USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of genealogy and biography of the state of Pennsylvania with a compendium of history. A record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume I > Part 7
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The second continental congress was appointed to be held in Phila- delphia, May 10. 1775. The Pennsylvania delegates originally chosen were Dickinson, Biddle. Mifflin, Galloway, Humphreys, Morton and Ross. To these were subsequently added Franklin, Thomas Willing and James Wilson. Galloway was relieved from serving, at his own request. He was too strongly attached to the British side of the con- troversy to serve with credit to the province, and withdrew himself to lead the tory opposition to American freedom. Governor Penn, 100, was now in a questionable state of mind, and hardly knew which way to turn. For some time he held aloof from participation in public affairs.
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and even refrained from any attempt to control the action of the as- sembly; but when the British government proposed, as a measure of conciliation, not to tax the colonies provided they would tax themselves to the satisfaction of parliament, which the colonies refused, he sent a message to the assembly ( May. 1775) and arrayed himself on the side of the king.
On June 14. 1775. congress resolved to organize a continental army. and in its first levy called for "six companies of expert riflemen to be raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia." A few days later two more companies were ordered from Pennsylvania, for this province, having a large population, with diversified interests greater than any other colony, and being. moreover, the seat of such government as the united colonies then possessed, was expected to contribute largely and freely for the common defense. Much was expected, and much was given. Although the assembly had long withstood public demands and tardily consented to the establishment of a military system, the act for that purpose had been passed nearly ten years before, and now the militia strength of the province was known. More than that. several years before this time, when the assembly majority refused to set up a military establishment in the province, that splendid fighting organi- zation known as the "Associators," or "AAssociated Companies," had been brought into life. It defended the province through the trying years of the French and English wars, and its identity was still pre- served at the beginning of the war for American independence. The assembly. now in full sympathy with the people, requested the several counties to provide arms and equipments for this force.
The assembly also created a committee of safety, comprising twenty-five members, ten from the city of Philadelphia, four from the- county, two from Chester, and one from each of the other nine counties.
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Franklin was its president and one of the most conspicuous figures in its operations. The committee was entrusted with the control of military affairs in the province when the assembly was not in session, and in that capacity its first action was to prepare regulations for the associ- ators. The military act required that all able-bodied male persons be- tween the ages of sixteen and fifty years should be subject to militia (luty, and that all persons who were "scrupulous of bearing arnis" should contribute a certain sum of money in lieu of their service. There were many such persons in the province previous to the Revolution, and occasionally they were the source of much annoyance to the authorities. They were found chiefly among the Quakers, the Mennonites, and the German Baptists.
In April, 1775. the British attack on Lexington announced the be- ginning of the Revolution, and as soon as the news reached Phila- delphia, the militia companies were promptly in motion. So generous was the response to the call that the committee of safety found nine companies, instead of eight, loyal old Lancaster county having furnished double the number required of it. These troops were formed into a batallion, and were commanded by Colonel William Thompson, of Carlisle. As soon as each company was supplied for the march it set out for Boston. The honor of having been the first to arrive at Cam- Fridge was Captain George Nagle's company of Berks county "Dutch- men." In less than sixty days from the date of the call for troops, the Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia riflemen were with General Washington, and were the first troops called into the continental army. Their term of service was for one year.
The committee of safety of Pennsylvania entered into the spirit of the Revolution with commendable zeal, giving every attention to the affairs of its own province, and by suggestion and advice guiding the
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policy of committees in other provinces, where loyalty was embarrassed by an overpowering spirit of toryism. Thus, at the very beginning of the struggle this province took a prominent station among the united colonies, and Philadelphia came to be looked upon as the center of in- fluence and action, as well as the seat of government. The committee of safety was not content with a mere performance of duty, but from the beginning of its service to the end, its members were constantly engaged forming plans, not only for the defense of the province. but that the independence of all the colonies might be achieved as the result of the contest. This was Franklin's ambition, and was hinted at by him more than twenty years before, although even he had no idea of the turn in political affairs which was to follow the French and English wars.
The committee first prepared for active operations by land, and then, knowing full well that Great Britain would send a powerful fleet of war vessels to co-operate with her land forces, took measures to pro- tect Philadelphia by constructing defenses in the Delaware river. John Wharton was commissioned to build the first hoat, which was named "Experiment." and was placed under command of Captain Henry Dougherty. The second boat was the Bull Dog, from the shipyard of Manuel Eyre, at Kensington. This was the beginning of the Pennsyl- vania navy, a modest beginning but not less sure, and it antedated by three months the resolves of the congress in regard to a navy.
Among the later boats that comprised the Pennsylvania flotilla there may be recalled the names of the Franklin. Congress. Washington, Burke. Hancock. Camden, Effingham, Ranger. Dickinson. Warren, and Chatham. By the middle of September the navy was placed on a permanent footing, and officers and a complement of men were as- signed to eachi. This little fleet cost the province £550 for each boat.
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They were propelled with oars, and armed with two howitzers, besides several guns, pikes and muskets. In addition to the flotilla there were built ten fire rafts, the object of which in revolutionary warfare was to rum against and set fire to the vessel of the enemy. In 1776 this navy was increased by the addition of the Arnold and Putnam, floating bat- teries, the Montgomery. a man of war. the Aetna, a fire sloop, and six gnard boats. On August 1. 1776, the official reports showed the navy to number twenty-seven vessels in commission and a total of seven hun- dred and sixty-eight men in that service.
Having completed the organization of the navy, attention was given to the further protection of the city by placing obstructions in the river channel. erecting fortifications and otherwise laying plans to defeat the approach of the British by way of the Delaware. These precautions were wisely taken. for early in May. 1776. two war vessels. the frigate Roebuck, and the sloop of war Liverpool, were sighted off the capes. Preparations were made to meet them. the Americans acting on the aggressive by sailing down the river within range of the enemy's guns, and opening the cannonade. The battle lasted from three to four hours, but no serious losses were sustained on either side. With the approach of night both sides ceased firing, the advantage of the day being with the Americans, as they took an English brig. During the engagement the Roebuck ran aground, and the Liverpool was forced to anchor to cover her. At daybreak the next morning the battle was renewed and so vigorons was the American fire that the enemy headed down the river to the capes.
This was the actnal beginning of the Revolution so far as related to events within this province. The temporary success of the Ameri- cans did not inspire the congress with the idea that in future their arms would gain an easy conquest of the British. On the other hand
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there still existed a strong hope that peace would be restored without the dire distress of war; the colonies were not well prepared for a pro- longed struggle, and Great Britain herself would have agreed upon a peace if she were permitted to tax the provinces at will. But all measures of conciliation were to no purpose, notwithstanding the advice of some of the most influential men in the country.
In Pennsylvania a strong sentiment favored an effort to secure a redress of grievances, and her delegates to the congress were instructed to labor to that end: but the effort failed. and a union of the colonies i in defense of American liberty was the prevailing sentiment of that body. More than that, the congress, on May 15. urged that "the respective assemblies and conventions of the United Colonies, where no govern- ment sufficient to the exigencies of their affairs has been hitherto estab- lished, to adopt such government as shall. in the opinion of the repre- sentatives of the people, best conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular, and America in general."
In other words, the true purpose of this recommendation was to set aside all proprietary and royal governments in America. The measure was radical. and was not accepted graciously by the proprietary party in any of the provinces: but it was necessary, and therefore was done with the determination that characterized the action of the leaders of public thought in other important measures. li the colonies were to succeed, and throw off the British yoke. all things that savored of royalty in the provinces must be put aside. In Pennsylvania, perhaps, more than in any other province, the proprietary party was in favor. and when the time came to take away its governmental powers some adverse criticism followed ; but all persons saw the wisdom and neces- sity of the step, hence the spirit of opposition soon disappeared.
In April, 1776, the assembly, then virtually controlled by the pro-
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prietary, for the second time instructed its delegates to the general congress not to give their consent to a change in form of government : Int on May 15. congress recommended state governments in the colonies and declared that all authority under the crown should be suppressed. On June 7. in the congress. Richard Henry Lee proposed the inde- pendence of the colonies, and on the next day the Pennsylvania assem- bly gave instructions to its delegates which neither advised nor forbade support of that measure, but left the matter to the "ability, prudence and integrity" of its representatives. This ended the influence of the proprietary assembly, and when the time came to organize a state gov- ermment in conformity to the resolution of congress ( May 15), by members of an assembly "sworn to support the king." the people wisely called a provincia! convention and accomplished their purpose withont the help of any of the proprietary party or its followers.
On June 14 the assembly adjourned to meet again in August, but could not assemble a quorum, and then adjourned until September 23. It interposed a feeble remonstrance against the invasion of its preroga- tives by the provincial convention, but without avail or effect. The spirit of independence was rampant throughout the state ; the declaration articles had been passed. confirmed and signed. and those of the old proprietary who did not ally themselves to the party of the constitution and national independence, went quietly back into the ranks of the tory element. Some remained passive, quietly rejoicing over American reverses, and others openly gave assistance to the British in the attempt to suppress her "rebellious subjects," and to coerce them into submis- sion. In July the powers formerly vested in the governor and assembly were conferred on the committee of safety, and that body, headed by Franklin, governed Pennsylvania until March of the following year.
While these events of a political character were taking place in the
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history of the former province, others of national importance and of equal interest were being enacted in Philadelphia. now the seat of state and national governments. On July 1. Lee's resolution for independ- ence was considered by the committee of the whole of congress. The Pennsylvania delegates-Franklin, Dickinson, Morris, Wilson, Morton, Humphreys and Willing, were divided in their views, and voted against its adoption. Dickinson opposed the resolution in a speech, which is said to have been his greatest effort, but his objections were based on the ground that the colonies were not prepared to defend independence : that the time was not yet ripe for such determined and, in his opinion, dangerous action. It was not that Dickinson opposed AAmerican inde- pendence; on the contrary, he favored it, but he questioned the pro- priety of open declaration at the time, when the colonies were not yet bound together, and the character of government in several of them was so different. Wilson, who unquestionably was the most learned man among the Pennsylvania delegates, having a wide knowledge of history and science of government, had previously sided with Dickinson's views, but now his attitude was changed. He favored independence. These (wo great figures influenced their colleagues, but Dickinson had the greater following when the resolutions were under discussion in com- mittee.
The Pennsylvania delegates were not alone in not favoring the resolutions referred to. Delaware and North Carolina also voted "nay," while New York, whose delegates did not receive satisfactory instructions, did not vote at all. However, on the next day, when the resolutions were reported by the committee to congress, both Dela- ware and South Carolina voted "aye." Pennsylvania, too, voted in the affirmative, Dickinson and Morris having remained away, thus leaving Franklin, Wilson and Morton a majority of one over Humphreys and
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Willing. Two days later, on July 4. 1776. the declaration of inde- pendence was put upon its passage, and received the support of every colony in America. On July 8, the declaration was read in the state house yard, and on the same day the king's arms were taken from the court room and publicly burned. The occasion was one of great rejoie- ing among the people: the bell in the state house proclaimed liberty
TABLE ON WHICH DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WAS SIGNED.
throughout the land: but that liberty was not yet won. It was declared by the congress of united colonies, and must be fought for on many blood-stained fields, and earned at the cost of innumerable hardships, untold sufferings and thousands of human lives.
The declaration of independence was formally signed on August 2, at which time Dickinson. Humphreys and Willing had been succeeded in congress by other men. hence their names do not appear among the signers from Pennsylvania of that famous document. The signers from
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the state were Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, Dr. Benjamin Rush, and George Clymer, of Philadelphia; George Ross, of Lancaster ; James Smith, of York: James Wilson, of Cumberland; George Taylor, of Northampton: and John Morton, of Chester county. Although Dick- inson had retired from congress, he by no means disappeared from public life. The "Articles of Confederation" were prepared by him. and his voice and his pen were devoted to the cause of his country.
On September 28, the convention of delegates adopted a state con- stitution, after having been in session several weeks. The convention assembled in Philadelphia July 15. Its delegates had been previously chosen with great care. Each member took the test oath, and then com- pleted a permanent organization, with Franklin as president, George Ross, vice-president, and John Morris and Jacob Garrigues, secretaries. On July 18 a committee was chosen "to make an essay for a declaration of rights for this state," and on July 24 the same committee was directed to prepare a frame of government. On the following day the committee was enlarged, and two months later presented for the approval of the convention the first state constitution of Pennsylvania.
The constitution of 1776 was at best an imperfect instrument, hav- ing been molded and cast by hands unused to work of the character ; but it was sufficient for the time, and gave full liberty and protection to those who woukl obey its mandates and serve the welfare of the state. The convention discussed and perfected the measures necessary to the adoption of the constitution, and also, for the time being, assumed su- preme authority in the state, appointed a council of safety to perform the executive duties of government. approved the declaration of inde- rendence, and appointed justices of the peace.
Under the constitution the legislative power was vested in a gen- eral assembly of one house, elected annually. The executive power
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was tested in a president, chosen annually by the assembly and council. In ballot. The commeil comprised twelve members elected for a term of three years, and was the advisory body to the president. Provision also was made for a council of censors, consisting of two persons from cach city and county, whose duty was to see that the constitutional pro- visions were kept inviolate. An attempt to modify and amend the con- stitution was made by the assembly in 1777. but the action aroused such Intter opposition that the legislature took the first opportunity to rescind the resolution.
While the representatives of Pennsylvania and of the other states were settling the perplexing questions of civil government, the commit- tees of safety were engaged in the more serious work of conducting military affairs and supplying the continental army with necessary troops. Three more battalions were sent from Pennsylvania to Long Island, where, on August 27. the Americans were defeated and com- pelled to evacuate. On November 16. Fort Washington was reduced by the British, and Lord Howe's army was steadily advancing toward the seat of government at Philadelphia. The city was threatened and. vi defended successfully, that task must fall upon men of Pennsylvania. In the latter part of November the assembly sent General Mifflin into the interior counties to arouse the people and increase the defensive forces. and bounties of ten dollars were offered to each man who joined Wash- ington's army before December 20, seven dollars for each enlistment before December 25, and five dollars for each enlistment before De- cember 30. By this means the army was increased, but Washington was being slowly pressed back by a superior force. both in numbers und equipment. Armed boats were sent to Trenton to assist in trans- porting the army and stores across the Delaware, and before night on
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the 26th. the entire force, together with a thousand Hessian prisoners, was safe on Pennsylvania soil.
The Hessians were sent on to Lancaster, and Washington's army turned toward Philadelphia. The city now was in a state of alarm, and fears were entertained that the principal metropolis of the nation would fall into the hands of the British. General Putnam for several weeks had been preparing for its defense, and everything possible was done in that direction: but the fears of the people were not quieted. Con- gress resolved not to leave the city, but on the very next day its members adjourned in haste to Baltimore. About the middle of December the British occupied Trenton. and immediately threatened Philadelphia from the east side of the river. Washington planned an attack upon the cnemy at Trenton, but owing to difficulty in crossing the river the expe- dition failed. The council of safety directed its efforts toward increas- ing the defensive force, and called upon all loyal citizens to come to the aid of American liberty. The effort was not in vain; the associators again rallied at the call, and the "Pennsylvania line" was greatly strengthened and reinforced.
So far as the war itself was concerned. the year 1776 witnessed constant reverses for the American arms, and the outlook for the next year was not encouraging. Pennsylvania was now practically defending her own territory, and was contributing more than her own quota of men for the continental army. In the other colonies varying interests and emotions were actuating the policy of the assemblies. In New York the situation was peculiar. It had been the policy of the Amer- icans to secure simply the neutrality of the Indians, but their success was limited to the Oneidas. The British made undisguised efforts to nnite all the tribes in close alliance to the royal cause. Brant. the Mo- hawk chief, had been taken to England and shown marked favor by
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the government. He was empowered to lead all who would follow him against the frontier settlements. One British officer exclaimed: "We must let love the savages upon the frontier of these semindrels to in- spire terror and make them submit ;" and faithfully did they afterward execute the terrible trust.
Lord Chatham hurled his bitterest invective against this inhumanity, and when in parliament it was advocated in such words as these: "It is perfectly justifiable to use all the means that God and nature have put into our hands." he indignantly exclaimed: "I know not what idea that lord may entertain of God and nature, but i do know that such abom- inable principles are equally abhorrent to religion and humanity." But Chatham's appeals were in vain, and the secretary of war (Germain) gave instructions to employ the Indians in fighting the Americans.
A council was held in Montreal by the chiefs and warriors of the Six Nations, the Johnsons, the Butlers, Brant and others taking part. and swearing fealty to the king. This was the first act in the catalogue of slaughter and devastation that followed. John Butler established himself at Fort Niagara and organized a regiment known as Butler's Rangers. He and the Johnsons used all their influence to induce the Indians to attack the Americans. The Senecas held off for a time, but the prospect of both blood and British goldl was too much for them, and in 1777 they, in common with all the nations, except the Oneidas and Tuscaroras, made a treaty at Oswego and agreed to serve the king throughout the war. Pennsylvania was made to feel the vengeance of the blood-thirsty horde until an outraged government rose up in its might and inflicted condign punishment upon the offenders.
The year 1777 was eventful in the civil and military history of the state. On March 4. under the provisions of the constitution, the supreme executive council assumed its government. Thomas Wharton, Jr., was
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elected president, hence was the chief executive of Pennsylvania. The council of safety was dissolved. and Franklin had been sent by con- gress as one of three commissioners to enlist the assistance of France against Great Britain. Subsequent events showed the success of his mission.
BRITISH FLEET.
Early in July General Howe embarked his army at New York for the general movement against Philadelphia. When off the Delaware capes, he learned of the obstructions and defenses along the river, and thereupon proceeded to invade Pennsylvania by way of the Chesapeake, landing his forces from a point in Elk river, fifty-four miles from Phila- delphia. Congress, now returned from Baltimore, immediately called
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upon the council for four thousand more state militia, and ordered Wash- ington to oppose the enemy's progress. He reached Philadelphia August 24. and marched his army through the city. Here be was joined by LaFayette. Proceeding southward, the Americans took a position on the north side of the Brandywine, above Chadd's Ford, and directly in Howe's path. But disaster befell the Americans at Brandywine on September 11. upon which Washington's shattered army retreated to Chester and thence on the following day to Germantown.
This defeat was followed by a general evacuation of Philadelphia. The state government was removed to Lancaster, followed closely by the national congress ; the state records were carried to Easton; the now historic liberty bell was hidden under the floor of Zion's Reformed church in Allentown. The wounded from Brandywine were sent to - Ephrata and elsewhere, and LaFayette, who also was suffering from a wound, was cared for by the good Moravians at Bethlehem. Many Phil- :ulelphia citizens removed with their families and household valuables to places of safety, while the farmers in outlying districts drove away their cattle to keep them from falling into British hands. All was dis- order and confusion, and only the tories found comfort and satisfaction in the reverses that followed Washington's defeat : but they were after- ward made to smart for their insults offered so freely.
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