HISTORY: Historic Huntingdon, 1767-1909, Chapter 15, American Revolution, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Nancy Lorz Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm _____________________________________________________________________ Historic Huntingdon, 1709-1907. Huntingdon Old Home Week, September 5-11, 1909. Souvenir Edition. Huntingdon, Pa.: Historical Committee of the Old Home Week Association, 1909. _____________________________________________________________________ 84 CHAPTER XV. Military - The Revolution. The oppressions and exactions of the mother-country were becoming more and more odious to the people, and were acting as educators to prepare the colonists for the impending contest, which, under Providence, was to result in their emancipation from foreign rule. At a meeting of deputies chosen by the people of the several counties, held at Philadelphia, July 15, 1774, in which Bedford County was represented by George Woods, the Boston Port bill and other Parliamentary measures affecting the people of the colonies were denounced, and a congress of deputies from the colonies to consult together and adopt some measures for the relief of the grievances recommended. In the Assembly, June 30, 1775, it was resolved "That this House approves the association entered into by the good people of this colony for the defense of their lives, liberties, and property." A Committee of Safety, consisting of twenty-five citizens, was appointed and authorized to call into active service such number of the "associators" as they may deem proper. Organizations of "associators" were formed in most, if not all, the counties. The committee organized July 3d by the choice of Benjamin Franklin, president. Congress, July 18th, recommended that all able bodied effective men between sixteen and fifty years of age should immediately form themselves into companies of militia to consist of one captain, two lieutenants, one ensign, four sergeants, four corporals, one clerk, one drummer, one fifer, and about sixty-eight privates. The companies to be formed into regiments or battalions, officered with a colonel, 85 lieutenant-colonel, two majors, and an adjutant or quarter-master. All officers above the rank of captain to be appointed by the provincial authorities. Congress, June 14, 1775, authorized the raising of six companies of expert riflemen in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia to join the army near Boston. On the 22d the "Colony of Pennsylvania" was directed to raise two more companies making eight in all, which were to be formed into a battalion. Lancaster County furnished two companies instead of one, and thus the battalion which was commanded by Col. William Thompson, was swollen to nine companies. Besides the companies from Lancaster there were two from Cumberland, and one from each of the counties of York, Northumberland, Bedford, Berks, and Northampton. This command passed the Hudson above West Point about the 1st of August, and a few days thereafter reached Cambridge. Thacher in his "Military Journal of the Revolution" under date of August, 1775, thus describes this battalion: "They are remarkably stout and hardy men, many of them exceeding six feet in height. They are dressed in white frocks or rifle-shirts and round hats. These men are remarkable for the accuracy of their aim, striking a mark with great certainty at two hundred yard's distance. At a review, a company of them, while on a quick advance, fired their balls into objects of seven inches diameter at the distance of two hundred and fifty yards. They are now stationed in our lines, and their shot have frequently proved fatal to British officers and soldiers who expose themselves to view, even at more than double the distance of common musket shot." By a return made at Cambridge on the 18th of August, three field officers, nine captains, twenty-seven lieutenants, the adjutant, quartermaster, surgeon, and mate, twenty-nine sergeants, thirteen drummers and fifers, and seven hundred and thirteen rank and file were present fit for duty. This battalion was designated the Second Regiment (and after Jan. 1, 1776, the First Regiment) "of the army of the United Colonies, commanded by His Excellency George 86 Washington, Esquire, general and commander-in-chief." Two of the companies - one from Lancaster and one from Cumberland - were ordered to join the detachment sent under Arnold to Quebec. The battalion was stationed on Prospect Hill, and subsequently on Cobble Hill. At first it was under the command of Gen. Lee, but subsequently became a part of Gen. Putman's department. The British abandoned Boston March 17th, and soon after the regiment, under Lieut. Col. Hand, marched to New York, and was stationed at New Utrecht during May and June. The term of enlistment was for one year, and would soon expire. Washington wrote the president of Congress on the 22d of April from New York - "The time for which the riflemen enlisted will expire on the 1st of July next, and as the loss of such a valuable and brave body of men will be of great injury to the service, I would submit it to the consideration of Congress whether it would not be best to adopt some method to induce them to continue. They are, indeed, a very useful corps, but I need not mention this as their importance is already known to the Congress." On the 1st day of July this body entered its second term of service as the "First Pennsylvania Regiment" of the Continental line. The enlistment was for two years, but was subsequently changed to "during the war." Col. Hand wrote to Washington, asking him to recommend to Congress the appointment of a major for his regiment, and for his information named his captains according to rank as follows: Robert Cluggage, Matthew Smith, James Ross, Henry Miller, Charles Craig, James Grier, David Harris, James Parr, James Hamilton. On the 25th of September Congress appointed James Ross, the third captain, to the position of major. Cluggage and Smith, learning that a junior captain had been appointed over them, resigned on the 6th of October. Capt. Clugage's dignified resignation, which is accompanied with hearty wishes for the success of the cause, will be found in "Force's Archives," 5th ser., Vol. ii, page 921. This regiment par- 87 ticipated in various battles during the continuance of the war up to its close. ROLL OF CAPT. ROBERT CLUGGAGE'S COMPANY. Captain, Robert Clugage; First Lieutenant, John Holiday, commissioned July 25, 1775; Second Lieutenants, Robert McKenzie (died Feb. 12, 1776), Benjamin Burd from Third Lieutenant; Third Lieutenant, Benjamin Burd, October, 1775, promoted second lieutenant; Sergeants, James Holliday, Daniel Stoy, Qierinus Meriner, David Wright; Corporals, Augus McDonald, Joseph KcKenzie, William Lee, Aquila White; Drummer, Timothy Sullivan. PRIVATES Anderson, Adam. Gemberland, Daniel. Beckey, Philip. Gillepsy, Reuben. Bowman, John. Hardister, Richard. Broughdon, Thaddeus. Hanning, Conrad. Brown, Thomas. Jamison, Francis. Bruner, George. Johnston, Andrew. Campbell, John. Judry, Matthias. Casek, Thomas. Kelly, John. Cessna, Stephen. King, Peter. Clark, Patrick. Knight, James. Connor, Philip. Laird, William. Carrowan, James. Lenning, Charles. Craig, Joshua. Leonard, Robert. Crips, John. Lesley, John. Crugen, Alexander. McCartney, Henry. Cunningham, Thomas. McClain, Daniel. Curran, James. McCune, John. Davis, John. McDonald, John. Dilling, Cornelius, McDonald, Patrick. Donelin, William. McFarlane, Thomas. Dougherty, Matthew. Magee, Thomas. Dowling, Lawrence. Mangum, Daniel. Franks, Daniel. Miller, Michael. Freeman, George. Piatt, Robert. Garrett, Amariah. Pitts, John 88 PRIVATES (Continued). Plumb, Samuel. Turmoil James. Reynolds, Martin. Tweed, Andrew. Rhoads, Daniel. Vanzant, James. Ritchie, Philip. Vanderslice, Daniel. Shehan, Thomas. Vaughn, Thomas. Shives, Francis. Wilson, Alexander. Simonton, Alexander. Whitman, George. Smith, Emanuel. Woodward, Samuel. Smith, Henry. Wallace, Samuel. Stoy, Daniel. Walker, Solomon. Stuart, John. Warford, James. Taylor, Jonathan. Ward, Thomas. Thompson, John, Besides those whose names appear in the above lists, there were many other persons residing in "Old Huntingdon" who participated in the Revolutionary struggle. Some enlisted here and never returned; others joined commands raised elsewhere, and became citizens here afterwards. Of the latter, those named below were residents in 1820, and applied for pensions under the act of Congress passed March 18, 1818: 1. John Hutchinson, enlisted in 1776, in Capt. Parr's company, 1st Pa. Reg't.; wounded at Long Island and Paoli; discharged January, 1781. 2. John Boyle, aged 69; served two years in Capt. William Cross' company and two years in Capt. Benjamin Fishbourne's company, 4th Pa. Reg't. 3. Robert Dunkin, aged 65; enlisted for the war in Capt. Bette's company, 7th Md. Regt. 4. John Treese, enlisted April 20, 1776, in Capt. Henry Shade's company of Col. Miles' Pa. Rifle Reg't.; served one year and nine months. 5. Alexander Campbell, aged 73; served three years in Capt. Thomas Rabarg's company, in Col. James Malcolm's regiment of the New York line. 6. Alexander King, aged 68; enlisted in 1776 in Capt. Henry Darby's company of Col. Haslett's Del. Reg't. 89 and served one year; re-enlisted Feb. 1, 1777, in Capt. Fishbourne's company, 4th Pa. Reg't., discharged Jan., 1781. 7. Joseph Geddes, aged 75; enlisted Jan. 20, 1776, in Capt. David Grier's company, 6th Pa. Batt. 8. Adam Smith, second lieutenant of Capt. William Hyser's company of the German regiment; enlisted in 1776, and served sixteen months. 9. Martin Clabbaugh, aged 77, enlisted in 1775; was at Boston; was in Capt. Cresap's company of Maryland. 10. Henry Clemens, Warriors Mark township, aged 62; enlisted in Capt. James Maxwell's company, Col Shreeve's regiment New Jersey line; was in the battle of Short Hills; taken prisoner at Germantown; exchanged at New York and rejoined his company; drafted to go out after the Indians in Capt. Bowman's company, under Gen. Sullivan; discharged after the war. 11. Michael Fink, aged 63; enlisted for three years in Capt. John Bankson's company, 2d Pa. Reg't., discharged January, 1781. 12. Peter Fleck, aged 65; enlisted Jan. 8, 1776, in Capt. Thomas Craig's company, 2d Pa. Batt; wounded. 13. William Newell, aged 66. Served three years in Capt. Harris' company, called the "Delaware Blues," Pennsylvania line. 14. Adam Stonebraker, aged 70; Franklin township enlisted at Hagerstown in Capt. William Heyser's company of the German regiment; died Nov. 1, 1827. 15. Jacob Moyer, aged 62; enlisted in 1777 in Capt. Henry Bicker's company, 4th Pa. Reg't., discharged 1782. 16. William Andrew McMannes, enlisted in Hagerstown February, 1776, in Capt. James Nelson's company, 1st Md. Reg't, discharged in New York Feb. 20, 1777. 17. John Irvine, enlisted in 1775; served one year under Anthony Wayne in 4th Pa. Batt., and three years in 5th Pa. Reg't.; in 1835 was aged 84. 90 18. Peter Ox, aged 55; enlisted in 1782 in Capt. Van Hair's company. 19. Andrew Sands, aged 66; Dublin township, enlisted June 7, 1777, in Capt. John Holliday's company 1st Pa. Reg't.; discharged Aug. 13, 1783. Was in the battles of Brandywine, Paoli, Germantown, Monmouth, Stony Point, at the siege of Yorktown when Cornwallis was taken, at the Green Spring, and in Sundry Skirmishes. 20. James Gray, aged 65, enlisted 1776 in Capt. Joseph Steadham's company of Delaware Blues. 21. John Hamilton, aged 74; served three years and seven months, three years of this time in Capt. John Palmer's company of the German Regiment. 22. James Dunkin, aged 67, enlisted for three years in Capt. Wm. Heiser's company of the German Regiment. 23. James Steed, chair-maker, aged 80; enlisted in Capt. Richard Brown's company of Col. Miles' Pa. Rifle Reg't.; discharged July 11, 1776; re-enlisted in Capt. James Francis Moore's company of the 13th Pa. Reg't and was transferred to the 2d Reg't and was discharged November, 1781. Was in the battles of Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, Brandywine and Germantown. 24. John Holliday, enlisted as a lieutenant in Capt Clugage's company. (See above). 25. Peter Bucker, Franklin township, aged 63; went out in militia under Col. Joseph Heister, and afterwards was in Capt. Richard Findley's company, 6th Pa. Reg't, and served three years; was in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. 26. Andrew McPherran, aged 62; enlisted in Capt. Thomas Church's company of the 4th Pa. Battalion, and subsequently attached to the 5th Pa. Reg't.; served five years. 27. Thomas Smith, Barree township, aged 62 in 1818. His declaration reads: Enlisted with Capt. Thomas 91 Templeton; taken prisoner at the battle of Fort Freeling, and suffered three years' imprisonment. Col. John Murray commanded the regiment (2d Pa?). 28. Leonard Topps, aged 60; enlisted for three years; was in Capt. Hetrick's Company of Col. Hampton's regiment. He was living in 1835. 29. Rev. Deitrich Ourhand (Aurandt) aged 60 in 1818. Enlisted by Lieut. Jacob Snyder, 13th Pa. Reg't, Col. Walter Stewart, and after the battle of Monmouth transferred to Captain John Bankson's company in the 2d reg't; discharged January, 1781. 30. Samuel Lewis, Franklin township, aged 79; served six years and four months; discharged at Carlisle, Sept. 27, 1783. He was still living in 1835. 31. Isaac Rosebrough, blacksmith, aged 68 in 1823; enlisted in 1776 in Capt. James Moore's company, 4th Pa. Battalion. 32. David Nicholson, tailor, aged 65 in 1823; enlisted in the spring of 1776 in Capt. James Dunn's company, Del. Reg't; re-enlisted in Capt. Robert Kirkwood's company for one year. Was in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, and in several small engagements with the enemy. The remains of four of the soldiers named in the preceding list, to wit: Alexander King, John Irvine, James Duncan, and Martin Clabaugh, who died June 15, 1822, aged about eighty, rest in the Huntingdon cemetery. It is also the place of interment of other Revolutionary soldiers, to wit: Conrad Frederick Kurtz, who died Feb. 17, 1805. John Simpson, who died Jan. 27, 1807, aged about 60 years; was commissioned Aug. 15, 1775, Second Lieutenant of Capt. James Murray's company in the 4th Battalion of Lancaster County. Served in 1776 and 1777 in the Continental army. Maj. William Henderson, who died Sept. 9, 1811 in his 56th year, was taken prisoner at the battle of Long Island, Aug. 28, 1776, and after a confinement of five months 92 in a British prison-ship was exchanged, and immediately rejoined the army and served to the end of the war. John Dorland, who died Aug. 9, 1813. Andrew Henderson, who died June 21, 1812, in his 51st year; at the age of 17 he was appointed an officer, and served until the close of the war.