John Tillman Faulk, War of 1812, Louisiana

Submitted for the Louisiana USGenWeb Archives, Military Resources by Richard Fox
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Subject: War of 1812 Louisiana Soldier, John Tillman Faulk

       During the War of 1812 and Louisiana threatened by a British Invasionin late
       1814, John T. Faulk became part of Declouet's Regiment, Louisiana Militia in
       Catahoula Parish as a private in Captain R.L. Sackett's Co., 15th Reginemt. The
       company made it to the Louisiana capital in time to participate in the famed
       battle of New Orleans. Faulk was wounded by a gun shot through the left thigh
       and was discharged 3 Feb 1815. By the Louisiana Legislative act of 7 Jan.1819,
       he received a pension of $8.00 per month. Later with the passage of several
       Federal Statutes awarding pension and bounty lands for veterans of US military
       service, he applied for his rights.  With his application papers, he included an
       affidavit from fellow soldier John Carroll who stated that their unit was marched
       below New Orleans near English Turn on the Mississippi River in October and
       remained there until 24 Dec. 1814. A large portion of the British army landed
       opposite them on the east side. A party of British took up quarters in a big frame
       house on the night of 6 Jan. 1815. Capt. Sackett called for 25 men to cross the
       river and give a fight to the enemy in the house. John T. Faulk and John Carroll
       were two of the 25 volunteers.
        
       Faulk was sent to spy out the position. When he reported, he was sent a
       second time with orders to shoot a supposed sentinel.  As he tried to comply
       with the order, be was seen by his enemy and got himself shot.  He was so near
       the enemy fire his clothes caught fire from ensuring shots exchanged between
       friend and foe.  One source stated that John Carroll carried Faulk to safety.
       However, another source noted that Faulk was wounded during the nightbattle
       of 28 Dec. 1814 and was found by John Kitterlin who "took himup in his arms"
       (Faulk being a small man) and removed him within the lines in safely. Mr. Faulk
       never knew his preserver until 1842, wherein Mr. Ketterlin stopped at his house
       on his way up (from Catahoula Parish) to the land office at Monroe to secure his
       land. While there, upon talking over past events and recurring to the battle of
       New Orleans, the discovery was made of their former opportune meeting, when
       their delight was mutual, and both brave men clasped hands in life-long
       friendship.
        
       It was later told that Faulk's wound in the left thigh from a musketball was so
       large that a surgeon drew a silk handkerchief through it to clean out the
       powder.  From that injury, he was crippled for the remainder of his life.  He as all
       others of his unit was honorably discharged on orders of General Andrew
       Jackson at their encampment below New Orleans.  
        
       He is listed in Ancestory.com's Military Records: War of 1812 Muster Rolls as a
       Private in Declouet's Regiment, Louisian Militia.  He is also listed in the
       Alphabetical Index to Veterans of the War of 1812 by the Louisiana
       Genealogical and Historical Society.  There is another listing in the War of 1812
       Muster Rolls for a Private George Faulk from Baker's Regiment of Louisiana
       Militia.  This very could well have been John's brother, George.
        
        
       Richard Fox