USA > Pennsylvania > Historical register : notes and queries historical and genealogical, chiefly relating to interior Pennsylvania. Volume I > Part 6
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" And should it so happen that Mr. Geronimo is not there, or can- not supply you with the above cargo and the necessaries for your ves- sel, in that case you must apply to His Excellency Governor Navarro, or any other person you can procure it from, for which you will draw on the Honorable the Congress, and if that should not take, you may draw on me, at as long a sight as you can, and I will do honour to your drafts ; but as you know my situation of this you must be as ten- der as possible, particularly if you find there have been no vessels with flour from the continent touching at Havana for this place.
"Should you succeed in taking any vessels from the enemy, that will suit you better for the voyage than the sloop, either at Mobile or Pensacola, or on the way, you will dispose of said sloop to the best
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The Pollock Family of Pennsylvania.
The West Florida proceeded on her voyage, and reaching Mobile, reported to the Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish fleet. From him he received a supply of provisions and awaited the action of the fleet. A very severe storm arising and scattering the Spanish vessels, and rendering impossible the immediate capture of Mobile. the West Florida proceeded to Havana. There rejoining the fleet. she returned in March to Mobile, ren- dering such service as was needed in the capture of that place. Thence she sailed for Philadelphia and reaching there safely her military stores were immediately applied by the naval agent at that time, in fitting out a vessel to carry Mr. Laurens, the United States embassador, to Holland. Captain Pickles was subsequently killed in an affray at Philadelphia, and his murderer hung.
Pollock's reputation as a financier and zealous patriot had become so well known in Philadelphia before the breaking out of hostilities between the Colonies and Great Britain, that when the Congress decided to appoint an agent at New Oleans, he was the first choice. On the 12th of June, 1777, the Secret Committee of the United States, among whom were Franklin, Morris and Lee, appointed him Commercial Agent of the United States at New Orleans ; at the same time directing him to ship at once to Philadelphia $50,000 worth of goods, blankets, etc., for the army. He also became very much interested in the efforts of Virginia to take possession of the Illinois country. When, in 1778, General George Rogers Clarke was despatched advantage and ship your men aboard the captured vessel, and proceed with your voyage in her as already directed, and keep a journal of the expedition and siege against Pensacola, which you will lay before Congress, with my letter to them, on your arrival there.
" Your experience and good judgment must govern you entirely respecting your attacking any of the enemy's ships or vessels. Not in the least doubting your care and zeal for the lives of your good officers and men, and the property of the United States, I conclude, wishing you success, and a safe and happy passage.
"I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, "OLIVER POLLOCK.
" To Captain William Pickles.
"Postscript : Should anything turn up in your passage that may appear to you more advantageous than touching at Havana, you have liberty to proceed direct from Mobile or Pensacola to the continent."
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by Governor Jefferson with a small force to reduce the English posts at Vincennes and Kaskaskia, Pollock had already for. warded to Fort Pitt by Colonel Gibson, a large quantity of gun- powder obtained from the King's stores, part of which furnished Clarke with his ammunition.
In January, 1778. after Don Galvez had publicly recognized Pollock's official character as United States agent, the Governor of Virginia ordered Pollock to draw bills on France for $65,000 to aid Clarke. In order to meet these drafts, Virginia had proposed disposing of large quantities of tobacco stored in var- ious localities in the eastern counties. But this tobacco the traitor Arnold destroyed during his raid into Virginia. The State being thus made powerless at the time to meet her en- gagements to Pollock, the bills were returned to him protested, and his creditors seized his property. During this year he had also borrowed from the royal treasury, through Galvez, $70,000 in specie, which was expended for the furtherance of Clarke's campaign, and the defense of the Virginia and Pennsylvania frontiers. For this amount he gave his own individual bond.
During the time of his appointment as U. S. agent, from 1777 to 1783 he made advances to the government of Virginia and also to the United States, on the basis of his own credit of over three hundred thousand dollars in specie. His private fortune was, for those days, great. He was supported by some of the first mercantile houses of Europe, as well as the south, and the wealth of many Spanish officers, his friends, was at his disposal. "But at that era the bond of America was compara- . tively of straw, her exchequer was of paper, but her promise was gold." How it resulted with Pollock, as her agent, is easily anticipated.
The Secret Committee of the United States, in Philadelphia, embarassed him very seriously by failing to respond to his drafts. By their directions he made extensive purchases-bor- rowed and forwarded to Willing & Morris large sums of money, and pledged his own property for the amount. The Committee expressly stipulated that he should draw on them in favor of whom he pleased, with assurances that his drafts should be paid. They also pledged him that cargoes of flour
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should be shipped to him in the several vessels he employed. and that other remittances should be made for future purchases. These promises they failed to make good. In reply to his ap- peal for remittances they wrote him July 19, 1779, recognizing his claims, his sacrifices, and his faithfulness to duty, but lament- ing their inability to fulfil their pledges. Virginia was largely in the same situation. In 1780 she sent him a draft for a large amount, but it was at the time only as so much blank paper. In the Calendar of Virginia State Papers occurs a letter from Pollock to John Todd, County Lieut. of Illinois, acknowledg- ing receipt of his without date, by the hands of Mons. Penault, May 4, 1780, New Orleans. "By this he had received a bill on France for £60,8145 for his advances to Virginia, but is unable to negotiate it at that place, on account of the great scarcity of specie, which would continue until a supply could be had from Havana. This gives him great concern, because it prevents his using the bills of Gen1 Clarke and other officers, and there- fore from procuring the supplies of clothing so much needed by them. Gov. Galvez had captured Mobile, and is besieging Pensacola; had been created a Field Marshal; should he be successful at Pensacola and return to New Orleans, he should exert himself to make use of him."
By postscript of the 26th he "regrets to say Governor G. has returned to New Orleans ; not having been supported in time by the expected fleet from Havana, had abandoned the siege of Pensacola. He has made application to Galvez for pecuni- ary assistance, but without success, as that officer required all his funds for his own purposes ; had managed, however, to ne- gotiate Clarke and Montgomery's bills and earnestly begs those officers will be as frugal as possible with. the purchases made." On page 424, same volume, is a lengthy letter from Colonel Montgomery to Governor Jefferson testifying to Pollock's self- sacrificing zeal and liberality and the great importance he has been to the interests of the country in the west. But promises and good words do not pay debts. That which would have crushed most men only stimulated Pollock to greater exertions to sustain his own credit. Leaving a respectable American citizen, named Patterson, in his place as a hostage. he parted
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from his family in 1781 and went to Richmond and Philadel- phia. Appealing to Congress, then in session, and to the As- sembly of Virginia, he was met with irritating delays and fail- ures. Meanwhile, May 20, 1783, Congress appointed him United States agent at the Havanas ; whither also Galvez had been transferred, having been succeeded by Miro as Governor of Louisiana. Leaving his claims before Congress in the hands of an attorney, he at once embarked for the Havanas. Here new dangers assailed him. Galvez, although transferred to Havana, had not yet arrived. Unzaga was still in command. The bills of credit drawn from Virginia were sent to Havana for collection. Meanwhile Virginia had ceded the Illinois country to the United States, who had also assumed all the costs of Clarke's campaign. In May, 1784, one year from the date of his appointment as United States agent at Havana, a non-com- missioned officer of the Spanish army, and two soldiers with arms and fixed bayonets entered his dwelling. His property, house, carriage, mules, negroes and even the money due him, some $10,000 in the hands of the several bakers of the city who had purchased flour, were seized by the command of Un- zaga, himself placed under arrest, and all correspondence be- tween him and the United States prohibited. In August of the same year, he took leave of his family at Havana, and em- barked them in the ship Favourite, Captain Vallance, owned by General Stewart, and sent them to Philadelphia, borrowing $3,000 for that purpose from a United States merchant at Ha- vana named Thomas Plunket. He himself remained in close custody for eighteen months, until Galvez arrived. Through his influence he was released, after executing a bond to pay to Sever Commissario Ordena Don Diego Gardoqui, the Spanish minister to the United States. immediately on his arrival in that country the sums owing to the Royal Treasury, amounting in all to $151,696. Galvez, however, did not allow him to depart without other evidences of his friendship and he furnished him with the following testimonial :
"Don Bernardo DeGalvez, Knight of the Royal and distin- guished order of Charles III, Commander of Bolanos in the order of Calatrava, Lieutenant General of the Royal Armies,
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Inspector General of the Troops in America, Governor and Cap- tain General of the Provinces of Louisiana and the two Floridas, and also Governor and Captain General pro tempore of the Is- land of Cuba, and city of St. Christoval de la Havanno, Judge Protector of His Majesty's tobacco revenue, of the Packets and couriers of the Royal Company, &c .. &c., &c."
"I certify that Oliver Pollock, Esquire, agent of the com- merce of the United States, has resided in this capacity in the province of Louisiana while I was governor general of the same, and that he acted in favor of the soldiers and citizens of his own nation with all the zeal and love which becomes a true patriot, supplying them with provisions, and assisting them whenever they wanted it. with his own credit and with ready money, the Congress bills not being current here; in all which he neither spared pains nor trouble to obtain the end he pro- posed to himself or to give every assistance in his power. He solicited loans in the name of the United States, and obtained $79,087, which are yet owing and unpaid. That in the expe- dition I made against the forts of his Britannic majesty, on the Mississippi, he attended me in person until the surrender.
"In witness whereof, and to serve him as of right it ought, I have granted him this present certificate at the Havanna the 1st day of May, 1785. "EL CONDE DE GALVEZ."
On his arrival at Philadelphia, Pollock at once appeared be- fore Congress then in session. Here he was met with the slanderous charge that he was endeavoring to make enormous profits by his claim ; that the demand he made to cover the bills which he had drawn on Spain was for specie, whereas the money had been disbursed in paper money. To a sensitive nature this return for the unflagging zeal and vast sacrifices he had made was galling beyond measure. But consciousness of rectitude in all his transactions as agent sustained him, and gave fresh vigor to his purpose. He fortunately learned that General Clarke was in New York. He readily found him, and obtained the following certificate, which silenced his slanderers and procured his immediate relief :
" These are to certify, to all whom it may concern, that all the bills I drew, when I commanded the Virginia troops in the
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Illinois country, upon Mr. Oliver Pollock, agent for the United States at New Orleans, were considered by me to be for specie. as the respective bills expressed in dollars ; and that the service Mr. Pollock rendered upon all occasions in paying these bills I considered at the same time. and now, to be one of the happy circumstances that enabled me to keep possession of that country. "Given under my hand this day at New York, the 2d July, 1785.
"GEORGE CLARKE."
On the 18th of December, 1785. Congress awarded Mr. Pol- lock over $90,000, with interest, to cover the claims for which he had been arrested, and for which his hostage remained in New Orleans. But the money was not in the Treasury. and the award of Congress was not paid until 1791. Meanwhile Pollock's energies were not dormant. He resolved to return to New Orleans and relieve his hostage. Fitting out a vessel in Philadelphia, and loading it with flour, he sailed to Martinique, where he disposed of his cargo and laid in another. Then he sailed to New Orleans, where he remained eighteen months. Engaging once more in mercantile pursuits, his diligence and good fortune soon enabled him to pay, in 1790. all the claims of Galvez and others, and once more a free man he turned his face towards Philadelphia. On the 13th of April. 1792. he re- ceived from Alexander Hamilton. Secretary of the Treasury, Treasury warrant No. 1.684, for $108,605. This was not. how- ever. payment in full of all demands. for the United States still owes the heirs of Mr. Pollock. on the claim thus partially paid, the sum, including simple interest, of over $100.000.
In 1787 and 1788, the political agitation in the Territory of Kentucky over its proposed separation from Virginia was very great. A portion of the population were eager to make the Territory independent of the Congress, and to open negotia- tions with the Spanish Government for the privilege of navi- gating the Mississippi river, rather than to obtain this through the Congress. Out of this grew the famous Spanish plot of which General Wilkinson was supposed to have been the head. In a letter to the Spanish Government, under date of Novem- ber 3, 1788, Miro says : "Oliver Pollock, a citizen of Philadel- phia, who arrived here three days ago in a vessel from Mar-
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The Pollock Family of Pennsylvania. 63
tinique, has declared to me that Brown,* a member of Congress, who is a man of property in Kentucky, told him in confidence that in the debates of that body on the question of. the inde- pendence of that Territory, he saw clearly that the intention of his colleagues was that Kentucky should remain under the jurisdiction of Congress, like the country of Illinois, and that a governor should be appointed by them for that province as for the other; but that as this was opposed to the welfare of the . inhabitants of Kentucky, he was determined to return home, which he did before Pollock's departure from Philadelphia ; and on his arrival to call for a general assembly of his fellow- citizens, in order to proceed immediately to declare themselves independent, and to propose to Spain the opening of a commer- cial intercourse with reciprocal advantages, and that to accom- plish this object he would send Pollock the necessary docu- ments to be laid before me and to be forwarded to your ex- cellency . . . I acted towards Pollock with a good deal of caution, and answered him as one to whom had been com- municated some new and unlooked for information, giving him to understand that I could not pledge to him my support before seeing the documents which he expected, &c.," (Gayarre, 222.)
What the purpose of Pollock was in communicating thus with Miro can only be conjectured. Gayarre writes me that "I do not remember in the numerous documents which I had to examine anything that connected Oliver Pollock with a partici- pation in Wilkinson's conspiracy." His unswerving devotion to the United States, so continually manifested, forbids the suspicion that his motives were not thoroughly loyal to his allegiance ; and whatever Miro may have suspected from the tenor of Pollock's conversation at the time noted, his esteem for Pollock was in no wise lessened by a more intimate knowl- . edge of him.
* John Brown, b. Rockbridge, Va., 1757, removed to the western part of the State, subsequently Kentucky. Elected to Congress 1787 to 1793. From 1793 to 1805 he represented Kentucky in the United States Senate, and was president pro tem. of the Eighth Congress. A warm and personal friend and supporter of President Jefferson. He d. at Frankfort, August 2S, 1837.
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A JOURNAL OF THE "WHISKEY INSURRECTION." 1 EDITED BY BENJAMIN M. NEAD.
H
[ The following Journal presents in a pleasing and intelligent manner many incidents connected with the march to the west- ward of the militia called out in obedience to the requisition of President Washington to suppress the riotous proceedings of certain individuals in Western Pennsylvania during the period of their opposition to the enforcement of the excise laws, fa- miliarly known as the " Whiskey Insurrection." The Journal, in point of time, extends from October 1 to November 27, 1794, and was kept and written by William Michael, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He was the eldest son of Eberhart Michael, who, in the struggle for independence, entered the American army, as his son William himself tells us in a MS. accompanying this Journal, "in the rank of captain pay- master to the German regiment."#
At the death of his father, William was left with nothing to depend upon for a livelihood but the results of his own exer- tions. He was, at the early age of twelve, apprenticed to the hatting business, which calling he pursued at one place or another until the year 1794, when, to again quote his own lan-
* Eberhart Michael, son of Eberhart Michael, (d. February 4, 1765, in Lancaster county, Pa.,) b. December 2, 1735, in Germany; m. October 24, 1764, Mary Henneberger, (b. January 3, 1746 ; d. October 27, 1825, at Selins' Grove,) d. July 16, 1778, at Lancaster, Pa. Had issue :
i. Catharine, b. May 28, 1766 ; m. Simon Snyder, son of Simon Snyder.
ii. William, b. April 7, 1768; m. Susan Weaver.
iii. John, b. June 3, 1770.
iv. Elizabeth, b. August 28, 1775; m. Simon Snyder, son of An- thony Snyder.
v. Mary, b. October 6, 1777.
Journal of the Whiskey Insurrection. 65
guage, "General Washington having called on the eastern counties to furnish a certain quota of militia, the spirit of vol- unteering become prevalent in Lancaster ; a great spirit existed ; a great number volunteered for the defence of the laws. I joined them, and, on the 1st day of October, 1794, marched to the westward."
Upon his return from his "journey to the westward," Wil- liam engaged and continued for a number of years in the busi- ness of tavern-keeping. near the town of Lancaster, erecting and operating a distillery in connection with the other business. In the year 1808, upon the election of George Bryan as Au- ditor General of the State, Michael was appointed to a clerkship in that department, where he served as bookkeeper for twelve years. He has left no record of his doings after his connection with the Auditor General's Department was severed. He died about the year 1823.]
A JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD.
A proclamation by the President of the United States in part .* "WHEREAS, Combinations to defeat the execution of the laws of the United States laving duties on distilled spirits, &c.t Which he is advised amounts to treason, viz : The said persons on the 16th and 17th July, proceeded in arms, amounting to several hundreds, to the house of Jno. Nevil, inspector of the revenue, fired with arms thereon, and he to save his life made his escape ; laid waste his property, &c., by putting fire thereto ;
"And whereas, Entertaining a just sense of his duty and feel- ing a perfect conviction of the necessity of pursuing immediate means to suppress the same insurrection, I do commend all persons being insurgents, &c., on or before the 1st day of Sep- tember next, to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective homes, &c."
The President next appointed Commissioners to proceed to the western counties, as did the Governor of the State, to con- vince them of their delusion, granting a free pardon to all those who should, in a specified time, sign certain instruments of writ-
* See Pa. Arch., 2d ser., vol. iv, p. 123.
t Act of Congress of March 3, 1791 ; amended May 8, 1792.
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ing as becoming dutiful citizens.# However, the good dispo- sitions of the President were not accepted, and. to appearance, seemed to threaten the shedding of blood, and according to an act of Congress purporting "an act of calling of the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrection, &c .. " it shall be lawful to call forth the militia to' suppress the same.
Whereas, according to a requisition of the President. such numbers of the most respectable characters turned out volun- tarily that I. with the additional number of forty-four from this town, t turned out volunteers to defend our republican Consti- tution. After being handsomely equip'd and in uniform, on October the 1st our company marched from this town on our way to the westward. It was a truly Mellancholy time in town upon the occasion, as at that time we expected to have a dan- gerous enemy to Contend with .-
Oct. 1st. We left Lancaster about 9 O'Clock in the morning ; the air Cold and pure, and travelled to a small town called May town, about fifteen miles. In the evening it began to rain, but by the morning it cleared up again. This was the first time I lay upon the floor ; wrapt in my blanket, however. I slept well, and was very hearty in the morning.
2d. This morning we left May town and proceeded to Fal- mouth, and there dined ; from thence to Middletown.
3d. We marched on to Harrisburgh. We had not been long at Harrisburgh until the Jersey Foot marched out of town to meet the President. and shortly after his arrival was announced by the discharge of Cannon.# The town was more lively than
*These commissioners were: On the part of the United States, James Ross, Jasper Yates, and William Bradford; on part of Penn- sylvania, Chief-Justice McKean, and Gen. William Irvine.
+ Lancaster, Pa.
# The Jersey Foot were Governor Howell's men, the man who, in- spired by the President's call for troops to march to Western Penn- sylvania, promulgated that poetic proclamation beginning-
'"To arms once more our bero cries, Sedition lives and order dies ;
'To peace and ease then bid adieu, And dash to the mountain, Jersey Blue."
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Journal of the Whiskey Insurrection.
ever before I saw it." In the afternoon we crossed the river and marched about four or five miles further, and there encampt in a stuble-field. We pitch'd our tents, procured. straw, cooked our Meat. made our Broth, &c.
4th. We marched this day within five miles from Carlisle and there encamp'd. 1
5th. This day we lay still and rested ourselves.
6th. This morning we had orders to dress and powder our- selves compleatly, and about 10 O'Clock started for Carlisle. We marched in in the greatest order. Much praises we re- ceived in our performances. The Spectators Crowded so greatly upon us we were greatly retarded in our Menoevers.
Tth, 8th, 9th and 10th. We lay here in our encampment.
11th. One Division of the army Marched from this ground to the westward viewed by the President.
12th. 'The remainder in the same manner. Thus was Car- lisle, which was the rendezvous of so formidable an army, evacuated in two days. +
We marched seven miles to a place called Mount Rock. After this day's march I have neglected taken particular no- tice of Circumstances, only that Campaigning began in great measure to be disagreeable to many. Irregular marches, scarcity of Water, so many Commands, Dust, Change of Water, made
* Upon this occasion an address of welcome was presented to Presi- dent Washington, " signed in behalf of the borough " by "Conrad Bombaugh and Alex. Berryhill, burgesses." To this address the President briefly replied, paying a tribute to the patriotism of the in- habitants of Harrisburg. See Penna. Arch., od ser., vol. iv, p. 392.
+ Twelve thousand nine hundred and fifty was the number of troops which responded to the call made by President Washington August 7, 1794, hailing from the States of Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The men of New Jersey and Pennsylvania rendezvoused at Carlisle. Gov. Richard Howell was in general command of the Jer- seymen and Gov. Thomas Mifflin of the Pennsylvanians. The Penn- sylvania troops were in one division, under command of Major-Gen- eral William Irvine, and were divided into three brigades, com- manded respectively by Gen. Thomas Proctor, Gen. Francis Murray, and Gen. James Chambers, (of Franklin county.) The Lancaster troops, among whom was the writer of this Journal, numbered five hundred and sixty-eight, and were in General Chambers' command ..
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