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Peter Mallett, Jr., Revolutionary War Veteran

Record & Clarion - 3/22/2017

Most of us wish for ancestors that were smart, wealthy, brave or all around just someone to really be proud of, or at least most of the time. Our genealogy club treasurer, Lowell Mallett has such an ancestor who was all of the above at one time or another. At our recent March meeting we recognized Lowell and his ancestor Peter Mallett, Jr. Bill Boyd wrote and made the presentation of a plaque. The following is in part his presentation.

From information gathered from memoirs written by himself, we learn that in 1768 Peter succeeded his father in the office of Commissar of British Troops in New York and Canada and served in that capacity until early in 1776 when he threw up his British commission and accepted similar service in the American Army and was appointed Commissary for the 5th Regiment of North Carolina on April, 25, 1776. In the war records on file at the Department of State in Washington, his name appears as Deputy Commissioner of Purchases on a list of accounts in the Registers office. The amount appears in a column headed "Old Armies" 1,020,000.

He himself says in his memoirs: "In 1776 I had the victualing of a large army which was profitable until the money there in circulation depreciated. I continued with the army as Commissary until October 1786. I was in all the great engagements to the Northward until 1778 and afterward to the Southward. After General Gates was defeated at Camden in August 1780 the paper money there in circulation fell in value to almost nothing. Provisions for the troops at Hillsborough and other places were not to be had upon. Public credit and I became personally liable for a number of purchases by which I sustained a loss of some $80,000 through depreciation in the currency. At the General Assembly at Hillsborough held in September 1780, I resigned my office as Commissary General of the State and to General Gates as Commissary to his Division. In February 1781, the English took Wilmington. After this I removed to my plantation, Council Hall near Campbellton and during the winter was in large trade at Wilmington Cross Creek and Pedee and had a large value of goods.

In Jersey in 1777, I received a wound in my ankle. In 1780 while at Columbia House a Lt. General and myself with 18 men was surrounded and attacked by about 80 tories. We defended ourselves wonderfully from a log and we saved all our horses but one lost and two wounded. We killed and wounded eight (some say 12) of the enemy. We had two men wounded and I received two buckshot in my left side, one of which I got out the next day, but the other was too deep and remained in my body working its way downward causing me great pain until 17 years afterward it got down to my hip and caused me intense suffering for two months when I was fortunate enough to have it removed at Chatham."

This is not all of the story, but most of it is under copyright and I cannot print it without infringing upon that copyright. If you wish to read the whole story, call the genealogy room and make arrangements to read Peter Malletts' story in its entirety. It is fascinating reading, even if you aren't a history buff. ? Norma.

Don't forget to come up and see us on Saturday, March 25, before or after visiting the "Farm Show" downstairs. We will be there from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., waiting for you.