History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 42

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

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Je was closely pursued to the river by the advance parties of the enemy. Personally directing the details of the retreat, he placed small parties in advantageous positions, where he could hold many times his number at bay, meantime urging his forces on to the ford, where Gen- eral Poor had taken a strong position and placed his artillery so as to cover the rear guard in yielding the eastern shore to the now infuriated enemy. In the final skirmish near the river he lost nine men in killed, wounded and captured. His success in putting the river between him- self and the powerful enemy, who had so promptly and adroitly laid their plans for his capture or destruction, still further increased the con- fidence which the commander-in-chief had reposed in lim.

We have already intimated that Washington had been apprised of the movement against Lafayette at Barren Ilill, in his camp at Valley Forge, and at once put his army in readiness to move at his command. It is related by John Marshall, who was at that time n lieutenant in his father's (Colonel Marshall's) regiment, and in camp at Valley Forge, that he " saw the commander-in-chief, on the morning of the 20th, z little after sunrise, accompanied by his aides and a number of his field officers, ride to the top of the hill on the summit of which the huts were constructed, and look anxiously toward the scene of action through a field-glass. Ile witnessed, too, the joy with which they returned after the entire detachment bad crossed the Schuylkill." Mr. Marshall closes bis account of Lafayette at Barren Ilill in the following language : " It might be supposed that this young nobleman had not displayed the same degree of military talent in guarding against the approach of danger as in extricating himself from it. But the imputation which generally at- taches to an officer who permits an enemy to pass unobserved into his rear is removed by a circumstance stated by Lafayette. The Pennsylva- nia militia were posted on his left flank with orders to guard the roads abont Whitemarsh. Without bis knowledge they changed their posi- tion, leaving that important pass open to the enemy."

1 Extract of letters from the adjutant-general and the officer of the day to Captain McClane (sometimes spelled McLane), by the same author, 12

field officers, witnessed the passage of Lafayette and his troops across the Schuylkill at Matson's Ford (now Conshohocken), under cover of the guns of Gen- eral Poor, with a loss of only nine men, killed and captured.

Here we pause, trusting that a grateful people will ever cherish and honor the memory of the heroic men whose valor and vigilance, toil and patient suffering,

John Marshall. See pages 247 and 250, " Marshall's Life of Washington," vol. i.

" CAMP VALLEY FORGE, May 21, 1778. "

"DEAR CAPTAIN, -I am happy yon have conducted your brave little party with so much honor to yourself. The Marquis effected, owing to your vigilance, a glorious retreat, as well as a dithenlt one.

(signed) "ALEX, SCAMMEL, Adjutant-General."

" CAMP VALLEY FORGE, May 23, 1778.

" DEAR CAPTAIN,-I am glad to hear you are still doing something to distinguish yourself in the eyes of your country. I have the pleasure to inform you that your conduct with the Marquis has been very pleasing to his Excellency and the whole army.

"I am your obedient servant, L ('11\81.ES SCOTT, " Brigadier-General and Officer of the Day."

We believe the Captain McClane mentioned in these letters by Mar- shall to be the same officer designated by some writers as Colonel Allen McLane, Lossing designates him as Cobommel Allan Mclane in his

".Field Book," vol. i., page 105, where be relates that on the night of the Meschianza, while the enemy were enjoying the festivities of the fète, he reached the abatis in front of their works at ten o'clock, p.M., with one hundred and fifty men, in four divisions, sup- ported by Clow's dragoons. They carried camp kettles filled with.com- bustibles, and at a given signal they fired the whole line of abatis, The

178

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

won for themselves and their posterity Independence, Peace and the Republic.

The following order is found in the Lee papers, New York Historical Society, vol. ii. p. 406 :

" HEADQUARTERS, 30th May, 1778.

"SIR,-Poor's, Varnum's and Huntingdon's brigades are to march in one Division under your command to the North . River. The Quarter-

British beat the long roll and the assailants were attacked and pursued by the reserve picket along the whole line. The officers at the fete man- aged with difficulty to keep the ladies in ignorance of the cause of

VIVEU

VALE

SCEDENS

AUCTO

SPLENDO

LUCEO

RESURGAM

MESCIIIANZA TICKET.

the alarm created. MeLane and men escaped without loss and re- turned to Valley Forge. The same antbor, id xune vol., page 122, in his account of Lafayette at Barren Hill, speaks of the distinguished ser- vices of this officer as Captain Mebane, The following incident in the life of this dashing officer appears in Sherman Day's " Historical Collet- tions of Pennsylvania, " under the head of "Montgomery County," p. Ifl : " Colonel Allen McLane, who died ut Wilmington, Del., in 1829, at the patriarchal age of 83,

was distinguished for his personal courage and for his activity as a partisan officer. Ile was long attached to Major Lee's famous legion of horse. While the British ocenpied Philadelphia, McLane was constantly ja- troling the upper end of Bucks and Mont- gomery Counties to cut off scouting-parties of the enemy and intercept their supplies of provisions. Having agreed for some jair- pose to rendezvous near Shoemakerstown, Colonel MeLane ordered his little band of troopers to follow at some distance, and commanded two of them to precede the main body, but also to keep in his rear, und if they discovered an enemy to ride up to his sido and inform him of it withont speaking loud, While leisurely approach- ing the place of rendezvous in this order, in the early gray of the morning, the two men directly in his rear, forgetting their orders, suddenly called out, 'Colonel, the British !' faced about and putting spurs to their horses, were soon out of sight. The colonel, looking around, discovered that he was in the centre of a powerful ambuscade, into which the enemy had silently allowed him to pass with- ont his observing tbem. They lined both sides of the road, and had

master-General will give you the route, encampment and halting-places, to which you will conform as strictly as possible, to prevent interfering with other troops, and that I may know your situation every day. Leave as few sick and lame on the road as possible. Such as are absolutely in-

been stationed there to pick up any struggling party of the Americans that might chance to pass. Immediately on Buding that they were dis- covered, a file of soldiers rose from the side of the road and tired at the colonel, but without effect ; and as he put spurs to his horse and mounted the rowlside into the woods the other portion of the detachment fired. The colonel miraculously escaped, but a shot striking his horse upon the Hank, he dashed through the woods and in a few minutes reached a par- allel road upon the opposite side of the forest. Being familiar with the country, he feared to turn to the left, as that course led to the city, and he might be intercepted by another ambusrady. Turning, therefore, to the right, his frightened horse carried him swiftly beyond the reach of those who fired upon hun. All at once, however, on emerging from a piece of woods, he observed several British soldiers stationed near the roadside, and directly in sight abead, a farm- house, around which he observedl a whole troop of the enemy's cavalry drawn up. Ile dasbed by the troopers near him without being molested, they believing he was on his way to the main body to surrender. The farmi-house was situated at the intersection of two roads, presenting but few avenues by which he could escape. Nothing daunted by the formid- alle array before him, he galloped up to the cross-roads, on reaching which he spurred his active horse, turned suddenly to the right, and was soon fairly out of reach of their pistols, though as he turned he heard them call loudly to surrender or die ! A dozen were instantly in pursuit, but in a short time they all gave up the chase but two. Col. McLane's horse, scared by the first wound he had ever received, and being a blooded animal, kept ahead for several miles, while his two pursuers followed with unwavering eagerness. The pursuit at length waxed so hot that as the Colonel's horse stepped ont of a small brook which crossed the road his pursuers entered it upon the opposite margin. In ascending a little hill the horses of all three were so greatly exhausted that neither could be urged faster than a walk. Occasionally as one of the troopers porsned a little faster than the other, the colonel slackened his pace, anxious te be attacked by one of his two pursners ; but no sooner was his willingness discovered than the other fell back to his companion. They at length approached so near that a conversation passed between them, the troopers calling out : " Surrender you d-d rebel, or we'll ent yon to pieces !" Suddenly one of them rude np to the right side of the colonel, and with- uut drawing bis sabre, laid holl of the colonel's collar. The latter, to use his own words, "had pistols which he knew he could depend upon.' Drawing one from the holster he placed it to the heart of his antagonist, fired, and tumbled him dead to the ground. Instantly the other came up on his left, with his sabre drawn, und seized the colonel by the collar

MESCHIANZA PROCESSION,

of his coat. A fierce and deadly struggle here ensued, in the course of which Col. McLane was desperately wounded in the back of his left hand by a sabre ent from his brave antagonist, severing the veins and tendons of that member. Seizing a favorite opportunity, he drew his other pistol, and with a steadiness of purpose, which appeared even in his

179

THE REVOLUTION.

capable of marching with you are to be committed to the care of proper officers, with directions to follow as fast as their condition will allow.

" Be strict in your discipline, entler no rambling, keep men in their ranks and officers with their divisions, avoid pressing horses as much as possible, and punish severely every other and soldier who shall presume to press without anthority. Prohibit the burning of fences. Io a word, you are to protect the persons and property of the inhabitants from every kind of insult and abuse,

" Begin your march at fouro'clock in the morning at the latest, that it may be over before the heat of the day, and that the soldiers may have time to cook, refresh and prepare for the following day. I am, etc., " Go. WASHINGTON.

"P. S .- June 18. The foregoing instructions may serve you for gen- eral directions, but circumstances have varied since they were written. You are to halt on the first strong ground after passing the Delaware at Coryell's Ferry till further orders, unless you should receive authentic intelligence that the enemy have proceeded by a direct route to South Amboy or still lower. In this case you will continue your march to the North River, agrecably to former orders, and by the route already given you. If my memory does not deceive me, there is an advantageous spot of ground at the ferry, to the right of the road leading from the water.

"The Detachment under Col. Jackson to move to and take possession of Philadelphia, and prevent plundering and abuse of persons. Vao Scoirk's Regiment to replace the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment in the Pennsylvania Brigade. The Second State Regiment of Virginia to re- place the Thirteenth Regiment in Scott's Brigade, Park of Artillery to the several divisions equally, and march with them,

" The First and Second Divisions to move the morning after intelli- gence is received of the enemy's evacnation of the city.

" The Third and Fourth Divisions, the morning after these, and the Fifth Division the morning succeeding ; every day's march to be given at four o'clock A.M., at furthest.

" Go. WASHINGTON.

"The disposition for the Baggage of the Army to be as follows : The Commander-in-chief's Baggage is to march in the front of the column of wagons. The Adjutant-General's, Paymaster-General'e, Engineers', Muster Master, Anditor of Accounts, the Baggage of the Marquis de Lafayette and De Kalhe's Division, the Baggage of Lord Stirling's Divi- sion, and then the Wagons of the Quarter-master-General'e department, Flying Hospital, and lastly the Commissary and Forage-Master-General's Wagons. The whole Baggage to fall in rear of the Column of Troops.

"There will be a party of Artificers to go in front and rear of whole to mend Bridges and repair the broken carriages, which will take their orders from Qa .- M. Gen'l.

" Go. WASHINGTON.

"Order of March and route of the Army from Camp Valley Forge to Newburg on the North River, opposite Fishkill :

Poor,

Ist, Lee. Coryell's.

Varnum, Huntingdon, Ist Penna.,

2d, Mifflin. Sherard.

2d ditto, Late Conway's Woodford,

Scott, 3d, Merquis. Coryell'e.

No. Carolina,

Glover,

Patterson,

4th, De Kalb. Easton.

Learned,

Weedon, JIuhlenberg,

5th, Sterling. Coryell's.

Ist Maryland, 2d Maryland,

"NOTE .- The Light Horse is to march in front and upon the right flank in the day, and encamp in the rear of the troops at night.

recital of the incident, placed it directly between the eyes of bis foe, pulled the trigger and scattered his brains on every side of the road. Fearing that others were in pursuit, he ehandoned his horse in the high- way, and apprehensive from his extreme weakness that he might die from loss of blood, be crawled into an adjacent mill-pond, entirely naked, and at length succeeded in stopping the profuse flow of blood occasioned by his wound. We have seen," says Day, "a painting of this desperate enconnter, very accurately representing the contest. It used to be com- mon in onr auction-rooms, but of late years it has become scarce."

"The new guards will form the advance guard of the army, and the old guards the rear guard. Each regiment will send out a flank guard on the right flank in the proportion of a sergeant and twelve men to every 200 men."

REVOLUTIONARY REMINISCENCES.

State of Affairs in 1777 .- Preston Westcott, in his " History of Philadelphia," says,-

" The Association system, after the experience of its effects from the beginning of the war, was admitted to be too uncertain to be depended upon in case of emergency. The conduct of the Philadelphia Associa- tors at Amhoy in the preceding summer was not near as bad as that of some of the companies from the county after the battle of Princeton, some of whom deserted in full bodies, leaving only their officers, and in one rase spoken of by General Putnam, 'only a lieutenant and a lame man.' The time had now come for the establishment of a regular and permanent militia, and to that task the Assembly addressed itself. A militia hill was prepared and passed. It provided that the city and county of Philadelphia and the various counties throughout the State should be divided into districts, each of which was to have within it not less than six hundred and eighty men fit for militia duty. Over these divisions were placed lieutenauts from each city and county, and sub- lieutenants for each district. Each district was sub-divided into eight parts or companies, and cach district was to elect its own lieutenant- colonel, major, captains and other officers. The lieutenants and sub- lieutenants took lists of all the inhabitants of their districts, collected the fines and superintended generally the execution of the details of the law.

" The companies were divided by lots into classes, and provision made for calling out the classes as they were wanted. Persons enrolled who refused to parade wben ordered were to be fined 78. 6d. per day ; officers absent, IOs. per day ; non-commissioned officers and privates 5s. per day. On field days, officers not attending were to be fined £5, and non-com- missioned officers and privates 15s.

Companies were to be exercised upon two days in April, three days in May, two days in August, two days in September and one day in October, of each year. Battalions were to parade once in May and once in Octo- ber. In cases of loss of limb by militiamen in service the State under- took to pay half the monthly pay to the sufferers.

" According to the provisions of the Act Philadelphia County was divided into seven battalion districts.

" The officers for the county were William Coates, lieutenant ; Jacob Engle, Samuel Dewees, George Smith, Archibald Thomson and William Antis, sub-lientenants.

" First Battalion for the townships of Upper Salford, Lower Salford, Towamensing, Hatfield, Perkiomen and skippack .- Daniel Heister, Jr., colonel ; Jacob Reid, lieutenant-colonel ; and .Jacob Markley, major.

" Second Battalion, Germantown, Roxborough, Springfield and Bris- tol .- John Moore, colonel ; Aaron Levering, lieutenant-colonel; and George Miller, major.

" Third Battalion, Cheltenham, Abington, lower division of the manor of Moreland, Lower Dublin, Byherry and Oxford .- Benjamin McVeagh, colonel ; David Schneider, lieutenant-colonel ; and John Holmes, major.

" Fourth Battalion, upper division of Moreland, Upper Gwynedd and Montgomery .- William Dean, colonel ; Robert Loller, lieutenant- colonel, and George Right, major.

" Fifth Battalion, Whitemarsh, Plymouth, Whitpain, Norriton, Wor- cester and New Providence (now Upper and Lower Providence) .- Robert Curry, colonel ; Archibald Thomson, lieutenant-colonel ; and John Ed- wards, major.

"Sixth Battalion, Limerick, Douglas, Marlboro, New Hanover, Up- per Hanover and Frederick .- Frederick Antis, colonel ; Frederick Weis, lieutenant-colonel, and Jacob Bush, major.

"Seventb Battalion, Upper Merion, Lower Merion, Blockley aod Kingsessing .- Jonathan Paschal, colonel ; Isaac Warner, lieutenant- colonel ; and Matthew Jones, major."

On the 21st of September, 1782, the General As- sembly passed an act authorizing the assessors to estimate the damages sustained by the inhabitants during the time that the British were in possession. This appraisement was afterwards made and filed in the office of the county commissioners and the Supreme Executive Council.

180

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Townships and Assessors.

Amount.

Cheltenham, Peter Rush

210

Gwynedd, Stephen Bloem

120

Hatfield, George Sheive

Lower Merion, Hugh Jones.

3413

Moreland, Robert Whitten

2119

Norriton, Jacob Auld. .

Plymouth, Zebulon Potts ,

1172

Providence, Benjamin Dismant

679

Springfield, Baltzer ITydrick

1165

Upper Merion, Jobn Johnson

1525

343

Whitemarsh, William Johnson

668

Whitpain, Daniel Yust .

610

There were no returns received from the townships of Abington, Douglas, Frederick, Franconia, Hors- ham, Lower Salford, Limerick, Montgomery, Marl- boro, New Hanover, Skippack, Towamensing, Upper Salford or Upper Hanover.

Much damage that was done was never made a subject of claim. The whole amount of the assess- ment for Philadelphia City was £187,280, 5s. The amount for the county £19,300, Ss. 10d.

CHAPTER

XV.

THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE MEXICAN WAR.

THIRTY years after the colonies had achieved their independence and twenty-three years after the con- stitutional Union was established Congress declared war against Great Britain.1 The population, as shown by the census of 1810, was 7,239,881, and at the date of the declaration of war the number of inhabitants of the United States was estimated to be 8,000,000. The event oceurred in the third year of the first adminis- tration of James Madison, and was supported by the Democratic party as an administration measure, and resisted with great unanimity by the Federalists. The bill was supported by seventy-nine members in the House of Representatives; forty-nine of the one hundred and twenty-eight present entered their pro- test against it, and the measure passed the Senate by a light majority.2 The provocation which induced the hostile act was the conduct of England in insist- ing upon the right of search and impressment of nat- uralized American citizens into her naval service. This alleged right was exercised in the most brutal and insolent manner against the solemn protest of the government, and finally, to vindicate the rights of

her citizens, the appeal to arms was made. At this period England had not conceded the right to her subjects or people to absolve their allegiance to the King by the simple forms of American naturalization, while the United States government was in honor and interest bonnd to protect her foreign-born citi- zens in the full and free exercise of their rights. At the date referred to thousands of American citizens were serving out terms of impressment in the British navy, many of them suffering imprisonment and sub- jected to treatment of extreme cruelty.

One among many examples will serve to show the unwarrantable conduct of the British govern- ment. In the month of June, 1807, the English man-of-war " Leopard" came in sight of the Ameri- can frigate "Chesapeake" near Cape Henry. At this point the "Leopard" was joined by the British frigates the "Bellona " and "Melampus." The "Chesapeake" was hailed by Admiral Berkley, an officer sent aboard with an order of search, alleging that five deserters from the English service were aboard the American vessel. Commodore Barron refused the officer, saying that he did not know of any deserters on board, that the recruiting officers for the "Chesapeake" had been particularly in- structed not to receive any deserters from His Britannic Majesty's service, and that he was directed never to permit the crew of a ship under his com- mand to be mustered by any officers but his own. Upon receiving this answer the officer returned to the "Leopard," when a heavy fire was opened upon the " Chesapeake," to the surprise and discomfiture of Commodore Barron, who was unprepared to resist the attack. After remaining under fire for thirty minutes, having three men killed and eighteen men wounded, himself among the rest, the ship snrren- dered. The British officer refused to accept the surrender, but came aboard, made search, claimed four of the seamen as British subjects and deserters, conveyed them to Halifax where they were tried and one of them executed in order to establish the right- fulness of their system of impressment. Subse- quently the other three were proved to be Americans who had been previously impressed and made their escape from the British service. The intelligence of this outrage upon the high seas was received by the country with profound indignation. The citizens of Montgomery County held a public meeting at the court-house, July 22d, 1807, " for the purpose of ex- pressing their sense of the late unwarrantable and dastardly outrage committed by one of the British ships-of-war on the American frigate " Chesapeake." " General Francis Swaine, was appointed president, and Samuel Patterson, secretary. Levi Pawling, William Henderson, Israel Bringhurst, George Weaver, Ma- thias Holstein, John Markley, and James Winnard reported seven resolutions, wherein they state, "that the outrage committed by the British ship-of-war, " Leopard," on the American frigate "Chesapeake,"

1 Poace was concluded November 30, 1782. War was declared by Con- gress June 1x, 1812.

2 The measure met with violent opposition in some localities. The editors of several newspapers in different parts of the country were very decided in their expressions of disapprobation, so much so as to provoke the violence of the war party and canse mobs and riots. The most re- markable of these mobs was at Baltimore. The rioters first tore down the printing office of the paper which had offended them. The editor and others undertook to defend themselves with arms. The military force of the city was finally called out. The conflict was severe and con- tinued two or three nights; General Lingare was killed and several others were wounded,-Goldsmith's " History U. S."

Upper Dublin, John Mann Worcester, Peter Wentz

125

181

THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE MEXICAN WAR.

and the murder of our seamen, whether it be consid- ered as the act of the British government, or of indi- viduals who committed it, requires rigid retribution or honorable reparation. That we will, at the hazard of our lives and properties, support the proclamation of the President of the United States, and any other measures that may be adopted by the constituted authorities to obtain redress from the British Gov- ernment, for the reparation of our national honor and insulted sovereignty. At this crisis, it is the duty of every citizen, who is not conscientiously scrupolous against bearing arms, to arm in defense of his injured country, and to prepare for the event of a war." Public meetings were called in all the principal eities of the Union, party feelings were forgotten for the time, and all united in resolutions supporting the government in measures deemed necessary to redress the wrong. The President issued a proclamation forbidding British ships-of-war the ports and harbors of the United States, and instructed the American minister at the court of St. James to demand satisfaction for the insult. He also summoned Congress to meet and take the subject into consideration.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 42

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534