History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 26

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162

USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches > Part 26

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11th Regt. Pa. National Guards Band, of Phoenixville, 15 pieces, Capt. B. Frank Dunhower. Wayne Fencibles, Co. I, 11th Regt. N. G. Pa., Capt. Robert T. Cornwell.

West Chester Grays, Co. E, 11th Regt. N. G. Pa., with drum corps, Lient. Henry M. Worth commanding. Cooper Rifles, Co. G, 11th Regt. N. G. Pa., Capt. John W. Russell.

Wheatly Cadets, of Phoenixville, Co. D, 11th Regt. N. G. Pa., Capt. Samuel Wilson. Reeves Rifles, of Phoenixville, Co. A, 11th Regt. N. G. Pa., Capt. Samnel Gilbert. Coatesville Guards, Co. C, 11th Regt. N. G. Pa., Capt. Caleb Brown. Delaney Guards (col.), Independent, of West Chester, Capt. Levi M. Hood.

West Chester Pioneer Corps, Capt. J. Lacey Darlington, Jr. Coatesville Pioneer Corps. Chester Springs Soldiers' Orphans' School, 62 boys, clad in blue uniforms. Valley Forge Cornet Band, 16 pieces. Township delegations followed, representing, among others, Tredyffrin, Uwchlan, Pikeland, Schuylkill, Charles- town, and Easttown, the latter carrying a hanner bearing the words, " Easttown, the home of General Wayne."

This ended the formal exercises of the day, the vast as- semblage slowly departed, and when the shades of evening fell over the scene there was nothing left but the old monu- ment and the new over the dust of the dead.

Altogether, it was an event long to be remembered, and during the whole day there occurred nothing to mar any feature of the occasion.

FURTHER MOVEMENTS OF THE TWO ARMIES IN CHESTER COUNTY.

Pennypacker's " History of Phoenixville and its Vicinity" says that in the course of thesc manœuvres, on Sunday afternoon, at four o'clock, on the 21st of September, 1777, the British army, numbering about fourteen thousand men, entered Schuylkill township, and encamped along Nutt's road from the Fountain inn to Fatland Ford. The Eng- lish occupied the upper side of the road, and upon the other the Hessians were stationed. The headquarters of Gen. Knyphausen, the commander of the Hessians, was at the house of Frederick Buzzard, which at that time stood about midway between the " Corner Stores" and the Morris' woods. The headquarters of Gen. Howe were at the house of Wil- liam Grimes, recently occupied by John Acre, and the first house below the Bull tavern.

No sooner were the men dismissed and ordered to encamp than they commenced depredations upon the surrounding neighborhood. In a little while every house had been vis- ited. All the provisions, clothing, straw, and hay that could be found were carried off, and the cattle and horses were driven away. So completely were the people divested of everything which could be used in the camp that they in many instances suffered from the want of food and clothing. The only means by which anything could be retained was by application to the commanding general for a guard. Requests of this kind were usually granted.

To the residence of Moses Coates, Jr., the Hessians came in droves as soon as the army halted, and they continued their incursions until the next morning, wben a guard was obtained. The garden, cellar, and larder were emptied, and the hen-roosts soon made desolate. Among other things carried away was a large flock of geese. The last of them, an old gander, was pursued through the yard, and finally caught, around the neck, by a huge Hessian, who held the bird aloft as he throttled it, and cried, exultingly, to the members of the family, " Dis bees goot for the poor Hes-

GENERAL HISTORY.

sian mans!" One of the daughters expressed the hope that it would choke him to death, upon which he began to curse, and departed with his prey.

The family of Patrick Anderson had been informed of their approach, and had removed and secreted as many things of value as possible. The bedding and clothing were locked up in the bureau drawers, and the house was abandoned. The English, who knew that Anderson was absent in the American army, broke open the doors of the dwelling, and completely destroyed everything in it. They pushed the locks off from the bureau drawers and closets by thrusting their bayonets through the key-holes, and took possession of the contents. The furniture, which was in good condition, they broke into pieces and used for their fires. Mirrors were thrown upon the floor, and paintings and other articles of vertu, with the single rather remark- able exception of a portrait of George Washington, which was left in its place upon the wall, were ruined. The cattle and sheep were slaughtered, and the meat was salted and prepared for transportation in the parlor. The blood-stains remaining after this butchery could be scen upon the floors when the house was removed in 1842.

They came to the residence of Matthias Pennypacker in the night, and ransacked it in the search of provisions and clothing. The grain and flour in the mill became a valu- able acquisition. The mill was at that time new and in excellent order, and to prevent its future use they hacked the machinery and cut the bolting cloth into strips.

From the Fountain inn, where William Fussell then lived, they carried away whatever could be obtained. In order to secure some bed-curtains, which she considered to have a particular value, Mistress Fussell wrapped them about her person and covered them with her dress. Some Hes- sian women, however, who accompanied the army, having their suspicions aroused, threw the lady unceremoniously upon the floor, unwound the wrapping from about her, and made it their spoil.

Lord Cornwallis came himself to the house of Benjamin Boyer after it had been thoroughly stripped. The bee-hives, for preservation, had been carried into a room in the west end of the house and covered over with sheets. Corn wallis inquired what was concealed there, and was informed they were bees. Not to be deceived, however, by what he thought to be a subterfuge, with an impatient movement he removed the covering. The insects, already disturbed by their recent transportation, resented the interference by flying into his face and hair, and they probed him unmercifully. His lordship beat a hasty retreat.

A horse belonging to a son of Moses Coates, then quite . a youth, was taken from the pasture-field, and it was known the animal was among the British forces. The young man went to the headquarters of the commanding general, and upon making inquiries of some of the attendants about that officer's person received only insolent and taunting replies. He insisted, however, upon an interview with their superior, and was finally shown into Howe's presence. Upon making his errand known, he was treated politely and detained. in conversation. Tbe subject of the condition of the American army was adroitly introduced, and every effort made to elicit information from him. At length Howe said to him that

he could have his horse if he would go over the Schuylkill and learn as accurately as he could the number of Washı- ington's troops. The offer was rejected, and Howe increased it by saying that he would not only return his horse, but would give him, in addition, six guineas in gold. The youth replied, with indignation, that he could not be bribed to perform an act so base; and when it was found that he would not answer Howe's purposes, he was given permis- sion to search for his horse through the camp and take it away.

Joseph Starr was carried to the camp and charged with conveying intelligence to the Americans. While there he met with very abusive treatment.

The people residing north of the French Creek were very little molested.

A portion of the American forces were stationed on the high ground, belonging to the Jacobs family and others, on the opposite side of the river. When the British dis- covered them there, they planted a battery on the hill, about where the Reading Railroad depot now stands, and fired three shots across, all of which took effect among a row of cherry-trees growing beside the road.

Howe made his arrangements to ford the river on Tues- day, the 23d of September. The Hessians, under the com- mand of Knyphausen, and the division of Cornwallis were ordered to force a passage at Gordon's Ford, at the end of Bridge Street, while he, with the right wing of the army, crossed at Fatland Ford, below. Early on the morning of the 23d, Corn wallis, with his suite, came riding across the fields to the residence of Thomas Robinson, and, calling the old man from the house, they told him they wanted him to point ont the location of the ford. He refused to give any information, but, compulsion being threatened, he put on his broadbrim hat and went along with them, determined to be of as little use as possible. They were on horseback and the old Quaker was on foot, and in a little while he was lagging with tardy steps far in the rear, seeking for an opportunity to escape. When Cornwallis reached the crest of the hill, where the late David Reeves resided, he turned to ask some questions of his guide and found that he was almost out of sight. Some aides were dispatched for him, and he was hurried to the presence of the general, who began to threaten and swear most furiously. Just at this time, however, the balls from the other side of the river began to whistle among them, and the attention of Corn- wallis was drawn to some military movement. Robinson, availing himself of the favorable circumstance, hurried away with a much more youthful and vigorous gait, and thus avoided the disagrecable task.

In crossing the river the cavalry were in the advance, and were followed by the Hessian infantry, who, as soon as the water reached their knees, began to sing their Ger- man hymns and chants. " It must have been amusing," adds my informant, who had perhaps imbibed a very natural prejudice, " to have seen such cowards going into battle."

The Americans shot and killed an Englishman and his horse by the side of the buttonwood-trees, a few yards from the river, where the Port Providence road and the upper Norristown road intersect. The man was carried away,

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

but the horse lay where he fell for several days after their departure.

A rifleman, secreted upon the island, fired at and struck an English officer standing upon the Phoenixville shore, just as he was about to enter the water at the ford. He fell, and, being conveyed back to the house of Jolin Allen, on the south side of Bridge Street, expired in a short time afterward. He was buried in the Starr burying-ground. His grave was not marked, but it was directly in the angle made by the intersection of Church and Main Streets.

John Kider, who then lived at the old Rhoades farm- house, upon the north bank of the French Creek, went around over the hill to the mouth of the creek, in order to see the army aa it passed. A Hessian at the ford, proba- bly supposing him to be a rifleman or a spy, raised his piece and fired. The ball atruck a tree near the river. This tree and its bullet hole stood an object of curiosity until it was removed in digging the canal of the Schuylkill Navi- gation Company.

A squad of the British stopped at Gordon's Cave, in Mount Clare, and there found a goose roasting upon the fire. They took advantage of the opportunity to make a rich re- past, and while thus engaged were abandoned by their com- rades and captured by a party of American militia, who had come down from the hilla to follow in the rear of the enemy.

The two wings of Howe's army, after having successfully crossed the Schuylkill, united at Bean's tavern, on the pike, and proceeded to Philadelphia. The country which they had left was a picture of desolation. The fences had been burned, the corn in the fields had been beaten to the ground by the tread of horses and men, and the hay and straw from the barna were tramped into the mud of the deserted encampmenta.

The division which crossed at Fatland Ford took with them a lad, a aon of Edward Lane, intending to make use of him aa a guide. To all the questions, however, that were addressed to him he replied, in a silly way, "I don't know," and, concluding that he was either obstinate or idiotic, they dismissed him. They then compelled Jacob Richardson to conduct them over the river and accompany them to Philadelphia. Richardson, although his actions had been entirely involuntary, feared to return home. While he remained in the city a number of propositions were made to him to act as a spy in the service of the British, but were all refused. One morning he recognized an American officer of some distinction in the market- house, dressed in the garb of a Quaker farmer and selling provisiona. Richardson went to him privately, and told him that he could be readily detected through his disguise, and that his face waa well known to many people ill-affected to the cause who would not hesitate to betray him. The offi- cer accepted the advice and assistance he proffered, and, after having escaped and arrived safely at Valley Forge, made a certificate, detailing the circumstances, and vouch- ing for Richardson's loyalty and attachment to American interests. Rendered secure by this evidence, he came back to his home.

Gen. John Armstrong, who commanded the Pennsylvania militia, wrote on the 26th of September to President Wharton from the Trappe :

" A feint of the Enemy, in rapidly moving a part of their body up the Scuilkill, by French Creek, led the General to apprehend they de- signed to croas above us and turn our right wing; to prevent this he marched high on this side on the Swamp road when the same night or next morning, they crossed at Fatland ford, and proceeded on to Sweed'a ford alao by another road, I think, called the Menotany (Ridge Road) so that before full intelligence of their crossing came to headquarters, or rather before it gained credit they were thought in council to be at too great a distance to be harassed in the rear by fatigued troops, by these means we have got but a few prisoners." :

After the entrance of Howe into Philadelphia, Washing- ton approached nearer to the city, and encamped for a week or two at Pennypacker's Mill, between the Perkiomen and Skippack Creeks. The main division of Howe's army was at Germantown, and he determined to surprise the British at that place. An attempt was made on the 4th of October, resulting in the battle of Germantown, which was almost à decided success, but after the check at Chew's house he was compelled to withdraw to his encampment at Skippack. The next six or seven weeks were spent in energetic but fruitless efforta to prevent communication between Howe in Philadelphia and his fleet in the Delaware Bay, and on the 18th of December, the weather having become intensely cold, Washington retired into winter quarters at Valley Forge, in Tredyffrin township, Chester County.

In the intervening time, subsequent to the departure of the British, foraging-parties of the Americans were passing through this neighborhood continually in the search for sup- plies. Upon one occasion a party of this kind galloped up to the residence of Edward Lane, and the following con- versation ensued :

" We have come to get your hay and grain."

" You cannot have it."

" We will."

" You shall not. I have a special permit from the British to retain the whole of it." .

" Damn the British."

They hastened to the barn, and found that there was not a bundle of straw or peck of wheat in it. The enemy had been there before them.

An incident in which the Marquis de la Fayette par- ticipated occurred in this vicinity, and is worthy of narra- tion. The lady interested spent the greater part of a long life in Schuylkill township. Soon after the battle of Bran- dywine, Lafayette, who had been wounded, was conveyed to the house of Dr. Stephens, a short distance from Valley Forge, in order that his injuries might receive attention. The office of the doctor, in the second story of the building, with a flight of steps leading down into the kitchen, was under the charge of his daughter, a young girl, afterwards Mistress Elizabeth Rossiter. One morning, while she was engaged in cleaning the room, Lafayette entered, followed by a young aide-de-camp. The aide, with French impulse, seized the girl and kissed her. Lafayette turned quickly about and unceremoniously kicked the young gentleman down the stepa and out of the house, telling him at the same time that such conduct was not admissible.

Benedict Arnold, after the victory at Saratoga, which his gallantry had won, remained for a week at the house of Moses Coates. He had received three wounds in that en- gagement, and Dr. Cochrane came daily from Moore Hall

"ROCK BARTON." RESIDENCE OF E. H. BARNARD, AND JOHN BARNARD & SON'S CREAMERY,

M.G.C. EN G.

nitreff

" PEACE AND PLENTY "

RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH T. REYNOLDS, EAST NOTTINGHAM CHESTER CO. PA.

GENERAL HISTORY.

to dress them. While there Arnold prepared a luxurious feast, to which many of the army officers were invited. The table was arranged under a row of cherry-trees, to the southeast of the dwelling, upon the bank of the meadow. Twenty-one guests were present, among whom the only civilian was Samuel Howard, an old Quaker from the val- ley. From the army were Gens. Greene and Knox, Col. Biddle and others. Gens. Lafayette and Wayne, through courtesy, came to the table, drauk a few glasses of wine and departed. Gen. Washington sent a note declining the in- vitation, and expressing the opinion that such expensive entertainments were ill-suited to times in which one-half of the soldiers were suffering from the want of food and clothing. Arnold had a personal guard of twelve men.

While the army was lying at Valley Forge a well-known farmer of the valley, whose descendants still live upon the place he owned, about four miles from Phoenixville, went repeatedly to Gen. Wayne to complain of depredations com- mitted by the soldiers upon his property. Wayne, annoyed by these frequent visitations, and unable to prevent the men from straggling away from camp, said to him, in irritation, one morning, when he came to detail the circumstances of another incursion, " Well, damn 'em, shoot 'em ! Why in the devil don't you shoot 'em ?" A few days afterwards the farmer, on going to his barnyard, saw a soldier sitting beside one of his cows busily engaged in milking. Return- iog to the house he procured a fire-arm, and without any further ceremony killed the intruder. He was arrested, tried by court-martial, and only escaped with his life by pleading and proving the hasty, unintended advice of Wayne.

A board of general officers, convened at Valley Forge Dec. 28, 1777, made the following arrangements concern- ing rations :

"1} fb Beef, Ifb Pork, or 1} To Salt Fish, per Man a Day; 1} Ib Soft Bread or Flower, 1 fb Hard Bread, } Gill Wisky or Rum per Man per Day in Lieu of Beer; 3 Ib Candles per 100 Men per Week for Guards, 24 Ib Soft Soap or 8 To of hard Soap per 100 Men per Week.

"N. B .- The Liquor to be Issued only in General or Special or- ders."

On the 23d of October, 1777, Washington, accompanied by his aides-de-camp, was ascending the hill at the Foun- tain Inn tavern, on the suburbs of Phoenixville. The general was a little in advance of the rest of his company, when his attention was arrested by the shock of a terrific explosion in the neighborhood of Philadelphia. In a mo- ment every man had turned upon his saddle and was gazing eagerly in the direction from which the sound had come.

" General," said one of the party, "they are cannon- ading us somewhere."

" No, that isn't a cannon : a magazine has blown up."

His opinion proved to be correct. Two English frigates, the " Augusta" and " Merlin," in attempting to pass the chevaux-de-frise and fortifications in the Delaware, had run aground, and were soon reached by hot shot from the bat- teries. Their magazines exploded with a concussion that shook the country for many miles around. The wrecks of these vessels lay in the river for years, slowly rotting away. The anchor of the " Augusta" was raised and taken to Philadelphia. There it was purchased by George Thomp-

son when proprietor of the iron-works at Phoenixville, and was used by him for some purpose about his rolling-mill.

When the army encamped at Valley Forge many of the farm-houses in this vicinity were selected by officers for their quarters.

Col. Clement Biddle was for some time at Moore Hall ; Gens. Gates and Mifflin and Cols. Davis and Ballard were quartered at the house of Moses Coates. They had, in addition to their attendants, a guard of twenty-four men.

Oficers were quartered for the winter at the house of Edward Lane, and also at the house of Jacob Pennypacker. The wife of the latter, nee Ann Pawling, is said to have complained very bitterly when her store of clothing was taken away. As was the custom of the matrons of those days, she had devoted the leisure hours of her life to the manufacture of quilts, blankets, and woolen goods, which were stowed away in chests for future use. She entreated the detail to leave a portion of them, and the reply was, " Madame, they are good, warm blankets."

A company of horse was stationed at the residence of Matthias Pennypacker. The orchard was used as a parade- ground, and the barn as a magazine. The powder was kept in kegs and barrels upon the floor, and the building was surrounded by a guard continually. It is also told. of. this good Mennonite that he secreted a quantity of his neighbors' clothing in barrels. There was a constant picket- guard through the winter on his property, where the West Chester road crosses the Pickering Creek.

A number of sick soldiers were at the house of Philip Rapp; two of them died; and were buried in the woods.

The house of Henry Miller was converted into a com- missary store. Eleven surgeons also lived in it, and every morning they rode over to camp. Provisions were kept in the cellar, and in the barn were a number of cattle ready to be slaughtered. These animals, being of great import- ance, were honored with a guard.

In the barn of David James spies, deserters, and delin- quents were confined, and were watched continually by a provost-guard. Daniel Sower was arrested upon some charge, and kept there for several days. Nothing could be proven, however, and he was liberated.

The old Varley house became a hospital. Six or seven of the sick who were there died, and were buried in a field a few steps to the northward from the southeast corner of the farm recently occupied by George Hellerman.

There was a large hospital upon the farm of Joest Smith, and the soldiers placed there had the smallpox and camp fever. About forty-five of them died, and were buried be- neath some cherry-trees, a hundred yards eastward from the barn.

The largest hospital was erected upon some high ground in a field on the Gwynn farm. About one hundred and fifty men are supposed to have been buried around it. The site has all been plowed over, and not a trace of it is to be seen.

Many persons offered their teams voluntarily, and those of others were impressed. They were used in hauling sup- plies from a distance. In this service Edward Lane and Jacob Pennypacker were engaged through the greater part

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA:

of the winter. A large portion of the timber and all of the rails from the fences in the immediate neighborhood werc burned. The fatted cattle were all killed, and many cows were driven daily to the camp and there milked.

Generally, during the war, drafted men who did not wish to enter the army were permitted either to pay a fine or furnish a substitute. Occasionally, however, when the exigencies of the service demanded it, sterner measures were adopted. A miller by the name of Yost was taken from the mill of Matthias Pennypacker without being given time to change his clothes. He refused to go, and, mani- festing some opposition, was hurried away bareheaded.

The headquarters of the general were at a stone house on the lower side of Valley Creek, only a few yards distant from the Reading Railroad. His wife spent the winter there with him. Beneath one of the old-fashioned win- dows is a secret place, in which he is said to have kept pri- vate papers. At the door rests a large flat stone, serving as a step, on which, at that time, a sentinel always stood keeping guard. One very cold morning Washington, upon starting away after breakfast, found the sentry at his post endeavoring to keep warm by stamping his feet and clap- ping his hands. Said the General, --

" My good man, have you had anything to eat this moro- ing ?"

" No, sir," was the reply.

" Give me your musket, then, and go inside and get some breakfast," and the commander stood as a guard over his own house, while his wife waited upon the soldier within.

General Wayne, writing from Mount Joy on the 28th of December, says,-

" At this inclement Season one third of our Troops are totally Des- titute of either Shoes, Stockings, Shirts or Blankets, so that unless they receive an immediate supply of these Necessary Articles, Sick- nesa, Death & Desertion will be the inevitable consequence." --- (Arch., vol. vi. page 143.)

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 26

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 1162

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162