History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 40

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

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EXECUTION AT YORK.

Samuel Dewees was serving as a fifer in tinued our march to the Potomac, at No- Colonel Richard Butler's regiment when it land's Ferry, where we halted some time was encamped at York. After the Revolu- for the artillery and baggage to cross. The tion he resided in Maryland until his death, troops crossed in the evening, and halted one mile from the ferry and lay without tents. It rained most of the night. In crossing there were four men drowned by one of the boats sinking. Our march this day was 16 miles, besides crossing the ferry. We crossed the Potomac at Noland's Ferry in bad scows. One sunk, in which one ser- geant and three privates of our regiment (First) were drowned." about 1836. He served as a captain of Maryland troops in the war of 1812 and with his company helped to defend Baltimore against the British, in September, 1814. About thirty years after the Revolution he wrote and published a book describing his experiences in the war of the Revolution. Captain Dewees was a witness to the shoot- ing at York of four soldiers of the Pennsyl- vania Line in 1781. He describes the un- fortunate affair as follows :

June 7, with his force reduced Joins . Lafayette. to about 900 men as the result of the long march, Wayne ar- "Whilst we lay at Lebanon a circum- stance transpired worthy of notice, and which I here record as a prelude to the tragic event at York. A sergeant, who was known by the appellation of Macaroni Jack, a very intelligent, active, neat and clever fellow, had committed some trivial rived at Fredericksburg, where he joined Lafayette, who had a force of I,200 men. Before Wayne arrived in Vir- ginia, Richmond had been burned by the English under Philips and Arnold. The State Legislature had moved to Charlottes- offence. He had his wife with him in camp, ville, the home of Thomas Jefferson, who who always kept him very clean and neat in his appearance. She was washerwoman to a number of soldiers, myself among the number. She was a very well behaved and good conditioned woman. was then the governor of Virginia. Preda- tory parties were then scouring this state and Jefferson, at his home, narrowly es- caped being captured by a band of the British under Tarleton. Lafayette and "The officers for the purpose of making an impression upon him and to better his Wayne commanded the only American forces then in Virginia. The object of conduct, ordered him to be brought from the guard house, which done, he was tied up and the drummers ordered to give him a Wayne and Lafayette now was to check the raids of the English detachments sent into

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certain number of lashes upon his bare back. The intention of the officers was not to chastise him.

"When he was tied up he looked around and addressed the soldiers, exclaiming at the same time, 'dear brother soldiers, won't you help me.' This, in the eyes of the officers, savored of mutiny and they called out, 'take him down, take him down.' The order was instantly obeyed, and he was taken back to the guard house again and hand-cuffed. At this time there were two deserters confined with him. On the next or second day after this, we were ordered on to York, Pa., where, upon our arrival, we encamped upon the common below the town. Our three prisoners were confined in York jail. In a few days after we arrived at York, a soldier by the name of Jack Smith, and another soldier whose name I do not now remember, were engaged in playing long bullets. While thus engaged some of the officers were walking along the road, where they were throwing the bullets. The bullets passing near the officers, they used very harsh language to Smith and his com- rade, who immediately retorted by using the same kind of indecorous language. A file of men was immediately despatched with orders to take Smith and his comrade under guard and march them off to York jail.

"In three or four days after these the condemned soldiers at the jail door, we arrests were made, a sergeant of the then marched them out and down below name of Lilly was offensive. He was town, playing the 'dead march' in front of them. We continued our march full half a mile and halted on a piece of ground (the Common ) adjoining a field of rye which was then in blossom. This was sometime in the early part of May, 1781. After a halt was made, the prisoners were ordered to kneel down with their backs to the rye field

a very fine fellow and an excellent scholar, so much so, that much of the regimental writing fell to his lot to do, and for which he received a remuneration in some way. This sergeant having become intoxicated, had quarreled with one or more of his messmates, and upon some of the officers coming around to inquire what the fence. Their eyes were then bandaged or matter was, found him out of his tent. The covered over with silk handkerchiefs. The officers scolded him and bade him to go into officer in command then divided his force of his quarters. Lilly having been much in favor and knowing his abilities and the ser- vices rendered, was (although intoxicated) very much wounded and could not bear to be thus harshly dealt with and used lan- guage of an unbecoming kind to his superior officers. The officers immediately ordered him to be taken to York jail.

"On the next day in the morning we beat up the troop. After roll call, we were

ordered to beat up the troop again. The whole line was again formed, and I think the orders were, for every soldier to appear in line, with his knapsack on his back. I suppose that at this time there were parts of three regiments, in all 800 or 1,000 men lying at York, the whole of which was com- manded by Colonel Anthony Wayne. The whole body, sentinels, invalids, etc., ex- cepted, when formed were marched to the distance of about half a mile from the camp. Twenty men were then ordered out of the line and formed into marching order and all the musicians placed at their head .. After remaining a short time in a marching pos- ture, the order of forward was given. We were then marched direct to the jail door. The prisoners, six in number, were then brought out and their sentence, which was death, was read to them.

"At this time it was thought that none in the line save the officers knew for what the provost guard was detached, but it appeared afterwards that previous to the firing which was the means of launching four out of the six into eternity, the matter of rescuing them was whispered among the soldiers, . but they did not concert measures in time, to prevent the awful catastrophe which they meditated, by an act of insubordination upon their part.

"After the sentence of death was read to

twenty men into two platoons. The whole was then ordered to load their pieces. This done, ten were ordered to advance, and at the signal given by the officer, which was the wave of his pocket . handkerchief, the first platoon of ten fired at one of the six. Macaroni Jack was the first shot and in- stantly killed. The first platoon was then ordered to retire and reload, and the second platoon of ten ordered to advance. When

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the signal was again given, Smith shared to America, and settled "near the Conewago the same fate, but with an awfulness that would have made even devils to have shrunk back and stood appalled. His head was literally blown in fragments from off his body. The second platoon was then ordered to retire and reload, whilst the first was ordered to advance and at the same signal fired at the third man. The second platoon

on the west side of the Susquehanna," in the original area of York County. He was educated in the classical school taught by Rev. Mr. Allison in Chester County, and then studied law. In 1764. he served in Bouquet's expedition against the Indians of western Pennsylvania. At the opening of the Revolution, he was chosen major of then advanced and fired to order, at Ser- the Eighth Pennsylvania Reginient, and geant Lilly, whose brave and noble soul was soon after, lieutenant-colonel of Morgan's instantly on the wing to the presence of the rifles. He was present with the northern Supreme Judge, who has pledged himself army under Gates at the surrender of Bur- goyne at Saratoga in October, 1777, and at the battle of Monmouth in 1778. He soon after became colonel of the Ninth Pennsyl- vania Regiment, which he commanded at the battle of Stony Point. He came to York in the spring of 1781, and commanded a regiment of the Pennsylvania Line. In May of that year, he marched with Wayne's brigade to Yorktown, Virginia, joining Lafayette's command at Fredericksburg. While with Lafayette's division near Wil- liamsburg, Virginia, he attacked Colonel Simcoe's rangers, gaining the advantage. After the war, he settled in Carlisle, and in 1788 was member of the State Legislature. from Cumberland County. In 1787, he was agent for the Indian affairs in Ohio, and in the expedition of St. Clair's campaign against the Indians, in 1791. commanded the right wing, with the rank of major- general. When attacked early in the morn- ing of November 4. he repeatedly charged the enemy, received several severe wounds and was finally killed. Butler County, in western Pennsylvania, was named in his honor. that he will do that which is right. The arms of each had been tied above their elbows with the cords passing behind their backs. Being thus tied, enabled them to have the use of their hands. I ventured near and noticed that Macaroni Jack had his hands clasped together in front of his breast and had both of his thumbs shot off. The distance that the platoons stood from them at the time they fired could not have been more than ten feet. So near did they stand that the handkerchiefs covering the eyes of some of them that were shot were set on fire. The fence and even the heads of rye for some distance within the field were covered with blood and brains. After four were shot, we musicians with a portion of the twenty men were ordered to march and were then conducted up to the main line of the army. After our arrival there, the whole line was thrown into marching order and led to , the scene of bloody death. When the troops advanced near to the spot they deployed off into double file and were then marched very near to the dead bodies, as also to those still on their knees waiting the awful death that they had every reason Colonel William Butler, his brother, was lieutenant-colonel of the Fourth Pennsyl- vania Regiment in the Revolutionary army. In October, 1778, after the destruction of Wyoming by John Butler and the Indians, he conducted an expedition from Schoharie, which destroyed the Indian settlements of Unadilla and Anaguaga. to believe still awaited them. The order was for every man to look upon the bodies as he passed, and in order that the soldiers in line might behold them more distinctly in passing they were ordered to countermarch after they had passed and then marched as close to them upon their return.

"The two deserters that were still in a kneeling posture were reprieved, the band- ages taken from their eyes, then untied, and restored to their respective companies."

COLONEL RICHARD BUTLER, of Wayne's brigade, was born in York County, April 1. 1743: He was the son of Thomas and Eleanor Butler, who came from Ireland

Thomas, another brother, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1754. In 1776. while studying law with Judge Wilson, of Phila- delphia. he joined the army, soon obtained a company, and was in almost every action in the middle states during the Revolution. At Brandywine, September II, 1777, he re- ceived the thanks of Washington on the

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

field for intrepidity in rallying a retreating detachment. At Monmouth he was thanked by Wayne for defending a defile in the face of a heavy fire, while Colonel Richard But- ler's regiment withdrew. After the war he retired to a farm, but in 1791, was made major, and commanded a battalion from Carlisle in Gibson's regiment, under St. Clair, at whose defeat, November 4, he was twice wounded. He became major of the fourth sub-legion on April II, 1792, lieu- tenant-colonel commanding the Fourth In- fantry on July 1, 1792, and on the reorgan- ization of the army on a peace basis, in June, 1802, was retained as colonel of the Second Infantry, to which he was appointed on April 1, 1802. In 1797 he was ordered by President Washington to expel settlers from Indian lands in Tennessee, and made several treaties with the Indians while in that country. He died in New Orleans, Louisiana, September 7, 1805.

CAPTAIN THOMAS CAMPBELL, the son of John Campbell, was born about 1750 in Chanceford Township, York County. His father took up a tract of land at an early day, situated on the "Great Road lead- ing from York to Nelson's Ferry." He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and received the education accorded that sturdy race. He was a farmer by occupation. When the Revolutionary struggle began, he enlisted as a private in Captain Michael Doudel's company, attached to Colonel William Thompson's Battalion of Riflemen, in July. 1775. He served through the New England campaign, and was commissioned first lieu- tenant in the Fourth Regiment of the Penn- sylvania Line, January 3, 1777. He was severely wounded at Germantown, was pro- moted captain January 1, 1781, and retired from the service January 1. 1783. He was one of the original members of the Pennsyl- vania Society of the Cincinnati. Captain Campbell was chosen a delegate to the State Convention to ratify the Federal Con- stitution in 1787 ; served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1797 to 1800, and of the Senate from the York and Adams district from 1805 to 1808. He died at his residence in Mona- ghan Township, York County, January 19, 1815.

The First Regiment of the Pennsylvania Line marched with Wayne from York to

the surrender of Cornwallis. This regiment then contained about twenty of the one hundred men that had marched from York to Boston and joined Washington at .Cam- bridge in July. 1775. The muster roll of this company will be found among the suc- ceeding pages.

PULASKI'S LEGION AT YORK.

Pulaski's Legion, a body of mounted lancers and infantry, was quartered in York in March and April, 1779, coming here after leaving the winter encampment in New Jersey. These troops were commanded by Count Cassimer Pulaski, a Polish soldier, who led the insurgents during an insurrec- tion in Poland. He had ten years' experi- ence as an officer in his native country before he went to Paris, where, in the spring of 1777, he met Benjamin Franklin. Soon afterward he sailed for Philadelphia and be- came an aide on the staff of General Wash- ington, with the rank of colonel. The first action in which he took part was at Brandy- wine. When the Continental troops began to yield, he made a reconnoissance with the general's body guard and reported that the enemy was endeavoring to cut off the line of retreat. He was authorized to collect as many of the scattered troops as came in his way and employ them according to his dis- cretion, which he did in a manner so prompt as to effect important aid in the retreat of the army. Four days later, on re- commendation of Washington, he was com- missioned a brigadier-general and placed in charge of the cavalry. He took part in the battle of Germantown and engaged in the operations under General Wayne, during the winter of 1777-8. The cavalry officers could not be reconciled to the orders of a foreigner who could scarcely speak English, and whose ideas of discipline and tactics differed widely from those to which they had been accustomed, and these circum- stances induced Pulaski to resign his com- mand in March, 1778, and return to Valley Forge, where he was assigned to special duty. At his suggestion, which was adopted by Washington, Congress, March 28, 1778, authorized the formation of a corps, composed of sixty-eight light horse and two hundred foot soldiers. This Legion was recruited in Pennsylvania and Mary- land, and soon after took part in several

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actions in New Jersey. In the engagement with the enemy at Little Egg Harbor, Pulaski was surprised by the British and in a bayonet encounter, lost in killed and wounded forty of his Legion.

In February, 1779, Count Pulaski Ordered South. was ordered to South Carolina to join the army under General Lin- coln. He rendezvoused his Legion at York, encamping on the Public Common. Count Pulaski, while here, occu- pied quarters on the west side of North George Street near Centre Square, and re- cruited about twenty men from this county. During part of the time that his Legion was encamped at York, the Count was absent. His subordinate officers did not enforce rigid discipline, and some of the troops scoured the country round about, foraging for food and provisions. This brought forth a bitter complaint on the part of the citi- zens of York and the surrounding country. Colonel James Smith, then a delegate in

Congress from York, wrote a letter to the review of his Legion to the citizens and

President of Pennsylvania in which he described the misconduct of Pulaski's men. He stated that "they forage indiscriminately and take whatever they want from the poor terrified inhabitants, many of whom, strongly impressed by the terrors of mili- tary violence in Europe, submit to the spoil- ing of their goods and insult to their person without complaining, while others resent it in open clamor and complaint and will soon probably redress themselves."

President Reed drew the attention of the Board of War to the disturbances at York and that body addressed Count Pulaski a letter, which in part reads :

"We have the honor to enclose you a copy of our letter and an extract of another, relative to the conduct of your corps in your absence. We hoped that all such grounds of complaint had long since ceased. But as those mentioned correspond with former re- ports we cannot avoid giving some credit to them. The complaints are of such a nature as to demand a strict enquiry, at the same time they should lead you and your officers to maintain a stricter discipline in the corps. We do not mean, however, to delay the Legion on these accounts. Its services are wanted at the southward, whither we desire it may be marched with all possible dispatch."

Killed at Savannah.

During the month of April, Pulaski began the march to South Carolina, arriving at Charleston in May. He was in active service in command of his troops until October, 1779, when he was mortally wounded during the siege of Savannah. He was taken to the brig, Wasp, where he died as the vessel was leaving the harbor. His remains were buried at sea. Among the sol- diers from York County, who served under Pulaski, were Frederick Boyer, 1778-1783, resided in York County, 1835, aged eighty- seven years ; Martin Miller, resided in York County, 1835, aged seventy-one; Edward Smith, died June 26, 1832, in York County, aged seventy-six years.

The banner which belonged to Pulaski's Legion is now in the possession of the Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore. It was in that city that he recruited his inde- pendent command to the number of 300 men, and on July 29, 1778, he gave a public military authorities of Baltimore.

While recruiting his Legion, Pulaski went to the Moravian settlement at Bethle- hem. Upon visiting the Sisters' house he saw their beautiful embroidery and ordered them to prepare a small cavalry banner for his Legion. It was made of crimson silk. Supposing that it had been presented to the Legion by the Moravian Sisters, the noted poet, Henry W. Longfellow, made the incident the subject of a poem, and at- tempted to make it more effective by the introduction of cowls, altars and censers.

ARMAND'S LEGION AT YORK.

Armand's Legion was quartered at York from December 25, 1782, to November, 1783. It was commanded by a noted French soldier, who had served ten years in the Guarde du Corps of Paris. He came to America, volunteered in the cause of the Revolution, May 10, 1777, when he was commissioned by Congress a colonel under the name of Charles Armand, concealing his rank of Marquis de la Rouerie. Congress authorized him to raise a corps of French soldiers in number not exceeding two hun- dred. About one-half of his command, how- ever, were Americans. Colonel Armand was a spirited officer and did good service throughout the war. He participated in the

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engagement at Red Bank, was with Lafay- to the property and civil rights of the peo- ette in New Jersey, and active in West ple. Be pleased to communicate our senti- Chester County, New York, opposing the ments to Major Shaffner, and all your worthy officers, and assure them we shall forces of Emmerick and Barremore, the lat- ter of whom he captured near Kings Bridge, ever hold them in the greatest esteem.

November 8, 1779. In February of the fol- lowing year his command was incorporated with Pulaski's Legion and both participated in the southern campaign under Gates, whom he severely criticized for his in- efficiency at the battle of Camden. In 1781 he went to France to procure clothing and accoutrements for his Legion, returning in time to take part in the battle of Yorktown and surrender of Cornwallis, in October, 178I.

In March, 1783, while he was with his command at York, Congress commissioned him a brigadier-general in obedience to a request of Washington. General Armand was urbane and polished in manner, an elo- quent and persuasive speaker, a gallant leader and a man greatly beloved by his men and his superior officers.

After the surrender of Lord Corn-

Came wallis at Yorktown, Armand's to York. Legion, composed of about 200 Dragoons, accompanied Washing- "Permit me to say, gentlemen, that sol- diers cannot be guilty of misconduct, where the inhabitants are kind to them, also are attached to the cause of their country, and so respectable as those of York. I think it my duty to thank you for the good behavior of the Legion whilst amongst you, for it was encouraged and supported by your conduct towards them. ton's army to the vicinity of New York. ' In February, 1782, Armand was ordered to report to General Greene in the Southern Department, and in December of the same year, he came from Virginia to York. While here, he met Colonel Thomas Hartley, with whom part of his Legion had served in the expedition against the hostile Indians in northern Pennsylvania and "I shall only add, that although the southern New York. Colonel Armand re- greater part of us will shortly return home, mained with his Legion for a period of the conclusion of the war rendering our longer stay unnecessary, we shall be happy again to join the army of America, if in future our services should be deemed of importance." eleven months. Before his departure, in November. 1783, James Smith, Colonel Thomas Hartley, Archibald McClean and others, presented him with the following ad- dress :

There were a number of soldiers in York

"Hearing that your Legion is about to be County who had served in Armand's Legion disbanded, and that you will soon return to during the Revolution. Among these were : your native country, we, the inhabitants of York, in Pennsylvania, express to you the high sense we entertain of the strict discip- line, good conduct, and deportment of the officers and soldiers of your corps, whilst stationed amongst us for ten inonths past.

"We return to you our hearty thanks, as well for the service rendered to America in the field, as for the attention you have paid

"We pray that you may have an agree- able passage across the ocean, and that you ' may receive a just reward for your illus- trious actions, performed in support of lib- erty and the honor of the allied arms."

To these encouraging words Colonel Ar- mand replied :

"I received your polite address of the ISth, and from its impression on my feel- ings, and of the officers and soldiers of the Legion, I am truly happy in giving you our united and most hearty thanks. If the Legion has observed that good conduct, which merits the applause you give it, I conceive that in so doing, they have only discharged their duty, and obeyed punctu- ally the orders and intentions of His Excel- lency, General Washington, whose exem- plary virtues, talents and honor, must have raised ambition to some merit in those, who, like the corps I had the honor to command, placed all their confidence in him.

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John Gottlieb Morris, surgeon, promoted from surgeon's mate, died in York in 1808; Leonard Bamagartel, resided in York County in 1835: John Glehmer, resided at York in 1828: Conrad Pudding, died in York County in 1828, aged seventy-four; Philip Shaffer, resided in York County in 1828; Lewis Shelly, died in York County in 1825: Conrad Stengle, died at York before

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1826; Owen Cooley, York, March 25, 1777; John Eurich, York, March 9, 1777; Adam Brandhefer, York, February 26, 1777: John Michael Koch, January 25, 1777, died in York County in 1849.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 40

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