History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 57

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

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 57

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On May 16, Dr. Jonathan Potts, deputy director-general of hospitals for the middle district, was voted $100,000 for the use of his department. The committee on foreign relations was asked to report to Congress the changes in or addition to the instruc- tions and commissions "given to American commissioners at the courts of Berlin, Vienna and Tuscany." On May 19, Ameri- can officers held as prisoners of war, were voted full pay during the time of their im- prisonment. On May 20, Rev. Dr. Robert Blackwell was appointed chaplain of Gen- eral Wayne's brigade of the Pennsylvania

army under the command of General Washington. Although Mifflin had been charged with being a leader in the Conway conspiracy, the magnanimity of Washing- ton was shown in this instance by receiving Mifflin back into his military circle.

By resolution of Congress on May 22, the

Captain Landais, of the French navy, appeared in York before the Board of Treasury was ordered to print $5,000,000. Dr. Jonathan Elmer, of New Jersey, and Daniel Roberdeau, of Pennsyl- vania, appeared before Congress and took their seats in that body. On May 26, Con- gress adopted new rules for the conduct of business at its sessions.

Marine

Committee.

On May 27 important changes took place in the marine com- mittee of Congress. The

new members of this com- mittee were Josiah Bartlett, of New Hamp- shire; Samuel Adams, of Massachusetts ; Gouverneur Morris, of New York; Henry Drayton, of South Carolina. Josiah Bart- lett had recently arrived and taken his seat as a delegate from the state of New Hamp- shire. By profession he was a physician and at the time he arrived in York, he was forty-nine years of age. He is accredited with having been the first physician in America to introduce into this country the practical use of Peruvian bark as a curative drug. Being a man of influence in New Hampshire, he had been chosen a delegate to Congress in 1776. He voted in favor of the Declaration of Independence, and was the second person to sign that immortal document. Dr. Bartlett had been the sur- geon in chief of General Stark's army at the battle of Bennington. In 1779, he left Con- gress to become chief justice of the courts of New Hampshire, and in 1790, under a new constitution, became the first governor of the state. In a personal letter to his family immediately after ' he arrived in York, Dr. Bartlett described his difficulty in obtaining a good boarding place. He finally secured apartments in a private house on Market Street on the west side of the Codorus.

Congress decided to reorganize the Amer- ican army in the field and adopted rules and regulations for this reorganization. The committee of Congress who had gone to Washington's army had returned and re-

----

317

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AT YORK

ported a favorable condition in the affairs at Valley Forge.

June 2, a letter was received from General Gates, who had gone to Fishkill, New York, in April to take charge of the army there. Gates enclosed with this letter communica- tions between himself and General Wash- ington, relative to the recent controversy, known to history as the "Conway Cabal." A few days before this, Gates had fought a duel with Colonel Wilkinson at St. Clair's headquarters on the Hudson River, an ac- count of which is found in the succeeding pages.

A resolution was adopted voting the sum of $420 to Rev. George Duffield for services as chaplain to Congress from October, 1777, to April 30, 1778. Chaplain Duffield re- ceived the sum of $60 per month as a salary. During the time of his stay in York, he re- sided in the parsonage house occupied by Rev. Daniel Wagner, pastor of Zion Re- formed Church. This house stood on the north side of East King Street, east of Court Alley. June 4, a resolution was adopted that three commissioners be ap- pointed to meet with the Delawares, Shaw- anese and other Indian tribes at Fort Pitt on July 23, and enter into a treaty with them. One of these commissioners was to be from Pennsylvania and the other two from Virginia.

News had now arrived of the Howe probable evacuation of Phila- Returns to England. delphia by the British army. General William Howe, who had command of the forces in that city from the time of its capture in October, 1777, was recalled in May by Par- liament, and returned to England. Howe first came to America early in 1775, succeed- ing General Gage as commander of the British forces in America. He commanded the British at the battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, at Long Island and White Plains in 1776, and had defeated Washington at Brandywine and Germantown in 1777. He was charged by Parliament as having spent the winter of 1777-78 in indolence and pleasure, and for this reason was recalled. He was personally popular with many of his subordinate officers. When they heard of his expected departure for England, he was given a brilliant entertainment, memorable in history as the "Meschianza."

Tories of Philadelphia took part in this en- tertainment. Howe was succeeded in com- mand of the British forces by Sir Henry Clinton, an English officer of high rank, who had occupied New York City before coming to Philadelphia.

When Congress anticipated the evacua- tion of Philadelphia, on June 5. Washington was instructed that when he reoccupied the city, he should institute measures for the preservation of order in the city, and to pre- vent the removal, transfer or sale of goods or merchandise, belonging to the King of Great Britain, in possession of the inhabitants.

June 6, letters were received by Congress from General Washington enclosing com- munications which he had received from Sir Henry Clinton and Lord Howe. On the same day, a messenger arrived in York with a communication from Lord Richard Howe, in command of the British navy in American waters, and from General Clinton in charge of the forces at Philadelphia. Accompanying these letters were three acts of the Parliament of Great Britain. These acts offered overtures of peace which Con- gress was requested to accept. A commit- tee composed of William Henry Drayton, Richard Henry Lee, Gouverneur Morris, John Witherspoon and Samuel Adams, was appointed to repair to the next room and prepare an answer to the letters of Lord Howe and General Clinton. This commit- tee met on the second floor of the provincial court house at York, where they drafted the following reply, a copy of which was sent to Howe and Clinton :

Yorktown, June 6, 1778.

My Lord :-

I have had the honor to lay your lordship's letter, of May 27th, with the acts of the British Parliament en- closed, before Congress, and I am instructed to acquaint your lordship, that they have already expressed their sentiments upon bills not essentially different from those acts, in a publication of the 22d of April last.

Your lordship may be assured, that when the King of Great Britain shall be seriously disposed to put an end to the unprovoked and cruel war waged against these United States, Congress will readily attend to such terms of peace, as may consist with the honor of inde- pendent nations, the interest of their constituents, and the sacred regard they mean to pay to treaties.

I have the honor to be. etc.,

HENRY LAURENS, President.

On the same day that

Peace Congress received these

Commissioners. communications from the

Britislı officers, three Many commissioners arrived in Philadelphia on a

318

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

fruitless errand for negotiating terms of peace. These commissioners were Earl of Carlisle, William Eden, afterward Lord Auckland, and George Johnston, who be- fore the Revolution had served as colonial governor of New York. As the instruc- tions given to them by the English govern- ment had already been conveyed to Con- gress and their acceptance refused, the ar- rival of these commissioners accomplished no purpose except to delay for a few days the evacuation of Philadelphia by the Brit- ish forces under Sir Henry Clinton. How- ever, on June 11, a letter was received from General Washington with a communication from Clinton giving notification of the ar- rival of the British commissioners in Phila- delphia, and asking for a passport for Dr. Ferguson, secretary to the commissioners, to bring a letter from them to Congress. This was referred to a committee composed of Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams and Henry Marchant, who made a report on June 13, and the subject was taken up for debate. While the discussion was in pro- gress, a message arrived from Washing- ton's headquarters at Valley Forge, with a letter from the British commissioners in Philadelphia. Immediately upon its receipt Charles Thomson, secretary of Congress, began to read this letter, which was ad- dressed to "His Excellency, Henry Laurens, the president, and others, the members of Congress." A deep silence prevailed until he arrived at some sentences reflecting upon "his most Christian Majesty, Louis XVI of France, the new ally of the Ameri- can government." When these offensive words were reached, there was confusion in the hall of Congress and the secretary or- dered to discontinue the reading of the communication from the commissioners. At the session held on June 16, after mature deliberation, it was decided that the entire communication should be read before Con- gress. The subject was then referred to a committee composed of Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams, William Henry Dray- ton, Gouverneur Morris and John Wither- spoon. On June 17 the committee brought in a draught of a letter to be sent to the commissioners, which reads as follows :

Yorktown, June 17, 1778.

Sirs :- I have received the letter from your excel- lencies of the gth inst. with the enclosures, and laid

them before Congress. Nothing but an earnest desire to spare the further effusion of human blood could have induced them to read a paper containing expressions so disrespectful to his most Christian majesty, the good and great ally of these states, or to consider proposi- tions so derogatory to the honor of an independent nation.

The acts of the British parliament, the commission from your sovereign, and your letter, suppose the peo- ple of these states to be subjects of the crown of Great Britain, and are founded on the idea of dependence, which is utterly inadmissible.

I am further directed to inform your excellencies, that Congress are inclined to peace, notwithstanding the unjust claims from which this war originated, and the savage manner in which it hath been conducted. They will, therefore, be ready to enter upon the consideration of a treaty of peace and commerce not inconsistent with treaties already existing, when the king of Great Britain shall demonstrate a sincere disposition for that purpose. The only solid proof of this disposition, will be, an explicit acknowledgment of the independence of these states, or the withdrawing his fleets and armies.

I have the honor to be your excellencies most obedient and humble servant,

HENRY LAURENS, President.

On June 18, Mr. Holker, then in York, petitioned Congress for the payment of 400,000 livres "to persons interested therein, as owners or otherwise concerned in the private vessels of war, Hancock and Bos- ton." This matter was referred to a com- imittee composed of Gouverneur Morris, John Witherspoon and Thomas Mckean. On June 19, John Hancock, of Massachu- setts, returned to York and took his seat as a delegate in Congress. He had served as president of Continental Congress from the time of its organization until November, 1777. He was the first to append his name to the Declaration of Independence. Let- ters from Arthur Lee, of Virginia, then a commissioner at the court of France, were received and read. These letters had been written on the 6th, 15th and 31st of Janu- ary. Another letter addressed to the Com- mittee on Foreign Affairs of the United States was received. This letter was writ- ten at Paris on January 16, and signed by Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane, the other two commissioners of the United States at France. These letters had been written a few days before the king of France had signed the treaty of Alliance and the treaty of Amity and Commerce which took place February 6, 1778.

The alliance with France now having been formed, and a French fleet and army on their way to American waters, Congress determined to aid Washington in preparing vigorous plans for the summer campaign.

319

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AT YORK

A warrant was issued on the treasurer of greater applause than Samuel Adams and the United States for $1,500,000 to aid in John Hancock, of Massachusetts; Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia; Daniel Roberdeau and James Smith, of Pennsylvania; Roger Sherman, of Connecticut ; Francis Lewis and Gouverneur Morris, of New York; Josiah Bartlett, of New Hampshire, and the digni- fied and honored president of Congress, Henry Laurens, of South Carolina. In fact toward the close of the sessions at York, all these notable men and several others of equal fame and distinction had been re- elected to Congress and were now holding their seats in that body. Although the en- tire membership did not exceed thirty-five, there were more men of great eminence present on this occasion than at any time during the preceding nine months. prosecuting the war; ordered that $500,000 be paid to General Nathaniel Greene, quarter-master general of the army; that $2,000,000 be appropriated for the use of Jeremiah Wadsworth, commissary general of purchases for the army ; that $100,000 be appropriated for the use of Benjamin Flower, commissary general of military stores. On the same day the sum of 8223 livres and $200 was appropriated for the benefit of General Thomas Conway "as a gratuity for his time and expenses previous to his entering into the pay of the United States and for his return to France." He was also voted $321, the balance of his ac- count with the United States.

On June 20, news of the greatest importance reached Independence

Evacuation of York and was communi- Philadelphia. cated to Congress. A mes- senger arrived from General Washington reporting that the British army under Sir Henry Clinton had evacit- ated Philadelphia on the 18th. This news

After the adjournment of Congress, the law office of a Reality. James Smith, on South George Street, was the centre of interest and attraction. Associ- ated with him while Congress sat in York · were twenty-six persons whose names will go down through the ages as immortals of was read in Congress amid the greatest en- history, because they appended their names thusiasm. It was nine months before, . to the Declaration of Independence. When almost to the day, that Continental Con- that immortal document was signed, the gress, alarmed by the approach of the British army to Philadelphia, quickly ad- journed from Independence Hall to Lan- caster, and after spending one day in that town, removed to York. The information that Clinton and his army had left Phila- delphia was so gratifying that after a few patriotic speeches made by the leaders in Congress, that body adjourned.

The town of York was wild

Enthusiasm with enthusiasm. Bonfires

in York.

were built on the public com- mon; the provincial Court House, in which Congress had hield its ses- sions three-fourths of the year, was bril- liantly illuminated in honor of the event. Military companies paraded the streets, preceded by music from the drum and the fife. This so interested the rural folk round about that on that eventful Saturday afternoon, the streets were filled with peo- ple. At the lodging places of the delegates to Congress, and at the twenty public inns in the town, the evacuation of Philadelphia was the sole topic of conversation. None of the members had received this news with

government of the United States was only an experiment. Now the condition of affairs was different. An army fresh from brilliant victories in Europe had defeated the Americans on Long Island and captured the city of New York. The same victorious army under 'General Howe, a near relative of George III, had sailed from New York, passed up the Chesapeake Bay, and, after defeating the Americans at Brandywine and Germantown, had captured and held the Federal City of the infant republic. The victory at Saratoga, the French al- liance, and the notorious conduct of Howe in Philadelphia, had turned the tide of affairs in favor of independence. The Declaration of Independence was now a reality. Even Frederick the Great, then the military genius of all Europe, was not only declaring the praises of Washington as a field marshal, but recognized the eminent statesmanship of the American Congress.

The fact that many of the most important events, during the whole period of the Revolution, occurred while Congress was in session at York, is worthy of special com-

320

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

great impressiveness. When the war opened, Pastor Kurtz was troubled about the oath of allegiance he had taken to the King of England when he arrived in this country, in 1745, but in 1776, his con- science became clear and he was natural- ized under the first constitution of Pennsyl- vania adopted that year. So firm was he in his patriotism, that when Congress came to York, September, 1777, he invited Bishop William White, then the chaplain to Con- gress, to lodge at his parsonage on North George Street. He also entertained repre- sentatives from the French government, and a delegate in Congress from South Carolina. The large audience room of his stone church, on South George Street, was filled to overflowing to hear the eloquent words of their pastor on this occasion. The Germans of York and elsewhere in Penn- sylvania had early proved their loyalty to the cause of independence by enlisting in had risen to eminence as a soldier, had the army. Rev. John Ettwein, afterward

· favored his removal from the chief com- mand. But during the darkest period which always comes before the dawn, those illustrious men who legislated for our coun- try during its earliest years, had banded themselves together with one aim and one purpose, and that was to defeat the British troops in America and establish the freedom of the colonies.

On the following Sunday, after the re- British king.

ceipt of the news from Washington that the enemy had left the Federal city of Phila- delphia, the Court House bell in Centre Square rang with glad acclaim, as also did the bells of the Reformed and Lutheran churches. Rev. George Duffield, then the chaplain to Congress, preached a sermon in the Reformed church. A vast number of people assembled to hear him. The dis- tinguished divine was filled with emotion, but his eloquent and prophetic words were received with such public favor that the audience could scarce refrain from applause. During that eventful Sunday afternoon, as the patriots from the thirteen states met each other on the streets, public inns or at the places where they lodged, congratula- tions were exchanged.

ment and recognition. When that body gation in his native German tongue with arrived here during the last days of Septem- ber, 1777, in the language of one of the most distinguished of its members, "darkness and gloom surrounded our country on every side." Now all the bells of the country were ringing a paean of praise and thanks- giving, and the people of the United States were firm in the hope and expectation that ere long the fathers of the republic and the leaders of the American army in the field, would soon found on this continent, "a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created free and equal." Whatever might be said of the efforts put forth by the American statesmen in Congress during the eventful years of 1777-1778, there was one fact that will always be recorded in the pages of his- tory. They often disagreed on the manner of conducting a campaign. They had fre- quently opposed Washington's plan of operations, and many of them, before he

for twenty years the senior bishop of the Moravian Church in America, was then a visitor at York to confer with Congress about some affairs relating to the Mora- vians. He records in his diary that the "daily text (I Cor. x, 13) came to us with special power, considering the event which has happened in Philadelphia, and the de- liverance of this state from the yoke of the Families who fled from Philadelphia, today began to return."

On June 20, Congress ordered that the several boards of Congress should put themselves in readiness to remove from York. It was resolved to emit $5,000,000 in Continental money. Soon after the first session was held in York, Congress had taken up for consideration the adoption of the Article's of Confederation, which had been passed on November 15, 1777. Con- gress called upon the delegates present to report what action had been taken by their respective states upon the ratification of these articles. Owing to a controversy which had arisen in the Legislature of Maryland in reference to its western boundaries, the delegates from that state reported that their constituents opposed ation until these difficulties were removed.

Rev. Nicholas Kurtz, then the the ratification of the Articles of Confeder-

A Pastor's pastor of Christ Lutheran Patriotism. Church, spoke to his congre- This was the beginning of a long discussion

321

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AT YORK

which ended in the year 1781, when Mary- and a resolution was adopted that the Ar- land was the last state to ratify them.

June 23, Titus Hosmer, of Con-

Ratifying necticut, arrived and took his

the seat in Congress. Josiah Bart- Articles. lett, from New Hampshire, re- ported that his state, by vote of the legislature, had ratified the Articles of Confederation. The delegates from New York reported that their state had ratified the Articles with the proviso that the same shall not be binding on the state until all the other states in the Union should ratify them. The delegates of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island reported that the legislatures of their states had found objections to the Articles, and asked amendments, which propositions were de- cided in the negative by Congress.

On June 24, a resolution was adopted that Congress should adjourn on Saturday, June 27, from York to Philadelphia, to meet in Independence Hall, on July 2. A com- mittee was appointed to take measures for a public celebration of the anniversary of independence, at Philadelphia, on the 4th of July next, and were authorized and di- rected to invite the president and council and speaker of the Assembly of the Com- monwealth of Pennsylvania, and such other people of distinction as they should think proper. This committee was composed of William Duer, of New York; John Han- cock, of Massachusetts, and John Mat- thews, of South Carolina. It was resolved "that Congress will, in a body, attend divine worship on Sunday the fifth day of July next, to return thanks for the divine mercy in supporting the independence of these states, and that the chaplains be notified to officiate and preach sermons suited to the occasion.'

Colonel Hartley's Regiment, which had served as a guard to Congress for several months, left York for Washington's camp in two battalions, the first going on Janu- ary 17, and the other on June 24. On June 25, a letter from North Carolina reported that the state had ratified the Articles of Confederation. Richard Henry Lee, Gouv- erneur Morris and Francis Dana were ap- pointed a committee to prepare a form of ratification of the Articles of Confederation. MICHAEL HILLEGAS, treasurer of the United States during the time that On the following day, this committee brought in a draught, which was agreed to, Congress held its first sessions at York,

ticles should be engrossed and signed before leaving York. This engrossed copy was prepared and brought before Congress, but was found to be incorrect. It was then re- solved that another copy be made, which was signed on July 9, at Philadelphia, by delegates in Congress from all the original thirteen states excepting New Jersey, Dela- ware, Maryland, North Carolina and Georgia. The last two were not at that time represented in Congress.

Martin Brenise, of York, was voted $45 for attending Congress from the Ist to the 27th of June, and for ringing the bell. John Fisher, the original clock-maker of York, who was also an engraver, was ordered to be paid for renewing two copper plates for loan office certificates, and making two let- ters in the device of the 30 dollar bills.

A communication from Colonel Michael Swope, of York, was read before Congress. He had been captured at Fort Washington in November, 1776, and was still a prisoner of war.

The day after Congress adjourned at York most of the delegates prepared to leave. They crossed the Susquehanna at the site of Wrightsville, and proceeded over the direct route to Philadelphia. Citizens from Philadelphia and vicinity, who had fled to Lancaster, York and elsewhere when the British entered that city, now returned to their homes. Congress again convened at Independence Hall.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 57

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