USA > South Carolina > Documentary history of the American revolution: consisting of letters and papers relating to the contest for liberty, chiefly in South Carolina, from originals in the possession of the editor, and other sources, V.2 > Part 25
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The British arrived, faithful notice was given, when Dr. Read was ob- liged to leap out of a lofty window, and ruu. On passing through a gate, he saw his servant riding off, leading his horse. He was afraid to call to him, lest he should be heard, and pursued; but ran after him until he was exhausted, then turning from the river on his left, he eu- tered a swamp, came across a saw-pit, found some boards so placed as to afford shelter. The weather was cold, and he had no cloak; how- ever, he contrived to get some sleep in tolerable comfort-the pain of his face had vanished. At daylight he set out across the swamp, directed by the barking of dogs; he reached the high grounds at sun- rise. His servant, an Irish lad, had reached the place before him, and on another hill, which was a camp, had been made prisoner, and severely questioned; Dr. Read coming up, likewise a prisoner, it assured his servant, and made him answer to questions without equivocation, in which he had deviated, replying to suit a purpose, admitting that the army might be on the British side of the question. The story of his having come over a bridge was discredited as an impossible thing, as the party had burnt it a few days previous, leaving only the sleepers. This mystery continued unexplained, and they were disposed to consider both Dr. Read and his servant as spies. Dr. Read demanded to be carried to the Commanding Officer, a Col. Van ----. He put a bold face on the affair, demanded to be released, and to be escorted to the camp of Gen. Clinton, whether he supposed Col. Posey had retreated; " that he was assured that Col. Posey would be here presently in search of him." This assurance, and Dr. Read's manner, having an effect on Col. Van -, he hesitated. Dr. R. demanded pen, ink and paper, and sitting down, wrote a letter to Col. Laurens, at head-quarters, ex- plaining his situation. On enquiring the Colonel's name, "say com- manding a regiment of militia." Dr. Read finished and read the letter, and required that it should be sent to the care of Gen. Clinton. A militia man came up and complained that Dr. Read had ordered him off the river, threatening to make him prisoner, or shoot him, the day before; this, although urged in complaint against him, had the happiest effect; it confirmed his story, and that the equivocation had only been from his affrighted servant. Dr. Read insisted on the restoration of several articles which had been taken from his servant. He then pro- ceeded on with four horsemen as escort or guides, to Gen. Clinton's camp. Col. Posey had not been there; the letter to Col. Laurens had been suppressed. Gen. Clinton heard Dr. Read's story with great interest, and said, " that man shall explain what he is about in four hours." Dr. Read heard no more of the affair, except that there was
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some hanging of that party. Dr. Read reached Round Brook next day. and laid down much fatigued and hungry, man and horse. He never met Col. Posey after this, to enquire and explain matters. He now resorted to head-quarters, and presently had a business assigned him: it was to ride to -- , a village in the south-west of New Jersey. and dismiss an hospital, with a surgeon, a physician, a nurse, and an orderly man, and only one patient, an invalid. He performed the duty, and the affair was attended with a circumstance of such peculiar pre- science, as would tell like romance: but, being attended to, saved him from capture, or being killed, and all the persons above mentioned. Dr. Read, and the officers of the hospital, had been gone about four hours, when a British party, headed by Col. Simkoe, rode into the village, and cut down all before them, set fire to the court-house, which had been an hospital, demanded and drank wine at the house of Mr. Clopper, the principai of the village, rode down the road to Brunswick. The Colonel had his horse shot under him, and was made prisoner, the militia having taken the alarm from what Dr. Read said on his ride to Brunswick, merely from the suggestions of a young lady. Dr. Recd rode all night, and probably was no more than four hours ahead of this party of horse when he reached Brunswick. The cavaliers did not stop to rescue their Colonel, but rapidly charged on, leaving the bar- racks, near the town, to their left, rode on to Amboy, where they em- barked by pre-concert, and got safely off; there were some shot down. On their passing the barracks, they encountered a Capt. Voorhuse, who was coming from the country, who imprudently but gallantly defended himself with his small sword, and was cut to pieces; he was brought into Brunswick in a dying condition, and Simkoe, at the same time, in a stunned condition. The British Colonel would have been made a sacrifice of by the populace, but for the humane interference of Levinus Clarkson and Dr. Read, who brought to view the circumstance of the Colonel being prisoner before the massacre of Capt. Voorhuse, which pacified the enraged people. The gallant Colonel had come out of New York with a corps disguised like Baylor's horse, drew rations and forage as such at one of our posts; and, charging rapidly over the Rariran, set fire to Washington's boats, in the act of being built on the Milstone, and made their retreat as above. Dr. Read repaired to head- quarters, and had to report this expedition. Hearing that Gen. Wool- ford had gone to his quarters a sick man just returned from Georgia, from Gen. Robert Howe's campaign against Florida, he rode to Bruns- wick, and took care of the General. After recruiting, he proposed a ride to confirm his recovery. They rode to Elizabethtown, and bearing
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that the Marquis Lafayette had given a ball, with general invitations to all officers, Dr. Read went to it, leaving the General to go to bed. At about 1 o'clock, P. M., the aların was given-" the enemy in town" Col. Sterling had crossed over, and was in hopes of surprising our Gene- ral, Maxwell, and of catching the Marquis, but they escaped. The British set tire to the armory, and some other buildings, and pushed on after Maxwell. Dr. Read ran to his quarters, got Woolford on horse- back, and mounted his horse; they rode off at speed towards the town gate, leaving his servant to follow with his pormanteau, which contained all his clothing, and every article he possessed -- the hilt of the sword he had received from the silk stocking company (so called) of Phila- delphia; his gold medal obtained from the clinical class of Dr. Rush, in 1775; his letters and memorandums. A party threw themselves imme- diately between his retreating servant, a soldier ou a public horse and the gate, and made him prisoner. This he considered a great misfor- tune, as he had not the means or opportunity of supplying himself. IIe was, however, amply supplied by the man who had been his tailor when a student in Philadelphia, who subsequently would receive no payment, although pressed upon them. It being understood that large inforcements to the British army were expected, General Washington hesitated at sending troops to the South. Prejudices were great against . the climate, and the safety of the soldiery; a wish was uttered at head- quarters that some active, intelligent man would ride into Carolina, and ascertain the facts with regard to the real state of things. Several weeks had elapsed since there was any information carried to head- quarters from South Carolina, and all was anxiety and uncertainty. Dr. Read at once offered himself as that man. He received his orders, went through the line to tell of his mission, and enquire for commands, rode down to Brunswick, disposed of his servant and spare horse, mounted his hardiest nag, and set out. He went by way of Baltimore, Annapolis, Norfolk, Newbern, Wilmington and Long Bay, and Georgetown; his ride averaged fifty miles per day, on one and the same horse; he bore his own expenses on this march ; they were not heavy, as he was tem- perate ; his payments for horse, and his own feed and lodging, was often refused ; there was no instance in which a woman would take money. Some remarkable incidents took place on this march, but would be too long in narrative for a memoir like this. Dr. Read reached the house of Mr. Jacob Ion, in Christ Church Parish, his horse completely worn down, and having lost his hair. His friend lent him a horse, on which he rode to Charlestown; next day to Stono, it being a few days after the battle of Stono. He found the sick and wounded well accommo-
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dated and cared for by the neighboring planters, especially at the house of Mr. Humphry Summers. In Charlestown he found a well-regulated hospital, under the direction of Dr. Tucker Harris and Dr. Earnest Poy, as an assistant. Dr. Read then crossed over the river to report himself to Gen. Moultrie. While there, Major Thomas Shubrick hav- ing organized an expedition at midnight to John's Island, Dr. Read joined in the adventure; there were twelve men chosen by Major Shubrick, among a number who offered. They embarked on board a canoe, with muffled oars, in solemn silence; this was an age of chivalry and enterprise. After many hours the party landed on John's Island, marched up a causeway, seized a sentinel who leaned against a coach- house door at Mr. Gibbes', gagged him, took from the stables two fine horses, Flimnap and Abdalla; these they sent off by Stono Ferry, by preconcert, dragged along the prisoner to the boat, and made their retreat good. The party had barely embarked, when Col. Thomson's corps was seen riding down the causeway, trumpets sounding; but they had got out of reach, and there was no boat, in which they could have , pursued. They returned safe to James' Island. Gen. Moultrie spoke in warm terms against such " expeditions." Dr. Read rested himself one day. took from his father's gang of negroes, which had retreated to Carolina, a boy, whom he mounted and carried on to the North with him, who proved a faithful servant throughout the subsequent service. Billy was well known through the army, making himself useful in shaving, and dressing the hair of many officers. Kosciusko makes kind mention of Billy in a letter to Dr. Read. On returning to head-quarters, and making his report, he had the personal thanks of Gen. Washington. The reinforcements under Gen. Gates marched to the South. Dr. Read was then ordered to open an hospital at Trenton, for inoculating re- cruits, both soldiers and seamen, in course of which he treated 300 with success. In this service he met with some singular adventures, interesting at the time, but fitter for oral narration than for a written memoir; in one of which he met with unkindness and opposition from the magistrates of Trentown, and especially from Governor Livingston; but which he repelled with firmness, and came off triumphantly, sup- porting the dignity of the medical department, concluding the dispute by making a good use of a timely letter received from President Laurens on public affairs. from the South. Dr. Read's resistance to the Gover- nor and the Magistrates was all got over, and salved over on its being made manifest that he was a friend and correspondent of Heury Laurens, President of Congress. This business being over, and the hospital dismissed, Dr. Read was ordered to Fort Pitt, on the Ohio, to tix ou a
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site for an hospital, in case of the retreat of our army. He rode hastily to Baltimore, was politely received by Messrs. Buchanan & Smith. With one soldier as a guide, he travelled to the Chesnut Hills, and over the Monongahela, and to Fort Pitt. He could get little or no informa- tion, the popular man, Mr. Harris, being absent. He saw nothing except Indians, who daily crossed over the River Ohio, and annoyed him very much ; at length, understanding that they had taken a fancy to the fine horse Dr. Read rode, and would buy or steal him, Dr. Read (being advised by a half-breed man to do so) started at midnight, and made his retreat good across the Monongahela. He reported the abor- tive mission, having only designated the spot for a site, probably on the place where Harrisburg now stands, or Pittsburg. Dr. Read now soli- cited an order to proceed to the South, Gen. Gates being on his march to South Carolina. He received his orders, and set out for Phila- delphia, where he was to receive money as pay; and for the hospital department none was to be had. He applied in vain to President Laurens; but was told that a board was sitting, to pay officers who were on their march for the Southern service. It was composed of Colonel Grayson, Richard Peters (since Judge Peters), and Mr. Pleasants. There were many applicants, and the board received and settled their demands in rotation; such were the number of applicants, that it appeared improbable that Dr. Read could be heard for ten days. He was at private lodging, at a dear rate, and paying with his own hard money; this he spoke of and complained. Col. Benjamin Harrison was a fellow lodger, and took an interest in the young stranger, learning some interesting things in his being the drill and training master to the first company raised in Pennsylvania for the protection of the first Revolutionary Congress, and some other chivalrous things, felt em- barked in his behalf; and, together with Col. Grayson, devised a scheme to get his pay. He was instructed to go to the board next day, and to force his way into the chamber through the crowd of applicants, and to demand his pay, urging the necessity of his going to join Gen. Gates in South Carolina. "Be as importunate and boisterous as you please, the thing will be understood and arranged." Dr. Read did so, and was presented with a quire of Continental bills, with, "let us get rid of this importunate young man, his case is a peculiar one." Dr. Read marched off with his money, and set out on the same day for Annapolis, where he had left a carriage and a portfolio, the carriage to be sold. He found his neat, elegant carriage in an outer livery stable-yard, almost gone to ruin, and his portfolio missing; there had, in the mean- time, been a change of landlords, and uo accountability. The carriage
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sold for 850, which barely paid him for his delay at Annapolis. Dr. Read now hurried on for the Southern compaign on horseback, with his faithful servant Billy, on two fine horses. On this march he avoided his old acquaintances of Marlborough and Mount Airy, leaving them to his left. He now travelled in the capacity of a poor soldier, with only a commission : formerly he associated with the distinguished inhabi- tants of that region, and of Mount Airy and Mount Vernon, and Ar- lington, especially, as a young gentleman. The case was altered, and he changed with the times. He met with some singular adventures on this march, which would tell too much like romance for a plain matter-of-fact memoir like this. Mr. John Park Custis, hearing that his old acquaintance, Dr. Read, had passed through the country with a portion of the marching army, made a prodigious ride to overtake him, and persuade him to return to his old acquaintance, if only for a day or two. He drove a set of fine horses in a phæton, and offered to carry Dr. Read back to Mount Airy, and to forward him on his march of duty ; but, at the same time informed him of the death of his aunt, Molly Read, and of the engagement of Miss Elizabeth Calvert, being engaged to a Mr. Steward, and the wedding only postponed on account of the death of his aunt. All these things were interesting to him, but nothing could divert the purpose of Dr. Read from proceeding on to the army. Mr. Custis, then, with sorrow and chagrin, informed .Dr. Read that there had been private information received the night before by a Tory neighbor, that Gen. Gates was defeated, and totally routed, and that his reinforcement under Col. Beauford had been surprised by the gallant Tarleton, and cut to pieces at Waxsaws. It is worthy of remark, with what industry the King's adherents kept up their infor- mation on all our movements and transactions. Their struggle was a hard one, to keep hold of the country; and much money and pains were expended in spies, express riders, and secret information.
Mr. Custis' hard ride after Dr. Read was to give him the above infor- mation, and to divert his attention from the disastrous circumstance of a defeated army; but it only served to stimulate his intention to pro- ceed, and throw himself into the breach. At Fredericktown, where Dr. Read was to rendezvous, there was no information of the defeat in all the next day; but, fearing that the bad news was too true, he took a farewell-an eternal farewell-of his friend Custis, and proceeded on, leaving the rendezvous to Dr. Prescot. His ride was rapid, and the full account of Gates' disaster never reached him until he arrived at Petersburg, in Virgina. There he heard the sad detail, and the narrow escape of his old acquaintance, Col. Abraham Beauford. Dr.
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Read never met Beanford afterwards; he fell in Gen. Sinclair's defeat. Custis died at the siege of Yorktown ; he wrote Dr. Read tenderly the day before his attack. Dr. Read then proceeded on, and having joined Major Kendall, after some singular adventures they reached Hills- borough. There he met Gen. Gates, with the remainder of his defeated army; they were in a state of the utmost destitution; bereaved of their baggage, they were badly clad, many unable to leave their huts and tents for want of necessary clothing. Provisions, likewise, were very scarce and very coarse. A few officers who had money would send into the country and get some comfortable things; but in general the bread of the army was made from corn grated down on old canteens, with holes punched through them. The mills being generally burnt, or mill dams cut, no meal could be got. Gen. Gates' mess and family fared in the same manner, until an unexpected supply of butter and flour was sent to Dr. Read by the wife of Col. Elliott. It was a deli- cate acknowledgment of tender and polite treatment in his call at the Colonel's house. This supply was most welcome, and Dr. Read made a generous, liberal use of it. It restored the General to better health and good humor, which were sadly impaired; on several sick and wounded officers it had a salutary effect. Never was a barrel of flour, and a keg of butter more usefully expended, or so gratefully received. Gen. Gates was sadly low spirited at the time Dr. Read joined him, and made every one unhappy that had to communicate with him: he was uneasy at the state in which he stood with Congress, and with his Commander-in-Chief, after his defeat. He was under the impression of Dr. Read's knowing something about it, and he became short and unpleasant to him, notwithstanding, from dates, that he knew that Dr. Read had heard nothing of his battle until he reached the interior of Maryland; and that when Dr. Read left Philadelphia, all appeared prosperous in the Southern army, and that it was marching on confident of success. But, Dr. Read being a correspondent of Mr. John Park Custis (son-in-law to Gen. Washington), Gates was impressed with the idea of his having some information of the impression his defeat made at head-quarters, and with Congress; but Dr. Read had not heard from Custis since the disaster. Other surmises and injurious impressions against Dr. Read, were dwelling in his breast-one was, that he was an Englishman ( which he concealed), another, that he was a Romanist. Dr. Read, abhorring anything like equivocation, had to bring Major Pierce Butler to head-quarters, and put such questions to him in the presence of the General, that convinced him that Dr. Read's birth- place was Carolina, and that he grew up in Georgia, and was educated in
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the end in Philadelphia. His suspicion of Romanism arose from Dr. R.'s proposing to make an hospital of a Protestant Church; it was a remedy against the sad prevalence of typhus fever among the soldiers. Gen. Gates enquiring of Dr. Read the cause of the fever, was told that it arose from exhaustion, fatigue and chagrin at defeat. The General fretted and said: "Then, I am to be blamed for an act of God " Dr. Read replied that he had answered him candidly. Gen. Gates at length was attacked with a painful complaint, which Dr. Read remedied successfully, and the General became more pleasant with him. Shortly after this time the Southern affairs took a happy turn: the Georgians and Carolinians, South and North. mustered to stop the career of the British under Col. Ferguson. He was carrying terror and devastation through the Western country, when the combination of field-officers, with their men. overtook the bold, enterprising Commander. and brought him to battle at King's Mountain. The account of it belongs to history. He was killed.
This news elated ffen. Gates exceedingly, and cheered us all. The General did not possess the equa mente. He soon prepared to advance into South Carolina. The night before he marched, some thief got into the public stable and stole a fine horse of Dr. Read's from among fifty others ; he was the horse on which Dr. Read made the ride into south Carolina from Brunswick, in 1770. Major Depeyster, second in com- mand, being paroled, came to Gates' quarters, and there, at dinner, said that Col. Jacob Read would be executed, in retaliation for Major Andre. A dead silence ensued for some minutes, when, all eyes being on Dr. Read and Depeyster, Dr. Read rose and"said: "How can you say so ; was Major Read taken as a spy? Major Read is a militia officer, be- longing to South Carolina, and not to the Continental army." Gen. Gates interposed, and said that Major Depiester did not know that Major Read had a brother at the table. The Major said he did not, and the matter was quieted. Several officers spoke, and said: " My brave fellow, if that is to be the policy of your army, a scene of carnage will ensue which will make you all rue it." Gates marched, and in a few days nine of the prisoners came to Hillsborough, directed to Dr. Read's quarters. He received them politely, and had to regret that his flour and butter was nearly exhausted; but some farmers, near the town, soon found them out, and supplied them plentifully; they would visit them, and cherish them. Dr. Read was struck with this instance of the attachments of these men to the British interests, and had to re- prove it, reminding these men of their treasonable disposition, and he had to check their language to these officers, and to strictly
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caution them that their tongues were paroled as well as their swords ; soon, however. they were forwarded to a Commissary of prisoners, and heard no more of. Gen. Nathaniel Greene now arrived, and took com- mand of the Southern army; a long and interesting conversation took place between Dr. Read and the General. Gates had advanced as far South as Charlotte, in North Carolina. Greene found the remaining troops, such as wounded and invalids, well furnished with wholesome provisions, especially bread, which was contrary to his information. Gen. Gates had. a few weeks previous to his march. contracted with a Mr. Hog, by a secret understanding, to furnish our army with provi- sions, and corn meal especially. Protection and neutrality was afforded him by Gates, and he was permitted to bring corn and beeves from the south, where Col. Fanning commanded. Mr. Hog established within his enclosure, and worked, a number of mills; the enclosure was per- mitted to be neutral ground. Dr. Read has seen a hundred mules and horses, loaded with corn, ascending the rocky heights near Hillsborough, and he understood that they were in motion all night. It was a mutual accommodation between enemy Commanders, and, Dr. Read believes. brought about by Mr. Millet, an excellent Republican citizen of North Carolina, who attached himself to Gen. Gates, and was very serviceable to him after his disaster. Gen. Greene heard this arrangement with delight. It is probable that the British armament moved from their position when the defeat of Ferguson took place, and Gates moved South, as the supply from below immediately ceased. A good store, however, remained. and served Dr. Read's department during his delay, and on his march, until he reached the plentiful country about Salis- bury. Gen. Greene proceeded on and superseded Gates. who soon returned to Hillsborough. Dr. Read made a point of waiting on his fallon General in sympathy; he saw him receive a dispatch from the North, and. on reading a letter, he saw a good deal of feeling expressed; „the General put the letter to his lips, and uttered some words. Dr. Read waited a while, and then approached his old enemy in tender sympathy; the General received him gratefully and graciously, and, pointing to the letter, said, " Washington sympathises with me in the loss of my son, and commands me to the right wing of the army." There were several officers of distinction, invalids and wounded, who did not visit the General on this occasion. Dr. Read's instructions were to follow Gon. Greene's march as speedily as possible, and to fix hus department at Salisbury until further orders. Gates called at Dr. Real's quarters, and bid him farewell, seeming to have forgotten their former hostility. Dr. Read moved on with his department in a few
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