USA > Virginia > History of the German element in Virginia, Vol I > Part 10
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CHAPTER VIII.
THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE AND THE GERMAN VIRGINIANS.
O other period in the history of old Virginia gives bet- ter evidence of the devotion and loyalty of the German Virginians to. American interests than the War of Independence, - and yet on account of circumstances, en- tirely beyond their control, they have received comparatively little recognition.
When the cry was raised : to defend the rights and liberties of the country, the German colonists did not hesitate for one moment, they left their homes, their wives and children and followed the banner of Virginia's great son, George Washington. With his illustrious name are inseparably associated those of the German heroes: Baron von Steuben, Peter Muehlenberg, von der Wieden, and others, and it is very probable that without their advice and heroism victory would not have crowned the American arms. The German soldiers of the colonial army proved brave and relia- ble - but, because German allied troops fought in the Eng- lish army, due credit has been denied them and even their integrity has been suspected. The German subsidiary troops, - the "d .... d Hessians," as they were called in Virginia - were only the involuntary, unfortunate victims of an abomin- able bargain, which the English King had arranged with covetous German princes. The German colonists are in no way responsible for this agreement, they were almost unanimously in favor of American independence, while the Anglo-Virgin- ians were divided into two parties: Whigs and Tories; the former name applied to the patriots, the latter to the sup- porters of the royal cause. Historians who ignore or slander
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the patriotism and strong affection of the German-Americans and claim all glory for the Anglo-Americans and their French allies, are partial and therefore unjust. The German-Ameri- can historian H. A. Rattermann says, with reference to the exaggerated glorification of the French merits106) : "Lafayette visited America again and was pleased to be carried in tri- umph through the United States, while the greater Steuben had to compete with many difficulties to receive the lands which Congress had promised to him, and lived without os- tentation in quiet retirement in the State of New York." - Steuben and Lafayette are two figures reflecting the character of their respective nations, - the former unselfish, sacrificing everything to a grand idea, - the other also immolating, but calculating to promote his "Gloire." - The Anglo-Americans, disposed to be misled by outer show, sympathized in a de- monstrative manner with Lafayette, thus wounding the feel- ing of their German fellow-citizens.
Twelve decades have passed since the Revolutionary War began, and it is now impossible to do full justice to the mer- its of the Germans of that great time. Many facts are lost and forgotten, and the anglicizing of the German element in Virginia after the war, has contributed much to create this deplorable incompleteness. But even this resignment of home- reminiscences and of the language of their'fathers shows, that the German Virginians were so fully devoted to the American cause: that they forgot the reverential piety they owed to their old Fatherland.
The colonies were without political connection before the Revolution. The people, originating from various nationalities, - separated by vast distances and the want of public roads for travel, - differing in habits and religion, - quarreling about the borders and titles of land, - and influenced by conflicting commercial and agricultural interests, - were only forced to combine by the tyranny and restrictions England imposed upon them. It was not a longing for republican lib- erty that led to the foundation of the Union, but chiefly en- dangered material interests. Particularly in the South the
106 ) "Der deutsche Pionier," Vol. VIII, Seite 18. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1876.
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form of government was looked upon with much indifference, the colonists of English descent had no wish to renounce their allegiance to the British crown, and they cherished sentiments of filial devotion towards the motherland. The inclination and desires of the German population however were totally different. The German colonists were not attached to the British rulers by national ties or by gratitude for special favors, and cognizant of the sufferings and abuse that had driven their forefathers from Germany to America, they longed, in their quiet way, for politi- cal and religious freedom.
During the period from 1763 to 1775 England had imposed restraints upon the commerce and industry of the colonies, and these, with growing energy, had resisted. The British Parlia- ment passed laws to impede the home trade and navigation of the colonies, juries were abolished, in 1764 the intention to raise a revenue from America was formally declared, and import duties were imposed on sugar, coffee, indigo, wine and silks. On March 22nd, 1765, the Stamp Act was passed, that ordained : that no written instrument should be legal unless the paper was stamped on which it was drawn, and which was to be purchased at an exorbitant price of the agents of the British government. Finally the colonists were directed to furnish to the British sol- diery quarters and rations. The colonies had no representation in Parliament and claimed that taxation without representation is tyranny, and they were determined to resist any violation of their rights. King George III however said publicly : "That the obedience of the colonies would be enforced." Clouds gath- ered rapidly - and the storm threatened to break out. Resolu- tions were passed by the Colonial Assemblies of Virginia, North Carolina and Massachusetts to resist coercion.
Patrick Henry, a young lawyer, 27 years old, had gained great popularity by his arguments in a lawsuit against the clergy, known as "Parson's Cause," and by pleading on that occasion the cause of colonial rights with eminent eloquence. He was consequently elected a member of the Virginia House of Bur- gesses, and when the news of the passing of the Stamp Act reached the Old Dominion, he introduced in the House five resolutions, declaring that the right of taxing the colonies be- longed to them and that laws like the Stamp Act were destruc-
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tive of peace. His resolutions were violently opposed to, but finally adopted through the powerful eloquence with which Patrick Henry advocated them. In the heat of the debate he boldly asserted : "Caesar had his Brutus, Charles I his Crom- well, and George III -" "Treason ! treason !" interrupted an- gry loyalists in different parts of the house. - "And George III" - repeated the speaker, his eye lighting up with the flame of patriotism - "and George III may profit by their example. If that be treason, make the most of it !"
The words of the young patriot kindled the slumbering ha- tred into the flame of revolution - and the German Virginians figured among his most ardent admirers.
Before these events in Virginia became known in Massachu- setts, the general court of that colony had adopted measures to inaugurate a combined opposition to the oppressive acts of the English. A Colonial Congress was proposed and on the first Tuesday in October, 1765, the delegates of nine of the colonies met at New York. They drew up a "Declaration of Rights," claiming the privileges of legal born subjects of Great Britain, especially those of self-taxation and trial by jury. The Congress then prepared petitions to the King and to Parliament, assuring the loyalty of the people, - but also their determination to nul- lify the odious Stamp Act.
As the day approached on which the Stamp Act was to take effect, the popular feeling against it increased. The stamps sent from England were refused the landing or destroyed, - stamp officers were insulted and forced to resign, - associations under the title of "Sons of Liberty" were formed to resist the law and the members resolved to forego all the luxuries of life, rather than to purchase them from England, - the merchants agreed to import no English goods until Parliament should recall the hateful bill, and the first day of November, 1765, appointed for the law to go into operation, was observed as a day of mourning. The bells were tolled, the vessels displayed their flags on half- mast, people dressed in mourning, all business was suspended, and even from the pulpits the popular excitement received ex- pression.
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The authorities in England were at a loss how to proceed, they were scared by this energetic protest of the Americans, and the Stamp Act was repealed the following year. The English however still maintained : to have the full right to bind and tax the colonies.
Although the repeal of the Stamp Act was received with great joy in America, yet the clause asserting the supremacy of Parliament, excited the distrust of the colonists and they con- tinued a jealous watch over the actions of the British govern- ment. Soon new taxes were levied on tea, glass, paper and painters' colors, and the officers of the navy were appointed cus- tom house officers with duties to enforce the laws. The Assem- bly of Massachusetts, having addressed circulars to the other Colonial Assemblies, to invite them to cooperate and redress all common grievances, was dissolved.
Anticipating bitter opposition, troops were sent from Eng- land to enforce the laws. New York refused to furnish quarters and supplies to British troops, and the legislative power of the Assembly of this colony was suspended. The presence of the troops was regarded as an insult, - and the overbearing conduct of the soldiery provoked the people. In the year 1769 the As- semblies of Virginia and North Carolina were also dissolved. All these measures proved ineffective and the waves of dissatis- faction and hostility tossed higher and higher. Finally, on the 5th of March, 1770, the first bloody collision occurred at Boston, Mass. - Samuel Adams demanded, in the name of the infuriated citizens, of the Governor the withdrawal of the soldiers; he yielded, and the troops retired to Castle William. - In North Carolina the extortion, by corrupt and dishonest officials, - Governor Tyson included, - had caused a number of farmers to unite under the name of "Regulators," to resist oppression. In 1771 the Governor marched against the "rebels" and took a bloody revenge. Many fled to the West and others to Virginia, there increasing the number of the discontented.
When Benjamin Franklin published the correspondence be- tween Governor Hutchinson, of Massachusetts, and Col. Olivier, thereby revealing the intention of Parliament to remodel the constitutional laws of Massachusetts, and when England, after
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the well-known tea-revolt in Boston, December 18th, 1773, inter- dicted all. commercial intercourse with the port of Boston, and appointed General Gage Governor of Massachusetts and com- mander-in-chief of the royal troops in America, - the climax of public excitement was reached.
The cause of the people of Boston was espoused by all the colonies, and in Virginia the members of the dissolved Assembly formed an association and voted to recommend to the colonies a General Congress. The first of June, the day on which the port bill (versa Boston) was to take effect, was observed in Vir- ginia as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, to implore God that he would avert the evils that threatened them and give them one heart and one mind to firmly oppose by all just and proper means every injury to American rights.
But foremost in the movement of resistance throughout Vir- ginia were the German inhabitants of the Valley. Hon. J. M. H. Beale stated in a letter, published in the "New York Herald" and afterwards at Woodstock, Va., Nov. 30th, 1894, in the "Shen- andoah Herald :" "They formed a distinct organization, as con- tradistinguished from its colonial, and invested power in a 'Com- mittee of Safety,' the prerogatives of which were to erect opposi- tion to the royal power in case of necessity.
"The meeting which took these initial revolutionary steps was held at Woodstock, on the 16th of June, 1774, one year before the celebrated Mecklenburg meeting in North Carolina, which oc- curred in June, 1775. The Rev. Peter Muehlenberg was chosen the moderator of the meeting, and afterwards, as chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, reported a number of spirited and ap- propriate resolutions, the tone of which was bolder than public . opinion was then prepared to sanction. The following are a part of the noble sentiments then put forth by those patriotic lovers of liberty.
"That we will pay due submission to such acts of government as his Majesty has a right by law to exercise over his subjects, and to such only. .
"That it is the inherent right of British subjects to be gov- erned and taxed by representatives chosen by themselves only, and that every act of the British Parliament respecting the inter-
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nal policy of America is a dangerous and unconstitutional inva- sion of our rights and privileges.
"That the enforcing the execution of the said act of Parlia- ment by a military power will have a necessary tendency to cause a civil war, thereby dissolving that union which has so long hap- pily subsisted between the mother country and her colonies ; and that we will most heartily and unanimously concur with our suffering brethren of Boston, and every other part of North America, who are the immediate victims of tyranny, in promot- ing all proper measures to avert such dreadful calamities, to procure a redress of our grievances, and to secure our common liberties.'
"The other resolutions were common at that period, depre- ciating importation or exportation with Great Britain and the East India Company, who are called 'the servile tools of Arbitrary power.' The proceedings close by 'pledging themselves to each other, and to our country, that we will inviolably adhere to the votes of this day.' The Committee of Safety and Correspondence appointed for the county consisted of Rev. Peter Muehlenberg, chairman ; Francis Slaughter, Abraham Bird, Tavener Beale, (father of the undersigned,) John Tipton, and Abraham Bowman, esqs., members.
"The proceedings of this meeting are published in full in the Virginia Gazette for August 4, 1774, a file of which paper is pre- served in the Congressional Library at Washington City."
On the 4th of September, 1774, the First Continental Con- gress met in Philadelphia. All the colonies, except Georgia, were represented, and by an unanimous vote Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, was elected president. It was resolved to resist the oppression of England, to approve the conduct of Massachusetts, to entreat General Gage to desist from military operations, and finally to continue the Congressional Union until the repeal of oppressive duties by Parliament. Congress called upon the peo- ple to practice in the use of arms and to prepare to act in case of emergency, and yet only a few members of Congress had any idea of independence.
All attempts at reconciliation however proved futile. King George III, by nature arbitrary and stubborn, was bent on re-
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ducing his colonial subjects to submission by the sword. The determination of the King to oppress the Americans was so no- torious, that when the war actually broke out, it was called in England "the King's War." Walpole's "George III," Vol. IV, p. 114, contains the following pungent remarks : "The war was considered as the war of the King personally. Those who sup- ported it, were called the King's friends, while those who wished the country to pause and reconsider the propriety of persevering in the contest, were branded as disloyal.". George III was a pe- culiar man and wrote this: "I wish nothing but good : therefore, every man who does not agree with me, is a liar and a scoun- drel." The British Parliament was determined to make no con- cessions, and early in 1775 rejected a conciliatory bill introduced by Lord Chatham; thus the colonies were driven to the dread alternative of war, and Patrick Henry gave the signal, when in March, 1775, he uttered the memorable words before the Conven- tion of Virginia, assembled at Richmond in the "Old Church": "As for me, give me liberty or give me death."
As early as the ninth of May, 1775, representatives of the people of North Carolina107), mostly Germans, assembled at Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, N. C., to formally renounce their allegiance to the King, and to make provisions for self- government. This was the first declaration of independence, il- lustrating the German spirit and aim, - while the men of the North were simply fighting for their rights as subjects of Great Britain. 108) The demonstrations in North Carolina were of such character, that the Governor deemed it prudent to take refuge on a man-of-war in July, - only two months later the Governor of South Carolina followed his example, evacuating the City of Charleston, - and the Governor of Virginia, as will be explained later, also was compelled to fly on board of an armed vessel. Previous to these events, April 19th, 1775, the battle of Lexington, Mass., had been fought, the Second Conti- nental Congress met at Philadelphia on May 10th, assuming the authority of a general government of the "United Colonies of
107.) "Der deutsche Pionier," Vol. III, May and June Edition. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1871.
108.) "American History for Schools," by G. P. Quackenbos, p. 141. New York, 1879.
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America," and elected George Washington commander-in-chief of the American forces. On the 17th of June the battle of Bun- ker Hill was fought. The Americans were driven back, but they still besieged Boston, and in a few weeks Washington took com- mand.
It is not the object to give a complete description of the War of Independence in this history, it aims to state the part Virginia, and the German Virginians in particular, took in this great struggle. All the foregoing and following historical de- tails of a general character are simply intended to explain the action of the German Virginians.
Before further describing the course of events, another pre- cursor of the Revolutionary War, - a new Indian war, in the year 1774, known as the "Dunmore War," - must be men- tioned, during which the German settlers of the north-eastern mountain region of Virginia again suffered severely.
The treaty with the savages, which had not been violated since 1764, was broken by the English.109) Several Indians were murdered simply to gratify the desire for Indian blood, and they retaliated in their cruel savage custom. The first innocent victims of their rage were the members of a German family by name Stroud, living on Gauley river near its junction with the Great Kanawha. The murder of the family of Logan, chief of the Mingoes and an ally of the English during the French and Indian war, particularly exasperated the Indians. Logan swore to take bloody revenge and invited the cooperation of the Dela- wares and Shawnees to annihilate the treacherous Whites. The two Indian tribes hesitated to join him and he began the war alone, attacking the settlements on the Ohio river.
The Assembly of Virginia resolved to protect the colonists. Governor Lord Dunmore left the gubernatorial residence at Wil- liamsburg with an army of about twelve hundred men, and Gen- eral Andrew Lewis, of Augusta county, a Scotch descendant, was ordered to muster troops in the counties of Berkeley, Hampshire, Frederick and Shenandoah, principally populated by Germans. Germans and Scotch responded with patriotism to his call,
109 ) "History of West Virginia," by Virgil A. Lewis, page 113. Philadelphia, Pa., 1889.
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and on October 6th, 1774, he arrived with his force of eleven hundred men at the mouth of the Great Kanawha. His lit- tle army consisted of two regiments, commanded by Colonels William Fleming, of Botetourt county, and Charles Lewis, of Augusta, - two companies from Culpepper and Bedford, - and a detachment from the Holstein settlement, now Wash- ington county, at the head of which was Captain Shelby, a German Virginian. They erected a camp to await the ar- rival of Lord Dunmore's troops, but on October 9th a mes- senger arrived with orders from the Governor, commanding General Lewis to cross the Ohio, to dislodge the Indians in his way and to march towards the Indian villages on the Scioto, where the two divisions of the Virginian army should meet. On the 10th of October General Lewis started on his dangerous march and soon met with the Indians, who were determined to prevent the union of the two detachments. They were in superior force, the combined tribes of the Shawa- nees, Delawares, Mingos, Cayugas and Wyandottes, under the leadership of the famous chief Cornstalk.110)
A general engagement occurred, extending from the banks of the Ohio to the Kanawha, distant half a mile from the junction of the two rivers. General Lewis, who had witnessed a similar scene at Braddock's defeat, acted with firmness and decision, and his men fought with admirable bravery. Colo- nel Lewis was killed, Colonel Fleming severely wounded, one half of the other officers and seventy-five men were slain and one hundred and forty wounded. The memory of the des- perate battle of Point Pleasant still lives in a popular song among the mountaineers of Virginia:
"Let us mind the tenth day of October, Seventy-four, which caused woe, - The Indian savages they did cover The pleasant banks of the Ohio."
The next day Colonel Christian, with three hundred men from Fincastle, Botetourt county, arrived at Point Pleasant and at once proceeded to bury the dead. The wounded were
110 ) "Geschichte des grossen amerik Westen," von H A Rattermann, Seite 49 - 50. Cincinnati, 1875.
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sheltered in the hastily thrown up walls of Fort Randolph, which was garrisoned by one hundred men, and then the brave Virginians crossed the Ohio in hot pursuit of the de- feated savages. On the 24th of October they encamped on Congo Creek, near the present town of Pickaway, having re- ceived orders to advance no further, - and to the great dis- appointment of the little army, desirous to avenge the death of their fallen comrades, Lord Dunmore negotiated for peace with the Indians. Thus closed "Dunmore's War," but its un- popular end only hastened the outbreak of the great crisis in Virginia. The hostile mood of the Virginians induced the English government to instruct Lord Dunmore to remove all military stores and arms to places of security, - and on the 20th day of April, 1775, he seized a quantity of powder be- longing to the colony, - kept at Williamsburg, - and con- veyed it on board the man-of-war "Magdalen," anchored near Yorktown. When this act of the Governor became known, the colonial militia and all the people were highly exasper- ated. They took up arms and organized under the leadership of Patrick Henry. The cowardly Dunmore declared, that he would free all slaves and destroy Williamsburg by fire, if any harm should be done him or any English official. This threat only enraged the people still more, - about six hundred men from the mountain counties, principally from German dis- tricts, assembled at Fredericksburg, - and also in other sec- tions of Virginia the citizens prepared to defend their rights. The attitude of the Virginians was so threatening, that in June, as has been stated before, Lord Dunmore fled on board a British man-of-war. This was the end of royal government in Virginia. The patriot Patrick Henry was made Governor : - now by will of the people.
Lord Dunmore tried to regain his lost authority and or- ganized a troop of Tories, British soldiers and fugitive slaves, - but on December 9th, 1775, he was defeated at Great Bridge near Norfolk, - he retreated to this flourishing city and burnt it before the evacuation on January 6th, 1776. He attempted then to fortify himself on Governor's Island in the Chesapeake Bay, but General Andrew Lewis routed his force and Dunmore embarked again on an English vessel and after
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that time never returned to Virginia. - Several historians ac- cuse Lord Dunmore to have wilfully provoked the "Dunmore War," in order to reduce the strength of the Virginians, - and there may be some truth in this assertion. It is un- doubtedly true that England encouraged, during the War of Independence, the Indians to attack the settlements on the frontier. - The jurisdiction of Virginia, extended in 1776 to the Mississippi, comprising the present States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. Several bold pioneers, mainly Germans from Virginia and North Carolina, had emi- grated to this wilderness, and the Indians, fearful of being deprived of their beloved hunting-ground, and stirred up by English emissaries, attacked the exposed settlements in Ken- tucky and West Virginia. In the spring of 1776 the Chero- kees also began to invade the settlements in Tennessee, the Carolinas and Georgia, - and Virginia and North and South Carolina armed three expeditions to destroy the villages and fields of the savages. Towards the end of the year the de- feated Indians were compelled to sue for peace. In 1777 other Indian tribes, again incited by English agitation, re- newed the murderous invasion, and chiefly the German-Vir- ginian homes on the Ohio and Monongahela, were ravaged. England adopted the most barbarous measures of warfare
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