My kindred, Samuel Rosamond, Lemuel Benton, and Gavin Witherspoon, fought under the Francis Marion ‘The Swamp Fox’ in the War of Independence. John Witherspoon is a Signer and is kin to the Preston family, as are the three Patriots above. These four men are kindred to the Stewart family, and thus William and Harry Windsor. Add to this roster, the Hart and Hull family, then here is America’s most illustrious and Patriotic Family.

http://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/patriot_military_sc_captains.htm

https://rosamondpress.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/patriot-samuel-rosamond/

He sent Lt. Col. Lemuel Benton with sixteen men to seize the pass over Horse Creek. Horry’s men stumbled over a sentry who fired a shot, and they quickly rushed Sumter’s home with Col. Marion’s remaining 134 men closely behind them. In a brief fight, they killed or captured 22 British Regulars and two Loyalists. One of the Continental prisoners, Capt. Perry Benson of the 5th MD Regiment, was wounded as well.

http://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_battle_of_great_savannah.html

Rosamond, Samuel
Ninety-Six District Regiment
1777
1782
A Captain under Col. Robert Anderson at Siege of Ninety-Six (1781) (Upper Ninety-Six District Regiment).  A Lieutenant under Capt. Adam Crain Jones during 1782.  Also at battle of Kettle Creek (GA). Aka Samuel Roseman.

Benton, Lemuel
Cheraws District Regiment
1775
1777
Promoted to Major in 1777.  Promoted to Lt. Col. In 1780, then Colonel in 1781.

Witherspoon, Gavin
Berkeley County Regiment
1780
1782
From Williamsburg District.  A Captain under Col. Richard Richardson, Jr. (aka Richardson’s Regiment)
Pee Dee Swamp w/4 men, Tearcoat Swamp, Halfway Swamp #1, Georgetown #6, Wiboo Swamp, Witherspoon’s Ferry, Fort Motte, Quinby’s Bridge, Shubrick’s Plantation, Eutaw Springs, Videau’s Bridge, Wadboo Swamp

Witherspoon, James
SC Light Dragoons
1779
1782
1779-1780, a Captain under Maj. Hezekiah Maham, Col. Daniel Horry.  1781-1782, a Captain under Lt. Col./Col. Peter Horry (Kingstree Regiment, Horry’s Light Dragoons, and SC 4th Regiment of State Dragoons).  From Williamsburg District.
Georgetown #6, Eutaw Springs

Witherspoon, John
Lower Craven County Regiment
1777

From Williamsburg District.  Earlier, a Lieutenant.  A Captain under Col. Hugh Giles.

http://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_wambaw_bridge.html

http://www.pierces.org/gen/5530.htm

http://wardepartmentpapers.org/searchresults.php?searchClass=fulltextSearch&fulltextQuery=Lemuel+Benton

Terry Lipscomb, “South Carolina Revolutionary Battles – Part Ten (MS H-2-2)”, unpublished, p.29:

Benton personally led his troops in a second skirmish higher up on Black Creek, which is believed to be the Battle of Williamson’s Bridge mentioned in local tradition; this corresponds to the present bridge on state secondary road 35 in Darlington County, four miles southeast of Darlington.
Alexander Gregg, D.D., History of the Old Cheraws, Richardson And Company, 1867, pp.387,
Another skirmish took place about this time, higher up on Black Creek, Colonel Benton commanding. The Tories were routed and fled, but being overtaken and surrounded, were forced to make a hand to hand fight, suffering very severely. Colonel Benton had no fire arms except his pistols. One man, pressed by the colonel, turned about, and was in the act of firing his musket, but, before he could do so, Benton discharged his pistol at him, missing him, however, then threw it at him and knocked him from his horse to the ground.
JP:
Black Creek Skirmishes 1 & 2 seem to have taken place in the last half 1781 or early 1782

Samuel BENTON “the Immigrant”
ABT 1720 – 1770
ID Number: I99600

RESIDENCE: England and Granville Co. NC
BIRTH: ABT 1720, Worcester, England
DEATH: 1770, Granville Co, North Carolina
RESOURCES: See: [S3615]

Family 1 : Francis KIMBROUGH
MARRIAGE: Craven County, (now Johnston Co.) North Carolina
1. +Lemurel BENTON
2. +Jesse BENTON Sr.
Notes

Native of England (probably Worcester County). Was appointed Justice of Granville County Court in 1746. Sheriff in 1764. Member of House of Commons from 1760 to 1768. Registrar of the County from 1761 until his death in 1770. Clerk of Court of Common pleas and Quarter Sessions from 1764 to 1770. Lt. Col. of militia under Gov. Wm. Tyron in 1768 during some of the Regulator troubles. Gave land for new courthouse at Oxford Plantation – part of 1,000 acres he owned. Before 1763, was responsible for erecting St. George’s Chapel in Granville, South Carolina. Buried in family cemetary on plantation, Oxford Granville Co SC.

Children:
2 Samuel BENTON , Jr. b: ABT 1740 + UNKNOWN b: ABT 1740
2 Lemuel BENTON b: 23 Oct 1754 d: 18 May 1818 + Elizabeth KIMBROUGH b: ABT 1774 d: ABT 1855
2 Jesse BENTON , Sr. b: 1747 d: Aug 1791 + Ann (Nancy) GOOCH b: 1758 d: 3 Jan 1838
2 Joseph BENTON b: ABT 1740

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mysouthernfamily/myff/d0062/g0000031.html#I45174

Jesse BENTON Sr.
1747 – Aug 1791
ID Number: I99602

RESIDENCE: Granville and Orange Cos. NC
BIRTH: 1747, Granville Co. North Carolina
DEATH: Aug 1791, Orange Co. North Carolina
RESOURCES: See: [S3615]
Father: Samuel BENTON “the Immigrant”
Mother: Francis KIMBROUGH

Family 1 : Ann (Nancy) GOOCH
1. +Thomas Hart BENTON
Notes

Member of the Assembly 1781. Owned a plantation on Eno River (Hartford) which was purchased from Thomas Hart III. See info. in Patriot Index, Vol. I (DAR Papers p. 55).
Children:
2 Mary BENTON b: 1780 d: 1817
2 Thomas Hart BENTON b: 14 Mar 1782 d: 10 Apr 1858 + Elizabeth MCDOWELL b: 1794 d: Sep 1854
2 Jesse BENTON , Jr. b: 1783 d: Sep 1843 + Mary CHILDRESS b: ABT 1783 + Barnissa BENSON b: ABT 1783
2 Samuel BENTON b: 1785 + Mary HUNTER b: ABT 1785
2 Nathaniel BENTON b: 1786 + Unknown BRANCH b: ABT 1786
2 Margaret BENTON b: 1788 d: 1806
2 Ann “Nancy” BENTON b: 1788 d: 1807
2 Susannah BENTON b: 1791 d: 1811

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mysouthernfamily/myff/d0075/g0000066.html#I99602

Col. Lemurel BENTON
23 Oct 1754 – 18 May 1818
ID Number: I45174

TITLE: Col.
OCCUPATION: Rev War Marion’s Brigade
RESIDENCE: NC and Cheraw Dist. Darlington Co. SC
BIRTH: 23 Oct 1754, Granville Co. North Carolina
DEATH: 18 May 1818, Stoney Hill Estate, Darlington Co. South Carolina
RESOURCES: See: [S1631] [S3615]
Father: Samuel BENTON “the Immigrant”
Mother: Francis KIMBROUGH

Family 1 : Elizabeth KIMBROUGH
1. +Penelope BENTON
2. +Gilly Hinton BENTON
Notes

Lemuel Benton, (1754-1818), served in Marion’s Brigade until the close of the war. In 1783 he was a delegate from St. David’s Parish to the Legislature. He was born in Granville Co., N. C.; died in Darlington District, S. C.
Children:
2 John BENTON b: ABT 1794
2 Lemuel BENTON , Jr. b: ABT 1794
2 Buckleigh (Buckley) K. BENTON b: abt 1794 d: 1836 + UNKNOWN b: abt 1794
2 Alfred BENTON b: ABT 1794
2 Clarissa BENTON b: ABT 1794 + William Little THOMAS b: ABT 1794
2 Gillie Hinton BENTON b: ABT 1794 + Isaiah DUBOSE b: ABT 1794
2 Charlotte BENTON b: ABT 1794 + Laurence PRINCE b: ABT 1794
2 Elizabeth BENTON b: ABT 1794 + George BRUCE b: ABT 1794
2 Penelope BENTON b: ABT 1794 + William BROCKINTON b: ABT 1794

“Married his first cousin on his mother’s side. He and his brother, Jesse, signed the “Redressor Papers” in protest of the Regulator movement in NC before emigrating to SC. Then he moved to SC and settled in section of Cheraw District that is now Darlington Co SC. There he became a planter and acquired extensive landholding. During the Revolution, he attained the rank of Colonel and served under General Francis Marion as commander of the PeeDee force, retaining his commission until he resigned in 1794. He was a member of the legislature in 1781-84 and 1787.

He was Darlington Co Court Justice 1785-1791. He was Escheator of Cheraw District 1789-91. He was delegate to State Constitutional Convention in1790 and the 1788 Convention in Charleston that ratified the federal Constitution. He was elected the first congressional representative from the PeeDee District. He served as a Democrat in the 3rd, 4th and 5th Congresses 1793-99. He opposed the administration of John Adams and was defeated for re-election. He was buried on his estate, Stoney Hill. He and Elizabeth had 4 sons and 4 daughters. Only 1 son survived to reach manhood.”

http://ncpedia.org/biography/benton-lemuel

http://ncpedia.org/history/colonial/regulator-movement

Lemuel Benton (1754 – May 18, 1818) was an American planter and politician from Darlington County, South Carolina. He represented South Carolina in the United States House of Representatives from 1793 until 1799. Colonel Benton resided on Stoney Hill Farm, located in Darlington County near Mechanicsville. Stoney Hill is currently owned by the Burns family.

http://gaz.jrshelby.com/blackcreek2.htm

Other names: Williamson’s Bridge
What:
Skirmish, *Lt. Col. Lemuel Benton vs. unknown British (or allied) commandeer. Unknown date, 1780 (last half 1781?).
Where:
34.2707096 -79.7867283 Black Creek 2, Williamson’s Bridge
Maps: [map notes]
34.2707096 -79.7867283 Black Creek 2, Williamson’s Bridge
ACME Mapper.
National Map
Google
GNIS record for Williamsons Bridge. Note mapping options.
Confidence: 5
Sources:

Terry Lipscomb, “South Carolina Revolutionary Battles – Part Ten (MS H-2-2)”, unpublished, p.29:
Benton personally led his troops in a second skirmish higher up on Black Creek, which is believed to be the Battle of Williamson’s Bridge mentioned in local tradition; this corresponds to the present bridge on state secondary road 35 in Darlington County, four miles southeast of Darlington.
Alexander Gregg, D.D., History of the Old Cheraws, Richardson And Company, 1867, pp.387,
Another skirmish took place about this time, higher up on Black Creek, Colonel Benton commanding. The Tories were routed and fled, but being overtaken and surrounded, were forced to make a hand to hand fight, suffering very severely. Colonel Benton had no fire arms except his pistols. One man, pressed by the colonel, turned about, and was in the act of firing his musket, but, before he could do so, Benton discharged his pistol at him, missing him, however, then threw it at him and knocked him from his horse to the ground.
JP:
Black Creek Skirmishes 1 & 2 seem to have taken place in the last half 1781 or early 1782

http://wardepartmentpapers.org/searchresults.php?searchClass=fulltextSearch&fulltextQuery=Lemuel+Benton

of Granville County, North Carolina As a young man he moved to the Pee Dee section of Cheraw District, South Carolina. In 1789, he was granted 1,940 acres in Cheraw where he established his plantation, Stony Hill. Later he received grants for 659 acres at the fork of Saltketcher River in Colleton county and 89 acres on the Great Pee Dee River in Darlington District, South Carolina.  [2, 6] 

MILI 
He was commander of Pee Dee Reg’t., Francis Marion Brigade His first public service was in the militia during the American Revolution. He was commissioned a lieutenant (1775-1776), served as a captain (1776) and a major (1777), and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in command of the Cheraw militia (1781-1782). His regiment was allied with Francis Marion’s Brigade from 1781 until the end of the war, and his unit often confronted Tories in Black Creek skirmishes. After Yorktown, he continued to serve as colonel of the Cheraw Regiment until 1794 when he resigned his commission due to the appointment of Tristram Thomas as brigadier general of the Cheraw Brigade.  [2, 6] 
Occupation 
1st member of Congress (1790’s) elected from Upper Pee Dee; planter; sheriff of Cheraw District (1789, 1791); Darlington County court judge (1785, 1791), and commissioner, to superintend the opening of navigation of the Great Pee Dee River (1805)  [2, 7] 
http://www.singletonfamily.org/getperson.php?personID=I11821&tree=1

Lemuel Benton

Note for:   Lemuel Benton,   23 OCT 1754 – 18 MAY 1818         Index

Residence:   
     Place:   Cheraw Dist. (Darlington County, SC)

Individual Note:   Married his first cousin on his mother’s side. He and his brother, Jesse, signed the “Redressor Papers” in protest of the Regulator movement in NC before emigrating to SC. Then he moved to SC and settled in section of Cheraw District that is now Darlington Co SC. There he became a planter and acquired extensive landholding. During the Revolution, he attained the rank of Colonel and served under General Francis Marion as commander of the PeDee force, retaining his commission until he resigned in 1794. He was a member of the legislature in 1781-84 and 1787. He was Darlington Co Court Justice 1785-1791. He was Escheator of Cheraw District 1789-91. He was delegate to State Constitutional Convention in1790 and the the 1788 Convention in Charleston that ratified the federal Constitution. He was elected the first congressional representative from the PeDee District. He served as a Democrat in the 3rd, 4th and 5th Congresses 1793-99. He opposed the administration of John Adams and was defeated for reelection. He was buried on his estate, Stoney Hill. He and Elizabeth had 4 sons and 4 daughters. Only 1 son survived to reach manhood.

FROM: http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000396
BENTON, Lemuel, (great-grandfather of George William Dargan), a Representative from South Carolina; born in Granville County, N.C., in 1754; as a young man moved to that section of Cheraw District which is now Darlington County, S.C.; engaged as a planter and subsequently became an extensive landowner; elected major of the Cheraw Regiment in 1777 and served throughout the Revolutionary War, being promoted to the rank of colonel in 1781; resigned his commission in 1794; member of the State house of representatives 1782-1788; county court justice of Darlington County in 1785 and 1791; escheator of Cheraw District (composed of what is now Chesterfield, Darlington, and Marlboro Counties) in 1787; delegate to the State convention at Charleston that ratified the Federal Constitution in 1788; sheriff of Cheraw District in 1789 and 1791; delegate to the State constitutional convention at Columbia in 1790; elected to the Third Congress and reelected as a Republican to the Fourth and Fifth Congresses (March 4, 1793-March 3, 1799); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1798 to the Sixth Congress; resumed agricultural pursuits; died in Darlington, Darlington County, S.C., May 18, 1818; interment on his estate, “Stony Hill,” near Darlington, S.C.

http://www.e-neva.com/ghtout/np12.html

Even though he was a Continental officer Marion had been elected
to the South Carolina General Assembly as the senator for the Parish
of St. John Berkeley. He left Horry in charge of his brigade while he
was at the general assembly in Jacksonboro. Hezekiah Maham still
considered his unit totally independent and would only take orders
from General Greene, not Peter Horry.
On the advice of Marion, Horry moved the brigade to Wambaw
Creek near the Santee River. The forage was more available there
and it had better protection from the British troops.
Colonel Benjamin Thompson, a Loyalist from Massachusetts,
learned that Marion was at the general assembly and that there was a
breakdown in communications between Marion’s two colonels.
Thompson decided to attack the partisans while their guard was
down.
Thompson had put together a cavalry force that consisted of all the
mounted units in Charlestown. He wrote that “the principal objects of
the expedition were to practice the Cavalry in marching in Regular
order in the Enemy’s Country, and to accustom them to act with the
mounted militia, who will be very useful in covering our flanks.
They are all armed with rifles as well as Swords, and are perhaps the
best marksmen in the world for shooting on horse back.”
Horry was on the other side of the Santee River visiting his
plantation and had left Colonel Archibald McDonald in command
while he was gone. Marion had told Horry that if he had to absent
himself for any reason the command should go to Maham, however
Maham was with Marion at the assembly.
On the morning of February 24th Colonel Thompson set out from
Daniel’s Island and rode towards Marion’s camp. Colonel Lemuel
Benton held a position at Durant’s Plantation. Benton’s men
33
Patrick O’Kelley
consisted of two regiments of “six month’s men” and were made up
of “reformed Tories.” These men had come in under Governor
Rutledge’s amnesty proposal.
Major William Benison commanded the scouts in St. Thomas’s
and told Benton that the British were approaching his position.
Benison proceeded to Colonel McDonald’s headquarters and also told
him of the approaching enemy. Many of the officers there were
eating dinner and most of the Patriot officers did not believe that the
British were going to attack.
Colonel Benton was one of the few who did believe the reports
and rode to Durant’s plantation only to encounter the advance of
Thompson’s army. Major John Doyle did not wait for the rest of the
cavalry force to arrive and charged Marion’s men at Wambaw Bridge.
Major William Young wounded Benton as he was about to cut down
Lieutenant Simon Jones, Thompson’s adjutant. Benton’s dragoons
fled and raced across the Wambaw Bridge.
The stress was too much for the old bridge and it broke under the
weight of men and horses. Many of Benton’s men tried swimming
across and a few drowned. The men who had not fled across the
bridge hid themselves in thickets. This saved them from capture and
death because the British were giving no quarter. Major James had
two British dragoons try to cut him down, but he kept them at a
distance with his pistols. He leapt the twenty foot chasm in the bridge
and rode to safety.
The rest of Marion’s Brigade fell back to Mrs. Tydiman’s
Plantation in between Echaw and Wambaw. Thompson continued to
raid the countryside and was able to capture and parole Charles
Cotesworth Pinckney.25
Beaufort, South Carolina Skirmish
24 February 1782
Colonel Robert Barnwell and his St. Helena Volunteer Militia
Company attempted to cross the Savannah River at Beaufort to burn
the British stores in Georgia. He was attacked by the Beaufort
Loyalist militia under the command of Major Andrew Deveaux and
34