Pittsylvania County (Va.) Declarations for Revolutionary War Pensions, 1820-1845, primarily record the declarations of individuals seeking to obtain Revolutionary War pensions provided by various acts of Congress. The applicants present detailed testimony of their time of service during the Revolutionary War. Information found in the declarations include date and location applicants entered into service, names of military companies they served in, names of military commanders they served under, names of fellow soldiers they served with, length of service, their age, and their place of birth. The predominant portion of the declarations are narratives of their tours of duty during the Revolutionary War with emphasis on battles they fought. The declarations also include affidavits from witnesses who could verify information provided by applicants.

Applicants also reported serving in many units outside of Virginia, including the 3rd Battalion of Virginia Troops; 3rd Regiment Virginia militia; 4th Regiment Virginia militia; 1st Virginia Regiment; 1st Virginia Regiment, Artillery Company; 1st Virginia Light Horse Regiment; 3rd Virginia Regiment; 3rd Virginia Regiment of Light Dragoons; 4th Virginia Regiment; 5th Virginia Regiment, Infantry; 6th Virginia Regiment; 9th Virginia Regiment; 15th Virginia Regiment; Alexandria militia; Amelia County militia; Amelia County militia, Cavalry; Bedford County militia; Carolina County militia; Charlotte County militia; Chesterfield County militia; Cumberland County militia; Dinwiddie County militia; Halifax County militia; Henry County militia; Loudoun County militia; Mecklenburg County militia; Pittsylvania County militia; and the Virginia Continental Line, Viriginia militia, Virginia Minutemen, and Virginia State Legion in general.

Applicants also reported serving in many units outside of Virginia, including the vessel the General Washington; 3rd Georgia Regiment; 4th North Carolina Regiment; North Carolina Continental Line; American Galleys; Baggage Guard; Company of Riflemen; Regiment of Artillery; 16th Regiment in Washington's Brigade; North Carolina militia; and the Southern Army at Peytonsburg and the cavalry of the Continental Service in general.

Applicants also gave accounts of being present during several military engagements, including the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Brier Creek, Battle of Camden, Battle of Cowpens, Battle of Eutaw Springs, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Guilford Courthouse, Battle of Gwynn's Island, Battle of Jamestown, Battle of Longbridge, Battle of Monmouth, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Stone Camp, and the Siege of Yorktown.

Notable records in this collection include pension papers for James Hopkins, a soldier who attempted to desert following the Battle of Camden due to poor living conditions and faced a Court of Inquiry; William Dove, a naval soldier who spent the war sailing back and forth to various European allies, most notably France, Spain, and Holland; and Avery Mustain, a soldier involved in a campaign against the Cherokee nation in what is now the state of Tennessee, wherein he describes efforts by the military to prevent the Cherokee people from returning to their territory through large scale destruction of their homes and agriculture.