USA > Maryland > Allegany County > Cumberland > History of Cumberland, (Maryland) from the time of the Indian town, Caiuctucuc, in 1728, up to the present day : embracing an account of Washington's first campaign, and battle of Fort Necessity, together with a history of Braddock's expedition > Part 18
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"Major Grant sent two officers and fifty men to 32
3
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3 N. Carolina companies.
Regiment
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250
HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND.
[1758.
the fort, to attack all the Indians, &c., they should find lying out of the fort; they saw none, nor were they challenged by the sentries. As they returned, they set fire to a large store house, which was put out as soon as they left it. At break of day, Major Lewis was sent, with 200 men (loyal Americans and Virginians), to lie in ambush a mile and a half from the main body, on the path on which they left their baggage, imagining the French would send to attack the baggage guard and seize it. Four hundred men were posted along the hill facing the fort, to cover the retreat of Major M'Donald's company, who marched with drums beating toward the fort, in order to draw a party out of the fort, as Major Grant had some reason to believe there were not above 200 men in the fort, including Indians; but as soon as they heard the drums, they sallied out in great numbers, both French and Indians, and fell upon Captain M'Donald, and two columns that were posted lower on the hill to receive them. The Highlanders exposed themselves without any cover, and were shot down in great numbers, and soon forced to retreat. The Carolinians, Marylanders, and Lower Countrymen, concealing themselves behind trees and the brush, made a good defence; but were overpowered by numbers, and not being sup- ported, were obliged to follow the rest. Major Grant exposed himself in the thickest of the fire, and endeavored to rally his men, but all to no purpose, as they were by this time flanked on all sides. Major Lewis and his party came up and engaged, but were soon obliged to give way, the enemy having the hill
251
MAJOR GRANT'S DEFEAT.
1758.]
of him, and flanking him every way. A number were drove into the Ohio, most of whom were drowned. Major Grant retreated to the baggage, where Captain Bullet was posted with fifty men, and again endeavored to rally the flying soldiers, by entreating them in the most pathetic manner to stand by him, but all in vain, as the enemy were close at their heels. As soon as the enemy came up to Captain Bullet, he attacked them very furiously, for some time, but not being supported, and most of his men killed, was obliged to give way. However, his attacking them stopped the pursuit, so as to give many an opportunity of escaping. The enemy followed Major Grant, and at last separated them, and Captain Bullet was obliged to make off. He imagines the Major must be taken, as he was sur- rounded on all sides, but the enemy would not kill him, and often called to him to surrender. The French gave quarters to all that would accept it."*
The rear division of the British army moved from Raystown for Loyal Hanna on the 14th of October, at which place it lay until the 18th of November, when it marched under General Forbes for Fort Duquesne. On the 25th of November the command arrived at Fort Duquesne, but the French had set fire to the fort, and retreated down the river, so that General Forbes had no difficulty in taking possession of the place.
On approaching the fort it was discovered that a number of the Highlanders who had been taken prisoners in the fight with Major Grant, had been horribly mutilated, their heads having been impaled
*Pennsylvania Gazette, 1758.
252
HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND. [1758.
on stakes driven in the ground, and their kilts at- tached thereto. This act of barbarism thoroughly enraged the Highlanders, who were in an ecstacy of disappointment at not being able to avenge their decapitated comrades.
Governor Sharpe returned to Annapolis in the middle of October, and on the 22d the militia at Fort Cumberland were paid off, but were continued there on garrison duty.
In December the Maryland Assembly took into consideration the condition of the road between Fort Frederick and Fort Cumberland, with a view to securing the construction of a shorter road between these points, the location of which should be entirely in Maryland, thus obviating the necessity of fording the Potomac. A committee, consisting of Messrs. Colonel Thomas Cresap, Crabb, Joseph Chapline, E. Dorsey, Josias Beall and Francis King, members of the Assembly, was appointed for the purpose of inquiring into the convenience of clearing a road from Fort Frederick to Fort Cumberland, through Maryland, and to make an estimate of the cost of the same. The committee reported as follows :
Your committee have made an enquiry into the Situation of the present wagon road from Fort Frederick to Fort Cumberland, and are of opinion that the distance by that Road from one Fort to the other is at least Eighty miles, and find that the wagons which go from one Fort to the other are obliged to pass the river Potowmack twice, and that for one third of the year they can't pass without boats to set them over the River.
Your committee have also made an Enquiry into the condition of the Ground where a road may most conveniently be made to go altogether on the north side of the Potowmack which will not exceed the distance of Sixty-two miles at the expense of £250 current money, as may appear from the following Estimate, viz :
253
COST OF THE NEW ROAD.
1758.]
AN ESTIMATE OF THE EXPENSE OF CLEARING ROAD FROM FORT FREDERICK TO FORT CUMBERLAND, AND THE SEVERAL DIFFERENT STAGES :
£ sd
For clearing a Road from Fort Frederick to Licking creek, 3} miles. 000
From Licking creek to Prakes's creek, 8} miles. 12 0 0
From Prakes's creek to Sideling Hill creek, 12 miles. 16 0 0
,
For a bridge over Sideling Hill creek. 6000
From Sideling Hill creek to Fifteen Mile creek, 4 miles 22 0 0
From Fifteen Mile creek to Town creek, 15 miles 140 0 0
From Town creek to Col. Cresap's, a good road, 4 miles. 000
From Col. Cresap's to Fort Cumberland, wants no clearing, 15 miles. 000
£250 00
Your committee are of opinion that a Road through Maryland will contribute much to lessen the expense of carrying Provision and warlike stores from Fort Frederick to Fort Cumberland, and will induce many people to travel and carry on a trade in and through the Province, to and from the back country.
This road was eventually constructed.
Washington returned to Mount Vernon, from Fort Duquesne, where he was married to Mrs. Custis, and settled down to domestic pursuits.
After the capture of Fort Duquesne, a small force of British troops was returned to Fort Cumberland, and continued there as a garrison, the Maryland Assembly having manifested a decided disinclination to incur the expense of keeping it up. The King's officers did not feel at liberty to abandon it, since it was a King's Fort, and might be useful in preventing Indians from descending upon the settlements in force, without being observed. As a matter of fact, however, the garrison was useless, it being so weak in point of numbers that the men hardly dared go out of sight of the Fort. Hostile savages drove the people from their homes, killing many and destroy- ing their property. Colonel Cresap, whose house
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND.
[1758.
was the shelter of many helpless neighbors, finally took his own family back to the Conococheague, for safety, and all the settlers about Oldtown followed him. Having placed his family in security, Cresap raised a company of volunteers, and came to Fort Cumberland, from which point he followed Braddock's road to Savage Mountain, at the foot of which, on the west side, he met a small party of Indians, and had an engagement with them, in the course of which "his son Thomas was killed by an Indian; but as both fired at the same time, he also killed the Indian, or so badly wounded him that he was killed a few minutes afterwards by William Lynn. Nothing more was done at this time or place, and the party returned home."*
While the Indians were carrying on this desolating war upon the head waters of the Potomac they on several occa- sions attacked the house of Colonel Cresap, and some sharp battles oc- curred there. Killbuck, who hated Cresap bit- terly, made several at- tempts to kill him, on one occasion hiding about in the vicinity for several CRESAP'S FORT. days, but never getting a view of his enemy. On one occasion when Cresap's house was attacked, the Indians killed one of his
*Jacob's Life of Captain Cresap.
255
COLONEL CRESAP AS A PROTECTOR.
1758.]
friends, Mr. Wilder, which Cresap described as follows in a letter to Governor Sharpe:
As Mr. Samuel Wilder was going to a house of his about 300 yards distant from mine, with 4 men and several women, the Indians rushed on them from a rising ground, but they perceiving them coming, Run towards my house hollowing, which being heard by those at my house, they run to their assistance and met them and the Indians at the Entrance of my lane, on which the Indians Immediately fired on them to the amount of 18 or Twenty, and Killed Mr. Wilder,-the party of white mell Returned their fire and killed one of them dead on the spot and wounded severall of the others as appeared by Considerable Quantity of Blood strewed on the Ground, as they Run off, which they Immediately did, and by their leaving behind them 3 Gunns, one pistole and Sundry other Em- plements of war, &c., &c.
I have Inclosed a List of the Desolate men, women and children, who have fled to my house which is Inclosed by a small stockade for safety, by which you'll see what a number of poor Souls, destitute of Every necessary of Life are here penned up and likely to be Butchered without Immediate Relief and assistance, and can Expect none, unless from the province to which they Belong. I shall submit to your wiser Judgment the Best and most Effectual method for Such Relief, and shall Conclude with hoping we shall have it in time.
Indian hostilities being kept up with great perti- nacity, Colonel Cresap organized another company of volunteers, and "with his surviving sons-Daniel and Michael-and a negro of gigantic stature, marched again, taking the same route on Braddock's road. They advanced this time as far as Negro Mountain, where they met a party of Indians. A running fight took place; Cresap's party killed an Indian, and the Indians killed the negro; and it was this circum- stance-the death of the negro on the mountain- that has immortalized his name by fixing it on this ridge forever. This was, I believe, Colonel Cresap's last battle with the Indians, for after peace was made he returned to his farm at Oldtown." **
*Jacob's Life of Captain Cresap.
256
HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND. [1765.
In 1766 the conflict between the Indians and the whites ceased, peace having been agreed upon. Seven months previous, however, the British troops had been withdrawn from Fort Cumberland, and the settlers were left to their own resources. The final act of the British government in connection with Fort Cumberland was foreshadowed in the following letter written by General Gage to Governor Sharpe,, and sixty days later the troops here were sent to the South :
NEW YORK, May 12, 1765.
SIR :
As I shall soon find it necessary to withdraw the Troops which are now in Garrison in Fort Cumberland in your Province, I think it proper to acquaint you of it, that you may give such Direction concerning
% * the Fort, or any stores which there may be belonging to your Province, as you shall judge necessary.
His Majesty having been pleased to appoint Colonel Bouquet to the rank of Brigadier General, and to the command of the Troops in the Floridas, Lieutenant Colonel Reid will take the command on the side of Pittsburgh, who will have Directions to correspond with you and to give you timely notice of everything of moment which shall be proper for your Information.
I have the honor to be with great Regard, Sir,
your most obedient
humble servant,
Hon'ble Gov'r SHARPE.
THOS. GAGE.
The cessation of Indian hostilities rendered a garrison at Fort Cumberland longer unnecessary, and after the abandonment of the place by the English soldiers, the provincial stores were removed, and the post was never again occupied, save for a few days, in 1794, when the troops engaged in suppressing the whisky insurrection were gathered here.
The restoration of peace, and the feeling of security resulting therefrom, led many persons from the
1780.]
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
257
Eastern counties to settle in this section of country. From what is now Frederick county came most of the early settlers about Fort Cumberland, nearly all of them being emigrants from Germany and England. Settlements sprung up at Fort Cumberland, Oldtown, on George's Creek, and at points further west. Frederick county then embraced all the Western part of Maryland, and it was not until 1776 that Washington county was taken from it. In 1789 Allegany county was organized.
Il MILE ToF:Cumberland 29MS To Capt" Smyth's Inn &BridgeBig Crossings Thebest Road To Red flone Old Fort
BERTRAM .. 56
STONE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ERECTED BY BRADDOCK'S COMMAND, AND STILL STANDING AT FROSTBURG .
33
CUMBERLAND.
1785-1876.
The various settlements west of Sideling Hill continued to grow in numbers, until the population became sufficiently great to justify the general desire for the erection of a new county, in order that the public business might be more readily transacted. The great distance which the people in the neighbor- hood of Fort Cumberland were compelled to travel in order to attend court, and to look after the records of their lands, &c., also proved of great inconvenience.
The first steps towards furnishing greater con- veniences were in the direction of incorporating a town, and at the meeting of the Legislature in 1787 a petition was read in the House praying that the town of Cumberland might be established, the town having already been laid off in 1785, by Thomas Beall, of Samuel, who was owner of the land.
The town was located upon a tract of land called " Walnut Bottom," which was described as "beginning at two bounded white oak trees standing on a cliff of rocks at the lower end of a bottom near half a mile
. 259
WASHINGTON TOWN.
1785.]
below the mouth of Will's creek, near the river side." "Walnut Bottom" was surveyed by Thomas Cresap on the 1st of June, 1745, for Governor Thomas Bladen, who took up several large tracts of land in this section of the State, which was at that time em- braced in Prince George's county. Governor Bladen sold his right to "Walnut Bottom" to George Mason, of Fairfax county, Virginia, who obtained a grant for the same on the 25th of March, 1756. On the 25th of October, 1783, Mason sold "Walnut Bottom" and another tract, in close proximity, called "Lime Stone Rock," (which he had bought of Daniel Cresap,) to Thomas Beall of Samuel, for the sum of £1,407.10 current money. "Walnut Bottom" embraced all the bottom land lying along the river from Mr. F. Mertens' boat yard to Mr. J. G. Lynn's residence, and extending back to Maryland Avenue, Front Street to Valley Street, and thence by a line through the Will's Creek Tannery across to the river.
Immediately after purchasing this land, Beall went to work clearing that part of "Walnut Bottom" lying west of Will's Creek, and erected several build- ings. In 1785 he laid out a town, which was commonly called Washington Town, and sold a number of lots to settlers. Two years later the inhabitants of the place petitioned the Legislature for authority to establish a town, which they wished to name after the old Fort, as being more appropriate and distinct than any other title that could be given it.
On the 20th of January, 1787, the following act was passed by the Legislature, authorizing the erection of the town of Cumberland :
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND.
[1787.
CHAPTER XXVII.
An Act for erecting a town at or near the mouth of Will's Creek, in Washington County.
Whereas, It is represented to this general assembly by Thomas Beall, Son of Samuel, that he is possessed of a tract of land called Walnut Bottom, contiguous to the mouth of Will's creek, in Washington county, whereon, at the instance of many of the inhabitants of said county, he hath been induced to lay out ground for a town ; and the said Thomas Beall hath prayed a law to appoint commissioners to lay out and erect a town on the said land and to secure the purchasers of lots therein, reserving the right of the proprietors and their interest in the said land ; and this general assembly are of opinion that the erecting of a town at the mouth of the said creek may be convenient and beneficial to the public.
II. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That Andrew Bruce, Daniel Cresap, George Dent, John Lynn and Evan Gwynn, or any three or more of them, be and are hereby appointed commissioners to survey a quantity of land not exceeding two hundred acres, being part of the said tract of land called Walnut Bottom, contiguous to the mouth of Will's creek, in Washington county, and the same, when surveyed, to lay out into lots, streets, lanes and alleys, (the main streets running in the direction of Patowmack river, not to be less than eighty feet wide; and the streets crossing the said main streets not to be less than sixty feet wide,) to be erected into a town, and to be called and known by the name of Cumberland; and a correct and accurate certificate and plot thereof returned to the clerk of Washington county court, who is hereby required to record the same among the Land Records of the said county, and to keep the original plot in his office, and a copy from the original or the record thereof shall be conclusive evidence as to the bounds and lines of the lots of the said town, and of the streets, lanes and alleys thereof.
III. And be it enacted, That the said commissioners, or a major part of them, shall cause the said lots in the said town to be substantially and fairly bounded and numbered, and they and their successors are hereby required, from time to time, to take care that the said boundaries be con- stantly kept up and preserved.
IV. And be it enacted, That on the death, removal or resignation, of any of the said commissioners, the major part of the remaining commis- sioners shall appoint another to serve in the stead of such commissioner so dying, removing or resigning.
V. And be it enacted, That the said commissioners of the said town, or a major part of them, shall have full power to employ a clerk, who shall be under oath, fairly and honestly to enter into a book to be kept for that purpose, all the proceedings of the said commissioners relating to the
261
LAYING OFF THE TOWN.
1787.]
said town, in which book, among other things, shall be entered a copy of the plot and certificate of the said town, describing every lot by its num- ber, and who the taker up, or purchaser was or shall be ; and the said book shall always be open to the inspection and examination of the said commissioners.
VI. And be it enacted, That the said commissioners, or a major part of them, are empowered to levy, assess and take, by way of distress, if needful, from the inhabitants of the town, by even and equal proportion, a sum not exceeding ten pounds current money yearly, to be paid to their clerk ; and they shall have power to remove or displace their clerk as often as they shall think fit.
VII. And be it enacted, That every purchaser of any of the lots of the said town in fee, and every lessee thereof, for years, or rent reserved, shall hold and possess the same against any person hereafter claiming title to the same, and shall not be disturbed in their possession ; and if any person shall hereafter make claim to the land, or any part thereof, laid off in virtue of this act, and shall, by due course of law, make good title thereto, such person shall be entitled to recover from the said Thomas Beall, his heirs, devisee, executors or administrators any pur- chase money or rents by him received from any of the purchasers or lessees of any of the said lots, and, upon any such recovery the tenants holding under the said Thomas Beall shall thereafter hold under pay the rent reserved to the person making title to and recov. ering the same land.
VIII. And be it enacted, That if any of the buildings already built on the land so as aforesaid to be laid out by the said commissioners, and erected into a town, should happen to interfere with, or stand on any of the streets laid off in virtue of this act the same shall be permitted to continue, but shall not at any time hereafter be repaired or rebuilt.
The provisions of this act were carried into effect so far as to lay off the town, but the surveys, boun- daries, map, &c., were not filed amongst the land records as required.
At the date of the passage of the act authorizing the erection of the town of Cumberland there were but few houses here, and scarcely more than thirty- five families. So far as can be ascertained the actual residents were as follows :
1
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND.
[1787.
Thomas Beall, George Dent, Andrew Bruce, David Lynn, Evan Gwynn, (lived at Everstine place) George Lowdermilk, Michael Kershner, George Calmes, Benjamin Wiley, Peter D'Evecmon, Dickeson Sim- kins, William Hoye, Charles F. Broadhag, John Graham, Charles Clinton, George Hoffman, David Watkins, James McCoy, Jacob Lowry, Jonathan Cox, Thomas Stewart, David Hoffman, John S. Hook, George Payne, Robert Clark, John Lynn, Jeremiah Wilson, John C. Beatty, George Simmons, James Slicer, David Harvey, Eli Williams and John Mustard, George Blocher and Henry Wineow.
The town was located then almost entirely on the west side of Will's Creek, and nearly all the houses were built along the old Braddock Road, now Green street; but on the bluff in the neighborhood of Wash- ington street several had been erected. There was also a large log house at the "Blue Spring," which is still standing, just above the Cumberland Hose Company's house, on North Mechanic street, and one or two a short distance further up the road.
The first white child born in Cumberland, after its incorporation, was Frederick Dent. In a log house (now rough-coated, and known as the "Dent House," or "Devecmon House," on Green street,) lived George Dent and wife. To them in October or November, of 1787, was born a son, who was christened Frederick. This son moved to Pittsburgh while a young man, and in 1817 removed to Missouri. He was the father of the wife of General U. S. Grant, the commander- in-chief of the national armies in the late war, and late President of the United States. Mr. Dent died
263
1787.7
SETTLERS WEST OF FORT CUMBERLAND.
in Washington city, at the White House, in 1876, within one hundred and fifty miles of the place of his birth, at the ripe age of 89 .*
By an act of the Legislature, in 1777, it had been ordered that a bounty of fifty acres of land should be given to each able-bodied recruit who should enlist and serve in the American army for a period of three years; and that a bounty of one hundred acres of land should be given to each recruiting officer who should enlist twenty able-bodied recruits. An addi- tional act was passed, in 1781, directing that these lands should be chosen from the territory of the State lying westward of Fort Cumberland. In 1787 the Governor and Council, by authority of the Legis- lature, appointed Francis Deakins to survey these lands and make a return of a general plot of the county westward of Fort Cumberland. Mr. Deakins performed this duty, showing that 4,165 lots of fifty acres each had been laid off, he being careful to indicate those lots which were already occupied and improved by settlers, they being conditionally secured to the persons settled thereon. This return showed that three hundred and twenty-three families were settled on six hundred and thirty-six of the aforesaid lots, which they had improved and cultivated.
These settlers were authorized, by an act of 1788, to purchase their lots, and were given preference thereto, at a price not less than five, and not to exceed twenty, shillings per acre, the payments to be made in three cqual instalments, the whole
** Mr. Frederick Dent stopped to dine in Cumberland, while en route to the West in 1872, and in a brief conversation with the writer remarked with some pride that he was the first white child born in Cumberland.
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND. [1787.
amount to be paid in three years. Various acts were afterwards passed by the Legislature to secure to each of the officers and soldiers of Maryland the lots to which they were entitled for their military services.
The following is a list of the settlers then located upon the lands lying in Maryland west of Fort Cumberland :
William Ashby,
Ralph Adams,
Anthony Arnold,
Anthony Able,
John Arnold of A.,
Moses Ayers, Sr.,
George Anderson,
John Arnold of Jno.,
Moses Ayers, Jr.,
Patrick Burnes, Andrew Bruce.
Robert Boyd,
Charles Boyles,
William Barnes,
Matthew Ball,
Thomas Baker,
Michael Beem,
Frederick Burgett,
Philip Bray,
Benjamin Brady,
Josiah Bonham,
Mallner Burnstredder,
John Buhman,
Micajah Burnham,
John Beall,
Ben. John Biggs,
Amariah Bonham,
John Blair,
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