USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume III > Part 8
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In the Spring of 1782, Elisha Harvey managed to communicate with his father at Plymouth, and the latter being thus informed as to his son's where- abouts, immediately took steps to have him restored to liberty and permitted to return home.
The surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown in October, 1781, was vir- tually the end of the war between England and America, and during the Spring *As to the sale by Indians of their captives, see page 375, Vol. I.
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and Summer of 1782 the main part of the American army lay along the Hudson River from Peekskill to Newburg (where Washington had his headquarters) watching Sir Guy Carleton and his British forces still in the occupancy of the city of New York and its vicinity.
Early in May, 1782, Maj. Gen. Henry Knox, Chief of Artillery on the staff of General Washington, and Gouverneur Morris, some years later United States Minister to France, were appointed Commissioners on the part of the United States to arrange a general exchange of prisoners; but the difficulties in the way were so great that no satisfactory arrangements could be effected. In May, 1782, Col. Zebulon Butler, then in command of the 4th Regiment, Connecticut Line, stationed at "Camp Highlands", near West Point, on the Hudson, paid a visit to his family at Wilkes-Barré. Benjamin Harvey immediately consulted him with reference to procuring the release of Elisha Harvey, and the following plan was finally determined upon :
Capt. Alexander Mitchell of the New Jersey Line being at this time in com- mand of Fort Wyoming, and Adam Bowman being still held a prisoner there under the sentence imposed by the court-martial in 1780 (see page 1253) it was agreed by Colonel Butler and Captain Mitchell that Bowman should be delivered into the custody of Benjamin Harvey. He, carrying certain documents to be furnished by Colonel Butler, would convey the prisoner to Montreal and exchange him for Elisha Harvey-who, it will be remembered, had been one of the militiamen who captured Bowman.
What authority these officers had for making this arrangement is not now known, but the fact remains that in the latter part of June, 1782, Benjamin Harvey set out from Wilkes-Barré on horseback, having in custody, mounted upon a second horse belonging to himself, the prisoner Adam Bowman. They journeyed over the mountains to the Delaware, and thence to Esopus (now Kingston) on the Hudson. Here they turned northward, designing to travel the direct route to Montreal, via Lakes George and Champlain.
In due time the travelers reached Saratoga, which was one of the American outposts. Here they were stopped by the officer in command of the post, who took Bowman away from Mr. Harvey and sent him in charge of guards down to West Point, a distance of about 120 miles. The officer claimed that the authority by which the prisoner was being conducted to Canada was either too informal and insufficient, or was wholly illegal.
Benjamin Harvey accompanied Bowman and his guards to West Point, and then crossing the Hudson went in hot haste to the Connecticut camp, a mile and a-half distant, to inform Colonel Butler as to the condition of affairs. Arriving at the camp of the 4th Regiment he found that the Colonel had set out for Wilkes-Barré the day before, on leave of absence. As soon as possible Mr. Harvey started for Wilkes-Barré, where he arrived on Sunday, July 21st. Colonel Butler had arrived there on the 19th (see "Pennsylvania Archives", IX: 622).
Mr. Harvey attended to some necessary matters at his home, and on July 29th left Wilkes-Barré for West Point, bearing a certificate from Colonel Butler reading as follows :*
"These certify that ADAM BOWMAN now a prisoner of War to the United States of America was taken by the Inhabitants of Westmoreland and brought to this Garrison sometime in 1780 when I commanded this post and upon application made to me by MR. BENJAMIN HARVEY for the prisoner to send him to Montreal and exchange for his son then and yet is in captivity-
*The original document is still in existence, in the possession of a descendent of Benjamin Harvey. A photo-re- production of it is given herewith.
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which request I granted and MR. HARVEY at his own expense did take the prisoner from this place to Saratoga for the above purpose and I have been informed that he has for some reason been sent from there down to Westpoint or its vicinity-and should yet request that MR. HARVEY may be indulged with the prisoner for the purpose of redeeming his son.
[Signed] "ZEBN. BUTLER, Col., 4th Connect. Regt."
"Wyoming July 29th 1782
"To the Officer in Whose custody the Prisoner may be."
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Reduced photo-reproduction of the certificate delivered to Benjamin Harvey hy Colonel Butler.
When Mr. Harvey was nearing West Point, he determined that he would go on up the river to Newburg and present his case to General Washington. The General, after reading Colonel Butler's "certificate", and asking for fuller information concerning the case, sent Mr. Harvey in charge of an orderly with a note to General Knox. The latter ordered that Adam Bowman should be re- delivered into the custody of Mr. Harvey, who, the next day started for Canada provided with proper passports. The journey was made by the two men without further interruption, and, Montreal having been reached, the exchange of Elisha Harvey was effected-not, however, without some unpleasant experiences and annoying delays. Father and son set out on their homeward journey as soon as possible, Elisha riding the horse which had been used by Adam Bowman.
Capt. John Franklin, at his home in Wilkes-Barré, recorded in his diary under the date of September 10, 1782: "Mr. Harvey returned from captivity. Sent home on parole."*
*With respect to prisoners from Westmoreland in the hands of the British, the present writer has just read in the "Public Papers of George Clinton." V: 523, a letter from certain Commissioners at Johnstown, N V., to Governor Clin- ton, under the date of March 7, 1780, transmitting a "list of people taken on the Susquehanna." The Commissioners suggest that the Governor may have it in his power "to relieve them " The following is an extract from the list: "A list of prisoners taken from Wyoming-James Bidlack, Jo'h Church, Jonathan Smith, Jacob Van Gorder,-Case. Slocum child [Frances Slocum], Kingsley child, Stephen Parrish. Mrs. Hageman. Leonora Hageman, Bubhen Jones.
Zebulon Parrish, Jasper Parrish, Stephen Kimball. * * * From the Susquehanna-Sarah Leiter and Hannah Le-ter. children belonging to the widow Lester, prisoners at Genesee; Ehenezer Williams, belonging to the same family." In connection with the foregoing, see page 1045 and note on page 1106, Vol. II.
CHAPTER XX
COL. ZEBULON BUTLER AND THE WESTMORELAND TROOPS GARRISONING FORT WYOMING TRANSFERRED TO OTHER POSTS-LARGE LOSSES
SUSTAINED BY THE INHABITANTS OF WESTMORELAND IN THE YEARS 1778-'S1 - THE LAST SCALP TAKEN BY
.
INDIANS IN THE WYOMING VALLEY-THE END
OF THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION
"The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ecaseth * * * The earth mourneth and languisheth." -Isaiah, XXXIII: 8, 9.
"By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry; they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty." -Job, XXX.XI': 9.
"They all hold swords being expert in war; every man hath his sword upon his thigh be- cause of fear in the night." -The Song of Solomon, III &.
About this time the Pennamite-Yankee controversy, concerning the title to the Wyoming lands, which had remained so quiescent since the close of the vear 1775 that it seemed hardly to exist, was beginning to take on new vigor. The State of Pennsylvania, considering that she was supplying provisions to what was practically a hostile camp, had stopped the shipment of stores in Octo- ber, 1780, and the situation at Fort Wyoming at the beginning of the Winter of 1780-'81 was really critical.
As a result of the urgent efforts made by Dr. William Hooker Smith and Hugh Forseman at Philadelphia in the Autumn of 1780 (in behalf of Colonel Butler, commanding the Wyoming post), to secure from the Continental Board of War and the Commissary General of Purchases, money and provisions for the troops at Wilkes-Barré, the Board of War sent a communication on the subject to Congress, under the date of November 28, 1780. This was referred to a com- inittee, who on December 12, 1780, made a report to Congress as follows :*
"That in their opinion the eanses of the distress under which the Garrison of Wyoming now labors, and has labored for some time past, originate from a jealousy subsisting between the States of Pennsylvania and Connecticut on account of a territorial claim. They find however, that the Post of Wyoming was originally established by Congress as a necessary means for the
*See "Journals of the Continental Congress", XV111: 1147.
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NORTHUMBERLAND
PACKERS ISLAND
NORTH B .
BLUE HILL.
130FT.
RIVER
99FT.
BLOCK HOUSE
83 FT.
3
De
83FT.
5
86
6
7
143 FT.
10
116FT
No. 1. WELL No. 2. OFFICERS QUARTERS 20x40 FEET.
No. 3. COLONEL'S QUARTERS / 8x30FEET. No. 4 BARRACKS 25×30FEET
No. 5. BARRACKS .. . .. ..
No. 6 " -
No.7 .. .. No. 8 SOLDIERS BARRACKS 25:30FEET.
NO. 9 BARRACKS25:30 FEET. No. 10. MAGAZINE.
PLAN OF FORT AUGUSTA AT SUNBURY
-
SUSQUEHANNA
--
-
WEST B.
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defense of a frontier and for the purpose of protecting the inhabitants of that Quarter from the encroachments of the Savages. That ever since its establishment it has been under the direc- tion of Congress, the Board of War, or the Commander-in-chief; has been garrisoned by Conti- nental officers and soldiers, and supplied with provisions from the Continental stores.
"They do not, therefore, think it advisable that this post should be discontinued by Con- gress until they are informed by the Commander-in-chief that it is unnecessary for the general defense. But your committee are of opinion that it is becoming the wisdom of Congress, at the same time that they carefully guard the citizens of these States against the attacks of the common' enemy, to remove, as far as is in their power, every cause of jealousy or discontent between States which might endanger the harmony of the general Union."
This report having first been fully discussed, Congress proceeded the same day to adopt the following resolutions :
"Resolved, That the Commander-in-chief be directed, if he shall judge the post at Wyom- ing necessary, to relieve the garrison there, as soon as may be, by troops from the Continental army not belonging to the lines of Pennsylvania or Connecticut, or citizens of either of the said States; and that the present and future garrison continue to be supplied by the Commissary General from the magazines of the Continent, by purchase, or out of the quota of provisions raised by any State for the use of the Continent.
"Resolved, That the State of Pennsylvania be informed of the steps Congress have taken to remove every subject of jealousy or discontent, and that they be requested to order the supplies which were stopped by Lieutenant* Hunter, on their progress to Wyoming, to be imme- diately forwarded to that garrison, to relieve its present urgent distresses."
At Wilkes-Barré, under the date of December 18, 1780, Colonel Butler wrote to Col. Ephraim Blaine (previously mentioned) in part as follows:+
"The Commissary of this Post waited on you and you ordered him 100 head of cattle, which arrived safe. His order for flour and liquor was refused. As soon as possible I sent an Express to have the flour, &c., ready, and a letter to Col. [Samuel] Hunter to know if his orders continued in force respecting the stopping of provisions coming to this Post. He informed me they did; but if I could produce him an order from Congress it would be all right."
When he wrote this letter, Colonel Butler had not yet learned that six days previously Congress had voted to request the Pennsylvania authorities to order that the supplies detained at Sunbury should be forwarded to Fort Wyoming, and had directed General Washington to relieve the garrison at the Wyoming post by Continental troops, not from either Pennsylvania or Connecticut.
At his headquarters at New Windsor, on the Hudson, under the date of December 29, 1780, General Washington wrote to Colonel Butler at Wilkes- Barré, in part as follows:#
"Congress having, in order to remove all cause of jealousy and discontent between the States of Pennsylvania and Connecticut, directed me to withdraw the present garrison of Wyoming and to replace them with troops from the Continental army not belonging to the Line of Penn- sylvania or Connecticut, or citizens of either of the said States, I have for that purpose ordered Captain MITCHELL, of the Jersey Line, to relieve you. You will, therefore, upon his arrival, deliver up the post to him, and march with all the men at present under your command, and join the army in the neighborhood of this place.
"I am well aware of the difficulty which there will be of bringing away the men of Ransom's'| company, but I trust and shall expect, that you will exert yourself to do it effectually; because, if they remain behind in any numbers, it would seem like an intention to evade the Resolve above cited. You will, before you march, give Captain Mitchell every necessary information respecting the situation of the country, and make him acquainted with those characters upon whom he can depend for advice and intelligence in case of an incursion of the enemy."
The order for the removal from the Wyoming post of Col. Zebulon Butler, the company of Capt. Simon Spalding (which was wholly composed of West- moreland, or Wyoming men), and the few other soldiers-both Continentals and militia-who claimed Westmoreland as their home, shows the influence which was exercised by the Pennsylvania party to the Wyoming controversy at
*Lieutenant of the County of Northumberland, Pennsylvania.
"The original draft of this letter is in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
#See Upham's "Life of Timothy Pickering", II: 231.
§ALEXANDER MITCHELL. He was a Captain in the 1st New Jersey Regiment, commanded by Col. Matthias Ogden, and took part with his regiment in the Sullivan Expedition.
|| Washington inadvertently named "Ransom's" company, when he had in mind and was referring to, the company commanded by Capt. Simon Spalding, mentioned on page 980, Vol. II.
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the end of the year 1780, and to which the General Government had to yield.
At Wyoming, January 3, 1781, Hugh Forseman, previously mentioned, wrote to Col. David Deshler, Commissioner of Purchases in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in part as follows :*
"By virtue of a late Resolve of Congress respecting furnishing this garrison with provisions the Commanding Officer hath directed me to apply to you For some flour and liquor, of which I hope you will forward about twenty barrels of flour and four or five barrels of liquor; and let me know by the bearer, Captain [Anthony] Selin, when it will be on the way, that a guard may be sent to escort it. The necessity for flour is great, as the troops have had neither flour nor liquor this three months past, and been obliged to live on Indian meal." * * *
At Allentown, in Northampton County, January 8, 1781, Col. David Deshler, above mentioned, wrote to Col. Jacob Morgan, State Commissary, at Philadelphia, in part as follows:+
"Colonel Butler at Wyoming has applied to me for flour and liquor, as the navigation down the Susquehanna at this time is stopped by the frost. I purpose to send him two loads of flour and one load of whiskey against the 13th inst. Colonel Butler informs me if there was cash sent up to Wyoming there is grain enough to be purchased there to supply that Post. If I had orders and money, the carriage of provisions to that place might be saved."
Notwithstanding the "hard times" prevailing at and about Wilkes-Barré, in the Winter of 1780-'81, some attention was given by the inhabitants to the social affairs of life. Singing meetings, called in the language of the day "Cho- ruses", "were the amusements of the evening" says Miner; who also records that "on Sunday, January 18th, Joseph Kinneyt and Sarah Spalding were called off, that is, their banns were published; and on Thursday the 22d they were married. It was an occasion of unusual festivity and joy. The bride was the eldest daughter of Capt. Simon Spalding." (See note, page 981, Vol. II.)
At Wilkes-Barre, in January, 1781, on receipt of the news that the West- moreland soldiers of the Wyoming garrison were to be relieved by New Jersey troops, the following documents was prepared.
To the Honourable the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, or in their Recess to his Excellency the Governor, and Council of Safety for said State
"Humbly Sheweth that your Humble Pititioners whose Names are hereafter Subscribed Humbly Beg leave to lay before your Honours this our present state and situation.
"Your Pititioners in the year 1776 Iulisted in the Contl. Service under the command of Captains Durkee and Ransom by special order of the Continental Congress, for the defence of this Place and the fronteers, but Contrary to our expectations were in a few months after our engagements call'd away to join the Contl. Army under his Excellency General Washington, where we continued almost two years, which was so great a trouble to us in leaving our families exposed to be ravaged by the Savages that one half of our companies died in the service.
"In the time of our being in the Contl. Army the enemy made an incursion, and in a most barbarous and inhuman manner kill'd numbers of our parents and friends, and destroyed all our effects and left our wives, families, friends, and parents in the most distressed situation. His Excellency General Washington, Knowing of the Indians being on the fronteers, ordered us back to this Place, where the enemy were in actual possession. When we marched in on the 3d of August, 1778 (same time we could get no other troops to assist us) attacked the enemy and drove them off-where we have continued since through a series of troubles on account of different incursions from the Indians-where we have with our wages and some little help from the Con- tinent supported our families.
"If we could stay here we might support them without any expences to this State; but we are again ordered to march out, and the garrison to be relieved with other troops. Yet what relief can we expect, as we must leave our families exposed to be again Ravaged by the Indians and probably all murdered.
*See "Pennsylvania Archives", Old Series, VIII: 697.
¡See ibid. page 702.
#"Mr. KINNEY," says Miner ("History of Wyoming", page 293), "was a learned and accomplished gentleman, of a peculiarly philosophic turn of mind. He settled at Sheshequin, and had a large family. One of his sons represented Bradford County for several years in the Assembly. I well remember the ingenuity with which he [the father] used to controvert the theory that the Sun was a ball of fire. He was a brother of Newcome Kinney, known in 1785 as the popular writing and schoolmaster of Norwich, Connecticut, and afterwards member of the Connecticut Assembly."
§ The original is to be found in the collections of the State Library at Hartford Connecticut.
-TIMES ENGRDe
REMAINS OF OLD MAGAZINE OF FORT AUGUSTA
1273
"Therefore your Humble Pititioners humbly pray a discharge from the service, or pray your Honours through your great wisdom to advise some other way to support them. Which your Pititioners is ever bound to pray-
Dated Westmoreland ye 23d Jany. A. D. 1781 .*
Thomas McClure
Elisha Satterlee
Elisha Garrett
Frederick Eveland
John Swift
Waterman Baldwin
Thomas Baldwin
Jeams Brown
Amos Ormsby
Thomas Niell
William Carral
William French
Mason F. Alden
Nathaniel Church
Benjamin Cole, Jr.
Benj'nı Cole
Gideon Church
Henry Harding
Azel Hyde
Israel Harding
Nathaniel Williams
Daniel Denton
Richard Woodcock
Isaac Benjamin
Elisha Matthewson
James Wells
David Brown
Benjamin Clark
William Kellogg
Obadiah Walker
John Halstead
William Terry
Constant Searle
Richard Halstead
Ira Stephens
William Smith
Rufus Bennet
Asa Burnham
Wm. Cornelius
Moses Brown
James Bagley
Ambrose Gaylord
Elijah Walker
John Carey
Nathaniel Evans
Lawrence Kinney
"We the subscribers do certify that the {facts set forth in the] foregoing memorial are truly represented. Certified by us-
[Signed] "ZEBN. BUTLER, Col. "SIMON SPALDING, Capt. "JOHN JENKINS, Lieut.
"The inhabitants togather with the authority and Selectmen of the town of Westmoreland humbly beg leave to request that the foregoing Pitition may be granted, as these men are Inhabi- tants of this town and make a considerable part of our present strength. Being acquainted with the country and able to meet the enemy in their own way, and many of them having families and helpless parents whose dependence are on them for their support-which must be burthensome to the few Inhabitants that are left if these men be called out.
"And as these men were not raised at the expence of the State, so they cannot be reconi'd to the credit of any town except Westmoreland.
"As in duty bound-do pray.
"We the Selectmen sign for our Selves and in behalf of the Inhabitants at their Request [Signed]
"JOHN HURLBUT, )
"JAMES NISBITT, Select Men." "JABEZ SILL,
"Westmoreland Jany, 23d A. D. 1781.
At the same time that the foregoing document was prepared the followingt, addressed to the General Assembly of Connecticut, was also prepared and signed at Wilkes-Barré.
"The memorial of the subscribers sheweth, That your Honors' memorialists enlisted into the service of this State, in ye Continental army, under Captains' [Solomon] Strong and [William] Judd, in ye year 1777; that we cheerfully went out into ye service of our country, leaving our families in this town; that in ye year 1778 the enemy destroyed this place, as your Honors well know, but by special favor of his Excellency, General Washington, we have since that time been continued here, where we have done duty under ye command of Captain Simon Spalding, who is now, by a late Resolve of ye Continental Congress, ordered to leave this garrison, where some of our families are, and all of us are inhabitants of this town, which is a frontier, and are daily ex- posed to ye ravages of ye enemy, where our families must either be left or removed out into ye country or Camp.
"Wherefore your Honors' memorialists humbly beg leave to lay this our state and condition before your Honors, that your Honors, in your great goodness, will order that we may be dis- charged from our enlistment, that we may, without expense to the State, support ourselves and families, and that in wisdom your Honors interpose in our behalf, or some way grant relief; and we, as in duty bound, will ever pray. [Signed]
"JOHN RYON, "LEMUEL WHITMAN, JOHN PLATMORE, JOHN PENCILL."
"Westmoreland, ye 23d day of January, 1781.
JOHN OAKLEY,
"JOHN JACKSON,
"The within is a true representation of facts, and we, the subscribers, beg leave to request your Honors that this memorial may be granted, as these men are good inhabitants, being in- dustrious men and much wanted in this exposed part of ye country, and serve to strengthen ye particular interest of this State; for if this town be not again destroyed by ye enemy, we hope, in
*Judging by the handwriting and the spelling of some of the names attached to this memorial, these names were not written by the men themselves, but by some one for them.
"The original is in the collections of the State Library at Hartford Connecticut.
Justus Gaylord
Oliver Bennet
William McClure
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a few years, to be able to throw a considerable sum of cash into ye treasury of this State, and make some returns for your Honors great goodness in granting so many of our requests. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.
"Signed at the particular request of ye inhabitants.
[Signed] "JOHN HURLBUT, ) "JAMES NISBITT, Select Men" "JABEZ SILL,
"Westmoreland, 23d January, 1781.
The two foregoing memorials were presented to the General Assembly of Connecticut at a special session held in February, 1781; whereupon a joint- committee, consisting of Col. Eliphalet Dyer, General Hart, Major Bray and Captain Stanley, was appointed by the Assembly to consider the prayers of the memorialists. In due time the committee reported that, in their opinion, "the memorialists ought to be discharged from the service; and that the Governor be requested to write to the Delegates of the State in Congress to represent the state of the case and apply for their discharge; and if they cannot obtain their discharge, that they obtain liberty for them to be continued in service at said Westmoreland; and that the Governor be requested to write to General Washington, informing him of the application and requesting him to give liberty to them to remain at Westmoreland under the command of Captain Mitchell, until the pleasure of Congress may be known."
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