CLINE JOHNSON

Peter Cline

Revolutionary War Soldier

 12th Pennsylvania Regiment, U.S.A.

Much of the information below was taken from the book, The Clines and Allied Families of the Tug River Region of Kentucky and West Virginia, 1998 Gateway Press by Cecil Cline and Harry Dale Cline.  This information is reprinted below with Cecil Cline's permission.  An electronic copy of the their book may be accessed by clicking on the link below:

http://patriot.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/FH1&CISOPTR=14213&CISOSHOW=8084

Additional notes regarding the end of Peter Cline's Revolutionary War Service were provided by Jerry Cline.

Revolutionary War Service

Peter Cline filed his Revolutionary War pension application in 1832 in Montgomery County, Virginia.  According to Peter Cline's pension application, he was a current Pike County, Kentucky resident  but had previously resided in Berks County, Pennsylvania during the Revolution.  He enlisted with Captain Henry Miller and served in the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment which was formed in September, 1776.  Peter states that was engaged in the following battles against the British: the Battle of Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, and Germantown.  He was probably engaged at Princeton as well.  He then marched from the Wide Marsh (White Marsh) in Pennsylvania to Germantown, Pennsylvania, then to the mouth of the Schuylkill, then up the same to Valley Forge. 

It appears then, that Peter Cline served in the Army from at least 1776 through September, 1778.  Peter Cline's pension application, made when he was 76 years old, states that he joined the army in 1774 and left September, 1777.  However, while he may have been part of a militia unit in 1774, he must have joined the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment in September, 1776, when that regiment was formed.

He also states that he left the Army in September, 1777 but this must be off by one year.   The battles of Long Island, White Plains and Trenton occurred in 1776 and early 1777.  However, the Battle of Germantown, and the Continental Army's involvement at White Marsh and Valley Forge, occurred after September, 1777.  Germantown was early October, 1777; Washington's Army was camped at White Marsh (Peter says "Wide Marsh") in November, 1777 and the battle at White Marsh occurred in early December; the Continental Army then marched to winter quarters at Valley Forge, reaching their 1777-1778 winter quarters on December 19, 1777.  Peter Cline testifies that he participated in these marches, which occurred after he indicates that he left the service.  Also, the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey occurred on June 28, 1778 and was the last major battle in the Middle Colonies.  Leaving the Army in September, 1778 instead of September, 1777 would coincide with the cessation of major hostilities in the North.  A elderly man might forget the exact year he left the service and might not remember all of the battles engaged in, but he would not forget the long marches and winter quarters at Valley Forge.