USA > Pennsylvania > The Pennsylvania-German in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 > Part 29
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31
Dec. 30. Lieut. John Hubley. 31. Lieut. George Bickham. 1776.
Ludwick Heck.
Jan. I. Lieut. John Offner.
Robert Lockhart.
2. Capt. Samuel Boyd.
Isaac Solomon.
3. Lieut. C. Crawford.
John Fleiger.
4. Lieut. Ch. Hall.
Jobn Fleiger.
5. Capt. Hoofnagle.
Philip Wehmer.
6. Lieut. Iluttenstein.
John Slater.
7. Lieut. Lightner.
Daniel Stricher.
8. Ensign Franciscus.
Jacob Messencope.
9. Capt. Musser.
John Suyder.
10. Lieut. Moore.
John Weidley.
12. Ensign Feltman.
John Blattenberger.
13. Capt. Henry.
Jolin Palmer.
14. Lieut. Hyner.
Henry Maurer.
15. Lieut. Keineck.
16 Capt. Graaff.
George Weiss.
Jan. 17. Lieut. Graeff.
18. Ensign Miller.
19. Capt. Clatz.
George Lberly.
20. Lieut. C. Shaffner.
Matthias Snyder.
21. Lieut. P. Shaffner.
Andrew Truckenbide.
22. I ieut. Baker.
Jacob Young.
23. Ensign Petry.
George Strehley.
24. Lieut. Dehuff.
Christopher Hager.
25. Ensign Musser.
Christian Eberman.
26. Ensign Fortine.
Henry Geiger.
27. Lieut. Hubley.
Ludwick Keck.
28. I.ieut. Bickham.
29. Lieut. Ewing.
John Messencope. Robert Lockhart.
Ir. Lieut. Trissler.
Godlieb Newman.
Peter Row.
Ilenry Stouffer.
Andreas Geiss.
A Place of Safe Keeping and a Refuge. 501
1775. Officers of the Day.
Sergeants. Nicholas Bousman.
30. Capt. Boyd.
31. Lieut. Crawford.
John Eppele.
Feb. I. Lient. Hall.
Isaac Solomon.
2. Ensign Krug.
Jacob Heppele.
3. Capt. Hoofnagle.
Philip Wehner.
4. Lieut. Huttenstein.
John Slater.
5. Lieut. Lightner.
Daniel Stricker.
6. Ensign Franciscus.
Jacob Massencope.
7. Capt. Mosser.
John Snyder.
8. Lieut. Moore.
John Weidle.
9. Lieut. Trissler.
Godlieb Newman.
10. Ensign Feltman.
John Blattenberger.
II. Capt. John Henry.
Henry Mourer.
12. Lieut. Hyner.
Peter Kew.
13. Capt. Graaff.
George Weiss.
14. Lieut. Graeff.
Michael Gorb.
15. Lieut. Graeff.
Henry Stouffer.
16. Capt. Clatz.
George Eberly.
17. Lieut. C. Shaffner.
Matthias Snyder.
18. Lieut. Baker.
Andrew Trockenbide.
19. Lieut. P. Shaffner.
Jacob Young.
20. Capt. Yeates.
George Strehley.
21. Lieut. Dehuff.
Henry Geiger.
23. Ensigu Musser.
Christopher Hager.
24. Lieut. Hubley.
Arnold Bomberger.
25. Lieut. Bickham.
John Messencope.
26. Lieut Offner.
Francis Dailey.
37. Lieut. Crawford.
Michael Crawford.
28. Iicut. Hall.
Matthias Young.
29. Capt. Boyd and Ensign Krug.
John Fleiger, John Eppele, & James Kain.
Mar. 1. Capt. Hoofnagle. Philip Wehner.
2. Lieut. Franciscus.
John Slater.
3. Lieut. Graeff.
Daniel Stricker.
4. Zusign Turbert.
Jacob Messencope.
5. Capt. Musser.
John Snyder.
6. Lieut. Moore.
John Weidle.
About this time the independent company of Capt. Jacob Weaver, which had been raised in Lancaster for the purpose of guarding the prisoners, was assigned to that
22. Lieut. Petry.
Frederick Mann.
502
The Pennsylvania-German Society.
duty, in place of the militia. It was afterwards (Janu- ary 13, 1777) attached to the Tenth Pennsylvania Con- tinental Regiment.
On January 6, 1777, the Committee of Safety having ordered Col. Slough's battalion, and a part of Ross' bat- talion, to Philadelphia, and Capt. Weaver's company having departed, it became necessary to enroll a number of citizens who, because of age or otherwise, were unfit for active duty, into a company to guard the prisoners.
From that time until January, 1782, different classes of the militia were again in service on guard duty, when the situation became such as to make it necessary to super- sede the militia guards with regular troops, and, accord- ingly, Col. Moses Hazen, with his regiment ("Congress' Own "), was ordered to Lancaster for that purpose, and remained until November, 1782, when again replaced by. the militia.
Various attempts at escape had been made, some of which proved successful, and it was partly to prevent this in the future that Col. Hazen was detailed for the duty of guarding the prisoners. He promptly started in to ferret out the matter, and Capt. Lec, one of his officers, volunteered to assume the part of a prisoner and act as a spy. With much difficulty he succeeded in his purpose, and, unfortunately, implicated various people of the county, who, doubtless for the sake of gain, rather than because of disloyalty, had been base enough to allow themselves to be tempted into the performance of the wrong deeds in question. Their offence, however, does not seem to have been considered as heinous as might ap- pear on the surface, because, later, a large part of the fine imposed upon them was remitted by the Court.
A Place of Safe Keeping and a Refuge. 503
In May, 1781, a detachment of Col. Moylan's Dra- goons had been stationed at Lancaster, to assist the militia in their guard duty. Before long, a most unfriendly feeling developed between the two, resulting in a sad oc- currence.
One of the dragoons, for some offence, had been con- fined in the gaol house, whereupon his comrades threatened to release him by force. Armed with pistols and swords, they marched to the barracks, where they were halted by the militia sentinel. One, more daring than the others, advanced to the sentinel, cocked his pistol, presented it, and attempted to seize the arms of the guard, who, im- mediately, shot him dead. As the man fell his pistol went off and wounded another of his comrades. There was great alarm and commotion for a time, but, eventually, affairs resumed their normal state.
When, after the battle of Brandywine, it became evi- dent that the British troops would soon occupy Philadel- phia, hurried preparations were made for the removal of Congress and the government archives. Many of the members fled, for the time being, to Bethlehem, en route to Lancaster, and many effects were taken to that place.
When Congress actually adjourned, on September 18, 1777, it was to meet at Lancaster, and, for a while, it looked as though that place might be selected as the seat of government, but it was deemed advisable to cross the Susquehanna, and place said river between that body and its enemies, so, when it convened at Lancaster, on Septem- ber 27, the same day that Gen. Howe entered Philadel- phia, it held but one session in that town and adjourned to York, where the renewed session began on September 30, 1777, and continued until the British had again evacu- ated Philadelphia, in the following summer.
504
The Pennsylvania-German Society.
The State Government remained in Philadelphia until September 24 when it adjourned to Lancaster, the ar- chives, etc., having previously been removed to Easton.
So favorably were the members of Congress impressed with the town of Bethlehem, and the character of its people, from the contact had with them on various oc- casions, that, at one time, the subject of making it the seat of our National Government was very seriously taken into consideration. This is a fact but little known. Through the courtesy of Dr. John W. Jordan, of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the following letters, gleaned by him from the Moravian Archives, are pre- sented. They are most interesting and self-explanatory.
The first is from Lewis Weiss to the Rev. John Ett- wein, and the second is his reply.
Lewis Weiss was born in Berlin on December 28, 1717. Emigrated to Pennsylvania in December, 1755, and settled in Philadelphia. For many years he was the at- torney of the Moravian Church. He was one of the founders of the German Society, and its President in 1782. Commissioned Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Philadelphia, May 26, 1786. ITe died October 22, 1796, and was buried in the Moravian cemetery at the corner of Franklin and Vine Streets.
The Rev. John Ettwein was a distinguished clergyman of the American Moravian Church, born in Friedenstadt, Germany. In 1754 he was consecrated bishop, and stood at the head of the church in Pennsylvania until his death in 1802.
PHILADELPHIA, 14 April, 1780.
" Dear Sir-I was yesterday spoken to by a friend of mine, a member of Congress, intimating that Congress had
A Place of Safe Keeping and a Refuge. 505
a mind to change their residence, and that it was pro- posed by some members Bethlehem would be a very proper place for making a Hague, like in Holland. I immediately exclaimed that Congress was madi but was stopped when the gentleman declared that Congress would never enter upon the subject, if they should conceive this plan might put the Society at Bethlehem under greater inconvenience, as Congress was able to relieve them by the payment of money, and other advantages which would accrue to the trades of Bethlehem. I told him in my opinion it was impracticable, without ruining and eating up the Society; it was a question with me whether, if every soul was re- moved from Bethlehem, the houses built there was suffi- cient to contain Congress and the several departments belonging thereto; and if Congress had a mind to examine Mr. Edmonds, who happened to be in town, I believed he could give them information of the number of houses and inhabitants of Bethlehem and Nazareth, by which Con- gress would see the impossibility of putting that plan into execution.
"I had really stopped Bro. Edmonds, but was told this morning I might let him go home, and advised that I should write for a description of Bethlehem and perhaps Nazareth too, particularly the number of inhabitants of the several houses and cabins; and whenever the matter should come on the carpet, they would move the House to send for me for information. Indeed, I should be very sorry if Congress should come to reside even in your neigh- borhood, for it would spoil the morals of many of your people, and the markets for all of them.
" (Signed) LEWIS WEISS."
506
The Pennsylvania-German Society.
(Reply.)
" Dear Sir-As I have been informed that the honor- able Congress intends to shift their residence from Phila- delphia to some other place in this State; and that some inquiries have been made of you, whether that honorable body could not be accommodated here or at New York, I take this opportunity to inform you of the true state of Bethlehem, in regard to its dwelling houses and present inhabitants. You know our situation well enough, and that it would be impossible to receive them, if even they were willing to submit to many and great inconveniences.
"Bethlehem has about thirty-six private dwelling houses, which are inhabited by sixty-one families, with their dif- ferent trade and workshops, so that many a family has but one single room for themselves and their all. You know the public buildings, as the meeting house, schools, the homes of the single brethren, single sisters, and widows, tavern and mills, are full of people; and I may, with truth, observe that no village or town in this State is so crowded with inhabitants as Bethlehem now is. Nazareth is not much better; and as it lies nine miles nigher to the Blue Mountains, that settlement is the first refuge of the set- tleis behind the mountains, as soon as they fear the least danger on account of the Indians. Some have already Hled to Nazareth (a few days ago), and how many may follow them soon we cannot know.
"Yet if even the honorable Congress, and its append- ages, could find the necessary accommodation here and in the neighborhood, which I know to be impossible, if they will not live in tents, it would, in my humble opinion, be a dangerous residence for them, as we are so nigh the mountains and the Big Swamp, from which an enemy
1
A Place of Safe Keeping and a Refuge. 507
could with ease walk in one night to Bethlehem. And such a treasure as the Congress might be a great tempta- tion for the Indians or their desperate associates to make a sudden attempt upon the place, if they were not covered by a considerable force.
"Dear Sir, I must beg the favor of you to be attentive in this matter, and if you find that there is really such a notion or motive, to make, in the name of the Brethren or in their behalf, a representation against it, and cause, at least, an inspection into our situation and circumstances, before Congress resolves to move into these parts. We should be very sorry at the certain disappointment of the Congress in our (unintelligible) that they may not dis- tress the inhabitants of this little place, disturb its happy constitution, and have nothing for it but trouble, exposure and disappointment.
"I am, dear Sir, with love and respect, " JOHN ETTWEIN."
When Congress assembled in York on the last day of September, 1777, in the old Court House, which stood in Center Square, it beheld the chief cities of the country in the hands of the enemy, and a shattered and dispirited army retreating before a victorious foe.
It sat with closed doors. None but its own members, with, occasionally, a few government officials, were al- lowed to hear the debates which took place on the momentous questions of the day.
In a building at one corner of Center Square, Michael Hillegas, Treasurer of the United States, kept the accounts of the government. In the office of James Smith, on the west side of South George Street, John Adams presided over the Board of War, corresponding to our War De-
508
The Pennsylvania-German Society.
partment of today. . The President of Congress, John Hancock, rented a house owned by Col. Michael Swope, on the south side of West Market Street, near Center Square. As a man of means, and because of his position, he lived in considerable style. York was then a town of 286 houses, and contained about 1, 500 inhabitants. Mr. Adams, in a letter of October 25, says: " This town is a small one, not larger than Plymouth. There are in it two German churches, the one Lutheran, the other Calvin- istical. The congregations are pretty numerous, and their attendance upon public worship is decent. It is remark- able that the Germans wherever they are found are care- ful to maintain the public worship, which is more than can be said of the other denominations of Christians this way ," and, on October 28, wrote: " The people of this country are chiefly Germans who have schools in their own language, as well as prayers, psalms and ser- mons, so that multitudes are born, grow up and die here without ever learning the English. . . . "
On November 4, 1777, Congress requested Gen. Wash- ington to appoint Lafayette to the command of a division in the Continental army, and commissioned him a Major- General.
Having heard Col. Wilkinson announce, from its floor, the glad tidings of the surrender of Burgoyne at Sara- toga, on October 12, the same day the thanks of Congress were presented to Gen. Gates, his officers and troops.
On the fifteenth of November the Articles of Confede- ration were adopted, after having been debated three times a week for nearly seven months.
On November 27 a new Board of War was organized, composed of General Mifflin, Joseph Trumbull, Richard
--- ---. .
THE PENNSYLVANIA-GERMAN SOCIETY
BARON FRIEDRICH VON STEUBEN
B. MAGDEBURG, NOVEMBER 15, 1730. D. STEUBENVILLE, N. Y., NOVEMBER 28, 1791
A Place of Safe Keeping and a Refuge. 509
Peters, Colonel Pickering and General Gates, of which the latter was made President.
Baron Steuben, and suite, arrived at York on February 5, 1778, and remained until February 19. Congress re- ceived him with every mark of distinction, and, at the solicitation of Washington, appointed him Inspector Gen- eral of the army.
On March 28, 1778, Count Pulaski was appointed to the command of an independent corps of cavalry and infantry.
The Treaty of Alliance, between France and the United States, was ratified by Congress on May 4, and, two days after, the entire town showed its joy over the same by an illumination.
The death of Philip Livingstone, a delegate from New York, occurred on June 11, 1778, and his body was in- terred, on the evening of the twelfth, in the graveyard of the German Reformed Church.
When, at length, Philadelphia was evacuated by the enemy, Congress adjourned to that city on June 27.
The diary of the Rev. George Neisser, Moravian pastor, for this period, contains many interesting entries with regard to the events just mentioned, also concerning movements of troops and prisoners. Among them he nar- rates how Adam Orth and Christopher Kucker, came, on May 1, 1778, from Lebanon, as representatives of the Hebron congregation, to tell the authorities how Major Watkins had filled, with powder, the residence portion of their church, occupied by the Rev. Bader, and praying for relief. It is gratifying to know that, on May 4, the Board of War directed the powder to be removed, and other stores put in its place, which would not materially
510
The Pennsylvania-German Society.
inconvenience Pastor Bader in his occupation of the building.
One of the memorable events which took place during the occupancy of York by Congress was the treasonable attempt to induce Washington to surrender his army to the British. It was made by the Rev. Jacob Duché, in a letter written from Philadelphia on October 8, 1777, wherein he rehearses the misfortunes which had overtaken the cause of independence, together with the sad condi- tion of the country, and urges the Commander-in-chief to put an end to further attempts to gain that which is impossible of attainment, by entering into negotiations with Lord Howe looking towards the bringing about of peace. In other words, pleading with Washington to traitorously surrender the cause for which he was then fighting, for which thousands had suffered, and for which other thousands had already laid down their lives. It is needless to say this suggestion was indignantly spurned, and the whole correspondence immediately laid before Congress by Washington, on October 16, 1777, aceom- panied by an explanatory note.
Mr. Duché, formerly rector of Christ Church in Phila- delphia, was a man of eloquence and piety, who had been appointed by Congress its first Chaplain, and whose prayer, upon the opening of the session, was pronounced to be not only eloquent but patriotie in the extreme.
But, beyond even this occurrence, came the now famous Conway Cabal.
There seems to be so much misunderstanding as to the meaning and derivation of this word that it may be well to say it comes from the French cabale, and the Hebrew cabala, signifying secret knowledge. One of the ministries of Charles II. ( 1670), was called a cabal from
5II
A Place of Safe Keeping and a Refuge.
the accidental fact that the initials of its members' names formed that word.
The Conway Cabal was instigated by Thomas Conway, born in Ireland, February 27, 1733, and educated in France. He entered the French army, and, in 1777, had attained the rank of Colonel, with the decoration of St. Louis. On the recommendation of the American Minister, Silas Deane, he came to America, offered his services to the Continental Congress, and was made Brigadier General, May 13, 1777. He was present at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.
We have seen under what discouragements Washington labored during the fall and winter of 1776, with only here and there a ray of sunshine to lighten the surround- ing gloom. We know how, notwithstanding the best laid plans, these dark days were followed by those of Brandy- wine and Germantown, necessitating the evacuation of Philadelphia and flight to York. We have read, even though not in detail, of the terrible winter at Valley Forge. In the midst of these trials, and what was almost a period of despair, came the glorious tidings of Bur- goyne's surrender. Is it to be wondered that weak human nature, no different then from what it is now, should be tempted, in not a few cases, to doubt the ability of Wash- ington. Here was the golden opportunity for all mal- contents to combine against him and accomplish his over- throw.
Embittered by the opposition of the Commander-in- chief to his promotion, a mere adventurer, over the heads of faithful and competent American officers, Conway gathered about him a band of congenial conspirators. Anonymous letters were written to prominent men, alleg- ing the responsibility of Washington for recent disasters;
512
The Pennsylvania-German Society.
it has been even charged that the name of Washington was forged by Conway to papers designed to further the plans of the conspirators; various members of Congress were gained over, and, through them, Conway was pro- moted to his coveted position of Major General; Gates was invited to appear before Congress, where he was given an ovation, and, on November 27, 1777, made president of the newly organized Board of War, where he was in a position to hamper Washington in every possible way, and through which he hoped to be able to supersede him in the chief command, either by the appoint- ment of himself or General Charles Lee to that office.
In York he lived in sumptuous style, Mrs. Gates enter- taining lavishly all her husband's friends. They first occupied quarters in a hotel on the south side of West Market Street near Center Square; later, they rented a house on the north side of West Market, near Beaver Street.
It mattered not that Washington was then at the front, straining every nerve to save his country, and, by his ab- sence, unable to defend himself; it mattered not that he had just given an additional proof of the depth of his patriotism by the way in which he spurned the suggestion of Rev. Duché to become a traitor; it mattered not that Gates was but a weak, and inefficient tool, who had reaped the benefit of the work of other and better men whom he had superseded; it mattered not that Conway was but a selfish adventurer, who, in the course of a few brief months, would be forced to leave the army against his own free will; it mattered not that Lee had, doubtless, even then, within his heart the embryo seeds of that treason which was, later, to prove his ruin; nothing was
A Place of Safe Keeping and a Refuge. 513
considered, and all were blinded to the truth by the glit- tering rays of the new star which had temporarily ap- peared above the horizon.
The scheme of Conway embraced an attempt to sepa- rate Lafayette from Washington. Accordingly, Gates planned an expedition to Canada, which was approved by Congress, and Lafayette was appointed to its command, without consultation with Washington. Fortunately, sober common sense was again beginning to assert its sway. Washington was now in possession of most of the facts in the case, and, upon his advice, Lafayette accepted the place tendered him, went to York for instructions, and called on Gates, whom he found surrounded by his friends at the table. Being invited to join them he determined to make his position unequivocal from the beginning, so, when the proper time came, he rose to his feet, and, in a toast, pledged "The Commander-in-Chief of the Amer- ican Armies." The toast was drunk with coolness and in silence, but this incident was the commencement of the end, and, in a brief time, the Conway Cabal was but a matter of history.
Where now are the names of the men who took part in this conspiracy? Almost buried in oblivion, or else remembered with contempt, while he, whom they sought to ruin is, from day to day, becoming more greatly en- deared to the nation whose independence he succeeded in gaining.
There is a lesson to be learned from all this. It is an example of the difference between patriotism and selfish- ness. It tells us what is meant by a true American. It is an instance of silent suffering and continued faithful- ness, notwithstanding injustice, calumny and ingratitude.
514
The Pennsylvania-German Society.
It is also a proof of the eventual triumph of right over wrong.
So with our Pennsylvania-German ancestors, They were not perfect any more than was Washington. Indeed, among their number could doubtless have been found some who were far from being such. But, considering them as a whole, and overlooking the mere unimportant frailties of weak human nature incident to all peoples, whatever their nationality, we feel justified in asking where, in the history of the Revolution, are found those who have done more for their country, who have given more to their country, and who have undergone greater sacrifices of all descriptions? And this was done quietly, unostenta- tiously, and often amidst much calumny and persecution. They were true American patriots and truly unselfish. They did not seek for the "high places," but were con- tent to take a "lower room" and wait until the time should come when their worth might be recognized, and they would be summoned to " go up higher." That time has already come, and if, in this imperfect and incomplete narrative, the author has aided, even to a small extent, in accomplishing this object, he will consider himself amply repaid for his labor.
hic finis laborum
FINIS.
INDEX TO SURNAMES.
Abel, 216, 471 Abercrombie, 277 Acker, 280 Adam, 293
Adams, 12, 29, 40, 41, 135, 239, 242, 431, 479, 508
Agnew, 144, 253, 269, 270 Ahlhausen, 494
Albright, 416
Alden, 313, 323
Alexander, 10, 200, 213, 218
Allen, 37, 94, 98, 100, 103, 245, 305, 355 Allis, 291 Allison, 257, 287
Alshouse, 69 von Altenbockum, 495 Amesley, 211
Ammerich, 229
Amrick, 216
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.