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 29

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 29

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I attended at the war office, and I think found there the honorable Judge Peters and Col. T. Pick- ering, but my reception from the President, Gen. Gates, did not correspond with his recent profes- sions; he was civil, but barely so, and I was at a loss to account for his coldness. yet had no sus- picion of his insincerity.#

*Wilkinson's Memoirs.

*P. 182.

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

It is related by Mr. Dunlap, in his " His- tory of New York," upon the authority, it is presumed of the late Gen. Morgan Lewis, that a day had been appointed by the "Cabal" in Congress for one of them to move for a committee to proceed to the camp at Valley Forge to arrest Gen. Washington, and that the motion would have succeeded had they not unexpectedly lost the majority which they possessed when the measure was determined on. At that time there were but two dele- gates in attendance from New York: Francis Lewis, the father of the late Gen. Morgan Lewis, and William Duer, the son-in-law of Lord Sterling-barely sufficient to entitle the State to a vote, if both were present. But Mr. Duer was confined to his bed by a severe and dangerous illness. His colleague, Mr. Lewis, had sent an express for Mr. Gouvern- eur Morris, one of the absent members, who had not, however, arrived on the morning of the day on which the motion was to have been made. Finding this to be the case, Mr. D. inquired of his physician, Dr. John Jones, whether it was possible for him to be carried to the court house where Congress sat. The Doctor told him it was possible, but it would be at the risk of his life. "Do you mean," said Mr. D., "that I should expire before reaching the place?" "No," replied the Doctor, " but I would not answer for your leaving it alive." "Very well, sir," said Mr. D., " You have done your duty and I will do mine. Prepare a litter for me; if you will not somebody else will, but I pre- fer your aid." The litter was prepared and the sick man placed on it, when the arrival of Mr. Morris rendered the further use of it unnecessary, and baffled the intrigue that had induced its preparation."*

In Kapp's " Life of Steuben,"f is the following: "Steuben left Portsmounth on the 12th of December, 1777, and set out for Boston by land, where he arrived on the 14th, and was received as cordially as at the for- mer place. He met there the illustrious John Hancock, who had just retired from the Presidency of Congress, and received Wash- ington's reply to his letter, by which he was informed that he must repair, without delay, to York, Penn., where Congress was then sit- ting, since it belonged exclusively to that body to enter into negotiations with him. At the time Hancock communicated to Steuben an order of Congress that every preparation should be made to make him and his suite comfortable on their journey to York, and Mr. Hancock himself with great care made all the necessary arrangements."

They (the Baron and suite) arrived at York February 5, 1778. Steuben stayed at York until the 19th of February, 1778. "The Congress of the United States," continues Duponceau, " were not at that time the illus- trious body whose eloquence and wisdom, whose stern virtues and unflinching patriot- ism, had astonished the world. Their num- ber was reduced to about one-half of what it was when independence was declared-all but a few of the men of superior minds had disappeared from it. Their measures were feeble and vacillating, and their party feuds seemed to forbode some impending calamity. The enemy were in possession of our capital city; the army we had to oppose to theni were hungry, naked and destitute of every- thing. No foreign government had yet acknowledged our independence-everything around us was dark and gloomy. The only ray of light which appeared amidst the dark- ness was the capture of Burgoyne, which cheered the spirits of those who might other- wise have despaired of the Commonwealth. But that brilliant victory had nearly pro. duced most fatal consequences. Gen. Gates became the hero of the day. Saratoga was then what New Orleans has been since-the watchword of the discontented. A party was formed even in Congress to raise the conquer- or of Burgoyne to the supreme command of our armies. But the great figure of Washington stood calm and serene at his camp at Valley Forge, and struck the conspirators with awe. With the exception of a few factious chiefs, he was idolized by the army and by the nation at large. The plot was discovered, and the plan frustrated without a struggle. Without any effort or management on his part and by the mere force of his character, Washington stood firm and undaunted in the midst of his enemies, and I might also say, looked them into silence.

Such was the state of things when we arrived at York. Parties were . then at their height, but as Congress sat with closed doors, the country at large was not agitated as it would otherwise have been. There were not wanting out of doors disaffected persons, who railed at King " Cong" and the bunch of "kings " (such was the slang of the day among the Tories), but the great mass of the people was still in favor of the Revolution, and the press did not dare to utter a senti- ment inimical to it.

The fame of Baron Steuben had preceded him to York. He was welcomed and courted by all, and I well remember that Gen. Gates, in particular, paid him the most assiduous court, and even invited him to make his

*Life of Lord Sterling. +Page 97.

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THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

house his home, which he prudently declined. "Please accept my grateful thanks"_ such are Steuben's words, in a letter to John Hancock, written a day after his arrival at York-" for all the kindness you have shown me during my stay at Boston. In this very moment I enjoy the good effects of it, having taken the liberty of quartering myself in an apartment of your house in this town. My journey has been extremely painful; but the kind reception I have met with from Con- gress and Gen. Gates, on my arrival here, have made me soon forget those past incon- veniences. Now, sir, I am an American, and an American for life; your nation has become as dear to me as your cause already was. You know that my pretensions are very mod- erate; I have submitted them to a committee sent to me by Congress. They seem to be satisfied and so am I, and shall be the more so when I find the opportunity to render all the services in my power to the United States of America. Three members of Congress have been appointed for concluding an arrangement with me to-morrow; that will not take long, my claims being the confi- dence of your General-in-Chief."

"The committee in Congress just men- tioned by Steuben, which consisted of Dr. Witherspoon, the Chairman, and only person who spoke French, Messrs. Henry, of Mary- land, and Thomas Mckean, waited upon Steuben the day after his arrival, and de- manded of him the conditions on which he was inclined to serve the United States, and if he made any stipulations with their Com- missioners in France? He replied that he had made no agreement with them, nor was it his intention to accept of any rank or pay; that he wished to join the army as a volun- teer, and to render such services as the Com- mander-in-Chief should think him capable of, adding that he had no other fortune than a revenue of 600 guineas per annum, arising from places and posts of honor in Germany, which he had relinquished to come to this country; that in consideration of this, he expected the United States would defray his necessary expenses while in their service; that if, unhappily, this country should not succeed in establishing their independence, or if he should not succeed in his endeavors in their service, in either of these cases he should consider the United States as free from any obligations toward him: but, if ou the other hand, the United States should be fortunate enough to establish their freedom, and that if his efforts should be successful, in that case he should expect a full indem- nification for the sacrifice he had made in

coming over, and such marks of their liber- ality as the justice of the United States should dictate; that he only required com- missions for the officers attached to his per- son, namely, that of Major and Aid-de-camp for Mr. D. Roumanai, that of Captain of Engineers for Mr. De l' Enfant, that of Cap- tain of cavalry for Mr. De Depontiere, and the rank of Captain for his Secretary, Mr. Duponceau; that if these terms were agree- able to Congress, he waited for their orders to join the army without delay."

The committee applauded the generosity of Steuben's propositions in thus risking his fortune on that of the United States, and made their report. The next day, Congress gave him an entertainment, after which the President, Mr. Laurens, told him it was the desire of Congress that he should join the army immediately in conformity with the following resolutions:

WHEREAS, Baron Steuben, a Lieutenant-General in foreign service, has in a most disinterested and heroic manner offered his services to these States as a volunteer.

Resolved, That the President return the thanks of Congress, in behalf of these United States, to Baron Steuben, for the zeal he has shown for the cause of America, and the disinterested tender he has been pleased to make of his military talents, and inform him that Congress cheerfully accept of his services as a volunteer in the army of these States, and wish him to repair to Gen. Washington's quarters as soon as convenient.

" Congress received Steuben with every mark of distinction," says Richard Peters. in a letter dated Belmont, October 30, 1875, " and paid more particular attention to him than I had known given to any foreigner. Much pleasure was expressed at the arrival of a person of his military knowledge and expe- rience, at a time when the want of discipline in our army, and the economy it produced, were severely felt and regretted."

Steuben set out for Valley Forge on the 19th of February, 1778, and arrived there on the 23d. "On our journey," says Depon- ceau, "we passed through Lancaster, then considered the largest inland town in the United States. Having arrived there early in the afternoon, the Baron was waited upon by Col. Gibson and other gentlemen, who in- vited him and his family to a subscription ball to take place that evening in honor of his arrival. . The Baron accepted, and we accordingly went. There we saw assembled all the fashion and beauty of Lancaster and its vicinity. The Baron was delighted to converse with the German girls in his native tongue. There was a handsome supper, and the company did not separate until 2 o'clock the next morning."

142

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

On the 11th of June, 1778, Philip Liv- ingston, a delegate from the State of New York, and one of the signers of the Declara- tion of Independence, died while here, and was buried in the burying-ground of the German Reformed Church, where a monu- ment of white marble, surmounted by an urn, was erected to his memory, with this inscrip- tion:

Sacred To the memory of the Honorable PHILIP LIVINGSTON, who died June 12, 1778, Aged 63 years, while attending the Congress of the United States, at York Town, Penna., as a Delegate from the State of New York. Eminently distinguished for his talents and rectitude, he deservedly enjoyed the confidence of his country, and the love and veneration of his friends and children. This monument, erected by his grandson, Stephen Van Rensalaer.

James Smith lived to a good old age, hav. ing died in the year 1806. He was buried in the Presbyterian church-yard, where his tombstone is readily discovered with this sim- ple inscription:

JAMES SMITH, One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Died July 11, 1806, Aged 93 years.

PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS WHILE IN YORK.

"Retiring beyond the Susquehanna to York, Congress presently authorized Wash- ington, in addition to his other extraordinary powers, to seize, to try by courts martial, and to punish with death all persons within thirty miles of any town occupied by the British, who should pilot them by land or water, give or send them intelligence, or furnish them with provisions, arms, forage, fuel or stores of any kind."*

"Congress, meanwhile at session at York, on the west side of the Susquehanna, deter- mined to establish a new Board of War, to be composed of persons not members of Con- gress. John Adams, thus released from his arduous duties, as head of the War Depart- ment, was sent to France as one of the Com- missioners to that court, Deane, being re- called to give an account of his conduct, especially in the matter of the extravagant promises which he had made to foreign offi- cers."+

"The Articles of Confederation, the consid-

eration of which had been resumed in April, having been agreed to at last, after repeated and warm debates, were now sent out with a circular letter, urging upon the States imme- diate ratification. But, on the part of some of the States, ratification was long delayed."*

York, November 13, 1777, William Clin- gan and Daniel Roberdeau wrote, "we have the happiness to inform the State that Con- federation has this evening passed Congress." A copy of the Confederation was received by the Council on December 1,f and referred to the Assembly for their approbation.

"A subject of earnest deliberation at York was that of finance, and the pressing wants of the soldiers, and the extortion of the public agents and traders.

The town of York had been a center well known to the colonies before the assembling of Congress here. A New England conven- tion had been held at Providence at the beginning of the year 1777, at which a scheme was agreed upon for regulating the prices of labor, produce, manufactured arti- cles and imported goods. In Hildreth's His- tory of the United States§ is the following: "The doings of the New England Conven- tion having been laid before Congress, their scheme for regulating prices was approved. The other States were advised to imitate it, and to call for that purpose two conventions, one from the Middle, the other from the Southern States. In accordance with this recommendation, a Convention for the Middle States, in which New York, New Jersey, Del- aware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. were represented, presently (March 26, 1777,) met at Yorktown (York, Penn.), and agreed upon a scale of prices. But this scheme, thongh very popular, was found wholly im- practicable."

The anxious deliberation of the committee of Congress during more than two months at Yorktown, with the report of the Springfield Convention before them, produced only a recommendation adopted in November (the 22d), 1777, that the several States should become creditors of the United States by raising for the Continental treasury $5,000, - 000 in four quarterly instalments.|

The following resolutions appear upon the journals of Congress (Glossbrenner's His- tory) :

OCTOBER 4, 1777.

Resolved, That a letter be written to Gen. Gates. informing him that Congress highly approve of the prowess and behavior of the troops under his com-

*Hildreth's Hist. U. S., Vol. 3, p. 221.

+Ibid., 226.

*Hildreth, Vol. 3, p. 227.

+V Archives, 770; X Col. Rec., 379.

ĮIbid.

₹132

Bancroft's Hist. U. S., Vol. 2, p. 167,

143

THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

mand in their late gallant repulse of the enemy under Gen. Burgoyne.

Resolved, That the thanks of Congress be pre- sented to Gen. Stark of the New Hampshire militia, and the officers and troops under his command, for their brave and successful attack upon, and signal victory over the enemy in their lines at Bennington; and that Brigadier Stark be appointed a Brigadier General in the army of the United States.

OCTOBER 6, 1777.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Legis- latures of the several States to pass laws declaring that any person, his aider or abettor, who shall will- fully and maliciously burn or destroy any magazine of provisions, or of military or of naval stores be- longing to the United States; or if any master, officer, seaman, mariner or other person intrusted with the navigation or care of any continental ves- sel shall willfully and maliciously burn or destroy, or attempt to or conspire to burn or destroy any such vessel, or shall willfully betray, or voluntarily yield or deliver, or attempt to conspire to betray, yield or deliver any such vessel to the enemies of the United States, such person, his aider or abettor, on legal conviction thereof shall suffer death with- out benefit of clergy.

OCTOBER 8, 1777.

Resolved, Unanimously, that the thanks of Con- gress be given to Gen. Washington for his wise and well concerted attack upon the enemy's army near Germantown on the 4th instant, and to the officers and soldiers of the army for their brave exertions ou that occasion, Congress being well satisfied that the best designs and boldest efforts may sometimes fail by unforseen incidents, trusting that on future occasions the valor and virtue of the army will, by the blessing of Heaven, be crowned with complete and deserving success.

OCTOBER 14, 1777.

WHEREAS, The British nation have received into their ports, and condemned in their courts of admi- ralty as lawful prize several vessels and their car- goes belonging to these States, which the mariners, in breach of the trust and confidence reposed in them, have betrayed and delivered to the officers of the British Crown;

Resolved, Therefore. That any vessel or cargo, the property of any British subject, not an inhabitant of Bermuda, or of any of the Bahama Islands, brought into any of the ports or harbors of any of these United States by the master or mariners, shall be adjudged a lawful prize and divided among the captors iu the same proportion as if taken by any coutineutal vessel of war.

OCTOBER 17, 1777.

Revived, That the Committee of Intelligence be authorized to take the most speedy and effectual measures for getting a printing press erected in Yorktown for the purpose of conveying to the pub- lic the intelligence that Congress may from time to time receive.

OCTOBER 31, 1777.

The Secretary laid before Congress a copy of the speech with which Mr. Hancock took leave of Con- gress, which was ordered to be entered on the jour- nals. It was then

Resolved, "That the thanks of Congress be presented to John Hancock, Esq., for the unre- mitted attention and steady impartiality which he has manifested in discharge of various duties of his office as President since his election to the chair on the 24th day of May, 1775."

NOVEMBER 1, 1777.

Congress proceeded to the election of a President; and the ballots being taken, the Hon. Henry Lau- rens was elected.

NOVEMBER 4, 1777.

Resolved, That the thanks of Congress, in their own name and in behalf of the inhabitants of the thirteen United States, be presented to Maj .- Gen. Gates, Commander-in-Chief in the northern depart- ment, and to the Majs .- Gen. Lincoln and Arnold and the rest of the officers and troops under his command, for their brave and successful efforts in support of the independence of their country, whereby an army of the enemy of 10,000 men has been totally defeated, one large detachment of it, that strongly posted and intrenched, having been conquered at Bennington, another repulsed with loss and disgrace from Fort Schuyler, and the main army of 6,000 men, under Lieut .- Gen. Burgoyne, after being beaten in different actions and driven from a formidable post and strong entrenchments, reduced to the necessity of surrendering themselves, upon terms honorable and advantageous to these States, on the 17th day of October last, to Maj-Gen. Gates; and that a medal of gold be struck, under the direction of the Board of War, in commemora- tion of this great event, and in the name of these United States presented by the President to Maj .- Gen. Gates.

Resolved, That Gen. Washington be informed, it is highly agreeable to Congress that Marquisde Lafayette be appointed to the command of a di- vision in the Continental army.

DECEMBER 11, 1777.

The Board of War report: "That in their opinion the public interest will be promoted by erecting in the town of York temporary barracks or sheds suffi- cient for containing 600 men, for the purpose of accommodating such recruits, and other troops as may be from time to time stationed or detained at the said place, either as guards or for the purpose of equipment and discipline," whereupon,

Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to cause the said barracks or sheds to be erected, with all possible dispatch, and in the most reasonable manner they can devise.

JANUARY 14, 1778.

WHEREAS, Baron Steuben, a Lieutenant-General in foreign service, has, in a most disinterested and heroic manner, offered his services to these States in the quality of a volunteer,

Resolved, That the President present the thanks of Congress, in behalf of these United States, to Baron Steuben, for the zeal he has shown for the cause of America, and the disinterested tender he has been pleased to make of his military talents, and inform him that Congress cheerfully accepts of his service as a volunteer in the army of these States, and wish him to repair to Gen. Washington's quar- ters as soon as convenient.

FEBRUARY 6, 1778.

That Mathew Clarkson and Maj. John Clark be appointed Auditors for the army under the command of Gen. Washington; and that they be authorized to appoint two clerks, and allow each of them $50 a month and two rations a day.

MARCHI 28, 1778.

Resolved, That Count Pulaski retain his rank of Brigadier in the army of the United States, and that he raise and have command of an independent corps, to consist of sixty-eight horse and 200 foot,

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY.

the horse to be armed with lances, and the foot equipped in the manner of light infantry; the corps to be raised in such way and composed of such men as Gen. Washington shall think expedient and proper; and if it shall be thought by Gen. Wash- ington that it will not be injurious to the service that he have liberty to dispense, in this particular instance, with the resolve of Congress against en- listing deserters.

JUNE 12, 1778.

Congress being informed that Mr. P. Livingston, one of the delegates for the State of New York, died last night, and that the circumstances require him to be interred this evening;

Resolved, That Congress will in a body attend the funeral this evening, at 6 o'clock, with a crape round the arm, and will continue in mourning for the space of one month.

JUNE 27, 1778.

Adjourned to Thursday next, to meet at the State House in Philadelphia.

YORK, IN PENNSYLVANIA, Nov. 8, 1777.

Dear Sir :- The following books are much wanted by some gentlemen of Congress, and are not to be procured in this place; if they are to be found in ye Pennsylvannia Library, which, we are informed, is removed by order of your Excellency to Lancaster, I shall be much obliged to you for ye loan thereof, being.

With respect, Your Excellency's Very humble servant, E. GERRY.

Vattel's Law of Nations, Grotius, Puffendorff. Directed,

His Excellency Thomas Wharton, Esq., Lancaster .*

Gen. Roberdean made the same request by letter. The books were received, though the General seems to have been more interested in obtaining for him- self lighter literature, namely, Ovid and Virgil.+

TOWN MAJOR.

In a letter from David Jameson and Jacob Eichelberger to President Reed, Yorktown, July 1, 1779, it said: "This has been, till lately, a great thoroughfare for troops, par- ticularly militia, in inarching from the south- ward to the main army." It was thought proper when the Congress was here to have a Commissary of Purchases, another of Issues, a Quartermaster, Town Major and a Physician, which officers have since been continued."t On the 3d of June, 1779, a letter from the Council to the Board of War, observes that Mr. John Brooks, of Yorktown, styles him- self Town Major. The novelty of this char- acter took the attention of the Council and led to some inquiry. Mr. Hahn, of that place, told them that the appointment was made during the residence of Congress, and on the occasion of quartering some soldiers. The Board of War replied that Mr. Brooks was appointed Town Major by order of Con-

gress during their residence in Yorktown. They intended to have discharged him on Congress leaving that place, but on examin- ing into the matter found it would be neces- sary to have a careful person there to rectify returns of provisions, &c., for passing troops. It appeared that between 2,000 and 3,000 soldiers had passed through, and drawn rations at that post on their way to and from the southward, within a few months, and they believed that saving more than equal to Mr. Brooks' appointment had ensued from his being stationed at the post. They had it, however, in contemplation to discharge him, in order to avoid the appearance of keeping of unnecessary officers .*

CONTINENTAL TROOPS.

T THE war of the Revolution began with the retreat of the British from Concord, and when they sought refuge in Boston, it was the signal for American troops to rally there spontaneously, and form that great Contin- ental Army, under Washington, which main- tained that ever memorable siege, and ultim- ately achieved our independence. A letter from John Adams, June 17, 1775, says : "I can now inform you, that the Congress have made choice of the modest and virtuous, the amiable, generous and brave George Wash- ington, Esq., to be General of the American Army, and that he is to repair as soon as possible to the camp before Boston. This appointment will have a great effect in cementing and securing the union of these colonies. The continent is really in earnest. They have voted ten companies of riflemen to be sent from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, to join the army before Boston. These are an excellent species of light in- fantry. They use a peculiar kind of musket, called a rifle. It has circular bore or grooves within the barrel, and carries a ball with great exactness to great distances. They are the most accurate marksmen in the world."+

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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 29

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