USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > History of Berks County, Pennsylvania, in the Revolution, from 1774 to 1783 > Part 11
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Sickness and Burial of Hessians .- During the Win- ter of 1776-77 there was much sickness amongst the prisoners. Many of them died. The burials were made in "Potter's Field," which comprised two lots of ground, numbers 398 and 399 on the west side of North Sixth Street, south of Walnut, in Reading. The deaths were so numerous at times that it became necessary to bury two, and even three, in one grave. I heard this statement inade frequently by some of the older residents, but I always questioned its reliability, for I could not believe that dead prisoners would be carried from the Canıp and buried within two squares of the principal thoroughfare and near the centre of the town. It is probable that the men buried there were sick soldiers who died in the churches that were used as hospitals, the churches having been near by on Washington street to the east and west of 6th street.
GERMAN PRISONERS.
On June 16, 1781, a large number of Convention prisoners of war, 1050, all Germans, excepting 63 Brittons, arrived at Reading under guard of the York County Militia. Col. Valentine Eckert called out two classes of companies from the 6th Battalion of Berks County Militia to guard the encampment. They were under the command of Major Bayley. During the week following, additional prisoners were brought, so that the whole number was near 1100. They were en- camped on the east bank of the Schuylkill, near the ferry on the road to Lancaster, having been ordered to be put into huts where wood and water were conven- ient. Col. Eckert and Col. James Wood suggested
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"that the Continental stables and a large store house might be converted into barracks to advantage by raising thein about two feet and underpinning with stone, by which it would make them two stories, and, with some small additions, would shelter the whole of the troops. However, this would be attended with inconvenience, as their fire wood must be waggoned, but not any considerable distance. My [Wood's] inten- tion is if the troops are to be hutted, and the Quar- ter Master can procure tools and a person acquainted with building to superintend the work, to have them built by the troops and in such a manner as to be of use upon any other or future occasion."
The stable was 20 by 175 feet, and the store house 20 by 60 feet.
Krause's Company on Guard Duty.
The following detachment of Capt. Charles Krause's Company of the Ist Battalion Berks County Militia was detailed on August 13, 1781, to guard the Con- vention prisoners of war near Reading, from August 16 to October 16, 1781. The captain was paid the balance due, £277, on April 28, 1790 :
Captain. Charles Krause.
Sergeants.
Ernst Gries.
Corporals. Christian Schmeck.
Philip Dresher. John Burchard.
Isaac Harmany.
John Harmany.
Privates.
Philip Kline.
Mathias Bower. Michael Christman.
George Mumma. Jacob Sigfried. Henry Grub.
Jno. Fenstermacher. George Klapp. Fred'k Mengel.
Abraham Gross. Baltzer Lutz. John Saul.
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Adam Labar. Adam Knettle.
Peter Shomo.
Casper Merkel.
John Heines.
Lorentz Christ.
Christian Wilhelm.
Peter Rundorf.
John Norbeck.
Conrad Sitler.
Titan McCarty.
Mathias Flack.
Christian Becker.
Philip Christ.
John Klockner.
Theobald Keffer.
Philip Dull.
Additional Men as Guard.
After peace was declared, a petition was presented to the Executive Council, subscribed by forty-three names, which prayed for an allowance to pay for mili- tary services rendered. The petitioners set forth that they had been ordered out to guard the Convention Troops upon constant service from 1781 until peace happened ; that these troops were prisoners of war confined in the vicinity of Reading ; that the militia of that district had performed constant guard duty during the stay of the prisoners, to the great hinder- ance of their several occupations, with a firm reliance that their country would make such satisfaction as the Militia laws should entitle them ; and that they had inade numerous applications for pay, but their efforts were in vain.
The subscribing names were as follows:
John Folweiler.
Philip Ruppert.
Henry Spengler.
George Eisenbeis.
Jacob Stahle.
Peter Stichter.
George Gerdner. Conrad Geist.
Abraham Phillippi.
Nicholas Scherrer.
Henry Miller.
George Seitz.
Stephen Fitterer.
Daniel Hiester.
Alexander Klinger.
George Young. Michael Reifsnyder.
John Phillippi. Henry Hahn, Jr.
John Shenfelder.
Benjamin Parks, Jr.
Jacob Merch.
George Snell. John Seitter.
William Mears.
John Felix.
Jacob Klingman.
Philip Weiss.
George Brendlinger.
Jacob Kesel.
Jacob Petery.
Bernard Kepner.
Ernst Gries.
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David Herman.
Andrew Eisenbeis. George Shoemaker.
George Roland. Adam Spohn.
John Lewis.
Godfried Leman.
Jonas Baum.
Gottlieb Christian. Valentine Boyer.
I could not find that any action was taken on this petition. Conrad Geist, one of the petitioners, had commanded a company as captain which served as guard of prisoners in 1776.
The above names may not represent all the men who served at that time, for some may have died or moved away between the declaration of peace and the signing of the petition.
From the contents of the petition, we must con- clude that the militia of the county, especially from the vicinity of Reading, (which constituted the Ist Battalion under the command of Col. Nicholas Lotz), were in constant service of this kind, and judging from other evidence of inen in that service, they were de- tailed for short terms.
Continental Troops as Guard.
Maj .- Gen'1 Lincoln, Minister of the War Depart- inent, inforined the Executive Council on January 2, 1782, that Gen'l Hazen's Regiment was appointed to guard the prisoners in the counties of Lancaster, Berks and York, whereupon the Council directed the Lieu- tenants of the said counties to discharge the militia then on duty so soon as the Continental troops should take charge of the prisoners.
Militia as Guard for Military Prisoners.
On February 23, 1782, the Lieutenant of the county was ordered to call out the first class of militia to
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guard the military prisoners at Reading ; but only 40 men were wanted at a time for this purpose. The order was as follows :
" Ordered, That the Lieutenant of the county of Berks be di- rected to call out a class of the militia of the said county, for the purpose of guarding the military prisoners of that county ; that as forty men are only wanted at one time for the said purpose, the lieutenant be directed to call out no more than that number, and that the battalion be called up in their numerical order, begin- ning at the first, for the said one class, so far as may be necessary to furnish the said number ; and when the time of the first forty shall expire, he then call on the next battalion or battalions for the like number, so as to have the succeeding numbers ready to take charge of the said prisoners when the time of the first shall ex- pire, and so on until the said one class shall have served their tour of duty, or until further orders from this Council."
Nagel's Company on Guard Duty.
The following detachment of Capt. Peter Nagel's Company, in the 6th Battalion of Berks County Militia, was on duty guarding prisoners of war who were conducted from Reading to Philadelphia. I could not ascertain the time when the service was rendered. It was probably on September 19, 1782, when they were ordered to "inount guard."
Captain. Peter Nagel. Sergeant. Casper Heiner.
Privates.
Christian Deringer. Joseph Kendall. George Phillipi.
Nicholas Dick.
Samuel Keiser. George Schultz.
Peter Feather.
Hartman Leitheiser. George Seitz.
John Heiner.
George Merkel. Abraham Witman.
Benj. Hoover. Philip Nagel. Jacob Yoder.
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CHAPTER VIII.
ESTIMATE OF MEN IN SERVICE.
The following statement shows the probable num- ber of men from Berks County who were in actual service at some time during the Revolution. The figures at the end of each company indicate the num- ber of men that appears in the rosters as published, except in several instances where it has been cor- rected by positive returns. The companies, when or- ganized and forwarded, were to have the regular num- ber, and it is probable that they generally had this number, excepting when special orders were given to supply guards for the prisoners at Reading or men for defending the frontiers of Berks and Northumberland counties. How the number came to be reduced in nearly all the companies I am not able to explain. The reduced figures may represent the strength of the companies when mustered out of service.
In reference to the battalions given, I have taken the number, either at the number ordered by the Executive Council which was to be supplied by the county, or estimated it at what was commonly known to comprise a battalion.
All the orders for guarding prisoners I have fixed at 40 men, unless otherwise published. Previous to 1782, the number at one time acting as guard ex- ceeded 40 men, but I cannot state how many. From the order of February 23, 1782, it is apparent that
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the changes were frequent, and that five men were taken from each company in a battalion, and when the term of service expired, another class was taken in the same manner from the next battalion, and so on in numerical order until each of the six battalions supplied its quota. The estimate presented is evi- dently less than the number of men who were in actual service.
In several instances, the estimates of battalions and companies may be excessive. But, because there is no way by which to ascertain the figures accurately, we can not on that account ignore the evidence of men altogether, whether simply ordered or forwarded. When orders were made for troops to fill the quota of the county, and returns found, we can assert that they were filled ; but if no returns were found, it can not be said that the orders were not filled. I found evi- dence of payments made long after 1783 for military services rendered before that time, notwithstanding I did not find any orders or returns for such services.
For the year 1779, I did not find any returns. It is hardly probable that, for a whole year, there were no orders at all for troops from Berks County. From this, liowever, we are not to conclude that there were no men in actual service from the county during 1779, for some were in service by previous enlistment and re-enlistment for terms that extended into and beyond that year.
For the year 1775.
June-Company of Capt. George Nagel.
.. 95
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For the year 1776.
January-Company of Capt. Jonathan Jones 83
16 John Spohn. 78
66
Peter Decker.
86
February-Detachment of Capt. Peter Nagel's Co. for guard- ing prisoners 17
March-Company of Capt. Henry Christ. 87
July-Company of Capt. Benj. Weiser 53 Other men in German Regiment. 13
July-Battalion of Lt .- Col. Nicholas Lotz, quota required.
666
August-Battalion of Col. John Patton (four companies) 191
Company of Capt. Will-estimated 72
Daniel DeTurk 72
Battalion of Col. Mark Bird ...
300
September-Battalion of Col. Balser Geehr-estimated ...
.500
Detachment of Capt. Conrad Geist's Co. guard- ing prisoners. 39
October-Quota ordered from county.
.500
Believed to have been supplied from 1st and 6th Battalions commanded by Col. Henry Haller and Col. Daniel Hunter.
For the year 1777.
January-Order for 2nd Battalion-estimated. . . . 500 Partly filled by companies of Will, Diehl and Scheffer.
February-Company of Capt. Jacob Moser. 67
Jacob Bower-(part).
24
Sundry enlistments in Continental Line. 37
August-Two battalions commanded by Cols. Daniel Hunter and Daniel Udree 656
September-Two companies guarding stores at Reading-esti-
mated 50 each.
100
November -- Battalion of Col. Henry Spyker.
400
For the year 1778.
January-Recruited by Capt. Edward Scull 150
April-Guard ordered at Reading. 200
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June-Von Heer's Dragoons 16
August-Forwarded to Sunbury 180
Easton . 123
October-Quota from county-two battalions
For the year 1779.
No troops were discovered as having been forwarded from the county during the year 1779.
For the Year 1780.
June-Forwarded to Philadelphia, under Capt. Edward Scull 52
July-Quota from County, (mostly filled by six companies of 6th Battalion, and selections from 3rd. 600
August-Two companies from 1st Battalion for frontiers-esti- mated. 120
-- Men in pursuit of Indians 112
For the Year 1781.
May-One class, 4th Battalion. 64
June-Two classes, 6th Battalion. 128
August-Detachment of Krause's Company . 36
August-Detachment of Stroud's Company. 40
September-Recruits from Reading. 153
October-Ely's Battalion at Newtown. 300
October-Livingood's Company of Riflemen 83
October-Three companies to Newtown. 180
-Militia from Greenwich and Maxatawny townships. 120
-Guarding prisoners-men supplied from 2nd and 6th Bat- talions 169
For the Year 1782.
February-Robinson's Company to Northumberland county .. ..
60
February-Guard for prisoners at Reading. 40
August-Frontiers of Berks County . 27 August-Frontiers of Berks and Northumberland Counties. 50 September-Frontiers of Northumberland County 125 September-Guard for prisoners at Reading. 17
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Recapitulation.
For the year 1775. .95
For the year 1780
884
1776
2757
1781
1273
1777 1784
=
1782 319
1778
679
1779
Estimated Total .7791
Of these 7791 men, the foregoing narrative shows the names of 1542; and included in the latter number are the names of sixty-five captains and sixteen colo- nels. The number of men for the years 1776 and 1777 appears incredible, but the reader will take into con- sideration that the men for each year were not all in service at one time. Taking the reports of men in service that I have given in detail, and understanding that I have not been able to discover all the men that were enlisted, it can be said that the estimated total, as arranged, is not above, but rather below, the real number supplied by the county during the Revolu- tion. The system of supplying men was simple, and it was carried on in such a manner as to render assist- ance to the government with as little injury as pos- sible to the several districts from which the men were called. The number demanded at one time was not extraordinary, compared with the total number sub- ject to military duty, and the term of service was limited to such a period that the business interests of the people should not suffer serious losses. In this way, it was possible to have at least several hundred men from a county in service all the time. Averaging the quota of Berks County at only 300, and changing the men every ninety days, four times a year, for seven years, from 1776 to 1782, the total would ex-
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ceed the number given. This is not a correct way to get at the probable number; still it can be made appa- rent thereby that iny estimate is not excessive.
Names of Captains.
Jacob Baldy.
George Kemp.
Edward Scull.
George Battorf.
Charles Krause.
Peter Scull.
George Beaver.
John Ludwig.
Henry Shepler.
Jacob Bower.
Jacob Ladich.
Conrad Sherman.
Michael Bretz.
Sebastian Lentz.
Casper Smeck.
Henry Christ. Stephen Crumrine.
John Lesher.
Peter Smith.
John Soder.
Peter Decker.
Jacob Livingood. Jacob Maurer.
John Spoon.
Daniel DeTurck.
George May.
Leonard Stone.
Samuel Dewees.
John Mears. George Miller.
Bartholomew Von
George Douglass.
Jacob Moser.
Heer.
Michael Voyge.
Michael Furrer.
Peter Nagel.
Peter Wanner.
George Focht.
Benjamin Weiser.
Conrad Geist.
John Old. Dirck Penny backer. Jacob Rickstein.
Henry Weaver.
Charles Gobin. Jacob Graul.
George Riehm.
Matthias Wick.
Thomas Herbert.
Ferdinand Ritter.
George Will.
Joseph Hiester.
John Robinson.
Peter Withington.
Jacob Hill.
Jacob Rothermel.
James Wilson.
Jonathan Jones.
Nicholas Scheffer.
Michael Wolf.
Names of Colonels.
Mark Bird.
Joseph Hiester. George Nagel.
Daniel Brodhead.
Daniel Hunter. John Patton.
Valentine Eckert.
Michael Lindemuth. Henry Spyker.
Samuel Ely.
Nicholas Lotz.
Daniel Udree.
Balser Geehr.
Jacob Morgan.
Henry Haller. Jacob Morgan, Jr.
Henry Strauch.
John Diehl.
Conrad Eckert.
George Nagel.
Conrad Weiser.
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CHAPTER IX.
ARMY SUPPLIES FROM THE COUNTY.
During the Revolution, many ariny supplies were either manufactured or produced in the County of Berks, morė especially in the years 1775, 1776 and 1777; and these were collected froin the several town- ships and deposited at Reading, for the purpose of en- abling the Commissioners of Forage to fill the propor- tional allotments of the district with reasonable dis- patch. They consisted of grain, flour, hay, powder, clothing, accoutrements, horses and wagons.
The superior geographical situation of Reading led Congress to select the place as a general depot for storing supplies of all kinds. It was far enough from Philadelphia so that Gen'1 Howe could not entertain any thoughts of capturing the stores with safety to his army, and yet it was near enough to enable the storekeeper to promptly fill orders made upon him.
Store House at Reading .- In a letter of Col. Mor- gan to the Executive Council, dated September 18, 1777, besides acknowledging receipt of an order for calling out the 3rd and 4th Classes of Militia, he stated as follows:
"There is at present a great quantity of powder and other stores belonging to the States in this town [Reading] and there are two companies now out of said classes mounting guard over said stores. The people of the town are vastly uneasy at having so much powder here, and, unless it be very well guarded, that un- easiness will increase to a great degree, as fire happening to the
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house where the powder is lodged would tear the town to pieces and destroy the whole body of inhabitants. Many persons of the town, above 53 years of age, would make part of a guard if taken into pay, which would render it easy to send so many more of the militia as would otherwise be requisite for such guard. The Con- tinental Press and Medicinal store also require some guard."
By a letter of the same day from Christ and Shoe- maker [Justices] to the Council it would appear that they had called two companies of militia to guard the said stores-" not forgetting the Continental Treas- urer." The stores included a "vast number of am- munition in the town, or near it." The companies had been in actual service for over three weeks.
Supplies Manufactured.
The following items were found relating to the supplies that were manufactured in Berks County, and forwarded in pursuance of orders given by the Execu- tive Council :
John Mears, of Berks County, carried on the manufacture of saltpetre. On Feb. 9, 1776, James Biddle was directed to supply him with £100 for that purpose, taking good security for the money and providing for the delivery of saltpetre to that amount in twelve months. Mears lived at Reading and subsequently be- came a captain in the 4th Regiment of the Continental Line of Pennsylvania.
Feb. 22, 1776 .- An order for £90 was drawn to pay John Reith- myer, John Deisler and Peter Brecht for 150 cartridge boxes, etc., which they manufactured in Berks County and supplied to the Committee. And on May 8th, an order for £108, 15sh., was drawn to them to pay for 150 more.
Isaac Levan, Jr., was one of the persons appointed by the Com- mittee of Berks County to purchase arms for the use of the prov- ince, and on April 9, 1776, an order for £19, 12sh., was drawn in favor of Dr. Jonathan Potts for repairing 9 muskets which belonged to
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the province. These muskets were ordered to be delivered to Capt. Thomas Herbert, of Berks County, who was then in the service of the province. He lived at Reading.
May 18, 1776 .- Mark Bird addressed a letter to the Committee of Safety, of Philadelphia, in which he made mention of muskets, &c., as follows:
" If the Committee of Safety will send me the price of 100 muskets and accoutre- ments, with orders on the Commissioners to deliver to me such as they have ready, or my paying what they cost, I am of opinion in two weeks after the re- ceipt of their orders and cash, I shall be able to deliver in Philadelphia the num- ber mentioned. If each county will do the same, all the troops now in pay of the Continent and this Province may be armed in three weeks from this date-I mean the Continental troops in the barracks at Philadelphia. * * * * I am con- vinced you may collect in the different counties a thousand muskets, but few accoutrements. If you send the cash to tbe different counties to some person you can confide in, the arms will be ready immediately, but till you send tbe cash to pay the smiths they will deny giving up tbe muskets. They like to see the cash without having the trouble of going so far as Philadelphia for it."
This offer was accepted by the Executive Council and an order to him for £400 was drawn. And in August, 1776, the Committee of Safety also drew an order in favor of Samuel High, (a county commissioner, ) for £600, on account of arms making in the county.
Gun manufacturing was carried on along the Wyomissing Creek in Cumru township, beyond Mohnsville, about seven miles south-west from Reading. There were many gunsmiths in the county, prominent among them being Balser Geehr.
July 2, 1776 .- An order for £300 was drawn in favor of George Ege for 100 tons of cannon balls.
July 8, 1776 .- Council passed the following resolution :
"That the Iron Masters employed in casting cannon or shot for the public ser- vice in the counties of Chester, Lancaster and Berks, be permitted to employ any of the soldiers, prisoners of war at Lancaster and Reading, as laborers in the said business, giving an account to the Committees of Lancaster and Reading of the time of such soldiers as they shall so employ."
This permission was given in view of the public exigency which required additional artillery and war materials to repel the inva- sion of the country by the army of Gen'l Howe, who had recently appeared at New York with the British fleet.
July 22, 1776 .- An order was drawn in favor of Michael Bright, (a county commissioner,) for £600 to pay for firelocks made in Berks County for the Province.
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May 16, 1777 .- Col. Morgan reported that orders had been issued for collecting the allotted number of blankets in the county for the Continental service, and also 300 for the county militia. He made inquiry about arms and found that about 150 with accoutre- ments could be procured at Reading, which might be made fit for service in a fortnight; as to drums, colors and fifes none had yet been collected. He then made an estimate that $3200 would be necessary to purchase blankets and carry the militia law in execu- tion, and asked that this amount be remitted to him immediately.
May 22, 1777 .- An order was drawn to Col. Jacob Morgan for £600 for blankets and paying substitutes in the county. On June 10th, another order was drawn to him for £500, and at same time an order for 150 stand of arms and 1500 flints ; and on the 12th, an order was drawn to him for 150 knapsacks and cartridge boxes, and 250 canteens, for the county militia.
Feb. 19, 1778 .- A report was made to the Executive Council that Col. Mark Bird had sent by water to Philadelphia 1000 bar- rels of flour during some time previous.
Nov. 14, 1780 .- George Ege, then lessee of Berkshire Furnace, supplied the National Government with shot and shell, amount- ing to £2894. An account was opened in his books against the "United States."
Shot : 843, 24-pd .; 2137, 18-pd .; 289, 12-pd.
Shell : 867, 10-in .; 714, 8-in.
SUPPLIES COLLECTED.
And the following items were found, relating to supplies collected in the county :
Sept. 26, 1775 .- The Council of Safety directed an order to be drawn in favor of the Commissioners of Berks County for £400 towards paying for the arms and accoutrements supplied.
Dec. 1775 .- The Council of Safety ordered all the arms belong- ing to the province, found in Berks County; to be collected for the people and forwarded to Philadelphia as fast as collected.
Aug. 22, 1776 .- Order from Council of Safety to Mark Bird for £107, 2sh., 6d., for arms taken from Non-Associators for the use of his battalion.
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Dec. 6, 1776 .- Col. Balser Geehr was paid £11, 7sh., 4d. for re- pairing arms and £85, 8sh. for arms taken from Non-Associators; and at the same time Col. Sebastian Levan was also paid £88, 2sh., 6d. for arms taken from Non-Associators.
Dec. 11, 1776 .- James Old was paid £2000 and John Patton £350 on account of cannon shot which they cast for the State. Old lived in Chester County, but Patton in Berks County.
Dec. 19, 1776. - Three accounts were ordered to be paid for arms taken from Non-Associators in Berks County, amounting to £131 and charged to the 6th Battalion of Militia commanded by Col. Daniel Hunter.
In 1777, the proportion of grain for horse feed from Berks County was 4000 bushels.
June 14, 1777 .- Morgan was directed to supply the State with 30 wagons as quota from the county.
Sept. 8, 1777 .- Council ordered 100 wagons to be sent to Phila- delphia from Berks County to assist in removing stores of different kinds, and the property belonging to the families of poor militia- men, in anticipation of Gen'l Howe's invasion of Philadelphia,
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