USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. I > Part 24
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John Shuler, teamster in Count Pulaski's Legion; resided in Lehigh county in 1826.
Daniel Roth, enlisted as a private April 10, 1777, in Capt. Jost Dreisbach's company of Von Otten- dorff's Corps; killed at Germantown, aged 18. (Son of Daniel Roth, of Whitehall township).
John Koehler, enlisted in Von Ottendorff's Corps, March 1, 1777 ; discharged at Wyoming Sept. 1, 1780; resided in Whitehall township.
Up to this time the government of Pennsyl- vania had been in the hands of the various com- mittees. On May 15, 1776, Congress recom- mended the adoption of such government "as shall, in the opinion of the representatives of the people, best conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular, and America in general." Public meetings discussing the question were held in every county. On May 27, 1776, a meeting of the Associators belonging to the Second Battalion, and others, all inhabit- ants of Northampton county, consisting of about 900 men, was held near Lawrence Good's planta- tion, in Whitehall township and Major Philip Boehm was unanimously chosen Chairman. The proceedings of this interesting meeting are pre- served and are here given:
"The Resolve of Congress on the 15th inst. being read, was unanimously approved of. The Protest of the 20th instant, of divers inhabitants of this Province in behalf of themselves and others, to the honorable the Representatives of Pennsylvania, being read, was unanimously ap- proved. It being moved and the question there- upon put, whether the present Government is competent to the exigencies of our affairs? The same was carried in the negative unanimously.
"Resolved, unanimously, that a Provincial Con- vention ought to be chosen by the people, for the express purpose of carrying the said Resolve of Congress into execution.
"Resolved, unanimously, that a reasonable num- ber of the Committee of Northampton county be appointed (by the Committee) to meet a num-
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ber from the other county Committees at Phila- delphia, the 18th day of next month, to hold a Provincial conference, in order to determine upon the number of which the Convention for framing a new Government shall be composed, and the manner in which they shall be elected.
"Resolved, unanimously, that the Chairman be directed to sign these Resolves on behalf of this present assembly.
"Resolved, unanimously, that we will support the measures now adopted at all hazards, be the consequences what they may.
"PHILIP BOEHM, Chairman."
This large and enthusiastic gathering of pat- riots was followed three days later by a meeting of the General Committee of the county on May 30th, at Easton, when the members from the present Lehigh county territory, some of whom were newly elected, were :
Upper Saucon-George Blank and Jacob Mo- rey.
Salisbury-David Deshler and John Gerhart. Whitehall-John Griesemer and Peter Koh- ler.
Macungie-John Wetzel, George Breinig and John Fogel. Upper Milford-Andrew Engelman and Frederick Limbach.
Weisenburg-Daniel Knauss.
Lowhill-Abraham Knerr and George Knad- ler.
Lynn-Thomas Everett, George Harmony and Anthony Opp.
Heidelberg-John Hunsicker and William Kern.
Peter Beisel, one of the three committee men from Allen township, lived in that part of Allen which is now Hanover township:
Robert Levers, Esq., of Hamilton township, was chosen Chairman. The same resolves of Congress which were read at the meeting of May 27th were read and after mature consideration it was unanimously resolved that six members of the committee be nominated to meet deputies from the other counties to agree upon a mode of electing members for a Provincial Convention, "for the express purpose of forming and estab- lishing a new Government, under the authority of the people only, for the preservation of in- ternal peace, virtue and good order, as well as for the defence of their lives, liberties and prop- erties.'
Robert Levers, John Wetzel, Nicholas Dupui, Neigal Gray, David Deshler and Benjamin Du- pui were appointed the six members to represent Northampton county at the Provincial Confer- ence of Committees held at Carpenters' Hall,
Philadelphia, on June 18th and in session until June 25, 1776. Col. Thomas Mckean was chosen President.
This Conference passed a resolution that every associator of the age of twenty-one years or over, who shall have lived one year in the province and paid either provincial or county tax should be entitled to vote for members of the convention. It was also resolved that every person qualified to vote for representatives in assembly, be en- titled to vote for members of the convention, pro- vided he shall first take the following test oath :
“I, , do declare that I do not hold myself bound to bear allegiance to George the Third, King of Great Britain, &c., and that I will not, by any means, di- rectly or indirectly, oppose the es- tablishment of a free government in this province, by the convention now to be chosen; nor the meas- ures adopted by the congress, against the tyranny attempted to be established in these colonies by the court of Great Britain."
It was further resolved by the conference, that the city of Philadelphia and each county should be represented in the convention by eight repre- sentatives, the election for whom to be held on Monday, July 8, 1776. Each county was divided into election districts. Northampton County was divided into four districts, the second of which included "Northampton, Saltsburg, Up- per Saucon, Upper Milford, Maccongy, Weisen- berg, Lynn, Whitehall and Heidelberg," the elec- tion to be held at Allen's town. The judges of election of the second district were John Ger- hart, David Deshler and George Breinig.
On the eighth of July, the day on which the Declaration of Independence was first read in the State House yard in Philadelphia by John Nixon in the presence of a large body of people, the members of the first Constitutional Conven- tion of Pennsylvania were elected. It was on this same day, July 8th, 1776, that the Declara- tion of Independence was read at the Court House at Easton by Robert Levers, while the town was filled with companies of soldiers, marching to the music of drum and fife to join General Washington. The men elected in Northampton county were Simon Dreisbach, Jacob Arndt, Peter Rhoads, Peter Burkhalter. Jacob Stroud, Neigal Gray, Abraham Miller and John Ralston. Of these Peter Rhoads was a resident of Allentown and Peter Burkhalter of Whitehall township.
The delegates to this convention were repre-
I26
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
sentative men of the state,-men selected for their ability, patriotism and personal popularity. They met at the State House in Philadelphia on July 15, 1776, and were in session until Sep- tember 28th.
In June, 1776, Continental Congress re- quested the province of Pennsylvania to raise 6,000 militia to be a part of a flying camp of 10,000 men. These men were to be engaged until the Ist of December, and when in service were to be regularly paid and victualled in the same manner as the continental troops. Their pay was to commence from the day of their marching from home and they were allowed one penny a mile, in lieu of rations, for travelling expenses.
The Provincial conference, on June 14, 1776, recommended that 4,500 of the militia be formed into six battalions, which, with the 1,500 men already in the service of the province, would be the quota of 6,000 required by Congress.
The number of militia required from North- ampton county out of the 4,500 was 346 men. Major John Bayard, Dr. Benjamin Rush and Capt. Jonathan B. Smith, were appointed a com- mittee to prepare an address to the associators on the subject of raising 4,500 men. They pre- pared the following admirable address, which was unanimously agreed to by the conference on June 25, 1776, on which day their session ended.
THE ADDRESS OF THE DEPUTIES OF THE COM- MITTEES OF PENNSYLVANIA, ASSEMBLED IN PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE, AT PHILADEL- PHIA, JUNE 25, 1776.
"To the Associators of Pennsylvania:
"Gentlemen: The only design of our meeting together was to put an end to our own power in the province, by fixing upon a plan for calling a convention to form a government under the authority of the people. But the sudden and unexpected separation of the late assembly has compelled us to undertake the execution of a resolve of congress, for calling forth 4,500 of the militia of the province to join the militia of the neighboring colonies, to form a camp for our immediate protection. We presume only to recommend the plan we have formed to you, trusting that in case of so much consequence your love of virtue, and zeal for liberty will supply the want of authority delegated to us expressly for that purpose.
"We need not remind you that you are now furnished with new motives to animate and sup- port your courage. You are not about to con- tend against the power of Great Britain in order to displace one set of villians, to make room for
another. Your arms will not be enervated in the day of battle, with the reflection that you are to risk your lives, or shed your blood for a British tyrant, or that your posterity will have your work to do over again. You are about to contend for permanent freedom, to be supported by a government which will be derived from yourselves, and which will have for its object, not the emolument of one man, or class of men only, but the safety, liberty and happiness of every individual in the community.
"We call upon you therefore by the respect and obedience which are due to the authority of the United Colonies, to concur in this important measure. The present campaign will probably decide the fate of America. It is now in your power to immortalize your names, by mingling your achievements with the events of the year 1776-a year which we hope will be famed in the annals of history to the end of time, for es- tablishing upon a lasting foundation the liberties of one-quarter of the globe.
"Remember the honor of our Colony is at stake. Should you desert the common cause at the present juncture, the glory you have acquired by your former exertions of strength and virtue will be tarnished, and our friends and brethern who are now acquiring laurels in the most re- mote parts of America will reproach us and blush to own themselves natives or inhabitants of Penn- sylvania.
"But there are other motives before you- your houses, your fields, the legacies of your ancestors, or the dear bought fruits of your own industry and your liberty-now urge you to the field. These cannot plead with you in vain, or we might point out to you further, your wives, your children, your aged fathers and mothers, who now look up to you for aid, and hope for salvation in this day of calamity only from the instrumentality of your swords. Remember the name of Pennsylvania. Think of your ancestors and of your posterity.
"Signed by unanimous order of the Conference, "THOMAS MCKEAN, President."
This urgent appeal aroused the people and the work of recruiting went on rapidly. Four com- panies of men, forming the First Battalion of Northampton county, the company officers of which were commissioned July 9, 1776, were formed from the associators of the county and put under command of Colonel Hart, with Peter Kichline of Easton, as Lieutenant Colonel and Michael Bobst of Weisenburg township, who had served under General Stanwix in 1758-59 as Major.
The Battalion marched to New Jersey and
-
I27
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
was stationed at Perth Amboy. Colonel Bax- ter appears to have been in command, but in the battle of Long Island, Lieutenant Colonel Kich- line was in command.
The Captains in command of the four com- panies were John Arndt, from near Easton, Henry Hagenbuch, Nicholas Kern of Towamen- sing township, and Timothy Jayne.
Captain Henry Hagenbuch was a resident of Allentown, where he died April 20, 1805. His company left Allentown on July 30, 1776, and the Bethlehem Moravian Diary of that date says: "One hundred and twenty recruits from Allentown and vicinity passed through, on their way to the Flying Camp in the Jerseys, to which our county has been called on to contribute 346 men. Every volunteer is entitled to a bounty of three pounds."
The First Lieutenant was John Moritz, of Whitehall and the Second Lieutenant, Godfrey Meyer, who was taken prisoner at Fort Wash- ington, November 16, 1776. Jacob Mummey, the ensign, was also captured at Fort Washing- ton.
Hagenbuch's company was at Perth Amboy on August 6, 1776, when the muster of the com- pany was as follows:
MUSTER ROLL IN THE SECOND BATTAL- ION OF ASSOCIATORS IN THE COUNTY OF NORTHAMPTON AND PROVINCE OF PENNSYLVANIA, WHICH IS TO COMPOSE PART OF THE FLYING CAMP OF TEN THOUSAND MEN, COMMANDED BY COL- ONEL HART AND IN CAPTAIN HENRY HAGENBUCH'S COMPANY, AUGUST 6TH, 1776. AMBOY.
CAPTAIN. Henry Hagenbuch. LIEUTENANTS.
John Moritz.
Godfrey Meyer.
ENSIGN. Jacob Mummey.
SERGEANTS.
James Preston. Christopher Harndon.
Peter France. Abraham Woodring.
CORPORALS.
Nicholas Grossman. August Essinger. Michael Hearts.
Jacob Kern.
DRUMMER. Michael Nagel.
PRIVATES.
Philip Briner. Abraham Servitz. Philip Geres. Barnet Miller. Frederick Tittle.
Valentine Shoemaker.
Enrick Nunamaker. Peter Caubel.
John Young.
Jacob Stickel.
Andres Doremine.
Stuffel Nickart.
Peter Buck.
William Waggoner.
Peter Headmyer.
David Eccor.
Barnet Hillabird.
Daniel Boger.
George Grove. Joseph Linkenhouse.
William Kitchen.
John Michael.
Valentine Bear.
Peter Frawley.
Christian Hagenger.
Michael Shaller.
Peter Miller.
Jacob Yencer.
William Worthington.
Jacob Sheap.
Michael Kelkner.
Peter Poaixter.
Leonard Foore.
Peter Ward.
Adam Boger.
Lutwick Eddinger.
William Litsenbarer.
John Donkel.
Nicholas Kline.
Daniel Sneider.
Dewald Miller.
John Mace.
William Coleman.
Nicholas Morets.
Antony Swartwood.
John Shivenstine.
Frederick Shull.
George Christ.
Andres Cupp.
Christian Briner.
George Cupp.
Stuffel Beacle.
John Mier.
Matthias Licer.
Michael Grove.
George Bower.
Henry Eiler.
Henry Reinhard.
Peter Morets.
Henry Luts (taken pris- William Rees. oner at Long Island). Martin Greaves.
Lawrence Cranovel.
James Dean.
Stuffel Neihart.
Jacob Swab.
Andres Brunner.
Peter Shul.
Conrad Fried.
Reinhart Brunner.
Henry Deal.
George Briner.
Paul Boyer.
John Tittle.
William Lougner. Barnet Stroup.
Dewalt Frank
Adam Thomas.
George Bash.
Samuel Wert.
Henry Brinicke.
Martin Andres.
Henry Fogel.
Martin Myer.
John Blackmore.
Henry Sneider.
Henry France.
HENRY HAGENBUCH, Capt. GODFREY MYER, Lieut.
Mustered then in Capt. Hagenbuch's Company : One captain, two lieutenants, one ensign, four ser- geants, four corporals, one drummer, one hundred and four privates.
The above is a true copy of the original Muster Roll in my hands.
JON'A B. SMITH.
Lieutenant Colonel Kichlein's Battalion was stationed on the extreme right of the American forces on August 26, 1776, with a part of Col- onel Lutz's Battalion, of Berks county. Col- onel Miles' Riflemen formed the extreme left, in front of the village of Flatbush, Long Island. The centre was composed of Colonel Atlee's Musketry battalion, and the Delaware and Maryland troops. The corps numbered less than 5,000 men under Gen. Sullivan. The British forces consisted of 2,000 men under Gen. Grant, 8,000 Hessians under Gen. DeHiester and 8,000 men under Clinton, Cornwallis and Percy.
George Shave. Jacob Miller. Peter Treax. John Hutvey. George Brong. Conrad Knouse. Peter Sheatz. Jacob Knar.
Michael Bowman. John Sneider. Frederick Rupar.
Jacob Yeagle.
John Rough. John Cup. David Wyan.
John Miller.
.
Ludwick Cup.
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Early on the morning of August 27, 1776, the battle of Long Island was begun by a force of British troops who surrounded and captured the outpost after a short fight. The British General Grant then attacked the American right and the Hessians and Grant's Highlanders en- gaged the front. Part of Col. Miles' troops were surrounded and compelled to surrender, and in the sudden onslaught of the British, num- bering four times the American forces, there was great danger of the annihilation of the greater part of the American forces, when Kichline's men, with part of Lutz's and Atlee's commands stemmed the tide sufficiently to allow the de- moralized troops to rally under the guns of Gen- eral Putnam's fortifications.
In this critical moment the men from North- ampton, the majority sons of the hardy German pioneers, were true to their Teuton stock and stood fast.
General Washington said of them: "The readiness with which the militia of Pennsylvania have shown in engaging in the service of their country at an inclement season of the year, when my army was reduced to a handful of men, and our affairs were in the most critical situation, does great honor to them."
The same troops were in the engagement at Fort Washington on Nov. 16th, and out of ninety-two men commanded by Capt. Arndt be- fore the battle of Long Island, but thirty-three rallied at Elizabethtown, N. J., on Nov. 17th. The records of the losses of Capt. Hagenbuch's company have not been preserved.
John Hancock, President of Congress, sent a letter to the Convention on July 22nd, requesting an increase of the quota of the state in the Flying Camp of four battalions. On August 12, 1776, the Convention approved of the report of the committee to which the matter had been referred and 2,984 additional men were ordered to be en- listed, of which Northampton county's quota was 278 men, the bounty for whom amounting to £834, was paid by Michael Hillegas, the treas- urer, to Col. Gray and Major Arndt.
In the meantime, the frontier of Northampton county was threatened by and exposed to Indian incursions, and the convention ordered the mili- tia of Northampton not to march into Jersey, as then the county would be unprotected.
Several companies for the second quota were formed and went into service. The local com- mittee of the county recommended John Santee, Christian Fisher, Stephen Balliet and Peter Rundio for the captaincies of the several com- panies.
Captain Rundio's company went into service
and was in the battle of Fort Washington on November 16th, when Ensign Isaac Shimer, com- missioned July 9, 1776, was taken prisoner. He was promoted to Third Lieutenant in Captain Arndt's company and in a muster roll of the company his death on January 14, 1777, is noted. Others in Rundio's company were Jacob Moritz, died Dec. 28, 1776; John Diffenderfer, died Dec. 29, 1776; John Frantz, Jacob Neyhart, and Michael Clase.
Few of the muster rolls of this period can be found and those in existence are not complete. Captain George Graff, of Allentown, was in command of a company of the Flying Camp from June to December, 1776, as the United States records show, but his muster roll is mis- sing. Captain Adam Stahler was also in com- mand of a company of the Flying Camp.
The Constitutional Convention on Sept. 14, 1776, passed an ordinance ordaining that every non-associator, or person who did not enroll in the militia, between the ages of sixteen and fifty, pay the sum of twenty shillings every month, as long as he so continued, and at the rate of four shillings per month on the annual value of his estate. This money was to be used for the sup- port of the families of poor associators or for assisting the widows and children of such as were killed. All persons over fifty years of age, who were exempt from military duty, were required to pay the four shillings tax likewise. Any per- son over fifty years who had one or more un- married sons as associators, or who volunteered for duty, although over fifty and judged fit for duty by the commanding officer, was exempted from paying the tax.
Three commissioners were appointed, one of whom was Peter Burkhalter, and six assessors, among whom were Peter Kohler and Peter Haas. These men were appointed to assess, levy and collect the sums mentioned in the ordinance.
General Washington began his memorable re- treat through New Jersey on November 28th, when he left Newark with scarcely four thousand men. Many battalions left the army at New Brunswick, their term of enlistment having ex- pired. The situation was at this time most critical. In Europe the cause of the colonies was thought to be lost. New York was in possession of the British, who gloried in the anticipated defeat of the patriots. Twenty-seven hundred men ac- cepted the protection of the British in New Jer- sey. But Washington, surrounded by all these difficulties, wrote to William Livingston on No- vember 30th, "I will not despair." The histor- ian, Bancroft, says of him at this period : "Hope and zeal illuminated his grief. His emotions
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come to us across the century like strains from that eternity which repairs all losses and rights all wrongs: in his untold sorrows his trust in Providence kept up in his heart an under-song of wonderful sweetness."
Washington reached Trenton, with the main body of the army, weary, ragged, in sad need of tents, shoes and blankets, on the morning of December 3d. They were here re-inforced by a German battalion, three Philadelphia battalions and a troop of light horse, a battery of artillery and two New Jersey militia regiments. Arrange- ments had been made in advance for the collec- tion of all boats along the river, and the entire army reached the west bank of the Delaware by December 8th, crossing a short distance below the present railroad bridge, and at Beatty's ferry, a few yards above the present bridge at Calhoun street.
At about eleven o'clock the same morning, a brigade of the British army came marching down the river, with music and much display, expecting to cross, but found no boats, and were received with a shower of grape-shot from a bat- tery posted on the high ground opposite. The two armies now faced each other across the Dela- ware, but Washington was master of the situa- tion, for he had secured all the boats from Eas- ton to Philadelphia. On December 10th Wash- ington wrote from Bogert's tavern, now Centre- ville, Bucks county, to General Ewing, above New Hope, to send sixteen Durham boats and four flats down to McKonkey's ferry, as soon as possible. The boats which could not be secured were destroyed.
At this time the first Assembly of the state under the new constitution, which met and or- ganized November 28th, offered bounties of ten dollars to all volunteers who should join Wash- ington by the 20th of December; seven dollars to all joining between the 20th and 25th, and five dollars to those joining between the 25th and the 30th. Each volunteer was to be well armed and remain in the service six weeks. They were urged not to wait to be formed into com- panies but to march with the utmost speed to join the army on the Delaware.
The Council of Safety, on Dec. 26, 1776, com- missioned Capt. John Siegfried, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Third Battalion of Northampton county militia, and Rev. John Rosbrugh, who was cruelly slain by a company of Hessians at Trenton, on Jan. 2d, a chaplain in the same battalion. Subsequently Siegfried was advanced to the rank of Colonel, and in a diary left by him he stated that he was in the battles of Tren- ton, Germantown, Brandywine, Red Bank, and
Monmouth. In response to the following letter from General Washington, Colonel Siegfried and the other Colonels of the militia promptly gathered together the local companies, some of whom arrived in time to participate in the battle of Trenton, three days after the date of the letter. The letter read :
"Head-quarters, Bucks Co., Dec. 22, 1776. "To Colonel John Siegfried:
"Sir: The Council of Safety of this State, by their resolves of the 17th inst. empowered me to call out the militia of Northampton county to the assistance of the Continental army under my command, that, by our joint endeavors, we may put a stop to the progress of the enemy, who are making preparations to advance to Philadel- phia, as soon as they cross the Delaware, either by boats, or on the ice. As I am unacquainted with the names of the colonels of your militia, I have taken the liberty to inclose you six letters, in which you will please to insert the names of the proper officers, and send them immediately to them, by persons in whom you can confide for their delivery.
"If there are not as many colonels as letters, you may destroy the balance not wanted.
"I most earnestly entreat those who are so far lost to a love of their country, as to refuse to lend a hand to its support at this critical time, they may depend upon being treated as their baseness and want of public spirit will most justly deserve.
"I am, sir, you most obedient servant, "GEORGE WASHINGTON."
The prompt response of the Pennsylvania, militia and the addition of Sullivan's men with Arnold's force from the Northern Army, in- creased Washington's army to about 6,000 effec- tive troops. Something had to be attempted, or as Washington wrote to his brother, "if every- nerve is not strained, I think the game is pretty nearly up."
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