William SPAIN born 9/28/1763 (where ?) son of Drury and Mildred SPAIN of Sussex/Surry County, Virginia. In April of 1777, at thirteen years of age William SPAIN offered himself as a substitutefor his father (unnamed) and was received in his place. First he marched to Alexandria, VA and continued there six or seven weeks, then marched to Philadelphia, PA, then to Trenton, NJ, then back to Philadelphia, then to the head of Elk River, and was present at the battle of Brandywine on September 11th, 1777. Then on the 12th retreated to Philadelphia, then to Germantown and was there for that battle, on October 4th, 1777. Then took winter quarters at Valley Forge, then marched to New Jersey anf was present at the battle of Monmouth, NJ June 28th, 1778. Then to Brunswick, thence to White Plains, NY then to --------- Valley and stayed about three months, then to Hastings on the Hudson River, NY then to West Point and stayed there until the Virginia and North Carolina troops were ordered to go south and later on to Charleston, SC. He arrived there the 3rd day of March 1780 and remained there and was present at the different skirmishes until the time of surrender on the 12th of May 1780, when he was taken prisoner. William was kept a prisoner in Carleston five months then taken aboard a British ship and after being held prisoner five more months he enlisted in the British army. He stated that this was done only because he was destitute and needed clothes. A condition of his enlistment was that he would go to the Spanishmain or to Jamaica and not fight against the United States. William remained in Jamaica until peace was declared, at which time he received his release. There was an American vessel at port in Jamaica, and he was able to get passage on it. He was dropped off in Novia Scotia, and gave no other information on how he got back to Pitt County, NC. William SPAIN was a fifer in the service.

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