USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and Its Centennial Celebration, Volume II > Part 36
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At a Gen'l Court martial held the 17th Inst. whereof Capt'n Eaton is pres't Sam'l Wilson a carpenter in the employment of the U. S. was tryed upon a Charge exhibited against him by Capt'n Miss Campbell ª for pur- chasing spirituous Liquor & supplying the soldiery of the U. S. contrary to Gen'l Order, the Court after hearing the evidence & the Defence of the prisoner are of opinion he is Guilty of the Charge Exhibited against him being a breach of the 23 Art. and 13th Sect. of the rules and articles of war and do sentence him to be drumed out of the Cantonement from the Grand parade with two bottles of Whisky to be Expended about his Neck.
In the order of March 16th, quoted above, the intimation was given that the stay of the legion at their then present camp
1 In the manuscript letters of Wayne belonging to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania is one from him dated " Pittsburgh Nov. 24, 1792," in which (evidently in answer to a peti- tion from the parties named) permission is given Oliver Ormsby, James C. Heron, and Samuel Duncan to establish a store at Legionville on condition that they do not allow "any ardent spirits to be sold to-or furnished the soldiery-either directly or indirectly."
' The officer named above had really this singular name, Miss Campbell; he is frequently mentioned in old documents, sometimes as Mis Campbell.
The Grand Parade is spoken of in another place by Gibbs as being "on the summit of the hill."
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ground would be short, and as will be seen from the following letter, preparations for the journey down the river to Fort Wash- ington (now Cincinnati) had for some time been making:
HEAD QUARTERS, LEGIONVILLE, February 12, 1793.
SIR :- I have been Favor'd with your letter of the 5th instant, en- closing a general statement of forage purchased, a statement of cash, with an Estimate of boats wanted for the ensuing campaign; and have received a general return of Quarter-master's stores on hand the 20th of July, 1792, received since, issued and on hand up to the Ist of February, 1793. If you have not already done it, I have to request that you will transmit a copy of it to the Secretary of War the soonest possible. I have examined your Estimate of boats, out of the twelve that you have calculated for the transportation of 2,000 men with their Arms, baggage and provisions sufficient; we ought not to calculate upon a greater num- ber of men than fifty to each boat, and I have seen it demonstrated that your large ferry-boat would not carry more than twenty horses and men across the Allegheny at one trip, with the men and horses all standing up and without forage. I should rather suppose it would require twelve boats to transport 160 horses and cattle, with the riders, drivers and necessary forage, so as not to crowd or injure the horses or cattle, and it will certainly require at least eight boats for the Artillery department. By the best calculation that I can make, it will require at least sixty boats independent of those necessary for the Quarter-master's depart- ment-what number that may require, you are the best judge. The whole amount of the grain part of the forage ought most certainly to be procured, and the deficiency in hay to be made up by an additional quantity of grain, in the proportion of one thousand bushels of Corn for every ton of Hay, which is upon the very lowest scale of allowance per ration, i. e., 14 pounds of hay and 7 quarts of corn. Enclosed is a return of articles immediately wanted, and which must be forwarded, if pos- sible, tomorrow. All our smiths and armourers are idle for want of coal; the consumption is, at least, equal to five bushels per diem; we have made and used upwards of 150 bushels of charcoal besides the stone coal; the whole is now exhausted. We shall want 150 bushels per month. What will be the best mode of forwarding the troops under Captain Slough? Their tents, if any, may be stored at Pittsburgh; their other baggage may be sent by water, and the Detachment to be ferried over the Allegheny to-morrow and march the next morning early for this place, where they will be immediately under cover. You will, therefore, give the necessary orders, in addition to those enclosed for Captain Slough.
I am, Sir, your most obedient, humble servant.
To JAMES O'HARA, Q.M.G., Pittsburgh.1
ANT'Y WAYNE.
1 Fort Pitt (Darlington), p. 256.
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Nearly a month before the actual departure of the troops took place, instructions for the embarkment and for the regula- tion of the fleet in its movement down stream were issued in the following order:
HEAD QUARTERS, LEGIONVILLE April 2d, 1793.
Officer of the day tomorrow Major Burbank adj't Devin the General will Beat tomorrow morning in place the revelee which will be a signal to load the baggage on board the Boats a gun from the park will be a signal for the legion to Embark a second Gun will be a signal for Casting oft and Droping Down in the following order which must be Strictly ob- served during the whole passage viz
The right wing of Rifle Corps 2d Ist Division of Dragoons 3d Capt. Pierce Hoet with 1 6 pounder with fifty rounds fixed amunition for Each 4th the Ist & 4 S. L. of Infantry 5th the q. m. forage & Stores 6 the Mili- tary stores 7 the General Staf 8th the hospital & Stores 9th 2d & 3d S. L. of Infantry 10 Capt. Porter with I [ ? ] I 6 pound'r & 50 Rounds of Amunition for Each 12th the left wing of Rifle corps the Guard on board fast rowing Boats a 3 Gun will be a signal for their Embarkation which must upon all occasions be effected with the utmost order an Coolness it must be an invincible rule for each boat to observe a distance of 100 yards in the rear & to follow Exactly the wake of its van lead- ing boat the Guard boats will Observe a distance of 300 yards in the rear of the whole and a proper Distance between Each other nor shall they pass any boat in Distress or otherwise must afford every assistance to relieve and bring them on The Guard will be relieved every evening if Circumstances will permit.
SIGNALS
Ist for landing the retreat to beat to be repeted by Each S. L. & Corps The Landing boat Ist the field to put on Shore on the Indian Side of the river the other boats to Drop below Successively & form in ord'r the riflemen will Jump on Shore as the Boats Come to and advance with rapidity & Occupy the Strong Ground for half a mile in front, forming a Chain to cover the whole line which protection they must maintain at every Expense of blood until called in the men at the oars will remain on board in the interim the new Guard will be Employed in throwing up four temporary breast Works under the Direction of the officer of the day and the officer of their respective Guard at Such intermediate Dis- tances as to Cover the whole line from insults.
2. the General will be the Signal for casting oft in the order first men- tioned again will be the Signal for the army to embark 3. the leading boat of each sub Division will Carry a flag in her Stern in the day time and lanthorn [in] her Stern at night The field boat will keep 200 yards in front of the whole fleet with a flag in her Stern in the day and a lan- thorn at night the loading [leading?] boat of the Rifle will follow in her
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wake and so in Succession as already mentioned 5th for the van to move first after the long march 6. to move Slow on the taps these two Signals always to come from the rear it is to be Clearly understood that Should the boats Continue to Descend in the night the Guards to drop down with the Current without making use of Oars without for the pur- pose of Steering or to preserve the proper Distances.1
The start was made on the last day of April, 1793, and an account of the movement is given us by a contemporary, Major Isaac Craig, who, under date of May 3d of that year, writes to General Knox as follows:
On the 30th ultimo, Major Gen. Wayne, with the troops under his command at Legionville, embarked in good order and set off for Fort Washington; the troops were in high spirits. The boats being well fitted for transportation made a fine appearance. As the river was consider- ably swelled by the late rains, it is probable the troops will reach Fort Washington in six days.2
The transformation which Wayne had wrought in these troops is noteworthy. When he took charge of them they shared the feelings of the whole country after the bloody suc- cesses of the Indians against Harmar and St. Clair, the general impression being that another engagement with the savages meant only another defeat and slaughter. It is said by the his- torian of the times that "a perfect horror seemed to seize the soldiers when marched from the places of enlistment and their faces turned towards the Indian country," 3-now, after their long-continued discipline under a stern but capable and brave commander, they are said to have embarked upon their expedi- tion to that country "in high spirits," and the end justified their confidence in him and in themselves.
Reaching Fort Washington, Wayne established his camp near that post. The soldiers called the camp "Hobson's Choice," because owing to high water it was the only suitable spot. Here he had to remain for some time, for the timid and hesitating
1 From Gibbs's Orderly Book, MS.
' History of Pittsburgh, p. 220.
' History of Western Pennsylvania, p. 287.
Writing from Pittsburg, July 20, 1792, to the Secretary of War, Wayne says:
"The detachment under Major Ashton arrived at this place on Monday, Lieutenant Campbell, with Stokes dragoons, and Captain Faulkner's riflemen on Tuesday, -I am, how- ever, sorry to inform you of the alarming desertion that prevails-not less than fifty of Major Ashton's detachment, and seven of Stoke's dragoons having deserted on their march between Carlisle and Pittsburgh."
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policy of the National Government compelled him to wait until the vain hope of peace through the mediation of the commis- sioners who had been appointed to negotiate with the savages should be abandoned, and he be left free to proceed to the arbi- trament of the sword, which was, in fact, the only effectual remedy for the then existing troubles. The authorities had all along been extremely reluctant to come to actual war; and, even while he was still at Legionville, Wayne had been instructed to invite Cornplanter and New Arrow, the principal chiefs of the Six Nations, to visit him there in the interests of peace. In March, 1793, these chiefs arrived at his camp, bringing with them Big Tree and old Guyasutha. Cornplanter afterwards went on a peace mission to the hostile tribes, but failed to accom- plish any good result.' During all the parleyings that followed, Wayne patiently bided his time, knowing that sooner or later the Government would have to accept his commissioners, the troops who had now learned what he called "the dreadful trade of DEATH," and who were able to conclude a peace that would last.ª
Of the progress and the results of Wayne's expedition after his army was withdrawn from its camping ground within the limits of what is now Beaver County, we need not add here anything beyond what is briefly stated in our third chapter, but so great is the debt which our county, as well as the whole of western Pennsylvania and the Union, owes to the services of that illustrious soldier, that we may appropriately give some further account of his career, which is a splendid example of pure patriotism and lofty courage.
Anthony Wayne was born, January 1, 1745, near the village of Paoli, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in the house of his parents, known as Waynesborough. Isaac Wayne, his father, owned here five hundred acres of land, on which a substantial stone house was erected in 1722 and enlarged in 1724. It is built from the dark gray stones common to the neighborhood and known as "hard heads" or "nigger heads," with very heavy pointing, and is a beautiful old mansion. The estate is one of
' History of Western Pennsylvania, p. 288.
* When the Secretary of War wrote to Wayne proposing the appointment of commis- sioners to treat with the savages, the latter replied that he would like to be present at the convention with twenty-five hundred of his commissioners, "with not a Quaker among them."
VOL. 11 .- 25.
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held sacred, but the fame will grow of how he bore this responsi- bility and redeemed the trust reposed in him by his country and his chief.
After the treaty at Greeneville, Wayne paid a brief visit to Pennsylvania, receiving everywhere along his route, and espe- cially in Philadelphia, the enthusiastic plaudits of his country- men, but the condition of affairs in the Northwest requiring an able manager, he was sent back as sole commissioner to settle them, returning in June of 1796. His main task there was to take possession of the forts, which, as we have said, were still held by the British. He had performed his mission in regard to all of these posts except Presqu' Isle (now Erie), toward which he sailed from Detroit in the sloop Detroit in November. While nearing this post he was stricken with gout. In the block- house at Presqu' Isle the great soldier lingered in agony until December 15, 1796, when he was relieved by death. By his own desire he was buried "at the foot of the flag-staff on a high hill called 'Garrison Hill,' north of the present Soldiers' Home." : In 1809 his only son, Isaac Wayne, removed his remains to the family burial plot in the cemetery of St. David's Church in Radnor township, Chester County, Pa., where, on July 4th of that year, a monument was erected in his honor by his com- rades of the Revolution of the Pennsylvania Society of the Cin- cinnati. On a pleasant pilgrimage to the home and grave of Wayne in the fall of 1903 we copied the inscription on this monu- ment, which is as follows:
1 Wayne and the Penna. Line, Stille, p. 343.
In the Pennsylvania Magasine of History, vol. xix., are several letters from officers at Presqu' Isle to Major Isaac Craig at Pittsburg relating to the death of General Wayne. from which we make the following extracts:
"PRESQU' ISLE, 14 Decr, 1796.
"DEAR SIR :- I have received your favor of the 7th this morning.
"The Gout has fixed itself in the General's stomack about a week since & continues with unabated violence-how long he can continue to suffer such tortures is hard to say-but it appears to me that nature must soon sink under such acute affliction. [Signed] "Sr. DE Butts."
From the same to the same:
" DEAR SIR :--
"15th Decr, 1706.
"General Wayne died this morning at ten minutes past two). Col. Kirkpatrick has said he would write you on the melancholy occasion, which will spare me the pain of saying any further on the subject .- I pray you to forward by immediate express the enclosed letters to the Secretary of War-they bear him an account of the unhappy event, and it is important that they should reach him as quickly as possible."
2
3
4
5
I. Waynesborough.
2. Wayne's Monument.
3. Waynesborough-Front View. 4. Interior of St. David's Church, Radnor. 5. Exterior of St. David's Church.
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History of Beaver County 1001
[NORTH FRONT]
MAJOR GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNE was born at Waynesborough in Chester County State of Pennsylvania A.D. 1745 After a life of Honor and usefulness He died In December 1796 On the shore of Lake Erie Commander in Chief of the Army of The United States His military achievements are consecrated In the History of his Country and in The hearts of his Countrymen His remains are here deposited.
[SOUTH FRONT]
In honor of the distinguished Military services of Major General Anthony Wayne And as an affectionate tribute of respect to his memory This stone was erected by his companions in arms The Pennsylvania State Society of the Cincinnati July 4th 1809 Thirty fourth anniversary of The Independence of The United States of America an event which constitutes the most Appropriate Eulogium of an American Soldier & patriot.
The monument thus inscribed is of white marble, small but symmetrical, and the old churchyard in which it stands, the church itself, and the surrounding country are quaintly beauti- ful, forming a picture of peace and repose, and a fitting resting- place for the dust of one whose life had been so full of storm
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History of Beaver County
and stress. Musing amid these scenes, Longfellow was inspired to write the poem entitled Old St. David's at Radnor, beginning:
What an image of peace and rest Is this little church among its graves! All is so quiet: the troubled breast, The wounded spirit, the heart oppressed, Here may find the repose it craves."
Three years after Wayne had left Legionville a distinguished European, General Victor Collot, made a tour of the Ohio by boat, and in his account of the journey occurs the following reference to this locality:
On account of the winding of the river one travels five miles without encountering any obstruction, and arrives at Legion's-ville, old head- quarters of General Wayne, when, in 1795, he was sent against the Miami : here are to be seen some old ruins, remains of an ancient camp; opposite which is a very pretty farm called Hill's Farm.
After having passed Legion's-ville and descended a mile Crow's Island is seen. This island is perhaps a mile long; one leaves it to the left. The hills on the right bank retire more and more, while those on the left remain near the river. The water in this part is six feet deep.2
Thus this little section of territory between Legionville and Economy, which hundreds of travellers daily cross and recross
" The page of illustrations of Waynesborough and St. David's Church, herewith given, are from photographs kindly furnished by Hon. William Wayne specially for this work.
" The original of which the above is a free translation reads as follows:
"A compter du coude de la rivière, on fait cinq milles sans rencontrer d'obstacles et on arrive à Legion's-ville, ancien quartier-general qu'occupait le general Waine, lorsqu'il fut en 1795, envoyé contre les Miami: on y trouve des vieilles masures, restes d'un ancien camp; vis-à-vis, est une très jolie ferme appelée Hill's Farm .*
"Après avoir passe Legion's-ville et descendu un mille, on trouve Crow's Island ou Ile des Corbeaux. Cette fle peut avoir un mille de longueur; on la laisse à gauche. Les montagnes de la rive droite s'eloignent de plus en plus, tandis que celles de la rive gauche, bordent toujours les rivières. L'eau en cet endroit a six pieds de hauteur."-Voyage Dans L' Amerique Septentrionalc. p. 72.
Zadoc Cramer's Navigator, for 1818 (page 70) says: "Some of the cabins built by Gen- eral Wayne are still standing on the ground which is an extensive flat, high and timberless, except a thick growth of young scrub oaks."
Mr. John S. Duss, formerly chief trustee of the Harmony Society, has told us that in his boyhood one of these cabins, thought to have been Wayne's headquarters, was still standing as were also some chimneys of other cabins. The field in which they stood was known then among his people as "the chimney field." In this field several coins of the Continental period were recently found. The visitor to the site of Wayne's encamp- ment at Legionville will be surprised to find how clearly the lines of trenches and position of the redoubts can still be seen. The plan of the camp given on page 1003 was drawn by Mr. James P. Leaf, C.E., of Rochester, Pa. The ground between the points marked on the plan A and B is now a cultivated field. We suppose that the intrenchments originally extended across this space, and from B to C, as well as along the face of the bluff or second terrace above the Ohio River. The trenches around the redoubt marked B are still about six feet deep. These and the others which are well preserved are in the woods, where there has never been any cultivation of the ground. We give also two half-tone pictures of this redoubt.
* See map facing page 627.
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unheeding, has a history which belongs not to Beaver County alone, but to the nation as well.
At Legionville a post-office was established, December, 31, 1889, of which the present incumbent, George Brown, has been
HARMONY TA
BADEN BOROUGH
.........
PUBLIE
6.
PORO
M
CAMP GROUND OF MAJ. GENL. WAYNE'S ARMY 1792-1793
NAV STIMADISONY NONMO
18207
.
TOP swe ignaMES .
PITTSBURG FT. WAYNE AND CHICAGO RY.
OHIO RIVER
PLAN SHOWING REMAINING INTRENCHMENTS OF FORTIFIED CAMP. OCCUPIED BY MAS GENL ANTHONY WAYNES ARMY 1792 AND 1793 AT LEGIONVILLE BEAVER CO . P.A. SURVEYED SPECIALLY FOR THIS WORK. SEPT 1904 J.P.LEAF.C.E.
OHIO RIVER
ROCHESTER. PA.
postmaster from the beginning. Mr. Brown served four years in the War of the Rebellion as a member of Company B, 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was a prisoner for fifteen months at Andersonville.
Hardly second in interest to the history of old Legionville
REDOVOT
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and Logstown is that of the village of Economy and its people, which we now give.
ECONOMY
The home of the quaint and now historic German commun- ity. known legally and properly as the Harmony Society and popularly as the Economite Society. is a village beautifully situated on the right or eastern bank of the Ohio River and the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, about eighteen miles from Pittsburg. It is built on the second terrace of the river, occupying an extensive level that stretches back for nearly a mile to the wooded hills beyond, with broad streets laid out, some parallel and some at right angles to the river. The log houses originally erected have been replaced by neat frame or brick houses, much of one size, and with the main entrances on the side. Each one has a garden, with shade or fruit trees and grape arbors, or grape vines attached to its walls. Old-fashioned flowers grow in the yards, and when the original members still survived, the most old-fashioned of people were the occupants of the dwellings. These all are gone to the better Fatherland above, and of the present (1904) members, three in number, none has been connected with the Society for more than thirty- five years.
The town was once a busy hive of industry, with massive mills and factories, storehouses and public halls and school, with a vast, barn-like church, and the "Great House" where lived Father Rapp, the founder, and which is now occupied by Mr. John S. Duss. These buildings are all still standing. Our illus- trations show a few of them. From the looms, the mills. the vineyards, the stills, and the broad acres of this Society flowed streams of wealth, until the organization was worth several millions of dollars. This wealth flowed out again in the pro- motion of many public enterprises, resulting in vast good to all of western Pennsylvania. From one to two hundred thousand dollars were expended yearly during a long period in all manner of worthy projects.' Its wealth was also drained by designing
' " They were also intensely patriotic. Though taking no part in political contests, they tore their full share in sustaining the Government in its terrible struggle with rebel- hon. Par more loyal than thousands of native American citizens, and most of them being too old to enter the army in person, they contributed lavishly for the equipment of
Remains of Eastern Redoubt, Wayne's Camp at Legionville. Is upper picture the trench amand Redoube (anchor sanding therein) is now sis feet in depech : in lower picture author's figure shows center of Re- double, and shadows of trees indicate slope moo surrounding treach. . Ralf comes from photographe by James P. Lest, C.L.)
MNOU
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men and unfortunate investments and by litigation forced upon the Society.
The Economy of to-day is quite unlike the Economy of the past, when only the members of the Harmony Society composed the population of the town. Only three of the old residents, as we have said, remain, and a new element is in the ascendancy in the social life of the community, there being now a large number of outsiders making homes in the place. There are to-day 208 houses in the town and all are occupied. Some of these are modern and in striking contrast to the old buildings erected by the Society. The town is also supplied with a good quality of water from the Society's own works. A good school is free to all the children of the town, supported by the funds of the Society; and in the old church union services-church and Sabbath-school-are held every Sabbath afternoon, with preach- ing by the various ministers of the surrounding towns and cities. These services are in the English language, and services in Ger- man are held Sabbath mornings.
The traditions of the old Harmony Society are still in force in the community, its ancient buildings, many of them closed and bearing the sign Eintritt verboten ("No admission"), and the old furniture and household treasures being carefully pre- served.
The post-office at Economy was established in 1826, and has had but four postmasters, who were appointed as follows: Wil- liam Smith. January 12, 1826; Romelius L. Baker, April 10, 1832; Jacob Henrici, April 16, 1868; John S. Duss, May 10, 1893.
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