geoclickmil

WAR OF 1812 MILITARY FILE

GEORGE LEWIS CLICK

I have not yet ordered George's military file, he may have drawn a pension since he was still alive until 1844. This file needs to be ordered so we can see what other information we may be able to glean about his family.

COLONEL JOHN WILLIAMS

DESIGNATION: Mounted Volunteers of East Tennessee

DATES: December 1812 - March 1813

MEN MOSTLY FROM: Blount, Grainger, Knox, and Washington Counties

CAPTAINS: Samuel Bunch, David Vance, William Walker

BRIEF HISTORY: While the volunteers under Andrew Jackson were gathering at Nashville for their expedition to the Natchez region, a similar gathering was taking place in Knoxville. Their destination was the territory of East Florida, under the domain of Spain, and the leader of the expedition was John Williams of Knox County.

Williams, along with approximately 250 volunteers, marched to East Florida to join with the combined forces of U.S. troops and Georgia "patriots" to "liberate" this region from Spanish control. Ostensibly, the expedition was raised to eliminate the threat of marauding Creeks and Seminoles on the borders of Georgia.

Like Jackson's Natchez Expedition, the men of the Florida Expedition were considered to be from the finest families of the region and, like the Natchez Expedition, the excursion into Florida accomplished little.

Some Creek villages were destroyed and the Tennessee volunteers suffered only one casualty. John Williams later became colonel of the 39th U.S. Infantry, a unit instrumental in Jackson's victory at Horseshoe Bend (27 March 1814).

East Florida Campaign

(December 1812 - March 1813)

For years southerners looked at the commercial possibilities of Florida (then under the sovereignty of Spain) and the strategic ports located there. Weak Spanish control allowed the Americans to anticipate a day when the territory would come under the domain of the United States.

In 1812 a movement begun by Georgia "patriots" to gain control of East Florida caught the attention of Colonel John Williams of Knoxville. Williams organized a regiment of East Tennesseans to join the Georgia troops in an undertaking that, on the surface, was designed to track down marauding Creek and Seminole Indians based in East Florida. Hostility toward the Florida Indians was due, in part, to the fact that they received and harbored large numbers of runaway slaves.

With a contingency of about 165 mounted men, Williams crossed the St. Mary’s River (the boundary between Georgia and Florida) and joined elements of the U.S. Army, led by Lieutenant Colonel J.A. Smith, and some Georgia volunteers in early February 1813.

The expedition saw little action and garnered few results: the American army managed to destroy a couple of the Seminole towns and capture some livestock.

Casualties among the Tennesseans amounted to one killed and several wounded. The United States, fearing a war with Spain, ordered the troops to disband in March 1813.

THE MILITARY FILE AND LAND GRANTS

REF: MANUSCRIPT OF MAE TWITCHELL

Served as Private in the War of 1812 in Col. John William's Mounted Regiment, in Capt. Samuel Bunch's Company. He enlisted on 1 Dec 1812 for a period of 90 days, served until 25 Mar 1813, a total of 115 days (at 67 cents per day, total pay received $77.05. Military records are on file at the National Archives, Washington, D.C.

DISCHARGE FROM SERVICE

I certify that GEORGE CLICK the bearer hereof, a private in the Corp. of East Tennessee Volunteers has served the term for which he engaged and is hereby discharged. I further Certify that he is entitled to his pay from the United States. 28 Feb 1813 Signed: JOHN WILLIAMS, COL. COMMANDANT

December 26, 1850

First Application for Bounty Land by Margaret T Click, widow of George L Click of Cocke Co Tennessee

Mae Twitchell makes note that Margaret's bounty land applications are on file along with George Click's discharge, at the Tennessee State Archives, Nashville.

State of Tennessee, Cocke County

On this 26th day of December A.D., 1850, personally appeared before me one of the Justice of the Peace within and for the County and State aforesaid MARGARETT CLICK aged 60 years a resident of Cocke Co who being duly sworn acording to law declares that she is the widow of GEORGE CLICK deceased who was a Private in the company commanded by Capt. SAMUEL BUNCH in the 2nd REG OF E TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS COMMANDED BY COL. JOHN WILLIAMS in the War with Great Britain declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812 that he volenteered at JONESBOROUGH, WASHINGTON CO. E. TENN on or about the 1 day of December 1812 for the term of 3 months and continued in actual service in war for the term of near four months and was honorably discharged at E. Florida on the 28th day of February A.D. 1813 as will appear by the orriginal certificate of discharge herewith presented.

She further states that she was married to the said GEORGE CLICK in Greene County Tennessee on the 28th day of August A.D. 1807 by one Esqr Jones and that her name before said marriage was MARGARETT JONES and that there is nether Bible nor family record of it at this time, that her said husband died at his resident in Cocke Co on the 30th day of December A.D. 1844 and that she is still a widow.

She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining bounty land to which she may be entitled under the act passed September 28, 1850. MARGARETT (X) CLICK

Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year above written

Claton Wright, JP; JP of Cocke County

(NOTE: GEORGE APPARENTLY SERVED WITH HIS BROTHER HENRY JACKSON CLICK, SR)

Garry Brooks (descendant of George & Margarett Click) note: Clayton Wright was the father of Nancy Wright who married William Click, son of Margaret & George)

Supporting Document by two of George and Margaret's children, dtr Julia who married Edom Griffin and Aiden A. "Dan" Humbard who married their daughter Elizabeth Jane Click

We hereby certifiy that we were acquainted with GEORGE CLICK and his reputed wife MARGARET CLICK upwards of twenty years that they lived together all the time as man and wife until his death. We saw him die and also saw him buried. We also know the woman set forth in this declaration to be his widow.

Signed: DAN HUMBARD, JULIA GRIFFIN

Sworn to and subscribed before me this day of December, A.D. 1850 (the date in December is not given).

Signed: CLATON WRIGHT J.P.; J.P. of Cocke County

Entire application copied by Mae Twichell, August 24, 1975.

Mae's notes: It seems Margaret Click did not receive any bounty land with her first application. However, another act for granting bounty land was approved on March 3, 1855, and Margaret applied again. Records indicate that she was then given 80 acres of bounty land on her second application.

NOTE: My research discovered the following two warrants being issued.

She received 80 acres of bounty land under the act of 28 Sep 1850, the warrant being issued 14 Oct 1852, warrant #3637. Margarett Click subsequently sold the warrant to Hugh B. Davison of Monroe County, Alabama, who applied for a patent 14 Oct 1852 for the SW1/4 of Ne1/4 and NW1/4 of SE1/4 of Section 19, Twp 9, Range 9 in the District of lands subject to sale in the Land Office at Cahaba, Alabama containing 80.9 acres Patented 15 Apr 1853.

His second warrant for 80 acres, Warrant #27376, issued under act of 3 March 1855, was subsequently sold April 1856 to Edward Mahan of Polo Alto Co, Iowa, who applied for a patent at Fort Dodge, Iowa, 21 Nov 1859, for the following described land. N1/ of NE1/4 of Section 28, Township 97N of Range 33W in the District of land subject to sale of the Land Office at Fort Dodge, Iowa containing 80 acres. It was patented on 1 Oct 1860.

Carolyn Whitaker, Webmaster