USA > Pennsylvania > Northumberland County > History of Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania. With illustrations descriptive of its scenery, palatial residences, public buildings, fine blocks, and important manufactories > Part 13
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" As soon as you are in Possession of the Ground at Shamokin, you will secure your self by a breast work in the hest manner you enn, so that your men may work in safety, and you will inform me of your arrival there, and let me know what you will have occasion for that I may apply to the Com- missioners to supply it."
This extract embraces the principal part of the instructions relating to this point, and may be found at length in the Archives of the State, pages 667 and 668.
When Col. Clapham received these instructions he was at Fort Halifax, at the mouth of Armstrong's Creek, thirty-two miles below Shamokin, with a body of several hundred men. He had a number of mechanics also engaged in building hoats for the transportation of their provisions and munitions of war. These boats were pushed against the current. Navigating the river at that time, md in such a manner, was very laborious as well as dangerous : for the savages were constantly on the lookout to surprise them. He also manufactured carriages at this place for his cannon, bnt the number is not given. It is inferred, however, from letters, that he had a number of pieces.
It appears that the Colonel had some difficulty with his men here, on ac- count of pay already due them. Not being able to pay them, on account of the scarcity of funds, some of the soldiers, and the hateau-men, became very obstreperous, and refused to perform their duty. The latter were Dutch- men, according to his account, and twenty-six in number. They were ar- rested and confined for mutiny.
The following extract is from a memorandum made in 1802, by Colonel Samuel Miles, of the Revolutionary army :
" We crossed the Susquehanna and marched on the west side thereof, until we came opposite where the town of Sunhury now stauds, where we crossed over in batteaux, and I had the honor of being the first man who put his foot on shore at landing. In building the Fort at Shamokin, Capt. Levi Trump and myself had the charge of the workmen, and after it was finished our battalion remained there as garrison until the year 1758."
In July, 1756, Col. Clapham arrived at Shamokin, with a command of about four hundred men. Temporary breastworks were hastdy thrown up for their hetter protection, and preparations made to build a fort without de- Jay. The meu, however, were much dissatisfied about their pay, and it was with great difficulty that they could be restrained from returning. Matters finally assumed such a serions aspect, that on the 13th of July a councu was held in the camp, to take into consideration what was best to he done. As it shows clearly the troubles encountered by the commander, and forms an important feature in the history of Fort Augusta, we copy it entire, as follows:
"Present-all the officers of Col. Clapham's Regimeut, except Capt. Miles, who Commands the Garrison at Fort Halifax.
"The Subalterns complain, that after expectation given them by several Gentlemen, Commissioners, of receiving seven Shillings Six Pence each Lieut.,
& five Shillings & Six Pence cach Ensign per day, the Commissary has re- ceived Instructions to pay a Lieut. but five shillings and six pence, and an Ensign four Shillings.
"Capt. Salter affirms, that the Gentlemen Commissioners assur'd him that the Subalterns pay was Augmented from five Shillings to the sums mention'd ahove.
"Lieut. Davies reports, that Mr. Fox assured him that the pay of a Lieut. in this Regiment would be Established at seven Shillings & six Pence per Day, and that Mr. Peters, the Provincial Secretary, told the same as a thing concluded upon, but hinted at the same time that he might expect but five shillings and six pence per Day, before he came into the Regiment.
"Lieut. Garraway says, that Mr. Hamilton told him at Dinner, at Mr. Cun- ninghams, that the Pay of a Captain in this Regiment was to be ten Shillings, a Lieutenants seven Shillings and six pence, & an Ensign five Shillings & Sixpence.
"Capt. Lloyd says, that Mr. Hughs, one of the Gentlemen Commissioners told him the same thing.
"The Gentlemen Officers beg leave to Appeal to his Honor, the Governor, as an Evidence that that Opinion Universally Prevailed thro'ont the Regi- ment, and thinking themselves unjustly dealt with by the Gentlemen Com- missrs., are Unanimously Determined not to Honor their most hearty and sincere thanks for the Favours received, the grateful impression of which they shall never forget, and at the same time request a permission from your Honor to Resign on the Twentieth day of Augst next, desiring to be relieved accor- dingly.
"[Signed] Levi Trump, Patrick Davis, Daniel Clark, Chas. Garraway, Asher Clayton, Wm. Anderson, John Hambright, William Phinket, Sam. Jno. Atlee, Chas. Brodhead, Wm. Patterson, Joseph Scott, John Morgan, Samuel Miles, James Bryan, Pat. Allison.",
From this document, which may be found on page 700 of the Pennsylvania Archives, volume first, it will be perceived that considerable difficulty existed between the government and the officers, which threatened seriously to impair the harmony that should exist between them.
James Young, who appears to have heen a paymaster in the service of the government, visited Shamokin about this time, and found great confusion and dissatisfaction existing among the officers. On the 18th of July, 1756, he wrote a long letter to Gov. Morris, detailing the troubles in the camp. Col. Clapham, he states, was much displeased, on account of there not heing a sufficiency of money forwarded to pay the troops. He complained loudly, of what he termed his ill usage, and went so far as to threaten to leave the service, and join the Indians, if something wns not done soon.
Young, it appears, did not pay any of the officers, on account of their claiming more than he was instructed to allow them. All of them, with the exception of three or four, had been under arrest by order of the Colonel, and released at his pleasure without trial. He much doubted the propriety of building a fort at this point, as there was great danger of it being deserted by the men, and given up to the enemy.
On the same day, Colonel Clapham and James Burd, wrote a long letter to Gov. Morris, setting forth their grievances as follows :
SHAMOKIN, July 18th, 1756.
" Sir: I am desir'd herewith to Transmit to your Honor the result of a Council held at the Camp at Shamokin, July the 13th, in cousequence of a disappointment in the Pay of ye Suhalterns, from web it will appear to your Honor that they think themselves ill treated by the Gentlemen Commission- ers, whose Honor they rely'd on and several of whose promises they recite in Regard to their Pay, and that they are unanimously determined to resign their Commissions on the 20th day of August next if the respective Promi- ses and Assurances of the Gentlemen Commissioners on that Head are not fully Comply'd with before that time.
"I further beg leave to address your Honor with a Complaint in hehalf of myself, and the other Captains and Officers of this Regiment. I had the bonor to receive from yon, Sr., a Commission as Captain in the Regiment under my command, dated March the 29th, for which the Gentlemen Com- missioners, notwithstanding it was represented to them, have been pleased to withhold my pay and Assign'd as a Reason that a man can execute but one Office at a time, and ought to devote his whole service to it, which is not ouly an unjust remark, but affronting to all Gentlemen who have the Honor to hold directly from his Majesty's officers more than one Commission at the same time, by supposing them deficient in some part of their Duty, and is virtually an invective against the Government of Great Britain itself. They have likewise heen pleased to deal with Mayor Bnrd upon the same princi- ples and have paid bim only as a Captain, which must be confessed is a very concise method of reducing withont the Sentence or even the Sanction of a Court Martial.
"The several Captains think themselves affronted by the Commissrs In- structions to the Commissary to pay but two Sergeauts and forty-eight Pri- vate Men in cach Company, notwithstanding two Corporals and one Drum- mer were appointed in each Company by your Honor's express Command, this instruction appears to them also as a contempt of your Houer's Orders, and have accordingly paid these non-commissioned officers out of their own Pockets.
STEVENS SCHOOL BUILDING, THIRD ST. SHAMOKIN, NORTH " CO, PA.
PENROSE SCHOOL BUILDING, FRANKLIN ST., SHAMOKIN, NORTH? CO., PA.
PLATE VITT
EEEE
CENTRAL SCHOOL BUILDING, SUNBURY ST, SHAMOKIN, NORTH" CO.PA
ACADEMY BUILDING, COR ARCH & EIGHTH STS , SHAMOKIN, NORTH" COUNTY, PA.
39
HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
"I entered into this service at the Solicitation of some of the Gentlemen Commissioners, in Dependence on Promises, which they have never per- formed, and have neted ever since not only in two Capacities but in twenty, having besides the Duties of my Commissions us Col. & Captain been obliged to discharge those of an Engineer and Overseer at the same time, and un- dergone in the Service incredible Fatigues without Materials and without thanks. But as I am to be paid only as n Col. I intend while I remain in this Service only to fulfill the Duties of that Commission, which never was yet supposed to include building forts and ten thousand other Services which I have performed, so that the Gentlemen Commissioners have only to send Engineers, Pioneers and other Laborers, with the necessary Teams and Utensils, while I, as Col. preside over the Works, see that your Honor's orders are punctually executed, & only Defend the Persons engaged in the Execution of them. In pursuance of a resolution of your Honor and the Gentlemen Commissioners to allow me an Aid-De-Camp who was to be paid as a Supernumerary Capt. in the Regiment; I according appointed Capt. Lloyd as my Aid-De-Camp on April 2d, 1756, who has ever since acted as such in the most Fatiguing and disagreeuble Service on Earth, and re- ceived only Captain's Pay.
" Your Honor was pleased to appoint Lieut. Clayton Adjutant to the Regi- ment under my command by a Commission, bearing date the 24th day of May, 1756, but the Gentlemen Commissrs have, in Defiance of all known rules, resolved that an Officer enn Discharge but one Duty in a day, and have paid him only as a Lieutenant. Impowered by your Honor's orders, and in Compliance with the Exigencies of the Services, I hir'd a number of Battoe men at 2-6 per day, as will appenr by the return made herewith to your Honor, und upon demanding from the Paymister General money for the Payment of the respective Ballances due to them, was surprized to find that the Commissy had by their instructions restraing him from Paying ny incidental Charges whatever, ns thinking them properly Cognizable only by themselves.
""Tis extremely Cruel, Sr, and unjust to the last degree That men who cheerfully ventured their lives in the most dangerous and Fatiguing services of their Country, who have numerous Families dependant on their labor, and who have many of them while they were engaged in that service, suf- fered more from the neglect of their Farms and Crops at home than the Value of their whole puy. In short, whose Affairs are ruined by the Services done their Country should some of them receive no pay at all for those ser- vices, if this is the ease I plainly perceive that all Service is at an end, fore- see that whoever has the command of this Garrison will inevitably be Obliged to Abandon his Post very shortly for want of n Suply of Provisions. Your Honor will not be surprized to hear that in a government where its Servants are so well rewarded I have but one Team of Draught Horses, which, ac- cording to the Commissioners remark, can but do the Business of one Team in a day from whence you will easily Judge that the Works must proceed very slowly and the Expence in the end be proportionable.
"Permit ine, Sr, iu the most grateful manner to thank your Honor for the Favour conferred on me and on the Regiment under my command which I am sensible were meant as well in Friendship to the Province as myself. I have executed the trust Reposed in me with all Possible Fidelity and to the best of my Knowledge, but my endeavors as well as those of every other Officer in the Service have met with so ungenerous a Return so contracted a Reward that we can no longer serve with any Pleasure on such terms. And if we are not for the Future to receive from your Honor our Orders, our Supplys - and our Pay beg Leave unanimously to resign ou the Twentieth of August next, & will abandon the Post accordingly at that time, in which Case I would recommend it to the Gentlemen Commissioners to take great Care to pre- vent that universal Desertion of the men which will otherwise certainly ensue.
"Thus much I thought it necessary to say in my own Vindiention, and I am besides by the rest of the Gentlemen requested to add, that they have still further cause of Complaint from a Quarter where they little expected it, & are conscious to themselves they never deserved it, esteeming much higher their treatment from the other Gentlemen Commissioners in regard to their Pay than the ungenerous Reflections of one of those Gentlemen on the Condnet of an Expedition which it too plainly appears it was never his Study to Promote, and will appeal to their Country and to your Honor for ye Jus- tice of their Conduct iu the present Step.
"'Tis with utmost concern and Reluctance that the Gentlemen of this Regiment see themselves reduced to the necessity of this Declaration and assure your Honor that nothing but such a Continued series of Discourage- ments could have ever extorted it from those who hope that they have not used any Expressions inconsistent with that high Regard they have for your Honor, and heg leave with me to Subscribe themselves
"Your Honor's
Most obedient humble Servant,
WILL'SI CLAPHAM, JAMES BURD."
Notwithstanding these complaints, the government was slow to supply the wants of the solthiers, occasioned no doubt by the scarcity of funds and pro- visions. The command of Colonel Clapham still remained nt Shamokin, and on the 14th of August, 1756, he again writes to Governor Morris that their wants were still unsupplied, and that they only had about half a pound of powder to each man, und none for the cannon. Their stock of provisions was also low-winter was apprenching, and the prospect of famine stered
them in the face, unless a supply was laid in. Boats had been despatched to Harris' for flour, but they encountered so much danger in passing down to Hulifax, that their safe return was almost despaired of
In this same letter the Colonel informs the Governor that he was obliged to put Lieutenant Plunkett under arrest for mutiny, and only awaited the arrival of the Judge Advocate, to have him tried by conrt-martial.
Notwithstanding the difficulties that existed in the command of Colonel Clapham, and the threats of the officers, that they would throw up their commissions, and abandon the post by the 20th of August, if they were not paid, it nowhere appears that any of them carried this threat into execution. 'The commanding officer, no doubt, on more deliberate and calm reflection, came to the conclusion that they had a savage and wiley enemy to contend with, and that it was absolutely necessary for their own preservation, that defenees should speedily be erected, to guard the frontier against their incur- sions. In view of this, and the more patriotic feelings that triumphed over the minor considerations of personal bickerings, the work of ereeting Fort Augusta steadily progressed. In September they received some supplies from below, which tended to revive their drooping spirits, Previous to this, the men were placed upon short allowances of flour.
Peter Burd writes to Governor Morris, September 14th, 1756, and states, "that the fort is now almost finished, and a fine one it is; we want a large flag to grace it." They had labored, it appears, indefatigably, for some six weeks, upon the works. The commanding officer was in a better humor, and about this time, informs Benjamin Franklin, that, in his opinion, this post is of the utmost consequence to the Province, and that it is defensible against all the power of musketry. From its position, however, he feared that it was more exposed to a desceut ou the West Branch, and recommended that it be made stronger.
It may be interesting to the people of Sunbury, to know what kind of pro- visions, the quantity, and the materials of war, were possessed by the garri- son of Fort Augusta, one hundred years ago. In view of this, I transcribe the first report of the Commissary, Peter Burd, made in September, 1756, as follows:
Provisions in Store, September ye 1st.
5 do. of peas.
46 hbs. beef and pork. 9 do. of flour. 1 Bullock.
Brought np September ye 1st. 11 frying pans.
3 cwt. powiler.
6 do. of Lend. 1 Stock Lock.
92 pair shoes.
A Lump of Chalk.
4 Lanthorns.
27 bags flour about 5,000 ewt.
1,301 Grape shot.
4 Iron Squares.
46 hand granades.
12 Carpenter's Compasses.
58 Canon ball.
1 ream writing paper.
50 blankete.
4 quires Cartridge Do.
4 brass kettles.
Some match rope very ordinary.
6 falling axes.
33 head of Cattle.
About this time, William Denny was appointed Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania. Colonel Clapham wrote him a long letter, stating the condition of the garrison, and the amount of pay due them. Many of the soldiers left families that had become very destitute, and the government should do something to alleviate their wants. The Colonel stated that he had advanced all the money he could raise, besides borrowing, and now was without a single farthing in his pocket. His men frequently deserted, and no wonder. At this time he hnd three hundred and twenty under his com- mand, which was an inadequate number to protect the frontier, and carry on the work on the fort at the same time. One hundred men were con- stantly employed in transporting provisions for the rest; and yet, owing to the difficulties they had to encounter, they never were able to get much of a supply ahead; and it was very necessary that a stock of provisions to last six months should be on hand.
A short time after this, in another letter to Governor Denny, Colonel Clapham says, in conclusion :
"'Two bushels of Blue Grass Seed are necessary wherewith to sow the Slopes of the Parapet & Glncis, and the Banks of the River-in eight or ten Days more the Ditch will be carried quite round the Parapet, the Bar- rier Gates finished and Erected, and the Pickets of the Gineis completed- after which I shall do myself the Honor to attend your command in person."
In due course of time Fort Augusta was completed, and was one of the strongest, as well as most important, of all the frontier forts built at that gloomy period of our history. The following description of it is taken from the original drawing in Loudon, a copy of which may be found in the State Library at Harrisburg, and is undoubtedly correct in every respect:
40
HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
"Fort Augusta stands at about forty yards from the river on n bank twenty-four feet from the surface of the water. The side which fronts the river is a strong palisade, the bases of the logs being sunk four feet into the earth, the top hollowed and spiked into strong ribbond which ran trans- versely und nre morticed into several logs at twelve feet distance from each other, which are larger and higher than the rest, the joints between each palisade with five logs well fitted on the inside and supported by the plat- form-the other three sides are composed of logs laid horizontally, neatly dovetailed and trunnelled down, they are squared; some of the lower end three feet in diameter, the least from two feet and a balf to eighteen inches diameter, and are mostly white oak."
Doubtless the action of the water has considerably worn away the banks from what they were at that day, for it is less than "forty yards" from the spot where the fort stood to the bank of the river.
In 1757 or 1758, Major James Burd succeeded Colonel Clapham, in the command of Fort Angusta. At this time they had the fort placed in a good condition, to resist the attack of an enemy. Below I annex a copy of the report of military stores, made December 6, 1758, by Adam Henry:
" 12 Pieces of Cannon in good order.
2 Swivels in good order.
4 Blunderbusses in good order.
700 Rounds of cannon balls.
123 Bags of grape shot.
383 Cartridges of powder, made for cannon.
112 Cartridges of powder, made for swivels.
12 Barrels of powder.
46 Hand granades. 29 Rounds of cut shot."
With this amount of material of war on hand, there is no doubt but the garrison would have made a formidable show of resistance.
Time passed on. Nothing very remarkable occurred at Fort Augusta for several years. We have accounts of various Indian meetings being held here, however; speeches being made by the chief's, and other business trans- acted.
Captain Gordon, who acted in the capacity of Engineer, recommended that a substantial magazine be erected in one of the bastions of the fort. His description of the manner in which it should be constructed is very precise, und ns it is in a tolerably good state of preservation, we copy his specifica- tions as follows:
" A Magazine ought to be built in the South Bastion, 12 by 20 feet in the clear, also a Labratory of the same dimensions in the East Bastion. The Wall of the Magazine to he 2} Foot thick, with three Buttresses, 2 Foot thiek at the bottom, levelling to 9 inches at Top, in euch side. The breadth of Buttresses, 3} Feet. The Magazine to have an nrch of 2} Brick thick, and to be ander ground within 1} Foot of the Top of the Arch. The Walls seven foot high from the Level of the Floor, and to have a Foundation 2 Foot below the Floor ; great care taken to lay the Joists, and to fill up be- tween with Rubble Stone and Gravel, rammed ; the Joists to be covered with Plank 23 inch thick. An Air Hole, 1 foot Square to be practised in the Gavel end, opposite the Door. The Passage to the Magazine to have a zigzag, and over the Arch some Fine Plaister laid, then covered with Fine Gravel, and 4 foot of Earth a Top.
"The Laboratory likewise to be arched, but with 1} brick and without Buttresses.
" A Fraise ought to be completed round the Fort, to be introduced upon the Horizontal Line at 20 Degrees of Elevation, or as much as will be suf- ficient to discover it underneath from the Flanks. This Fraise to be 24 feet in the Ground, 34 without, not to exceed 5 inches in Thickness, the Breadth from 4 to 7; a number of these Fraises ought, before set in the Wall, to be tunnelled on a Peice of Slab or Plank, of 5 inches broad, within 6 inches of the ends, which gives an inch at the end elear of the Slab ; the distance from one to another 24. After made fast to this Slab, to be introduced in the Wall and the Earth ramm'd well between. When the Earth is well fixed and the whole set round, or a considerable way, another Peice of 3 inches broad and 2 thiek, should be nailed al along close to the wall, which will bind the whole very fast together."
This document bears date, May 6th, 1758. It is rendered more interest- ing at the present day, as the magazine can yet be seen. It will probably last for many years to come.
In July following, a small reinforcement arrived at the fort. The total number of available men, including officers, in the garrison, ut this time, amounted to bnt one hundred and eighty-nine. They were pretty well sup- plied, however, with munitions of war, and could have made a formidable stand against superior numbers.
The commanding officers received instructions to confine all the French deserters, that had been enlisted as soldiers, and send them under guard to Lancaster jail. This was to prevent them from again joining the French,
on their expedition from Chingle-clamoore. About this time a new flag-staff, seventy feet in height, was erected, but unfortunately their old colors were entirely worn out, and they had to wait some time. for the arrival of new ones.
John Shickelemy, who, during the French and Indiau war, had become estranged from the English, appenrs nguin about Shamokin, in 1759 or 1760. The Governor, it seems, sent him a string of wampum and solicited his at- tendance at a council to be held at the fort. He also extended to him his hand, thanked him sincerely, and greeted him as a friend. This was to gain his esteem, for Shickelemy had been a little treacherous; he attended the conference, and after it was over, requested some provisions to last him home. They gave him a hundred weight of flour and some ment, and he started in fine spirits. Nothing further of any importance is reported to have trans- pired about the fort, nntil July 12th, 1762, when quite an excitement was raised on a report of liquor being furnished the Indians. The Indian Agent informed Lieutenant Graydon, who had command in the absence of Colonel Burd, that he had detected his (Colonel Burd's) store-keeper in sell- ing liquor to them, and had sufficient proof to convict him. He demanded of the Lieutenant that the liquor be seized, and as the instructions from the Governor were strict, he was obliged to do it. The store-keeper, however, de- nied the fact. It appeared that Mr. Holland, Colonel Burd's good friend, had been posted at a "peep-hole," made in the wall in the adjacent house, from whence he could see in the Colonel's store; and the proof was that he saw some squaws in the house with the store-keeper-that one of them asked for rum, and showed a dollar, on which the door was closed, and the rum delivered to her. Lieutenant Graydon was accused of being in the store at the same time. He was very much incensed abont it, and admitted having heea there, but saw no liquor sold to them. He forthwith informed Colonel Burd of the accusation, who wrote from Lancaster, under date of July 18th, 1762, as follows:
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