USA > Virginia > Exiles in Virginia : with observations on the conduct of the Society of Friends during the revolutionary war ; comprising the official papers of the government relating to that period. 1777-1778 > Part 13
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" We therefore apprehended it to be our duty to ourselves, and to the country in which we are appointed to reside, to state to you the situation we are in, and to claim that protec- tion which the rights of hospitality, and the common right of mankind entitle us to, in a country where we are strangers.
"Our case is briefly this. We were apprehended by virtue of a general warrant, signed by the Vice-President in Council, and confined some days. Some of our houses were entered and
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our desks and other repositories broken, and our papers searched in our absence to furnish evidence against us.
" We applied to the Council by remonstrance, to know the charge or suspicions against us, and demanded our right to be heard ; instead of granting this, they ordered us to be sent to Staunton, in Augusta County, Virginia, unheard.
" We applied to Congress, (whom they said had recommended the measures,) for their interference in our behalf. They re- commended to Council to give us a hearing.
" We remonstrated again to Council, repeating our demand of a hearing, before we should be condemned to banishment.
" To evade this demand, they tendered us, as the condition of our enlargement, tests, which they were not authorized by the laws of Pennsylvania to offer us !
" We again remonstrated to them and insisted on our right to be heard !
" Disregarding our demands and alike unable to support any accusation against us, they served us with a copy of a peremp- tory resolve to send us to Virginia !
" Against this extraordinary proceeding we made a solemn protest, which was presented to them.
" We sent to the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, who resides at a considerable distance from Philadelphia, for writs of habeas corpus ad subjiciendum, which being our indisputable right, he readily allowed; but before they could be served we were hurried from our families, at a critical time of danger, and carried to Reading, in the County of Berks, in Pennsylvania. At that place the writs of habeas corpus were served on our keepers, who absolutely refused to obey them, and sent us from stage to stage, to this place !
" After we had left Philadelphia, application was made, without our knowledge, to change the place of our destination from Staunton, Virginia ; which, from the warrant for removal, dated 16th day of last month, we find was accordingly directed.
" Notwithstanding the many expressions contained in the several papers sent with us, requiring attention to be paid to
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our comfortable accommodations and humane treatment, we have abundant reason to believe that endeavours have been used to excite prejudices against us in the minds of the people, as well in the counties through which we were to pass, as in those fixed on for our residence, not only by sending forward publica- tions in handbills and newspapers, containing malicious forgeries and falsehoods, but by the verbal misrepresentations of some of our conductors, while the papers published in vindication of our characters, with printers' names to the title and our own subscribed, have been attempted to be suppressed, under colour of preventing us from disseminating 'sedition and discord.'
" It is not to be wondered at that such means should produce the effects we have experienced since our arrival here, for although the Lieutenant of this county has behaved to us with humanity and politeness, yet such have been the prejudices and jealousies entertained of us by the people, that it has scarcely been in his power to restrain them from removing us forcibly out of the country. By his address and good management, how- ever, the minds of the people have been in some degree pacified, and we understand it is now concluded we shall remain here, in close confinement, in a private house, with guards at the doors, until further orders can be obtained respecting us from Congress and the executive power of Virginia.
" We apprehend that common justice requires that every man who is accused should be heard, and, although confine- ment is in some cases necessary for a time, until such hearing can be had, yet we know not of any instance, in the history of our own or any free country, of even the most atrocious offenders being sent into banishment before conviction, or of being otherwise confined by them, but merely to secure their appearance. With what propriety the President and Council have acted in thus punishing us, by separating us from our tenderest connexions, in this time of increasing distress and calamity, when our presence and assistance were essentially necessary, we leave to their own consciences in the cool hour
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of reflection, to inform them. From you, though for the most part strangers, we look for more justice and humanity.
" We therefore earnestly request you will take our suffering case into your consideration, and as we are brought here against our will, without the authority of any public body, or persons having a right to interfere in the internal police of this govern- ment, that you will not add to our oppressions by permitting us to be removed to any place more distant from our distressed families ; that you will use such measures as you shall think most proper to secure us a hearing before some tribunal which has the power to discharge us, if no cause of confinement should appear against us; that in the mean time you would direct our imprisonment to be made more easy than the limits of a house : our well-known principles and conduct heretofore, as well as during our present sufferings, have evidently shown this to be an unnecessary restraint ; that you would give direc- tions for our protection from the misguided zeal of those whose passions have been raised by insinuations unjust in themselves, and uncredited by the authors of them ; and that you will pro- vide for our comfortable subsistence during our residence here, according to the assurances we received in Philadelphia, and the tenor of the papers accompanying us. Upon the whole, we do solemnly declare that we are altogether innocent of giving any occasion for those malicious insinuations which have been propagated against us, and held out as the cause of our persecution. And in order that you may be better able to judge concerning us, we beg your serious perusal of a narrative of our case herewith sent, which contains the substance of what passed during our confinement in Philadelphia, between the Congress, the Council, and ourselves.
" We had prepared another paper in vindication of our cha- racters, and to manifest the falsehood of divers publications against us, but had not time to complete it before our removal.
" The firm manner in which we have demanded our rights, and the reluctance we have shown in parting with our liberty, will, we hope, be forcible evidence in our favour, and suspend
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the opinions of all candid persons until the charge founded on our 'general conduct and conversation' is properly inquired into.
" May true wisdom guide you in your deliberations in this and on every other occasion.
" We are your real friends,
Elijah Brown,
Thomas Pike,
Owen Jones, jun.,
Thomas Affleck,
William Smith, (broker,)
William Drewet Smith,
Samuel R. Fisher,
Thomas Wharton,
Miers Fisher,
Edward Pennington,
Charles Eddy.
Israel Pemberton,
Thomas Fisher,
John Hunt,
Thomas Gilpin,
James Pemberton,
Charles Jervis,
John Pemberton,
Samuel Pleasants,
Henry Drinker."
" Winchester, 1st day of 10th month, 1777."
The foregoing address was read to John Smith, who said he had no objection to it, and would forward it with his letter, which he promised to show us before it was sent.
3d day of 10th month .- The light wagons have been dis- charged by Samuel Levan, without being paid or leaving any money with them to defray their expenses going home. He has gone away with his guard.
A letter was written by Israel Pemberton and others to our friends Robert Pleasants and Edward Stabler, to enclose a copy of our address to John Smith ; and he gave us permission to read his letter respecting us, to the Governor of Virginia, which was very suitably expressed in regard to us, and our perilous situation, and the danger we are and may be in.
Thomas Gilpin wrote to his brother George Gilpin, Colonel of the Fairfax militia, now near Philadelphia, and delivered the letter to Isaac Zane.
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The Rev. John Hogg, of the Presbyterian Church, came to our house, but did not come in : he has great influence with the people, and they treat him with great respect. Joseph Keith, Clerk of the County, came to see us : he is an affable, pleasant man.
Since our confinement, our guards state they are dissatisfied with their employment and our situation, most of them being pressed into this service out of the country, for various dis- tances of twenty miles around, and have been taken from their families when their labour was essentially necessary to their farms and seeding. This day, Isaac England, son of Samuel England, of Nottingham, a member of our Society, was com- pelled to leave his employment, about five miles off, and placed as a guard over us, at one of the doors, though he steadily re- fused to touch the musket, and said, in the hearing of the other guards, we might go where we would, he would not detain us. Yet they made him take his turn as a guard to us yesterday and to-day.
Esquire Rutherford came to see us. He is one of the Assem- bly of Virginia. He lives about twenty miles from here, and also Alexander White, a lawyer. We had some conversation with them, and they seem very kindly disposed to us. Many prisoners, chained two together, are brought from Pittsburg.
5th day of 10th month, 1777 .- The first day of the week. At 10 o'clock, we had a very solid meeting for religious wor- ship in the morning. John Hunt preached largely and John Pemberton appeared in prayer. Philip Bush, his wife, and several of our guards attended.
We had another meeting at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when Lieutenant John Smith sat with us also ; the Widow Jollop's son, the Widow Hollingsworth's son and daughter, and four or five other Friends were permitted to sit with us; our landlord and his wife, and many of the guards came to the window.
This evening, a Baltimore paper was brought us, giving an account of a great advantage the Americans have gained over General Burgoyne.
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6th day of 10th month .- Several of us walked out, liberty being given, but to be attended by a guard, the captain of which, John Wolfe, communicated to us written orders for his govern- ment, of which he gave us liberty to take a copy, as follows :
" The commanding officer of the guard will please to observe that no person be allowed to converse with the prisoners at Mr. Bush's, without Mr. Bush's approbation. Should the prisoners be inclined to walk, one sentinel may attend them as far as the spring, observing the above directions, that they do not con- verse with any others than themselves.
" JOHN SMITH."
From the time of our first coming till now, we have only been allowed to walk in Philip Bush's garden. This evening, Thomas Wharton, Thomas Gilpin, and five others, took a walk around of about two miles with a guard.
10th .- Several of our company walked out to-day with some of our guards unarmed. Samuel Pleasants called on John Harvie, Esq., whom they saw yesterday.
In the course of conversation, John Harvie said that John Smith told him that the riot which took place the evening of our coming here was fomented with a design to prevent us from going out to have any communication with our friends, because we were persons of so much influence at home, in our own Society, that being separated at Winchester from the young men, they would be more likely to unite in their measures and join the army.
11th day of 10th month .- This morning, Edward Pennington and Henry Drinker, who had been appointed, waited on John Harvie, Esq., by whom they were received with much openness and friendly attention.
Upon the whole he assured us of his good opinion of our Society, as far as his knowledge of it extended, and that he was convinced of the injustice of denying us a hearing.
Our old guards went away, and took leave of us in a very
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kind feeling and disposition. One said he would not begrudge ten pounds out of his own pocket to have us set at liberty. They all agreed there was no occasion for guarding us; that they believed we had been wronged.
12th day of 10th month, first day of the week .- We have had no guard since yesterday. This being the first day of the week, a meeting was held this morning at 10 o'clock. It was attended, in addition to our own company, by most of the family of our landlord, eight who were appointed as our new guard, and several strangers. They sat most part of the meet- ing, four of them all the time. It was stated that worship was frequently performed in awful silence. They seemed to behave with great quietude and consideration. After the meeting was over, some of them informed Colonel Kennedy they would go home ; he told them they would be fined. One said he was able to pay it, and went away.
In the afternoon our meeting was attended at 4 o'clock. A number of Friends of the neighbourhood, and some persons not members of our Society, sat with us; and the everlasting Gospel was preached to them.
13th .- No guards over us to-day. As Lieutenant John Smith has left this place, and the charge of us devolves on David Kennedy, with whom we are but little acquainted, we thought it prudent to remain quietly together at our lodgings.
About three hundred more prisoners were brought here under guard of 70 or 80 soldiers. They are all foreigners, English and Scotch. Peter Bush is allowed 12d. per day, for boarding them.
Doctor William Drewet Smith, got permission from Colonel David Kennedy to go any where in the town or country to see patients, and to take an assistant with him ; his permission was given in writing, and being called upon, he was usually engaged from time to time in professional service.
15th day of 10th month, 4th day of the week .- At our morning meeting, the excellency of true fellowship, and living under the banner of love, which would preserve us in near union and Christian fellowship, was seasonably and feelingly
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spoken to ; and as some of our friends had been preserved through the perils of a long journey, to return in peace and safety to their families, it was adverted to as worthy all our grateful acknowledgments to the Father of Mercies.
An application was made by one of our company to Colonel David Kennedy, for the privilege of walking a few miles round the town, and we had it principally in view to find suitable places to keep our horses, as it would be more expen- sive and not so well to keep them in town the remainder of the season ; when it appeared a considerable change had taken place with him in our favour, without our being able to dis- cover the cause. He, without hesitation, not only gave the leave, but after observing we were a people who would make no promises, and that he had no power to regulate us, desired us to regulate ourselves, and informed us that we might ride any where within six miles of Winchester, and as he did not expect we would enter into any engagements, he informed us that we must take the consequences if we exceeded that distance.
Great part of our journal was read over yesterday evening and this evening. Some remarks being made upon it, Henry Drinker, Thomas Fisher, Edward Pennington, James Pember- ton, Thomas Wharton, and Miers Fisher, are desired to revise and transcribe it, and to make such alterations and additions thereto as they shall think necessary.
17th .- Colonel Francis Peyton, of Loudon, who had called to see us at Reading, came here on a visit to us, accompanied by our friend John Hough. They dined and spent most of the afternoon and evening with us, having come many miles out of the way, which we take as a mark of their regard and friendly disposition towards us.
18th .- Andrew M'Coy, from Crooked Run, paid us a visit yesterday, and Mahlon Janney and his wife, with Joseph Janney and his sister, (the wife of William Baker,) came over the mountain, about forty miles, from Loudon County, on a visit to us, and stayed most part of the day.
Colonel Francis Peyton and John Hough took leave of us
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about eleven o'clock : the former going to Lancaster, we wrote letters to our families.
19th day of 10th month, 1777 .- Being the first day of the week, our meeting for worship was held at Philip Bush's, and was attended also by our landlord, his wife, and most of the children, and some few of our neighbouring Friends, Mahlon Janney and those who visited us yesterday, and several not of our religious Society, making up seventy or eighty persons, who attended both morning and afternoon.
This morning, Colonel John Augustus Washington, brother of General Washington, came to our lodgings, and we had some friendly conversation with him. He read us a letter from Lieutenant Richard Henry Lee to him, giving an account of the various successes of the American army, the capture of General Burgoyne, and that General Howe was hemmed in, and would have to evacuate Philadelphia ; that he is invested there all around.
This day Colonel David Kennedy produced us a letter, of which he gave us liberty to take a copy, as follows :
" War Office, October 16th, 1777.
" SIR,
" The Board being much engaged have not leisure to take into consideration the whole of your letter on the subject of the Philadelphia prisoners. I am, however, directed to inform you that the Board are thankful for the attention you have heretofore paid to the business, and have appointed Joseph Holmes, Esq., Deputy Commissary General of Prisoners, in the Western District of Virginia, to whom you will please deliver over the prisoners you have in charge, as he has re- ceived instructions concerning them, and no doubt will dispose of them in such a manner as will be proper with regard to them, and conducive to the satisfaction of the people of the country. " I have the honour to be,
" Your very obedient servant,
" RICHARD PETERS,
" Secretary."
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20th of 10th month .- Joseph Holmes and Isaac Zane, Jr., who had lately returned from Yorktown (the present location of Congress), came to see us ; the former produced the instruc- tions he had received there concerning us, which appears to be all the notice Congress mean to take of our last remonstrance.
" War Office, October 16th, 1777. " SIR,
" As you have requested from the Board of War some directions relative to the prisoners sent from Pennsylvania, as persons disaffected to the American cause, I am directed to in- form you that the mode of treatment of them is to be regulated by their behaviour respectively.
" They are to be treated with every indulgence consistent with the safety of their persons and the good of our cause, so as to avoid on the one hand unnecessary rigour, and on the other to prevent them from spreading disaffection, and injuring the interests of our country. You will dispose of them in a manner suitable to their respective characters and stations, and to suffer them to be supplied with every necessary they may want, at their own expense.
" I am your very obedient servant,
" RICHARD PETERS, " Secretary."
" To
Joseph Holmes, Esq., Deputy Commissary General of Pri- soners in the Western District of Virginia."
21st of 10th month .- The messenger who went to Williams- burg with our address to the Governor and Council of Vir- ginia, returned this day and delivered us a letter from Robert Pleasants and Edward Stabler, informing us they had presented it, and enclosing a copy of the minutes of Council thereupon, which is as follows, viz. :
12
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"IN COUNCIL.
" October 15th, 1777. " VIRGINIA, [L. S.]
" His Excellency having communicated to the Board sundry letters and other papers, relative to the Quakers and others who have been apprehended in Pennsylvania, by order of the Executive Council of that State, as enemies of the independence of America, as it had appeared therefrom that in the present time of danger more immediately threatening that State, it was judged necessary to send them to the town of Win- chester, in the county of Frederick, in Virginia, and the lieutenant of that county informing the Governor that he wanted his Excellency's sanction for confining them as prisoners of war, and also that the people of that place were greatly in- censed against the said prisoners, and had demanded their re- moval, and that it was with difficulty he had restrained them from doing violence to their persons : the Board advised his Excellency to write to said county lieutenant, commending his past conduct, and directing him to continue protection, and to exert himself to afford humane treatment to the said prisoners, whom he is to consider as under his care until orders may be given hereafter for their removal; until which time he is to permit them to walk in the daytime, in any part of the town, for the benefit of their health.
" The Board further advised the county lieutenant to let the people of the country know, that any violence which may be offered the prisoners, will be considered highly derogatory and dishonourable to the government. And in the mean time they recommend to his Excellency to write to the Executive Council of Pennsylvania, informing them of the situation of their prisoners at Winchester, and that his Excellency would give directions for the removal of them to such other place within
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this State, as they would signify to him to have their appro- bation.
" ARCHIBALD BLAIR, " Clerk."
" Williamsburg, October 15th, 1777. " SIR,
" The foregoing advice of the Council I accept, and have to desire you that you will govern yourself according to the tenor of it, and consider it containing my orders.
" I am, sir, your humble servant,
"P. HENRY."
" To the
County lieutenant of the county in which Winchester is situate."
Which being taken into consideration, Israel Pemberton and Miers Fisher desired to confer with David Kennedy upon the subject, who reported that he seemed very willing to continue to us a circuit of six miles round the town, although he thought the minutes of Council would scarcely warrant him in so doing.
We have found that most of the prejudices excited in these parts against our Society, have arisen from publications made at Philadelphia, and circulated here, containing falsehoods, forgeries, and misrepresentations, and as the essay prepared at Philadelphia, before we left there, in answer to them, was not published, it was thought necessary to prepare another, and Israel Pemberton, Edward Pennington, Thomas Wharton, James Pemberton, Henry Drinker, and Miers Fisher, were appointed a committee for the purpose.
23d day .- Our friend John Hunt went with Samuel R. Fisher, to the week-day meeting at Hopewell, and returned in the afternoon.
About seven o'clock this evening, our friend John Hunt ex- pressed a desire that we might be collected to sit together,
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which being complied with, after a short pause he began to speak. He mentioned a close exercise which had attended his mind for some hours, which gratitude to Heaven and a duty to ourselves would not permit him to conceal.
He reminded us of the many interpositions of Divine Pro- vidence for our preservation and comfort since our separation from our own dear connexions. He then recommended us to continue watchful, that we might be strengthened to undergo whatever sufferings might be permitted to come upon us ; and to keep as much as possible from repeating, or even hearing rumours, which would be frequent, and tend only to weaken us.
24th of 10th month .- This morning a report prevailed that General Burgoyne and all his army were taken, and that 5850 men, prisoners, were sent into Connecticut - that General Howe was about to evacuate Philadelphia. These accounts, we were told, came by express last night. John Magill, Esq., had a letter from Philadelphia, containing the detail, which he read to Miers Fisher, stating also that General Howe's letter to Lord Howe, stating his situation to be very critical, had been intercepted. The intelligence made a great stir in the town. A company of the inhabitants paraded the streets with drum and fife, and fired a feu-de-joie. A bonfire of many cords of wood was made, and in the evening the houses were mostly illuminated. Our friend, Meschach Sexton, who declined, had some small damage done to his house, by way of insult; but there was not much damage done to the town.
25th .- Some of our company discovered in a conversation with our landlord, Philip Bush, that he means to charge each of us ten shillings a day, silver money, for our board, which is twelve shillings and sixpence a day, Pennsylvania currency : and we find our own beds, drink, and washing. A committee was appointed to confer with him thereon, and also to ask David Kennedy to give us permission to board among our friends around the town. Philip Bush said he would agree to make a more exact calculation, and see us again the ensuing week.
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