History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 39

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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As appurtenanees to the barracks, in 1777, before the British occupancy, there were two hospitals; that which was used for ordinary diseases was in Front Street, opposite the Noah's Ark Tavern, at the corner of Bloody Lane, or Noble Street, and probably upon the barrack grounds; the Smallpox Hospital was in Pine Street, exactly where is not known. It was under the care of the barraek-master, and nurses were employed to take care of it. Dr. Glentworth, in January, 1777, was superintendent of a " smallpox hospital, 2 doors above Peter Knight's." The siek quarters in January, 1777, were at Semple's store, Sproat's store, which was immediately opposite Semple's, and McElroy's store, also at John Shields' house. Mary Traker was a nurse at John Shields', and was frequently spoken of as a nurse at the Pine Street Smallpox Hospital. There were siek soldiers at Smeiler's, at the corner of Seventh and Arch Streets, and at Sneider's, in Front Street, and also at Evan Morgan's, on the common.

Occasional glimpses of the condition of the barracks after they came into the possession of the common- wealth of Pennsylvania are to be had in the reports published by Col. Nicola. Thus he said, in August, 1776, " The troops that daily come to the barracks are much displeased at not having necessarys to dress their victuals. Potts I have enough in store, but they will not take unless cleaned, yet constantly return them dirty. There is a great deficiency of buckets." In November of the same year he men- tions that a consultation was held among the officers, with Col. Hampton and others, as to the disposition of rooms, from which it appears that the place was crowded. " It was agreed that room should be made in the wing occupied by the German battalion for Capt. Doyle's company, and that the cellars should be filled with men. This arrangement will make 20 rooms as soon as the Flying Camp men mareh out, and 50 cellars for the reception of Troops. In con- sequence of this I have directed that the cellars should be cleaned and fitted for the reception of men. . . . 18 wagons with siek men from the camp and 4 this morning came to the barraeks. The men say more wagons are on the road, and 2 shallops are coming down the river." A few days afterward the barraek-master wrote, " As these unsettled times may occasion many removes in the Barracks, and that most of the rooms are supplied with bedsteads, tables, and

benches, which cannot be removed into store-rooms, it is necessary to have them fastened up. As locks are attended with much inconvenieney, occasioned by the men's loosing the keys and putting the locks out of order, I prefer padloeks, which may be taken into the stores whenever the rooms are occupied. I have hitherto found it impossible to procure the number I want. I propose advertising this day for them, in expectation that some smith in the neighborhood will undertake it." Three days afterward he complained that Capt. Doyle had not returned one-half of the bed-cases received from the German battalion, and that certain utensils had not been returned. After Nicola became town-major he issued standing orders to the garrison of Philadelphia in regard to returns and other matters (Penna. Archives, vol. iv. page 184). Among them were the following:

"V. When any Troops belonging to the Garrison, or on their way to Camp are quartered out of the Barracks, s sergeant or corporal from each corps is to attend constantly at the Barracks to be ready to carry Orders to their respective corps, for which purpose a room in the Bar- racks must be appointed for their Reception.

"VI. An adjutant in rotation is constantly to remain in the Barracks from which he is not to depart on any accouut till relieved, except when he goes to the Town-Major to receive orders, but be ready to receive and distribute orders.

"VII. Whenever the Drummer beats the Adjutants' call, or first part of the Troop, all the Adjutants in the Barracks and orderly Ser- geants or corporals from corps quartered out of the Barracke, are to re- pair to the Parade, receive orders, and distribute them to their respective согре.

"IX. A Field-Officer whenever there are four in Town, when not a captain, to attend daily at the Barracks and do the duty of the Officer of the day."

When the British army entered Philadelphia the barraeks were again occupied by the royal troops, whether by regiments or companies is not known. Soldiers were encamped in the open fields near, north, south, and west of the more luxurious quarters. There is no record by which may be ascertained what regi- ments or organizations were accommodated at the barracks.

Discipline was rather loose in the Northern Liber- ties after the British evacuation, and the soldiers were sometimes unruly. In December, 1779, complaint was made to the Supreme Executive Couneil " of great irregularities at the barracks and destruction of the buildings; and also that there is danger of blood- shed from the disputes between the soldiers and the neighboring inhabitants, and that the same are owing to the negleet of the proper officers providing wood." Measures were taken to prevent further mischief. The supply of fuel was a great difficulty at this time. In order to prevent, in some degree, the seareity, the Council had ordered that the wood growing on a tract of land on the west side of the Schuylkill, be- longing to some persons residing in Great Britain, should be cut down and brought to the city for the use of the poor, the same to be valued and accounted for when required. In pursuance of these orders, William Bradford, Teneh Francis, James Ash, Isaac Melchor, William Hall, Andrew Tybout, David Dun-

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can, William Miller, William Forbes, Thomas Shields, and Joseph Copperthwaite had cut down considerable quantities of the wood for those uses. They found themselves confronted by a person called William Wood, who made claim to the property, and took possession of some of it. The Supreme Executive Council proceeded promptly, and ordered Wood to be arrested and brought before them by the sheriff of the county. The consequence was that Wood was soon convinced of his error, " made some acknowl- edgments," and being reprimanded, was dismissed.

Probably some of this wood went to the barracks. The necessity of the case and the want of fuel led to considerable destruction there. A committee of the Council, which had been detailed to make an exami- nation of the condition of the barracks, made a very unpleasant report :

" That they find them in a very ruinous condition, all the Bedsteads (except a few in the Invalid quarter) missing having been burned, as we are informed, for want of Wood. Almost all the Glazing of the windows broken, plastering pulled down, the laths & partitions cut up to light firee. The Boors minch cut up and injured. The soldiers having brought their wood into the rooms, and there cut up for their fires; the rooms & galleries are so full of filth and ordure as to render these places ex- tremely offensive ; in short the whole of the buildings are in very bad order. . . . That upon a speciall inquiry what Wood had been served out, and what prospects there are, it appears to the committee that great part of the Fall & Winter there has been only half allowance, and that irregularly served. That they have been occasionally 2 days without Wood, even to cook their victuals, By which means the Buildings and Fences in the neighborhood had Suffered, which had occasioned great disturbance among the luhabitants, so as not only to break the peace, but to endanger the lives of both soldiers and citizens; that there is aot at present any stock of wood or any other supply than from day to day, and that so insufficient that unless there is some effectual reform in case of bad roads or bad weather which may be expected at this season, they will be destitute, aud the like abuses on the buildings and in the neigh- borhood probably renewed."

The number of soldiers who might be accommo- dated at the barraeks was not stated, nor the number of soldiers who were in quarters at that time. In regard to the officers there were more than enough. Isaac Melchior was barrack-master; Gen. Gibbs Jones, chief barrack-master and captain of artillery ; Christian Schaffer, assistant barrack-master and super- intendent of the carpenters; John Fauntz, assistant barrack-master. Beside these principal officers there were three superintendents of wagoners and wood- cutters, an issuer of wood, two clerks, and teamsters to an unknown number. There were twenty-one teams at the barracks, and twelve at Bristol, besides several more at the same place whose number was not ascer- tained. Col. Melchior and his assistants had a num- ber of riding horses for their own use, and the affairs of the establishment were conducted at an extravagant rate. On the last day of December the barrack-mas- ter reported that a body of Continental troops were marching into the city, and unprovided with barracks ' or other cover, from which it would seem that the bar- racks were filled to their capacity. He asked assist- ance from the Council so that they might be secured suitable quarters. Orders were issued to the justices of the peace of the city and liberties to billet the

troops in the public-houses, proportioning them ac- cording to the size of the house. Measures were taken also to recompense citizens who lost their wood when the troops were "constrained" to use that article. The barrack-master was ordered to replace it in the following proportion : " for twenty men one-eighth of a cord of wood for every twenty-four hours, and so on in proportion for a greater or lesser number of men."

The use of the barracks was given up to the United States at some time before the end of 1779, at which period the report above quoted was made. Conse- quently, there were disputes whenever the State au- thorities undertook to interfere. The report of the condition of the buildings was sent by the Council to the delegates of Pennsylvania in Congress, and the Council said, "Should there be any attempt to refer the correction of these abuses to the authority of the State, we desire you would object to it. We cannot think of involving ourselves in any further disputes with these officers, who, being under the immediate appointment of Congress, resent our interference, and in consequence treat us with very little respect or decency. . . . At all events we decline acting farther than giving you information as members of Congress, being resolved never again to commit ourselves as parties or accusers, and with the officers of Congress incur the imputation of indulging private resentment when we have only the public interests in view." The representations made produced no result. So that some months afterward President Reed wrote to the delegates in Congress stating that the abuses and mischiefs continued, " so that in a little time these buildings will be useless to the publick." One thou- sand pounds in gold, it was said, would not repair the damages that those buildings had sustained during the previous year. The Council, therefore, determined to take the buildings under their own care, and appoint a barraek-master. They requested the delegates in Congress to move in that body for an order to the Continental officers to pay due regard to the barrack- master within his department. Matthew MeConnell was appointed town-major after this, and Leonard Cooper was superintendent in 1781. In January of the same year, a considerable number of officers belonging to the Pennsylvania line being in the city, were unprovided with decent quarters. Orders were given that they should be billeted by the Deputy Quartermaster-General.

In 1781, Col. Lewis Nicola, who was formerly barrack-master and at that time town-major, appears to have been in authority sufficient to take charge of the barracks again. He was directed to appoint a trusty sergeant to assist him in preserving the barracks from "being damaged by the soldiery that may be quartered therein from time to time." Various repairs were placed upon the barracks during that year.

In November, Robert Morris, superintendent of finance, and Richard Peters, executing the duties of

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the War Department, wrote to President Moore stating that a regiment of Federal troops would be stationed in the city during the ensuing winter, and that upon their arrival the militia doing duty would be discharged. Therefore they applied for the use of the barracks, and requested that a barrack-master should be appointed and the buildings put in order.

Col. Nicola was discharged from his duty as town- major in February, 1782, there being practically no further occasion for his services.

After the conclusion of the Revolution, as soon as public officers became settled down to peaceable thoughts, it was considered necessary to dispose of a place in which the inhabitants of the city took much of the property acquired for military purposes during the struggle. On the 1st of April, 1784, the Assembly passed an act authorizing the sale of the barrack lots in the Northern Liberties. The money realized was to be appropriated toward the payment of the sums agreed to be paid to the late proprietaries. The Supreme Executive Council appointed Michael Hillegas and Tench Francis commissioners " to appor- tion and lay off the ground whereon the barracks are situate into as many lots as may be necessary, with such and so many streets and lanes that the interest of the State and the convenience of the inhabitants may be best promoted, and to make sale thereof." The commissioners opened on the south side of the barrack-ground a new street, to which they gave the name of Tammany Street. As early as 1772 a street had been laid out through the Coats property, north of Green Street, running northward, which was called St. John Street. This highway was continned by the commissioners through the centre of the barrack lot from Green to Tammany Street. Near the German- town road, Pitt Street was in line of St. John Street. South of Pegg's Run, Ann Street extended on the same line from Vine Street to Cohocksink Creek. The route of St. John Street was confirmed from Pegg's Run to Germantown road in June, 1793. East and west of St. John Street, between Second and Third, small and narrow streets were laid out, to which the commissioners, with delicate taste, gave floral names. Rose Alley was east of Third Street and Lily Alley west of Second Street.

It was the opinion of Messrs. Hillegas and Francis that the best plan to dispose of the property would be to rid it of all the barrack buildings except the centre house for the officers. The materials would bring fair prices. The bricks, in consequence of scarcity, could be sold for nearly as much as new bricks. The lumber might be used, and other material, such as floors, window-sashes, etc. The lots thus being made vacant could be sold at a better price than if incnm- bered with inconvenient buildings.

The destruction of the barracks was found to be inconvenient in after-years for the want of some place at which the troops might be lodged. In 1788 a contingent being necessary from Pennsylvania, Lient .- Col. Josiah Harmer was placed in command.

Capt. David Ziegler, upon recruiting service, was em- barrassed for want of quarters. In this emergency the Supreme Executive Council applied to the man- agers of the House of Employment, requesting them " to permit Capt. Ziegler to occupy an apartment in the Bettering House for the reception of such sol- diers as he may enlist during his stay in this city." The application was not successful, and an order was issued to Clement Biddle to procure a house for the purposes of Capt. Ziegler on the best terms that he conld.

The barracks became, as soon as they were erected, much interest. Except the militia and volunteer associations, organized under authority of the Lien- tenant-Governors, there had been few regular soldiers seen in Philadelphia from the time of the settlement up to 1755, when the remnants of Halkett's and Dun- bar's regiments marched back in retreat, it might be said, after the disaster of Braddock's Field. The Royal American regiment, although composed prin- cipally of emigrants from Germany and Switzerland, who had been settled in America some of them per- haps for many years, were commanded by officers thoroughly instructed in the military methods of Continental Europe, governed by obedience to such British methods as were considered necessary to be observed by superior authority. Halkett's and Dun- bar's regiments were almost entirely composed of soldiers born in Great Britain. Col. Bouquet must have introduced some peculiarities founded upon his experience in the Dutch and Italian armies. Col. Montgomery's Highlanders were objects of great curiosity. Their peculiar costumes, their pipers and music, even their speech, so difficult to be understood by persons not used to cosmopolitan communications, were strange. Subject to proper precautions incident to military organizations, visitors to the barracks were welcome, at least at particular times, when it was un- derstood that the sentries could be passed and access to the premises occupied by the troops was unre- stricted. The parades and reviews were matters of continued interest. There was always something going on at the barracks which was worth looking at. It was a popular place to be visited by young people, and even by elderly and grave citizens.

The commissioners who erected the barracks are not known to have made any formal report as to their plans or description of the buildings. It is known that the barracks were of brick, that they had cellars under them, and occupied a parallelogram bounded on the west by Third Street, probably a little back from that highway, the middle building or officers' quarters being possibly in front of the barracks proper, which were of brick, and faced a ground for parade and exercise.1

1 Among the collection of curiosities in possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a powder horn upon which is engraved a representation of the city, with a sort of a map and other details suff-

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So far as noted, the battalions of British troops quartered at the barracks were infantry or foot sol- diers. Yet there was artillery there. The king's birth- day, in June, 1772, was celebrated at the barracks by a discharge of twenty-one cannon. After the bar- rack lots were laid out, the little street running from Second to Front, below Green, and known as Duke Street, was popularly called Artillery Lane. This was in allusion to the storage of cannon near there, either upon the barracks lot or upon the line of Duke Street. The presence of the troops in the Northern Liberties gave to that portion of the county a new nickname. It was called Camping-town and Camp- town for many years. In time this appellation was shifted northward, and was generally known as a name applied to Kensington.

State Arsenals .- There was no place for storage of arms at the time when the trouble commenced with Great Britain, which ended in the Revolution, other than at the barracks and in the sheds on the State- House lot, at Fifth and Sixth Streets, and in the State-House yard. After the battle of Lexington the Assembly, although somewhat under proprietary in- fluence, was compelled to go with the people. The association for defense, entered into by citizens im- mediately after the beginning of hostilities, was approved by resolutions of the Assembly. June 30th, it was also resolved that if the Committee of Safety should consider it necessary, it would be lawful for the Associators to enter into service to repel " any invasion or landing of British Troops or others ... in this or the adjacent colonies during the present controversy," or if "any armed ships or vessels shall sail up the River Delaware in any Hostile Manner."

cient to authorize the inference that it was the work of a British soldier wbo was in Philadelphia before the Revolution. From the manner of spelling the name Front Street (" Frond Street") it seems probable that this work was done by a foreigner, a German or Swiss soldier belonging either to Bonqnet's or Haldiman's battalions. There is a rude but per- fectly obvious representation of the barracks exactly where they would he, in reference to other localities on the map or plan. According to this representation the barracks were one-storied buildings with a pitched roof, which possibly may have been available lofts for sleeping purposes, although there are no marks of garret-windows, Doors at intervals appeared to have been placed on the west parallel, Chimneys ure also marked. The description by Watson does not agree with this rude sketch. Ile says that " the houses were all of brick, two stories high, and a portico around the whole hollow-square." The view which Mr. Watson publishes shows a gallery above the first story and on a level with the floor of the second story, stretching around the three sides of the quadrangle. The number of soldiers who could be accom- modaled is also a matter of doubt. Mr. Watson says that they were tenanted " by three thousand men, all in the same year." (" Annals of Philadelphia," vol. i. page 415.) This is a doubtful phrase, and may mean that altogether, in one year, three thousand individual soldiers had tenated the building. If it meant that three thousand men were at one time quartered there, the statement may be suspected to be an exag- grintion. It has already been shown that in March, 1758, Gen. Forbes demanded quarters for seventeen hundred and fifty-two men. Mont- gomery's battalion of Highlanders in the winter of 1758-59 consisted of thirteen hundred men, and there were four companies of Royal Ameri- aus, probably not more than four hundred men, altogether seventeen hundred men. No larger numbers than these are spoken of on the scanty records which remain to sbow the use of this building.

The pay of the officers and privates was " not to exceed that of the army raised by the Congress of the United Colonies for the defense of the liberties of America." It was recommended to the officers of the city and county of Philadelphia, and to officers in other counties of the province, to provide " a proper number of good new firelocks with bayonets fitted to them ; cartridge- boxes, with twenty-three rounds of cartridge in every box, and knapsacks, not less than fifteen hundred of each article for the city and county of Philadelphia," and three thousand for the other counties in the State. It was ordered " that the firelocks to be provided, as aforesaid, be of one bore with steel rammers. Locks well fitted to the same, and that patterns of the said firelocks, rammers and bayonets, be immediately made in the city of Philadelphia, and sent to the different counties." The manufacture of saltpetre within the province was encouraged by a bounty ; a provincial saltpetre works was in operation in the city in April, 1776. To defray the expenses, bills of credit to the value of thirty-five thousand pounds were ordered to be issued. The committee got to work without delay. Col. John Cadwalader and Samuel Morris, Jr., were directed to provide patterns of muskets, bayonets, cartridge-boxes and knapsacks, to be sent to the different counties. The muskets were to be three feet eight inches long, with a bore of sufficient size to carry seventeen balls to the pound, and the bayonet sixteen inches long. Messrs. Robert Morris, Robert White, and Thomas Wharton, Jr., were appointed a committee to procure powder and saltpetre, and to buy two thousand stand of firearms. The first men- tion of the acquisition of military stores was made on the 18th of July, when Thomas Savidge " was ordered to be employed to take care of the cannon and military stores in the daytime, or until he be relieved by the guard placed for that purpose." Resolution of Congress of July 18th recommended that each soldier should be furnished with a good musket that would carry an ounce ball, with a bay- onet, steel ramrod, worm priming-wire and brush fitted thereto, a cutting sword or tomahawk, a cart- ridge-box that will contain twenty-three rounds of cartridges, twelve flints, and a knapsack. The first anxiety about gunpowder arosc the next month, when a night-guard was set over the powder in the new jail. The provincial muskets which had been in use pre- viously to the Revolution were taken in charge by the associators at once. Robert Towers was com- missary, and appears to have had charge of some por- tions of the powder, and made return of possession of two thousand two hundred and forty-four and a half pounds, in magazine, the greater part of which was immediately delivered for service. The return in the middle of August showed that powder was stored at the new jail, at the powder-house, and at Germantown, and there were twelve thousand flints and five hun- dred-weight of lead stored in the State-House. It is probable that for the latter purpose the frame build-

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History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 39

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