USA > Pennsylvania > The Pennsylvania-German in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 > Part 23
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On May 6, 1778, he was appointed one of the agents for forfeited estates. The Assembly of the State made him one of the commissioners to take subscriptions for the Continental Loan, December 16, 1777, and, during the darkest period of the war, he did effective service in collecting blankets, food and forage for the needy troops at Valley Forge, for most of which he was never recom- pensed.
He died, February 28, 1802, ar Lebanon.
Col. Nicholas Haussegger.
Nicholas Haussegger came to Anierica, as a subaltern officer, during the early struggle between England and
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France, about 1744. He was a native of Ifanover, Ger- many. He subsequently resigned and came to Pennsyl- vania, where we find him, during the French and Indian War as Lieutenant of Capt. Atlee's Company of the Penn- sylvania Regiment, commissioned May 6, 1760. It is probable that he was in the previous campaign under Gen. Forbes. On November 11, 1763, he was commis- sioned Captain in the First Battalion of the Pennsylvania Regiment, having distinguished himself in the battle of Bushy Run, in the expedition under Bouquet. During the summer of 1764 he was stationed on the frontiers in Heidelberg township of Lebanon county.
Prior to the Revolution he purchased a farm near Lebanon, where he lived, and on which he ended his days.
At the beginning of the war he was commissioned Major of the Fourth Pennsylvania Battalion, Col. Anthony Wayne, January 4, 1776, and, until the eight- eenth of September following, shared in the fortunes and privations of that command at Three Rivers and in the Canada campaign. He was commissioned Colonel of the German Regiment, to rank from July 17, 1776. The regiment was at Trenton and Princeton, and, in May, 1777, was in Debore's Brigade of Sullivan's Division. The statement has been made that Col. Haussegger " deserted to the British after the battle of Monmouth, and nothing can be ascertained of his subsequent history." This is evidently false as he returned to his home at Lebanon, where he died in July, 1786. His heirs partici- pated in the donation land-grants, awarded by the State of Pennsylvania to its meritorious and brave officers and soldiers of the Revolution, which would not have been the case were he a traitor. It is more probable that, on
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account of his age, he became sick and incapacitated from active duty, and was given a lengthy furlough, which he spent at his Lebanon home.
Capt. Anthony Kelker.
Anthony Kelker, son of Henry Kelker and Regina Braetscher, was a native of Herrliberg, near Zurich, Switzerland, born December 30, 1733. In 1743 his parents emigrated to America, and settled four miles north of Lebanon, Pa.
August 28, 1775, he was commissioned Second Lieu- tenant of the Lancaster County Associators, being in active service during the campaign of 1776. In 1777 he was at Brandywine and Germantown. On January 19, 1778, appointed wagon-master of Col. Greenawalt's Bat- talion, and, the same year, was sent on a secret expedition to Virginia and Maryland. Until the close of the war Capt. Kelker was an active participant.
He was Deputy Sheriff of Lancaster County, 1781- 1782; first Sheriff of Dauphin County, in 1785, serving till 1788; member of the House of Representatives, 1793-1794. He died at Lebanon March 10, 1812.
Capt. David Krause.
Son of John Krause of the Palatinate, Germany, born about 1750 in Lebanon county, and a farmer by oc- cupation.
He commanded a Company of Associators in the Jersey campaign of 1776, and in the campaign around Phila- delphia in 1777, subsequently Commissary of Col. Greena- walt's Battalion.
Elected a member of the Assembly from Dauphin
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County in 1785; House of Representatives, 1797-1799; Commissioner of Dauphin County, 1795-1797; subse- quently, Associate Judge of Lebanon County until his death in 1822.
Major Philip Marstellar.
He was born January 4, 1742; son of Frederick Lud- wig Marstellar, and wife Barbara, in New Providence township, Montgomery Co., Pa.
At the outbreak of the Revolution he resided in Leb- anon. He was of the earliest Associators, and assisted in raising the troops in 1775 and 1776 for the service. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of July 15, 1776, and, during that and the following year, of the Assembly. He was appointed Paymaster of the Militia, August 20, 1777; Agent to superintend the pur- chase of flour for the French fleet, July 13, 1779, and Assistant Forage-master, April 5, 1780. So well done was this latter service that Gen. Washington sent Major Marstellar a letter thanking him for the faithful and prompt performance of his duty.
He removed to Virginia in 1803, not far from Alex- andria, where he died about 1809.
Col. Adam Orth.
The eldest son of Balthaser Orth, he was born about 1718 in the Palatinate, Germany. He came, with his parents, to America in 1725. During the French and Indian War he commanded the Lebanon Township Com- pany in Rev. John Elder's rangers. In 1769 he was one of the Commissioners of the County.
During the Revolution he was well advanced in years, but, nevertheless, became early identified with the move-
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ment, assisted in the organization of the associated bat- talions, and was appointed Sub-lieutenant of the County, March 12, 1777. He served as a representative in the General Assembly, from Dauphin County, in 1789 and 1790. For a long period he operated and owned New Market Forge. He died at Lebanon, November 15, 1794.
George Holstein.
Son of Leonard Holstein, who emigrated from New York Province into Pennsylvania, settling at Millbach, Lebanon county, in 1728, having originally come from the German Palatinate to England, and from thence to New York in 1710.
George Holstein served in Capt. Hudson's Company during the Revolution.
Michael Holstein.
Brother of George Holstein, who afterwards changed his name to Stoner, was a companion of Daniel Boone, and, at one time, the only white man in Kentucky. He took part in the battle of King's Mountain, the capture of Vincennes, and was wounded at the siege of Boone's Fort and the massacre of Blue Licks.
Capt. Henry Shacffer.
Henry Shaeffer, son of Alexander Shaeffer and Anna Engle, was born about 1738, in Heidelberg township, Lebanon Co., Pa.
On March 26, 1776, he was commissioned Captain in the Second Battalion, Lancaster County Associators, and was in active service during the campaign of that year; Justice of the Peace, 1777; Judge of the Court of Com-
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mon Pleas, Dauphin County, 1785 and 1790, until his death, October 12, 1803.
Col. Valentine Shouffler.
He was born April 7, 1752, in Bethel township, Leb- anon county. His parents, John George Shouffler and Francisca Bendel, came from Switzerland.
He volunteered, as sergeant, in one of the first com- panies at the beginning of the Revolution, and was taken prisoner, but managed to escape. He was, subsequently, a Captain in the Flying Camp, and wounded in the skirmish at Chestnut Hill, in December, 1778. He served at Trenton, Brandywine and Germantown, and came out of the Revolution with the rank of Major of the Asso- ciated Battalions. In the interval of peace which fol- lowed he was a Colonel of Volunteer Militia. He repre- sented the county of Dauphin in the Legislature, 1794- 1796. He died at his residence in Jonestown, Lebanon county, August 7, 1845.
Capt. John Weidman.
John Weidman was born June 4, 1756, in Lancaster Co., Pa.
At the commencement of the war he became an officer in one of the Associated Battalions, and, upon the organi- zation of the German Regiment, was commissioned an Ensign, July 12, 1776; promoted First Lieutenant, May 14, 1777, and served in the battles of Long Island, Brandywine, Germantown, White Plains, Monmouth, Trenton, Princeton, Newtown, and was with Sullivan in his expedition against the Indians, 1779. He was adju- tant of the regiment that year, and retired the service January 1, 1781. He was a brave and gallant officer.
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At the close of the war Capt. Weidman entered mercan- tile life at Philadelphia, thence removed to Lancaster county, and, afterwards, to Lebanon, where, in 1800, he purchased, from Robert Coleman, the Union Forge estate. He was one of the Associate Judges of Lebanon from 1821 to 1830. He died at Lebanon, on June 6, 1830.
Col. Philip Wolfersberger.
Son of Adam and Margaret Wolfersberger, born February 14, 1739, in Heidelberg township, Lebanon Co., Pa.
In the French and Indian War he saw active service, and was with Bouquet in his campaign of 1763. During the Revolution he was an officer in the Associated Bat- talions, and, later lieutenant under Col. Curtis Grubb, in the Flying Camp and Long Island campaign of 1776. He was also a participant in the subsequent campaigns in and around Philadelphia.
After the Revolution, when Congress directed the or- ganization of the Provisional Army, he rose to be Major and Lieut. Colonel of the Militia. He died at Campbell- town, Lebanon county, on July 14, 1824.
Jacob W'eirick.
He was born in Bethel township, Lebanon county, in 1754, the son of Christian and Margaret Weirick.
He served as a non-commissioned officer in Col. Greena- walt's Battalion, was taken prisoner at Long Island, but shortly after paroled.
He was elected Sheriff of Dauphin County, in 1790; member of the Legislature, from 1795 to 1797, and from 1802 to 1806. About 1807 he removed to Canton town-
Some Pennsylvania-Germans in Military Service. 405 ship, Washington county, where he died, September 17, 1822.
Francis Wenrick.
His family came from Germany and settled in Leb- anon Co., Pa.
He was at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, and on the frontiers against the Indians subsequent to the massacre of Wyoming. He removed to near Lingles- town, Dauphin county, where he died about 1785.
LANCASTER COUNTY. Capt. Abraham De Huff.
Commissioned March 15, 1776, a captain in Atlee's Musketry Battalion ; taken prisoner at Fort Washington, November 16, 1776; exchanged April 20, 1778. In April, 1777, Miles' Rifle Regiment and Atlee's Musketry Battalion were consolidated into the State Regiment of Foot, under Col. John Bull, in which Capt. De Huff's company retained its organization.
Michael Whisler.
Was born near the Trappe, Montgomery Co., Pa., in 1756. In May, 1776, he enlisted for twenty months in Capt. Henry Christ's Company of Miles' Rifle Regiment. He was at Long Island, where the regiment lost heavily, at White Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and Germantown, and discharged at Valley Forge, January I, 1778. He was twice wounded.
He enlisted to serve during the Whiskey Insurrection, 1794, and was so impressed with the beautiful surround- ings of Columbia, Lancaster county, that he removed thence, and died there September 14, 1824.
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Major David Ziegler.
Born in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1748; served in the Russian campaign against the Turks, under the Empress Catharine; settled in Lancaster, Pa .; June 25, 1775, Adju- tant of Col. Thompson's Battalion of Riflemen; First Lieutenant, January 16, 1777, First Pennsylvania Con- tinental Regiment; promoted Captain, December 8, 1778; resigned and went to Cincinnati, Ohio, became its first Mayor and died there, September 24, 1811.
Major John Hubley.
Was born in Lancaster, December 25, 1747; member of the Constitutional Convention of July 15, 1776; member Committee of Safety from July 24, 1776, to March 13, 1777; Commissary of Continental Stores, with rank of Major, January II, 1777; Prothonotary of Lan- caster County, March 22, 1777; member of Supreme Executive Council, but resigned in the spring of 1777, became engaged in superintending the erection of a powder house and store house; commissioned Justice of the Peace, August 12, 1777; appointed Register of Wills and Recorder, October 11, 1777, to fill a vacancy; Com- missioner to regulate price of commodities in the Colonies, met at New Haven, Connecticut, November 22, 1777; Commissioner to take subscriptions for Continental Loan, December 16, 1777; committee to supply army with blan- kets, 1778; Captain in Col. James Ross' Battalion in 1778 ; member of Constitutional Convention of 1787, and of subsequent convention on Constitution of Pennsylvania ; member of State Constitutional Convention of 1789- 1790; Prothonotary of Lancaster County, August 17, 1791; for many years Trustee of Ifranklin College; died at Lancaster on January 21, 1821.
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Lieut. Col. Francis Mentges.
An officer in the Swiss and German armies.
On March 22, 1776, Adjutant Atlee's Musketry Bat- talion; promoted First Lieutenant, August 9, 1776; Major Eleventh Pennsylvania Continental Regiment, Oc- tober 7, 1776; Lieut. Colonel Fifth Pennsylvania Conti- nental Regiment, October 9, 1778; retired January I, 1783; later appointed the first Inspector-General of the United States Army.
YORK COUNTY. Dr. John Gottlieb Morris.
He was born in the village of Redekin, near Magde- burg, Prussia, in March, of 1754. He studied "medicine and surgery" and was granted a diploma to practice. "After finishing my professional studies," he writes in his journal, "I came to this country late in 1776, and served the United States as an army surgeon, with general approbation."
In 1777, after an examination by the State Board of Physicians, Dr. Morris was granted a certificate to serve as "surgeon in the Continental Army." He was ap- pointed Surgeon's Mate of Armand's First Partisan Le- gion, organized May, 1777, and served with it both in the Northern Department of the army, and when it went south; promoted to surgeon after the battle of Camden, where he lost all his private papers. After the surrender of Cornwallis the Legion was ordered to York, Pa., and mustered out of service. At this time he received most complimentary testimonials from his commanding officer, Col. Armand, Marquis de la Rouerie, also one from Dr. Warren.
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In 1783 Dr. Morris became a member of the Cincin- nati. After the war he settled in York, and established an extensive practice.
He was married, in June, 1784, to Barbara Myers of York, and died in 1808.
Col. Michael Swope.
Son of George Swope, one of the Commissioners to lay off York county, and one of the first German settlers west of the Susquehanna.
Col. Swope commanded the First Battalion of Associa- tors from York County in the Flying Camp. His bat- talion of four hundred men suffered severely at Long Island and Fort Washington, where, with fourteen of his officers, he fell into the hands of the British.
Capt. Gerhart Graeff.
Commanded the Second Company in Col. Swope's First Battalion of Associators. At the battle of Long Island the casualties in this company were very heavy, but eighteen men returning to join it after the fight was over.
Ensign Jacob Barnite.
In Capt. Christian Stake's Fourth Company of Col. Swope's First Battalion of York County Associators. He was wounded and captured at the battle of Long Island, and lay in prison for fifteen months.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY. Molly Pitcher.
Molly Pitcher, the female gunner at the battle of Monmouth, about whom so much has been said and written, was a pure-blooded Pennsylvania-German.
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Among those who settled in Carlisle, about 1763, was a hardy young soldier named William Irvine, who, in time, became Colonel of the Sixth Pennsylvania Battalion, then of the Seventh Pennsylvania Continental Regiment, and, subsequently, promoted to Brigadier General.
In the Irvine household, at the outbreak of the war, was employed, in domestic service, a young woman, named Mary Ludwig, of pure Teutonic descent. She was neither noticeable for her beauty of person, nor for her refinement of manner, but, in kindliness of disposition and faithfulness to duty, she had no superior. Near her master's residence was an attractive young man, Jolm Casper Hayes, who plied bis trade as a barber, also some- times neglected it to hold intercourse with Mary, the in- evitable result of which was a wedding on July 24, 1769.
Her husband first enlisted December, 1775, in Col. Proctor's First Pennsylvania Artillery. Upon the expira- tion of his term of enlistment, Decernber, 1776, he again entered the service, this time in the Seventh Pennsylvania Continental Regiment of Col. Irvine, in whose household his wife had served.
Strong and robust, Molly accompanied her husband in the campaign, to serve as a nurse to the wounded. At the battle of Monmouth the Seventh Pennsylvania greatly distinguished itself. Her husband had dropped his musket and taken temporary charge of a cannon when the grand charge of the British troops was made. In the thick of the engagement he was wounded ( from which he sub- sequently recovered). Molly, who had been carrying water to the suffering soldiers, seeing her husband fall, just as she was approaching him, at once took his place at the gun, and, according to the story of some, fired several rounds at the enemy, but, according to others, only one
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round, when she was forced to retire although vehemently insisting upon remaining at her post. It is further said that Washington saw her at this service and gave her an appointment as sergeant by brevet.
As a further indication of her self-confidence and ten- derness, it is related that, beside her husband, was a friend of hers wounded, so seriously that he was believed to have died, and was, accordingly, cast into a pit for burial, but was discovered by Molly to be alive and carried by her to a place of safety, where she took care of him until his convalescence.
She was called "Molly Pitcher" by the soldiers in grateful remembrance of her service to them in carrying water during the battle.
She remained with the army until the close of the war, then returned to Carlisle with her husband, where, shortly after, he died.
Unfortunately for herself, she did not remain single but married one John McKally, a worthless fellow who had been an army companion of her first husband.
On February 21, 1822, she was granted a pension of $40 per annum "for her services during the Revolution- ary War."
She died on January 22, 1832. In 1876 the citizens of Carlisle erected a modest monument to mark the spot where the heroine of Monmouth sleeps her last sleep.
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.
Col. John Henry Amies.
Born October 5, 1736, the son of Heury and Christiana Antes, who emigrated to America from Freinsheim in Rhenish Bavaria, in the early part of the century, and
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who wielded a great influence for good in the affairs of Pennsylvania between the years 1725 and 1755, being especially identified with the work of the Moravians.
Col. Antes was married, on May 11, 1756, to Anna Maria Pawling. In 1772 he removed, with his father, to Northumberland county from Frederick, Montgomery county. In the Revolution he became Captain of the First Company, Second Battalion, Northumberland County Associators, Col. William Plunkett. Before long, however, Col. Plunkett dropped out of service, when Capt. Antes was promoted to Lient. Colonel, with com- mand of the forces on the extreme frontier, and with headquarters at the stockade called Antes' Fort. Here he was constantly engaged in resisting the attacks and encroachments of the Indians, and here he died July 13, 1820.
Capt. Bernard Hubley.
Capt. Hubley was commissioned August 15, 1776, a First Lieutenant in the German Regiment; promoted to Captain on February 24, 1778. He participated, with his regiment, in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandy- wine, Germantown, Monmouth, Sullivan's expedition against the Indians in 1779, and was retired in 1781. He was made Brigade Inspector of Northumberland County, etc., in 1807, and died in 1808.
Capt. Charles Gobin.
He was in command of a company in Lieut. Col. Joseph Hiester's Sixth Battalion, Berks County Militia, in the Jersey campaign of August and September, 1780. Later, he was on the Northumberland county frontier in com- mand of a company of militia to protect the settlers from
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a threatened invasion of the Indians, Tories and British from New York.
BEDFORD COUNTY. Chaplain Joseph Powell.
The son of Joseph Powell, a Moravian clergyman, was born in Bethlehem township, Northampton Co., Pa., about 1750. He was educated for the ministry, and was located in Bedford county at the beginning of the Revo- lution.
He served as Chaplain to the Bedford County Battalion of Associators in 1776; was a member of the Constitu- tional Convention of July 15, 1776; member of the General Assembly in 1779 and 178c; member of the Constitutional Convention of 1789-1790.
He died in November, 1804, in Southampton town- ship, Bedford county.
The sketches just completed embrace those of whom we have some extended knowledge, however slight, be- yond the mere name. It would be an act of much in- justice were we to confine ourselves to them alone that it is now proposed to complete this chapter by mention- ing the names, at least, of such Pennsylvania-German commissioned officers as are known to have been attached to the several battalions and regiments of Pennsylvania troops in regular service. Even this, by force of circum- stances, can be but partial in character.
PARTIAL LIST OF PENNSYLVANIA-GERMAN COMMIS- SIONED OFFICERS IN REGULAR SERVICE.
Col. Thompson's Battalion of Riflemen.
Adjutant, David Ziegler.
Quartermasters, Frederick Hubley, Jacob Bower, of
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Reading; served afterwards as Captain in the Flying Camp, and promoted to Sixth Pennsylvania.
Surgeon's Mate, Christian Reinick, of Lancaster.
Wagon-master, Adam Egle, of Lancaster, promoted from Capt. Ross' company.
Captains, Michael Doudel, resigned on account of ill health soon after the company reached Cambridge; from near Gettysburg, Pa. Abraham Miller, North- ampton county (Mount Bethel), June 25, 1775; re- signed November 9, 1775-
3d Lient., Peter Weiser, January 5, 1776, Berks county. Captain, George Nagel, Reading, June 25, 1775; Major Fifth Battalion, January 5, 1776.
Ist Lient., Jacob Zanck, Lancaster county.
2d Lieut., Frederick Hubley, Lancaster.
3d Lieut., David Ziegler, Lancaster county.
First Pennsylvania Battalion.
Colonel, John Philip De Haas, Lebanon, January 22, 1776.
Ist Lieuts., Adam Hubley, Lancaster, October 27, 1775; Major, of Additional Regiment, 1776; Lieut. Col., Tenth Pennsylvania. Frederick Blankenberg, October 27, 1775. Roger Staynor, Jr., from 2d Lieut., Jan- uary 19, 1776; Captain Second Pennsylvania. Christian Staddel, from 2d Lieut., May 4, 1776; Captain Second Pennsylvania.
.. 2d Lieuts., Roger Staynor, Jr., October 27, 1775; pro- moted Ist Lieut. Christian Staddel, October 27, 1775 ; promoted Ist Lieut. Peter Gossner, January 15, 1776; Ist Lieut. Second Pennsylvania. Philip Clumberg, Jr., from Ensign, January 15, 1776; Ist Lieut. Second
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Pennsylvania. Jacob Ziegler, from Ensign, January 15, 1776; Ist Lieut. Second Pennsylvania.
Ensigns, Philip Clumberg, Jr., October 27, 1775; pro- moted 2d Lieut. Jacob Ziegler, October 27, 1775; promoted 2d Lieut.
Ensign, John Philip De Haas, Jr., appointed by Gen. Gates, August 6, 1776, vice John Low, deceased; re- appointed to Second Pennsylvania, but never joined the regiment; died at Beech Creek, Clinton Co., Pa., on September 22, 1826.
Second Pennsylvania Battalion.
Captain, Rudolph Bunner.
Ist Lieut., Andrew Kachlein, January 5, 1776; discharged June 21, 1776.
Ensign, Abraham Dull, October 25, 1776.
2d Lieut., Charles Seitz, January 5, 1776; dropped Sep- tember 20, 1776.
Ensign, George Hoffner, July 4, 1775, promoted Novem- ber II, 1776.
2d Lient., George Hoffner, from Ensign, November 11, 1776.
Ensign, Henry Eppley, January 5, 1776; Lieut. Capt. Watson's Company, November 11, 1776.
Third Pennsylvania Battalion.
Major, Henry Bicker, January 4, 1776; transferred to Tenth Pennsylvania, October 25, 1776. Adjutant, Walter Bicker, January 11, 1776. Captain, Joseph Hubley, January 5, 1776.
Ist Lieut., John David Woelpper, January 6, 1776; a German by birth who had served in the Virginia cam-
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paign under Washington, and recommended by him for a company in the German Regiment, July 8, 1776.
2d Lieuts., Walter Bicker, January 8, 1776; Adjutant January II; captured November 16, 1776; resided in New York City in 1815. Henry Bicker, Jr., January 8, 1776; captured November II, 1776; promoted Fourth Pennsylvania. Herman Stout, from Ensign, June 13, 1776; Ist Lieut. Tenth Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 4, 1776.
Ensigns, Herman Stout, January 8, 1776; 2d Lieut. June 13, 1776. Samuel Shriver, January 8, 1776; reported unfit for duty October 4, 1776; absent at Philadelphia.
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