12.683
Charles City Court
[?] March 1857
J. Tyler

John K. Martin
Agent for Claims
Richmond, VA

Sherwood Forest, Ch. City County
July 26, 1857

My dear sir, 

Your [?] of the 22 is before me and and it affords me great pleasure to give you any
information I propose in relation to my departed friend 
General [?] W. Pryor. I have known from boy-
hood - we were during early life educated at the
same school, and lived under the same roof that
of my venerated father. A more noble hand and
generous man never liv'd or died. He commanded
an artillery company at the battle of Hampton.
Lovely and Jones were his Lieutenants. They fought
with desperate valour mowing down whole ranks of
the enemy by their destructive fires. The last fire
was detained at some twenty paces - so that when
they returned they did so with their faces to the enemy
and in the midst of ember and fire. I had the account
from Pryor and Jones the last of whom I believe
is still living in Hampton. As to this I may be
mistaken. I regret that I cannot say when Captain
Pryor was called into service. Doubtless the General
order quoted by you of the 6. Feb 1813 has distant
reference to this identical Capt. Pryor and he is
the person mentioned by Major Stapleton Crutch-
field. The detachment at Hampton was commanded
by Smithfield and [Corbin?], the latter was wounded
in the action. There was but one Capt. Pryor at Hampton

Bear in mind that the population in the vicinity of
Chesapeake Bay was pretty constantly in service
from the date of the war, and that it may well have
been that Pryor was in service before the array at
Hampton. The date of his commission may be
found by reference to the Executive Journals of
the State, and I should conclude that he had been
constantly on duty from its date, but I cannot speak
from journal knowledge. Immediately after the
affairs at Hampton the 82 Regiment was calld into
service. I commanded a company of Riflemen in
that Regiment, was summond from Providence
Forge to Williamsburg where I saw Capt. Pryor.
He was engaged I think for a few days in training
the artillery of the 52, but it may have been of his
own volition. He was selected Brigadier General
by the legislature in the winter of 1815-16. I
nominated him. Afterwards we servd together
on the legislature and I recommended him to [?]
Adam's administration as Collector at Norfolk
which [?] he filled to his death. I may
add that he married Elizabeth [?]
and that I receivd from him an invitation
to his wedding. [Now] in the above name
[?] can be of any service in securing to his
widow the land bounty you are at liberty
to use it. You have this advantage in prosecuting
this claim, that Mr. [?] the Commis
sioners at [?], is I believe [?] well
acquainted with the facts of his previous life.

I am Dr Sir [?] Respy Yr
John Tyler

I return you Mrs [?] letter

John H. Martin