History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 40

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1314

USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 40

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1 Papers Relating to the Whiskey Insurrection; Pennsylvania Archives, 2d Series, vol. iv. p. 433.

2 The committee, however, were not very well pleased with their re- ception by Gen. Lee. One of their number, Mr. Findley, suid (in Ins " History of the Insurrection," p. 199), " Indeed, though we were treated politely in other respects and employed to assist in the fixing of neces- saries for the army, and consulted about the ground on which it should encamp when it advanced farther into the country, yet we did not meet with that candour and frankness with which we had been treated by the President at Carlisle."

3 Pa. Archives, 2d Series, vol. iv. p. 437.

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

consult the dignity and interest of the United States, which will always command my decided respect and preferential attention, but I also promote the good of this particular district.

" I shall, therefore, as soon as the troops are re- freshed, proceed to some central and convenient station, where I shall patiently wait until the com- petency of the civil authority is experimentally and unequivocally proved. No individual can be more solicitous than I am for this happy event, and you may assure the good people whom you represent that every aid 'will be cheerfully contributed by me to hasten the delightful epoch.

"On the part of all good citizens I confidently expect the most active and faithful co-operation, which in my judgment cannot be more effectually given than by circulating in the most public manner the truth among the people, and by inducing the various clubs which have so successfully poisoned the minds of the inhabitants to continue their usual meet- ings for the pious purpose of contradicting, with their customary formalities, their past pernicious doctrines. A conduct so candid should partially atone for the injuries which in a geat degree may be attributed to their instrumentality, and must have a propitious influence in administering a radical cure to the exist- ing disorders.

"On my part, and on the part of the patriotic army I have the honor to command, assure your fellow-cit- izens that we come to protect and not to destroy, and that our respect for our common government, and respect to our own honor, are ample pledges for the pro- priety of our demeanor. Quiet, therefore, the appre- hensions of all on this score, and recommend univer- sally to the people to prepare for the use of the army whatever they can spare from their farms necessary to its subsistence, for which they shall be paid in cash at the present market price; discourage exaction of every sort, not only because it would testify a dispo- sition very unfriendly, but because it would probably produce very disagreeable scenes. It is my duty to take care that the troops are comfortably subsisted, and I cannot but obey it with the highest pleasure, because I intimately know their worth and excellence.

" I have the honor to be, gentlemen, " Your most obedient servant, " With due consideration, " HENRY LEE."

This reply, or address to the people, was printed and circulated extensively in every part of the four counties.

After a stay of a few days at Uniontown and Mount Pleasant respectively, the two columns of the army moved on in obedience to the general orders of the commander-in-chief, as follows :

" HEADQUARTERS,

"UNION (BEESON'S) Towx, Nov. 2, 1704.

" The army will resume its march on the morning of the 4th, at the hour of eight, when a signal-gun will be fired. They

will advanee in two columns, composed of the respective wings. The right column will take the route by Lodge's to Budd's Ferry, under the command of his Excellency Governor Mifflin, who will please to take the most convenient situation in the vicinity of that place for the accommodation of the troops and wait further orders. The left column will proceed on the route to Peterson's, on the east side of Parkinson's Ferry, under the orders of Major-General Morgan; they will march by the left in the following manoer: Light corps, cavalry, artillery, Vir- ginia brigade, Maryland brigade, the baggage to follow each corps, and the public stores of every kind in the rear of tho Virginia brigade. On the first day the light corps and artillery will march to Washington Bottom, fourteen miles; the Vir- ginia brigade to Peterson's farm, twelve miles; the cavalry under Major Lewis will move with the commander-in-chief; the bullocks to precede the army at daylight. On the second day the column will proceed to the camp directed to he marked out between Parkinson's and Budd's Ferries.

"Should Brigadier-General Smith find the second day's march rather too much, he will he pleased to divide the same into two days. The quartermaster-general will immediately take measures for the full supply of forage and straw at the different stages. The commissary will place the necessary supply of provisions at particular intermediate stages where issues will be necessary ; geards over the straw as soon as the van reaches the ground, and to see the same fairly divided amongst the troops. [IIere follows the assignment of straw to each brigade. to the cavalry and artillery, and directions for making out the pay-rolls for one month's pay from the com- mencement of service.] The inspector and muster-master-geo- erals of the respective line will also make pay-rolls for the general staff, to be eountersigned by the commander-in-chief HENRY LEE." previous to payment.

" By the Commander-in-Chief. "G. II. TAYLOR, Aide-de-Camp."

Under these orders the left wing marched from Uniontown, and the right wing from its camps at Mount Pleasant, Bonnett's, and Lobengier's, at the appointed time, and moving to the vicinity of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Rivers, in Westmore- land County, went into camp at the place designated, between Parkinson's and Budd's ferries. From his headquarters, "near Parkinson's Ferry," on the 8th of November, the commander-in-chief issued an address or proclamation to the inhabitants of certain counties lying west of the Laurel Hill, in the State of Penn- sylvania," the tone of which was a little after the manner of a conquering chieftain addressing the peo- ple of a subjugated province. "You see," he said, "encamped in the bosom of your district a numerous and well-appointed army, formed of citizens of every description from this and the neighboring States of New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia, whom the vio- lated laws of our common country have called from their homes to vindicate and restore their authority. . . . The scene before your eyes ought to be an in- structive one ; it ought to teach many useful truths, which should, for your own happiness, make a deep and lasting impression on your minds. . . . Those who have been perverted from their duty may now perceive the dangerous tendency of the doctrines by which they have been misled, and how unworthy of

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their confidence are the men by whom, for personal and sinister purposes, they have been brought step by step to the precipice from which they have no escape but in the moderation and benignity of that very gov- ernment which they have vilified, insulted, and op- posed. The friends of order may also perceive in the perils and evils that have for some time surrounded them how unwise and even culpable is that careless- ness and apathy with which they have permitted the gradnal approaches of disorder and anarchy."

The general then proceeded to recommend to the people to manifest their good intentions by taking and subscribing an oath (the form of which he prescribed) to support the constitution and obey the laws, and by entering into associations to protect and aid all government officers in the execution of their duties. He further recommended to all men able and willing to do military duty, and truly attached to their government and country, "to array them- selves into regiments, one for each county, and to place themselves under such officers as may. be selected by the Governor of the State, known to he firm friends to order and right, upon the express con- ditions of holding themselves in constant readiness to act in defense of the civil authority whenever called upon, receiving for their services the same pay and subsistence as is allowed to the militia of the United States when in actual service." He then concluded his proclamation as follows: "In pursuance of the authority vested in me by the President of the United States, and in obedience to his instructions, I do moreover assure all who may have entitled themselves to the benefit of the amnesty proffered by the com- missioners heretofore sent by him to this district, and who may not have forfeited their title by subsequent misconduct, that the promise will be faithfully and liberally observed, and that all possible endeavors will be used to prevent injury to the persons or prop- erty of peaceable citizens by the troops, whose sole province it is to subdue those, if any there should be, hardy enough to attempt an armed resistance, and to support and aid the civil authority as far as may he required. To the promulgation of these, my orders, I with pleasure add my assurances that every exertion will be made by me-and, from my knowledge of the officers and soldiers of the army, I am persuaded with full success-to carry these wise and benevolent views of the President into complete effect."

The entire army remained in the neighborhood of Parkinson's Ferry for several days, after which the main part of the troops moved down the Mononga- hela River, and on the 15th of November a detach- ment was marched from the vicinity of Parkinson's to the town of Washington, accompanied by Secretary Hamilton and Judge Peters, and taking with them a large number of prisoners1 which had been taken in

1 " On Thursday, the 13th of November," says Findley, in his " History of the Insurrection," "there were about forty persons brought to Park- ioson's honse, by order of Gen. White [of New Jersey]. He directed to

the eastern part of Washington County. All the prisoners taken by the army excepting three were taken in that county and Allegheny, under Gen. Lee's special orders,2 issned for that purpose to Gen. Irvine and other officers in command of cavalry.

The time indicated in this order (Thursday morn- ing, November 13th) was the time when most of the arrests were made by the military.

The commander-in-chief, at Uniontown, on the 1st of November, had announced his intention " to hold the army in this country until daily practice shall convince all that the sovereignty of the Constitution, and laws is unalterably established." In a few days after his forces marched northward from Uniontown he became so convinced, and at once began to make arrangements for the return of the army. The notification of the reopening of the inspection-offices was made on the 10th,3 and they were accordingly reopened ten days

put the damned rascals in the cellar, to tie them back to back, to make a fire for the guard, but to put the prisoners back to the farther end of the cellar, and to give them neither victuals nor drink. The cellar was wet and nniddy, and the night cold; the cellar extended the whole length under a large new log house, which was neither floored nor the openings between the logs daubed. They were kept there until Satur- day morning, and then marched to the town of Washington. On the march one of the prisoners, who was subject to convulsions, fell iute a fit, but when some of the troops told Gen. White of his situation he or- dered them to tie the damned rascal to a horse's tail and drag him along with them, for he had only feigned having the fits. Some of his fellow- prisoners, however, who had a horse, dismounted and let the poor man ride. He had another fit before he reached Washington. This march was about twelve miles. The poor man who had the fits had been in the American service during almost the whole of the war with Great Britain." Findley relates many other instances of barbarous treatment inflicted on prisoners by the soldiery, but it is not improper to say that his statements may have been a good deal exaggerated, as there is to be seen through all his narrative an nomistakabls disposition to place in the worst possible light every occurrence er act done by the army, par- ticularly all which conld by any assumption be supposed to have been anthorizod, encouraged, or countenanced by Secretary Hamilton or ex- ecuted by Brig .- Gen. White.

" The following uro extracts from Gen. Lee's orders to Gen. William Irvine:

" HEAD QUARTERS NEAR PARKINSON'S FERRY, "November 9th, 1794.

"Sin,-From the delays and danger of escapes which attend the pres- ent situation of judiciary investigations to establish preliminary pro- cesses against offenders, it is deemed advisable to proceed in a summary manner in the most disaffected scenes against those who have notori- ously committed treasonable acts; that is, to employ the military for the purpose of apprehending and brieging such persons before the judge of the district [Judge Peters], to be by him examined and dealt with ac- cording to law ; to you is committed the execution of this object within that part of Allegheny County to which you are advancing. . . . The persons apprehended ought to be leading or influential characters or particularly violent. You will find a list (No.3); this paper comprehends witnesses. The individuals are to be brought forward and treated as ench. Direct all who may be appreliended by yon to be conveyed to your camp until further ordere. Send off your parties of horse with good guides, and at anch a period as to make the surprises, however distant or near, at the same moment, or Intelligence will precede them and some of the culprits will escape. I presume the proper Lour will be at day- break on Thursday morning, and linve therefore desired the operation to be then performed in every quarter.

" I have the honor to be, sir, " With great respect, " Your most obedient servant,

"HENRY LEE."

3 " The announcement by Inspector Nevills was as follows;

"Notice is hereby given that on Thursday, the 20th instant, an office of inspection will be opened at Pittsburgh for the county of Allegheoy, at

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

later without opposition at the principal towns of the four counties. The withdrawal of the army was an- nounced, and the order of its return march directed, in orders by Gen. Lee, dated "Headquarters, Pitts- burgh, Nov. 17, 1794," viz. :.

"The complete fulfillment of every object dependent on the efforts of the army makes it the duty of the commander-in- chief to take measures for the immediate return of his faithful fellow-soldiers to their respective homes, in execution of which no delay will be permitted but that which results from the con- sultation of their comfort.

" On Tuesday morning, at the hour of eight, the Pennsyl- 1 tleton, Strasburg, and Shippensburg to Carlisle. The vania Cavalry will be ready to accompany his Excellency Gov- erner Mifflin, whese official duties renders his presence neces- sary at the seat of government.

"On the next day the first division of the right column, consisting of the Artillery and Proctor's Brigade, under the orders of Maj .- Gen. Irvine, will commence their march to Bed- ford, on the route commonly called the Old Pennsylvania read.

" The following day at the same honr the New Jersey Line will move under the command of his Exeelleney Governor Hewell, who will be pleased to pursue from Bedford such routes as he may find convenient.

"On the subsequent day at the same hour the residne of the Pennsylvania Line now on this ground will march under the command of Brig .- Gen. Chambers, taking the route heretofore mentioned, and making the same stages as shall have been made by the leading division. Maj .- Gen. Frelinghnysen, with the Elite Corps of the right column, will follow the next day and pursue the same ronte.

"Brig .- Gen. Smith, with the Maryland Line, will move to Uniontown, agreeably to orders heretofore communicated to lim, and from thence te preceed on Braddock's road to Fort Cumberland, where he will adopt the most convenient measures in his power for the return of his troops to their respective counties.

"Brig .- Gen. Matthews will move on Wednesday next to Morgan Town, from thenee to Winchester by way of Frank- fert. From Winchester the troops will be marched to their re- spective brigades under the commanding officers from each brigade.

" As soon as the public service will permit afterwards, the Elite Corps of the left column, under Gen. Darke, will follow on the route prescribed for Brig. Matthews, and be disbanded as they reach their respective brigades.

". . . The corps destined for the winter defense will move ; without delay to Bentley's Farm, on the west side of the Monen- gahela, near Perry's Ferry, where they will receive orders from Maj .- Gen. Morgan.

the town of Washington for the county of Washington, at Greensburg for the county of Westmoreland, and at Union Town for the county of Fayette. All distillers are required forthwith to enter their stills at the office of the county in which they respectively reside, and to do further what the laws prescribe concerning the same, of which they may receive more particular information from the officer of inspection with whom eutry is made.

" JOHN NEVILLE,

" Inspector of the Revenne, District of Pennsylvania, Fourth Surrey. " Nov. 10, 1794."

On the 27th of November the inspector announced that he WAS " di- rected to notify all persons in the counties of Allegheny, Fayette, and Bedford against whom suits have been commenced in the court of the United States for neglecting to euter their stills that upon their coming forward immediately to the collectors of each county and paying one year's arrearages upon the capacity of the still and the costs of suit, n bill of which will be furnished, the actions will be discontinued."- Pennsylvania Archives, iv., pp. 4491, 481.

"The Virginia Cavalry will take the reute by Mergan Town, from thence to Winchester by Romney's; the commandant will receive partienlar instructions as to their time and manner of march.

"The right column will receive their pay (still due) at Bed- ford, the Maryland Line at Fort Cumberland, and the Virginia Line at Winchester. .. . "

The army moved on its return in accordance with these orders. The right column marched from Pitts- burgh, by way of Greensburg, Ligonier, and Stony Creek, to Bedford, and thence by way of Fort Lyt- troops of the left column returned by different routes, the Virginians marching up the Monongahela Valley into their own State, and passing ou by way of Mor- gantown to Winchester; and the Maryland brigade starting from its camp at Pierce's Ferry, thence mov- ing southeastwardly through Fayette County and its county town, to the Great Crossings of the Youghio- gheny, and from there to Fort Cumberland by the same route over which it had advanced.

The corps left, under command of Gen. Morgan, to remain in this region through the winter for the pres- ervation of order, and to assist. if necessary, in the execution of the laws, was placed in camp at Bentley's, on the southwest side of the Monongahela. This force was composed in part of troops who had come from the East under Gen. Lee, and partly of'men enlisted in the western counties, as advised in the proclamation of the commander-in-chief of November 8th, and authorized to the number of two thousand five hun- dred meu by an act of Assembly of the 29th of the same month. Of those who were thus enlisted, Find- ley, in his " History of the Insurrection," i says that many of them were reported to have been among the most troublesome of the insurgents; that the people in the neighborhood complained " that many of them, for some time at first, demanded free quarters and such things as they stood in need of without pay, and that some of the officers committed indictable offenses; but when the persons against whom the offenses were committed commenced prosecutions they settled the disputes amicably and behaved well for the future. And when the people took courage to refuse to sub- mit to impositions, the soldiers ceased to demand free quarters, or to be otherwise troublesome." But the tenor of the orders issued by Gen. Morgan2 to the

1 Appendix, p. 321.

" They were as follows :

" General Orders.

"CAMP, BENTLEY'S FARM, Nov. 30, 1794.

" The General anticipates the happiest issue that the nrmy he has the honor to command will afford to the laws and friends of good order and government in the four western counties of Pennsylvania. The will- ingness with which the citizens have enrolled themselves to co-operate with the army in the restoration of obedience to the laws nre pleasing evidences that the unhappy delusion which lately pervaded this country, under the auspices of the friends to onarchy, are at an end.

"The General hopes that the army now hintting for winter-quarters will consider themselves as in the bosom of their friends, & that they will vie with each other in promoting the love and esteem of their fel-

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troops under his command, and the well-known char- acter of that general in the matter of the enforcement of discipline, render it probable that the above state- ments of Mr. Findley, like many others made by him in disparagement of the army and its officers, ought to be received with some degree of incredulity.

Gen. Morgan's forces continued in their canton- ments at Bentley's Farm (with small detachments at Pittsburgh and Washington ) until the following spring, when, order being fully restored and established, the last of the troops marched eastward across the Alle- ghenies, and the western counties were left in full pos- session and exercise of their former rights and powers.

Gen. Lee remained in the West for a considerable time after the departure of the main body of the army, and on the 29th of November, in pursuance of author- ity delegated to him by the President, he issued a " proclamation of pardon" as follows :

" By HENRY LEE, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Major-General therein, and Commander- in-Chief of the Militia Army in the Service of the United States.

" A PROCLAMATION.

" By virtue of the powers and authority in me vested by the President of the United States, and in obedi- ence to his benign intentions, therewith communi- cated, I do by this, my proclamation, declare and make known to all concerned that a full, free, and entire pardon (excepting and providing as hereafter mentioned) is hereby granted to all persons residing within the counties of Washington, Allegheny, West- moreland, and Fayette, in the State of Pennsylvania, and in the county of Ohio, in the State of Virginia, guilty of treason or misprision of treason against the United States, or otherwise directly or indirectly en- gaged in the wicked and unhappy tumults and dis- turbances lately existing in those counties, excepting nevertheless from the benefit and effect of this pardon all persons charged with the commission of offenses against the United States, and now actually in cus- tody or held by recognizance to appear and answer for all such offenses at any judicial court or courts, excepting also all persons avoiding fair trial by aban- donment of their homes, and excepting, moreover, the following persons, the atrocity of whose conduct ren- ders it proper to mark them by name, for the purpose of subjecting them with all possible certainty to the regular course of judicial proceedings, and whom all officers, civil and military, are required to endeavor to

low-citizens, nnd pointedly avoid every species of spoliation on the property of the inhabitants.

"The officers comorawling fatigue parties are particularly directed not to suffer the sugar or other trees producing fruit or comfort tu the farmer to be cut down for building, or any other purpose whatever. The burning of fencing, where there is such an abundance of fuel so easily procured, is strictly forbid, aod a violence offered to the person or depredation on the property of any individual by the soldiery will be punished in the most exemplary and summary manner.

" DANIEL MORGAN."

apprehend and bring to justice, to wit : [ Here follows the list of excepted persons, given below.]

" Provided,-That no person who shall hereafter wilfully obstruct the execution of any of the laws of the United States, or be in anywise aiding or abetting therein, shall be entitled to any benefit or advantage of the pardon hereinbefore granted; and provided, also, that nothing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to the remission or mitigation of any forfeiture of any penalty incurred by reason of infractions of, or obstructions to, the laws of the United States for collecting a revenue upon distilled spirits and stills.

"Given under my hand, at Head Quarters in Eliz- abeth Town, this twenty-ninth day of November, 1794. HENRY LEE.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 40

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1314

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1314