USA > Maryland > Dorchester County > History of Dorchester County, Maryland > Part 15
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CHAPTER XXV.
FLYING CAMP VOLUNTEERS-TORIES BELOW HOOPER'S STRAITS IN COMMU- NICATION WITH DUNMORE'S FLEET-THEIR CAPTURE BY MAJOR FALLIN'S MILITIA COMPANY-CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN COUNTY OFFICERS AND THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY-ANXIETY OF COUNTY MILITIA WITH NO ARMS FOR DEFENCE-OTHER COMPLAINTS OF DISLOYALTY-DEPREDATIONS BY CAPT. RICHARD ANDREW AND CITIZENS OF CAROLINE COUNTY, BY SEIZING SALT- SHOCK OF WAR AFTER THE BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND, AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE MILITIA AND TROOPS-PRIVATEERS-LETTERS OF MARQUE FOR "STURDY BEGGAR"-COERCION OF TORIES IN SOMERSET AND WORCES- TER COUNTIES-THEIR ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT IN CAMBRIDGE, IN 1777-PAY AND UNIFORM OF CONTINENTAL TROOPS-TRIALS OF A RE- CRUITING OFFICER IN DORCHESTER COUNTY-MORE MILITIA RECRUITED -DRAFTS MADE-COLLECTIONS OF BLANKETS AND CLOTHING FOR THE ARMY IN THE FIELD-EXTREME PRIVATIONS IN THE MARYLAND LINE.
The Continental Congress, which was in session on June 3, 1776, asked for volunteers to be known as the "Flying Camp." Pennsylvania was to furnish 6000 men, Maryland, 3400; Delaware, 600; to be stationed in the middle colonies. They were to be volunteers from the militia already organ- ized in the colonies and to serve until December 1, 1776, unless sooner discharged.
Following is the list of Dorchester County volunteers for the "Flying Company:"
Captain, Thomas Bourk. First Lieutenant, Burket Falcon. Second Lieutenant, John Lynch. Ensign, James Woolford Gray.
PRIVATES.
James Ridgaway, Henry Pritchett, John Jones, Adam Smith,
John Connley,
Charles Fooks,
Ezekiel Hooper,
Wm. Collins Taylr,
Isaac Cordery,
Mathew Bright,
John McGraw,
Hooper Evans,
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THE "FLYING COMPANY"
PRIVATES Continued.
John Hooper, Matthew Anderson, James Kelly, Thomas Hill,
Thomas Hooper,
Wm. Wilson,
Thomas Watson,
George Branigan,
Joseph Travers,
John Redington,
Lewis Pickron,
Emanuel Nicholson,
John Eliason,
John Brown, John Clary,
Matthew Handley,
Carter Williams,
Stephen Stubbs,
Valentine Arnett,
Thomas Roberts,
Solomon Jones,
David Cullin,
Thomas Ayers,
John Burriss,
Kimbrol Follin,
Thomas Bright,
George Proctor,
William Moore,
James Ingram,
Hugh Walworth,
Barnaby Current, Michael Mullin,
Wm. Mills,
John Mitchell,
Wm. G. Gontee,
John Vinson,
Caleb Busick,
Wm. Hubbard,
James Frazier,
Charles Strong,
George Murphy,
Wm. Man,
Levin Lane,
John Wiley,
John Cummins,
Thomas Bartlett, David Kirk,
Joseph Shehann,
Wm. Sanders,
Morris Lane,
Elijah Bright, John Bourk,
Martin Dorsey,
Whittington Wallace,
James Murphy,
Bryan Sweeny,
John Baily, John Talbott,
Wm. Rogers, Thomas Cook, Samuel Stanford,
Daniel Coffee,
Hugh McCall,
Abel Germier,
William Morean or Moren, William O'Hara, Henry Bright,
Thomas Marshall, Peter Marshall,
Thomas Keene,
Henry Sutton,
Thomas Noland,
.
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HISTORY OF DORCHESTER COUNTY
PRIVATES-Continued.
John Dick,
Edward Ingram,
Michael Berry,
John Insley (absent),
John Priday,
Anthony Fleetwood (absent),
Peter Laughlain,
Henry Harrington (absent),
William Collins,
George Childs (absent).
Only a part of the military forces organized by recruiting of volunteers and by drafting others who preferred the pri- vations of home to the greater ones in the army can be per- sonally named here for want of space.
Acts of disloyalty committed by a few men who attempted to aid the British on vessels in the Bay and rivers, created some apprehension and excitement, and complaints of the officers and men in some of the militia companies called for military investigation.
In June, 1776, Major Daniel Fallen, an active patriot of Straits, in command of some militia, about thirty men, sta- tioned at Hooper's Straits, took a small schooner in a creek that makes into Holland's Straits. On the boat were Joseph Wheland, Jr., John Evans, Robert Howith and John Price. They were sent to the Committee of Observation in the county, who sent them under an armed guard to the Council of Safety at Annapolis where they were committed to prison. One of the party, Wheland, was the man who piloted Lord Dunmore's vessels up to Nanticoke Point, and was with the British that took a lot of cattle from Hopkin's Island. The cargo found on the vessel and seized was one and a half hogsheads of rum, thirty bushels of salt, the sails and rigging of a sloop, a large quantity of old iron, together with a few guns, swords and cartridge boxes.
INTERESTING MILITARY CORRESPONDENCE. [BOURK TO COUNCIL. ] CAMBRIDGE, Md., July 19, 1776.
Gentlemen:
I have to acquaint you that we have not met with the wished-for success in raising the company you ordered us
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INTERESTING MILITARY CORRESPONDENCE
to raise in this county. The militia having been discharged till after harvest, we have not had an opportunity of seeing the men; add to this that on my return from Annapolis, the Cambridge Blues were ordered to march to the Streights, where the enemy was said to have landed. Unwilling to desert them at this time of danger, I commanded them on the expedition; so that it has not been in my power to exert myself as yet. Mr. Lynch has made up his complement; they are here and are a likely set of men. We have about forty or fifty men engaged in Somerset. I expect some next week from Worcester; I wait to know how many, which, when informed of, shall proceed to Annapolis to receive your orders, whether I shall continue to enlist or not. Our militia companies will meet next week, when we shall have a better opportunity of completing our number. Could I have engaged the men into immediate pay, the company would have been nearly completed.
Mr. Lynch carries our warrant.
I am, gentlemen, your obedient humble servant,
THOMAS BOURK.
[ HOOPER TO JENIFER. ]
Draft of Militia-Embarrassed for money to pay them when in actual service.
DORCHESTER COUNTY, July 19, 1776.
Sir:
On receipt of yours of the 15th inst., I immediately ordered a draft of fifteen privates and proper officers to be made from each company of militia of this Brigade, and those drafted in Dorset and Caroline Counties to be stationed in Dorset, and the drafted militia of Somerset and Worcester Counties to be stationed in Somerset County; the men so drafted are ordered to be at the several places of rendezvous on Wednesday, the 24th inst. If your Board should not approve of this dispo- sition of the militia, you will please let me know it, and I shall make such alterations therein as you may direct. k
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HISTORY OF DORCHESTER COUNTY
Although I have ordered out the militia to be in readiness to repel any attempt of the enemy to land in this district agreeably to your directions, yet I think it will be difficult to keep them together without some money; the county people here who have provision to sell showing a great unwillingness to part with unless paid for at the same time. I would therefore wish your Board would take some order about subsisting the militia of this District when called out in defence of the province by directing that the Treasurer of the Eastern Shore should pay to the Committee of Obser- vation for Dorset County such a sum of money as you may think necessary to be applied for the purpose of victualing and subsisting the militia1 when in actual service, as the com- manding officer of said Brigade shall direct. I have applied to General Chamberlain for 400 lbs. gunpowder and 1600 lbs. of lead. If you should have received any further intel- ligence concerning Dunmore and his fleet, I should be glad to know it.
I am respectfully, sir, your very humble servant,
HENRY HOOPER.
In reply to this letter, the Council ordered the Eastern Shore Treasurer to pay Gen. Henry Hooper £300 for the support of the militia when in service.
Arms were so scarce in the county, and in province as well, that the Council ordered Captain Bourk to apply to Major Fallen, in Straits, for the guns he had captured a few weeks before on a small vessel below Hooper's Straits, that his men might be somewhat better equipped before marching to join the Continental Army.
Our revolutionary ancestors were loyal, patriotic and brave, and ready to fight their merciless invaders, but without army supplies-food, clothing, arms and ammunition-the outlook was serious to the most heroic. Yet the preparations for war went hurriedly on. The Council of Safety, by order
1 Were the militia rolls of the volunteer companies raised for the defence of Dorchester County obtainable their names would be herein given.
211
1
SUPPLIES FOR THE MILITIA
of the Convention, directs Capt. Joseph Robson, on March 21, 1776, to deliver to Capt. Thomas Woolford ten muskets, with the accoutrements thereto belonging, and that the Treasurer of the Eastern Shore pay to Capt. Thomas Wool- ford £55 13s. 9d. (for blankets) for the use of his company, and that the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay to Lieut. John Eccleston £35 on account of Captain Woolford's com- pany; that Colonel Smallwood deliver to Capt. Thomas Woolford 20 pieces Osnaburg, 50 cartouch boxes and belts, 31 French muskets and bayonets with slings, and a half ream of cartridge paper; and that Captain Woolford contract for the making of bayonets and scabbards for his company. These preparations were but the beginning of means and outfits to equip the Dorchester soldiers that were to go out to battle, and many to die a soldier's death for our country's liberty and independence.
While the independent companies were almost equipped for service, the militia were mostly unarmed.
How little the colonists of Dorchester were then prepared to defend their homes from invasion by the British forces under Lord Dunmore and others, and how great the desper- . ate state of anxiety and resolution entertained by an unarmed militia, ready and willing to fight, but without guns and ammunition, is painfully depicted in the following letter from James Murray, Secretary of the Committee of Observation, to the Council of Safety :
Gentlemen:
From the sudden alarm which the sloop of war and her tenders have this week occasioned, it was thought necessary to order the militia of this county on duty to guard the frontier on the Bay shore * which they cheerfully complied with, but previous thereto were under a necessity of making application for arms and ammunition. We were in hopes that when it came to the test we should find many of them prepared with private property in ammunition, but in this we are deceived. There remained with us a barrel
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HISTORY OF DORCHESTER COUNTY
of powder and some ball, sent from Newtown last fall by the Council of Safety, which we have distributed, though it appears to be very indifferent and not such as we think men ought to hazard their lives with; this has gone but a small way in supplying the companies. The people grew exceed- ingly clamorous. We have been under the necessity of dis- tributing what little we have of private property, but the whole put together would scarce make three rounds apiece for the companies. To what length they may go if not shortly supplied we cannot say, but we fear when they find that upon repeated applications, they are not supplied with the means of defence they may despond and tamely submit to such ravages as these barbarians may think proper to commit. From the late conduct of the men of our county, we have not the least doubt of their spirit and firmness, and are fully satisfied they will make a bold and resolute stand in defence of the liberties of their county.
OTHER COMPLAINTS OF DISLOYALTY. 1
After the organization of Capt. Henry Lake's company, several complaints were made against two of his officers, namely, Levi Willin, First Lieutenant, and Job Todd, En-' sign, charging them with acts of disloyalty. William Trav- ers, in command of a battalion of militia that embraced Cap- tain Lake's company, asked the Council of Safety to appoint a court martial to inquire into their conduct. Henry Hooper, in command at Cambridge, also addressed the Coun- cil of Safety about Willin and Todd. The Council appointed a court martial to try them. The members were: Col. John Ennalls, President of the Court; Col. Robert Harrison, Col. James Murray, Col. John Dickinson, Major Thomas Muse, Major Thomas Jones, Major Joseph Ennalls, Major Joseph Richardson, members of the same Court.
There is no record of any trial or further history about it.
One, Basil Clarkson, was charged with going on board the British tenders in Hooper's Straits and giving them informa-
L
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DEPREDATIONS BY CAPTAIN ANDREW AND OTHERS
tion, and also persuading Job Slacum and others to join Lord Dunmore's naval forces. Clarkson was arrested and committed to jail in Annapolis by the Council of Safety on evidence given by John Rumley, of Straits, before the Com- mittee of Observation. He testified that he was taken by a British tender on the shore of Spring Island; that while on the tender he saw a boat standing out of Hooper's Straits directly with the tenders in company with the one which he was on. The boat he knew to be Basil Clarkson's, on which there were three other persons, who went on board the ten- der; that he heard men on board the several tenders hail each other and say that the "Defence" was laying off Hooper's Island; that Basil Clarkson and John Baptist told them so. After staying in jail for some time, Clarkson petitioned the Convention of Maryland to be released; that he was "almost starving and without bodily clothing or bedding."
DEPREDATIONS BY CAPT. RICHARD ANDREW AND OTHERS OF CAROLINE COUNTY.
In great desperation for want of salt, then so scarce, Capt. Richard Andrew and a number of men, in November, 1776, entered and searched the dwelling house and out- houses of James Sulivane, looking for salt. As they found only five bushels they did not take any. They then went to Col. James Murray's, on Hunting Creek (now known as the Billup's farm), got the house keys from Mrs. Murray and took fourteen and a half bushels of salt. They offered to pay for it, but Mrs. Murray refused payment; however, they left $14.50 in the house.
To punish these disorderly people, the Committee of Observation summoned witnesses and those active in the affair, but they did not appear and a hearing was set for the following Wednesday, and wholly unexpectedly they came, headed by Captain Andrew with more than a hundred armed men. They were so disorderly that nothing could be done in the matter. They declared they would risk their lives
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HISTORY OF DORCHESTER COUNTY
in defence of their acts. An appeal was made to the Council of Safety to have Gen. Henry Hooper's brigade of militia sent to arrest them, but considering the need of troops elsewhere and the urgent appeals made by the people on the Eastern Shore for salt, then so scarce that some families had not had a pint in months, it seemed that the sending of militia into the county to suppress local disturbances not regarded as disloyal acts, might lead to serious revolts at this critical period of the Revolutionary conflict. The situation of the American Army at this time was deplorable. Congress and the people were terribly disheartened. General Washington had been given absolute military control for six months, with powers to organize additional infantry, cavalry, artillery and engineers corps.
The people of Dorchester had now begun to feel the awful shock of war. Out of the Sixth Independent Com- pany, commanded by Capt. Thomas Woolford; the Flying Camp Company, under Captain Bourk, and the minute-men who had formed a part of the Maryland Line in the battle of Long Island, so recently fought, some brave sons of Dor- chester heroically gave up their lives for their country. Fol- lowing this defeat was the surrender of Fort Washington on November 16, when more than two thousand Americans were taken prisoners, who were crowded into horrible prisons about New York, where they had not room to lie down on the bare floors to sleep, and were otherwise subjected to great cruelty, appalling to humanity, that made many patriots who had volunteered to fight for American Independence halt in the face of duty to home and country, and become terror- stricken at the reports of such prison atrocities. Many thoughtfully considered if it were their duty to throw their lives away in a cause so hopeless and leave their dependent, helpless families at the mercy of such inhuman victors. Some decided first to feed and defend their wives and children at their humble homes rather than take the risk of a cruel death within the stifling walls of foul prisons. Hence they declined to volunteer in the Continental Army, a few of whom were
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PRIVATEERS-LETTERS OF MARQUE
Dorchester Countians who possessed stronger feelings of devotion to home and family than patriotism for national liberty. They reasoned that it would be better to live and protect their hungry families under English rule than to die for independence impossible to obtain.
Yet with all the horrors of war and starving prisons to confront, the great body of Maryland soldiers were patriotic, loyal and true till death or independence.
PRIVATEERS-LETTERS OF MARQUE GRANTED.
While every possible effort was made by the Council of Safety, supported by the people in the counties, to equip a fighting army on land, the people in Baltimore, with large commercial interests involved by the war, assisted as early as 1776 in fitting out some privateers to prey on English ship- . ping.
The brig "Sturdy Beggar" was equipped with 14 guns and manned for a cruise in November, when Capt. John McKeel, of Dorchester County, was commissioned her Cap- tain; a part of her crew was also from Dorchester County, but of their names we find no record.
On the 13th of January, 1777, a number of loyal colonists in Somerset and Worcester Counties represented to Con- gress that the Tories in those counties entertained disloyal designs, possibly an uprising in arms. They asked Congress for an armed force to maintain peace and protection. Con- gress referred the matter to the General Assembly of Mary- land, requesting that a military force be sent there to suppress disorder, arrest and disarm any disloyal organizations, and make them take the oath of allegiance to the State.
An expedition of militia under Brig .- Gen. Henry Hooper, a naval force from Hooper's Straits, commanded by Capt. James Campbell, of Dorchester County, and Col. Southey Simpson, of Virginia, with a command which had advanced into Maryland, coerced the Tories in that part of the Eastern
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HISTORY OF DORCHESTER COUNTY
Shore and arrested a large number of them, who were car- ried to Cambridge jail. They were held there for some months in prison; and in 1778 they petitioned Governor Johnson for a special hearing to determine their offences for which they were detained. Their names were as follows: Isaac Marshall, Purnell Outen, Benjamin Henderson, George Furnace, Robert Gibbs, David Adams, Thomas Wood Pot- ter, Isaac Gunby, Thomas Tull, Jacob Cullin, Michael Ben- ston, Michael Holland, Joseph Gunby, William Brotten, Thomas Cullin, Elisha Johnson, Levin Tybbs, Jacob Heron, Littleton Johnson, Benjamin Sommers, John Riggin, Henry Stirling, Thomas Ward, Solomon Bird, George Sommers, Aaron Stirling, John Colbourn, Ezekiel Ward, Aaron Col- bourn and Thomas Sommers, of Somerset County; and Jessie Ellis, Levi Ellis, Edward Cropper, Samuel Dryden, William Jones, Joshua Butler, Benjamin Davis, Levin Disharoom, Thomas Cottingham, Ephraim Henderson, Thomas Taylor, Stephen Roach, Zorobabal Hill, Henry Parker, Hezekiah Cary, Elisha Heron and Eliakim Dubley, of Worcester County. Some citizens in those counties to-day have similar names and are, no doubt, descendants of some of the above- named, who then preferred to bear English imposition with loyal allegiance rather than trust to the hazardous destiny of rebellion in a desperate struggle for liberty.
PAY AND CLOTHING OF THE CONTINENTAL SOLDIERS.
The soldier's pay, uniform and fighting equipments were not temptations for colonists to enlist. The pay of the bat- talions and independent companies, by the month, was sched- uled as follows: Colonel, $50 expenses, $30; Lieutenant- Colonel, $40-expenses, $20; Major, $331/3 ; Captain, $26; Lieutenant, $18; Ensign, $16; Sergeant, $633 ; Corporal, $6; Drummer and Fifer, $6; Surgeon, $40; Surgeon's Mate, $20; Chaplain, $20; Private, $573 ; Clerk to Colonel, $20.
217
TRIALS OF A RECRUITING OFFICER
The uniforms of the land forces were hunting shirts of various colors; marines, blue hunting shirts.
..
TRIALS OF A RECRUITING OFFICER IN DOR- CHESTER COUNTY, JANUARY, 1777.
MEMORIAL OF THOMAS SPARROW TO THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY.
That agreeable to the warrant your Honors was pleased to grant me for the purpose of recruiting men for the ser- vice of the State, I repaired to Dorchester County, where I had the promise of a sufficient number, and believe I could have enlisted them, but for the reasons hereafter mentioned.
I was four days on my passage from Annapolis to Cam- bridge, and on my arrival, Major Thomas Muse being dead, I was obliged to wait a week before I could acquaint your Honors therewith. Colonel Travers, knowing the disap- pointment I had met with, told me he was going to Annap- olis and should soon return with an answer if I would write to have another gentleman appointed to assist me with cash for the recruits. I waited six days after Colonel Travers' return to his house at Hooper's Island for the letter directed to Captain Daffin, which gentleman supplied me with a horse to ride for it, as Colonel Travers had omitted to send it to him. I received the letter, and on my return to Cambridge, heard the corps belonging to Dorchester County was to meet at the Lightwood Knot Chapple. Mr. Peter Carvil told me he would ride to that place with me and made no doubt but that I would enlist thirty men, as he had heard many intended to meet me there for that purpose. I had not re- ceived my cash, but as that opportunity offered, I concluded to advance the small sum I had to bear my expenses, which, if not sufficient, Mr. Carvil offered to supply me with, and to do him justice, he was the only friend I had in the field who had courage enough to stand by me. I proceeded to do my duty, and undertook to read the resolve of Conven-
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HISTORY OF DORCHESTER COUNTY
tion with respect to raising matrosses. One of the company told me it was all false and if any man should enlist he would be sent to Philadelphia and not to Annapolis, and that they were damned fools that would go to fight against their King. I then told him he was a Tory; another told me I should not come there to find anything else. *
* A young man then desired to hear the proposals. I attempted to read ‘them to him, but one of the company struck the paper, and many of them made such a noise that prevented me from informing those who wanted to enlist. I then put up my papers lest they should take them from me. About an hour ¡ after a man called me aside and told me he would enlist at Cambridge for he was afraid to do it there. Mr. George Slacum overheard him and said, "Damn your forty shillings, it is not worth sixpence. I have gold and silver enough and will give fifty shillings to a man either to fight for the King, or not fight against him." * * Mr. George Sla- cum told me I was a damned rascal in offering to enlist men against the King, and they were damned fools that would go with me. I immediately after saw men whispering together in different places, when a young man passed by me and said, "Go off or you will be murdered." I took his advice. It being dark, I knew not the road perfectly. In a few minutes I heard some horses in full speed coming after me. I took to the woods and made my escape for that time. * * * In Cambridge, I next tried to beat up recruits, it being the time of the election. I had a flag made of two sheets of small bills, which one of a mob that had raised there against me often attempted to take from the man who had it and struck him. They then proceeded to insult me. *
* * John Chalmere, seeing the treatment I met with, told me he had two swords and that I was welcome to one of them. I accepted of one of them and soon cleared the town of my enemies.
Lieut. James Gray was much my friend in this affair.
I intended next to go to New Market, as there was to be two days' races, but my friends advised me not as it was
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SCARCITY OF CLOTHING AND FOOD
expected many of Captain Andrews' men would be there, and I should be used ill.
I complained to many of the Committee and in particular to Captain Daffin and Mr. Ennalls, who told me they were sorry I was used so ill, but it was out of their power to help it.
THOMAS SPARROW.
In Dorchester there were many patriots who nobly did their duty.
In August, 1777, commissions were issued to more volun- teers, viz: Edward Noel, Captain; John Chalmers, First Lieutenant; Thomas Woolford, Second Lieutenant; Thomas Smith, Jr., Ensign; officers of a company of militia to serve under Col. William Richardson.
Out of the many militia companies organized in the county frequent drafts were made for recruits to fill up the broken ranks of the Dorchester companies serving in the Continen- tal Army.
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