USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 1st ed > Part 16
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The said report being read, and the several paragraphs
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considered and debated, and the question put severally thereon, the same was agreed to. "Ordered, that the board of war remove under guard to a place of security out of the state of Pennsylvania, the Hon. John Penn, Esq. and Benjamin Chew, Esq .; and that they give or- ders for having them safely secured and entertained agrecable to their rank and station in life." A num- ber of Quakers besides those mentioned, and several persons of a different denomination, were taken up by the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania, con- cerning whom congress resolved, on the Sth September, " 'That it be recommended to the said council to order the immediate departure of such of said prisoners as re- fuse to swear or affirm allegiance to the state of Penn- sylvania, to Staunton, in Augusta county, Virginia."*
In conformity with the recommendation of congress, a number of Quakers, together with one druggist and a dancing master, were sent to Winchester under guard, with a request from the executive of Pennsylvania, di- jected to the county lieutenant of Frederick, to secure them. Gen. John Smith was then the county lieute- nant. When the prisoners were delivered into his cus- tody, he proposed to them, that if they would pledge their honors not to abscond, they should not be placed in confinement. Among the prisoners were three of the Pembertons, two of the Fishers, an old Quaker preacher named Hunt, and several others, amounting in all to twelve, and, with the druggist and dancing mas- ter, fourteen. One of the Fishers was a lawyer by pro- fession. He protested in his own name, and on behalf of his fellow prisoners, against being taken into custo- dy by Col. Smith; stated that they had protested against being sent from Philadelphia : that they had again pro- tested at the Pennsylvania line. against being taken out of the state; had repeated their protest at the Maryland line, against being taken into Virginia; that there was no existing law which justified their being deprived of
" See Gordon's History of the American Revolution, vol. ii. pp. 22, 00. Itwas at the instance of the late (ien. Isaac Zane, of Frederick county, Virginia, that the place of exile was changed from Staunton to Winchener.
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their liberty, and eviled from their native homes and fa- milies, and treated as criminals, To which Col. Smith replied, "It is true that I know of no existing law which will justify your detention: but as you are sent to my care by the supreme executive anthority of your native state, and represented as dangerous characters and as having been engaged in treasonable practices with the enemy, I consider it my duty to detain you, at least un- til I can send an express to the governor of Virginia for his advice an ! direction what to do in the premises." He accordingly dispatched an express to Williamsburg, with a letter to the governor, who soon returned with the orders of the executive to secure the prisoners. Col. Smith again repeated that "if they would pledge them- selves not to abscond. he would not cause them to be confined." Upon which one of the Pembertons spoke and observed to Fisher, " diat his protest was unavail- ing, and that they must patiently submit to their fate." Then addressing himself to Col. Smith, be observed, " they would not enter into any pledges, and he must dispose of them as he thought proper." The colonel then ordered them to be placed under guard.
Shortly before this, 300 Hessian prisoners had been sent to Winchester ; there was consequently a guard ready prepared to receive these exiles, and they remain- ed in custody about eight or nine months; during which time two of them died, and the whole of them became much dejected ; and it is probable more of them would have died of broken hearts, had they not been permit- ted to return.
Some time after the British left Philadelphia, these exiles employed the late Alexander White, Esq. a law- yer near Winchester, for which they paid hinr one hun- dred pounds Virginia currency in gold coin, to go to Philadelphia, and negotiate with the executive authority of the state to permit them to return to their families and friends; in which negotiation White succeeded ; and to the great joy and heartfelt satisfaction of these captives, they returned to their native homes.
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In the absence of the exiles, Sir William Howc, the British general, had taken up his head quarters in John Pemberton's dwelling house. It was a splendid build- ing, and had been much abused by the British, who also occupied several other houses belonging to Pemberton, which were much injured. Pemberton owned an ele- gant carriage, which Sir William had taken the liberty of using in his parties of pleasure. When Pemberton saw the situation of his property, he obtained permission from the proper authority, and waited on Sir William Howe, and demanded indemnification for the injury done to his buildings and carriage. The plain and in- dependent language he used to the British general on this subject, was as remarkable for its bluntness, as it was for its fearless character. "Thee has (said he) done great damage to my buildings, and thee suffered thy w **** s to ride in my carriage, and my wife will not use it since : thee must pay me for the injury, or I will go to thy master (meaning the king of England,) and lay my complaint before him." Sir William could but smile at the honest bluntness of the man, and thought it best to compromise, and pay him a sum of money, with which the old Quaker was satisfied .*
In 1779 there was a considerable increase of British prisoners at Winchester, and in 1780 barracks were erected about four miles west of the town, to which the prisoners were removed, and a regular guard kept over them. In 1781 the number of prisoners increased to about 1600.
It was this year, in the month of January, that Gen. Morgan, at the battle of the Cowpens, in South Caroli- na, gave the British Col. Tarlton a mnost signal defeat. In this action Morgan displayed the most consummate military skill and bravery. Whilst the two armies were closely engaged, Morgan, discovering the enemy were thrown into some confusion, called out in his usualsten- torian voire, "Hurra, my brave boys! another close fire. and the day is ours. Remember, Morgan has never
* Gen. John Smith detailed the foregoing particulars to the author.
1:2*
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been beaten !" The author cannot now recollect his au- thority for this statement, but has repeatedly heard it asserted by different individuals who were acquainted with the fact.
In the year 1S13 the author traveled through South Carolina, and called to see Mr. William Calmes, with whom he had an intimate acquaintance when quite a , youth, having been his school-fellow in this county (Frederick). Mr. Calmes was well acquainted with Gen. Morgan, and related the following anecdote, in re- lation to Morgan and Tarlton.
There were two brothers, by the name of citizens of South Carolina, men of considerable wealth and respectability, who joined the British standard, and both obtained colonel's commissions. One of them was at Cornwallis's head quarters the day Tarlton set out, determined to take Morgan at all hazards. Meeting with Col. -, he accosted him to the following ef- fect : " Well, colonel, if you will be at his lordship's head-quarters (naming the day), you shall have the pleasure of dining with the old wagoner." To which Col. replied, "I wish you success, Col: Tarlton, but perinit me to caution you: you will find Morgan hard to take." On which 'Tarlton flew into a passion, and threatened to arrest the colonel for using such lan- . guage in hearing of his officers. The latter calmly repli- ed, "Col. Tarlton, I have staked every thing dear to me in this life upon the issue of the present contest. Iown a fine estate. My family and my personal liberty are in danger. If America succeeds in establishing her inde- pendence, my estate will be forfeited, my family redu- ced to beggary, and the least I can expect, (if I escape with my life,) will be perpetual exile. Hence, sir, I most ardently wish you success. . But permit me again to caution you. Morgan is a cunning, artful officer, and you will find him hard to take." 'Tarlton, however, pushed off in high glee, determined at every rist to capture Morgan and his little band of warriors. The result was soon known at his lordship's head-quarters;
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and it so happened, when TarIton returned, Col. - was present. "'The moment Tarlton saw him he apolo- gized tohim for the harshlanguage he had used towards him, and exclaimed, " By - ! Morgan is truly a great, man !" ... This extorted praise from this haughty British officer speaks volumes for the high military talents of Gen. Morgan.
At the close of the war this refugee colonel took shel- ter for himself and family in the British dominions of Canada, and his fine estate was confiscated. He how- ever petitioned the government of South Carolina; and from his general good character in private life, an act of pardon, together with the restoration of his estate, was passed, and he returned to its enjoyment with all the privileges of a free citizen. After his return Mr. Cal- mes became well acquainted with him, and received the above statement of facts from him.
'The brother of this officer, from some acts of fero- cions cruelty practiced upon the friends of the American cause, had his estate also confiscated. The government refused to restore it, and passed an act of perpetual ba- nishunent against him.
In 1781 Cornwallis entered Virginia at the head of a large army, and in the month of June a party of tories raised the British standard on Lost river, then in the county of Hampshire (now Hardy). John Claypole, a Scotsman by birth, and his two sons, were at the head of the insurrection .* Claypole had the address to draw over to his party a considerable majority of the people on Lost river, and a number on the South fork of the Wappatomaka. They first manifested symptoms of re- bellion by refusing to pay their taxes and furnishing their quota of inen to serve in the militia. The sherifs, or collectors of the revenue, complained to Lieut. Col. Famneter, of the county of Hampshire, that they were
" Moses Russell, Esq. informed the author, that it was reported and belier- ed at the time that Clas pole's two sons went to North Carolina, and had an interview with ford Cornwallis, who appointed and commissioned them both captains in the British service, and sent the commission of colonel to their father.
12+
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resisted in their attempts to discharge their official du- ties, when the colonel ordered a captain and thirty men to their aid. The insurgents armed themselves, and determined to resist. Among them was John Brake, a German of considerable wealth, who resided about fif- teen miles above Moorefield, on the South fork of the river, and whose house became the place of rendezvous for the insurgents. When the sherif went up with the militia posse, fifty men appeared in arms. The posse and tories unexpectedly met in the public road. Thir- ty-five of the latter broke and ran about one hundred yards, and then formed, while fifteen stood firm. The captain of the guard called out for a parley, when a free conversation took place, in which this dangerous pro- ceeding on the part of the tories was pointed out, with the terrible consequences which must inevitably follow: It is said that had a pistol been fired, a dreadful scene of carnage would have ensued .* The two parties, how- ever, parted without bloodshed. But instead of the tory party retiring to their respective homes and attending to their domestic duties, the spirit of insurrection increased. They began to organize, appointed officers, and made John Claypole their commander in chief, with the in- tention of marching off in a body to join Cornwallis, in the event of his advancing into the valley or near it.
Several expresses were sent to Col. Smith, requesting the aid of the militia, in the counties immediately ad- joining, to quell this rebellion. He addressed letters to the commanding officers of Berkeley and Shenandoah, beat up for volunteers in Frederick, and in a few days an army of four hundred rank and file were well mount- ed and equipped. Gen. Morgan, who, after the defeat of Tarlton and some other military services, had obtain- ed leave of absence from the army, and was now repo- sing on his farm (Saratoga) in Frederick, and whose name was a host in itself, was solicited to take the com- mand, with which he readily complied. About the 18th
*Isaac Vanmeter, Esq. then about 18 years of age, was one of the posse, and related these facts to the author.
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or 20th of June the army marched from Winchester, and in two days arrived in the neighborhood of this tory section of Hardy county. "They halted at Claypole's house,* and took him prisoner. Several young men fled ; among them William Baker. As he ran across Claypole's meadow he was hailed and ordered to sur- render ; but disregarding the command, Capt. Abraham Byrd, of Shenandoah county, an excellent marksman, raised his ritle, fired, and wounded him in the leg.t He fell, and several of Morgan's party went to him to see the result. The ball had penetrated just above the heel, ranged up the leg, and shivered the bones. As the poor fellow begged for mercy, he was taken to the house. and his wound dressed by the surgeon of the regiment. He recovered, and is still living. "They took from Claypole provisions for themselves and horses, Col. Smith (who was second in command,) giving him a certificate for their value.
I'rom Claypole's the army moved up Lost river, and some young men in the advance took a man named . Matthias Wilkins prisoner, placed a rope round his neck, and threatened to hang him. Col. Smith rode up. saw what was going on, and ordered them instantly to desist. They also caught a man named John Payne, and branded him on the posteriors with a red hot spade, telling him they would make him a freemason. Clary- pole solemnly promised to be of good behavior, gave bail. and was set at liberty.
The ariny thence crossed the South Branch moun- tain. On or near the summit they saw a small cabin, which had probably been erected by some hunters. Gen. Morgan ordered it to be surrounded, observing, " It is probable some of the tories are now in it .? As tle men approached the cabin. ten or a dozen fellows ran out and fled. An elderly man, named Mace, and
* Claypole's former residence is now owned by Mr. Miller, and is about 45 or 50 miles south west of Winchester, on Lost river, in Hardy county.
" The spot was printed out to the author, by Mr. Miller, where Bord stood when he tired at Daher, and where Baker fell. The dutance is about four hundred yards.
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two of his sons were among them. Old Mace, finding himself pretty closely pursued, surrendered. One of the pursuers was Capt. William Snickers, an aid-de- . camp of Morgan, who being mounted on a fine horse, was soon alongside of him. One of Mace's sons look- - ing round at this instant, and seeing Snickers aiming a blow with a drawn sword at his father, drew up his rifle and fired at him. 'The ball passed through the crest of his horse's neck ; he fell, and threw his rider over his head. Snickers was at first thought by his friends to be killed ; and in the excitement of the moment, an Irishman, half drunk, who had been with Morgan for some time as a waiter, and had seen much tory blood shed in the Carolinas, ran up to the prisoner (Mace) with a cocked pistol in his hand, and shot the poor man, who fell, and instantly expired. Capt. Snickers soon recov- cred from the bruises received in his fall, as did his horse also from the wound in his neck.
The army proceeded on to pay their respects to Mr. John Brake, an old German, who had a fine farm with extensive meadows, a luill, large distillery, and many fat hogs and cattle. He was an exception, in his political course, to his countrymen, as they were, alnost toa man, true whigs, and friends to their country. Brake, as be- fore observed, had joined the tory band, and his house was their place of rendezvous, where they feasted on the best he had. Allthis appearing unquestionable, Morgan marched his army to his residence, there halted, and spent two days and nights with his reluctant host. His troops lived on the very best his tine farm, mill and dis- tillery afforded, feasting on his pigs, fatted calves, young beeves, lambs, poultry, &e., while their horses fared no less luxuriously upon his-fine uniown meadows, oat fields, &c. As Brake had entertained and feasted the tories, Morgan concluded that he should least them in turn.
The third day, in the morning, the army moved on down the river, passed by Moorefield, and returned to Winchester, where it was disbanded, after a service of
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only about eight or ten days. Thus was this tory insur- · rection crushed in the bud. The party themselves be- came ashamed of their conduct, and in some degree to atone for it, and wipe off the stain, several of the young men volunteered their services and marched to aid in the capture of Cornwallis.
Within three or four days after these men were dis- banded, two expresses in one day arrived at Winchester, and informed Col. Smith that Tarlton was on his way to rescue the British prisoners at the Winchester bar- racks. Col. Smith had again to call out the militia ; and ordering four hundred men as a guard, removed the prisoners to Fort Frederick, in Maryland, at which place they remained to the end of the war .*
'The summer of 17S1 was emphatically the summer of militia campaigns. There were frequent alarms that Tarlton and his legion (of devils, some people termed them,) were on their way to visit our valley; and some- times it was reported that Cornwallis and his whole ar- my would be upon us. The militia was almost con- stantly marching and counter-marching.
I however pleased Heaven so to order things, that Cornwallis and his large army should be entrapped and captured at York-town, in Virginia. This put an end to the scourge of the war; and our people being per- mitted to enjoy the blessings of peace and agriculture, commerce and the mechanical arts improved in a most astonishing degree. The French and British armies circulated immense sums of money in gold and silver coin, which had the effect of driving out of circulation the wretched paper currency which had till then pre- vailed. Immense quantities of British and French goods were soon imported : our people imbibed a taste for fo- reign fashions and luxury ; and in the course of two or three years, from the close of the war, such an entire change had taken place in the habits and manners of
* Gen. John Smith communicated all the particulars of the foregoing nar- rative to the author, with the exception of branding Payne with the spade; this fact was stated by Mr. Chrisman, ou Lost river.
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our inhabitants, that it almost appeared as if we had suddenly become a different nation. The staid and so- ber habits of our ancestors, with their plain home-man- ufactured clothing, were suddenly laid aside, and Eu- ropean goods of fine quality adopted in their stead. Fine ruffies, powdered heads, silks and scarlets, decorated the " nien ; while the most costly silks, satins, chintzes, cali- coes, muslins, &c. &c. decorated our females. Nor was their diet less expensive ; for superb plate, foreign spirits, · wines. &c. &c. sparkled on the sideboards of many far- mers. The natural result of this change of the habits and customs of the people-this aping of European manners and morals,-was to suddenly drain our coun- try of its circulating specie: and as a necessary conse- quence, the people ran in debt, times became difficult, and money hard to raise.
The suffering's and hard dealings with the Quakers deserve some notice in this place. 'The unfortunate pro- ceedings of the Philadelphia Quakers drew down upon the whole order the strong prejudices and even hatred of the friends to the American cause. The treasonable proceedings of a few individuals, ought not to have been visited upon the whole order of Quakers. It must be admitted, however, that this proceeding was a great blot upon the Quaker character, and stamped the indi- viduals concerned in it, with base hypocrisy, and gave the lie to their religious professions. Whilst they pro- fessed to hold it unlawful to shed human blood; whilst they disclaimed all concern with the war; they were secretly giving intelligence to the enemy, andaiding and abetting them in every way they could, except resorting to arms. But it is again repeated that it was unjust with one fell sweep to condemn the whole order, for the- malconduct of a few individuals. The Quakers in the valloy, notwithstanding their entire neutrality, were un- questionably the greatest sufferers by the war. They refused to bear arms, they refused to pay war taxes, and hence the sheriff's or collectors were compelled to distrain
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and sell their property to raise their respective proportion of the public burthens.
At the beginning of the war, attempts were made to compel them to bear arms, and serve in the militia: but - it was soon found unavailing. They would not per- forin any military duty required of them : not even the scourge would compel them to submit to discipline. The practice of coercion was therefore abandoned, and the legislature enacted a law to levy a tax upon their property to hire substitutes to perform militia doty in their stead. This, with other taxes, bore peculiarly hea- vy upon them. Their personal property was sold un- der the hammer to raise these public demands ; and be- fore the war was over, many of them were reduced to great distress in their pecuniary circumstances.
There is an amusing story told of James Gotharp, who resided on Apple-pie ridge. He was forced to march with a militia company, and on one particular occasion was placed as sentry at a baggage wagon, with orders to suffer no man-to go into the wagon without a written order from the commanding officer. One of the officers walking to the wagon to go in, Gotharp demanded his written authority : the officer cursed him and stopped upon the houns of the wagon. Gotharp seized him by his legs and pulled his feet off the houns. "The offi- cer fell with his face upon the houns, and had his nosc and mouth sorely bruised.
This selling of Quakers' property afforded great op- portunity for designing individuals to make profitable speculations. They continued to refuse to pay taxes for several years after the war, holding it unlawful to contribute their money towards discharging the war debt. This being at length adjusted, no part of our citizens pay their public demands with more punctual- ity, (except their muster fines which they still refuse to pay.) Owing to their industrious and sober habits, they soon recovered from their pecuniary distressz produced by the war, and are generally speaking the most inde- pendent part of our community. Vast numbers of them
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have migrated to the western country, and several of their meetings are entirely broken up. There is, how- ever, still a considerable number of them in the coun- ties of Frederick and Berkeley. They continued their ancient practice of depending upon their household manufactures for their clothing ; and it was a long time before they gave into the practice of purchasing Euro- pean goods. A few of them entered into the mercan- tile business; several others erected fine merchant mills ; others engaged in mechanical pursuits; but the great body of them are farmers, and are generally most ex- cellent cultivators of the soil.
The greater part of the Germans, also, were a long time dependent upon their domestic manufactures for their clothing ; but they, too, have imbibed a taste for foreign finery. They however manage to effect their purchases of fine goods by bartering, in a considerable degree, their own household manufactures in exchange.
Some three or four years ago the author called at the house of a farmer in the south west part of Shenando- ah county, where he saw five spinning wheels at work. The old lady, three of her daughters, and a hired girl, were busily engaged in spinning finely prepared hemp. The author inquired of the old lady, whether she sold any part of her domestic goods, To which she replied, " Yes ; when de gals wants to puy some fine dings in de sthore, dey bay for it in linen und linsey ; und I puy sugar und goffee und salt und any dings we wants, und bay for it all in our own coods."
The author stopped at a neighboring house, and in- quired of the inmates how their neighbor I --- got. along. "O," replied the man, "Mr. I. buys a planta- . tion every four or five years, and always pays the mo- . ney down."
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