History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 68

Author: Smith, Robert Walter
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins
Number of Pages: 790

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May 26th Col. Brodhead wrote to Gen. Greene : "I most sincerely wish Gen. Sullivan success against the black caitiffs of the north, and should be happy to meet him near the heads of the Alle- gheny, and assist in giving the Senecas a complete flogging."

May 29th he informed Gen. Washington that Col. Rawlins' detachment had arrived at Pitts- burgh the day before, under the command of Capt. Beall, and, as he was informed, the terms of half the men would expire in July, when the officers intended to resign on account of some neglect shown them by the state. June 3 he wrote to Col. Archibald Lochry, lieutenant of Westmore- land county, that two Delaware runners had ar- rived with intelligence that the Wyandot nation had bidden the English farewell forever, and their chiefs were then en route to take him by the hand and make a lasting peace with the Americans ; that, according to his private intelligence, Butler, with about 200 rangers and a number of Mingoes,

was to attack the frontier on the west side of Laurel Hill, to prevent the American forces from carrying on a campaign against the British, and that it would, therefore, be necessary for him (Lochry) to warn out seventy-five more men of the militia to hold themselves in readiness to march at a short notice, promising all possible protection notwithstanding the angry letters which he had sent him a few days before. He further stated that the enemy would strike when the strawberries were ripe, requesting him to put the frontier in- habitants on their guard, and give them assurance of protection from himself. "I propose," he also wrote, "building a small fort at Kittanning as soon as possible, and that will be a more effectual security to the inhabitants than all the little posts now occupied by the garrison ; these will be con- siderable, and I intend to send a fieldpiece there to command the water, etc." June 11 he wrote to Col. Lochry : " A considerable garrison will, in my opinion, afford greater security to your settle- ments than as many again trifling forts as are now garrisoned ; " and on the 23d of the same month : "Lt .- Col. Bayard is at Kittanning, and will cover the frontier effectually." June 25th he wrote to Gen. Washington : " Lt .- Col. Bayard, with 120 rank and file, is now erecting a stockade fort at Kittanning." Then followed correspondence be- tween him and Lt .- Col. Stephen Bayard respecting the name which that fort should bear. Bayard's letters, even if still extant, are not accessible to the writer, so that what he said about naming that fort is inferrible from Brodhead's replies, from which it seems that Bayard wished to have it named after Brodhead, or Col. John Bayard, or himself.

In answering Bayard's letters of June 24 and 27, Brodhead, July 1, wrote : "I pity the men who are lame, and as a partial supply have ordered thirty pair of shoes out of my regimental stores, which I hope will be sufficient to alleviate their distresses and render them serviceable. Mr. Van Lear declares he has sent everything he was ordered to send, and if you have pickaxes and shovels, they are the proper tools for such ground as you men- tion. We will, however, send you some other articles which have been mentioned by you and Capt. Findley. * *

* I think it is a compli- ment due to Gen. Armstrong to call that fort after him, therefore it is my pleasure from this time for- ward it be called Fort Armstrong, and I doubt not we shall soon be in the neighborhood of a place where greater regard is paid to saints than at Kit- tanning, where your sainthood may not be for- gotten. I cannot conclude without once more

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recommending the strictest economy of public stores, and particularly ammunition."

On July 9, Brodhead to Bayard : "I am favored with yours of 7th inst. by Mr. Morrison. It is with great pleasure I learn your strict economy, and I hope you find your situation more agreeable than you expected. I have said that I thought it a com- pliment due to Gen. Armstrong to name the fort now erecting at Kittanning after him, and I should be very sorry to have the first fort erected by my directions in the department named after me. Besides, I consider it will be more proper to have our names at a greater distance from our metropolis. I never denied the sainthood of Stephen or John, but some regard to priority must be necessary even among the saints. I am glad the fort is in for- wardness, and hope you are able to keep ont the scouts I ordered for the protection of the inhab- itants. Capt. Harrison is ordered on a tour to Fort Armstrong, and he will deliver you this and my compliments to the officers. * *

In conclusion : " Whilst I am writing, I am tor- mented by at least a dozen drunken Indians, and I shall be obliged to remove my quarters from hence on account of a cursed villainous set of inhabitants, who, in spite of every exertion, continue to rob the soldiers, or cheat them and the Indians out of everything they are possessed of."

Same to same, July 20: "Yours of 17th was delivered to me by Capt. Finley, and by him I will send such articles as may be necessary for your garrison and completing the fort. His excellency the commander-in-chief has at length given me leave * to make an excursion into the Indian country, and as my route will naturally cover the garrison at Fort Armstrong, a few men can maintain it till my return. Therefore, you will order two officers and two sergeants, and twenty-four rank and file of ye worst kind to remain at ye post, and with all the rest march to this place"- Pittsburgh -" by the first of next month, and bring with you likewise all the best men from Fort Crawford, except a sergeant and twelve privates."

If the tradition that a woman was brutally and mortally outraged at that fort is true, perhaps some of those "worst kind " who then remained there committed that base and horrible crime.

Same to Gen. Washington; July 31: "A coma- plete stockade fort is erected at the Kittanning, and now called Fort Armstrong."

Same to Capt. Campbell, October 2, ordering him to march his company with all his stores imme- diately to Fort Crawford, which post he was to

garrison until further orders. He further stated : "Capt. Irwin will be ordered to Kittanning, and I will order you a sufficient quantity of provisions."

The same day he wrote to Francis McIlwaine : "I have ordered a quantity of provisions to Fort Armstrong, and Capt. Irwin is to garrison that post with his company. As soon as he takes the command (if the water will permit), you will pro- ceed to this place (Pittsburgh) with your men, leaving the provisions with Capt. Irwin, bring down the canoes and other stores to these maga- zines ; but should the water continue too low, you will march down your men by land, and take a receipt for all the provisions, craft and stores left with Capt. Irwin."

Same to Captain Joseph Irwin, October 13: "Your letter of the 3d inst. is now before me. The contents are insolent and inconsistent, and, therefore, scarcely merit an answer. Your letter, too, to Mr. McIlvaine, contains a false assertion (if he has copied it right), for you had my positive orders to wait upon me for instructions to govern yon at Fort Armstrong, which orders you have been hardy enough to disobey and are to answer for. **

"If, as you seem to apprehend, you are at liberty to disobey my orders, you cannot expect to be sup- plied from my magazines, and I shall take care to report your conduct to the Governor and Council. My former orders to you were verbal. I now com- mand you in writing immediately to wait on me at headquarters, and if your company is not yet marched, it is immediately to proceed to Fort Armstrong, where your lieutenant will relieve Mr. McIlvaine and his small garrison, and take the command of that post until further orders."

Same to Francis McIlvaine, October 13: "I received yours of the 11th inst. per express. I ex- pect Capt. Irwin's company will he at Fort Arm- strong within a few days. % * *

"I cannot send regular troops to be stationed at Fort Armstrong; the new levies raised in Pennsyl- vania are properest for that duty.

" You will pay particular attention to my last instructions; I did not recollect there was a com- missary there at the time of writing them. He will take proper case of the provisions, therefore you will only take account of all other stores and craft, should any be left.

"I conceive the firing about Fort Armstrong is done by hunters, and not by Indians."

Same to Lt. Glass, or the commanding officer of Capt. Irwin's company, October 18 : "You are to march the company under your command to Fort Armstrong, and there relieve the present gar-

* By his letter dated June 23, his headquarters being then at New Windsor,

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rison under Mr. McIlvaine. Mr. Douglass, assistant commissary of issues, will furnish you with pro- visions for your garrison at that post. Mr. Mc- Ilvain will consult with you and leave a proper quantity of military stores, for which you are to be accountable.

"Capt. Camble " (Campbell), who had, October 16, been ordered with his company to Fort Craw- ford, is " instructed to send scouts to the mouth of Kiskamanitis, where you are to order scouts from your post to meet them, and upon discovery of the enemy, or tracks, you are to give me immediate notice. It may be likewise proper for you to keep out a spy or two up the Allegheny river to give you notice of an approaching enemy, of which I must likewise be acquainted. You are to be particularly careful to prevent any waste of public stores, and not suffer any firing, except at an enemy, or by a hunter particularly employed, if you have any in your company. You are to transmit to me a par- ticular return of the company and the provisions and stores left at Fort Armstrong. You will write to me by every opportunity and inform of the state of your garrison."

Same to Lt. Jno. Jameson, October 27: "I have rec'd your favor of the 24th inst. I am glad to hear you are at length got to Fort Arm- strong, and I should be happy [if] it was in my power to contribute to the relief of your men, but tlie means are not yet come up the country. I have wrote to the presid't of the state for blankets, and daily expect his answer. I have ordered for your garrison two kegs of whisky and fifteen pairs of shoes. Whisky being an expensive article, you will not issue it except in rainy weather, and to guards and fatigues. I approve of building the sentry . boxes, as they will in some measure shelter the poor soldiers from the weather, which will soon be un- favorable. Your captain returned me forty - five men. I shall be glad to know from you where the men are, which, it appears, you have not returned."

Jos. L. Finley, M. B., to Lieut. Jno. Jameson, dated at headquarters, Pittsburgh, November 27 : "I am directed by Col. Brodhead to require you to evacuate Fort Armstrong, and repair to this post with all convenient dispatch, taking care to bring off all the stores in your possession and pertaining to the garrison of whatsoever kinds. For this pur- pose, I have sent you two canoes, with which and the craft you already have I expect you will be able to transport all the stores by water. If not, you must have recourse to pack-horses, which you can receive from Capt. Carnaghan, who is now with a party at Bulls Town on the mouth of the Kiska- minitis, and will herewith receive an order to sup-

ply you, if necessary " - that order was issued by Col. Brodhead the same day .- " Immediately on receipt of this, you will proceed to put the above order into execution."

The troops at Fort Armstrong were not exempt from the discomforts and suffering which resulted from the delays in receiving provisions, clothing and other public stores at Pittsburgh. Col. Brod- head wrote to Gen. Washington, July 31, 1779 : " Many of the troops are still suffering for want of shoes. I have been obliged to give some soldiers' clothing to the Indians, and unless they can be replaced by the 1st of October, they will be great sufferers." A few days later, to Timothy Pickering : "Notwithstanding my frequent appli- cations, I have not received a hat or a pair of stockings for my regiment, or a coatee or pair of overalls for my officers. Besides this, there has been a great deficiency in blankets, shirts and shoes, buckskin breeches and woolen overalls for the troops in general." To Gov. Reed : "My officers begin to be very ragged, and some have worn and lost their blankets, and I have not a single stocking for my men. Many other articles of clothing are wanting to render them useful in this part of the country." Amid the privations endured and patriotism evinced by officers and men, there was, even in those virtuons times, some plun- dering of public property. For, on the 2d of August, Col. Brodhead wrote to Gen. Greene and Col. Mitchell : "Two harrels of pitch were opened on the road, the pitch stolen, and some gravel and straw put into them ; and I have been obliged to send almost.everyone of the boat carpenters down the country for want of stuff to enable them to finish the work."

Col. Brodhead, in one of his letters to Gen. Washington, mentions Mahoning as being "about fifteen miles above Fort Armstrong." The dis- tance between the mouth of the Mahoning creek and the site of that fort is twelve and nine-tenths miles. Its site was about ninety rods above Fort run, on the lot now owned and occupied by P. F. McClarren, or ahont 280 rods below Garrett's run. A well was sunk, with an approach to it like a gangway, down which the soldiers went safely for water. A brass cannon is said to have been sunk in it, and a willow has grown over and in it, by which and other matter it has been for many years filled up.

After the removal of the troops from Forts Armstrong and Crawford, Col. Lochry, the lieu- tenant of Westmoreland county, chided Col. Brod- head quite severely for thus exposing the country to the incursions of the enemy. A brisk paper war

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was for awhile waged between them .* Brodhead acted under the authority of congress and the orders of the commander-in-chief of the conti- nental army, and Lochery under the control, mainly, of the president and supreme executive council of Pennsylvania, so that it was but natural, though not at all desirable by either, that there should be occasional clashing of ideas as to their respective rights and duties. President Reed wrote to both of them October 30, 1779, regret- ting the difference of opinion between them re- specting the destination of the corps of rangers, who, he stated, was a body of men raised by con- gress by the express desire of the assembly of the state, for the defence of the frontiers - the whole to be executed by the supreme executive council, and as the members of council were not personally acquainted with those stations where the rangers might be most useful, they were put under the direction of the lieutenants of the counties in which it was supposed they would be necessary.

On December 13, 1779, Col. Loehery wrote from Hannastown to Col. Brodhead, informing him that the president of this state had invested him (Lochery) with authority to station Capt. Irwin's and Capt. Campbell's companies of rangers where he might think their services would be most bene- ficial for covering Westmoreland county and ben- efiting the distressed frontiers. In consequence of the orders which he had thus received, he re- quested Col. Brodhead to send those troops to Hannastown as soon as possible, where he would assign them to stations, where he flattered himself their services would be more beneficial to that county, in which the present territory of Manor was then included, than they possibly could be at Fort Pitt. Col. Brodhead, in his reply, dated at Pittsburgh, December 18, stated that President Reed had acquainted him, just before Lochery's had been received, with the latter's authority for sta- tioning those companies, and the reasons for dele- gating that power to him, and intimated that, as the officers had doubtless received his orders to march to that point, where they would receive their further orders, he would not prevent their paying the strictest obedience to them ; that as he was vested with the authority to station these troops, he would undoubtedly be able to have them sup- plied with provisions by applying to the proper commissaries. It was absolutely necessary that these poor, naked men should first be supplied with some kind of clothing before being ordered out of their barracks; and as they were then under

his (Lochery's) immediate discretion, except in cases of offensive operations, he concluded his let- ter thus: "I request that you will see that the articles I have furnished out of my regimental store be returned. The officers can inform you what they are," and with such other courteous words as are usual.

Another letter from Brodhead to Lochery, dated at Pittsburgh, December 29, stated that the bearers, Capt. Clark and Ensign Cooper, with a recruiting party, would proceed to Hannastown to recruit some men, and doubted not that Lochery would give them every possible assistance ; they took with them an account of the various articles fur- nished to the different ranging companies to be replaced by the articles sent up by the state ; the quantity of provisions was much less than he had a right to expect. The ranging companies, as soon as mustered and paid, which he expected would be done immediately, should be discharged. The recruiting officers were ordered to send up such of the men of the ranging companies as had been recruited into the eighth Pennsylvania regi- ment during the war, and asked Lochery to im- press on the minds of the officers of these com- panies that they could not then more essentially serve their country than by encouraging their men to enlist during the war. Lochery, in his reply, December 31, intimated that the captains' own re- ceipts were to be given for supplies sent there by the state ; he did not pretend to take charge of them ; he doubted not the stores furnished these companies from the continental magazine would be replaced on the arrival of those furnished by the state ; flattered himself that when the defense- less state of this country should be represented, he and those acting with him would have orders to re-enlist these companies ; if the magazine, ordered by the board of war to be " laid in " at Hannas- town, should not be, he was determined to repre- sent that with every other slighty and indifferent support given to this county since the war com- menced ; it would be imprudent for him, as he was circumstanced, to order anything concerning those of the rangers who had enlisted in the eighth Pennsylvania regiment, or even to give any active encouragement till he should hear from the eoun- cil, who in that respect were his superiors ; and that it ever had been and ever should be his prin- ciple to give every assistance to every recruiting party. Brodhead replied January 2, 1870, stating : The president of the state (Joseph Reed) had written to him that the ranging companies had been raised by order of congress, " but I know of no power he is invested with to discharge or re-

* See Brodhead's and Lochery's letters in the general sketch of the county.

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enlist the men ; " he would be much pleased to have them re-enlisted during the war, and provided for as other continental troops, otherwise they could be of but little service. If there should not be a reinforcement by the next spring, it would be out of his power to afford the frontier the protection which he wished ; if the board of war had ordered a magazine to be established at Hannastown, he had not been acquainted with any orders concern- ing it ; he did not know what Lochery meant by "slighty and indifferent support " given to that county, for he was very certain that it had had a much greater support since he had had command of the western department than any other frontier county ; the late expedition," to which that county had contributed a very small force, had evidently been calculated for its protection, and in its effects contributed greatly to the protection of Bedford and Northumberland counties ; if some gentlemen could find pleasure, even under full gratification, let them be indulged ; if Lochery apprehended there was an impropriety in giving the orders which he had requested, he would direct Capt. Erwin to send np the men, and if he should refuse to do so on the receipt of his orders, he requested Lochery to arrest him and send him to Fort Pitt for trial ; he had just received a very insolent and impertinent letter from Capt. Thomas Campbell, whom he likewise requested Lochery to arrest and send to Fort Pitt, where a general court-martial of the line had already been ordered, that he might have an immediate trial ; and while the ranging companies were under his command, he took all possible care to have them supplied, but he did not conceive it to be any part of his duty to provide for troops who were under the immediate com- mand of any other gentleman. Lochery, in his letter of January 9, 1780, to President Reed, a portion of which is quoted in the general sketch of this county, stated that the principal people in Westmoreland county, and more particularly on the frontier, were alarmed at Brodhead's stripping that part entirely of troops ; he would not suffer " a magazine to be laid in " at Hannastown, and refused to give the ranging companies any subsistence, so that " we are obliged to billet them out in the country by fours and fives in a house, the distressed inhabitants being willing to share the store laid in for their own families rather than let the men be dispersed ; " he had refused to send the men of ranging companies who had been re- cruited into continental service before their times had expired, to Fort Pitt, as he could not see any

right they had to be tried, if any fault had been committed, by those who had totally refused them even necessary subsistence ; Capt. Moorhead's in- dependent company, which had been raised for the protection of the county and stationed on its fron- tiers for nearly the last three years, had been re- moved to Fort Pitt and annexed to the 8th Pa. regt .; if that company were to be filled, which he thought would have soon been done, if proper officers had been appointed, and a magazine to sup- ply them had been established, and it had been sta- tioned with the ranging companies on the frontiers, the country would have been better supported and more able to have given effective assistance to the continental troops, if any offensive measures had been carried on against the enemy. The next day, Capt. Joseph Erwin took the opportunity by Capt. Campbell to inform President Reed "of a piece of conduct Col. Brodhead has been pleased this day to adopt, which was a ticket dated Hannastown, January 10, signed by John Clark, Capt. 8th Pa. reg., then handed to him, namely : " I am ordered by Col. Daniel Brodhead to arrest yon for detain- ing the rangers that were re-enlisted into 8th Pa. regiment during the war from joining said regi- ment, and for disobedience of his orders." Capt. Erwin flattered himself that since he had taken command of the first ranging company, he had done everything in his power for the benefit and advantage of the state, and trusted his excellency and the council would take proper measures on that occasion, as he had been arrested for strictly adhering to the instructions given him, and the county lieutenant's directions, by order of council.

It will be borne in mind that Lochery and other Westmorelanders complained of Brodhead for re- moving the troops from Forts Armstrong and Crawford, and thus uncovering their county to the incursions of the enemy. His reasons for so doing are given in his letter * to Gov. Reed. He wrote to Gen. Washington, December 13, 1779: "This frontier is at present [in] a perfect state of tran- quillity, and many of the inhabitants who were driven away by the savages are returned to their respective habitations ;" and April 27, 1780, to President Reed, "no damage has yet been done in Westmoreland county."

Another clashing of opinion between him and Lochery was as to the length of time for which men should be enlisted or re-enlisted. The former wrote to President Reed, February 11, 1780, that if any troops should be raised for Westmoreland county and other frontiers of this state, he trusted they would be raised for a longer time than were those

* Against the Seneca and Muncy towns on the upper Allegheny. Sce sketch of Pine township.

* See general sketch of the county.

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under Capts. Erwin and Campbell, for they had been raised and subsisted at great expense, and their services had been slight. In his reply, January 20, to an anonymous letter, of January 15, which, from its contents, he judged to have been written by Lochery, he said, it would thereafter be discovered who had been the best guardian of the frontiers; he would not allege any want of inclination in Lochery to protect the frontier, but, by his own confession, he had generally if not constantly lacked the power to give it any considerable protection even by his own militia, and if he imagined his people would be benefited by another short enlistment of troops, experience of what had already been done would argue much against his seeming proposal and in favor of a durable engagement of such as were or might be employed for protecting that and the other parts of the frontier. The closing paragraph is in these words : "You have discovered your knowledge of military matters by denying the propriety of my having any continental officer arrested, who is not under my immediate command, and the assertion that I have positively refused them* any subsist- ence is as positively false, and I expect your superiors will candidly determine thereon."

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 68

Author: Smith, Robert Walter Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins Number of Pages: 790

Author: Smith, Robert Walter
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins
Number of Pages: 790