History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 38

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

bullets from the enemy, was the last Ameri- his York County Riflemen on to victory. can soldier to enter the boats. While commanding a detachment under

He participated in the battle of White Wayne in the thickest of the fight, his horse Plains, and with a detachment from the was shot by a cannon ball. He quickly First Regiment of the Pennsylvania Line, guarded the rear during Washington's re- treat across New Jersey. At the battle of Trenton the First Regiment, under Colonel Edward Hand, formed the advance battle line, and during that eventful Christmas night of 1776 was the first to attack the Hessians at their post. After the surrender of 1,000 Hessians at Trenton, Washington re-crossed into Pennsylvania. He then se- lected Hand's riflemen, with Captain Miller commanding his company, to lead the ad- vance and attack the approaching enemy. In the action which ensued Miller com- manded the left wing of the regiment.

At the battle of Princeton, on the suc- ceeding day, these riflemen were conspic- uous for their valor and aided in winning a brilliant victory. For his gallantry in action, at the request of Washington, Cap- tain Miller was promoted to major of his regiment, and held this position at the bat- tle of Brandywine. In the battle of Ger- mantown his regiment formed a part of Wayne's brigade, and aided in driving the enemy toward Philadelphia, during the first part of the engagement. Six days after the battle, which resulted in a British victory, Major Miller wrote to his family at York: "We hope to meet them soon again, and with the assistance of Providence to restore our suffering citizens of Philadelphia to their possessions and homes."

During the winter of 1777-8, Major Mil- ler remained in camp with his regiment at Valley Forge. The arduous duties of army life required him to spend part of the winter at his home, recuperating his health. It was during this winter that Continental Congress held its sessions in York, and Washington lay in winter quarters at Val- ley Forge.

On the march through New Jersey in pur- suit of the enemy under Sir Henry Clinton, in June, 1778, Major Miller's regiment formed a part of the Pennsylvania division commanded by General Anthony Wayne. In this, the last battle of the Revolution in which Major Miller participated, he showed the same coolness and bravery that he had displayed on former occasions when he led

mounted another and rode forward, when this horse was killed by a musket ball. Mounting a third, he led his men onward until the British were driven from the field. For gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Monmouth, Major Miller was pro- moted to lieutenant-colonel of the Second Pennsylvania Regiment in the Continental Line, but owing to the condition of his affairs at home, as the result of four years' service in the army, he held this position for a short time only and then resigned. He then turned his attention to his business affairs at York. The pay he had received as a soldier, in depreciated currency, did not furnish him means enough to support his family.

In 1780, he was elected sheriff of York County, and served in that position for three years. He represented York County in the State Legislature in 1783-4-5. He was appointed prothonotary in 1785, and in the same year commissioned one of the court justices for York County. He was elected a delegate to the convention which framed the State Constitution of 1790. After the war, he became a brigadier- general of the state militia, and in 1794 was quartermaster-general of the United States army in the Whiskey Insurrection in west- ern Pennsylvania.

General Miller was appointed supervisor of revenue for the State of Pennsylvania by President Washington, and served in the same office under President Adams; but on account of his staunch adherence to the Federalist party, was removed from the office by Thomas Jefferson, when he be- came President. Although he had reached the age of 63, when the second war with Great Britain began, he tendered his ser- vices to the United States government, and was placed in charge of the defence of Fort McHenry. This occurred when the city of Baltimore was first threatened by the English, in 1813. Having still retained his relations to his native state, when the militia was organized he received the appointment of brigadier-general. In 1814, when the British appeared before Baltimore, he served in the capacity of quartermaster-

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general and was present at Baltimore with colonel of this regiment and Thomas Hart- the Pennsylvania troops, which had marched there for the defence of that city. His experience as an officer in the Revolu- tion was of great advantage to the com- manding officers at Baltimore, at the time

ley, lieutenant-colonel, at the age of twenty- seven. The part taken by the regiment in the Canada campaign is told in a previous chapter in this work. After the capture of Colonel Irvine, in Canada, Hartley was of the battle of North Point and the bom- placed in command of the regiment and bardment of Fort McHenry. Before retir- ing from service, General Miller received the commendations of the military authorities of Baltimore and the national government.

He retired to private life, residing on a farm in the Juniata Valley, and in 1821 was appointed prothonotary of the new county of Perry. At the expiration of his term of office, he removed his family residence to Carlisle, where he died April 5, 1824, and was buried there with military honors.

His family consisted of two sons and four daughters. His son Joseph was a lieutenant in the army, and died in the service, while performing his duties as quartermaster at Ogdensburg, during the second war with England, and his son William was a lieuten- ant in the navy, and died on board the year, Hartley spent some time at York. frigate "L'Insurgent," Captain Murray.

His eldest daughter, Capandana, married Colonel Campbell; his second daughter, Mary, married Thomas Banning, a Mary- land planter ; and his third daughter, Julia Anna, married David Watts, of Carlisle. His fourth daughter, Harriet, died unmar- ried. There are no descendants of these children now surviving, except those of David Watts and Julia Anna Miller.

COLONEL THOMAS HARTLEY'S REGIMENT.

Thomas Hartley, a member of the York County Bar, and a young man of rare at- tainments, entered the military service in the fall of 1775. Before hostilities had opened between the colonies and the mother country, he had commanded a com- pany of militia from York and vicinity. The fierce conflict at Bunker Hill in June, 1775, stimulated his military ardor. When an ex- pedition was planned against Canada in the fall of 1775, he tendered his services to the cause of American liberty. A regiment composed of eight companies was organ- ized, at Carlisle, from militia in the region now embraced in York, Cumberland, Franklin, Adams and Perry Counties. Wil- liam Irvine, of Carlisle, was commissioned

brought it back to Carlisle in March, 1777. Irvine remained a prisoner of war until April, 1778. His command, which at first enlisted for a term of one year for the Canada campaign, re-enlisted, and in June, 1778, under the command of Lieutenant- colonel David Grier, of York, was stationed at Middlebrook, New Jersey, and in Sep- tember at Trappe, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It joined Wayne's brigade and took part in the battles of Brandywine, Paoli and Germantown, as told elsewhere in this history.

Thomas Hartley, while in charge of the regiment at Ticonderoga, was commis- sioned colonel, January 1I, 1777. After the regiment reached Carlisle in March of that

In December, 1776, Congress authorized Washington to raise sixteen battalions of infantry for the military service from the different states then forming the Union. This resolution was adopted two days after the battle of Trenton, which had been a sig- nal victory for the American cause. Two of these battalions were to come from Pennsylvania. For this purpose Thomas Hartley and John Patton, of Chester County, were each commissioned colonel to raise a regiment. In the absence of official reports, it is difficult to give a detailed ac- count of these regiments.

Colonel Thomas Hartley's regiment joined Washington's army, when General Howe landed at the head of Elk River, in September, 1777. All the available Ameri- can troops were then concentrated in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Hartley's regi- ment formed part of the First Pennsylvania Brigade in General Wayne's division. In the battle of Brandywine, Colonel Hartley commanded this brigade, which did valiant service in the engagement, and lost heavily in both officers and men. This brigade also took part in the battle of Paoli, fought near Philadelphia, nine days after the defeat at Brandywine, and still under the command of Hartley, participated in the battle of Ger-

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

mantown, October 4. After Germantown, in the northern part of Pennsylvania, heard Hartley's regiment, which originally num- of the approach of a large force of Tories and Indians under Colonel John Butler. An appeal for help was made to Congress as nearly all the able-bodied men were in the Continental army. These hostile bands approached suddenly, when Colonel Zebu- lon Butler, of the Pennsylvania Line, who was home on a furlough, recruited three hundred men to meet a force three times as large. He met the enemy on July 3 at a fort near the Susquehanna, a short distance above Wilkesbarre, and here occurred what is known to history as the Wyoming Mas- sacre. Only fifty of Zebulon Butler's men escaped. Those who did not fall in battle, when captured were put to death by the bullets of the Tories or the tomahawks of the Indians. The depredations in the Wyoming Valley continued and became so heartrending that all the settlers fled. bered 600 men from the different counties of Pennsylvania, had in rank and file less than half its original enlistment. Major Lewis Bush was mortally wounded at Brandywine, and Captain Robert Hoopes was killed. Other casualties in this regi- ment, in the battles of Brandywine, Paoli and Germantown, were: Lieutenant James Dill, Lieutenant James Lemon, Sergeant William Chambers, Sergeant John Rousden, Corporal Anthony Wall, killed; Private George Blakely, wounded and prisoner at Paoli, in Captain Robert Hoopes' company ; Privates William Cornwall, George Duke, John Elliott, Joseph Finnemore, James Flin, killed; Philip Graham, killed at Brandy- wine; Jacob Houts, wounded at German- town; Christopher Morris and John Shan- non, killed; William Price, died of wounds.

After the close of the campaign

Hartley's of the American army around

Regiment Philadelphia, in 1777, and when at York. Washington went into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Colo- nel Hartley returned with his regiment to York, where it remained in barracks for two or three months as a guard to Continental Congress, then in session here. February II, 1778, Congress passed a resolution or- dering Michael Hillegas, treasurer of the United States, to issue a warrant for two months' pay to Colonel Hartley's regiment, then in York. On the same day another resolution was adopted directing the board of war to aid in recruiting this regiment. On June 17, according to the diary of Rev. John Roth, of the Moravian Church, a part of Hartley's regiment left York for the American camp near Philadelphia, having in charge a number of English prisoners. On June 25, at the request of General Washington, Colonel Hartley reported with his regiment at Valley Forge, just before the American army had left the camp to take the field in New Jersey. A few days later Congress adjourned to Philadelphia, which had been evacuated by the British, then falling back through New Jersey to New York.

. The Wyoming Massacre was not the only one in Pennsylvania in the war of the Revolution. Immediately after that of Wyoming, the wild precipitate flight, known as the "Great Runaway," occurred in the valley of the West Branch. All sum- mer the scalping knife and tomahawk had been doing their deadly work there, and when the news of the massacre on North Branch arrived, the West Branch above Sunbury and Northumberland was aband- oned by the settlers. Boats, canoes, hog- troughs, rafts, and every sort of floating things, were crowded with women and children. The men came down in single file, on each side of the river, and acted as guards. Sunbury became a frontier town and the site of Harrisburg, Paxtang, and Middletown, were places of resort for the unfortunate refugees. Bedford and West- moreland counties and the country about Pittsburg were likewise sorely afflicted at this time.

The massacre of Wyoming,

Hartley which occurred on July 3,

Marches caused serious apprehension to General Washington and Con- to

Sunbury. tinental Congress. At this time, Colonel Hartley's regiment was with Washington's army in New Jersey, and the remainder performing guard duty at Philadelphia. In accordance with a reso-

Wyoming

Massacre.

In June, 1778, just before Con- gress left York for Philadel- phia, the settlers near Wilkes- lution of the Pennsylvania Council of barre, in the Wyoming Valley, Safety, Hartley's regiment was ordered, on

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July 14, to go to Sunbury, in Northumber- land County, fifty miles above Harrisburg. At the same time, the Committee of Safety ordered the militia to be called out from the counties of Northumberland, Lancaster, Berks, Northampton, Cumberland and York, in all about 1,800 men. These troops were intended to guard the frontier from the ravages of the Indians and Tories. Four hundred and fifty troops from Berks and Northampton were to repair to Easton ; eight hundred and fifty from Northumber- land, Lancaster and Berks to go to Sunbury, three hundred from Cumberland and two hundred from York County to join Colonel Broadhead at Standing Stone, the site of Huntingdon.

As the Indians continued to be very troublesome 'on the northern and western frontiers of Pennsylvania, it soon became apparent to the military authorities that some offensive operations must be under- taken. to punish the savage foe, or the in- habitants of Central Pennsylvania would be in imminent danger.

With this object in view, Colonel Goes to Hartley, in September, 1778, was sent from Sunbury, by the Board Tioga. of War on an expedition to Tioga Point, on the headwaters of the North Branch, to destroy some of their vil- lages and break up their places of rendez- vous. His expedition was one of the most memorable on record, and proved success- ful. In October, 1778, after his return to Sunbury, from this expedition, Colonel Hartley wrote to Congress an extended ac- count of it, which reads in part as follows :

"With a frontier from Wyoming to Alle- gheny, we were sensible the few regular troops we had could not defend the neces- sary posts. We thought (if it were prac- ticable), it would be best to draw the prin- cipal part of our force together, as the in- habitants would be in no great danger dur- ing our absence. I made a stroke at some of the nearest Indian towns, especially as we learned a handsome detachment had Enemy been sent into the enemy's country by way of the Cherry Valley, New York. We were in hopes we should drive the savages to a greater distance.

"With volunteers and others, we reck- oned on 400 rank and file for the expedition, besides 17 horses, which I mounted from

my own regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Henry Carbery. Our rendez- vous was Fort Muncy, near the site of Wil- liamsport, on the West Branch, intending to penetrate by the Sheshecunnunk path, to Tioga, at the junction of the Cayuga, with the main Northeast Branch of Susque- hanna, from thence to act as circumstances might require.

"The troops met at Muncy the 18th of September, and when we came to count and array our force for the expedition, they amounted to only about 200 rank and file. We thought the number small, but as we presumed the enemy had no notice of our designs, we hoped at least to make a good diversion if no more, whilst the inhabitants were saving their grain on the frontier. On the morning of the 21st, at four o'clock, we marched from Muncy, with the force I have mentioned; we carried two boxes of spare ammunition and twelve days' provisions.

"In our route we met with

Endures great rains and prodigious Hardships. swamps; mountains, defiles and rocks impeded our march. We had to open and clear the way as we passed. We waded or swam the Lycoming Creek upwards of twenty times. I will not trouble your honorable body with the tedious detail, but I cannot help observing that, I imagine, the difficulties in crossing the Alps or passing up Kennebec River to Canada in 1775, could not have been greater than those our men experienced for the time. I have the pleasure to say they sur- mounted them with great resolution and fortitude. In lonely woods and groves we found the haunts and lurking places of the savage murderers, who had desolated our frontier. We saw the huts where they had dressed and dried the scalps of the helpless women and children who fell into their hands.

"On the morning of the 26th, our

Drives advance party of 19, met with an

the equal number of Indians on the path, approaching one another.

Back .. Our men had the first fire. A very important Indian chief was killed and scalped and the rest fled. A few miles further, we discovered where up- wards of seventy warriors had lay the night before, on their march towards our frontier. The panic communicated and they fled with

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

their brethren. No time was lost; we ad- Tories who cannot get to New York. On vanced towards Sheshecunnunck, in the the morning of the 28th, we crossed the neighborhood of which place we took fif- river and marched towards Wyalusing, teen prisoners from them. We learned that where we arrived that night at II o'clock; our men were much worn down and our whiskey and flour were gone. a man had deserted from Captain Spald- ing's company at Wyoming, after the troops had marched from thence and had given the enemy notice of our intended expedition against them.

"On the morning of the 29th, we were obliged to stay till II o'clock to kill and cook beef. This gave the enemy leisure to "We moved with the greatest dispatch towards Tioga, advancing our horse and some foot in front, who did their duty very well. A number of the enemy fled before us with precipitation. It was near dark, when we came to that town. Our troops were much fatigued and it was impossible to proceed further that night. We were told that young Butler, who had led the Tories at the Wyoming Massacre, had been at Tioga a few hours before we came-that he had 300 men with him, the most of them Tories, dressed in green-that they were returned towards Chemung, 12 miles off, and that they determined to give us battle in some of the defiles near it. It was soon resolved we should proceed no further, but if possible make our way to Wyoming. We approach. Seventy of our inen from real or pretended lameness went into the canoes; others rode on the empty pack horses. We had not more than 120 rank and file to fall in the line of march. Lieu- tenant Sweeney, a valuable officer, had the rear guard, consisting of thirty men, besides five active runners, under Mr. Camplen. The advance guard was to consist of an officer and fifteen men. There were a few flankers, but from the difficulty of the ground and fatigue, they were seldom of use. The rest of our little army was formed into three divisions. Those of my regiment composed the first, Captain Spalding's the second, and Captain Morrow's the third. The light horse was equally divided be- tween front and rear. The pack horses and burned Tioga, Queen Hester's Palace or the cattle we had collected, were to follow town, and all the settlements on this side. the advance guard. In this order we

Several canoes were taken and some plun- der, part of which was destroyed. Lieu- tenant Carbery, with the horse only, was close on Butler. He was in possession of the town of Shawnee, three miles up the Cayuga Branch, but as we did not advance, he returned.

marched from Wyalusing at 12 o'clock. A slight attack was made on our front from a hill. Half an hour afterwards a warmer one was made on the same quarter. After or- dering the second and third divisions to outflank the enemy, we soon drove them, but this, as I expected, was only amuse- ment, and we lost as little time as possible with them.

"At 2 o'clock a very heavy attack

"The consternation of the enemy was great. We pushed our good fortune as far as we dare, nay, it is probable the good countenance we put on, saved us from An was made on our rear, which destruction, as we were advanced so far Indian obliged most of the rear guard to Attack. give way, while several Indians appeared on our left flank. By the weight of the firing, we were soon con- vinced we had to oppose a large body. Captain Stoddard commanded in front and I was in the centre. I observed some high ground which overlooked the enemy. Orders were immediately given for the first and third divisions to take possession of it, whilst Captain Spalding was despatched to support the rear guard. We gained the heights almost unnoticed by the barbarians. Captain Stoddart sent a small party towards into the enemy's country, and no return but what we could make with the sword. We came to Sheshecunnunck that night. Had we had 500 regular troops, and 150 light troops, with one or two pieces of ar- tillery, we probably might have destroyed Chemung, which is now the receptacle for all villainous Indians and Tories from the different tribes and states. From this they make their excursions against the frontiers of New York, Pennsylvania, Jersey, Wyom- ing and commit those horrid murders and devastations we have heard of. Niagara and Chemung are the asylums of these the enemy's rear. At this critical moment,

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THE REVOLUTION

Captains Boone and Brady, and Lieutenant King, with a few brave fellows, landed from the canoes, joined Lieutenant Sweeney and renewed the action there. The war whoop was given by our people below and com- municated round. We advanced on the enemy on all sides.

With great shouting and noise, The Enemy the Indians, after a brave resist- ance of some minutes, con- Repulsed. ceived themselves nearly sur- rounded. and fled with the ut- most haste, by the only passes that re- mained, and left ten dead on the ground. Our troops wished to do their duty, but they were much overcome with fatigue, otherwise (as the Indians imagined them- selves surrounded), we should have driven the enemy into the river. From every ac- count, these were a select body of warriors, sent after us, consisting of nearly 200 men. Their confidence and impetuosity, probably gave the victory to .us. After they had driven our rear some distance, their chief was heard to say in the Indian language that which is interpreted thus: 'My brave warriors, we drive them, be bold and strong, the day is ours.' Upon this they advanced very quickly without sufficiently regarding their rear.

"We had no alternative, but conquest or death. They would have murdered us all had they succeeded, but the great God of Battles protected us in the day of danger. We had four killed and ten wounded. The enemy must have had at least treble the number killed and wounded. They received such a beating as prevented them giving us any further trouble during our march to

than fifty miles from the place of action. The officers of my regiment behaved well to a man. All the party will acknowledge the greatest merit and bravery of Captain Stod- dart. I cannot say enough in his favor. He deserves the esteem of his country. Lieu- tenant Carbery, with his horse, was very active, and rendered important services till his horses were fatigued. Nearly all the other officers acquitted themselves with reputation. Captain Spalding exerted him- self as much as possible. Captain Murrow, from his knowledge of Indian affairs and their mode of fighting, was serviceable. His men were marksmen and were useful.

The men of my regiment were armed with muskets and bayonets. They were no great marksmen, and were awkward at wood fighting. The bullets and three swan shot in each piece made up, in some measure, for the want of skill. Though we were happy enough to succeed in this action, yet I am convinced that a number of lighter troops, under good officers, are necessary for this service.

"On the third, the savages

Reaches and. scalped three men who

Wyoming. had imprudently left the gar- rison at Wyoming to go in search of potatoes. From our observations, we imagine that the same party who had fought us, after taking care of their dead and wounded, had come on towards Wyom- ing, and are now in that neighborhood. I left half of my detachment there, with five of my own officers. Should they attempt to invest the place when their number is in- creased. I make no doubt but they will be disappointed.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 38

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372