USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 29
USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of Lancaster and York Counties > Part 29
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It's rumored that the enemy have evacuated Rhode Island, and are drawing all their force to one focus. If this should be the case, as we have grounds to think it is,
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they will be too powerful for us in the field, unless great and speedy supplies be thrown in. It therefore becomes the duty of the state to make an immediate and effectual exertion to complete her quota of men ; but whilst this is doing, let me entreat you, sir, not to neglect. providing the linen over-alls and other clothing, to enable us to take the field with some eclat, which will add both spirit and health to your troops ; for you may rest assured nine out of ten deaths and desertions, in this army, are owing to dirt and nakedness.
I have the happiness to inform your excellency that the troops of this state enjoy a much greater share of health than any other post of the army, and I pledge my reputation to keep them so, on condition that I can be provided with linen and other clothing.
It's to you, sir, that we look up to for those matters- and in this case we consider you as our common father. Adieu, my dear sir, and believe me
Yours, most sincerely,
ANT'Y WAYNE.
To his excellency, Governor Thomas Wharton, Esq., Lancaster :
Mountjoy, April 10th, 1778.
Dear sir :- Agreeable to your desire, I have ordered up an additional number of recruiting officers, who are well recommended for their industry and sobriety, and who I wish were tolerated to enlist in any quarter where it is most probable they may meet with success ; as con- fining them to particular counties will rather retard than expedite the recruiting service. I communicated your idea to his excellency, of constantly employing some officers in that: business, in order to keep the regiment and corps complete, which meet his warmest approba- tion, and he requests, through me, that your excellency
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would adopt so salutary a measure, as it is of the first consequence to have veterans, in place of raw raised troops, which will always be the case if the recruiting. business is put off till the spring of the year; and then the time is so short that we can't hope either to complete- or maneuvre our corps before they take the field. L. wish your excellency to order the recruits to be clothed. and appointed before they leave Lancaster, as they can't be supplied here, the sixteen additional regiments, and the Carolina troops being ordered to be supplied previous to any others, so that we have little prospect of receiving any benefit from the Clothier general's store in this quarter ; and although tolerable with regard to shoes, stockings and hats, we are but wretchedly provided in other respects, particularly as to shirts. I do assure your excellency that there are near one-third of my men that have no kind of shirts under heaven; and scarcely a. man in the division with more than one, nor have I been able to draw any during this whole winter. For God's sake endeavor to do something for us; the season has now arrived that requires every attention to keep the troops healthy, and nothing will be more conducive to it than clean linen; in this article we are in a worse con- dition than any troops on the ground; now worse than Falstaff's recruits-they had a shirt and a half to a com- pany. You will pardon me for dwelling so long on this subject, but upon my soul I cannot help it ; my feelings as a man are so much hurt by the complainings and misery of the poor fellows, who have no shirts at all, that I can have no peace of mind until they are provided. .
A quantity of superfine cloth, and about 12 or 1500 yards of linens and cloths were purchased by Colonel Miller, and left in the hands of Mr. Jacob Eichelberger at York, for the use of our troops; will you be kind
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enough to order Mr. Howell to send for it, lest other troops should receive the benefit of that which we are so much in want of.
A woman who has been in Philadelphia for three or four days, and this moment returned, says that the gen- eral report there is, that in the course of two weeks the enemy intend to take the field; but at the quarters of some principal officers they have frequently been over- heard talking in a desponding style, and that they can't move until they receive reinforcements, with severe sarcasms against their generals. Who they wish to be recalled, and who I hope will not, until we have an opportunity to Burgoyne him ; but this will depend upon the exertion of the states; at present he out numbers us, and by the last accounts New England is so absorbed in accumulating wealth, that they have become totally insensible to our sufferings and danger, and sunk into a torpid supineness, from which it is difficult to rouse them.
I am your excellency's most obedient And very humble servant,
By order of General Wayne.
BEN. FISHBURN, A. D. C. To his excellency Thomas Wharton, Esq., Lancaster : Mountjoy, 16th April, 1778.
Dear sir :- Mr. Donaldson of York, who will deliver you this letter, has been kind enough to offer his services in procuring shirts for our troops. He thinks that he could supply us with three or four hundred in a week, and that he has linnen now on hand sufficient to make six hundred, and that he can procure a large quantity if properly empowered and supplied with cash.
The necessitous situation of our troops, for want of shirts, justify any manner, and requires every exertion to procure our immediate supply.
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I therefore wish your excellency to give Mr. Donald- son power for that purpose. We shall certainly want in the whole 9000 shirts, and 9000 pair of overalls.
I herewith transmit you the returns of the two Brigades of Pennsylvania troops, under my command-the sick now in company contained in the returns, have been laid up for want of clothing, except in a few instances ; there is scarcely one of them that has a shirt. I shall order a general return of the whole Pennsylvania line to be made out, which I shall transmit next week.
Interim I am with every esteem,
Your excellency's most obedient And very humble servant,
ANT'Y WAYNE.
To his excellency Thomas Wharton, Esq., Lancaster : Mountjoy, 18th April, 1778.
Dear sir :- Colonel Butler of the 9th Pennsylvania regi- ment, among other business, wants clothing for his regi- ment. I wish him to be indulged if it can be done without prejudice to the other part of the line.
I have procured from Mr. Zantzinger, since November last, about five hundred and fifty coats, two hundred waistcoats, three hundred and eighty pair of breeches, and an equal number of stockings, about one hundred pair of shoes, and several hundred hats; these have been distributed among nine regiments, and has only in part clothed about one fourth of them. All the clothing as yet furnished by this state, has been distributed between the 3d, 6th, 9th, 12th and 13th, which I believe is rather more than came to the share of the other nine. I there- fore wish all such clothing as may be ready to be sent together, and I will undertake to see impartial justice done to the whole, for I believe no one at present is better off for them than another, except Colonel Stewart
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and Colonel Hartly, which are well clothed; most of the others are in a wretched condition.
I am your excellency's humble servant,
ANT'Y WAYNE.
Fearful their deliberations might be interrupted, while in session at Philadelphia, Congress resolved to remove from Philadelphia. " On the 18th of September, 1777, Congress sat as usual, and after having fulfilled the regu- lar hours of daily service, adjourned to 10 o'clock the next morning, but during the adjournment the president received a letter from Colonel Hamilton, one of General Washington's aids, which intimated the necessity of Con- gress leaving their place of deliberation. The members resolved at once to repair to Lancaster, where they arrived on the 27th of September, the very day when Sir William Howe entered Philadelphia, and took peace- able possession of it.
The treasury books, papers, money, &c. were carried from Philadelphia to Bristol, thence by Reading to Lan- caster. This circuitous route was to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy, who were at that time still in Chester county, where, a few days previous, the battle of Brandywine had been fought.
Congress met, but fearful that Lancaster was too easily accessible to the enemy, they determined the broad Sus- quehanna should flow between them and the enemy .- They adjourned the same day of their first meeting to York. The first day of their session at York was the 30th September, 1777 ; here Congress remained till June 27, 1778, when they adjourned to meet at the State House in Philadelphia .*
Though the conflict continued long, the ardor of the citizens of Lancaster county did not abate in opposing *His. York county.
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encroachments upon their rights, no matter from what source they anticipated them. Action, vigilance and union of efforts, seemed to have been their motto on all occasions of apprehended or real danger.
A circular was issued at Hanover, now Dauphin county, November 28, 1782, calling a meeting at Man- heim, to take into consideration measures touching their jeoparded liberties, as it was then thought. We give the circular and proceedings :
Dear sir :- The officers and representatives of the ninth battalion of Lancaster county militia, upon consultation, have concluded from the present complexion of the present House of Assembly, that the constitution and liberty of the State are at stake in some measure; and sensible of the importance of what has caused us so much blood and treasure, we have thought it incumbent upon us to exert ourselves for their preservation, as far as our influence extends, and to warn all who would wish to be free from the dangers that seem to impend, not doubting at the same time but you are ready to take the alarm, as you must be sensible of the same danger.
We do not think it necessary to multiply words, tending to inspire your spirit, for we are of opinion you possess the same, and have been only waiting to know the senti- ments of your fellow friends of Liberty. Let us not then coolly and simply suffer any of our rights to be taken from us by any men, especially as our constitution invests us with full power to oppose any such attempt .- Perhaps our fears are groundless ; but in case of appar- ent danger, which undoubtedly is our present case, a wise man will be on his guard; and therefore let us meet at Manheim, on the 15th day of January next, in order that we may mutually contrive such measures as may have a
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tendency to preserve our good and inestimable constitu- tion, and our dear Independence and sweet Liberty.
Be active and do not fail to fulfil our request.
JOHN ROGERS, Colonel.
To the Colonels of Lancaster county militia.
Hanover, November 28th, 1782.
MILITIA MEETING.
Present : Colonel Thomas Edwards, colonel Ziegler, colonel Lowry, majors Cook, Kelly, Hays and Hare, colonel Ross, Mr. Chambers, captain Ewing, captain J. Hubley, colonel Rogers, Mr. Clark, captain Laird, colo- nel Elder.
On motion, colonel Rogers was unanimously chosen chairman, and captain Joseph Hubley, secretary.
Colonel Rogers made a neat and appropriate speech, explaining the objects of the meeting, that a rumor was in circulation calculated to do much injury: " That the President* of the State of Pennsylvania was hostile to the independence of America."
On motion, this question was put to each battalion : Is it the opinion of the members present, that they approve of the appointment of John Dickinson, Esq. as President of the State of Pennsylvania, or not? Answer: The members of the second battalion are of opinion that a better choice of a President could not be made.
Colonel Ziegler, same opinion; seventh battalion, same; eighth battalion, same; ninth battalion: we hope the
*The persons who presided over the Executive council of Pennsylvania, from 1779 to 1790, were styled Presidents. The first under the constitution of 1779, was Thomas Wharton ; second, Joseph Read; third, John Dickinson ; fourth, Benja- min Franklin ; fifth, Thomas Mifflin. In 1790, a new constitu- tion was adopted. Thomas Mifflin was elected governor, Octo- ber 12th 1790.
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Assembly have made a good choice, and if they have we thank them. Colonel Elder agrees in opinion with the ninth. .
Resolved, unanimously, That the people have a right to assemble together for their common good, to instruct our Representatives, and to apply to the Legislature for redress of grievances, by address, petition, or remon- A strance.
Resolved, unanimously, That in opinion of the deputies from the different battalions now met, that the complex- ion of the present House of Assembly is such that we have no reason to doubt that the independence and con- stitution of this state are safe, and that we highly approve of his excellency, John Dickinson, Esq. as President.
Resolved, unanimously, That we approve of colonel Rogers calling this meeting, as it has tended to remove doubts and unjust charges that were in circulation to the disadvantage of his excellency, the President of this state, and two of our members of Congress, James Wilson and John Montgomery, Esquires; and we conceive such meetings have a tendency to suppress false and malicious reports, and that thereby virtue may meet with its just reward, and vice be depicted in its true deformity.
Signed, JOHN ROGERS, chairman.
J. HUBLEY, secretary.
Manheim, June 15th, 1783.
For the want of space, we are obliged to close, imper- fect as it is, the sketch of some of those incidents which occurred in this county during the Revolution, by noti- cing some of the surviving Revolutionary soldiers, natives of this county.
Still a few of the patriotic Revolutionary veterans are living. Of this number is Mr. Philip Meck, of West Lampeter township, now in his 87th year. At the age
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of nineteen, he entered under Captain George Grove, the service of his country. He belonged to the "Flying Camp," established on a resolution of Congress, passed June 3, 1776, and consisted of ten thousand militia, whereof Pennsylvania furnished 6,000, Maryland 3,400, and Delaware 600. Meck was in several engage- ments. He was in the bloody engagement on Long Island, August 27, 1776, where Lord Percy and Grant commanded the British and Hessians, and a division of the American army was commanded by General Putnam. At the White Plains, October 28, 1776, and at Fort Wash- ington, November 1776. It was here Hezekiah Davis, one of the lieutenants in the Flying camp of Pennsylva- nia, was made prisoner, and held in captivity till Decem- ber, 1780. After this engagement, M. went to New Brunswick, and at the expiration of his tour of six months, was dismissed. The sufferings he endured were many ; and it is remarkable to see him now, far advan- ced in life, to enjoy unusual health, and the full possession of all his mental faculties. Mr. Meck was born in Lan- caster county.
John Gantner, born in Lancaster, July 4th, 1761. At the age of 17 enlisted in the service of the state of Penn- sylvania, under the command of Captain John Hubley ; under whose command he marched to Shamokin, and several other places. After sustaining the hardships of a winter campaign, he returned to Lancaster and was dis- charged. He afterward joined Colonel Armand's corps; was two years in the service of his country as a United States regular, and after many skirmishes, fatiguing marches, &c. he was honorably discharged. Mr. Gant- ner was a private in Captain Sharp's company of dragoons, and was on his march to Yorktown, when intelligence was received of the capture of Lord Corn-
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wallis ; they did not proceed to the place of destination.
George Leonard, also a native of this county, born September 13, 1758, enlisted in 1776 under Captain Mat- thew M'Donald in Philadelphia, having, however, served nearly two months before as a militia man. He was nearly three years in the service, and in several battles, viz : at Trenton, Germantown, Princeton.
Peter Mauerer, born June 13. 1757, volunteered in 1776, under Captain John Henry, went to Philadelphia, Trenton, and Elizabethtown, N. J. After a tour of two months, he returned to Lancaster, and late in the fall, under his former captain, went to Philadelphia, thence to Burlington, Trenton and Elizabethtown, where they united with the main army in winter quarters-helped to build a fort. After serving a second tour, returned to Lancaster, and aided in guarding Hessian and other pris- oners, where rising of two thousand were kept. When the Hessian prisoners were taken to New York to be exchanged for American prisoners, Peter Mauerer was one of those who accompanied them. He saw Washing+ ton and La Fayette frequently during the war; and in 1824 dined with La Fayette at Lancaster.
Peter Shindle, born April 29th, 1760, was also in the Revolutionary service. He went in the capacity of a fifer, in July 1776, under Captain Andrew Graaf, of Colo- nel George Ross' regiment ; and in September, 1777, under Captain Stoever, of Greenawalt's regiment. He was promoted to brigade fife major. He was present at the battle of Brandywine and Germantown. He went out a third time under Captain William Wertz; and in 1778, he volunteered to aid taking the Hessian prisoners of Lancaster to Philadelphia, in Captain App's company.
Jacob Hoover, of the city of Lancaster, enlisted in the war of the Revolution in the year 1776, under captain
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Bull of Carlisle ; and was in the battle of Long Island, August, 1776; battle of Brandywine, Germantown, Trenton and Monmouth, and several small skirmishes, and was regularly discharged in the year 1779, in Phila- delphia.
In a preceding part of our book, we noticed David Dieffenderfer and others. See page 207.
NOTES .- The winter of 1780, is denominated the " The Hard Winter." Ice was from 16 to 19 inches thick-frost penetrated the ground from 4 to 5 feet. During this winter the ears of the horned cattle, and the feet of hogs exposed to the air, were frost bitten. Squirrels perished in their holes, and partriges were often found dead .- Haz. 2; 379.
In 1781, Methodist ministers first visited Lancaster county ; and in 1782, what was then called "Lancaster circuit," was formed, and the Rev. William Partridge appointed to it as minister. It then contained seventy members of society ; the Methodist Episcopal Church not yet having been organized .- Among the early ministers who preached in the county, may be named : Reverends William Glendening, W. Jesup, Isaac Robertson, W. Hunter, J. P. Chandler and Simon Miller, a native of the county .- Goheen.
In 1782, John F. Mifflin, John Wilks Kittera and George Thompson, were admitted at the bar of Lancaster, to practice law.
Members of Assembly for Lancaster county for 1777 :- Cur- tis Grubb, Matthias Slough, George Ross and James Webb. 1778, John Gillchrist, Curtis Grubb, Alexander Lowrey, John Smiley, James Anderson, William Brown. 1779, James An- derson, John Smiley, John Gillchrist, Christopher Kucher, James Cunningham, William Brown, sen., Emanuel Carpen- ter, jr., William Porter. 1780. John Whitehill, Emanuel Car- penter, Jacob Cook, Christopher Kucher, James Anderson, Adam Reigart, James Cowden, Alexander Lowrey, Matthias Slough, James Jacks. 178], John Whitchill, Christopher Kucher, Jacob Cook, Jacob Carpenter, Abraham Scott, James Jacks, Matthias Slough, William Brown, Jacob Krug, James Mercer, James Porter. 1782, Joseph Montgomery, Christo-
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pher Kucher, John Whitehill, Samuel John Atlee, Abraham Scott, James Jacks, John Craig, Matthias Slough, Curtis Grubb, William Brown, James Mercer. 1783, Abraham Scott, William Brown, James Mercer, John Craig, Matthias Slough, Joseph Work, Adam Orth, Adam Hubley, Jacob Cook, William Parr, Robert Coleman,
CHAPTER X.
Lancaster county after the Revolution-Germans, and those of German extraction ; views on education-Franklin College established-First board of Trustees-Reichenbach ; New Jerusalem Church; the twelve articles received by that church-Improvements great in the county- Columbia laid out-Lancaster city, seat of government-Late war; means of Lancaster county, Notes of variety.
LANCASTER county, in common with other counties of this state, and the United States in general, during the struggle of the Revolution, paid but little attention to endowing and sustaining schools of advanced standing. In this county, education for many years fell far short of the wealth and leisure the citizens had to bestow upon the education of their sons and daughters, beyond that of a common school education. The citizens of this county, principally Germans, have always entertained peculiar views touching "college learning ;" they ever preferred being taxed to make ample provision for the erection of poorhouses and hospitals, and the maintenance of the unfortunate and poor, and cheerfully to pay towards educating the children of the indigent, than to aid in building college edifices, and endowing professorships .- Shortly after the close of the Revolution, the subject of education in this county received a new impulse.
In the year 1787, a number of citizens of this state, of German birth and extraction, in conjunction with others,
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from a desire to increase and perpetuate the blessings derived to them from the possession of property and a free government, applied to the Legislature for a charter of incorporation and a donation of lands, for the purpose of establishing and endowing a college and charity school in the borough of Lancaster. Their petition was granted; a board of trustees, as a corporate body, was established, styled, in honor of his excellency, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Esq., " The trustees of Franklin college, in the borough and county of Lancaster."
The first board of trustees were: the honorable Thomas Mifflin, Hon. Thomas M'Kean, Rev. John H. C. Hel- muth, Rev. Casper Weiburg, Rev. Henry Muhlenberg, Rev. William Hendell, Rev. Nicholas Kurz, Rev. George Troldiener, Rev. John Herbst, Rev. Joseph Hutchins, Rev. Fred. Weyland, Rev. Albertus Helfenstein, Rev. W. Ingold, Rev. Jacob Van Buskirk, Rev. Abraham Blumer, Rev. Fred. Dalecker, Rev. C. E. Schultz, Rev. F. V. Meltzheimer, Messrs. John Hubley, Joseph Hiester, Cas- per Schaffner, Peter Hooffnagle, Christopher Crawford, Paul Zantzinger, Adam Hubley, Adam Reigart, Jasper Yeates, Stephen Chambers, Robert Morris, George Cly- mer, Philip Wagner, William Bingham, William Hamil- ton, William Rawle, Lewis Farmer, Christopher Kucher, Philip Groenwaldt, Michael Hahn, George Stake, sen., John Musser.
Franklin college was located in North Queen street, known for many years as "The old store house," now as "Franklin row .* The college was opened for the instruction of youth, in the German, English, Latin, Greek and other learned languages; in Theology, and in the useful arts, sciences and literature. It remained in a
*The compiler occupies (1843) one of the apartments of "Franklin row."
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flourishing condition for several years; owing, however, to some defect in the charter, and the pecuniary resources of the trustees failing, it was suspended .*
Among the first teachers of this institution was William Reichenbach, a native of Saxony, a man of classical attainments. In 1785, he left Germany; immediately on his arrival at Lancaster, was appointed professor of mathematics and German literature. About the same time Henry Von Buelow, a native of Prussia, a German nobleman, who had in his juvenile years adopted the military profession, visited America and spent some time in Lancaster. Buelow had embraced the peculiar views of Em. Swedenborg,t and with a view to disseminate
*See chapter XI on education.
¡These views being so peculiar and not generally known, we here devote a small space to presenting the leading doc- trines of the New Jerusalem Church. The founder of this church was Emanuel Swedenborg, son of a bishop of Skara. Emanuel was born 1689, at Stockholm. He was, it is admitted by all, a learned and pious man. He died in 1772.
The following twelve articles are received by the New Jeru- salem church :
I. THAT JEHOVAH GOD, the Creatorand Preserver of heaven and earth, is Love Itselfand Wisdom Itself, or Good Itself and Truth Itself: That he is One both in Essence and in Person, in whom, nevertheless, is the Divine Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which are the Essential Divinity, the Divine Humanity, and the Divine Proceeding, answering to the soul, the body, and the operative energy in man: And that the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is that God.
II. That JEHOVAH GOD himself descended from heaven, as Divine Truth, which is the Word, and took upon him Human Nature for the purpose of removing from man the power of hell, and restoring to order all things in the spiritual world, and all things in the church: That he removed from man the powers of hell, by combats against and victories over themn ; in which consisted the great work of Redemption: That by
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