AREA HISTORY: History of Adams County, Chapter XIV, Adams County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/adams/ _______________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886 _______________________________________________ Part III, History of Adams County, Pages 78-84 CHAPTER XIV. WAR OF 1812-ADAMS COUNTY REGIMENTS-THE FEDERALISTS AND DEMOCRATS-“FRIENDS OF PEACE” MEETINGS-TOASTS-CLOSE OF WAR. In the early part of the year 1811 war rumors, vague and indefinite at first, began to pass around among the people of Adams County. Men talked and thought about the matter as long as these rumors were but indefinite, much as they were Federalists or Democratic Republicans. The Federalists said the Democratic administration would not fight; that there was a “diminutive creature, even as contemptible as had been President Jefferson, at the held of State,” and our Nation would crawl in humiliation and swallow all the possible insults that the “effete and rotten” despotisms could heap upon us. They, good souls, felt gloomy, and hated Jefferson, Tom Paine and James Madison most cordially. The Democratic Republicans had no organ, and largely their mouthpiece was Dr. William Crawford, who published long addresses to his constituents, wrote private letters home from Washington, and, upon occasions, made flowery speeches, when he could find suitable opportunities, to his old neighbors and admirers. His own faith in Jeffersonian Democracy was earnest and sincere, but he always failed to infuse his own enthusiasm into a large majority of the voters of the county. The Government declared war June 18, 1812, and the United States Militia had been greatly increased in all the States, and reorganized. The following company officers of the Adams County regiments held frequent musters, and June 3, 1812, a military order from Washington commanded them to hold themselves in readiness to march with their commands at a moment’s notice. Of the Ninth Regiment Light Infantry-Captain, Samuel Shriver; lieutenant, Paul Rider; ensign, John Stine. Militia-Captain, Sturgeon; lieutenant, John Noll; ensign, George Parr. Twentieth Regiment-Captain, John McMillan; lieutenant, Jacob Bushey; ensign, Jacob Peasacker. Fortieth Regiment-Captain, William Bort; lieutenant, Amos Underwood; ensign, Adam Spangler. Ninety-third Regiment-Captain, Victor McIlhenny; lieutenant, Peter Slosser; ensign, George Slaybaugh. Capt. Ralph Lashells sent out notices to his command, the “Federal Troops,” to meet for parade in Gettysburg, Wednesday, June 10, 1812. He said: “Business of importance to each member will be transacted.” May 30, 1812, John Randolph, of Roanoke, issued a flaming appeal to the country, and in the latter part of the following June this was read by the people of Adams County. Then they wheeled about, and, with Randolph, the Federalists opposed a war with England. Randolph pronounced such a war as “neither with the interests nor honor of the American people, but as an idolatrous sacrifice of both on the altar of French rapacity, perfidy and ambition.” Congress was now sitting with closed doors. Constant messages and documents were being submitted by President Adams; the public excitement ran high all over the country. A mob in Baltimore “headed,” in the language of the Federal papers of that day, “by foreigners,” assembled in the early part of July, 1812, and demolished the Federal Republican printing office, and orders to march began to reach the militia in New York and other States; drafting men and forming armies were, in July, the work of the country, and “grim visaged war” was upon the nation-upon the Federalists and Democratic Republicans alike. The Federalists at first growled a little, and said it was a bad war, brought about by the Democrats to gobble up Canada and ruin thereby the whole world, but the first drum beat heard in the land acted on these good, honest patriots like the fiddle on the grim old preacher, who upon hearing it-knowing full well, too, that the devil was in the fiddle-count not, for his life, refrain from dancing to it with all his might; and they fell into line, forgot their political enmities, laid aside their politics, eager and confident of whipping all creation, and abandoned all political discussions until “this cruel war is over;” but this united enthusiasm was short lived. In August, 1812, Gen. James Gettys appointed James McSherry brigade major, and Micheal Newman brigade quartermaster of the Second Brigade, Fifth Division, Pennsylvania Militia. A government recruiting station was organized in Gettysburg in the fall of 1812, with Lieut. Dominick Cornyn, of the Twenty- second Regular United States Infantry, in command. Edward McAuliff deserted from this State in October, 1812. He was a New Yorker by birth. Gen. William Reed was adjutant-general of the State and the efficient officer in organizing the soldiery of Pennsylvania in the war of 1812. The war had been in active progress for eighteen months with scarcely a word of news in the paper about the war or any of the battles, until in the issue of October 20, 1813, it announced in half a column the capture of Detroit and all Michigan, and the capture of Gen. Proctor and his army. Not a word of the details are given, or even the death of Tecumseh stated. The people of Gettysburg all rejoiced over Harrison’s great victory. The bells were rung and the town illuminated, and for two hours muskets were were fired and the people paraded and huzzahed their joy upon the streets. Harper is constrained to say that on this occasion all people heartily joined together and laid politics aside. A new quota for militia had been levied on the county, and in May, 1814, these new levies safely arrived at Erie. In 1814 the Legislature passed an elaborate act reorganizing the State militia. The State was divided into fifteen districts. The fifth division was composed of Adams and York Counties, with the First Brigade in York and the Second in Adams County. The act also specified there should be in each regiment ten companies of 108 men in each company. This new arrangement of companies, regiments and brigades, and the number and rank of officers were nearly the same as we have it now in the army. The state of political feeling wrought out in the county during the war may be gleaned from the celebrations of July 4, 1814, in Gettysburg. A short time before that day a call appeared in the paper for a “peace meeting,” and inviting all who favored peace to meet and honor the memory of Washington and his compeers. So warm had politics now become that on that day each political party held separate meetings of celebration. Of the first the paper says: “A numerous and respectable meeting of the ‘Friends of Peace’ took place in Lashell’s long room July 4, 1814. John Edie was chairman and William McPherson vice-president. A sumptuous dinner was prepared and the American flag draped the hall.” Among the regular toasts we give a few as indicating the spirit prevalent: Toast 3-“The imperishable memory of Washington-first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” . . . . Toast 4-“James Madison- pusilanimous in war, visionary in peace, and last in promoting the interests of his countrymen.” . . . .Toast 9-“The present Army of the United States-a quick and safe “backing out,’ the only relief for a rash and wrong beginning.” . . . .Toast 12-“The American Plenipotentiaries to Guttenberg-may they negotiate a speedy and honorable peace with Great Britain.” Among numerous voluntary toasts by the vice-president, Alexander Cobean, Maj. William Miller, Jacob Cassat, William McClean, John McCanaughy and Alexander Russell, we give that offered by Mr. Cassat as follows: “May the copartnership of Democracy, folly and corruption be dissolved, and the debts and credits of the firm placed to the account of James Madison.” The other meeting was at the house of Frederick Rupley; the day was ushered in by firing a field piece; the flag of the Twentieth Regiment suspended from the window. Dr. Crawford and James Duncan were chosen presidents of the meeting; the Declaration of Independence was read. Among the regular toasts we extract No. 11: “Peace with honor and safety, or exterminating war; death is preferable to dishonor and safety, or exterminating war; death is preferable to dishonor or slavery.” . . . .Toast 16-“The patriots of the present war-glorious in their deeds on land and water.” . . . .Toast 6-“James Madison, President-the enlightened friend of the country.” . . . .Toast 5.-“Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence-his practice in power proved the sincerity of his friendships and professions.” Among the voluntary toasts by the president, vice-president, and James Gilliland, Mr. Cassady, Workman, Col. Eyster, Bell, Col. Kerr, A. M. Worts, Jackson, McGrew, Walter, Capt. Hoover and others, we select one or two. By the McGrew brothers, “just returned from the lines, beg leave to offer the toast, ‘Their fellow soldiers at Buffalo.’ “ By Mr. Jackson, “May the flag of the United States, undisturbed and prosperous, wave over the universe.” By James Gilliland, “The American heroes who have shed their blood so nobly in the present contest with our common enemy on sea and on land; let their names be recorded on the page of history, never to be blotted out.” The evening gun was fired and the people peacefully retired. The Federals thought the war not only cruel but unjust and a great crime, and in every possible way showed their violent condemnation of it and its supporters. An old cast-iron cannon is planted on Baltimore Street, as a hitching post, that has a history of those times in its own history. At the Fourth of July celebration, or rather at the joyous celebration of Perry’s victory, and Gen. Harrison’s capture of Detroit and Proctor’s army, and the reclamation of all Michigan from the English, the anti-war men would not allow the court house bell to ring out the joy of the people. So this old cannon was hastily brought here, and in lieu of the bell it sent its rebounding echoes among the surrounding hills, and defiantly thundered forth the deep and long pent feelings of those who were eager to fight “all creation,” if said creation only dared to touch the chip on their shoulder. The Federals hated Napoleon, the Jacobins, Jefferson, Tom Paine and Madison and the war. They were in politics of the Hamilton school, and wanted the nation strong and central after the English government. They proudly designated themselves a “peace party.” So uncalled for and dishonorable was the war that they could see no glory in our most brilliant victories, and, hence, we find Mr. Harper’s paper sedulously voicing the sentiments of his party, by as nearly as possible remaining wholly silent on the movements of our armies, and as to the soldiers from Adams County and the part they took in the war, their organization and departure, the battles in which they took part, the noble lives they sacrificed on their country’s altar, even their return to their homes after the war, of all of which there is not a line nor a word in the Centinel. Not the slightest allusion, not a name mentioned, not a deed or sacrifice described in the weekly issues of the paper for the three long years of the war. It affords us a strange and suggestive chapter in the history of politics and war. When America had conquered a glorious peace, and the splendid achievements of the war were about to be realized, achievements second only to the Revolution itself, President Madison issued a proclamation to his countrymen containing the tidings. A daring Gettysburg preacher (we greatly regret we cannot ascertain his name) had the audacity to read the proclamation at the regular Sunday services following its reception. Then did communications, denouncing this blasphemous deed, pour into the columns of the Centinel from outraged laymen. Oh horror! “The Bible lay nailed to the pulpit,” exclaimed one, “and the preacher has put away the word of God and taken up the awful slanders, falsehoods and blasphemies of that little creature, James Madison.” During all the war they cried “peace,” and now peace had been conquered they were only the more completely miserable, politically. In war or in peace they would have it that the country was plunging headlong to ruin and deep disgrace. We believe some sage once said something about history repeating itself. If he did not, the intelligent reader, who put this and that carefully together, may conclude that he should have made some remarks, squinting a little in that direction. Gov. Snyder, on July 4, 1814, made full appointments in the reorganized militia of the State. He appointed William Gilliland, of this county, a major-general of the Fourth Division, and Jacob Eyster a brigadier-general in the same division, and George Welsh a brigade inspector. In September, 1814, the people of Adams County began to feel the critical condition of the country from the advances of the invaders, and a long address was issued, urging all men to lay aside all differences and dissentions on political questions, and a general meeting of all patriots was called to convene in Gettysburg on October 3, 1814, “to consider what further steps to take relieve our distressed country and the sufferings of the people.” August 18, 1814, Gen. Winder, commanding the Tenth Military District of Maryland, wrote from Washington City to Gov. Snyder this: “In consequence of the arrival of large reinforcements to the enemy at the mouth of the Potomac, I am authorized and directed by the President to require from you, immediately, the whole number of the militia of Pennsylvania designed for this district, out of the requisition of the 4th of July last, to-wit: 5,000 men.” Washington City was, as is well known, captured by the enemy and many of our public buildings destroyed. The enemy was invading the country by way of the Potomac, and all this portion of the country was seriously menaced. All men might well become alarmed, as they did. At the approach of the enemy there was no more security for the Federalists than for the most rabid war men-all were or would be in “the same boat.” Military headquarters of this district were at York, and at that point was in rendezvous a number of soldiers. These were hastily formed into a company and marched to Baltimore, which point they reached in time to be of good service. This company started from York on August 29, 1814. On the 12th of the following month they engaged the enemy and at one time were in the most important part of the command and suffered severely, but conducted themselves with unexampled gallantry for raw recruits. The captain was Michael H. Spangler; first lieutenant, Jacob Barnitz; second lieutenant, John McCurdy. On the 29th of November, 1815, the troops from this portion of Pennsylvania were under the command of Gen. Watson, when Gen. Scott ordered them to rendezvous at York, to receive their pay and be mustered out. These were the troops under the command of Gens. Foster and Adams. Gen. Scott thanked the men and officers for their general good conduct, and concluded: “The men had borne the severity of the wet and inclement season in their tents with patience and forbearance.”