Higdons from North Carolina fought as Patriots in the American Revolution.
Daniel Higdon who was born August 1, 1755 in Orange County, North Carolina served in the Revolution as a private. When he applied for a pension, he states that he volunteered in either May or June 1780. He was assigned to Captain Joseph Johnson's Company for six months.
After that time, Daniel was detailed to General Gates army at Ramseys Mill in North Carolina. The army marched from there to Camden in South Carolina. General Gates entrusted a key sector of his troops to untrained militia men. When the British charged with fixed bayonets, the untrained men retreated in panic. Daniel testifies that neither he nor most of his company retreated with the majority of the militia.
Daniel also fought at Kings Mountain; however, at that time he was a volunteer in the company
of Colonel Williams. The Colonel was killed at Kings Mountain. Daniel then joined the army under
General Greene, who was dispatched by George Washington to replace General Gates. The army under General
Greene participated in the battle at Guilford Court House in Virginia. Daniel remained with Greene's
army until the close of the war in the southern states.
Another southern Higdon who fought in the Revolution was Philip Higdon who was born in 1760 in Chatham County, North Carolina. Philip's American Revolution Pension Papers show that he entered the service in 1779 under Capt.(or Col.) Lytle. The first engagement of battle for Philip was on the Ashly River near Charlestown, South Carolina. Philip states that his next engagement was at "the battle of Gates defeat under Capt. Joseph Johnson." (Was this the battle at Camden?) Philip was taken prisoner at a battle on the Alamance River in North Carolina.
Please refer to "Colonial Higdons
and Some of Their Descendants" by Lucille Coone for more information on Daniel and
Philip Higdon.
If you know of other Higdon family members who served in the American
Revolution and would like to see their stories here,
please contact us.