On this 4th day of February, A.D., 1833, personally appeared before the 
Justices of the County Court of Lincoln County, Missouri, now sitting, 
James Cannon, a resident of the county and state aforesaid, aged 70 years, 
who being duly sworn according to the law, doth on his oath make the 
following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of congress 
passed June 7, 1832, in That he entered the service of the United States 
in the year 1778 or 1779, in the State of Sourth Carolina, in the company 
commanded by Captain Matthew Gillespie as a volunteer, and went to 
guard a small station called Edgile Station, and afterwards removed to 
Duggan's Station – After the death of Captain Gillespie, he served under 
a Capt. William Gray, and was engaged in scouting parties against the 
tories -- that he went with several hundred men under Col. Levi Casey 
after a large number of tories called Cunningham's Men, and followed 
these men several days, and until they were dispersed in a swamp in the 
lower part of S. Carolina and took from them horses, coats and, etc.  
He thinks he served nearly two years, principally against the tories—and 
was then drafted in a company commanded by Capt. John Virgin, and 
crossed the Tennessee River after Indians and tories and killed some of each.  
There were several hundred of our men in this expedition, all mounted and 
commanded by Gen'l Pickens, and was out this time about three months, 
which was in the winter season—and he volunteered under Capt. Thomas 
Starke, and was engaged two years and more under Said Starke in 
scouting parties against the tories—that he was born in Newberry 
county in the State of south Carolina, the year 1762—that he did 
not bring any record of his birth from his father's house which he 
left soon after the war—that he moved soon after the revolutionary 
war to Robinson County in the State of Tennessee—and in the year 
1797 or 1798 he moved to Christian County, and in the year 1817 
he came to Lincoln County, Mo. Where he now lives—he does not 
recollect that he ever received any discharge from the service.