USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > A history of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its people; Volume I > Part 28
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"Extract from the minutes. "By order of the Committee, "FRANCIS JOHNSTON, Sec'y."
The following is the next call for a meeting of the committee :-
"CHESTER COUNTY, September 7, 1775.
"The Committee of Chester County are desired to meet at the sign of the Turk's Head, in the township of Goshen, on Monday, the 25th inst., at Ten O'clock, A. M., on business of consequence; at which time and place the board of commissioners and asses- sors are requested to attend.
"By order of the Committee, "ANTHONY WAYNE, Chairman."
"In Committee, Chester County, Sept. 25, 1775.
"Whereas some persons, evidently inimical to the liberty of America, have indus- triously propagated a report, that the military associators of this County, in conjunction with the military associators in general, intend to overturn the Constitution, by declaring an Independency, in the execution of which they are aided by this Committee and the board of Commissioners and Assessors with the arms now making for this County; and as such report could not originate but among the worst of men for the worst of pur- poses,-This Committee have therefore thought proper to declare, and they do hereby declare, their abhorrence even of an idea so pernicious in its nature; as they ardently wish for nothing more than a happy and speedy reconciliation, on constitutional prin- ciples, with that state from whom they derive their origin.
"By order of the Committee, "ANTHONY WAYNE, Chairman."
The strong language of this disclaimer against any intention of favoring independence, and the desire expressed for a reconciliation with the mother country, sounds strange at this day, yet there can be no doubt that, up to this
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late period, it was the prevailing sentiment, even among those who were most strenuous in their opposition to the measures of the home government.
After having provided for the election of a new committee for the ensu- ing year by the people of the several townships, October 2d, the committee ad- journed to meet at Chester on that day, but we have no record of the proceed- ings of that meeting. Whether the complexion of the committee was changed by the election is not known, but we judge it was not, from the proceedings of the next meeting.
"CHESTER, Oct. 23rd, 1775.
"Pursuant to public notice given, the Committee met at the house of David Cowp- land, in the borough of Chester. On motion ordered, that each member of this Com- mittee do immediately make return to the Chairman, of the quantity of Powder which he already has or may collect within his district, together with the price and the name of the owner thereof, that the same may be paid for.
"On motion resolved, that Anthony Wayne, Francis Johnston, and Elisha Price, Esqrs., Mr. Richardson, Mr. Knowles, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Brannan, be and they are hereby appointed a Committee of Correspondence for this County.
"By order of the Committee, "FRANCIS JOHNSTON, Sec'y."
The second meeting of Congress was in May. 1775. At the close of the first meeting of that body, it was hoped and believed by many that a second meeting would not be necessary ; that the representations made to the home government by the representatives of all the colonies, would bring the desired relief. But this was a delusion, for before Congress met, hostilities had actual- ly begun. From this time onward, for seven long years, war measures and the events of the war engrossed public attention. Only those of a local character will be noticed.
A Committee of Safety was appointed by the Assembly on June 30, con- sisting of twenty-five members, of whom Anthony Wayne, Benjamin Barthol- omew. Francis Johnston and Richard Riley were from Chester county. This committee was especially active in providing for the defence of the Province. and particularly for that of the city of Philadelphia. Each county was re- quired to furnish a certain number of firelocks -- the quota for Chester county being 600. These were manufactured by a man named Dunwicke, and were ready to be proved by the 6th of October. Gun-boats were constructed : an- munition provided ; companies, battalions and regiments were organized, and breastworks hastily thrown up. These defences were mostly in the neighbor- hood of Fort Mifflin. In addition, two tiers of chevaux-de-frize were thrown across the main channel of the Delaware : one opposite the upper part of Hog Island. near the Fort, and the other nearly opposite the Lazaretto. The follow- ing resolution, adopted by the committee on the 16th of November. directs addi- tional tiers to be sunk, but it does not appear that any barrier to the navigation of the river was placed so far down as Marcus Hook.
"Resolved, that one or more tiers of Chevaux-de-frize be sunk above those already sunk, near to Fort Island."
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"That two tiers of Chevaux-de-frize be sunk for the further security of this Prov- ince in the channel opposite or near to Marcus Hook."
In an official report on the condition of the Province, made by the Gover- nor to the Earl of Dartmouth, the population is estimated at 302,000, of whom 2000 were negroes. The colored population was greatly under-estimated, or the report was only intended to include free blacks. The value of the several offices, in sterling money, in the Province, is also set down in the report. Those held by persons residing in Chester county are given as follows: John Mor- ton, Esq., Assistant Justice of the Supreme Court, f100; Henry Hale Graham, Prothonotary, Register, Recorder, &c., £120; Nathaniel Vernon, Sheriff, £100; John Bryan, Coroner, £20.
Towards the close of the year, there was a reorganization of the Commit- tee of Safety made by the Assembly. All the names from Chester county con- tained in the first appointment are included in this, with the addition of that of Nicholas Fairlamb ; the whole number of members being increased to thirty- two.
The county assessment of that part of Chester county now constituting the county of Delaware, for the year 1775, makes the number of taxables in that district 1622, and by estimating five inhabitants to each taxable, our popu- lation, at this interesting period of our history, amounted to 8110. The taxa- bles of the several townships were as follows: "Aston, 71 ; Bethel, 30; Ches- ter, 168; Upper Chichester, 57; Lower Chichester, 85; Concord, 104; Upper Darby, 100: Darby, 90; Edgmont, 67; Haverford, 71; Marple, 75; Middle- town, 88: Newtown, 77; Nether Providence, 48; Upper Providence, 58; Rid- ley (including Tinicum), 149; Radnor, 98; Springfield, 60; Thornbury, 61 ; and Birmingham, 69. The rate of the assessment was two pence in the pound, and six shillings on single freemen ; and the tax for the whole county only amounted to £310 13s. 9d., distributed among the townships as follows: As- ton, £14 16s. 9d .; Bethel, £8 13s. 3d .; Chester, £26 Is. 3d .; Upper Chichester, £8 19s. 6d .: Lower Chichester, flo I4s. IId .; Concord, £23 2s. Id .; Upper Darby, £27 4s. 3d .; Lower Darby, £14 IIS. 3d. ; Edgmont, £13 12s 6d. ; Haver- ford, fII IS. 3d .; Marple, £14 6s. 7d .; Middletown, £20, 13s. 6d .; Newtown, £14 14s .; Nether Providence, £8 16s .; Upper Providence, £8 12s. 9d .; Ridley (including Tinicum). £34 IOS .; Radnor, £17 13s. 6d .: Springfield, £13 15s. 3d. : Thornbury, £12 6s .: Birmingham, £6 9s. 2d.
At a meeting of the Chester county committee, held December 26, (1775.) regulations were enacted to secure a perfect organization of the Associators. agreeably to a vote of the Assembly. At the same meeting it was also "Re- solved, that Anthony Wayne, James Moore, Francis Johnston Esq, Dr Sam- uel Kenedy, Caleb Davis, William Montgomery, Persifor Frazer, and Richard · Thomas, Gentlemen, or any five or more of them, be appointed, and they are hereby appointed, to represent this county, (if occasion be,) in Provincial Con- vention for the ensuing year."
The Committee of Safety held its sessions almost daily in Philadelphia.
14
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Their duties were arduous in the extreme. It is indeed difficult to compre- hend how a body of men could control and direct such an amount of business in all its details, as was brought under their notice. Some idea may be gained, in respect to their doings, by a detail of such of their transactions as relate more particularly to this county or its vicinity.
Four battalions of Continental troops were ordered by Congress to be raised in Pennsylvania. At the request of that body, the Committee recom- mended proper persons for officers. Anthony Wayne received the unanimous recommendation of the committee for the office of colonel. On January 17th the Committee resolved, "that Col. Wayne, Col. Johnson, Mr Bartholomew & Mr Reiley, be a committee to examine the Firelocks, Cartridge boxes, Knap-
sacks &c. as ordered by the Assembly to be provided by Chester county *
*. "
The two tiers of chevaux-de-frize that had already been laid were not re- garded as sufficient. Others were constructed at Gloucester, and on the 13th of March it was resolved by the committee, "that John Cobourn be employed to take the Chevaux-de-Frize, when launched at Gloucester, and sink them in their proper places near Fort Island, and that he be authorized to procure any- thing for the purpose, hire persons under him, on the best and cheapest terms, and that he draw on this board for the expense."
Saltpetre for the manufacture of gunpowder was the great desideratum of the times, and great apprehensions were entertained in regard to the possi- bility of obtaining a sufficient supply for a successful defence of the Province. The following advertisement shows the extraordinary means adopted to in- sure a supply of this necessary article :
"To the INHABITANTS of the County of CHESTER.
"Pursuant to the recommendation of the Committee of Safety for the Province of Pennsylvania, to the Committee for Inspection for the County of Chester, Benjamin Bran- nan, Walter Finney, and John Beaton were appointed to attend the saltpetre manufactory in the City of Philadelphia, in order to perfect themselves in said art: We having complied therewith do hereby give notice to all those whose public virtue and patriotic spirit would excite them to such a valuable and necessary undertaking at this crisis of time; that attendance will be given at the house of Benjamin Brannan in Darby, on the 23rd and 24th of February; at the house of Mr. Cochran in East Fallowfield on the 27th and 28th; at the house of Mrs. Whitby [Withy] in the borough of Chester, on the Ist and second of March; at the house of Mr. Hood in Oxford, on the 4th and 5th; at the house of Mr. Miller in Birmingham on the 6th and 7th; at the house of Mr. Powell in Newtown on the 8th and 9th; at the house of Mr. Bell in Kennet on the 12th and 13th, and at the house of Walter Finney in New London on the 14th and 15th of said month, in order to teach and instruct all persons who may please to apply at the times and places above mentioned.
"BENJAMIN BRANNAN, WALTER FINNEY."
"N. B. The times and places in the North West district are not yet appointed."
The "North West district" was visited by Mr. John Beaton the other member of the committee of inspection, who made his appointments at six dif- ferent places, and spent two days at each place, in giving instruction in the art of making saltpetre.
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About March 4th, the Chester county committee petitioned the Assembly for a change in the articles of the Military Associations. The principal change asked for was, that the Associators be furnished with arms. The petition is signed by Anthony Wayne as chairman of the committee.
On March 29th, upon application of Colonel Wayne, an order was drawn by the Committee of Safety in favor of the Chester county committee for £500, for purchasing arms on account of Congress.
Under the apprehension of an attack being made by water, every precau- tion was used to guard against it. Neither pilots nor pilot-boats were allowed to pass the chevaux-de-frize, and the persons specially appointed to conduct ves- sels through the opening in that obstruction, were not permitted to go below Chester.
Provincial troops were rapidly recruited and organized along the river- so rapidly that, upon a representation made by Colonel Miles, "that there is not a sufficient number of houses in or about the towns of Chester & Marcus Hook, to quarter the troops now raising for the defence of this Province," the Committee of Safety on the 13th of April resolved, "that Col. Miles do procure for the use of the said troops, 100 good tents, on the most reasonable terms in his power." On April 17th, upon the application of Caleb Davis, an order for £1500 was drawn by the Committee of Safety in favor of the com- missioners and assessors of Chester county, "for the payment of firelocks, &c., made in that county for the use of the Province. An application was made to the Committee of Safety by the Chester county committee, for 850 lbs. of pow- der, in addition to the 400 lbs. on hand, and lead enough for the whole, and also for 1500 flints, to be distributed among the Associators, "in order to sup- ply them with 23 rounds per man." This supply was to be sent to the care of Nicholas Fairlamb.
The committee had judged rightly of the danger to be apprehended from armed vessels coming up the Delaware. "In consequence of intelligence re- ceived on the 29th of April, that the Roebuck Man-of-war is aground upon Brandywine [shoals], Capt. Reed was ordered with the provincial Ship Mont- gomery, to proceed down the river and Bay, and join the Commodore who is already on his way, with the armed Boats, in order to take or destroy her * *
The Provincials had quite a fleet of armed boats and other craft on the river at this time. A list with the number of men on each, made up to the first of May, is as follows :
The Washington, 50 men, Franklin, 38
The Ranger,
37 men,
" Warren,
22
Congress,
37
Dickenson,
35
" Effingham,
22
24
39
.. Chatham,
24
" Experiment,
31
Total,
679
Bull-dog, 39
Hancock,
48
. Burke,
Floating Battery,
116
Ship Montgomery,
117
Camden,
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DELAWARE COUNTY
The "Roebuck" was a vessel of 44 guns. She succeeded in getting from her perilous situation without being captured. There was also another British war vessel in the bay-the "Liverpool" of 28 guns-which likewise escaped, but the presence of the Provincial fleet prevented them from ascending higher up the river than the neighborhood of Wilmington. Here on May 8th, both ves- sels were attacked by the Provincial fleet under the command of Captain Reed. Colonel Miles, with 100 riflemen, had repaired to that vicinity, with the view of rendering any assistance in his power, and witnessed the engagement. At 4 o'clock on that day, he writes from the river bank near Wilmington, to the Committee of Safety: "Our boats and the two men of war have been en- gaged for two hours at long shot. I believe there is no damage done on either side, tho' I suppose three or four hundred shot have passed between them. * Our boats fire much better than the other vessels, but in my opinion engage at too great a distance."
There was disappointment expressed at the failure of the gondolas or armed boats, to capture or destroy the "Roebuck :" and those in charge of the expedition, to screen themselves from censure, attributed their want of success to a deficiency of supplies, particularly of ammunition : thus casting the blame on the Committee of Safety. This body very promptly asked the Assembly, "to promote such an inquiry as shall satisfy the public where the blame & mis- conduct is justly chargeable." Perhaps an item in the instructions sent by the committee to Capt. Reed-"to be careful in exposing any of the Boats to cap- ture or destruction"-had as much to do in causing the failure of the expedi- tion as the want of supplies.
From the following orders, adopted by the Committee on the 7th of May. it may be inferred, that a considerable land force was at this time stationed at Chester : "Robert Towers was directed to deliver to Colo. Samuel Miles, for the use of the Provincial troops under his command 1000 pounds of gunpow- der and 2000 pounds of Lead, or as great a part thereof as is in store." At the same time 20,000 cartridges for muskets, "for the use of the Associators of Chester County," were directed to be conveyed there "agreeably to Col. Miles direction." And on the next day, the Commissary was directed. "to send down to Chester, for the use of the Provincial troops under Col. Miles, Sixty Fire- locks." These guns were sent under the protection of a guard.
After procuring a supply of saltpetre, the next great necessity of the country was to have it manufactured into powder. There was no powder-mill in the Province before the Revolution broke out. An official report made June 3d, shows that the first powder-mill put in operation was that of Doctor Rob- ert Harris, "on Crum creek, about three miles from Chester." It began to work about May 23d. The dimensions of the mill house were 30 by 20 feet. with a head and fall of 81/2 feet. The drying house was 20 by 15 feet, "neither floored nor plastered." The Doctor had received one ton of saltpetre and 500 lbs. of sulphur. He expected to deliver one ton of powder on the first of June, "and the same quantity weekly." Another mill, of much greater dimen- sions, was at this time about being erected, at the public expense. on French
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creek, "about four miles above Moore Hall." It was expected to be ready to work on the 25th of June. On a branch of French creek still another small mill was in the course of erection, and also one on Swamp creek, in Bucks county.
Lead was also in great requisition-so much so, that all the leaden clock weights, draught weights, &c., were required to be given up for military pur- poses. Six pence per pound was allowed for the lead thus taken.
On May 21st the Committee of Safety adopted a memorial to Congress, asking for aid in the completion of the defences of the Delaware. They speak of the large sums appropriated for that object by the Provincial Assem- bly under the direction of the committee-that they caused "thirteen Arm'd Boats or Gondolas to be built, equip'd and manned, and have since built fitted and Manned, a large Ship, Floating Battery, several Guard Boats, and a great number of fire Rafts; erected fortifications on deep water Island; raised a large artillery Company for their defence, and sunk Chevaux-de-frize in the channel of the river; That the Assembly have raised two Battalions of Rifle- men and one of Musquetry, stationed on the banks of the river Delaware. That the Committee perceive, after all these exertions, greatly surpassing, as- they believe, any that have been made on this Continent, at an expense merely Collonial, that their defence is still imperfect, and far unequal in their idea, to the probable force, that may soon be employed against this colony."
They ask Congress to make an appropriation for the erection of an ad- ditional Floating Battery, and also for a fortification to be erected at Billings- port, on the Jersey shore. Congress made an appropriation for this latter work, but it was executed under the supervision of the Committee of Safety; a boom erected there was also a Continental charge. The works on Fort Island were also strengthened about this time, as a requisition was made on Col. Miles for a working force of one hundred men for that purpose. To these were allowed, over and above their pay "a quart of 18s. beer each working day."
On June 17th, Col. Atlee, who had been stationed at Chester, was directed by the committee to order his whole battalion to be quartered in the barracks of the city. This order would indicate less apprehension of an immediate at- tack by way of the river; but the committee still continued to increase its de- fences, in order to be prepared for such an attack. The two tiers of chevaux- de-frize already sunk, having been built in great haste, were probably of defec- tive construction. Be that as it may, we now find two additional tiers in the course of construction-one to be sunk opposite Billingsport, and the other in a range with the piers of the Fort.
The proximity of Hog Island to the fort made it necessary to guard against the enemy landing upon it in case of an attack upon the fort. This was to be effected by overflowing the island with water. To be prepared for such a contingency, on June 19th, "Mr. Abraham Kinsey, Tenant at Hog Island, was informed by the committee of the necessity of laying that island under water on the near approach of the enemy, and at the same time was assured, that
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whatever injury he should sustain in consequence, would be hereafter made good to him by the Publick."
It now became known that New York, and not Philadelphia, was to be at- tacked, and in consequence; on July 2d, Col. Miles was requested to march his battalions immediately to Philadelphia. Letters were, at the same time, dis- patched by the committee "to the colonels of the different battalions of the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester & Lancaster, requesting they would hold themselves in readiness to march at an hours warning, with their battal- ions to the city."
The representatives from Pennsylvania, in Congress, on the 4th of July, when the vote was taken on the Declaration of Independence, were John Mor- ton, John Dickinson, Robert Morris, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Humphreys, Edward Biddle, Thomas Willing, Andrew Allen and James Wilson. Of these gentlemen Messrs. Morton and Humphreys resided within what is now Dela- ware county. At the time the vote was taken, Morris and Dickinson were ab- sent. Of those present from Pennsylvania, Franklin, Wilson and Morton voted for the Declaration, and Biddle, Allen, Willing and Humphreys against it.
The convention to form a State Constitution for Pennsylvania met at Philadelphia on July 15th, and at once assumed the whole political power of the State ; almost their first act being the appointment of delegates to Congress. For this important trust, John Morton, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, James Wilson, George Ross, James Smith, Benjamin Rush, George Clymer and George Taylor were selected. So it appears that only the four first named were members of Congress at the adoption of the Declaration, though all signed that instrument when engrossed August 2d following. The names of the members of the convention from Chester county were : Benjamin Bartholo- mew, John Jacobs, Thomas Strawbridge. Robert Smith, Samuel Cunningham, John Hart, John Mackey and John Fleming.
The military organizations in Pennsylvania, known as Associators, were constituted into fifty-three battalions. These assembled by representatives in convention at Lancaster on July 4th-the day Independence was declared- "to choose two Brigadier Generals to command the Battalions and forces of Pennsylvania." Daniel Robertdeau and James Ewing were elected. The dele- gates to this convention from Chester county were: Major Culbertson, Colo- nel Montgomery, Lieutenant-Colonel Gibson : Captains Wallace, Scot, Gardi- ner ; Privates Cunningham, Boyd, Denny, Culbertson, and Fulton.
On July 22d the duties of the Committee of Safety were closed, the con- vention. then in session, having appointed another body of men, with the title of the Council of Safety, upon whom devolved nearly the same duties that had been exercised by the committee.
Most of the small vessels employed in guarding the Delaware were sta- tioned at the Fort, but it appears that certain guard boats were moored in Darby creek : and from the inconvenience of obtaining provision from the fort, on the 26th of July it was ordered by the Council of Safety, "that Mr. Sketch-
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DELAWARE COUNTY
ley Morton do supply the said boats with provisions until further orders." Mr. Morton's bill for supplies furnished, amounted to £8 7s. 81/2d.
The troops that had been stationed at Marcus Hook and Chester, and re- cently ordered to Philadelphia, did not remain long in that city. The follow- ing letter at once shows the destination of those troops, the condition in which a portion of them had been left before their removal to the city, and the hu- manity of their commanding officer :
"PHILADELPHIA, July 10th, 1776.
"Dr Sir: At the tinie I left Marcus Hook, there was a number of men inocu- lated for the Small Pox, wch were left under the care of Doctr Davis, but being ordered to the Jerseys, it became absolutely necessary that the Doctr should go with the troops-those sick men still remain at the Hook, under the notice of Doctr Chap- man-but I should be much obliged to you, (as I know no other person upon whom I can so well depend,) if you would be kind enough to see that those men are served with every necessary provision, while they remain there, for which you will be satisfied. I hope you will not refuse this trouble, otherwise the poor men will possibly suffer.
"I am, Sir, wth much Esteem, your H'ble Servt.
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