Dennis Porterfield (aft. 1735 - 1781)

Ancestors

Died 8 Sep 1781 before age 46 in Eutaw Springs, Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

Dennis was born after 1735. He was the son of James Porterfield. He was never married.^[1]

Service in American Revolution

Captain Dennis Porterfield served with 6th North Carolina Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolution.

He served in the 6th North Carolina Regiment during the American Revolution. He was killed during the battle of Eutaw Springs (South Carolina) in 1781.^[1]

His service record include the following:^[1]

• 16 April 1776 - Entered service as an Ensign in the 6th North Carolina Line
• 2 April 1777 - As a Lieutenant In Captain Child's Company in 6th North Carolina Line. He served until January 1778.
• January 1779 - reentered service and was commissioned a Captain on 1 February 1779. He continued in this service until his death.

Battle of Eutaw

Captain Dennis Porterfield served with 3rd North Carolina Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolution.

On 8 September 1781, Charles was killed at the battle of Eutaw on this date. The Fayetteville Observer provides a detailed account of the heroic, selfless role Dennis Porterfield played in the battle.^[2]. He was serving as Captain of one of five companies under Major John Armstrong in the 3rd North Carolina Regiment .^[3]

Dennis did not leave a will.^[4]

Pension Application

As Dennis, had no direct descendants, his two nephews John Owen and James Owen, sons of his Eleanor Porterfield and Thomas Owen applied for his pension in April 1839. They were in search of his bounty lands. In the pension application his rank is listed as Major, not Captain. The responses in the application file indicate the Land Warrant was granted to Dennis' elder brother James, who died with out heirs decades earlier in 1795. It would appear John and James application was not granted. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Frank Burke Porterfield, The Porterfields (Roanoke, Virginia: Multiprint Inc, 1947), p. 91, digital images, https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89066246737;view=1up;seq=99. Hathi Trust Digital Library (https://babel.hathitrust.org: accessed 10 August 2022).
2. ↑ "Recollections of Cross Creek", Fayetteville Observer, Monday August 17, 1857. Transcription at NCGenWeb, https://www.ncgenweb.us/cumberland/porterfield.html
3. ↑ J. D. Lewis, "The American Revolution in South Carolina - Eutaw Springs", The American Revolution in South Carolina, https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/revolution_battle_of_eutaw_springs.html
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Will Graves, transcriber, "Pension application of Dennie (Dennis) Porterfield BLWt2254-300", Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters, https://revwarapps.org/blwt2254-300.pdf