Stories of Pennsylvania or School Readings from Pennsylvania History
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William Penn.
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by Microsoft®
Stories of Pennsylvania OR
SCHOOL READINGS FROM PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY
\
JOSEPH
9?
J
EY rj '"
WALTON,
Ph.D.
Professor of History, State Normal School,
MARTIN
G.
BRUMBAUGH,
West Chester,
A.M., Ph.D.
Professor of Pedagogy, University of Pennsylvania,
and President of Juniata College
NEW YORK -.-CINCINNATI: CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
Di Digitized I
Ml
I
by Microsoft®
Pa.
Copyright, 1897, by
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY. STORIES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
w.
Digitized
p. 3
by Microsoft®
;
PREFACE. PENNSYLVANIA, * is
many
in
respects
the most important of
the original colonies, has an unwritten history.
This volume
a series of sketches, taken chiefly from our unwritten history,
but typifying almost every important phase of our growth.
The
basis of all the incidents rests
upon the
best authority.
In most cases the Colonial Records, the Pennsylvania Archives,
and the collections of the Pennsylvania Historical Society have furnished the data.
Most of the sketches deal with colonial life, because the indiwhom the young have most regard, grows less prominent in the increasingly complex social and institutional life of the state. The reader will prize all the more his own rich
vidual, the hero, for
social, political, educational,
coming
and
religious
environment
after be-
familiar with the struggles of an ancestry not so highly
favored. The complex life of to-day will be more clearly comprehended from a view of the initial forces producing it. Four sincere and noble classes united to build up the common-
wealth
:
—
William Penn and the Quakers, bringing from England, Wales,
Germany a sturdy and pious body of citizens united by a common religion The Germans or Pennsylvania " Dutch," attracted to the province by the peace principles of the founder, and a zeal to establish Holland, and
;
homes
in
a land of
civil
and
The Moravians under Indians, and living a
religious liberty
;
Zinzendorf, carrying the Bible to the
community
life,
singularly devoted to the
welfare of the humblest and poorest of their faith 5 Digitized
by Microsoft®
The
and fearless, defying all and fearing no hostile neighbors, pushing to the frontier with farm and school and church, and training by hardship their Scotch-Irish, earnest, aggressive,
restraint
sons for heroic service in the state.
The common was
which held
tie
all
While Penn and
religion.
these diverse elements together his
German
allies
were in the
majority the peace policy of the Quakers dominated the
The
the colony.
non-combative offensive
made Pennsylvania
spirit
movements.
of
life
from conscientious motives, of the
fostering,
notably conservative in
This influence prevailed until the close of
the struggle for independence, a struggle that brought
new
forces
and created a more aggressive policy. It was this newer influence that organized the state under the Constitution and placed Pennsylvania in closer touch with her sister states. Border friction between the colonies, and especially between the frontiersmen and the Indians, made Pennsylvania rich in In T dian tales. Here wealth of sources made selection and rejection to the front
the task in presenting
The
this
phase of colonial
authors have consciously omitted
reach of the reader.
familiar, or within easy
been made
life.
much
to present the less
familiar but
of Penn
life
treated.
With such
is
is
already
by no means
important incidents in the development of our reason no
that
Special effort has
state.
For
attempted, and Franklin's career
names
familiar
as West,
is
less this
not
Muhlenberg, Logan,
Dickinson, Morris, Decatur, Girard, Meade, Hancock, Kane, Fulton, Perry, Taylor,
every teacher
The rect.
is
Reed, Buchanan, Blaine, and many others,
acquainted.
illustrations are
Many of them
almost without exception historically cor-
are for the
first
time presented to the public.
In their preparation the authors owe a debt of gratitude to Julius F. Sachse of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, whose wide ac-
quaintance with the history of our commonwealth
is
abundant
proof of their value. It is
hoped
that this
little
volume
will
arouse an intelligent and
abiding interest in the history of the grand old Keystone State.
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CONTENTS.
........
Before the Coming of Penn. The Naming of Pennsylvania Penn in Holland and Germany John Humphrey The Trial of " the Long Finne " Penn and the Quakers.
.
.
27 31
......... .......
'35
.
The Walking Purchase
39
Pennsylvania.
in
The Voyage
17
23
William Penn's Manor House
The Germans
9 13
Sally Brindley's Letter
Bartram's Garden
page
of the Sara fifaria
...... ..... .....
45
Conrad Weiser and the Indians
51
The The The
Pious Schoolmaster on the Skippack
61
Greatest Books of Colonial Pennsylvania
66
Last of the Kelpians
Peter Miller
70
Other Pioneers. The Moravians Count Zinzendorf
The Log
58
in the
Wyoming
.......
College
75 79 82
The Natives of Pennsylvania. Justice to the Indians
87
.......
Eliza Cartlidge
Standing Stone
A Dog Feast
at
.
.
Standing Stone
95
Troubles on the Border. Cressap's Capture
90 92
....'.. ....
...
Captain Jack, the Wild Hunter of the Juniata
99 103
Regina
107
.
Sawquehanna, or "the White Lily " Washington and the Half King
...
Captain Stobo
...
112
116 126
7
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8
The Half King Paxinosa
at
.
.... ....
Aughwick
.
Colonel James Smith at Fort Duquesne
How
a Cow's Tail saved Jane Maguire
Connolly's Plot
Captain Ogden and the Pennymite
War
Mary Quinn and the Great Runaway Opontopos, or " Little White Head "
Thompson
the Captive
Incidents of the Revolutionary War. Carpenters' Hall
.... ....
The Philadelphia Tea Party Rodney's Ride
The Old Liberty Bell The First Fourth of July
Celebration
Captain Percy at the Battle of the Brandywine
Washington and Lafayette's Escape General Anthony Wayne .
Wayne's Camp at Yellow Springs Light-horse Harry
....
Wayne's Letters
A Good Man
to his
Wife
suffers for his
Narrow Escape of Lieutenant Uncle John's Letter to One of the Doan Boys After the
his
.
Religion Tilly
.
Grandson
Wyoming Massacre
.
Later Incidents. Rev. Manasseh Cutler in Philadelphia Franklin entertains Mr. Cutler
Grays Ferry Inn
Tom
the Tinker
....
Charles Baptiste Ariel, or " Old French Charley
The Old Pike Founders of the Free Schools
A
,
School in the Early Days
The Underground Railroad Rachel Harris and the Underground Railroad William Parker and the Underground Railroad Lincoln's Midnight Ride through Pennsylvania
Reynolds
at
Gettysburg
...
In the Rear at Gettysburg
William Penn's Burial Place Digitized
.... by Microsoft®
STORIES OF PENNSYLVANIA. oSKo
BEFORE THE COMING OF PENN. THE NAMING OF PENNSYLVANIA.
EVERY
child
of
Her
state.
Pennsylvania loves the grand
soil,
The land was given
sacred.
Admiral Penn, by Charles William's against
father
the
To pay
sterling
name
this
land
New
is
sylvd).
The king
services
for
New
gave
Penn
World.
Wales, but the king's
Welshman, struck it out. Sylvania, because it was a great said,
sec-
Penn then suggested
retary, a
forest
who owed
debt the king
the
William a large tract of land in the decided to
Penn, son of
England,
of
pounds
16,000
Dutch.
to William
II.
old
and her name are
her history,
forest (the "
No
;
I
Latin for
shall
call
it
Pennsylvania."
William Penn sailed for
this great
land in
1682,
and
how he came to Chester, and then to where he made a famous treaty with the Indians under the old Elm of Shackamaxon. As we think of this solemn meeting, let us remember that the Elm every one knows Philadelphia,
9 Digitized
by Microsoft®
IO
Treaty was never broken. pledge to Penn,
whom
The Indian never
Quaker leader never broke
great
forgot his
he called "Brother Onas," and the his faith with the red
man.
To most
is
known
as the
Keystone
There are four reasons given for the adoption
State. this
of us, Pennsylvania
name
:
—
of
Penn's Treaty.
(i)
you
If
at a
will notice that
sylvania
may
you look
is
map
of the thirteen original states,
they form an irregular arch.
Penn-
located at the center of this great arch, and
be called for that reason the Keystone of the Arch of
States. (2)
In the early days Pennsylvania was the most im-
portant
state
in
foreign trade. Digitized
by Microsoft®
Hundreds
of
vessels
1
1
spread their white
in the
New
given the cial
of
may be
It
was commer-
that Pennsylvania
Keystone State because of
its
prominence. Before the year 1800 a French major, L'Enfant by
(3)
name,
laid out the city of
The
the nation.
not
World.
title
the breezes of the Delaware was the greatest center of trade
sails to
River, and Philadelphia
all
Washington as the
stones for the
new
capital of
needed, and some of them were used to
bridge over
Rock Creek,
were
capitol building
make
a
a small stream flowing between
Washington and Georgetown. Thirteen stones of the arch were
visible,
and the cunning
Frenchman carved on the faces of these stones abbrevi" PA." was cut on the ations of the names of the states. central or key stone, and some claim our state is called the Keystone for
this reason.
It is
probable that L'Enfant
chose this stone for Pennsylvania in honor of the position
and importance of the
state,
and
in
honor of the part
Pennsylvania took in the adoption of the great Declaration of Independence. (4) July
1,
1776, the Declaration of Independence
The
reported to the Continental Congress.
patriots
was
knew
that our country could not be free and independent unless
the Declaration was adopted.
The
final
three days to give Franklin and Samuel
vote was delayed
Adams
a'
to bring Pennsylvania into line for the measure,
give Caesar
ware
Rodney time
to cast his vote
and
to ride
from
his
home
and
to
in Dela-
his state's vote for freedom.
July 4th, Delaware was ready to vote, and the called.
chance
roll
On was
All the states voted " Aye," until Pennsylvania,
the last state, was reached. Digitized
by Microsoft®
12
Five of her delegates were
Franklin and
present.
Wilson voted "Aye," Humphreys and Willing voted "Nay."
Here was crowd
The
a
tie.
of friends
John Morton was outside, listening to a who were begging him to vote " Nay."
John Hancock, began to saw Morton enter the hall.
president,
stop until he
and did not
talk,
Then Morton's
name was
and he
called,
voted "Aye."
Thus
for four
men
of that
days the noble
Congress had been building great
the
arch
made
vote " the
of
human
and John Morton's
liberty,
Pennsylvania
Keystone
of the
Arch
of Liberty."
The next day, John Adams of
almost
Massachusetts,
wild with joy, wrote to his wife these words
"The day
is
:
—
The
past.
fourth of July, 1776, will be a
memorable epoch
in the I
am
will
be
history of America. The Morton
Tablet.
apt to believe that
it
succeeding generations as the great anni-
celebrated by
versary festival.
It
ought
to
be commemorated as the
day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shows, games,
sports,
from one end
guns,
bells,
bonfires,
and illuminations,
of the continent to the other,
forward forever."
Digitized
by Microsoft®
from
this
time
13
PENN
HOLLAND AND GERMANY.
IN
HAVE you ever wondered why to Pennsylvania in the
of William
Penn
in
so
many Germans came
days of Penn
We
?
think
England, of the voyage on the good
Welcome, of the great treaty, and of Penn in his
ship
.
own colony; but we too often forget that Penn was in Germany as early as 1 671, preaching the religion he loved, and winning honest men to the church of his choice. Again, in 1677, he traveled over Europe with Keith and Fox- and Barclay, preaching the principles of peace to a
war-weary people.
was this great missionary journey that made Penn a power among the Germans and Pennsylvania a refuge It
many of them. In this important mission no other man was so loyal and so helpful to Penn as Benjamin
for so
Furly, the merchant and scholar of Rotterdam.
Furly was born April 13, 1636, and at twenty-four became a merchant in this quaint old city of Holland. He married Dorothe Graigne, and their home was a refuge for scores of learned men. library of rare books
was a welcome
Edward
Clarke,
He
collected a fine
and rarer manuscripts.
resort for such
men
as
Le
Clerc,
His home Limbroch,
John Locke, and Algernon Sidney. The gave to his friend Furly a fine
last of these, in his will,
silver goblet.
Early in first
man
in
life
Furly became a Quaker, and he was the
Europe
to
urge and aid Dutch and German
families to go to America.
meetings when
it
He
often spoke in the
meant imprisonment Digitized
by Microsoft®
to
do
so.
Quaker
He was
14
Penn and Fox
at
a Quaker Meeting in Furly's House.
even bold enough to write to the magistrates of the
demanding of them who met in silence
city,
protection for the pious people of his
faith,
to
worship God according to the
dictates of their owrr consciences.
follows "
:
—
At Rotterdam the eighth day
This
of the
letter closes
as
month which we
call July, 1675."
Two in
years
later,
when Penn and
his
Holland, Benjamin Furly was the
them, and
From all
it
was
in his
home
companions landed first
man
to greet
that they were entertained.
here they set out to preach the gospel and to invite
oppressed people to the
New
World.
On
this great
journey up the Rhine and through the Palatinate, Furly
was
their fellow-traveler
and
Digitized
faithful interpreter.
by Microsoft®
To him
;
15
Penn submitted
his
famous Frame of Government for
advice and correction. the
Read
protest against slavery in America.
first
words of
advising Penn, wrote
Furly, in
the
this great forerunner of Garrison, Whittier, Mott,
—
and Lincoln " Let no blacks be brought in directly. And if any come out of Virginia, Maryland, or elsewhere in families that have formerly brought them Phillips,
:
elsewhere
them be declared
let
(as in
ye west jersey
constitutions) free at 8 years end."
Company
Furly aided in founding the great Frankford
and
it
was the agent
of this
company, Francis Daniel
Germantown, a German Quaker, who wrote, in 1688, the first protest against slavery ever drafted on this side of the Atlantic. Who will say that Furly was not the hero who moved Pastorius and the Up de Graffs Pastorius, of
to take this noble action
Penn and in
his
seven days,
?
company landed in Holland July 26, and at Amsterdam, was held the first Yearly
Meeting of Friends on the Continent. What a meeting this was Dutch Quakers from at least six cities of Holland, and German Quakers from as many cities up the Rhine, heard William Penn and George Fox, Robert Barclay and !
George Keith, preach the peaceful gospel of Here,
too,
Penn learned
that
far
away
a godly to
life.
the east,
where the sluggish Vistula mingles with the Baltic, in Danzig, Poland, the seeds of the Quaker faith had been planted in true hearts by William Ames.
Vienna, John Sobieski, to the east,
Penn
was King
who
in 1683 sent the
of Poland.
To
wrote, pleading for his brethren Digitized
by Microsoft®
Persecution
The defender
soon tried the souls of the converts.
:
Turks
of
flying
this great leader
—
i6
"
O
King
When
!
did the
true
persecu
religion
Were
not her weapons prayers, tears, and patience
clubs
and
reach the
swords and prisons and banishme
staves,
convert the heart, or convince the
soul,
C
?
m
man? In 1576 there sat on your throne, Steph who declared, I am king of men, not of conscienc of
'
king of bodies, not of
souls.'
"
Earnest words were these. It
would be
of the
Sobieski's
of great interest to
Turk had
to
know what
reply
is
1
7
&aai
J
^?n'to
cr-ty
J^Lr,/*^
/,
£
~Ltvf
laration of
Independence.
Digitized
by Microsoft®
^T^JgiC
184
Then they
independence and three for Caesar Rodney. took the picture of King George and put
gave it
it
to the
drummer
of
Rodney's
it
militia,
all
the patriots in
marched around the public square, and picture of
the king into
a
staff,
and
and he carried
They were folDover. They
before the president of the Assembly.
lowed, two by two, by
on a
finally cast the
big bonfire
that
had been
lighted in the square.
As
the flames leaped into the face of the cruel king, the
president said, " Compelled by strong necessity, thus
destroy even the shadow of that king
who
we
refused to reign
over a free people."
THE OLD LIBERTY
BELL.
EVERY land
Liberty silent
person in is
Bell.
witness
this
broad
proud of the old It is a
now
sacred and
of the great
deeds of long ago.
November ist, 175 1, Isaac Norris, Thomas Leech, and Edward Warren, the superintendents of
the
Philadelphia,
old
Statehouse in
wrote to
Robert
Charles in London, and asked
him "to get us a good bell of 2000 pounds weight."
about
The
bell
When
it
came on the ship Matilda, in August, 1752. was hung and tried for the sound, it was cracked Digitized
by Microsoft®
•
185
by a stroke of the clapper, without any violence whatever. Pass and Stow, of Philadelphia, re-cast it; but it made such a poor sound that it was again broken up and reThis time
cast.
At
was satisfactory. was ready to be put
it
last the bell
tower of the old Statehouse.
The
in its place in the
notice of this reads
:
—
"June 7, 1753. Last week was raised and fixed in the State House steeple, the new great bell cast here by Pass and Stow, weigh'
ing 2080 pounds,
[
with this motto:
Proclaim liberty
throughout
all
the land, unto
all
the
inhabitants
thereof.
Levit.
10."
xxv,
This
was
motto
se-
by Isaac
lected
Where
N orris. On that
the Declaration
written.
On
the 8th of July, 1776, this bell became famous.
day the Statehouse yard was crowded with eager
They had met
patriots.
Declaration of
to hear the reading of the great
Independence.
multitude gave a mighty shout.
human Its
was
voices rang out,
When
sharp and
tongue spoke defiance
to
it
was read the
But above the roar
of
bold, the great bell.
tyranny and comfort to the
colonists.
John Adams almost
all
It called
says,
night."
the
men
"the great
Its stern voice
bell
rang
of Georgia to join the Digitized
all
day,
sounded from sea
by Microsoft®
men
of
and
to sea.
Massa-
!
!
!
1
chusetts.
86
sounded through
It
city
merchant and farmer and forester
and
forest,
to the front.
calling
notes
Its
rang across the rugged sea and sent a shudder through
The
England.
America
Liberty Bell
to their duty.
In 1777,
it
was
it
hastily placed
to Allentown, that the British
cast
it
For
into cannon. fifty
years
was.
It it
the
It called
men
of
rang for independence
It
on a wagon and hurried
might not break
was returned
it
up and
late in 1778.
rang the glad tidings of liberty on
every anniversary
On
the morning of July 8th, 1835, while
it
was
tolling
the solemn news of the death of Chief Justice Marshall,
who
died in Philadelphia two days before, and whose body
was being conveyed
boat to be sent to Virginia,
to a
it
cracked
On
February
22,
1843,
it
was rung
to
celebrate the
anniversary of the birth of the greatest American.
But
the old bell could not bear the strain, the crack lengthened
and widened, and
its
tongue became
silent forever.
THE FIRST FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION.
JOHN ADAMS was so happy over the adoption of the Declaration of Independence that he wrote his wife the next day that the its
American people ought
to celebrate
anniversary with great joy.
The next year, 1777, Congress was still in session in Philmade the day a holiday, in order to celebrate
adelphia and the occasion.
This was the Digitized
first
celebration of the kind,
by Microsoft®
18/
and
was so successful that it has been repeated ever and for many, many years July 4th has been a holiday by law in every state in the Union. it
since,
We
can in no better way honor the great day than by
doing as our fathers did in Philadelphia from the
you may know
all
about the
from the following
first
first,
and
Fourth of July celebration
from John Adams, the second President of the United States, to his daughter letter
:
My dear Daughter
:
—
Philadelphia, July
—
5,
1777.
Yesterday being the anniversary of American Independence, was celebrated here with a festivity and ceremony becoming the occasion. I am too
old to delight in pretty descriptions,
if
I
had a
talent for
them, otherwise a picture might be drawn which would
The thought
please the fancy of a Whig, at least.
of
taking any notice of this day was not conceived until the
second of this month, and third.
It
was too
late
it
to
was not mentioned
until the
have a sermon, as every one
wished, so this must be deferred another year.
and to The general officers, and others in town dine together. were invited, after the President and Council, and Board of War of this State. In the morning, the Delaware frigate, Congress determined
to adjourn over that day,
and other Continental armed vessels, the Pennsylvania ship, and row galleys, and guard boats, were all hauled off in the river, and several of them several large galleys,
beautifully dressed in the colors of
all
nations, displayed
about upon the masts, yards, and rigging. the ships were
all
manned Digitized
;
that
by Microsoft®
is,
the
At one
o'clock
men were
all
i88
ordered
aloft,
and
upon
arranged
shrouds, making a striking appearance —
men drawn up in order Then I went on board and several gentlemen
and
the top-yards of
companies of
in the air.
the Delaware with the President
Marine Committee
of the
soon
;
which we were saluted with a charge of thirteen
after
guns, which was followed by thirteen others from each other armed vessel in the river
;
then the galleys followed
them the guard boats. company returned in the barge to the shore, and were saluted with three cheers from every ship, galley, and boat in the river. The wharves and shores were lined with a vast concourse of people, shouting and huzzaing in a manner which gave the
fire,
Then
and
after
the President and
great joy to every friend of this country, and the utmost
and dismay
terror
At
to
every lurking Tory.
we went
three,
to dinner,
and were very agreeably
entertained with excellent company, good cheer, fine music
from the band of Hessians taken
Trenton, and con-
at
between every toast, from a company of drawn up in Second Street, before the City Tavern, where we dined. The toasts were in honor of our country and the heroes who had fallen in their pious tinual volleys
soldiers
efforts
to
defend her.
After
this,
two troops of
light-
way
horse, raised in Maryland, accidentally here on their to
Camp, were paraded through Second
Street; after
them
a train of artillery, and then about a thousand infantry,
now
in this
Carolina.
City,
on their march
to
Camp, from North Common, where
All these marched into the
they went through their firings and manoeuvers did
not follow them.
In
Digitized
the evening,
by Microsoft®
I
;
but
I
was walking
1
about the streets for a
was surprised
find
to
89 fresh air and exercise, and
little
the whole city lighting up their
candles at the windows. I
walked most
most splendid
of the evening,
illumination
I
and
I
think
saw
ever
;
a
it
was the
few
surly
houses were dark, but the lights were very universal.
Con-
sidering the lateness of the design, and the suddenness
was amazed
of the execution, I
at the universal joy
was discovered, and
alacrity that
at
the brilliancy and
splendor of every part of this joyful exhibition. forgot the ringing of bells bonfires in the streets,
Had
General
master, this
all
I
had
day and evening, and the
and the fireworks played
Howe been
and
here
in
disguise,
off.
or
his
show would have given them the heartache. I
am
your affectionate father,
John Adams.
CAPTAIN PERCY AT THE BATTLE OF THE BRANDYWINE.
ON
September n, 1777, Howe and Cornwallis surprised Washington at Birmingham meeting house, and the battle of the Brandywine was Early that morning the English army broke camp fought. on the hills nprth of Kennett Square. Part of them under a hot, sultry afternoon,
Knyphausen were
to
move over
Washington's attention there. the
command
of
Howe
to
Chadds Ford and keep
The
other division, under
and Cornwallis, followed the old
road toward Marshalton. Howe's movements were directed by Montressor, his chief engineer, who had been Digitized
by Microsoft®
190 in the
country for several years and was thoroughly
fa-
At Trimbles Ford, on the west the Brandywine, the army turned toward the crossed the east branch at Jeffers Ford. Here
miliar with the locality.
branch of
and it some Wilmington merchants had stored
east,
a quantity of rare
They thought
that the
army would, of course, attack Wilmington march from the " Head of Elk " to Philadelphia. Before all of Howe's forces had crossed at the
in their
old liquors in Mr. Jeffers's cellar. British
fording,
the stores were found, and these wine casks nearly proved to
be a greater enemy than the Americans at Birmingham
meeting house.
At Sconneltown,
a
little
group of houses on the summits
of the hills east of the stream, the Friends their
The meeting house
midweek meeting.
ham was found
it
up for a
fitted
were holding
hospital,
at
Birming-
and the Friends had
necessary to adjourn to the wheelwright shop
Sconneltown.
While they were
at
sitting there in silent wor-
was heard around the door. A few perThe noise and excitement went on. sons stepped out. The meeting soon closed. When the Friends came out the men clad in their plain coats and hats, and the women with their little white caps and long bonnets they met a crowd of frightened people. The English, it was said, were coming, and were murdering everybody ship,
much
noise
—
—
they met, young and that this
was a
old.
false report.
The Friends told the people The English would not hurt
them.
Suddenly
all
eyes were turned toward the
the Brandywine.
woods
into the
hills
The English were coming fields.
beyond
out of the
Their bayonets glistened in the
Digitized
by Microsoft®
I9i clear sunlight.
The main body
of the
army while march-
ing was a half mile in breadth. It
was not long before the advance part
reached the heights at Sconneltown.
of the
army
Cornwallis, in his
and epaulets, was an object of great curiosity to the half-frightened women and boys. They were attracted by the soft white hands of the officers and the mustaches of the Hessian rich scarlet clothing, loaded with gold lace
They had never seen such things before. The made a short halt while they fed their horses
soldiers.
English
upon green corn
was gathered from the
fodder, which
They treated the people along the way manner and destroyed but little property. " If it had not been for your George Washington and your Declaration of Independence, we would never have drawn field
near by.
in a civil
our swords against you," said one of the
officers
to
a
Friend he met at Sconneltown.
The army hastened toward menced climbing Osborne Hill.
Strodes
Mill,
and com-
Some women in a neighThey were so
boring house were busy baking pies. excited while
the soldiers were passing and the drums
were beating, that they ran from the oven to the door, and back again to the dough tray. The bottom crust of
some
pies
women
was
rolled
and placed
in the dishes, then the
ran to the door again, and coming back forgot to
place the apples in the pies, but clapped on the upper
and put the pies into the oven. From Osborne Hill the British officers could see the American forces forming at Birmingham meeting house. " The rebels fall into line well," said one of the colonels. crust
Captain Percy was sad and Digitized
silent as
by Microsoft®
he glanced over the
192
Birmingham Meeting House.
He saw
September landscape.
beautiful
the
bills fall
away toward the Brandywine, and the high rolling and
forest
beyond fade
His face grew
"This
pale,
and
his
the place," he
is
fields
dreamy blue in the distance. bridle rein shook in his hand.
into a
"I've seen these
said;
hills
before." "
When
"
I
were you here ?" asked Ashton.
was never here,"
familiar to
seen
me
all this in
and turning
my boy sages.
;
as
he- replied
" but this country
Northumberland
a dream.
I
shall
them
that
I
Digitized
in
England.
I
is
as
have
be killed in this battle;"
to his servant Clifford,
take this purse, and
Tell
;
my
he
said, "
Come
here,
watch, and these mes-
died in obedience to the king's by Microsoft®
193
commands.
Then, turning
not fear, but
I
know
to
that this
Ashton, he
is
my
"This
said,
is
last battle."
Percy then put spurs to his horse and rode rapidly toward Birmingham meeting house. There in the middle of the fray, near the northern wall of the graveyard, he
was
After the Americans were driven back, Percy
shot.
was carried
into the
The members
meeting house and
of the Society of
nurses, were very
much drawn toward
He
was slowly dying. relative of the
Duke
of
told
them
on the
laid
Friends,
who
floor.
acted as
the young man,
that
who
he was a near
Northumberland, and that death
had no terrors for him. He knew it all when he reached Osborne Hill that afternoon. He knew that this was the He died that last day's sunshine he would ever see. The next day the British buried Colonel Gordon night. and Captain Percy in one grave. A few days later a
company
of English
horsemen came
into the
graveyard
and rode their horses over and over the grave signs of
it
until all
were gone.
WASHINGTON AND LAFAYETTE'S
ESCAPE.
EARLY eral
on the morning of September n, 1777, GenKnyphausen, who commanded the Hessian sol-
diers at the battle of
Brandywine, broke camp near
" the
Anvil" and marched down the state road past Hamerton and old Kennett meeting house. After reaching the Lancaster Inn, they were met by American detachments from From there to the Brandywine, these Maxwell's corps.
Americans disputed the ground. Digitized
At
by Microsoft®
the schoolhouse the
194
Hessian forces divided and drove Maxwell's
Then Knyphausen
the stream.
high ground west of the
tended from
opposite
located his
men across men on the
Their line ex-
Brandywine.
Brintons Ford south
Chadds
to
Their instructions were to remain there and make
Ford.
some show
of crossing.
This would occupy the attention
of Washington's army, thus giving Cornwallis and a chance to get
around behind the Americans.
Howe
Perhaps
they knew that Washington had directed General Sullivan to
guard the crossings of the Brandywine from Brintons
Ford as
far as the forks of the stream.
Cornwallis and
Howe
the Brandywine that
about
it.
The heavy
Sullivan
failed
to
fog of the morning
During the
to get information.
At any
rate,
crossed so far above the forks of learn anything
made
difficult
it
entire forenoon the
two
armies lay at Chadds Ford, watching each other.
The day had
when Major Furgesson
scarcely cleared,
concealed his riflemen in the edge of a wood, overlooking the slope and the
He
wine.
meadows along the
beautiful Brandy-
could see the American lines along the east
bank of the stream. Suddenly he noticed two horsemen coming slowly up the slope, towards where his men were Who could they be ? As they came nearer, he lying. whispered
to
one of his men, " Rebel
see that fellow in a hussar dress
Look
!
see that
man who
follows
green and blue, with a big cocked
officers
to this
stump three
celebrated riflemen.
?
Do you
hat.
Go
He's mounted on
They both
sit
quickly, silently, bring
of the best shots
among Furgesson's
We'll put a stop to their curiosity." Digitized
?
him, dressed in dark
the best bay horse I've seen in America.
easy in the saddle, don't they
!
Doesn't he ride well
?
by Microsoft®
195
Before
order could be obeyed, Furgesson felt what he had done, and ordered his men not to fire. The two horsemen made a circuit around the field, examining the edge of the woods very closely, this
ashamed
of
without going too near, the
man
in the
hussar dress
turning some distance from where Furgesson
man
the
lay.
re-
But
green and blue came within a hundred yards
in
of the edge of the woods.
Furgesson stepped out
from
his
hiding place
The
and
called to him.
fine
bay horse walked
on,
and the
man
ing
stately-look-
turned in his
saddle a moment.
Fur-
gesson called again, and
made
signs for him to
stop.
But the unknown
man
slowly rode away.
Furgesson, in ter written
to
a
a
let-
friend General George Washington.
.
America some years later, says: "As I was within that distance in
the quickest firing,
I
at which, in
could have lodged half a dozen balls
about him before he was out of
my
had was not pleasant to fire at the back of an unoffending man who was doing his duty so coolly and carefully, so I let him alone." The next day, when Furgesson was telling this story to in or
only to determine
some wounded
;
but
officers
meeting house, a
reach,
I
it
who were with him in Birmingham who had been dressing the
surgeon, Digitized
by Microsoft®
196
wounds of some American officers, said that Washington had been out all that morning with the light troops, and was accompanied only by a young French officer in Washington, they said, was dressed in a hussar dress. dark green and blue and was mounted on a fine bay Furgesson replied
horse.
were.
It
is
surgeon that he "was
to the
know
very glad that he did not
at
He and Washington
General Lafayette.
who they
the time
thought that the young French
officer
was
never knew the
danger they had escaped. o!*«o
GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNE. " j_l
"
ERE
comes one
of the greatest
Reese
1 1
try,"
Run
into the shed, quick! pull
said
Betsy
out the best goblet
;
to
the general
men
her daughter Peggy.
down your is
in this coun-
sleeves, bring
a-going to stop for a
drink of water."
Wayne rode up, mounted on a fine He wore a dingy red coat, a black rusty
Just then General
roan horse. cravat,
and a tarnished lace
hat.
Peggy came running with the goblet, one sleeve up and Mrs. Reese had drawn a bucket of water. She held one rein of Wayne's restless steed while Peggy handed him the goblet brimful of clear, cold water. The general was very polite, and after many thanks and graceone down.
ful
bows hastened down the
road, followed
by a cloud
of
dust.
" Sure, now, he's the
same boy he used
Digitized
by Microsoft®
to be.
Neither
197 big nor small, but stout and active,
and ruddy
face.
stirrups to
bow
Did you
Oh
?
— the same bright eye
see, girl,
how he
raised in his
he's every inch a gentleman, he
!
Waynes when he was a baby. There Anthony now." "Where did the Waynes live " asked Peggy, who was beginning to roll down lived with the
I
is.
are no boys like
?
the other sleeve.
"Live ? Out 'Waynesborough,' Easttown told
you
time
?
at in
haven't
;
this
I
many
He was
a
Mr.
Isaac Wayne's only son. It
was
in '45
New
What
Day
born.
baby he was,
a
be sure
to
slept
Year's
when he was
Ate and
!
most of the time.
I
knew
a
war coming
was
that there just
General Anthon >'
as
soon as that boy was big enough the like in
He
drilled
all
my
He
life.
to play.
played soldier
Way ne
-
I
never saw
all
the time.
them and marched them, and what snow
forts
he did build, with towers on the corners and piles of frozen snowballs
inside!
smarter than you " Well, I It's
not
"You
my
He was are,
smart,
too
—a
good sight
Peggy."
guess he didn't have the same
mammy
I
had.
fault."
needn't get pouty about
seen the general a-ciphering Digitized
it,
now.
when he was
by Microsoft®
You should have a boy.
He'd
fill
198 a whole slate full of his big sums.
When
got ahead of his daddy.
him
the
to
much
Academy
He came home
said that he
smart do
it.
man
to
like,
but he
land.
Many's the time
pick him out from
all
He
made
never took
mark
his
at
with a compass and a chain, and
was a surveyor. measure
I
tell
you,
girl, it
takes a
my lad Anthony, he
But
could
I've dusted his papers, all full of
Didn't the great Doctor Franklin
long rows of figures.
the boys in this country, or Philadel-
phia, as the best one to
great tract of
Philadelphia.
in
Latin and such
to
figures.
Many's the time he
he was sixteen, they sent
new land
?
go to Nova Scotia I tell
survey a
to
you, old Mr. Isaac
Wayne
was proud that day. Anthony was scarcely twenty-one Waynesyears old. It was pretty dull and quiet around borough after Anthony was gone. Once Miss Polly Penrose, whose father was a rich storekeeper in Philadelphia, came up to stay awhile with Anthony's mother. I had my suspicions just as soon as I saw Miss Polly." '
'
"
Did you, think she'd steal?" asked Peggy, innocently. Goodness gracious, child, have you lost your wits? Steal! Why, Mistress Polly was a lady, I'd have you know. She was there a-visiting. And as I was asaying, I had my suspicions. Her eyes grew brighter, and her cheeks a little redder every time they would show her anything which was Anthony's. Mrs. Wayne had a patchwork quilt, and all the small diamond pieces were made from Anthony's little dresses and pants. Miss Polly was " Steal
!
knew it then, and sure enough, when Anthony came home from Nova Scotia, the terribly taken with the quilt.
very
first
I
thing he did was to go and marry Miss Polly.
" I tell you, girl, he
was always particular about how
Digitized
by Microsoft®
199
You wouldn't have
he dressed.
seen him looking as he
did this morning before the winter at Valley Forge.
He
winter was hard on him.
He
used to be fond of white and blue uni-
his
soldiers
before that.
And
form.
going into
Wayne's
Many
battle.
would
soldiers
rags and
That
never wore dingy clothes
must be
all
trigged up before
a time I've heard him say that
fight better in trim, neat
Your
dirt.
father,
uniforms than in
used
girl,
barbers, one for each company.
laugh about
to
No
soldier
was
allowed on parade unless washed and shaved, and with his
and powdered.
hair plaited
about
this,
The
general was very strict
even after the boys had
duds, and had
little left
lost
almost
their
all
except their hair and their beards.
Their guns had to be polished and
oiled,
and they must
stand up straight and march, just the same as
if
they had
uniforms."
"That's what you were thinking about," said Peggy, "
when you
told
me
to roll
down my
sleeves.
I
didn't
know
then what you wanted." " No,
you
never
do
till
about
There's nothing quick about you,
"As
I
was
a-saying, I
was
night of the Paoli massacre.
a
week
afterwards.
girl.
Waynesborough the Such a time as we did have at
'
'
!
" Mistress Polly
was very uneasy that night, and said that she knew something was going to happen. She didn't go to bed until after ten o'clock. We knew that the general was encamped within a few miles from us. She
was a-counting on him coming over that night. And when he didn't come, she was sure that something must have happened. I told her that it was raining too hard for him to leave camp, and she knew what a great man he was to Digitized
by Microsoft®
'
200 stand by his
We
He
raised
man came running down
hour a
In less than half an
the road
us that the British were trying
told
'They came on
he
us,'
Wayne
was sure she heard a firing the west window and could
very plain in the distance.
it
Mrs.
eleven
after
little
said that she
toward the camp. hear
A
duty.
She
called me.
said, 'in
all
out of breath.
to capture Wayne.
We
the dark.
knew
that
they were coming, and were lying in the rain with our
guns under to
one of
Wayne's
us.
a great fighter,
the hottest
born "
'
fire
I
artillery could
was ever
What
you running
are
you
I tell
'
called tell
said,
him a coward, but you, Mrs.
was up
you.
He
until the
fire
general
off.
It
was
too stub-
is
'
said Mrs.
it
crowd
little
and ran
was too
Wayne was
Wayne.
'
Why
?
late
to fight the
Mistress Polly
on.
he didn't hear
;
it.
when her blood
high-strung
" !
" Well,
Peggy,
?
for
no use for our
it's
whole British army,' he
I
them
to retreat.'
don't you go back this instant "
tell
be drawn
The
in.
I
camp
kept us between the English and our
baggage wagons and
of
There were two
waiting for them.
us,
should have been scared
I
who was
all
to pieces," said
standing with her arms akimbo.
"So would any
other
woman
except Mrs. Wayne," said
Mrs. Reese. "
But as
I
was
a-saying,''
she continued, " Mrs.
soon came down from her high horse.
Wayne
In a few minutes
another deserter came along, and told us that the general
was
killed
man
said that
came
and
all
his soldiers captured.
Wayne was
for a long time. Digitized
taken prisoner.
The
night was
by Microsoft®
Then another Then nobody still
and dark.
'
201
The
firing
had
Not a sound could be heard.
stopped.
all
She would
Mistress Polly sat leaning out of the window.
have gone out into the night
but Mr. Robinson
herself,
seemed that hours had passed when, all of a sudden, we heard horsemen galloping down the 'There he comes,' said Mrs. Wayne, with a sigh of road.
wouldn't
let her.
It
relief.
" '
It's
horses "
Sure enough,
were
my all
the British,' said
I
' ;
don't you hear their
all
in less time
around the house.
life.
I
She
them.
was never
seem
a bit frightened.
I tell
said they were after General
knew that he must be hid in the house. "'Then he isn't killed, and he's not
Wayne
so scared in
really
all
carry us
But Mistress Polly talked right up
didn't
They
all grit.
I
than a chicken winks they
knew they would rob and burn and
off prisoners.
Mrs.
heavy
?
to
you, she's
Wayne. They
a prisoner!' and
thanked them for the good news.
She
had not been there that night. They might search the house, and she would expect them to
told
them
behave
that he
like
and me closets,
like
And
gentlemen.
disturb
didn't
anything,
two great
they certainly
ladies.
under the beds, and
They
They hunted through
in the garret
They thanked Mrs. Wayne
in the barn.
did.
and they treated Mrs. Wayne and
cellar,
the
and
for her courtesy,
must take Robert and James along with them, and they hoped that no harm would come to
and
her.
told her that they
It
did so
angered
much
gentlemen.
me
that they took the
men
away, but they
we expected that we called them Abraham Robinson came and took care of
better than
us after that." Digitized
by Microsoft®
202
WAYNE'S CAMP AT YELLOW SPRINGS.
CHRISTIAN HENCH
He
was a determined Whig.
Yellow Springs, now Chester Springs. the afternoon of September 16, 1777, Mr. Hench
lived near the
On
had been out
salting his large
"That's as
bunch
a
fine
the county," he said to "
a
herd of fat
cattle.
of
steers as
lame
soldier
There were no such herds
A
Germany.
in
could never work up there as he can here.
man, you've been your
bullet in
you
as
the army.
in
leg.
I
My
family needed meat.
in
poor
man
tell
you,
I
-carry an
English
hate European oppression as
I
Once, when
do.
You
find
you'll
standing near.
lived over there,
my
He
brother was poor.
much
brother's
could
He went out into the king's The king's gamekeeper saw him,
not see his family starve.
and shot a hare.
forest
and shot him on the
They
killed.
told
spot.
me
they would attend to
yet
theirs.
why my my own
Then and
there
brother was affairs,
vowed not
I
life
and
was not
so
as that of a hare.
" Yes,
move
asked
country where a man's
to live longer in a
much
I
to attend to
I
all
my
man,
ever made. I
have
I
my
is
yonder spotted heifer
You
is
to-day.
at
Brandyvvine
morning.
Germany, and it was the best thank God for what I have. And
left
I
country's to
if
she needs
fellows could have if
I'd give
it.
know where General Washington whipped the
you had kept your eyes open
Did you know that Major Spear who
Washington
?
man, cheer up,
I
believe that he lost us the battle.
we'll
whip the redcoats
Digitized
by Microsoft®
yet.
I
British in the lied to
Come,
agree with
203
Anthony Wayne, will get
that our cause deserves success,
" Hello, what's
that coming
down the road
nental soldiers, as sure as I'm alive
horse "
and we
it.
is
General Wayne's.
Hunting a camping
I'd
And
!
know
place, are
Conti-
?
that fine roan
that roan.
you
?
Well, general,
you have known me for years. That field will hold you, I'm a-thinking. Wait till I pull out the bars. Tell your
men
to help themselves.
All
I
have
is
theirs.
My
losses
cannot equal their sufferings."
No
second invitation was needed.
Wood was
white with tents.
The
fine
herd of
The
field
was soon
hauled for the camp
fires.
fat cattle, the joy of the farmer's heart,
was quickly driven from the meadow up to the barnyard, and the work of slaughter commenced. "Take all you need, boys," said Mr. Hench. "I know that you must be hungry. Had a battle this morning, eh Too wet for you, was it ? Well, you are just like us farmers, ?
— have to turn in when "Yes,
sir,"
it
rains."
replied one of the soldiers.
"We
were
all
ready for them this morning, on the hills south of the valley. But the rain came on, and our muskets and flints are in bad trim. Not more than half of the guns in our company I tell you, it was a good thing that it are worth anything. Indeed, Mr. Hench, it was a hard march for did rain.
some
A
of us.
man
Rations are slim, and the roads are rough.
with no shoes, and no dinner, and with
all
the
clothes on his back wet through, doesn't find marching an
easy job."
Mr. Hench found that the soldiers were expert butchers.
They took enough
to
make
Digitized
a good supper and breakfast.
by Microsoft®
204
As soon
as the hides were taken
from the
the
steers,
on the ground, hair side down,
soldiers spread the skins
placed their torn and bleeding feet on the flesh side, and cut,
with their knives, enough of the hide to
tie
roughly
manner a number of them were shod when they marched away the next morning. around the ankle.
How
In this
they shouted in the peach orchard while they
filled their
knapsacks, eating
all
the while
!
Hench commenced baking bread that evening as From that time until daysoon as the soldiers arrived. Mrs.
light, as fast as
one
loaves
lot of
another was ready to take
kneaded bread
its
was taken from the oven, All night Mrs.
place.
The
at the dough-tray.
Hench
half-famished
sol-
was out of the pieces and devoured the
diers could scarcely wait until the bread
They
oven.
pulled the loaves to
bread by the handful.
Two wounded
officers
Mrs. Hench's rooms.
occupied separate beds
The
next morning they
They determined
to settle
it
They could sit up They sent their servants downstairs in
one of
fell into a
Hard names were
dispute over the battle of Brandywine. called.
in
by fighting a
bed and they could to clean
fight
it
duel.
there.
and load the
pistols.
some way, heard of the affair. once went to the servants and took the pistols from Then she went up to the officers' room and gave
Good Mrs. Hench, She
at
them.
them
a
in
sound scolding for daring
such doings.
Before the
to disgrace
officers
left
her house by
she succeeded in
making peace between them. It was a happy band of soldiers that left Mr. Hench's farm the next morning to march to French Creek, where Digitized
by Microsoft®
205 the
The
powder works were.
stuffed with meat, bread,
soldiers'
knapsacks were
and peaches.
Those wearing
the rawhide moccasins slapped their thighs and laughed.
The
sores on their feet felt
After Wayne's army
would not be safe
much
left,
better.
Mr. Hench thought that
to stay there.
the British should
If
come, they would punish him for treating Wayne's Mr.
well. it
into
Hench
collected
all his silver
He
cellar.
told
men
so
and gold and put
an earthen milk crock, which he buried
corner of the
it
no one except
his
in
one
youngest
daughter. " If
we
are
all killed,"
he said
spared, and then you will
to her,
"your
know where
life
may be
the treasure
is."
Mr. Hench loaded his goods on a four-horse wagon, and, driving his stock before
where he camped
When
him, went far into the woods,
for several days.
he returned he found things as he had
left
them,
except that the fences had been destroyed by the British
army.
LIGHT-HORSE HARRY.
AFTER
the
Paoli
massacre,
the
pared to cross the Schuylkill River.
encamped in the Great Valley not and on the west side of the river. Cornwallis moved north into burning fence
Some
rails
of the stolen
far
army preIt had been
British
from Valley Forge,
Schuylkill
Township,
and taking the farmers' provisions.
meat was salted
Mrs. Anderson's best bureau. Digitized
by Microsoft®
in
the drawers
of
;
206
Washington was on the and determined
When
to
Cornwallis
east side of
prevent the
British
the Schuylkill,
from crossing.
gathered his soldiers opposite Parker
Ford, Washington was sure that he intended either to cross here or to destroy the Continental
Warwick on French Creek.
By
powder works
forced marches,
ington massed his troops at Pottsville,
now
Pottstown.
He
Cornwallis saw that his trick was working well.
drove his baggage wagons and
artillery,
of the army, across the river at ville),
and
at
at
Wash-
with a large part
Gordons Ford (Phcenix-
Flatland Ford, a short distance below.
Before Washington knew
it,
the greater portion of the
English army was east of the Schuylkill, and the road
was open. General Washington always made the best of a defeat. He at once remembered that he had caused a quantity
to Philadelphia
flour to
of
be collected at a large mill on the
river,
about halfway between the British army and Philadelphia
and he decided hands
the
of
to prevent this flour
English.
Whom
from
falling into the
should he send on this
There were Colonel Hamilton (Alex-
dangerous mission?
ander Hamilton) and Light-horse Harry (Henry Lee, father
Robert E. Lee), both young men, and
of
They
full of dash.
quickly mounted their swift southern horses, and,
with a few picked men, galloped rapidly around the British
army, and came to the top of a long
to the mill. fire
their
Here two horsemen were
guns and rush down the
hill
left,
hill as
leading
down
with orders to
soon as they saw
any British dragoons coming.
At
the foot of the
race to a road leading
hill was a bridge crossing the away from the river.
Digitized
by Microsoft®
mill
!
207
"If the English chase ride
us,"
young Lee, "we'll
said
through that bridge, and escape into the country.
Luce," he added, patting his favorite mare on the neck,
"can outrun any English horse in all Cornwallis's army." " That may be," said the more cautious Hamilton, " if they don't hold the bridge, and head you off. To make sure against a
surprise,
I
will
get this boat ready for
a pull across the river." "
No need
to
waste time on an old
mud
boat," said Lee.
" Stick to the saddle."
Then they dismounted, hastily The astonished
into the mill.
tied their horses,
from Washington, and caught up
The men barrel of
set to
good
work with
his
and ran
read their orders
miller
hat and ran
out.
a will, and rolled barrel after
flour into the race.
The water
ran thick
paste to the river. "
Let the Schuylkill, instead of Cornwallis, carry the
bread of
life
past Philadelphia," shouted one of the men,
The Bang words were scarcely out of his mouth when bang " went the guns of the frightened sentinels, who were racing headlong down the hill, with a party of Engas he rolled the last barrel of flour into the water. "
!
lish
"
dragoons close behind.
Run
late to
for the boat, boys," shouted Hamilton.
make
Instantly four "
Now
"It's too
the bridge."
pull for
men tumbled your
into the boat with Hamilton.
lives," yelled Lee.
"
I'll
save three
horses, and not overload the boat." "It's too
"
Come
late
to
make
the
bridge,"
said
Hamilton.
with us."
Lee sprang over an
old millstone,
Digitized
by Microsoft®
and vaulted
into the
208
The two remaining men
saddle.
followed him.
Faithful
Luce gathered herself for a race with death. With a great bound she sprang into the air. Spurs were not needed. Already the British dragoons, with swords drawn and carbines firing, were chasing the two sentinels toward the bridge. The distances were about equal, and the English were coming downhill.
The English dragoons shouted with Lee.
But the Virginia-bred horses were
They dashed
into the bridge only a
Sure of
delight.
from the sentinels
their victims, they turned
to capture
the wind.
fleet as
few rods
advance
in
whose heavy horses and poor aim saved the and his men. lives of Lee The dragoons saw that it was useless to pursue further, of the British,
and wheeled
their horses in order to capture the party in
the boat before they could get out of range.
men were
Hamilton's
straining and bending their oars
The English
as they drove the boat across the current.
and glanced from
bullets splashed in the water " Pull, boys," said
Two
Hamilton.
oarsmen were shot
of his faithful
shoulders, and had to
who was
" Pull for
down
lie
steering, expected every
in the
to
lives
" !
arms and Hamilton,
in the boat.
minute
their oars.
your
be shot in the
back.
" Let
her swing in
the
current,"
he
said.
" It will
change the range."
The it
river
swiftly
caught the
down
the
little
stream.
cursing their luck in
finding
boat like a chip, and swept
The dragoons, who were no boats
rushed down the bank to get another shot. out of range.
On
fit
for
pursuit,
The boat was
the other shore Hamilton procured a
Digitized
by Microsoft®
209 horse,
and rode
ters.
He
at full
speed to Washington's headquar-
feared that Lee had fallen into the hands of the
Could anything be done to save him ? Washington was reading a letter when Hamilton
British.
rived
"
he looked up and smiled, saying,
;
you that Light-horse Harry
inform
me
asks
nothing can be done
if
is
that he fears that you, to
fellow.
"
I
my mind more
than
Hamilton; "I
He's a brave and noble
rejoice in his escape."
Not any more than
deeply regretted
I
do,"
allowing you
brained adventure.
Your
to
are captured, and
lately," said
was sure that Lee was captured.
to
save you."
" Indeed, your honor, this relieves
anything that has happened
ar-
a mes-
I
safe. sir,
is
am happy He writes
sage just received from your friend Lee. tell
This
You
said to
" I
Washington.
go on such a hare-
are both too valuable to lose.
interest in each other
is
knits the South with the North
very gratifying to me.
It
— a much-needed thing
in
these times."
WAYNE'S LETTERS TO HIS WIFE. "
WES indeed,
Mrs. Wayne, of course
I
should,
if
you'll
You know that Anthony was my boy. read them. Didn't Didn't I nurse him when he was a little codger I mend his clothes when he used to play soldier in the I
?
woods ? from his
Yes indeed, you read me just what you like letters, and I'll be a-darning these stockings the
while."
And good
on her
face, settled
Mrs. Reese, with an air of satisfaction
down Digitized
to
her work.
by Microsoft®
Mrs.
Wayne had
210 in
her hand a large pile of
envelope of each seals
letter
were
The
letters. all in
had the Wayne mark on many
" I'll
Wayne
sheet and the
one piece.
The
big red
of them.
not read you everything, Mrs. Reese," said Mrs. ;
"
I
think
know what
I
will interest
you the most.
August 12, Anthony had charge up there
Here's one from. Fort Ticonderoga,
1776.
You remember
until
that
he joined Washington.
The Wayne Homestead. "
'
Dear Polly,
sent you
—
I
wrote you by the messenger and.
a small present.
He
particular acc't of this place
matters worse
days
England
militia ;
salt
spirits
—
I
be able to give you a
;
— but he paint — within these two
and army
than they really are
we have been
than
will
will
reinforced by three thousand
fresh provision
is
New
become more plenty
and our people have recovered health and have now the finest and best Regiment in the Digitized
by Microsoft®
211 Continental Service pleasure by
— we
are viewed with admiration
and
we have
ren-
the officers in the army, and
all
dered our camp almost impregnable.' " That's exactly like
side of things.
be remembered "
hope yet
I
'
Anthony he always ;
to his friends to pass
and neighbors, saying,
many an if
will
"
'
of
Adieu
war should order in the
fell
I
and the rights
my Dear
Girl '
"The was
a
New
Jersey,
frightened about us here at
Dear Polly,
—
Ant'y Wayne.'
He had
next was in January, 1777.
little
it
support of
mankind. "
Washington's retreat across
—
agreeable hour in your
and their society — but the fate of otherwise — they remember their Rights
sees the bright
In the latter part of the letter he asks to
'
just
and
I
heard of guess he
Waynesborough.'
know where this will meet you. The rapid progress of the enemy through New Jerperhaps they may now sey only reached us last evening "
'
I
don't
—
be
and ravaging the country for miles Round. The Anxiety we are under on acc't of our families and
in Phil'a.
"
'
friends
is
much
better felt than expressed
be necessitated to leave Easttown
meet with Hospitality
in the
Back
—
I
— should
you
doubt not but you'll
parts of the provinces
—
The British Rebels may be successful for a time they may take and Destroy our Towns near the water and they never will Distress us much But they never can ;
—
subjugate the freeborn sons of America.
"'Our growing Country can meet with Considerable Losses and survive them Digitized
;
but one Defeat to our more
by Microsoft®
212
Enemy Ruins them
than Savage
soon learn to face them in the off
when we
we
deserve to be free
shall
forever
and the day
field,
produce a conviction
—
.we
.
;
is
shall
not far
World
to the
that
expect every hour to be Relieved
I
with orders to march to the Assistance of Gen'l Washington
;
I
have 1500 Hardy Veterans
and Revenge. ...
for Victory to
Death or "
'
to
left
who
Glory
Kiss
my
boy and
little
"
"That's "
He was
my
me
girl for '
push hard
will
hope soon
I
to lead
them
—
A. Wayne.'
"
boy Anthony over again," said Mrs. Reese.
never cast clown by
he never forgot them
;
failure,
and the
little
ones,
no indeed, he never did."
"Yes," replied Mrs. Wayne, "he always remembered each
member
letter.
of the family.
Just read what
is
Look
at the
closing of this
folded on the outside."
^ JHJ>~*. £^ ^J^f .1.JLX *~~-J#^ "T^L. v A*-..
d ^+^^^%^6^
Digitized
*~~*~^ .
by Microsoft®
213
"The June
7,
"'My Dear
—
Polly,
your bad state of health your
Wayne,
next letter," continued Mrs.
I
am
— you
spirits as well as possible
purchased
— the
be made
sacrifice to
must endeavor
— the
— the
the present leaders will live to see
rise in
America. ...
I
;
is
but a
— whether
trifling
any
of
established in this
it
depends on Heaven
soil
keep up
blood and treasure of
consideration for the rich inheritance
once happy
to
times require great
blessings of liberty cannot be
high a price
at too
extremely sorry to hear of
the choicest and best spirits of this land
one day
"is dated
1777.
but
it
must,
would advise you
it
will
to use
every possible endeavor to get in your harvest yourself
and not put will
out on shares on no acc't as grain and hay
it
Have we no The educagives me much
be at a prodigious price next winter.
kind neighbors to lend a helping hand tion of
my
little
children
concern and which already hinted that
I I
is
?
.
a matter that
hope you
'
God
Farewell, "
'
'
few weeks
later
have
his
Bless you,
Yours most "
"A
I
marked with
—
"
—
son will not turn
little
aside from virtue, though the path be father's blood
.
will not neglect
my
expect
.
sincerely,
Ant'y Wayne.'
Anthony was ordered
into Penn-
was very Waynesborough that time, hard for him not to get to but he wrote to me to meet him at Naamans Creek. Mr. Robinson went with me and the children. They were sylvania to meet the British at Brandywine.
It
'
'
w. and
b.
—
iQigitized
by Microsoft®
214 overjoyed to see their papa.
we saw him was written just
After that
His next important
several times.
letter
before the battle of Germantown.
'"Trappe, 30th "
'
—
Dear Polly,
being depressed at
enemys being
thought you had a mind far above
I
must leave
in the possession of the City of
— they may hold
'
for a time
it
— but
with circumstances of shame and disgrace
it
before the close of winter "
no more con-
in possession of Phila is of
or Boston
— the
unfavorable circumstance
'a little
sequence than their being
New York
Sept. 1777.
Our army
is
stronger than
it
now was
—
and
in full health at the
spirits,
and far
Brandywine
Battle of
— we
are daily receiving reinforcements, and are drawing near
enemy
the
— who
shortly
will
pay dear for the
advantage they have lately gained. ... next ent,
ing
— and — yet they
altho'
prospect
will
will
take
— Give
place
my
out the
shortly point
and happiness
is
our turn
gloomy at pressoon be dissipated and a more pleas-
appearances are a
little
my
kindest
wishes to both our mothers and sisters
sword
it
little
— kiss
our
little
way
—
tell
love
and
them
my
to victory
people for
me
peace
— Remove
books and valuable writings some distance from
— not already done — prudence — and not be considered
own home
this is
if
to
my
but an act of
as proceeding
from
any other motive " '
Adieu "
'
my Dear me
believe "
Girl and Yours
'most Sincerely " '
Digitized
by Microsoft®
Ant'y Wayne.'
215 " In less than a
after the battle of
week he wrote Germantown.
me
to
This was
again.
"'Camp near Pawling Mills
—
6th. of Oct. 1777.
—
"
Dear Polly, On the 4th. Instant at the dawn of day, we attacked General Howe's army at the upper end of Germantown The action soon became general when we advanced on the enemy with charged bayonets they '
—
broke
— —
once without waiting to receive us
at
— but
— when a heavy and well directed each side — The Enemy again gave
soon
formed again
fire
place on
way
took but
being supported by the Grenadiers returned to the charge
— Gen'l
Sullivan's Division
at this time
my
whilst
army
to
engaged
and Conway's Brigade were
to the right or
west of Germantown
—
Division had the whole right wing of the enemy's
encounter on the
or east of the
left
Town
— two
army being then too far to the east to afford us any assistance. However the unparalleled bravery of the troops surmounted every difficulty, and the enemy
thirds of our
— the fog together with
retreated in the utmost confusion
the smoke occasioned by our cannon and musketry
—
made
we had now pushed enemy near three miles and were in possession of their whole encampment when a large body of troops were it
almost as dark as night
.
.
.
the
advancing on our
discovered
taken for the enemy we retreated
— which
flank
left .
.
.
being
the fog and this
mistake prevented us from following a victory that in
human war.
probability
The
o'clock
—
I
would have put an end
battle continued
had forgotten Digitized
from daylight
to
to the
American
until
near twelve
my
roan horse
mention that
by Microsoft®
all
"
216
was
killed
front
me
under
— and
my
left
within a few yards of the enemy's foot a
little
bruised by one of their
cannon shot — but not so much as prevent me from the walking — my poor horse received one musket ball breast — and one the flank the same instant that scarcely had a touch on my hand — which worth mentioning — upon the whole was a glorious day — our men are the highest — and am confident to
in
in
I
at
slight
is
left
it
in
we is
spirits
them a
shall give
total defeat the
at
no great distance —
"
My
'
best love
and wishes "
'
I
next action
to all friends
Adieu
my Dear
Girl
"'Ant'y Wayne k to
*:
N. B.
market
have heard that you intended
I
—
I
which
;
would not have
it
to
—
send Rachel
done for one thousand
guineas.'
A GOOD MAN SUFFERS FOR HIS RELIGION.
MANY
Germans that came to Pennsylvania were opposed to war. They could not be true to their Pennsylvania was a Quaker religion and take up arms. colony, and in that peaceful land non-resisting Germans were glad
of the
to find a
home.
In religion, they were Quakers, Mennonites, and Breth-
The Brethren were called Dunkers. They came to Germantown first in 17 19. Among them was the famous
ren.
Christopher Saur, the great printer of the colony. son, also
named
His
Christopher, was born in Prussia, SeptemDigitized
by Microsoft®
217 ber 26, his
1
72 1,
came
America
to
in
was
1724,
men
chosen church, and one of the busiest
work at as many trades or occupations, and still find time preach, and travel. It is
a bishop of
said that he could
of his day.
as twenty-four to write,
and
In 1758 his father died, and the son took charge of his
Germantown.
father's business in
Here he managed a
printing establishment, a laboratory, a drug store, a book-
bindery, a paper mill, and other important businesses, and
became
quite rich.
When
the Revolutionary War broke out, Saur was a American patriot but he got into difficulty because he would not fight. He was falsely charged with being
true
;
The
a traitor and a foe to liberty.
seems his
to
have been a desire
real
purpose of this
to rob the pious old
man
of
money.
On
the night of
May
24,
1778, a party of soldiers of
Colonel McLean's company surrounded
the
old
man's
house, took him out of bed, and in his night clothes, bare-
headed and barefooted, started him on
his
way
to Valley
Forge. It is
a great pity that
not like their leader. for victory
and the
right,
wrong
all
Washington's soldiers were
While he prayed
some
of his
in secret to
God
men were commit-
and pure man. Saur was forced through stubble fields, and the tracks
ting this great
to a pious
of his shoeless feet could be traced
by
his blood.
he did not walk fast enough he was prodded with bayonets.
After a time
it
became
till
morning.
Digitized
by Microsoft®
back
so dark that the
and remain in Sebastian Here Saur was shamefully
soldiers decided to stop,
barn
When
in the
Miller's treated.
218
Washington praying
Part of his beard was cut
off,
at
Valley Forge.
and
his face
and remaining
beard were smeared with paint.
The next day was very
hot,
and
bleeding feet caused him great pain.
his bare
A
head and
friend on the
way, named Keyser, pitied him and gave him a pair of shoes, but a rough soldier soon took these
gave him instead a pair of
" old slabs "
from him and
that were worse
than none. In this wretched plight he reached Valley Forge, and was
One day Washington passed by. He Saur had done much printing for
held under arrest.
knew Saur very
well.
Washington, and loved the good general sincerely.
"Why, Mr. mander
Saur!
How
you do look!" said the com-
in chief.
"Just as your people made me," was the prompt reply. Digitized
by Microsoft®
;
;
219
At once inhuman
the great general, his heart touched by this
injury,
gave Mr. Saur an honorable release and
presented him with a suit of decent clothes.
But
He
was,
a rich man, noted for benevolence
and
was
his property
when
arrested,
good deeds.
When
all
he returned, he was a pauper.
even had to beg his enemies spectacles.
He his
from him.
stolen
This they
He
to allow him to retain his
finally did.
spent the remaining days of his earthly career with
devoted daughter near what
now Fairview
is
village,
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and preached almost to
the day of his death.
His body
rests in the
marks the
a plain gravestone
may
Methacton burying ground, and spot.
read these words, from Saur's
On
"Death, thou hast conquered me 'Twas by thy dart I'm slain But Christ shall conquer thee,
And "
I
this stone
own pen
:
—
one
;
shall rise again.
Time hastens on the hour, The just shall rise again
Oh Grave, where is Oh Death, where !
thy power
!
is
?
thy sting?"
oXXo
NARROW ESCAPE OF LIEUTENANT JUST
TILLY.
before Washington went into winter quarters at
Valley Forge, the army was encamped at Whitemarsh.
Many
of
the
officers
surrounding farmhouses. Digitized
The
were quartered old
by Microsoft®
at
the
Foulke mansion at
'
'
'
220 Penllyn resounded with the merriment of General Smallstaff and a bevy of Quaker maidens whose vivawas a continual surprise to these Southern " gallants." Sally Wistar, a bright young girl from Philadelphia, who was making the Foulke mansion her home during
wood's city
Howe's occupation Smallwood as "tall,
of
Philadelphia,
made;
portly, well
General
describes
a truly martial
air,
the behavior and manners of a gentleman, a good understanding, and great humanity of disposition."
young friend Liddy Foulke went into the parlor. "There was Major Stodard holding the candle for General Smallwood, who was reading a newspaper." In a few minutes the major set the candle down, and came to talk with these two Quaker maidens. Their talk is written out in Sally's journal, which was kept
One evening
for her friend "
'
Debby
Norris in Philadelphia.
Pray, ladies,' said the major,
book
that
Sally and her
'
are there any songs in
?
'
Yes, many.'
'
Can't you favor
me
No, major;
a borrowed book.'
'
'
:
'
'tis
with a sight of
Miss Sally, can't you sing
Thee
No.'
Liddy, saucy
denied
for
;
a raven. clever,
girl,
my
We
may be told
voice
is
not
I
told
could.
much
the truth
He
amiable, and polite.
He
there.
begged, and
I
better than the voice of
talked and laughed for an hour.
never pronounces the 'r' at
The
I
?
?
sure
him
it
He
is
has the softest voice,
all."
major, she says, had been at Philadelphia College,
was nineteen
years old,
and had a fortune
thousand pounds. Digitized
by Microsoft®
of
thirty
'
221 "
He
large in person, manly, and of
is
countenance and address.
much
.
He
.
an engaging
vastly bashful, so
is
so he can hardly look at the ladies.
nephew
the
.
.
.
He
.
is
General Smallwood, and acts as major
of
of brigade to him."
The major was
among
a favorite
the ladies at the man-
After being absent the larger part of November,
sion.
he returned early in December, weak and worn with
The kind
posure.
Note
him.
attentions he received
Sally's journal
:
—
" First day, morn.
"
"
'
"
'
"
'
" '
There
tripped into Aunt's.
I
more
How
like himself.
natural
it
I feel
quite recovered, Sally.' I
December
7th.
sat the major, rather
was
Good morning, Miss Sally.' Good morrow, major. How does Well,
ex-
revived
quite
him
to see
!
thee do to-day
?
fancy this indisposition has saved thy head
this time, major.'
" '
No, ma'am, for
them.' silk
That was
hear a
if I
heroic.
firing, I shall
and cotton gown. It awkwardish and prefer the
feel quite
Among
Foulke mansion was a
and
jokes.
The- Wistar journal above the
girlish dress."
who were boarding at the Mr. Tilly, who was made the butt
the various officers
of all their fun
ruddy
be soon with
About eleven I dressed myself, is made without an apron. I
common
face, hair
size,
calls
him "a wild noisy mortal,
rather genteel, an extremely pretty
brown, and a sufficiency of
it,
a very
great laugher, and talks so excessively fast that he often
begins a sentence without finishing the Digitized
by Microsoft®
last,
which con-
'
222
him very much, and then he blushes and laughs.
fuses
He
also a musician,
is
flute,
and has
it
— that
he plays on the German
is,
here."
Poor Tilly became more and more the object of
jest
and
ridicule.
"I flute,
am vexed
Miss Sally; "he has his
at Tilly," says
and does nothing but play the
tune, plays a note or so, then stops.
He
fool.
begins a
Well, after a while
he begins again, stops again. "
'
Will that do, Seaton
Hah
?
He has given us but two am passionately fond of
" I
haves!
Hah"!
!
Hah
'
!
regular tunes since he arrived.
How
music.
boyish he be-
"
It was not long before the young major and the lively Quaker maid plotted to scare Tilly. " I was darning an apron," says Sally, "upon which the
major was pleased to compliment me. '"Well, Miss Sally, what would
you do here "
the British were to
if
come
?
'
Do
exclaimed
!
'
ened just
I,
be fright-
'
He
to death.'
and said he would escape
laughed,
their rage
by getting behind the large picture of a British grenadier that
we had
upstairs.
"*Of
all
he
things,'
said,
should like to frighten Tilly with Pray, ladies, British Grenadier.
ber
let's fix
tO-ni£fht.'
Digitized
by Microsoft®
it
in his
'I it.
cham-
223 "
If thee will take all the blame,
'
'
That
I
And
he replied.
will,'
we
will assist thee.'
was the
this
plan.
We
had bought, some weeks ago, a British grenadier from Uncle Miles, on purpose to divert us. It is remarkably well executed, six feet high, and
makes
a martial appear-
This we agreed to stand at the door that opens
ance.
into the road (the house has four
rooms on a
floor,
wide entry running through) with another
would add
to the
behind
stand
offered.
.
.
One
deceit.
them,
others
with a
figure, that
our servants was to
of
were
to
serve
as occasion
.
" In the beginning of the evening
begged her
swords and
to secure the
their parlor,
and she went
I
went
pistols
to
Liddy and
which were
and brought her apron
in
in
full
of swords and pistols.
"When
We
girls
this
was done, Stodard joined the
went and stood
officers.
at the first landing of the stairs.
The gentlemen were seated in the parlor, merrily chatting on public affairs, when Seaton's negro opened the door, candle in hand, and said
' :
There's somebody at the door
that wishes to see you.' "
'
Who,
'"Yes, he said
all sir,'
of us
'
afterwards,
The
soldier.
any rebel
first
In a
said Tilly.
said the boy.
walked into the news.
?
almost
all
rose (the major, as
dying with
laughter),
first,
object that
struck view was a
here
his ears ? '
in a
and
in full expectation
entry, Tilly
moment
officers
They
were saluted.
'
thundering voice.
of
British
Are there Not wait-
ing for a second word, he darted like lightning out of the front door, through the yard, and bolted over the fence.
Swamps,
fences, thorn hedges, Digitized
and ploughed
by Microsoft®
fields
noway
224
He was
impeded his retreat. woods echoed with
'"Which way the house
!
'"
intending to
did he go?'
Lipscomb
make
also "
his escape,"
of the joke. " ' Go, call Tilly back,'
he
lose himself, indeed
had
down
meadows, creeks,
Why, what
it
was.
and mudholes.
painted wood.
a bit of
The
latch,
the major told him
'
He
will
will.'
the heel, hair
at
hand on the
his
when
" Figure to thyself this Tilly, of a hat, shoes
'Surround
'Stop him!'
said to the major.
I
The
soon out of hearing.
across
Flying from
what?
But he was ignorant
idea of being
engrossed his mind, and his
snowy evening, no
untied, flying
made
last resource
of
a prisoner wholly
was
to run."
oKXo
UNCLE JOHN'S LETTER TO HIS GRANDSON.
UNCLE
JOHN
had been a
soldier in the Revolution-
ary War, and some years after the surrender at Yorktown he removed to Ohio in company with several other While living there on land given him by the veterans.
government he wrote the following in Philadelphia
:
—
My dear Grandson For some months
letter to his
grandson
:
I
have been intending to answer
your questions about the Revolutionary War in PennsylWhy, child, if I once got started, there would be vania.
no ending. Digitized
by Microsoft®
225 I
was taken prisoner
remained
the
in
at the battle of
camp
British
until
Brandywine and
we reached
Phila-
delphia.
A
few days
remember hearing the officers laughing about the old man who kept the inn at Dilworthtown. It appears that some of the after the battle
I
English
younger
During
were loafing one day about the tavern.
officers
some one declared that Dilwas as raw and tasteless as the people.
their conversation
worthtown
ale
Everybody was so ignorant and
" It's
boorish.
a fine
country," said Aston, "but these people have no educa-
no culture."
tion,
Upon
this the innkeeper, after
having glanced out of
the window, suddenly grew angry, and, bringing his heavy fist
the bar with a bang, said, "
down on
pounds that the
I'll
farmer who drives past
first
can speak more languages than the whole
kit
wager ten this
house
and crew
of
you put together."
The
officers
thought that the old innkeeper had been
drinking too much, and here was a fine chance for a
"A bet
fun.
were forced
A bet
!
"
little
they shouted, and three of them
!
to join purses to
make up
the ten pounds.
In a surprisingly short time a plain, middle-aged Quaker
drove up to the horse trough.
and spoke
to
him
in
equally well spoken.
The
officers
French, and received a
went down civil
Then Furgesson rubbed up
answer his
bad
Spanish and asked the Quaker if he was a Frenchman. The farmer answered in very good Spanish that he was born
in
The
Chester County and had never been in France. officers
then held a council in order to rub up a
Latin quotation.
When
the
Digitized
Quaker
by Microsoft®
realized that he
was
226 trial, he gave the young Englishmen a perfect shower Greek as he climbed upon his saddle horse and drove away. Not one of the officers could speak a word of
on of
won his wager. remember occurred during I had winter we were encamped at Valley Forge. Greek, so the innkeeper
Another incident
I
well
cently escaped from the British,
Washington's Headquarters
the re-
and every other week
at
I
Valley Forge.
was on duty as guard at Washington's headquarters. I had the night watch and was posted sentinel at the front door of the stone house.
One
bitter cold
morning following the sharpest night
I
was standing on the doorstep, slapping my It was growing late in the morning, and the guard to relieve me had not arrived. Just then the door opened and out stepped his
ever knew,
hands
to
I
keep them from freezing.
Digitized
by Microsoft®
227 Excellency, General Washington.
near him before.
I
when he asked me
if
"
had never been so
I
stepped back and raised
my
hat,
late
this
the guard had changed.
No, your Excellency,"
I
said
;
" they are
morning."
"You must be cold, my poor man," he said. "Here, me your musket. I will relieve you. Now go in and
give tell I
Mrs. Washington to give you a good hot breakfast."
needed no second
had that morning,
Such an appetite
invitation.
eating a steaming breakfast, while that great outside guarding his
During sick
all
as
I
sitting in his Excellency's headquarters,
own house
He was
!
man
stood
a great man.
that dreary winter he never failed to visit the
who were
in the inns
Indeed, he rode around
and churches
among them
in the vicinity.
so regularly that
some Tories up on the ridge determined to betray him. Word was sent to the British, and a band of horsemen But Washington was there expecting to bag their fox. Some said it was good luck, but did not go out that day. I always thought the Lord had a hand in it. Ah, my boy, we have no more men like the great and good General Washington. Your devoted Grandfather.
ONE OF THE DOAN
DURING
the Revolutionary
War
BOYS. there were five or
named Doan in Bucks County. Their They were not daring made them famous.
six brothers
deeds of always law-abiding and good, but they were true friends Digitized
by Microsoft®
!
228
American liberty, and this story proves the bravery and goodness of one of them. While the British were in Philadelphia it was impossible for the poor families of the city to get enough to eat. of
One poor woman
in
the
city,
had no food
in
the house.
army
at
Valley
patriot
with
small children,
six
Her husband was
in
the
and her children were
Forge,
crying for bread.
The
nearest place at which to get flour was Bristol.
one was allowed
to pass the line of British
No
guards on Vine
Lord Howe. This the woman She was desperate. She tried to get, and was refused. slipped by the guards and reached Bristol, bought twenty pounds of flour, put it in a pillow case, and hurried homeStreet without a pass from
ward
to her
hungry
babies.
As she entered the woods man stepped from behind a her hand.
It
near Frankford, a tree
and placed a
How
was from her husband.
tall,
stout
letter in
gladly she
said, "
it Then the tall man Your husmadam, and requested me to say that in a short time he will be with you money is a scarce article among us, but on account of your husband's devotion to the cause of liberty, I am willing to become his banker." Then he gave her a piece of money and said, " Hark
opened and read
band
is
!
well,
;
take the road to the left
She turned
to
stood was vacant.
thank him, but the place where he had As she drew near to Vine Street, the
awful word " Halt " !
pass,
— farewell."
struck
her to the soul.
woman."
"I have none,
sir;
my
" Curse the rebel crew
children are !
Digitized
why
—
"
Your
"
do you breed enemies to
by Microsoft®
"
229
your king ?
A
This
flour is
mine
—
off,
woman, and
die with
!
your babes
groan was her only answer.
Then
the
stout
tall,
stranger boldly stepped forward and said, " Please give the " if
woman Fool
you "
her flour."
Idiot
!
Who
!
are you
?
See yonder guardhouse
May
be
so, sir
but won't you give the poor
;
woman
the means of supporting her starving ones a week longer
Remember how
—
and think " "
;
interfere here, that shall be your quarters."
"
Begone, you scoundrel, or
You
?
far she has walked, the weight of the bag,
I'll
seize
woman
won't give this poor
you as a spy
her flour
" !
" ?
"No."
"Then by my country's faith, and hopes of freedom, you shall " And with a powerful arm he seized the guard by the throat and hurled him to the ground. !
"
Run, madam, run;
your
flour,
see, the
guardhouse
The guard
tried to rise; the stranger
him dead.
"
guard
to
is alive;
Shoot him down
guard
!
pistol
Shoot him down
along the
all
drew a
line.
The
secure
'Twas done.
pass Vine Street, and you are safe."
" !
and shot
rang from
stranger sprang
upon his horse, concealed near by. There was only one hope of escape. He rushed for the Delaware River. Here fifty angry soldiers surrounded him. One sprang from behind a tree and exclaimed, " 'Tis useless to lie you ;
now our prisoner. Surrender." "Son of a slave! Slave of a king! How dare you to a Doan never Surrender yourself address a free man
are
!
—
surrendered to any man, far less to a blinded poltroon.
Away
or die!
"
w. and
B.
— Agnized by Microsoft®
230
The guard leveled his gun, but was himself leveled to The ball of Doan's pistol was swifter than his the dust. own. Doan's case was now desperate. He put the spurs to his trusty horse
shower
bullets
of
and plunged fell
He
about him.
A
the Delaware.
into
looked around.
Twenty armed boats were in full pursuit. It was a strugThe horse won. Doan reached the Jersey gle for life. shore, took his pistol, and, with steady aim, fired at the first
A
boat.
The
soldier fell headlong into the water.
rider then disappeared into the woods.
Doan boys had a new story to tell that night around the camp fire in the thick wilderness; and in her home a grateful mother prayed for an unknown friend
One
of the
and read again a loving dren had a
while her six happy
letter,
chil-
feast.
AFTER THE WYOMING MASSACRE.
VELL,
now.
veil,
poor beoples in Sit right
down,
me
motioned
who was
Wery
bad.
is
poy, and dell
kind Mr. Linderman, his door,
Dot
Wyoming
is kill't,
me
all
All de
bad.
or runnin' away.
aboud
it."
And
sitting
under a big tree by
The
boy, breathless and
to a chair.
weak, dropped down on the ground. " I've
mouthful "Veil,
been a-running ever since
last night,
and not a
to eat."
now.
veil,
Dot
dings right away soon.
Yankee poys
?
is
Were you
Ve me now
in
de fight
vays here mitoud nodings to eat Digitized
cooks you up some-
bad.
Dell
" ?
by Microsoft®
vere ?
is all
de brave
And come
all
de
231
"Yes
indeed, " It
Searles.
was
I
the fight," exclaimed
in
commenced yesterday
Roger
We
at four o'clock.
had about two hundred and seventy regular
and
soldiers
men and boys." Den you vas not surprised and all massacred, as dey told me dis mornin' " asked Linderman, with much seventy old "
?
eagerness. " No,"
"
answered Searles,
we knew
that they were
a-coming, but the Tories and Indians were too
We
us. I
were surrounded on
sides save
all
heard Westover ask George Cooper
run.
'
Hold
on,'
said Cooper,
'
if it
much
for
the river.
wasn't time to
have one more shot
I'll
Then Asahel Buck and I commenced to run. It who knew Buck, shouted to him, Stop, we won't hurt you.' Poor Buck stopped and turned around. In a minute a tomahawk was buried in his head.
first.'
wasn't long before a Tory, '
I
leaped into a clump of briers, and have"been running
The whole
ever since.
starving in the woods.
trying to lap up a
Mrs. Fish night.
I
is
to
'Is I
it
sitting
it.'
running away.
They're
Her baby
died last
on a stone, holding the baby
hungry?'
said
'No,' said she,
I.
in
'it is
can't leave the poor thing here for the wolves
devour or the Indians
bury
is
saw Mr. Cooper lying on his face meal which was spilt in the path.
a-coming behind me.
found her
her arms. a-dying.
little
valley I
to scalp,
and
I
have no way
to
So Mrs. Fish picked up the dead baby and ran She's carried it twenty miles. There
along behind me.
she comes over the
hill,
now."
Mein Gott " said Mr. Linderman, " It Mein Gott makes me mostd sick to hear of such dings. Ve are all wery poor, but if ve have anydings to eat, you shall have "
!
!
Digitized
by Microsoft®
232 it.
in
And
make a box for de orchard mit our own beoples." de baby,
I'll
and
it,
we'll
bury
it
That afternoon a solemn little funeral procession turned Linderman's orchard. The lengthening shadows
into Mr.
from the dark pine
The
forest fell across their path.
grief of poor Mrs. Fish
was equaled only by her
gratitude to the kind-hearted Germans.
Indeed, the
Germans received with open arms the hunwho fled from Wyoming,
dreds of unfortunate people
and gave them freely from their scanty
Mr. Hol-
stores.
lenback loaded his horse with bread, and, like a ministering angel, started to meet the terrified and starving people.
He
found a
woman
crying around her.
Hollenback's bread, they declared, was
of her husband.
the gift of
God
upon a log, with six children She had just heard of the death
sitting
in the wilderness.
He
gave them each a
small piece and hurried on to relieve others.
On in
one day the Tories and Indians wreaked vengeance
blood and sorrow on the
the next day the
Germans
of
men and women
to these broken-hearted people
until
Wyoming
England's cause
The blood lutionary
Wyoming;
mercy and kindness from Exaggerated
the depths of their hospitable hearts. ports of the
of
Northampton County extended re-
massacre swept through Europe in
the
colonies
was weakened.
Wyoming was a turning point in the RevoWar. And at the same time the open-handed of
hospitality of the
Germans served
Connecticut people on the sylvania.
Digitized
as a tie
Wyoming and
by Microsoft®
the
between the
men
of Penn-
LATER INCIDENTS. MANASSEH CUTLER
REV.
IN PHILADELPHIA.
REV. MANASSEH CUTLER He was
1787.
Congress a large tract of land
New York
came from Boston
in
trying to buy from the Continental in Ohio.
While waiting
in
for the commit-
tee of Congress to decide
on what terms he might have the land, Mr. Cutler decided to
visit
phia.
He
aware
at Trenton,
very
Philadel-
crossed the Del-
much
and was
interested
in
the famous forge and the
and
slitting
of
rolling
mill
Robert Morris located
there.
He
number
also speaks of a
of mills for grind-
ing and bolting
flour.
He
^m^^w^^uhm
called Mr. Morris the great
American financier. After leaving the ferry, the road, which was straight and level and free from sand and stones, led through a
deep forest for
Digitized by^SScrosoft®
five miles.
The
large
234
and maple trees greatly interested
oak, hickory, walnut, this
He saw
wide-awake Yankee.
in his life a
persimmon
tree.
sweet and agreeable to the ple
of
Bucks County
thought tasted
The
like
distilled
West
ripe fruit,
He
taste.
time
first
he says, was
found that the peo-
into a drink
it
which he
India rum.
was impressed with the
traveler
(poplar),
The
here for the
tall
tulip
trees
like
when
and wondered what they must look
He
in the full glory of their bloom.
looked with pleasure
upon the rich fertile farms and orchards. "In some places," .says Mr. Cutler, "I saw fields of corn, the rows of which I judged to be a mile in length.
The people do plow]
it
not hoe their corn at
The
both ways.
all,
but plow [shovel
farmer's houses are very neat,
but not large, generally two stories high, and sometimes three, logs,
universally painted.
and these are
Some
of
them
also painted [doubtless he
washed] and very handsome. formed and abound with
are built of
means
white-
Their gardens are well
flowers, as well as fruit trees
and
esculents. I saw but few laborers in their fields, for the wheat harvest was generally over. The numerous shocks of grain in the fields demonstrated the richness of the
The
face of the country
is
level
and the roads
soil.
fine.
At
almost every house the farmers and their wives are sitting in their cool entries, or
under the piazzas and shady trees
about their doors.
observed the
fine
Holland
I
men
generally wore
with the sleeves plaited, the
shirts,
women
in
and pleasures and abounding
clean, cool, white dresses, enjoying the ease
of domestic
life,
with few cares, less labor,
in plenty.''
That evening,
at
half past
Digitized
six,
Mr. Cutler arrived
by Microsoft®
in
235
Queen"
Philadelphia and went to the "Indian
which stood on Third nut streets.
Its
Street,
location,
tavern,
between Market and Chest-
Mr. Cutler says, was not far
from the center of the city. An active young colored man was selected by the host to look after Mr. Cutler's wants. He was neatly dressed in a blue coat " with sleeves and cape red," a buff waistcoat and breeches. The bosom of his shirt
was
ruffled,
and
his hair
was powdered.
He
car-
Mr. Cutler's baggage up to No. 9 then ran down and brought two of the latest London magazines and ried
;
placed them upon the table. No. 9 was in the third story and opened toward the east, presenting to Mr. Cutler a beautiful view across the Delaware and along the Jersey
The room
shore. table,
contained
"a
rich field bed,
and drawers, a large looking
bureau,
glass, neat chairs,
and
other furniture."
This knowing Yankee at once ordered call a barber,
his
and bring him a bowl of water
servant to
for washing,
to have tea on the table as soon as he was dressed. Yet so much time was taken, says Mr. Cutler, in " shifting my clothes, and getting from under the hands of the
and
barber, and taking tea " that that
night.
So
this
it
tireless
was too
late to take a
tourist
spent the evening
walk
who were then They were members of
talking with the other noted gentlemen
lodging at the "Indian Queen."
the convention which was at that time sitting at the State-
house for the purpose of forming the great federal Constitution.
That evening he met Elbridge Gerry and Mr. Gorham from Massachusetts, Mr. Madison and Mr. Mason from Virginia, Governor Martin and Hon. Hugh Williamson from Digitized
by Microsoft®
236
North Carolina, John Rutledge and Mr. Pickering from South Carolina, and Alexander Hamilton from New York. These gentlemen had a parlor to- themselves, where Mr.
They
Cutler was invited.
sat
and talked that night
until
half past one. " Philadelphia," says Mr. Cutler, in his journal, "is the
capital city in America.
river,
about 150 miles from the
with a good harbor, in which there
sea,
of large ships, besides
description.
It
and populous,
It is large, elegant,
Delaware
situated on the
number
a great
is
numerous smaller vessels
of every
contains 10,000 houses and covers twice
The
the quantity of ground to that of Boston.
State House,
Hospital, and most of the other public buildings are magnificent, in
the
but
city,
is
it
singular that there are only two steeples
where there are upwards
public worship.
.
.
.
The
of twenty houses for
streets of this City are at right
angles, the buildings on a straight line."
This was something quite
The
"
streets,"
new
he says,
tance of ten feet from the houses
range of posts are
this
to
Mr. Cutler.
" are well paved,
their
all
is
a
row
pumps.
tile,
at a dis-
and
The
.
.
ments between the posts and houses are stone or large
and
of posts,
laid
in
pave-
with free
and entirely smooth, which makes the
walking on them delightful. They are kept clean, being washed every day, and here all the foot passengers pass. While I was walking with Mr. Strong, I happened to step without the posts, and walked in the
me
to
come within the
tainly call
The
me
a
posts, for
New England
streets parallel with the
next the
river,
then
Fore
Digitized
street.
He
desired
he said they would
man,
if
I
walked
cer-
there.
Delaware, are Water Street, Street,
by Microsoft®
First
Street,
Second
237
and
Street,
on
so
to
Ninth Street, which
Mr. Cutler's
yet built upon."
visit to
is
the furthest
Philadelphia was
very short, but he saw and visited nearly every place and
person of note
During
in the city.
this visit a
committee
of the Continental Congress prepared the celebrated Ordi-
nance of 1787, for the government of the "Old Northwest." When Mr. Cutler returned to New York, he was with the ordinance, and purchased a tract of land
satisfied
in Ohio.
FRANKLIN ENTERTAINS MR. CUTLER. ;ANASSEH CUTLER
IW
Friday, July
13th,
journal
he
Street,
between Second
and Third
tells
1787.
In
Cutler's
Dr. Franklin
us that
streets.
met Dr. Franklin on
first
remarkable
Market
lived in
His
house stood up a courtyard
some
at
distance
from the street. "
We
garden,
found him sitting
in his
upon
a
grass plat under a very large mulberry tree, with several other gentlemen
and two or three
There was no
ladies.
curiosity in Philadelphia
anxious to see as this great man, of
Europe "
which
who has been
I
felt so
the wonder
as well as the glory of America.
But a man who stood Digitized
first in
the literary world, and
by Microsoft®
238
had spent
so
many
years in the courts of kings, particu-
larly in the refined court of France,
conceived would not
I
much
be of very easy access, and must certainly have the air of
must expect only
folks
to
him at a distance, and he might please to ask. In
gaze
answer such questions as
when
short,
I
at
entered his house,
be introduced
to the
But how were
my
trunched old man,
of
Common
grandeur and majesty about him.
I felt
as
if
I
was going
to
presence of an European monarch.
when
ideas changed,
Quaker
in a plain
saw a
I
short, fat,
dress, bald pate,
and
short white locks, sitting without his hat under the tree
and as Mr. Gerry introduced me, [Franklin] rose from took
chair,
me by
welcomed me
;
his
the hand, expressed his joy to see me,
to the city,
and begged me
to seat
myself
close to him. "
His voice was low, but
pleasing.
He
mings, for he
instantly
is
countenance open, frank and
his
reminded
me
superiority about him.
I
delivered to him
he had read them, he took
me
men
of the
tion,
The a
me
company, who were most
Here we entered
to the
was spread under the
company.
After
of
lives
She had three
them members
of
into a free conversauntil
tree,
very gross and rather homely lady,
daughter of the Doctor and
my letters.
to the other gentle-
and spent our time most agreeably tea table
Cum-
again by the hand, and with
the usual compliments, introduced
the Convention.
of old Captain
nearly of his pitch, and no more the air of
it
was
dark.
and Mrs. Bache,
who
is
the only
with him, served
it
out
of her children about her,
whom she seems to have no kind of command, but who appear to be excessively fond of their Grandpapa." The doctor then showed Mr. Cutler a curious specimen over
Digitized
by Microsoft®
239 a double-headed snake.
of
he
Traveling,
said,
when
serious undertaking for the poor thing,
was a
the heads
chose different sides of a bush and neither one would
way
consent to go back or give
he
This,
said,
to the other.
reminded him of an incident "which
occurred that day in the Convention, in consequence of his
comparing the snake
America."
to
But the doctor's friends hastened Convention matters were
all
remind him that
to
Mr. Cutler failed
secret, so
to hear the story.
"After
was dark we went
it
me
Doctor invited study.
The
It
books
;
a very large
is
walls
covered
are
house and the
into the
which
into his library,
likewise his
is
chamber and high studded. bookshelves
with
besides there are four large
two thirds of the length
of the
same manner.
this is the largest,
I
presume
chamber,
the best private library in America. us his long artificial
.
arm and hand,
.
with
filled
extending
alcoves,
filled
in the
and by
He showed
.
for taking
.
far .
putting books up on high shelves, which are out of reach
and
placed over flies, etc.,
sits
rockers,
with which he fans himself, keeps off the
it,
;
;
and a large fan
with only a small motion of the
reading
all his
"
armed chair with
his great
.
down and
and many other
curiosities
foot,
while he
and inventions,
own, but of lesser note.
Over
his manteltree he has a prodigious
medals, busts,
and casts
which are the
effigies
of
in
wax
or
plaster
number of
of
Paris,
the most noted characters in
Europe. ... I was highly delighted with the extensive knowledge he appeared to have of every subject, the brightness of his memory, and the clearness and vivacity Digitized
by Microsoft®
240 of
all
his
mental
Notwithstanding his age
faculties.
manners are perfectly easy, and everything about him seems to diffuse an unrestrained freedom and happiness. He has an incessant vein of humor, accompanied with an uncommon vivacity, which seems
(eighty-four), his
as natural and involuntary as his breathing.
me
to call
admit.
on him again, but
We
my
He
urged
short stay would not
took leave at ten and
I
returned to
my
lodgings."
GRAYS FERRY
INN.
"/^\H, mother are we really going ? To-morrow ? Will v./ Uncle John go too ? Will we drive two horses ? And little Debby Wilson Will we stay to dinner " !
?
danced around her mother "Yes,
my
in a perfect ecstasy of delight.
dear," said her mother,
"we
are going to take
Your
breakfast at Grays Ferry Inn to-morrow morning.
Uncle John has to see the
just returned
changes
at the
from England, and he wants
Ferry."
The next morning, when they drove up
to the floating
bridge which crossed the Schuylkill at that place, cried out, " Oh, mother, this thing shakes will
break in
the middle, and
we'll
;
Debby
I'm afraid
it
be pitched into the
river."
"Be
quiet,
child," said
the mother.
"It can't
sink.
Four-horse wagons cross here."
"Is that the place,
mamma?"
shouted Debby.
"Will
we eat breakfast here ? Oh, I'm so hungry," and little Debby sprang out of the carriage, and ran up a flight of Digitized
by Microsoft®
241 steps cut out of the solid rock at the east end of the
house. " Isn't that a
high on the
Are we going Oh, see the
mamma
funny house,
street,
and up here
it is
?
It is
three stories
only two rooms high.
to eat breakfast in this great big piazza?
river,
mamma
See
!
into the sunrise land.
The
getting up, can they,
mamma
it
winding away
off
mists can't keep the sun from ?
Grays Ferry Bridge.
"
Look back
this other
way,
mamma.
See the beautiful
green grass up here, and those winding paths.
want "
to
Where do they go
run around them.
Oh
!
I
" ?
Oh, Debby, do be quiet for a minute, and eat your
breakfast," said
her mother.
yonder, Debby.
See that big
"
Look down
man
the road
riding a white horse.
That's the great General Washington." " I've been in Uncle John. Europe for twenty years and never saw the like of that " Well, well, well," said
in all
my
life." Digitized
by Microsoft®
"
242 "
The like of what "Why, in Europe,"
?
"
asked Mrs. Wilson.
said
Uncle John, "a great man
like
your General Washington would never be seen out riding without
Look
fifty
at
him now, riding
And
rear.
doubt,
hundred armed
or a
he
alone, with only a servant in the
president of the convention which, no
is
making
is
around him.
soldiers all
a
[1787]
government
for
what
in
a
hundred years will be one of the greatest countries in the world." "
Oh,
mamma
"
cried
!
Debby,
"
mayn't
I
run down
green stone path to that beautiful summerhouse "
When was this
recently,"
"Just
Vaughan, fix
Sr.,
Mrs.
said
?
"
asked Uncle John.
Wilson.
"Mr.
Samuel
urged the owner as soon as he bought
it
to
Vaughan has planned it all and sent to is now here at work every men. Come, let us follow Debby I want
Mr.
up.
it
place improved so
this
?
England for a gardener, who day with ten
;
to show you the orange trees, and the large greenhouses where they put them in the winter time. They also have lemons and pineapples in fruit and blossom at the same
time. "
Come
my
child
here, ;
Look down
Debby.
see
the delightful
in that little valley,
shade hiding that
little
rippling brook." " It's
playing
hide-and-seek with
mamma
?
river.
Oh, see the bridges,
Then
it
other, they look so " That's
work
how
Chinese
in the rails
will
the
rocks,
isn't
it,
run away and hide in the big
mamma, one beyond
the
funny!" style,
daughter.
on the sides
is
See how the open-
variously painted.
See
the wild flowers are growing so artlessly on each Digitized
by Microsoft®
243
looks like a hermitage.
down and
sit
Here
winding path.
side of this
that
an old stone building
is
Uncle John and
I
will
Debby, while you may run around
rest,
and
play, and see what you and not get lost."
Debby needed no second
can.
Be
sure to
come back,
She saw beds of flowers and groves of blooming shrubs. She found a great rock near the river all surrounded with spruce and
On
cedar trees.
invitation.
top of this rock she found a summer-
house, from which she could catch glimpses of the river
between the
She found a grove of walnuts, Along the side of the hill were huckleberry and blueberry bushes, and further down, raspberries and blackberries. In the clear space on top oaks,
and
leaves.
pines.
of this hill
were many long tables and benches.
Debby
wondered how many hundred people could eat here at one time. Then she climbed up on a very long table, from which she could see the Schuylkill River for miles. After a long, happy morning, little Debby wandered back
to the
hermitage, where she
lay, in
her mother's
Uncle John telling about how the England lived and played.
lap, listening to
children in
little
°x«°
TOM THE TINKER. government under the Constitution was THE the begun when power was put to
its
iar
way.
The United
scarcely
test in a pecul-
States excise law of March, 1791,
placed a tax of seven cents on every gallon of whisky Digitized
by Microsoft®
244 distilled
in
the
This was part of Alexander
country.
Hamilton's plan to pay the
Nobody ought
debt
have objected
to
70,000 people in the western counties of
were especially affected by This
object.
He saw
that
greatly
the
it,
disturbed
refusal
to
new
the
of
nation.
but almost
the tax;
to
Pennsylvania
and many of them did President Washington.
pay the tax meant open
The
defiance of the laws of the land.
strength of the
Constitution was to be tested,
and Washington
decided
promptly that
this tax
should be
lected,
col-
even at the cost
of bloodshed.
Why should the sturdy Scotch-Irish
gheny,
of
Alle-
Fayette,
West-
moreland,
and
Washington,
Bedford
defy the law
same Alexander Hamilton.
many
a hard
lowed
counties
These
?
had Washington
people
fol-
in
march and had, through the whole Revolu-
tionary struggle, proved themselves true patriots. lived west of the
Alleghany Mountains.
They
No good
roads
had yet been opened
to the east, and the Indians and Spanish had closed the great waterway formed by the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The people of western
Pennsylvania had no market for their grain; but whisky
found a ready
sale.
A
horse could carry two kegs, con-
taining eight gallons each, across the mountains. Digitized
by Microsoft®
It
was
245
worth one dollar a gallon
in
the east.
Returning, the
farmer's horse could carry iron, costing sixteen or twenty
pound and salt, costing five dollars a bushel. To make whisky became a common thing, and a still was a part of the property of every farmer. Whisky was A tax on it was a loss to these the money of the people. farmers. Then, too, the objection to the tax became more serious when it was known that those refusing to pay the tax were to be arrested, and tried in a federal court at Philadelphia, three hundred and fifty miles away. Had the state court been allowed to try these cases, as it was later on, perhaps the Whisky Insurrection would never
cents a
;
have occurred. Opposition to the payment of the tax began to show itself
in riots.
At
Carlisle
a
crowd
of
Bedford County
"whisky boys" burned in effigy the Chief Justice, and set liberty pole on which were the words, " LIBERTY AND NO EXCISE, O WHISKY!" President Wash-
up a
ington called for troops to enforce the law. the
"whisky boys."
Tom
the
This angered
Tinker (John Holcroft)
inflamed the lawless spirit of the people by writing sharp
and defiant
articles against the
law and the army.
These
" half the trees in
Western were printed as handbills, and Pennsylvania," says Dr. McMaster, "were whitened with
Tom
the Tinker's notices."
collect the tax
were roughly
the tax were visited
man who
rented his
The
officers that
were sent
treated, the farmers
who
to
paid
by masked men and beaten, and a house to a collector was visited at
midnight by a crowd of blackened and disguised men, seized, carried to the woods, shorn of his hair, tarred, feathered, and tied to a tree. w. and
B.
—
lEHgitized
by Microsoft®
— 246
Twelve thousand nine hundred and fifty soldiers were soon marching across the mountains. Daniel Morgan, who charged the rocky defenses of Quebec and won the battle of the Cowpens, led the brave Virginians. Governor Howell, of
New Jersey, marched
loyal
at the
head
of the Jersey Blues.
A
Congressman from Baltimore, John Eager Howard,
commanded
the sons of
Maryland, and Governor Mifflin
of
the
was
chief
Keystone boys.
Henry
Governor of
the
Virginia,
mander
in
Lee,
was com-
The
chief.
President and Secretary
Hamilton the
army
also
Many
Bedford. of
the
went with
to Carlisle
side to the
Western
games by the boom Hessian musketry.
from
posted such notices from ing
by
young men
their
cannon and the
of British
On
with
side
who had been
Expedition.
heroes
Revolutionary
War marched Farewell previous
and
scared
boyhood rattle of
the trees of the mountain were
Tom
the Tinker as the follow-
:
" Brother,
you must not think
to frighten us with fine
and artillery, composed watermelon armies, taken from the Jersey shores. They would cut a much better figure in warring with arranged
bits of infantry, cavalry
of your
crabs and oysters about the banks of the Delaware. Digitized
by Microsoft®
It
247 is
a
common
thing for Indians to fight your best armies
the proportion of one to five hesitate to attack this
Young
army
we would not
therefore,
;
in
one to ten."
at the rate of
John Shippen riddled these notices and pushed on to the west. This John
soldiers like
with bullets
Shippen was a son of Colonel Joseph Shippen, who on Plumley Farm, Westtown Township, Chester
lived
County.
His uncle, Edward Shippen, was Chief Justice
of Pennsylvania,
and the father
Miss Peggy, the wife of
of
From one of young Shippen's Plumley we can learn something
Benedict Arnold.
letters
to his father at
of the
army
—
:
"October "
My "
dear Father
am now
I
my
seated in our tent, while two or three of
comrades are finishing late,
31st, 1794.
:
their suppers,
comprised of choco-
bread and butter, and the remnants of a tough old
chicken. little
I
by way
have,
of table, placed on
provision box which had the
pieces
by the upsetting
thanking you,
sir,
And
just in this place, for
which serves
"Things little
me
me
your
are most amazingly dear.
conscience as to
loaf,
your thoughtful-
demand o,d.
2s.
and
3s.
I
so
9d. for a
saw bread, a
3d., sold for is.
and ten hours
Digitized
.
for a dozen of washing, count-
worth
six, eight,
.
.
Some have had
4d.,
marches are excessively slow and tiresome. on our horses
green waxen
little
ing a pair of stockings as two pieces.
heavy rye
cannot help
I
as a light on this occasion.
quart of whisky, 6s. and
small,
lap a
fortune to be broken to
ill
wagon.
of a
ness and kindness in sending taper,
my
board that was yesterday morning the cover of a
by Microsoft®
io^d.
We
Our
have
at a time,
and
sat in
248
One
the rain.
and
tents,
" It
I
we
night
on straw
slept
believe not a single soldier
at the fire, without
was injured by
it.
surprising and laughable that in this country
is
everybody
tells
you they were forced by threats
to go to
such and such a place, and they talk violently against
Tom
Tinker's
men
name
(for that is the
of the whisky
boys now), and when you ask them, where are the persons that threatened them, they say, "
am
I
told that a
man by
'
Oh
the
!
they are run
name
off.'
of Hamilton, in
Washington County, was informed on. A number of troops were set to guard the house, and if he came out and attempted to escape, the orders were to shoot him. In the mean time, the cunning rogue was busy changing his dress for that of
a servant in his family.
walked out carelessly and spoke answered
cers,
and
to the soldiers
Then he and
offi-
their questions about Hamilton, passed on
fled.
" I think I
never saw two more beautiful Monongahela and the Allegheny."
When power
the
of the
rivers than the
army had reached Pittsburg and the government was fully realized, these
Scotch-Irish submitted to the law, paid the tax, first
effort to defy the
ment was
at
Insurrection after
more
power
of the
strong sturdy
and the
United States govern-
The army returned. The Whisky was suppressed. The Constitution was therean end.
fully
honored than before.
It
was not
until
the days of Jackson that the Constitution again met opposition.
This Jackson quelled, and later on Lincoln and the
brave boys in blue defeated a
final
the great Constitution. Digitized
by Microsoft®
attempt to overthrow
249
CHARLES BAPTISTE ARIEL, OR "OLD FRENCH CHARLEY." was
IT
to the
There game was abundant, and the
came. bustle
five
and
Charley had been told of Scott, the great
who had
day, and
stir
sawmills, bark mills, and tanneries were not
of
yet heard. hunter,
county of Lackawanna that French Charley
was
deer,
killed
five
three wolves, and numerous wild
bears,
turkeys in one year. Charley.
"
and dressed eleven deer in one hundred and seventy-
said to have shot one
"That's the country for me," said
The ax and
hunting grounds.
I'll
go
the buzz mills are spoiling our
Lackawanna, where old Scott the Wyoming any more."
to
There's no game in For these reasons old Charley came
lived.
to
the Drinker
known as " Drinkers Beech," now called Covington, in Lackawanna County. This was the region purchased from the state by Henry Drinker in 179 1. It
settlement,
contained 25,000 acres of wild, unsettled land on the
head waters of the Lehigh and De Longs Creek. It was located in what are now Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Lackawanna counties. The next year John De Long was hired to cut a road into the
unknown
country.
This road
passed the romantic Lake Henry, and ended in a branch of the
Lehigh known
Meadow
as Bell
Brook.
For nearly thirty years nothing more was done, and the "Drinker Road" grew wild and narrow, until it served only as a path for the panther. this
road was reopened, the
1792,"
was found, cut
in the
Digitized
When, name of
in the fall of 1821,
"
Henry Drinker,
bark of an old beech
by Microsoft®
tree.
250
Here
was, a few years
it
He
came.
later,
He
cascades that fed the Lehigh. of
He
scenes of his youth.
loved the solitude
Here he could revive
great heech forest.
the
French Charley
that old
caught the largest trout which leaped the wild
the
could call the owls from their
shadowy retreats deep in the woods. He could imitate the mate call of every game bird in the country. The wild turkey came, a willing victim, within the range of his
unerring
rifle.
and build
his
He
loved to go far back into the forest
camp
and sleep on a
fire
pile of
fragrant
hemlock boughs. Charley never wearied of
telling
about his exploits when
Wayne
he served as a runner for General
war
in
the Northwest, or
when he was
in the Indian
a boatman on
Canadian waters, which business he followed for many years.
Charley had not been working for Mr. Drinker very
men said that there was something strange They complained that he disturbed their rest
long before the
about him. in the
camp
in his sleep.
or cabin at night.
He would
groan and talk
Sometimes he would leap suddenly out
of
bed, and walk hurriedly to and fro, muttering something in If
an unknown tongue, while
his voice
was weird and
low.
any one asked him what was the matter, he always
replied,
"
Oh, nothing
They never could questioned about that he
was sorry
it
if
;
I
must have been dreaming.''
get him to say more than
in the
this.
he had disturbed any one.
The men
complained so much about being aroused from their that Richard Drinker (son
and heir
of
by Microsoft®
sleep,
Henry) determined
to learn the cause of such strange conduct. Digitized
If
morning, he would merely reply
251
Once, in a private interview, old French Charley made the following confession.
When
he was quite a young
man
his great
love for
hunting and trapping led him to enjoy the Indian
wigwam
more than the homes of the French Canadians. He was soon adopted into the tribe of the Mes'-sa-sawgu'-es Indians.
And
according to the custom of this
tribe,
the chief gave Charley an Indian brother, with the under-
standing that whichever one died
go
his property should
first,
to the surviving brother.
Charles Baptiste Ariel was a better trapper than his
Indian brother.
He
soon had so
many
rich furs to sell
became the happy owner of a fine new rifle, and handsome young horse with saddle and bridle. He looked with The Indian brother grew jealous. Nolonging eyes upon the wealth of the Frenchman. body knew his secret thoughts while he sat by the camp that he of a
He
One day he proposed that they take a long journey into the Wabash country to hunt for wild turkeys. Innocent Ariel knew nothing of the dark fire.
treated Charley well.
purpose in the Indian's heart, and readily agreed
The
to go.
old chief gave his consent with great reluctance.
Ariel wished to try his journey.
The
fifth
day
new
rifle
and was eager for the
after starting
The two men shot a when they built their camp fire.
ing turkeys. tired
was spent
in hunt-
few, and were very Its blaze
lit
up the
dark shadows of the deep untrodden wilderness which then bordered the Wabash.
Here they cooked a turkey and
Then
like
two Indians they
ate a hearty supper.
sat in silence
flames leaping higher into the darkness as Digitized
by Microsoft®
watching the if
they were
252 the sparks which
trying to catch
disappeared into the
overhanging hemlock boughs. Ariel soon
He
and the
saddle.
make up
The Indian
fell asleep.
silence.
thought of the new
He drew
mind
his
rifle,
glared upon him in the horse, the bridle,
his long knife, but could not
man, whose head
to strike the white
was leaning against a small stump. He put the knife back into its leather case, and sat a long time in silence. The fire burned down to a few coals. The Indian arose and went toward the river. His tread was as noiseless as that
of
After going a few rods he
wild turkey.
the
squatted near the end of an old log. face was in full shone upon it.
The Indian primed of the horse flint
his
flint,
and the new
snapped.
His white brother's
view, as the light of the dying embers
A
rifle,
and, filled with the thought
took deliberate aim.
second time the
Indian turned to prime
it
flint
for a third
snapped.
The The
trial.
Meanwhile Ariel was dreaming. He thought that he was hunting wild turkeys. It took him a long time to call
At
a fine old gobbler within range.
the noble bird
gun,
and
snapped.
for
At
was within the
first
this the
rifle
time
last
it
he succeeded, and
He
shot.
missed
raised his
new
The
flint
fire.
turkey gave his well-known cry of
alarm, and stretching out his long neck, ran a short distance, then stood
still,
listening, in
order to locate the
danger.
Charley examined his lock, and found to his surprise that there
was no
capture the bird. his
bullet
flint in
He
pouch and
There was
it.
still
a chance to
cautiously took another fixed
Digitized
it
for
by Microsoft®
flint
a second shot.
from
The
253
turkey was standing less than a hundred yards distant.
He drew
A
a fine and steady sight.
second time his
rifle
snapped, and so loudly this time that he awoke.
He saw the flickering embers of the dying fire. where was his Indian brother? From toward the bank he distinctly heard the well-known click of a
river
His dream was not
real-
stump and later
all
He
ized his danger.
Quick as a
a dream.
But
rifle.
he
flash
instantly threw his blanket on the
silently disappeared
behind a
A
log.
moment
he peered from his hiding place, and there was his
Indian brother priming his
The savage turned and
flint for
a third attempt.
raised his gun,
when
lo
!
there
was no Charley under the cloak. His keen eye glanced along the shadow-hung logs, when to his hor-
in surprise
saw the
ror he
barrel of Charley's
rifle
within ten rods of
him, and Charley's finger on the fatal trigger.
The Indian
fell
on
his
Charley
said, " I believe
and
snap as
I
if
In a
moment
many
But
you snapped three times
me,
at
times at you, you shall go clear."
Indian was
the
what an awful thing
He
knees and begged for mercy.
it is
dead.
to destroy
now
Charley
felt
life.
carefully buried the Indian, his gun,
and
all
his be-
With a heavy heart he hurried home. The Charley chief asked him where he left his brother. The old chief said, "On the Wabash, hunting turkeys." grunted and said, " Indian was a bad man." longings.
No
questions were ever asked after that.
old and
came
to
Lackawanna, but
the burden of guilt.
dreams
I
Charley grew
his heart
To Mr. Drinker he
still
said,
carried " In
always see that poor Indian begging for
life." Digitized
by Microsoft®
my his-
;
254
THE OLD "
We
PIKE.
hear no more of the clanging hoof,
And
the stagecoach, rattling by For the steam king rules the traveled world, And the Old Pike's left to die." ;
" It
age
;
is
a
monument
but like
ments
it
is
all
of a past
other monu-
interesting as well
as venerable.
It carried
thou-
sands of population and millions of wealth into the
West
and more than any other matestructure in the land, served
rial
to if
An Old
MY
harmonize and strengthen, not to save, the Union."
— Hon.
Stagecoach.
friend, let
me
James Veech.
take you by the hand and lead you
As we walk we
back through time.
shall see the
telegraph wires fade, the roar of the trolley will cease, and the mighty rush of the engine will melt into silence. are back in the
good old days
only sound that
rolls
of the " Pike boys,"
through the valleys and echoes on
the hillsides of southwestern Pennsylvania
confused of life
We
and the
calls rising into
on the great National Road
This great road, the
is
the chorus of
music above the ceaseless sweep
first
— called the Old Pike.
highway over the Alleghany
Mountains, was built by the government, and extended
from Cumberland, Maryland, Let us
call to
to
Wheeling on the Ohio.
our side Hon. T. B. Searight, whose charm-
ing book on The Old Pike proves that he
be our guide.
We
will stand in the Digitized
by Microsoft®
is
best fitted to
shadows of the great
;
255 trees along this great lane of
life,
and learn some of
its
history.
was
It
first
used in 1818, and until the iron horse crossed
the mountains, in 1854,
was the greatest route of travel in America. Look, here they come A long line of Conestoga wagons. See their broad wheels, their canvas-covered tops, and their great loads of merchandise. Each one is drawn by six heavy horses. Hear the crack of the driver's it
!
long whip.
What
a line
Over twenty
!
of
them sweep
Conestoga Wagon.
around a curve
down by the stone tavern, on As many more are moving east.
in the road,
toward the sunset.
There comes the swaying, rushing passenger coach yonder comes the mail coach, and here like a flash goes the fleet-footed pony express.
Now
a jockey from Ken-
tucky passes with a hundred handsome
many
rests rolls
as
mischievous mules.
There cattle
horses and
floats a cloud of dust in
and
a flock of sheep.
an army of hogs, and above the music of the
moving
Digitized
which
Near
is
by, in a
all this
multitude.
by Microsoft®
a great herd of
muddy
stream,
medley of motion
256
The Black Eagle
Strangest of
women, pulling
negro ter
tied
here comes a long line of
all,
two by two
my
Nothing,
?
slaves, tied like
from the South
And
sold.
to a thick rope.
friend
of Pennsylvania.
they are
;
men and
What are they human beings,
dogs and driven by a merciless mas-
to the
market block
was only
this
Inn.
in
Kentucky
to be
sixty years ago, in the free state
Let us thank God that Abraham Lin-
coln and the brave boys in blue swept such scenes forever
from American
Over son,
soil.
this great road, as passengers,
went Andrew Jack-
William Henry Harrison, John O. Adams, General
Lafayette,
Henry
Clay,
Zachary Taylor, General Digitized
Tom
Corwin,
Scott,
James K. Polk,
General Butler,
by Microsoft®
Davy
257 Crockett, J.
W.
James G.
Blaine, P. T.
Crittenden, and
pages of our
many
others
Barnum, Jenny Lind, whose names call up
history.
Stand back
There comes Sam
!
Sibley, a
In his coach rides the great Henry Clay.
famous
driver.
The coach
stops
Uniontown, and Henry Clay dines at the McClelland House then whirls away with a rush for Washington. Hark! There's a crash, a cloud of dust, a rush of citiHis team zens the proud driver, for once, was careless.
in
;
;
dashed over a
was
pile of limestone in the street,
The
upset.
broken nose, and Mr. Clay
A
coach. hurt,
and
" This
is
and the coach
driver creeps from the wreck, with a is
lying under the upturned
hundred hands hurry
as he brushes the dust
He
to free him.
from
un-
is
his clothes, he says,
mixing the Clay of Kentucky with the limestone
of Pennsylvania."
Yonder is a narrow place in the road. Old Breakiron's Each team is moving one way, Puffenberger's the other. " What's demands of the other to turn out. Each refuses. your name "
?
" said Puffenberger, angrily.
My name
is
Bre.akiron,"
was the answer.
"That," said Old Puff, "is a hard name, but you look harder than your name." " I is
am
as hard as
your name
my
name," said Breakiron,
"
and what
"
*
?
" Puffenberger,"
was the
reply.
"That," said Breakiron, "is a windy name." "Yes," said Old so the useless
war
Here comes
Puff,
of
"but there's thunder
words went
Jesse J. Peirsol.
And
on.
He
can
tell
on Nigger Mountain at the Sheet's Tavern. Digitized
in it."
by Microsoft®
of a night
Thirty
six-
258 horse teams were in the in
a near-by
cattle
from
lot,
wagon
yard, one hundred mules
one thousand hogs in another, as
Illinois in a field,
many fat
and the tavern was crowded
To
with teamsters and drovers.
hear the grunts of the
hogs, the braying of the mules, the bellowing of the cattle,
and the crunching beyond a dream.
of the corn
by the horses, was music
On
Notice that fine mail coach.
its
gilded sides, as
it
rolls swiftly by, you see the picture of a postboy, with
flying horse "
and horn, and
He
In
its
Tom
:
—
nations lumbering at his back."
among
plush seats,
soft silk
He was
all
once a wagoner on
campaign cry that made him Governor rah for
words
comes, the herald of a noisy world,
News from
Corwin.
in gilt letters these
others,
sits
of
Tom
and the
this pike,
Ohio was,
"
Hur-
Corwin, the wagoner boy."
In 1846, the message came from Washington that President Polk had
Redding Bunting took two o'clock
in
war against Mexico. message in Cumberland at
officially -declared
this
the morning and drove with
it
over the
mountains, across the stone bridges, through the valleys,
by a hundred taverns and a score it
in
Wheeling
at
two o'clock
and thirty-one miles
p.m.
of villages,
He
and delivered
drove one hundred
in twelve hours.
Yonder goes Daniel Leggett, a famous old coacher. He drove the coach from Wheeling to Washington in which rode the famous chief, Black
Hawk.
In Washington,
the harness broke, Leggett was thrown from the driver's box,
and the team dashed madly through the town.
a turn in the street the coach upset. Digitized
by Microsoft®
The
first
At
one to
!
259 creep out of the wreck was Black
He
Hawk.
stood up-
right in the street, a single drop of blood on his brow, and
showed
his
anger and surprise by uttering, "
Ugh!" And there fly at
showman,
!
Ugh
goes the sprightly team of William Shaffer.
His long whip cracks fire
Ugh
and
like a pistol,
He
every leap.
his
team makes the
carries in his coach the great
T. Barnum, and Jenny Lind, the sweetest
P.
singer that ever paid the fare, $ 17.25, to ride in a Stock-
ton Line coach from Wheeling to Baltimore.
over night at Boss Rush's tavern.
A
They
stop
crowd gathers
to
As the coach rolled in, a curious native asked: "Which is Barnum?" Shaffer said gruffly, "I don't know Barnum from the devil." Barnum heard this as he stepped out, and said in reply, " The driver is right; it is hard to distinguish me from the devil." see the noted travelers.
Jenny Lind had fine fresh on to Cumberland.
trout for breakfast,
and hur-
ried
There goes John Buck, a noted driver. He drove LaWashington in 1825, and always thought some of the mighty cheers that rolled
fayette over this old pike to
along the road with his coach were meant for him as
much
Frenchman.
as for the great
Here of the "
rolls
along in steady sweep the handsome coach
Good
Intent "
drop of whisky. "
Hear
Our horses
No
all
belongs to General N. P. drivers will not touch a
his drivers sing
are true
and coaches
upsets or runaways
Nor drunken For
It
his
line.
Talmadge, and he and
it's
Digitized
all
fine,
;
drivers to swear
cold water
—
:
and
the days.
by Microsoft®
curse,
"
;
260 Chorus. " For our agents and drivers
Are
all fully
bent,
To go for cold water On line Good Intent Sing, go it, my hearties, Cold water for me."
The "Good Intent" Coach (from The Old
Pike).
was a great day for Uniontown, when, in May, 1837, John Quincy Adams, on his way from Cincinnati, was welcomed by all the people. Hon. Hugh Campbell gave a fine address, and as we listen to his noble words let It
us return to the lessons of to-day with a strong desire to
know more, of
in the years to
come, of this great highway
America. Digitized
by Microsoft®
26l "
We
upon the Cumberland Road, which has broken down the great wall of the Appalachian Mounstand here,
sir,
This road, we
tains.
trust,
constitutes an indissoluble
chain of Union, connecting forever, as one, the East and the West."
FOUNDERS OF THE FREE SCHOOLS.
AT
the heart of
all
movements one
great
earnest and enthusiastic
finds a
few
spirits.
Before i#34, Pennsylvania had no organized system of
The
elementary education. ings,
state
had many school
build-
and the old-time master from district to
wandered
He had
district.
license to teach,
no
legal
and usually
"boarded round." Thousands of children were not near these schools, and thousands more were too poor to pay
The
the fee.
of the time
public
great
was
for schools,
for
schools,
demand all
the
children.
To
John Andrew Shulze.
the unselfish and noble
efforts of three
German governors
of Pennsylvania,
the patriotic zeal of an adopted son of our
soil, is
and
due the
grand system of free schools. John Andrew Shulze (1775-1852), of Berks C ount y» was the first governor to take a bold stand for elementary gratitude of
all
w. and
for our
B.
—
lCJigitized
by Microsoft®
262 education.
He was
a finely educated man, a Lutheran
clergyman, and, after serving in both branches of the state Legislature,
He
was twice elected governor. office from 1823 to 1829.
occu-
pied this important
In his message of 1827 he
than that which enjoins
it
"Among
said,
tions of the Constitution, there
is
the injunc-
none more interesting
as a duty in the Legislature
to provide for the education of the poor throughout the
Commonwealth.
understanding and
If the culture of the
heart be entirely neglected in early
life,
there
is
great
reason to fear that evil propensities will take root, while with proper discipline there might be a rich harvest of usefulness and worth."
George
Wolf
777-1 840), a native of Northampton
(1
County, became governor in 1829, and served two terms.
was a Pennsylvania German, and a resHe,
too,
friend
olute schools.
;~f';
rity,
of
integ-
common
sense.
He
enough to be his own master, and gentle love children devotedly, and to give the best
George Wolf.
years of his
youth of
sterling
sound judgment, and
strong
to
free
Wolf
was a teacher, a scholar, and a statesman. He sat in state and national halls of legislation, and was a
man
enough
of
George
firm
creating a system of education for the
life to
this great
was
commonwealth. Digitized
by Microsoft®
263
He was gave
the champion of the Act of 1834, and gladly
his executive approval to the
new
The
law.
school
children of Easton recently
erected a
beautiful
memorial
memory
gate to the of
Governor Wolf,
the father of our public school sys-
tem.
The new school -J3eS| law was opposed on
The people
all sides.
were
in favor of ,
cation,
,.
,_
1
edu
but did not
what they
The Wolf Memorial
.i-i
Gate.
like
called the machine-like system the law of 1834
provided.
The
Legislature of the next year resolved to the
repeal
school
law.
In
the height of this excitement,
Ritner
Joseph another
man,
j
:
a
(1
780-1 869),
Pennsylvania native
of
Ger-
Berks
was elected governor. Joseph Ritner was a On a farm self-made man. County,
Washington County he worked and read books until 1820. He was then elected in
Joseph Ritner.
to the state Legislature,
and
served twice as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
During
his
campaign a story was published that Ritner Digitized
by Microsoft®
264
was
He
walked
made him
retract
favor of the repeal of the school law.
in
many
miles and faced the lying editor,
in his paper,
and declared that he would not under any
circumstances purchase
by betraying
office
But the greatest defender
his principles.
our school system in
of
this
was Thaddeus Stevens. He was the political opponent of Governor Wolf, but did not allow his politics to keep him silent when the children of the commoncrisis
Mr. Stevens was born
wealth were likely to suffer. Danville, Vermont, in
in
His mother's savings sent
1792.
Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 18 14. The next year he came to Pennsylvania, and early became him a
to
member
of the
When
Legislature.
the act to repeal
the law of 1834 had passed the Senate and was about to
pass the House, Mr. Stevens delivered one of the greatest
speeches that ever rang through the halls of legislation.
Only
few of the many eloquent sayings of
a
this great
advocate of universal education can be given here.
"The barbarous and abroad
in
some parts
disgraceful cry, which
we
of our land, 'that learning
us worse, that education
no echo within these
makes men
halls.
.
.
rogues,' should find
Who
.
hear
makes
would not rather
do one living deed than to have his ashes enshrined ever-burnished gold
?
Why
.
repudiate a system which
is
shall
in
Pennsylvania now
calculated to elevate her to
that rank in the intellectual, which,
by the blessings
Providence, she holds in the natural world
?
.
.
of
.
" Old habits and old prejudices are hard to be removed
from the mind.
Every new improvement which has been
gradually leading civilized,
up
man from
to the highly Digitized
the
savage,
through the
cultivated state, has required
by Microsoft®
265 the strenuous, and often perilous exertions of the wise
and good. " I- have seen the present chief magistrate of this commonwealth [Wolf] violently assailed as the projector and .
.
.
father of this law.
man
am
I
not the eulogist of that gentle-
but he deserves the undying gratitude of the people
;
for the stern, untiring zeal which he has manifested in
common
favor of
schools.
I
trust that the people of this
never be called upon to choose between a sup-
state will
porter and an opposer of free schools.
come
to that
;
if
on which we are of education friend,
were
that should be
made
to cast our suffrages
my
moment
should
I
if
deem
it
my
;
if
the opponent
my
political
most obnoxious
duty as a patriot, in this
and place myself unhesitatingly and
in the ranks of him whose banner streams in
cordially
light.
your vote that the blessing of education shall be
conferred on every son of Pennsylvania
home
should
of our intellectual crisis, to forget all other con-
siderations,
" Cast
it
most intimate personal and
and the free-school candidate
enemy,
But,
the turning point
—
shall
be carried
to the poorest child of the poorest inhabitant of the
meanest hut of your mountains, so that even he may be prepared to act well his part in this land of freemen and lay on earth a broad
and
solid foundation for that
enduring
knowledge which goes on increasing through increasing eternity."
This burst of eloquence and truth saved the school
tem
of Pennsylvania.
Again
Mr. Stevens pleaded for aid
I
same
hall,
in
1838,
to education in a masterly
—
memorable words have often thought and wished that I was the owner
manner and "
in the
sys-
closed with these
Digitized
by Microsoft®
:
266 or trustee of the whole mountain of Ophir. ter its
yellow dirt upon the
be any
fertilizing
human
property in
would
I
intellect until,
if
scat-
there
every young idea should
it,
shoot forth with overshadowing luxuriance."
Thaddeus Stevens revered the memory
who
fell in
War
the
of 1812,
and of
of his father,
devoted mother.
his
In his will he gave $ 1000 to a
church
Baptist
" out
Lancaster,
owe whatever
I
had on
He also
sum
a
of
pros-
little
have
I
earth."
re-
whom
mother, to
perity
of
memory
spect to the
my
in
set aside
" that the sexton
keep her grave
in order,
and plant roses and other cheerful
flowers
at
the
four corners of said grave
every spring." In 1864, a lady of Get-
tysburg gathered some
the greatest battlefield of
War and had them made
the Civil
sent to Mr. Stevens. wrote,
relics of
"When
I
review
all
the measures in which
taken part, some of them very important,
which
I
feel so
Pennsylvania.
me
for
hope a
it.
I
I
have
see none in
much pleasure as the free-school system of As the mother of eight children you thank
Such thanks while
I
am
for the blessings of the poor
much more
This she
into a cane.
In his letter of thanks to her he
living,
when
I
and
am no
if
by Microsoft®
could
more, are
grateful reward than silver or gold." Digitized
I
267
He
He was
always defended the poor and oppressed.
a stanch friend of the negro race, and refused to be buried
On
cemetery from which negroes were excluded. grave in Lancaster are these words in a
:
"
I
his
—
repose in this quiet and secluded spot, not from any
natural preference for solitude, but finding other cemeteries
by charter
limited I I
might be enabled
rules as to race,
I
have chosen
it
to illustrate in death the principle
have "advocated through a long
life
— equality
that
which
of
man
before his Creator."
A SCHOOL IN
IN
THE EARLY DAYS.
one of the counties on the northern s border, shortly
after the present school law
was engaged
was adopted, a young lady
to teach school.
In those days there were
and no county superinyoung lady went before the school board tendents. The The best-educated member had gone for an examination. no normal schools, no
down the
institutes,
river with a raft.
The
five
remaining
men asked
the lady a few simple questions, and then gave her a slip of greasy paper containing the following "
This
is
to Sertify that the Bair er
ing Ben duly examined qualified to
of joun.
Miss
as the law directs
hav-
we
find her well
&
penmanship
&
a good morrel
witness our hands and seals this
carrecter
The new
—
teach the folowing Branches reading arith-
metick and geography
day
:
1st.
." .
.
teacher was to be paid the
sum
of twelve
dollars for a term of eleven weeks, with five and a half Digitized
by Microsoft®
268
School might be kept open
days' teaching each week.
every other Saturday, or on Saturday mornings, as the teacher preferred.
The
teacher's income
was further
creased by the privilege of boarding around
among
in-
the
parents of her pupils.
The schoolhouse was
small and low.
It
was
built of
rough, unpeeled logs, and roofed with pine slabs laid with the round side up, and fastened to the rafters with poles tied
The
on with withes.
planks laid loosely upon the
an opening
in the wall
schoolhouse.
It
;
It
was
and straw.
would
fall
was made of unplaned
this
Opposite the door was
was the only window
had neither glass nor
The chimney occupied ing.
floor joists.
nearly the entire end of the build-
built of stones laid with
mortar made of clay
During every heavy rain some and leave
its
in the
sash.
of this plaster
upon the floor. the room consisted of three the other two were merely
stain
The only furniture in benches. One had legs
;
slabs laid on low blocks of wood.
A
smooth board was fastened lengthwise
to the log
A row wooden pegs were driven into the wall, and on these the children hung their caps and cloaks. There was nothing more in the room no blackboard, no chair, no maps. The door swung on wooden hinges and was fastened with a long wooden latch. under the window and served as a writing desk. of
:
The new
teacher was happy the
moment
the door was planed smooth.
she saw that
Here was something that With bits of charcoal she wrote the lesson on the door. This greatly amused and interested the children. could be used for a blackboard.
Digitized
by Microsoft®
269
A
hickory broom was borrowed from one of the neigh-
bors and used to clear the room of the dead leaves which
had blown which had
in
during the winter, and the numerous cobwebs
The
collected.
teacher and the large scholars
During the noon recess they gathered chips, bark, and dead limbs from the woods. These
furnished the wood.
were used for the summer nearly
all
day when
it
fires,
which were kept burning
rained,
and were started almost
every morning.
Only three out
when
of twenty-four pupils
The
school started.
which had been wrapped around her smoothing
it
out carefully, cut
Each piece served a
had any books
teacher took the newspaper
it
Bible, and,
after
into sixteen equal parts.
child for a reader
and a
speller.
pupils were remarkably careful of these scraps, and
The knew
their lessons well.
The
little
ones
who
did not
know
their letters
were given
a pin and told to punch a hole over every letter
they could
out, a
find.
knew
finally
Then another
the alphabet.
When
"o"
was taken, until they the newspaper wore
thoughtful friend sent the teacher a bundle of old
handbills and posters. far
letter
These became a mine
of wealth
more valuable than the newspaper.
Great was the rejoicing when the discovery was made one day that the flagstones found in the bottom of the
brook near by could be used for slates. Each pupil got out his own " flag," or slate, and proudly carried it to the schoolroom. These slates being of different sizes, and difficult
to
hold, the teacher allowed the pupils to lean
them against the bottom on the
floor
log of the wall, and to
while they wrote and ciphered. Digitized
by Microsoft®
The
sit
or
lie
children
270
An
used soft stones found in the same brook for pencils.
amused smile looked at her
busy
up the teacher's face when she flock all lying or sitting on the floor
often little
lit
work.
at
Thus,
in spite of all difficulties, these
The
learning.
pupils
eager minds were
loved to walk with the teacher
through the shady woods carpeted with moss and flowers.
They had no books with
pictures,
great glorious picture book
no charts or maps, desks or
all
but they had God's
around them.
chairs, but
They had
they had a teacher
who loved them, and their little hearts were happy. Even when it rained, and their one little window had
to
be boarded up to keep out the driving storm, the children considered
it
a rare treat, and wished that
it
would rain
again, so they might sing songs, recite the multiplication
and
table,
hunters and the Indians.
listen to stories of the
«xk°
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
THE
Underground Railroad appeared
about 1804, at Columbia.
some colored persons
ing of
to protect
As
1
726,
members it
number
liberty.
John Wright and Robert Barber left along the Susquehanna River. Sev-
of the Society of Friends
soon came here,
Many
Friends believed
bringing their slaves with them. that
shoot-
at this place led the people
and shelter those who were seeking
early as
Chester and settled eral
in Pennsylvania
The kidnaping and
was wrong of families
About this time a on the Susquehanna set their negroes to
keep
Digitized
slaves.
by Microsoft®
;
271
In 1787,
free.
when Samuel Wright
town
laid out the
of
Columbia, provision was made for the free colored people,
who
gradually collected in the northern part of the
borough, on
A
number
given to them by the Wright family.
lots
Quakers
in Virginia gave their slaves freedom, and many of these colored people were brought to Columbia. The reputation of the town soon spread into
of
Maryland and
way
Virginia,
and
it
became
a refuge for runa-
slaves.
These people seldom ran away from good masters.
when they had
a cruel master, or
selves separated to
from
But
when they found them-
their families,
and about
to
be sold
the drovers and taken to the far south, they would
Some
risk their lives to escape.
followed the North Star
A
others, the ranges of mountains. into
Susquehanna River. as far
as Columbia,
disappeared. until
large
number came
Pennsylvania by way of Gettysburg, York, and the
the
The
of
them them
lost in this
town,
slave hunters could track
where
all
trace
Every possible clue was
and sign
kidnapers declared that "there
must be an
underground railroad somewhere." After the fugitive-slave law of 1850 was passed, slave
hunting became a regular business.
The
and had a secret A few were sent up the Susquehanna River, but the larger number were sent from station to station across Lancaster, Chester, Many were sent to Montgomery and Bucks counties. Philadelphia, where another line came in from Wilmington antislavery people
organized,
understanding about hiding the runaways.
and Havre-de-Grace through Chester County. The difUnderground Railroad often crossed.
ferent lines of the
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272
Another route entered the
state
in
Bedford County,
and following the mountain valleys crossed the western Susquehanna route. Then the runaways were forwarded through Potter County on their way to Canada.
At one time an
old gentleman on the
Lancaster and
Chester County route received half a dozen frightened
His wife was giving them "a good square
fugitives.
meal"
when
in the cellar kitchen,
a party of kidnapers
The
unexpectedly rode up to the house.
who was somewhat out on
old gentleman,
came
crippled and used a big cane,
his front porch, and
He was
invited the
slave
hunters
very hospitable, and soon had them
to
come
all
seated in his sitting room, which was directly over the
in.
They
kitchen.
told
him that they were
and had good reason house
at that
to believe that
" hu'ntin' niggers,"
some were hid
They asked him
very time.
if
in his
he thought
it
was right to steal away a man's property. They grew angry and declared that they were going to search his buildings
;
and as they arose for that purpose one
them asked him
who harbored would do
"Do," I'd say,
big cane
if
if
he knew what the law was for a
slaves,
and another asked him what he
there were " niggers " in his house now.
said the old '
man
Run, boys, run
down on
whacks, as
of
man
if
to
! '
"
in
a loud voice,
"Do! Why,
and with that he brought
his
the floor with three or four resounding
emphasize what he
slaves in the kitchen
said.
The hungry They
needed no second warning.
leaped out of a window, and ran across the
field into
the
woods before the kidnapers began to search the house. After wasting an hour or more hunting through the buildings, with the old
man hobbling
Digitized
by Microsoft®
along with his cane,
"
273
they
left
much
very
dissatisfied,
saying that they were
sure that their slaves were there, because they had tracked
them into his At another
lane.
time,
when Enoch
New
tician, lived in
Lewis, the great mathema-
Garden, Chester County, a slave came
him who had run away from the far south. He was a preacher, and had great faith in God's protecting care. He had made many narrow escapes before. Enoch Lewis sent him to a colored man in the neighborhood for safe
to
The
keeping.
colored
man
cave near a stream of water. uneasy.
He
felt that
hid the preacher in a small
That night the slave became Not a sound was
he was in danger.
heard, yet the devout old preacher said afterwards, "
spoke right inter
thin'
and
my
heart and said,
'
Git
Someup outer here
run.'
He
obeyed
this
inward feeling, and, crawling out of the
cave, ran to the stream of water,
and
after
walking
in that
for a short distance he caught the overhanging branch of
managed to climb up and He was still within sight of
a tree and foliage.
"Jist as
I
bide within his
little
its
thick
cave.
got fixed," he said afterwards, "lyin' straight
saw dem come, Massa, and a dozen more on hoss-back, hollowin' and screecbin', de hosses at full jump, and de dogs yelpin', right up to de out 'long a big limb,
I
But no cave whar dey 'spect to find de poor nigger. poor nigger dar. Den de dogs run about from cave to de creek, and from creek back to de cave, smellin' de groun'.
little
De men stamp and creek pas'
my
tree.
what
good let 'em see me dar Spirit
tell
thrash about, ride up and
down de
De moon perty bright, but de same me to git away from de cave, wouldn't
lyin'
on dat limb
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by Microsoft®
like a coon."
274
RACHEL HARRIS AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
CUNNINGHAM,
MORT"
had
land,
a slave
in his possession
a
owner
tall,
to
hired "
New
"
Rache
Mary-
muscular, yet
slender and sensitive slave girl called " Rache."
ham
in
Cunning-
man who was "Rache" was
for a time to a
Orleans for his health.
going taken
Her new master grew worse, and decided to return They were on a ship. A storm came up the winds howled, and the ship lurched, until a cow on board bellowed with fear. " Rache " was deeply moved by the scene. Her master died before the ship landed. When the cow was driven on shore she raised her head, as soon along.
home.
;
as her feet touched the earth, and, snorting, dashed through
the crowd.
and then invitation
occupied.
was out
The
captain of the ship looked at "
The young
at the cow. ;
"
slave needed no further
glancing around, she saw that her mistress was "
Rache
"
immediately followed the cow and
She made her way
of sight in a flash.
lived for
Rache
many
years with
Emmor
boarding school in northern Chester County.
went by the name
of
Henrietta Waters.
who was
north,
and
Kimber, who kept a
Here she After
she
runaway Maryland slave, she came with her husband and lived in a little house on Miner Street in West Chester. "Rache" was now called Rachel Harris, and was well known and married Isaac Harris,
esteemed
also a
where for many years she made washing and ironing and housecleaning.
in the town,
herself useful in
She was always cheerful and Digitized
lively,
by Microsoft®
and her
clear, strong,
275
musical voice was heard in the evenings
all
over that part
of the town.
A
large reward had been offered by Rachel's master
A West Chester man, who loved money more than a woman's liberty, answered the advertisement and told where Rachel was. The owner soon came from Maryland, and engaged a constable to go with him and arrest Rachel. The frightened woman was taken before Thomas S. Bell, where the man proved her to be Judge
for her capture.
his property.
Rachel quickly realized that she was into slavery,
husband.
to
be taken back
and that she would be separated from her
The examination was
held in the judge's
office,
which, at that time, was located on the southeast corner
Church and Miner streets. Before the hearing was entirely over, Rachel asked if she might step out in the back yard. The constable, who was a large, heavy man, of
consented, and followed her.
Like a
Rachel dashed across the yard, and, the
constable,
cat,
to the
the nimble
amazement
sprang upon and climbed over a
board fence which was seven feet high.
Rachel ran down
could not follow her.
The
alleys,
of
solid
constable
and across
She dashed into a hat shop, leaping over a vat of boiling liquid, and frightening the men as if she were a ghost. She then ran into an alley back of Dr. Worthington's stable, and rushed into the kitchen and threw her arms around Mrs. Worthington, crying, " For God's sake streets.
save me.
Take me
in.
My
master's after me."
Mrs. Worthington tried to soothe her, but to no purRachel demanded to be hid, and was taken to the pose. garret and locked in a
"cubby
Digitized
hole."
by Microsoft®
Soon
after,
Mr.
276
Worthington came home down,
sat
to
usual
their
in
the family
way, nothing was said
made no mention
Mrs. Worthington
about Rachel.
When
dinner.
quiet
or
sign of anything having happened.
Meanwhile, the constable, the slaveholder, and a party
men were
of
street,
a colored
they
woman
running
They asked
woman, and wondered what she was running
He
quickly realized that these
"
Which way
"
Sure,
I
saw
if
he
John "had seen
past.
the
answered, " Yes,
first
there was not a person to be seen
except an old man, John Hutchinson.
had seen
When
out hunting the runaway.
rushed into the
men were
after.
kidnapers, and
her."
did she go
?
"
they asked, eagerly.
and she shot along there
a
like
rabbit,"
The
answered, pointing in the opposite direction.
he kid-
napers, being thus misled, wasted the remainder of the
forenoon hunting in the wrong side of the town.
Some-
time during the afternoon they heard that something like a ghost had leaped over the vat in
They went
shop.
Worthington
Sammy
Auge's hat
there and examined, and, meeting Mr.
in the street, they
asked him
He
or heard anything of her.
said he
body believed what Mr. Worthington
if
had
he had seen not.
said, so the
Every-
men
did
not search his house.
The
abolitionists
watched, and
if
West Chester Her husband worked
out of
that
they
were
if
Benjamin
evening standing
all
closely
take Rachel
to
that night, they would be arrested. in
the brickyard of Philip P. Sharp-
This gentleman planned the escape.
less.
that
knew
any of them attempted
Price's
carriage
was
in front of the Friends' Digitized
by Microsoft®
to
He knew
be seen that
School on High
277 Street,
no suspicion would be aroused, because Benjamin's
sons were there at school, and he was accustomed to drive in
on that evening of the week About dusk Benjamin drove
as usual, hitched his horses,
them
to take
to a lecture.
his carriage into the
shed
and entered the schoolroom
where the students were preparing their lessons. When the hour for the lecture arrived, Benjamin and one of his sons went out and got into the carriage, while the other students went to the lecture.
In a few minutes
Rachel Harris and her husband
A
appeared, both dressed like men. asked,
"Is that you, boys?"
"Then hop an errand
voice in the carriage
"Yes," was the
right in; we'll be late at the lecture.
to
do
first."
The
drizzling rain
ness of the night were in their favor.
They
and the darkstarted north,
going out High Street to attend to their errand. they turned into a
They drove
byway which
rapidly to
reply.
We've
Then
led to the State Road.
Norristown and across Mont-
gomery County, to William Johnson's, in Bucks County, where they arrived near ten o'clock the following morning.
From
this station
on the Underground Railroad Rachel
Harris and her husband were sent on to Canada.
WILLIAM PARKER AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
WILLIAM
PARKER
was
a
little
After his mother's death,
orphan slave boy.
he was sent to the
" quarters," a great, long, low building with a fireplace in
each end, and a row of small rooms on each W.
AND
B.
l8 Digitized
by Microsoft®
side.
In this
278
house were huddled together
They
the plantation.
near the
the power of his
there
the orphan children on
Parker soon learned to secure his rights by
fire.
One day
all
often quarreled over the best places
fists.
men came
a crowd of
was a big slave
to the plantation,
who was now
Parker,
sale.
and
a good-
companion and climbed into a high pine tree. There they remained all day, listening to the cries and wailing of women and children who were being sold away from each other brothers from sisters, a mother sized boy, ran with a
;
from her children, a husband from his That day Parker felt that he would
wife. like to
be
In
free.
a low tone he suggested to his companion, Levi, that they
run off that night and go to the free
states.
When
dark-
ness came, Levi wanted to go and see whether his mother said, " I
had been
sold,
home:
I
want
vailed,
and they went back
The
but Parker
go
to
have no mother and no
But Levi
to the free states."
pre-
to the quarters.
next year Levi was sold, and Parker remained on
the plantation until he
One day he was
was seventeen.
being whipped with an oxgoad for not going out into the rain to work, his
master.
the
fields.
when he
seized the stick
and soundly flogged
Then, bidding him good-by, he ran across Seeing his brother, he beckoned to him, and
they ran on together.
After several days, just as they were entering York
in
Pennsylvania, they met three men, one of them a very large
man, who stopped them, saying, I've
been looking
for."
And
"
You
are the niggers
he read from a newspaper
advertisement a description of Parker and his brother. "
Now," he
said,
"we
are going to take
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by Microsoft®
you back."
279
I
"No, you're
not," said Parker.
"I've taken
many
"and
a runaway," replied the man,
can take you," and with that he put one hand
pocket as
if
Parker struck the arm
out to take hold of his prisoner.
with a heavy club.
in his
and with the other reached
to get a pistol,
It fell as if
broken.
A
fight ensued,
and the white men ran. The boys gave chase, determined to beat them more, but the men escaped.
That
night, as Parker
and
his brother
were approaching
Columbia, they heard voices behind them, and, dropping into a fence corner, they lay quiet until the
The
voice of one
man
men
passed.
they recognized as their master's.
to the runaways, and they County and hired with some farmers
Nothing further happened
came
into Lancaster
in the vicinity of Christiana.
The the
notorious "
slave
Gap gang" made
hunters capture
negroes were taken.
a business of helping
runaways.
Very often
free
Parker organized the colored people
to resist these invasions.
One evening he was
at a friend's
house discussing the dangers surrounding a colored man's
when four kidnapers knocked at know who was inside. No one answered. The door was
life,
to
leader drew
his pistol
the door,
demanding
burst open, and the
upon Parker, who, reaching
heavy pair of tongs, struck the man The kidnapers took up their victim and ran away.
for a
senseless to the floor.
had been accustomed
who submitted
They
to frightening the colored people,
as soon as caught.
Parker was a new kind of
man among
them.
When-
ever he heard of a colored man being kidnaped, he would start in pursuit, and if he could overtake the party, Digitized
by Microsoft®
28o
he generally rescued the negro and brought him back. Once, with six men, he followed a band of kidnapers toward the Maryland line. When he overtook them, pistols and guns were used freely on both sides. Parker was shot in the leg and fell, but, rising, quickly renewed the fight. The kidnapers called for quarter. Parker told them they could have it as soon as they gave up their prisoner. The man was released, and brought back to Christiana When Parker reached home, he took a in triumph. penknife and cut the bullet out of his leg, and said nothing further about the
affair.
Another time Parker gathered
his
men, and rescued a
slave from the courthouse in Lancaster.
In doing
Parker was contending with a superior force. brickbats were hurled at him, and pistols
fired.
men down on
Parker, nothing daunted, knocked
this,
Stones and
either
side of him, until he cut the prisoner's cords.
During times,
this
affair,
Parker was caught and tied three
and as many times he broke
to using his
heavy
Lindley Coates, a said that Parker
bands, and
his
fell
fists.
member
"was
Friends,
of the Society of
as bold as
a lion, the kindest of
men, and the warmest and most steadfast of friends."
The night before the Christiana who knew Parker well urged him,
a
Quaker lady
the
slaveholders
riot, if
should come, not to lead the colored people to to
resist,
not
oppose the fugitive-slave law by force of arms, but
escape to Canada.
Parker replied that
the nation protected colored
men
the
to
laws of
as they did white men,
he would be non-resistant, and would not appeal to the laws. Digitized
if
by Microsoft®
fight,
but would
— 28r " But,"
made
not
he
" the laws for personal protection are
said,
for us,
If a fight occurs,
I
and we are not bound to obey them. want the whites to keep away. They
have a country and
may
obey the laws, but
we have no
—
country."
~j»i