Humbly Sheweth

That Your Memorialist was an inhabitant of Tryon County No. Carolina for above thirty years before the Rebellion in that Country.

That soon after the commencement of the dissentions in America, Your Memorialist, on account of his Loyalty to the King, & attachment to the British Government, was twice arrested & imprisoned, under the Charge of Treason against the State; from which he was released by the interposition of Attornies at Law, employed at the great expence of One hundred & fifty pounds.

That Your Memorialist finding he could no longer remain in that Country without being obliged to take Arms against the King, determined to join the British army; and hearing of the expedition against Georgia, Your Memorialist assembled the Loyalists in his neighbourhood, & accompanied by 270 men left his family & all his property, and sat out for that Province;

That they were pursued by the Rebels & three times attacked on the march: above fifty of the men being Killed or Wounded, some taken prisoners, and others declining the enterprize, Your Memorialist, with Ninety men, joined the army under Command of Colonel Archibald CAMPBELL at Briar Creek in Georgia in February 1779.

That Your Memorialist was immediately appointed Major of the Royal No. Carolina Regiment under Colonel John HAMILTON, and the said ninety men were all Inlisted, & served in the said Regiment; And Your Memorialist was often exposed to eminent danger by venturing, privately into the enemy's Country to encourage the Loyalists to join the army: by which means a considerable number of men were Inlisted in the said Regiment, and otherwise employed in His Majesty's Service.

That immediately after the defeat of Col: FERGUSON at King's Mountain in October 1780, Your Memorialists family (his Wife & nine Children) were Banished that Province, & sent to Georgia by the Rebels, who seized all the Property Your Memorialist had left there, including two valuable Negro Slaves, and stript the family of every thing they had, except only a small part of their wearing apparel.

That Your Memorialist, hearing of the distressed situation of his family in Georgia, was obliged to leave the Regiment at Wilmington No. Carolina in May 1781; and not being possessed, at that time, of any thing equal to their Relief & Support, determined to raise what he could upon his said Commission, which he was permitted to resign to Major Daniel MANSON for the trifling Sum of £ 150. Since which time he has received no pay, or allowance whatever from Government, except Provisions as a Refugee.

That Your Memorialist from that time resided with his family, within the Lines of the British Army, in Georgia until it was abandoned, then in East Florida 'till 1784, when he removed to New Providence, where his family now are, in very great distress. His Children dispersed, during this his absence, among such families as could be prevailed on to take them in.

That Your Memorialist being obliged by the distresses of his numerous family to relinquish his Majority as aforesaid, was of course not Returned on the Provincial Half Pay List: Yet humbly hopes that upon examination it will appear that his constant Loyalty, long Sufferings, and faithful Services may justly intitle him to His Majesty's allowance of Half Pay (deducting the £ 150. received from Major MANSON) or some equivalent compensation, to enable him to return to his numerous & helpless family, who are now exposed to the greatest hardship, misery & want; without a dawn of hope for relief but from the Benevolence of His most Gracious Majesty and His Ministers.

Your Memorialist therefore humbly begs Your Lordships will be pleased to take the same into Your consideration and Grant him such Relief as may appear Just and Reasonable: Or that Your Lordships will be pleased to Appoint a Board of Field Officers of His Majesty's Army to enquire into the merits of his case, and to Report the same to Your Lordships. And Your Memorialist will ever pray &c &c &c

Nicholas WELSH

London 20th March 1786

Great Britain, Public Record Office, Treasury, Class I, Volume 629, folios 391-392.

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