History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 38

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992

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2 The new hospital was at Eighth and Ninth and Spruce and Pine Streets. The old hospital was the building first occupied by the man- agers on Market Street, near Fifth.

3 This was " an act for extending soveral sections of an act of Parlia- ment passed in the twenty-ciath year of the present reign, entitled ' An Act for preventing matiny and desertion, and for the better payment of the army and their quarters.'" It was substantially a re-enactment of the act of 1755, which had been repealed in England.

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When the Assembly received this mandate it created astonishment. The day was Saturday; the House remained in session all the afternoon, and did not adjourn until Monday, as had been usual. There was a session on Sunday, on which day a message was sent to the Governor, in which it was represented that the members did not fully understand all the , particulars, and that the Governor had not given full information. They protested that they were desirous that the troops should have good quarters. The As- sembly had lately "shown their Regard for the Sol- diery by voluntarily presenting Conveniances and Refreshments to the Officers, and furnishing provis- ions and Cloathing for the Soldiers of the King's Forces to the Amount of Many Thousand Pounds." The Governor replied that moderation was agreeable to him, notwithstanding which, " There might have been a Governor who would have told you the whole Tenor of that Message was indecent, frivolous, and evasive ; That the Reception of His Majesty's Troops in this City shows want of Humanity and Gratitude, for you will please to remember that they were raised by Parliament for the Defence of these Colonies.1 For my Part, Gentlemen, I shall always avoid Dis- putes, but am determined to do my Duty to my King and Country." The Governor added that sixty-two beds were wanted for one hundred and twenty-four men, who lay upon straw, and quarters for recruits who arrive every day. There was a committee of conference sent by the House, through which there was a great deal of protestation and explanation. In conclusion the report upon the Council minutes says, " Upon the whole there was an abundance of breath, Passion, and Rudeness on the part of the committee." A letter was sent to the mayor by Governor Denny, and that officer represented that he was doing the best he could to accommodate the soldiers. The mayor's official return afterward still showed that there was a deficiency in the number of beds and other accommodations for soldiers. A guard-room, a store-room, and hospital were provided as a result of this quarrel without much delay, but beyond that the officers and soldiers were compelled to get along as well as they could at the public-houses. The latter were furnished by the provincial commissioners, who were named in the act of December, 1756. They were William Masters, Joseph Fox, John Baynton, John Hughes, and Joseph Galloway. In the estimates of expenses for 1757, the cost of constructing the barracks was set down at ten thousand pounds. Some time afterward the commissioners, under authority of the act of Assembly, proceeded to erect barrack build- ings for the accommodation of the troops. The loca- tion determined upon for the site of the barracks was a lot on the south side of Mulberry or Arch Street, west of Tenth. The foundations were dug out, and the plans were agreed upon, but the agent

of the proprietary who owned the lot made objec- tion. The commissioners therefore abandoned that ground and bought a large lot in the Northern Lib- erties bounded on the east by Second Street, and northward hy Green Street, named after Thomas Green, an early owner of the ground. Southward the ground extended toward Bloody Lane [Noble Street], and westward beyond Third Street. It was substantially of a square form, but the lines were irregular upon the south and west. Afterward, when Third Street was opened, a portion of the lot, an irregular strip of ground, was on the west side of that street, and when Tammany Street was opened, after the harracks were no longer in military use, a narrow gore, no wider than two or three feet, at Second Street, extended on the south side of Tammany Street, toward Third, gradually widening to the westward. The title was taken in the name of Joseph Fox, by two conveyances, Sept. 17, 1757. The northern portion of the ground was purchased from Anthony Wilkin- son, and the southeast portion from Michael Hillegas. Here the commissioners proceeded to erect buildings for barracks. In doing so they acted independently of Governor Denny, with whom they had no commu- nication. They were members of the Assembly, rep- resenting and carrying out the will of that body. They had no consultation with the Governor, but settled upon a plan to suit themselves.

Col. Haldiman, of the Second Battalion, Sixty- second or Royal Lancers Regiment, was of opinion that the plan adopted was not a good one. His second objection was that he disapproved of the place where the barracks were to be situated. The only reason he (Col. Haldiman) gave against the place was that he thought the buildings should be so situated that, in case of need, there might be some possibility of throwing up an intrenchment around them, " from whence," said Lord Loudon, "it occurs to me that in case you should have any thoughts of making a Fort hereafter by the Town, you ought to benefit by those Barracks, so as to build them where you propose to have the Fort by which you will have so much of your Work ready done without creating an additional Expence. The thought can do you no harm, altho' I foresee that probably in the first place all the Ground near the Town is granted away, and in the second the Province will build those Barracks, with a view to turn them, after the War is over, either to Storehouses or a Manufactory."

In September, 1757, the Second Battalion of the Royal Americans (Col. Haldiman), en route to Car- lisle, Pa., stopped in this city during the march. On that occasion the manner in which the barracks were being constructed was submitted to the colonel's judgment, as to the propriety of the plan. Lieuten- ant-Governor Denny, in September, gave to the Coun- cil a statement in reference to this business; "the Governor likewise related to the Council the strange Conduct of the Commissioners with respect to Bar-

1 An allusion to the aid given to Braddock and Duubar.

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racks, that they had made Choice of the Ground, dug the Foundation, entered into Contracts with Work- men, agreed upon a Plan, then changed their Minds, chose another Place, altered the Plan, purchased a Quantity of Ground, and were at work with many hands, without so much as consulting him on any one article. But these things came to his Knowledge by Accident, whereupon he had sent for the intended Plan, which was in the Hands of Mr. Loxley, who came with it, and after shewing it to Col. Haldyman, and considering it, they were both of Opinion it was defective, and many Objections lay against it, on which his Honour had wrote the Commissioners a Letter to stop the work till he should approve the Plan, and know if it was an healthy spot, and that he proposed to desire Lord Loudon by the Post to spare him an Engineer to view the Situation, and concert with him a proper Plan ; That Three Physi- cians had, at his Instance, viewed it, and reported there was no reasonable objection to it on the account of Health ; That notwithstanding this Injunction the Commissioners still went on with their Work, and had the Imprudence never to give him an Answer to his Letter ; That he had detained his Letter to Lord Loudon till he should receive their Answer, but be- lieving they would not give any, he would send his letter by the Post." In the next month Lord Loudon sent Lieut. Meyer to the city to " give his Assistance in relation to the Construction of the Barracks, and desired those who would direct the undertakers of the Barracks would be obediant to the orders of Lieut. Meyer." Whether this application was successful is not known. Before the middle of the summer of the succeeding year the barracks were partially com- pleted and must have been occupied by troops organized under authority of the province, since in July of that year orders were sent to the commanding officer of the barracks to place a guard at Wicaco Fort. This authority could not have been undertaken to be exercised over the royal troops.

Neither is it probable that more than a portion of the buildings were in condition to be occupied at once. In February, 1758, the tavern-keepers of the city petitioned for the removal of the soldiers quartered upon them "to the barracks now finished." In the succeeding month quarters were demanded by Brig .- Gen. Forbes for seventeen hundred and fifty-two men. The public-houses were not sufficient in accommoda- tions to lodge so large a number. Governor Denny asked of the House if the barracks could not be made ready. The Ilouse ordered the Provincial Commis- sioners to provide quarters. On the 3d of May the IIouse elected Joseph Fox barrack-master, " with full power to do and perform every matter and thing which may be requisite for the comfortable accommodation of his majesty's troops within the Barracks lately erected in the city." 1

1 In the provincial accounts are charges for payments, May 15, 1757, to Plunkett Fleecon, £381 16s. 8d. for bedding supplied to the Indians

The Thirty-fifth Regiment of foot appears to have been in the city either during the winter of 1757 or the spring of 1758, since, on the 25th of April of that year, the wives of soldiers belonging to that regiment, "lately sent to Halifax," petitioned the Assembly, setting forth their destitute condition, and asked that they should be sent to their husbands. The House agreed to pay the expense if the Governor would consent. Whether these soldiers had been quartered at the barracks cannot be ascertained.

Brig .- Gen. Forbes left at Philadelphia in July, 1758, in the care of Benjamin Loxley, a very extensive amount of ordnance, ammunition, and stores belong- ing to the king. There were six brass field-pieces, mounted, with all the apparatus connected therewith, empty shells, muskets, bayonets, halberts, drums, pistols, carbines, tents, round shot, gunpowder, and large numbers of other articles.

Gen. Forbes at barracks, Raystown Camp, in Oc- tober, 1758, wrote to the Governor, stating that he would be compelled to send down to the inhabited parts of the country the greater portion of twelve hundred men, being the force under his orders. The object was to enable the soldiers "to recruit and fit themselves out for the ensuing campaign; for were I to leave the whole during the winter in the uninhab- ited parts of the country, these corps would not be in a condition to march on service early in the spring." Among the things named by Col. Forbes as necessary " for making the soldiers' lives comfort- able in this severe climate during the winter" were for each man a second blanket in lieu of a bed, a flannel jacket, a new pair of breeches, two pairs of stockings, and a pair of shoes. In November, 1758, Col. Forbes wrote from Fort Du Quesne, which had just been captured, requesting that the barracks should be put in good repair and proper lodgings for the officers, and provision in winter-quarters was re- quired for Col. Montgomery's battalion of thirteen hundred men, and four companies of Royal Ameri- cans. The Assembly was appealed to by Governor Denny, but there was no immediate response. In 1759, Gen. Jeffry Amherst stated to Governor Denny that Lieut .- Col. Morris had informed him " that some small difficulties had arisen at Philadelphia in rela- tion to quartering." Upon which he sent a copy of the agreement entered into between the deputy quar- termaster-general for the king and the selectmen of Boston. This had been made a standing rule by Gen. Amherst for the other provinces. That officer was pleased to say, " I have no reason to think that Pennsylvania would be deficient in their care and

and soldiers at the hospital and barracke; John Rowan, for beer sup- plied to the soldiery, £50 13s. 6d .; Sept. 15, 1757, te Joseph Fox, for erecting barracks, £8000. The latter may be assumed to have been the cost of the buildings and lot. 1757, November 8th, Joseph Fox, wood for the barracks and rout of the King's Hospital, £350. Fox was paid at first £60 per annum out of the fund for his services and £50 per annum from the general fund. After two or three years there is note only of payment of £50 per aonum on the general provincial expenses.

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regard for the troops sent for their defense and pro- , consultations as to what might be most proper to tection. I make no doubt that upon sight of the before-mentioned agreement, they will cheerfully comply with it, and cause cvery difficulty that may have arisen immediately to subside."

The Assembly was much more interested in con- sidering the Indian question in connection with com- plaints relative to the walking purchase, of 1737, than in making preparation for the comfort of troops. Alleging that the plan of operations for the year 1759 had not been received from Great Britain, the House in February adjourned for two weeks. The next month complaints were made that attempts had been made in the county of Lancaster to extort billets from the magistrates, and that the soldiers had been quartered in private houses. Gen. Forbes died in Philadelphia in 1759, and Brig .- Gen. Stanwix was appointed in his place, and came to the city in March. Gen. Amherst himself arrived in April of the same year. and the Assembly being slow and obstinate about passing the supply bill, he sent for the Speaker and some of the members, and told them "that he would withdraw the king's forces in case they did not raise the same number of provincials as served last campaign." Governor Denny represented these things to the Assembly, and received from the mem- bers the usual justification of their conduct. By way of set off, complaint was made of the quartering of troops at Lancaster. The House said that the meas- ures taken there were unjustifiable aud arbitrary, " that there was a commodious set of barracks erected near the city of Philadelphia capable of receiving all of his Majesty's Troops in the province. That the building of the Barracks there was occasioned by the officers refusing to quarter the troops anywhere else than in or near the city, that they had formerly re- fused to quarter them at Lancaster, and that if they had been willing a portion of the Barracks would have been erected there. That a number of Rooms in the Barracks are now, and have been during the Winter, empty, and ready to receive all the Soldiers thus oppressively, unnecessarily, and illegally quar- tered in that place." The House was stubborn, and would not pass the supply bill unless it retained a provision to tax the proprietary estates. In this emergency, Gen. Amherst solicited Governor Denny " for the good of the common cause to waive the pro- prietary instruction, and give his consent to the bill, as had been done at the request of the Earl of Loudon on a previous occasion," promising to inform the king's ministers of the necessity of his so doing, that no inconvenience might arise to him by his action.

In 1761, Vaughn's regiment was sent by Gen. Am- herst to Philadelphia. In 1764 some of the Indians who were the objects of the animosity of the Paxton Boys were at the barracks, but were removed for greater security,-perhaps it would be better to say, so that they might more easily escape to Province Island. While they were at that place there were

secure their safety. The Council was of opinion that the best method would be to send them to Sir William Johnson, at New York. It was observed as a particularly fortunate circumstance that there was in town a detachment of Highlanders, under the com- mand of Capt. Robinson, on their march to New York, who, at the instance of the Governor, readily agreed to escort the Indians as far as that city. These soldiers actually proceeded to execute the agreement, and the Indians were taken upon the march into New Jersey. But they were not received at New York. Orders were given that they should be stopped before entering the province. About the same time Governor John Penn had applied to Gen. Thomas Gage for the stationing of some troops in Philadelphia. The latter ordered three companies of the First Battalion of Royal Americans to come to the city. They were ordered to meet the Highlanders in New Jersey to receive from them the Indians and escort them back from Amboy. Capt. Schlosser had command of this detachment, and, having reached Trenton, waited for instructions. He was desired to resume his march and bring the Indians to the bar- racks, where they could be better protected than any- where else. After they arrived the rumors in relation to the assembling of the Paxton Boys, and of their intention to march to the city, became more alarming. The Governor was advised to give written instructions to Capt. Schlosser to defend the Indians to the utmost of his power, and to oppose any attempt to destroy them, "the riot act first being read by a proper civil officer." A meeting was, ordered to be held at the State-House, at which the inhabitants of the town were invited to assemble with request to imme- diately take up arms, and put themselves under the command of the Governor for the defense of the government. It was proposed also that one hundred and fifty gentlemen should assist the soldiers in guarding the barracks on the night of February 4th. It was also recommended that, "upon any alarm made by the ringing of the bells, the inhabitants would turn out with their arms and repair to the barracks; or, if the town should be attacked, that they would meet at the court-house and defend the city." Arms and ammunition were ordered to be sent to the bar- racks, with four cannon and artillery stores from the State-House. A number of carpenters were directed to be employed to erect some works at the barracks to make them more defensible. Spies were dispatched up the different roads to observe the motions of the rioters, and bring intelligence of their approach. The condition of affairs was considered critical. There was great alarm. But the Paxton Boys got no farther than Germantown, where, being met by a delegation from the city, there was a parley. They were remon- strated with, and finally, being under no authoritative Icadership, weakened and dispersed and returned to their home -.

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The disposition of the Indians became, after the excitement had quieted, a matter of embarrassment to the authorities. Governor Penn again wished to send them to Sir William Johnson, but Gen. Gage objected that by such disposition they might preju- dice the Six Nations against the English. It was the desire of that officer that they should remain at Phil- adelphia, or be sent to the barracks at Burlington, where they would be removed out of the way of the people of Pennsylvania and proper care be taken of them.

The Indians left the barracks in 1764, after having remained there for more than a year. In an address made to Governor Penn, on the occasion of their departure, they said that they were going back into the wood of Machelusing, on the Susquehanna, to settle there. " We think it is our first Duty to take a friendly leave from you by presenting our hearty Thanks for your great Goodness to us. We do not come with a String or Belt of Wampum agreeable to the custom among Indians, and as we cannot speak your tongue we must endeavor to express our grateful hearts by this Writing. Hoping you will accept of it from your poor Indians. . . . These Words come from us who have subscribed this address & from all the Indian Men, Women, & Children now at the Barracks, and we are your true and faithfull friends." This address was signed with the marks of John Pepunhang, Joshua, Anton, and Samy Evans.1

at Philadelphia, and requested that the barracksshould be placed in order for their reception. The Eighteenth or Royal Irish Regiment was at barracks for some time, and left for Boston in September, 1774. It is probable that they were not succeeded in the tenancy of the building by any other British troops.

On the 1st of November, 1775, the Assembly of Pennsylvania directed that Mr. Miles and Mr. Dough- erty should deliver to Joseph Fox, the barrack-master, the following order for providing necessaries and quartering troops :

"IN ASSEMBLY, Nov. 1, 1775. "Upon Motion : Ordered that the Barrack-Master do forthwith put the Barracke near this city into proper repair for receiving the Troops now raising in this Province, and that the said Barrack-Master do in future receive and Comply with such orders from the Committee of Safety as they may find necessary to Issue for quartering Troops in the said Barracks

(Signed) "CH's. MOORE, Cl'k Ass'y."

The same committee was ordered to ascertain low soon the barracks would be ready for the reception of troops, and what number of firelocks were made for the county. These directions mark the period when, from the occupancy of the regular British troops, the barracks passed into the tenancy of the soldiers who were opposed to them. Barrack-Master Fox, who afterward became a Tory, had not yet shown his disaffection. He reported that the bar- racks would be ready for the reception of the troops in about ten days. Capt. Thomas Proctor, of the artillery, was allowed admission to the barracks on the 7th of November with his company, and it was directed that he should be furnished with the bedding lately belonging to the royal artillery company.

In June, 1766, a detachment of the Royal High- land Regiment which had been in service in the Illi- nois country, and had arrived at New York from Pensacola, was ordered by Gen. Gage to march to Philadelphia. This was but a single company of one The Council of Safety three weeks afterward granted to Maj. Anthony J. Morris the use of the large house at the barracks " for the field-officers of the Pennsyl- vania battalion now raising." The board gave di- rections to Barrack-Master Fox to deliver the key of the said house to Maj. Morris. hundred and fourteen officers and men. Gen. Gage two months afterward desired that provision should be made for a full battalion, the strength of which was five hundred officers and men. In 1768 the As- sembly passed an act for appropriating a sum of money for building the middle house on the west In August, 1776, the deputy quartermaster-general was directed, if he could not obtain sufficient quar- ters for the troops which were coming to the city, to place them in the several places of worship in the city in turn. Notice of this intention was ordered to be given to the wardens or elders of the various con- gregations. Authority was also given to occupy private houses which were empty for the same pur- pose. Maj. Lewis Nicola succeeded Fox as barrack- master as early as the middle of March, 1776, at which time he was directed to deliver to Col. Arthur saries as they might want from the supplies at the barracks. side of the barracks, in the Northern Liberties of the city of Philadelphia.2 In 1768 the Eighteenth Regi- ment, Lient .- Col. Wilkins, arrived in Philadelphia on their march to Lancaster and Cumberland, and put up for a short time at the barracks. Gen. Gage wrote to Lieutenant-Governor Penn in June, 1769, that the Thirty-fourth Regiment, quartered in Philadelphia, were shortly to embark for Ireland going from the city. Capt. Chapman, of the Eighteenth, was there in 1772. Gen. Frederick Haldiman wrote to Governor Penn in July, 1773, that transports with | St. Clair and other officers of battalions such neces- his majesty's royal regiment of artillery had arrived at New York ; that one company was to be stationed

An estimate of the expense of converting the old jail into a barracks in 1776 is found in the Pennsylvania Archives, vol. iv. page 715. It was evidently intended for a small number of men, not more than sufficient for a city guard. The estimates were for about one hundred and twenty-one bedsteads, one of them of

1 In " Unitas Fratrum," No. 4, are the names of fifty-five Indian men, women, and children who died at the Barracks during the occupation, and were buried by Moravians.

2 The middle house fronted on Third Street, and was occupied as officers' quarters ; in later times it was universally known as the Com- missioners' Hall of the Northern Liberties.

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rather large proportions, a mess-table and bench of generous size, and twenty other tables, with forty · benches.

Bucks County militia were lodged at the United States barracks in September, 1777, at which time orders were issued to them to send a guard of four men to Robin Hood Ford (Garrigues, afterward Mendenhall's Ferry) over the Schuylkill, four men to the Upper Ferry, four men to the bridge (Middle Ferry), and four men to Gray's Ferry, to take care of the artillery at those places.

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History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 38

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 992

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992