LeadMines

On The Trail of - Colonel CHARLES COCKE

THE CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE TORIES
	In his Revolutionary War Pension Application, Charles Cocke indicates that, during the early part of the Revolution, he served as a private, fighting against the Tories who were trying to sabotage the lead mines. Defense of the lead mines was a critical part of the war effort since the lead was used to make bullets: . . . he was on an expedition of about six weeks against the tories on new river who were about embodying to destroy the lead mines. This service he performed as a private soldier under the command of Capt. Henry Francis who was under the command of Col William Campbell . . . [Charles Cocke Revolutionary War Pension Application, p. 3] This Service is generally confirmed by other reports of the service of Captain Henry Francis, which also refers to Colonel William Campbell: As the Colonists took up arms against Britain, in January 1776, Henry Francis took the oath as an Ensign of the Militia. Three months later, a company was formed of those living on Cripple Creek: Andrew Thompson was the Captain, and Henry Francis the Lieutenant. On November 30, 1777, he took the Oath of Allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States. In March 1778, Henry Francis replaced Andy Thompson as Captain of the company. During that year the company marched to North Carolina and returned. Most of the specific details of the service of the company are not recorded, but it is known that the Montgomery County Militia was kept busy locally fighting Indians who were allied with the British, fighting the local Tories, and defending Fort Chiswell and the Lead Mines, which provided lead used to forge musket balls to the Patriot armies in Virginia and North Carolina. In a letter to Col. Arthur Campbell in July of 1780 following a local Tory uprising, Col. William Campbell wrote: "I then detached between sixty and seventy men under the command of Captain Francis, with instructions to collect all the stocks of horses and cattle belonging to the insurgents they possibly could, only leaving to each family one horse creature and what milch cattle were necessary for its support." [Ann Brownlee] This indicates that Charles Cocke may have still been living along Cripple Creek as late as 1778. Once the British decided to take the war south, the Tories became very troublesome. This continued until October 1780, when the Tories were defeated at the Battles of King's Mountain and Shallow Ford. The Pension Application of James Cox (1763-1842) describes the situation: The Tories about this time or about the time the British were invading North and South Carolina, became very troublesome in the country where he was, having but very few neighbors who were not Tories, and these with those of the adjoining State of North Carolina, would frequently assemble themselves over in the country. The statement further, the aforesaid Captain John Cox, Enoch Osborne and his family, Benjamin Phipps, Peter Hash and William Hardin, were the only Whigs who would render any assistance, when required in this situation, surrounded by the Tories. The boldness of the Tories can be surmised by the fact that, at one point, his father Captain John Cox was kidnapped by the Tories and had to be rescued.

THE CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE TORIES

In his Revolutionary War Pension Application, Charles Cocke indicates that, during the early part of the Revolution, he served as a private, fighting against the Tories who were trying to sabotage the lead mines. Defense of the lead mines was a critical part of the war effort since the lead was used to make bullets:

. . . he was on an expedition of about six weeks against the tories on new river who were about embodying to destroy the lead mines. This service he performed as a private soldier under the command of Capt. Henry Francis who was under the command of Col William Campbell . . .
[Charles Cocke Revolutionary War Pension Application, p. 3]

This Service is generally confirmed by other reports of the service of Captain Henry Francis, which also refers to Colonel William Campbell:

As the Colonists took up arms against Britain, in January 1776, Henry Francis took the oath as an Ensign of the Militia. Three months later, a company was formed of those living on Cripple Creek: Andrew Thompson was the Captain, and Henry Francis the Lieutenant. On November 30, 1777, he took the Oath of Allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States. In March 1778, Henry Francis replaced Andy Thompson as Captain of the company. During that year the company marched to North Carolina and returned. Most of the specific details of the service of the company are not recorded, but it is known that the Montgomery County Militia was kept busy locally fighting Indians who were allied with the British, fighting the local Tories, and defending Fort Chiswell and the Lead Mines, which provided lead used to forge musket balls to the Patriot armies in Virginia and North Carolina. In a letter to Col. Arthur Campbell in July of 1780 following a local Tory uprising, Col. William Campbell wrote: "I then detached between sixty and seventy men under the command of Captain Francis, with instructions to collect all the stocks of horses and cattle belonging to the insurgents they possibly could, only leaving to each family one horse creature and what milch cattle were necessary for its support."
[Ann Brownlee]

This indicates that Charles Cocke may have still been living along Cripple Creek as late as 1778.

Once the British decided to take the war south, the Tories became very troublesome. This continued until October 1780, when the Tories were defeated at the Battles of King's Mountain and Shallow Ford. The Pension Application of James Cox (1763-1842) describes the situation:

The Tories about this time or about the time the British were invading North and South Carolina, became very troublesome in the country where he was, having but very few neighbors who were not Tories, and these with those of the adjoining State of North Carolina, would frequently assemble themselves over in the country. The statement further, the aforesaid Captain John Cox, Enoch Osborne and his family, Benjamin Phipps, Peter Hash and William Hardin, were the only Whigs who would render any assistance, when required in this situation, surrounded by the Tories.

The boldness of the Tories can be surmised by the fact that, at one point, his father Captain John Cox was kidnapped by the Tories and had to be rescued.