History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 21

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended > Part 21

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mountains, having been secured, there was great inconvenience in not having a road from Philadelphia to Mills Creek, the march of the wagons being delayed. The history of this expedition is familiar to all Americans. A letter from Capt. Robert Orme to Gov. Morris, dated July 18, 1755, contains the following account of the defeat of Braddock:

"The 9th instant we passed and repassed the Monongahela by advancing first a party of 300 men, which was immediately followed by another 200. The General, with the column of artillery, baggage and the main body of the army, passed the river for the last time about one o'clock. As soon as the whole had got on the fort side of the Monongahela we heard a very heavy and quick fire in our front. We immediately advanced in order to sustain them, but the de- tachment of the 200 and 300 men gave way and fell back upon us, which caused such confu- sion and struck so great a panic among our men that afterward no military expedient could be made use of that had any effect upon them. The men were so extremely deaf to the exhortations of the General and the officers, that they fired away in the most irregular manner all their ammunition, and then ran off, leaving to the enemy the artil- lery, ammunition, provision and baggage; nor could they be persuaded to stop until they got as far as Guest's plantation, nor there, only in part, many of them proceed- ing as far as Col. Dunbar's party, who lay six miles on this side. The officers were absolutely sacrificed by their unparalleled good behavior, advancing some times in bodies and sometimes separately, hoping by such example to engage the soldiers to follow them, but to no purpose. The General had five horses killed under him, and at last re- ceived a wound through his right arm, into his lungs, of which he died on the 13th in- stant. Poor Shirley was shot through the head. Captain Morris was wounded. Mr. Washington had two horses shot under him, and his clothes shot through in several places, behaviug the whole time with the greatest courage and resolution. Sir Peter Halket was killed upon the spot. Col. Burton and Sir John Sinclair wounded."*

After the defeat of General Braddock, the Indians fell upon the province and abducted and murdered families. People from York County fled to the thickly settled parts of the province, some to Wright's Ferry, from whence the women and children were re- moved as an unsafe place. The Western settlements were opened to the horrors of

*VI Col. Rec., 336.

+II Archives, 294.

#VI Col. Rec., 379-407.

*VI Col. Rec., 487.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

Indian invasion, and numbers of people from Cumberland passed through York; while in the midst of these alarms, arms and am- munition were not to be had.

Marsh Creek, in Adams County, became the frontier; the country beyond was deserted. Able-bodied men enlisted in companies and drilled daily. There was great consternation, and reports of outrages grew apace. News was received at Lancaster that the Indians had massacred and scalped many of the in- habitants not more than forty miles above Harris' Ferry.

A petition from the magistrates of York County, Geo. Stevenson, Henry Updegraff, Thomas Armor, James Smith, John Adlum, * to Gov. Morris, dated York, Saturday, 11 o'clock, P. M., 1st November, 1755, sets forth, that a numerous body of Indians and some French were in the province, which put the inhabitants in great confusion, the prin- cipal of whom had met sundry times and found that many had neither arms nor amu- nition. That the Indians were encamped up Susquehanna, within a day or two's march of Harris' Ferry. That there were men enough to bear arms and go out against the enemy, were they supplied with arms, ammu- nition and reasonable allowance for their time. That a company was going from the town and parts adjacent next day, to the as- sistance of the inhabitants on the frontiers, and will take almost all the arms and ammu- nition with them. They therefore pray the Governor to order them some arms and am- munition, otherwise they must desert their habitations. A letter from Geo. Stevenson, dated the same day, York, 12 o'clock Satur- day night, to Mr. Peters, says: "By the ex- presses which came more than daily from the frontier parts of the province, you can conceive the confusion, horror and distress with which every breast is filled. All possi- ble attempts have been made to stockade this town, but in vain. On receipt of the Gov- · ernor's summons, the sub-Sheriff was dis- patched to David McConaughey's, knowing that Mr. Hamilton was over the hills. While they where signing the petition sent down, they received the express from Harris'."f

On the ' 2d of November, 1755, a place called Great Cove, in Cumberland County, was destroyed by the savages. A letter of Mr. Thomas Barton at 3 o'clock in the morn- ing, November 2, 1755, says: "Mr. Hans Hamilton marches this morning with a party of sixty men from Carlisle to Shippens Town. Mr. Pope and Mr. McConaughey came over

with me to raise reinforcements in order to join Mr. Hamilton immediately."* A letter to Governor Morris from John Armstrong, Esq., at Carlisle, 2d of November, 1755, says : "At 4 o'clock this afternoon, by expresses from Conegachege, we are informed that yesterday 100 Indians were seen in the Great Cove; among them was Shingas, the Dela- ware King. That immediately after the dis- covery as many as had notice fled, and look- ing back, from an high hill, they beheld their houses on fire, heard several guns fired and the last shrieks of their dying neighbors. Mr. Hamilton was here with sixty men from York County when the ex- press came, and is to march early to-morrow to the upper part of the county. I'm of opinion that no other means than a chain of block-houses, along or near the south side of the Kittatinny Mountains from Susquehanna to the Temporary Line, can secure the lives and properties even of the old inhabitants of this county; the new settlement being all fled except Sherman's Valley, whom (if God do not preserve) we fear will suffer very soon."t

The intelligence from Benjamin Chambers, November, 2, was that houses were in flames. "They fare Delawares and Shawanese. The part that came against the Cove are . under the command of Shingas, the Dela- ware King. The people of the Cove, that came off, saw several lying dead. They heard the murder shout, and the firing of guns, and saw the Indians going into houses that they had come out of. I have sent ex- press to Marsh Creek, so I expect there will be a good company from there this day, and as there is but 100 of the enemy, it is in our power to put them to flight if you turn out well in your parts."

A letter from George Stevenson, York, Monday, Nov. 3, one-half hour past 11 A. M., says: "Herewith you have a copy of Ben. Chambers' letter, received about an hour ago. We have formed a council here of the prin- cipal inhabitants, who join in begging you to deliver the petition, and copy of letter here- with sent, to the speaker of the Assembly, and pray them, in our names and behalf, for God's sake either to send us arms, ammuni; tion and blankets, and a letter to encourage the people, and assure us of what we may expect, or else our country will be deserted."§

And he writes to R. Peters, in a letter dated York, 11 o'clock A. M., Wednesday, Novem- ber 5: "We have sent fifty-three men, well filled, from this town last Monday, 2 o'clock

* II Archives, 449.

+ Ibid.

*VI Col. Rec., 675. +Ibid, 676. #Ibid, 675.

¿II Archives, 461.

108

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.

P. M., and a doctor, some medicines and what ammunition we could spare, to Tob's Hendricks' to join the main body of English tories on the most needful part of the fron- tiers. Mr. Adlem is with them. Mr. Ham- ilton is gone toward Conigogeeg last Sunday with a company. Mr. Bay yesterday with, and at head of another. We are all aloft and such as have arms hold themselves ready, but also they are few in numbers. Forty men came here yesterday willing to defend, but had but three guns and no ammunition, and could get none here, there- fore went home again; we stay all here yet, how long God knows; six families fled from their homes, distance about fifteen miles, via Conewago, last night. The last came into town about daybreak this morning. A few of us have pledged our credit for public ser. vices; if we are encouraged we will stand till we are cut off; if not, some of us are bound to the lower parts of Maryland immediately, if not scalped by the way." Herewith you have another of our petitions to the Assembly, all I shall say about it is that the biggest part of its signers are Menonists, who live about fifteen miles westward of York."*

On the same day, York, 3 o'clock P. M., Mr. Stephenson wrote to Rev. Mr. Smith: The grand quaere here now is, whether we shall stand or run. Most are willing to stand, but have not arms nor ammunition. This is the cry of the people. We have sent fifty- three men to Harris' last Monday from this town. Such as have arms stand ready, and we watch night and day. People from Cum- berland are going through this town hourly in droves, and the neighboring inhabitants are flocking into this town, defenseless as it is. I must add that Mr. Barton heads a company, Mr. Bay another."t

At a meeting of the council held at Phil- adelphia, Sunday, 2d of November, 1755, sundry petitions from the most respectable persons in the several counties of Cumber- land, York, Lancaster, and Chester, setting forth the dismal condition of the inhabitants were read, and sundry companies were formed and commission granted to such as were re- commended for Captains, Lieutenants and Ensigns.į And at a meeting of same, on the 6th of November, it appeared that the Gov- ernor had caused the inhabitants of several counties to be told that if they would enter into associations, form themselves into com- panies and recommend fit persons for their officers, he would grant them commissions,

and give them all the encouragement in his power. He had received a great number of petitions for companies, and to the officers recommended, he very readily granted com- missions, who all took the oaths to his Majesty and subscribed the declarations required by law. *

On the 25th of November, 1755, the Assembly passed a militia law, which the Gov- ernor pronounced impracticable, but signed. The Penn's sent an order for £5,000 as a gift to the province, and the Assembly, on the 27th of November,1755, passed an act grant- ing the sum of £60,000 to the King's use, to be disposed of with the Governor's approba- tion, and not otherwise, by persons named in the act, f and Provincial commissioners were appointed, of whom Benjamin Franklin was one, to disburse the same.

In the list of officers and soldiers in the provincial service, in 1756, appear the follow- ing: Second Battalion: Capt. Hance Hamil- ton, January 16, 1756; Lieut. William Thompson, January 16, 1756; Ensign, John Prentice, May 22, 1756; Serg. William Mc Dowell, Private John Kelly, killed at Kit- tanning. Third Battalion: Capt David Jameson, May 19, 1756. Lieut. William Clapham, Jr., August 20, 1756; Ensign Joseph Scott, May 24, 1756. The following is a list of the men of Capt. Jameson's com- pany; killed or wounded near McCord's Fort, April 2, 1756:

John Barnett, James Campbell, Matthew Gutton, William Hunter, Henry James, John McDonald, William Reynolds. James Blair, killed; William Chambers, killed; Daniel Mackey, killed; James Pierce, killed; John Reynolds, killed; James Robertson, (tailor) killed; James Robertson, (weaver) killed. }

At a meeting of the Provincial council, on the 8th of April, 1756, the returns of seven associated companies of foot militia, in the County of York, were read, the officers ap- proved, and commissions ordered to issue. The want of powder and amunition is set forth in all the returns and a petition for a supply referred to the Commissioners.

On the 9th of April, 1756, Hance Hamil- ton wrote from Fort Littleton, 8 o'clock P. M., to Capt. Potter: "These come to inform you of the melancholy news of what occurred be; tween the Indians, that had taken many captives from McCord's Fort, and a party of men under the command of Capt. Alexander Culbertson, and nineteen of our men, the whole amounting to about fifty, who came

*II Archives, 514. +Ibid. 466.

#VI Col. Rec., 670.

*IV Col. Rec., 680.

+II Archives, 516, 531.

#II Archives, Second Series, 540.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

upon the Indians with the captives, and had a sore engagement, many of both parties killed and many wounded, the number un- known. These wounded want a surgeon, and those killed require our assistance as soon as possible to bury them. We have sent an ex- press to Fort Shirley for Dr. Mercer, sup- posing Dr. Jameson is killed or mortally wounded in the expedition, he being not returned. Therefore desire that you will send an express immediately for Dr. Prentice to Carlisle, we imagining that Dr. Mercer cannot leave the Fort under the circumstances that Fort is under. Our Indian, Isaac, has brought in Capt. Jacob's scalp .* In another letter he states that the Indians had taken and burnt McCord's Fort, and taken many captives, upon the news of which, Dr. Jame- son, with nineteen men, went over Ray's, near Sideling Hill, and came up with the Indians and captives, and a sore engagement happened. Only five of our men returned, mostly wounded. Capt. Culbertson and Dr. Jameson were thought to be killed, having received several wounds. Our men engaged two hours, being about thirty-six in number, and would have had the better had not thirty Indians come to their assistance. Some of our men fired twenty-four rounds apiece, and when their ammunition failed were obliged to fly.t

On Wednesday morning, 5 o'clock, August 19, 1756, Hance Hamilton wrote to Adam Hoops: " We are scarce of powder and lead at our forts. There is a party of Capt. Mercer's company here, and on our receiving this latter we march directly, taking with us twelve beef cattle and what pack horses belongs to the two forts. The rest is to be brought up by Capt. Potter's and Steel's men." }

From Fort Littleton, on the 14th of September, 1756, Col. John Armstrong wrote an account of the expedition against Kittanning. This expedition is classed among the heroic acts of the war, in which Hance Hamilton participated. The notorious chief, Capt. Jacobs, and Shingas, a faithless ally of Washington, headed the Indians. Here were fitted out incursions, and prison- ers and plunder were continually brought in. Two hundred and eighty Provincials marched under Col. Armstrong, with whom was Dr. Hugh Mercer, subsequently a renowned gen-

eral in the war of the Revolution. The men were led secretely over the mountain from Fort Littleton in the night time, and waited for the cessation of the revels of the Indians, some of whom were scattered in parties through the cornfields. Towards the break of day the Indians were attacked. Their houses were set on fire. The Indians re- fused to surrender. One of them said he was a man and would not be a prisoner, and that he would kill four or five before he died. The Indians were driven out by the flames. When the fire became too hot, Capt. Jacobs tumbled himself out of a garret or cock-loft window, at which he was shot. The powder- horn and pouch taken off him were identified as his, which things he had lately got from a French officer in exchange for Lieut. Arm- strong's boots, which he had carried off from Fort Granville. His scalp was such as no other Indian wore his hair in the same man- ner. They also knew his squaw's scalp by a particular bob, and the scalp of his son, a giant seven feet high. Capt. Hugh Mercer was wounded in the arm in the early part of the action. Of Capt. Hamilton's company, John Kelly, from York, was killed. *

On the 18th of October, 1756, there was read in council the following letter from David Jameson to Edward Shippen, October 13, 1756, from Fort Halifax:

"As Col. Clapham is at Carlisle, and it being reported here that his honor, our Gov- ernor, has gone round by York, and there- fore not knowing when he will receive an express that is sent to him from Shamokin, I have thought fit to send an abstract of Maj. Burd's letter to me that arrived here at daybreak this morning, that the gentlemen and militia of Lancaster County might take such steps as they might think most prudent. I thought it proper to acquaint you with a piece of intelligence that I have received by old Ogaghiadariha, one of the Six Nations' Chiefs, who came here yesterday in the af- ternoon, and is as follows: that about 10 days before he left Tioga, there was two Del- aware Indians arrived there, who was just come from Fort DuQuesne, and informed him that they before they left said Fort there was one thousand Indians assembled there, who were immediately to march in conjunction with a body of French to at- tack this fort (Fort Augusta), and he, Ogaghiadariha, hurried down here to give us the information. He says further, that the day before he came in here he saw upon the North Branch a large body of Delaware Indians and spoke with them, and they told

*VII Col. Rec., 77. This last appears to have been a mistake. Capt. Jacobs was killed at Kittanning, infra.

+The Dr. Jameson reported killed by the Indians near Me- Cord's Fort was David Jameson, a captain in the provincial serv- ice, was also a surgeon or doctor, and was from York. Alex- ander Culbertson, reported also killed, was a captain in the provincial service, from Cumberland, and a relative of Capt. Jameson's .- II Archives, 611.

#Ibid. 753.

* II Arebives, 767.

105

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him that they were going to speak with ye Governor of Pennsylvania ; whatever inten- tions they have, they are marching towards our inhabitants." N. B .- The Major's letter is dated the 12th inst., in the afternoon. Directed on his Majesty's service, to Mr. Edward Shippen, Esqr., or any Captain in the Militia in Lancaster Town, to be forwarded with all expedition."# In the minutes of the Council of the 18th of October, it is stated that an express arrived from Maj. Burd, with letters giving an account of our old friend Ogaghiadariha's coming a second time to Fort Augusta, on purpose to tell several things of consequence which he heard at, Diahoga. This honest Indian's intelli- gence, with the examination of two English prisoners who had escaped to that fort, was read and ordered to be entered.t The in- formation was in substance that contained in Capt. Jameson's letter.

Capt. Hance Hamilton and Capt. David Jameson, as already stated, were officers in the provincial service from York. There were three battalions. The first was com- manded by Lieut .- Col. Conrad Weiser; the second by Lieut. - Col. John Armstrong; and the third by Lieut. - Col. William Clapham. Hance Hamilton was commissioned January 16, 1756, and was in the Second Battalion, which was at McCord's Fort, and made the successful attack upon Kittanning, an account of which has been given. David Jameson was commissioned May 19, 1756, and was in the Third Battalion, known as the Augusta Regiment, which marched against the Indians at Shamokin, and rendezvoused under the immediate command of the Governor of Pennsylvania, Robert Hunter Morris. They marched from Harris' Ferry, now Harrisburg, to the west side of the Susquehanna, and recrossed in batteanx where the town of Sun- bury now stands. Fort Augusta was built by Col. Burd, at Shamokin, and after it was finished the battalion remained there in gar- rison until the year 1758.1

Following is a list of Associated Compa- nies in York County, November 4, 1756:

Isaae Sader, Captain; Archibald McGrew, Lieu- tenant; William Duffell, Ensign; sixty private men.

Hugh Dunwoody, Captain; Charles McMullen, Lieutenant; James Smith, Ensign; sixty-six private men.

James Agnew, Captain; John Miller, Lieutenant; Sam Withrow, Ensign; sixty private men.

York Township-David Hunter. Captain; John Correy, Lieutenant; John Barnes, Ensign; 100 pri- vate men.

* III Archives, 9.

+VII. Col. Rec., 282.

#II Archives, N. S. Col. Burd's Journal. Shamokin was on the east side.

Samuel Gordon, Captain; William Smiley, Lieu- tenant; John Little, Ensign; 100 private men.

Shrewsbury Township-Andrew Findley, Cap- tain; William Gamell, Lieutenant; Moses Lawson, Ensign; 106 private men.

Mount Joy Township-William Gibson, Captain; William Thompson, Lieutenant; Casper Little, En- sign; fifty private men.

Francis Holton, Captain; Joseph Ross, Lieuten- ant: John McCall, Ensign; 100 private men.

The above is a true list.

RICHARD PETERS, Secretary.

Col. Armstrong wrote from Carlisle, June 30, 1757, that a large number, consisting of French and Indians, with baggage horses, left Fort DuQuesne about the 9th inst., bend- ing their course by the old Allegheny path, which leads from that place toward Rays- town,* on the departure of which detach- ment the French fired their cannon ; that lest Loudoun or Littleton should be attacked, he sent all he conld from his battalion as far as Littleton, and as much farther as requi- site, not to exceed three days' march from the inhabitants; that Capt. Hamilton com- manded the party, consisting of 200 private men and a sufficient number of officers. They were then encamped somewhere near Rays- town, and nothing was yet heard from them. On the 11th of July, he wrote: "Our people are returned from Raystown, without making any other discoveries than the tracks of very small parties at a considerable distance." Gov. Denny wrote from Easton, July 21, 1757: "Mr. Barton comes express, with an application from the inhabitants of York County for a further protection of their frontier during the harvest. They offer to raise a company of fifty men, if they may be allowed the same pay as the provincial troops. I strongly recommend this to your serious and immediate consideration, as that gentle- man waits only for an answer, and is very much wanted at home." The Commissioners replied to this, that they had considered the letter respecting the raising and paying a company of fifty men for the protection of the frontier inhabitants of York County dur- ing their harvest, and were desirous that everything might be done for them that conld be, consistent with the law. It was not in their power to pay more men than the law directs, and therefore they knew of no method of relieving those frontiers from their threatened distress, but sending some of the provincial troops already raised or to be raised, to their assistance. Or if the battalions were defective, and the Governor should think proper to raise the company proposed, they would have no objection to paying them, provided the company did not

*Now Bedford.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

make the number of the provincials exceed 1,400 men. *

The Commissioners here mentioned were those appointed by law for the Province of Pennsylvania, by act of 27 November, 1755, to dispose of the 60,000 pounds voted for his Majesty's use.

BILLETING OF SOLDIERS.

Hostilities had waged in America two years before war was formally declared, on May 17, 1756. Governor Morris laid before the council on the 28th of June, 1756, a letter from the British Secretary of State, dated March 13, 1756, giving information of the King's having appointed the Earl of Loudoun to be commander in chief of all his Majesty's forces in North America, and that Major- General Abercrombie was to be next in com- mand to him.t Loudoun was appointed military dicator .¿ His commission estab- lished a military power throughout the colo- nies, independent of the colonial governors, and superior to them. The king required of them a general fund, to be issued and applied as the Commander-in-chief should direct, and provision for all such charges as might arise from furnishing quarters. The British troops were kept in the colonies and quartered at pleasure. In Philadelphia there was consid- erable trouble occasioned by the billeting of soldiers. The public houses were not suffi- cient in number to quarter them all. Some of these houses were kept by very poor peo- ple, and the soldiers had to be quartered in private houses. The latter order greatly surprised the inhabitants. But resistance was useless, as they would have been taken by force.§ The commissioners appointed to dispose of the public money provided quar- ters. By a letter from Lord Loudoun to Gov- ernor Denny, October 2, 1757, he says: "As the season is so far advanced, I do suppose you will not be able to furnish your barracks this season, and it will be of the less conse- quence, as, by my present plan of quartering, I do propose, in case some motion of the enemy do not alter my disposition, to have the greatest part of the troops I send into your province quartered in the back settle- ments, in Reading, Lancaster and York, in order to cover them from any inroads of the enemy or Indians, which I think will be an essential service to your province, so that I imagine, one battalion will be as much as I shall send to Philadelphia." There appear

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History of York County, Pennsylvania : from the earliest period to the present time, divided into general, special, township and borough histories, with a biographical department appended, Part 21

Author: Gibson, John, Editor Publication date: 1886 Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Gibson, John, Editor
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., Chicago
Number of Pages: 1104