier, other than it was possible that when he was in Vincennes, Indiana and was told that a colored man could not apply for pension, he did not bother trying, though he did apply for pension in 1851. Unfortunately, the application for his bounty land, 160 acres in all, was approved too late, having been dated 1856. By that time, both Andrew and his wife had passed away. It is noted that he and his wife, of whom no name was noted on the pension records or in the roster, both died paupers, living off of the generosity of the county.
He died on October 1, 1855 in Monroe County, Indiana and was buried in an unmarked grave. Nearly 130 years later, the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a memorial stone at his gravesite.
It is unknown exactly how many blacks served in the Continental Army, but some sources estimate it at around 5,000. How many of those are buried in Monroe County, is unknown.
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REFERENCES
American Revolutionary War Museum Virtual Exhibit - Andrew Ferguson Pension Application
African Americans in the Revolution
Southern Campaigns American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters - Andrew Ferguson
US African American Griots - Andrew Ferguson
Wilson County Public Library Local History and Genealogy Blog - New Marker for African Americans who fought at the Battle of King's Mountain
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