THE colonists had hardly recovered from
the cruelties and sufferings of the
French and Indian war and the ensuing
raids of the savages upon the scattered
and defenseless settlers, when dark
clouds began together in the distance,
that were portentous of a coming storm
of seven long years of cruel and bitter
war between the feeble colonies and the
mother country.
The century and a half preceding the breaking out of
the Revolutionary war had been a long
and severe school for the colonists and
their ancestors to prepare them for the
coming ordeal. Most of the
immigrants were fugitives from cruel
religious persecutions, and outlaws from
their native lands. Those who
escaped death emerged from dismal
dungeons to skulk in caves and
out-of-the-way places, and to hide, by
strange disguises, from the inappeasable
wrath of man, guilty of no crime save
that of a determination to be free to
think, act and serve their Divine Master
in accordance with the dictates of their
own consciences. This was a trying
school in which to rear a people— it was
the ordeal of fire, the baptism of
blood; but it tended to mold characters
of iron, to instill heroic blood, to
plant the seed of liberty in the hearts
of the people thus relentlessly pursued,
and raise up heroes who feared nothing
but their God. These poor,
suffering victims had heard of the New
World; and, in the dark perspective, it
was to them the guiding star of promise,
bidding them come.
Page 176 -
Page 177 -
PICTURE OF ARCHIBALD
FLEMING
Page 178 - BLANK PAGE
Page 179 -
ROSTER OF CAPT. JAMES
CHAMBERS' COMPANY.
Captain - James Chambers
First lieutenant - James Grier
Second lieutenant - Nathan
McConnell.
Third lieuenant - Thomas
Buchanan.
Sergeant - David Hay, Arthur
Andrews, Alex Crawford. |
|
PRIVATES.
|
David Boyd.
John Brandon
Johnson Brooks.
James Black.
Thomas Beatty.
David Riddle.
Michael Benker.
Archibald Brown.
Black Brown.
John Brown.
William Barnett.
Timothy Campbell.
William Campbell.
Benjamin Carson.
William Chestney.
John Dermont.
Joseph Eaton.
John Everly
Abijah Fairchild.
James Furmoil.
John Fidd.
William Gildersleeve. |
Richard Henny
Peter Hogan
Geo. Houseman.
John Hutchinson.
Thomas Hutchinson.
Charles Irwin.
Francis Jamieson.
Robert Joblier.
Andrew Johnston.
George Justice.
Andrew Keith.
Lewis Kettling.
Michael Kelly.
Thomas Kelly.
Silas Leonard.
David Lukens.
Thomas Lochry.
Patrick Logan.
Nicholas Lowrie.
John Lynch.
John McCosh.
|
James McEleve.
John McDonald.
Michael McGibson.
Cornelius McGibbin.
James McHaffey.
John McMurtrie.
Patrick McGaw.
Thomas Mason.
Patrick Neale.
William Parker.
David Riddle.
Thomas Rogers.
Nicholas Sawyer.
Joseph Scott.
Jacob Shute.
Moses Skinner.
Timothy Styles.
Patrick Sullivan.
James Sweeny.
James Symns.
Thomas Vaughn. |
Page 180 -
Page 181 -
COMPANY NO. 3, OF IRVINE'S REGIMENT
Captain - Abraham Smith,
commissioned Jan. 9, 1776.
First lieutenant - Robert White
Second lieutenant - John
Alexander, Andrew Irvine.
Ensigns - Samuel Montgomery,
Samuel Kennedy.
Sergeants - John Beatty, Samuel
Hamilton, Hugh Foster, William
Scott, William Burke.
Corporals - William Burke,
George Standley, John Moore,
William Campbell, Seth Richey,
William McCormick, William
Drennon; William Cochran, fifer;
John Fannon, drummer. |
|
PRIVATES.
|
David Armor.
John Brown.
Patrick Brown.
John Blakeley.
John Brannon.
Philip Boyle. |
Josiah Cochran.
Robert Craighead.
Anthony Creevy.
James Dunlap.
Thomas Drennon. |
William Downey.
Hugh Drennon.
Daniel Divinney.
Pat. Fleming.
William Gwin.
Alex. Gordon. |
Page 182 -
Robt. Gregg.
Thomas Higgins.
James Holliday.
Thomas Holmes.
John Hendricks.
Benj. Ishmail.
Robert Jarrett.
Thomas Johnson.
Samuel Love.
Geo. Lucas.
Nicholas Little.
James Lowrey.
Daniel McKusick.
John McCollam.
William McCormick.
Michael McGarea.
Bryan McLaughlin.
John McFetridge |
Michael McMullin.
James McKissock.
Adam McBreas.
John McDowell.
Samuel McBrea.
Robert McIlno.
Alex. McKenny.
John McKingham.
John Montgomery.
Alex. Moore.
Robert Miller.
Hugh Milligan.
Moses Powell.
Nathan Points.
John Rannell.
Seth Richey.
Patrick Rogers.
John Rannel, Jr. |
Peter Runey.
Alex. Reid.
Borthal Roharty.
Thomas Smith.
Patrick Silvers.
Thomas Scott.
George Simpson.
Robert Swinie.
John Stoops.
Ad. Sheaver.
William Stitt.
Peter Sheran.
Charles Tipper.
John Todd.
Mich. White.
James White.
John Wilson.
John Young. |
|
COMPANY NO. 4, OF IRVINE'S
REGIMENT |
Captain - William Rippey.
First lieutenants - William
Alexander, Alexander Parker
Second lieutenant - John Brooks.
Ensign - William Lusk
Sergeants - John Hughes, Robert
Watt, John McClelland, William
Anderson.
Corporals - William Gibbs,
Jeremiah McKibben, James
McCulloh, George Gordon, Nath.
Stevenson; William Richards,
fifer; Daniel Peterson, drummer. |
|
PRIVATES.
|
Jacob Anderson.
Robert Barckley.
Bernerd Burns.
Robert Caskey.
Henry Cartright.
Robert Cortney.
Jacob Christyardinger.
BenjaminCochran.
Hugh Call.
John Colllins.
William Dougherty.
John Davison.
Joseph Devine.
Anthony Dawson.
Thomas Dycke.
James Finerty.
Hugh Forsyth.
Hugh Ferguson.
Thomas Falls.
William George.
Henry Girden.
Thomas Gell.
Jacob Glouse
Nathan Hemphill.
Robert Haslet.
John Hendry.
William Henderson.
James Hervey. |
Cumberland
Hamilton.
Neal Hardon.
George Hewitt.
Robert Irvine.
Jacob Justice.
John Johnston.
Christopher Kechler.
Francis Kain.
John Kelly.
William Lowry.
Daniel Lavery.
David Linsey.
James Lynch.
John Madden.
Josiah McCall.
John McMichael.
James McComb.
William McIntyre.
John Moore,
James Mullin.
Thomas McCall.
Philip Melon.
Alexander McNichols.
James McCoy.
James McCon.
David McClain.
John McDonell.
Daniel McClain. |
John McGaw,
Charles Malone,
George McFerson,
William Nicholson.
John Ortman,
John O'Neal.
Thomas Pratt.
Thomas Parsons,
Charlea Rasbrough.
John Rasbrough.
John Rogers.
Thomas Reed.
Robert Robeson.
Basil Regan.
John Stoner.
Henry Scott.
Alexander Stephenson.
Nathan Stephenson.
James Smiley.
William Thompson.
Jacob Trash.
John Van Kirk.
William Winn.
John Wright.
Peter Young.
|
COMPANY NO. 8, OF IRVINE'S REGIMENT.
Captain - Jeremiah Talbott.
First lieutenant - John
McDonald.
Second lieutenant - Alexander
Brown.
Ensign - William Graham.
Sergeants - John McCollam, John
Wilson, James Cupples, Samuel
Mitchell.
Corporals - William Campbell,
Robert Hunter, John Chain, John
Reniston and John Milton, drmmer;
John Killin, fifer |
Page 183 -
PRIVATES
Robert Asten.
John Bradley.
William Black.
John Church.
George Coghren.
Francis Clark.
Robert Carnahan.
Charles Conna.
John Campbell.
Joseph Chambers.
John Dinning.
William Evans.
John Faulkner.
Hugh Fairess.
James Gardner.
Daniel Gibson.
William Heaslett.
John Heatherington. |
Duke Handlon.
John Higgins.
Kern Kelley.
Stephen Lyon.
Jacob Lewis.
Hugh Lilley.
John Marten.
Robert Mollon.
Benj. Morrison.
James McFarlan.
Charles McRoun.
Archibald McDonald.
Matthew McConnell.
Thomas McCreary.
Charles McMullen.
Thomas Mitchell.
Charles Marry.
Patrick Marry. |
Abel Morgan.
Archibald Nickel.
Andrew Pinkerton.
Samuel Power.
John Pollock.
James Quarre.
William Shaw.
Mike Sesalo
John Shoemaker.
James Sloan.
John Totton.
John Thompson.
Hugh Thompson.
William White.
John White.
John Welch.
Robert Watson.
Isaac Wiley. |
| |
|
|
In April,
1777, Capt. Talbott's company had
been so re4duced by hard service that it
was recruited up to the required number.
The following are the recruits that were
then added:
John McCullum.
John Foster.
John Ferguson.
Michael Black.
John Wilson.
Robert Hunter.
John Brown.
Gilbert Berryhill.
Hugh Casserty.
Charles Conner.
George Corohan.
Edward Hart.
John Shoemaker.
James Garlant.
James Loe.
Jacob Weaver.
Patrick Guinn.
Joseph West.
Peter Smith.
John Smith.
Michael Sitsler. |
John McKinley.
Charles Kelly.
John Johnson.
William Antrican.
Michael Brown.
John Milton.
Henry Vaughan.
James Ralla.
Patrick Doyle.
William McDonald.
Michael Danfee.
John Kellenough.
Patrick Murrey.
Conrad Carcass.
William Gibbs.
Thomas Whitely
Hugh Thompson.
William Foster.
Phelix O'Neal
John Crowl. |
John Fullerton.
Pat Boyle.
Thomas Sherry.
John Cavenaugh.
Robert Burns.
Andrew McGahey.
William McCalley.
Isaac Shockey.
Christopher Row.
Francis O'Harrah.
Thomas Dunn.
Daniel McCartey.
Barney McGilligen.
Thomas Aston.
John Smith (tanner).
Patrick McKinley.
John Robinson.
John Feaghander.
William Campbell.
Patrick McCullum. |
In addition
to the companies enumerated above, it is
an established fact that there were the
companies of Capts. James McConnell,
William Huston, Robert Culbertson
and Conrad Schneider - four full
companies - that were from what is now
Franklin County. These were
recruited and all prepared to go to the
front, but as they were among the last
men enlisted, it is not positively
known, nor are there any records by
which the fact can be exactly stated,
that they were ordered from the county
and were in the field. Possibly
they did not really join the Colonial
Army, and this may account for the
absence of them on the army rolls.
In the early part of 1777, the first battalion of
Cumberland County militia was formed;
commanded by Col. James Dunlap.
The lieutenant-colonel was Robert
Culberson, of Franklin County.
In this battalion were three companies
that were from what is now Franklin
County - the companies of Capts. Noah
Abraham, of Path Valley; Patrick
Jack, of Hamilton, and Charles
Maclay, of Lurgan. The roster
of Capt. Abraham's company was as
follows:
Captain - Noah Abraham.
First lieutenant - Archibald
Elliott. |
|
|
Page 184 -
Second lieutenant - Samuel
Walker
Sergeants - James McConnaughy,
Joseph Noble, Robert McConnell,
Thomas Clark |
|
PRIVATES.
|
John Garven.
George Farmer.
Samuel Elder.
William Elliott.
Francis Elliott.
Abram Elder.
George Dixson.
Alex. Douglas (weaver).
Henry Delmer.
Patrick Dougherty.
Andrew Douglas, Sr.
Campbell. Samuel
Carmady. James
Hugh McCurdy.
Robert Alexander.
Alexander McConnell.
James Alexander.
Charles Gibson.
James Harvey.
James Howe.
Andrew Hemphill.
William Harvey.
Henderson Harvey. |
James Mitchell.
David Armstrong.
John Mclellan, Jr.
John Adams.
Samuel Mears.
William Adams.
James Mackey.
James Allen.
Robert McGuire.
John Brown.
Henry McGee.
James Boggs.
John Mackey.
Nathaniel Bryan.
John Montgomery.
Allen, Brown.
James Nealy.
Alex. Hopper.
Adam Humberg.
John Johnson.
Joseph Kilgore.
Alex. Long.
John McLellan. |
William Buchanan.
David Neal.
John Bell.
James Park.
Daniel Colbert.
Henry Varner.
William Cortz.
William Wright.
John Canady.
Robert Walker.
Samuel Watson.
William Woodrow.
Alexander Mear.
Samuel McCauley.
Samuel Woodrow.
Jams McLellan.
Patrick Davidson.
Wm. McLellan.
Wm. McIbbins.
John Means.
Nathan McColey.
James Montgomery.
Alex. Meor. |
In Col.
John Davis' Second Battalion, was
Capt. Charles Leeper's company, of
Lurgan Township. Capt. James
McConnell, of Letterkenny, with his
company, was in the Fourth Battalion.
The Sixth Battalion was mostly officered by Franklin
County men, as follows:
Colonel Samuel Culbertson;
lieutenant-colonel, John
Work;
major, James McCammont (McCalmont);
adjutant, John Wilson;
quartermaster, Samuel Finley;
surgeon, Richard Brownson. |
The officers in Company No. 2, of this
battalion were the following:
Captain, Patrick Jack;
first-lieutenant William
Reynolds;
second lieutenant, James
McLene;
ensign, Francis Gardner.
This company was
recruited from Hamilton
Township. |
Company 3 in
this battalion, was from Letterkenny
Township, and the following officers:
Captain, Samuel Patton;
first lieutenant, John
Eaton;
second lieutenant, David
Shields;
ensign, William Ramsey.
|
A company from
Peters Township, No. 4, had the
following:
Captain, James Patton;
first lieutenant, Thomas
McDowell;
second lieutenant, John Welsh;
ensign, John Dickey. |
Company No.
5:
Captain, Joseph Culbertson;
first lieutenant, John Barr;
second lieutenant, William
Cessna;
ensign, Hugh Allison.
This company was from Lurgan Township. |
Company 6 as follows:
Captain, William Huston;
first lieutenant, William
Elliott;
second lieutenant, James
McFarland;
ensign, Robert Kyle.
It is said this company was recruited from Montgomery;
ensign, Robert Kyle.
|
It is said this company Rev. Dr.
John King delivered a patriotic
-address as they were about starting for
the field. *
Company 7 the following:
Captain, Robert McCoy;
first lieutenant, James
Irwin;
second lieutenant, Samuel
Dunwoody;
ensign, Walter McKinney
from Peters Township. |
Company No.
8 as follows: In the Eighth
Battal-
Captain, John McConnell;
first lieutenant, Joseph
Stevenson;
second lieutenant, Geo. Stevenson;
ensign, James Caldwell, from Letterkenny Township. |
---------------
* "The case is plain; life must be hazarded or all is
gone. You must go and fight, or
send your humble submission, and bow as
a beast to its burden, or as an ox to
the slaughter. The king of Great
Britain has declared us rebels, a
capital crime; submission therefor
consents to the rope or the ax.
Liberty is doubtless gone; none could
imagine a tyrant king should be more
favorable to conquered rebels, then he
was to loyal, humble, petitioning
subjects. No! No! if
ever a people lay in chains we must, if
our enemies carry their point against
us, and oblige us to unconditional
submission. This is not all.
Our Tory neighbors will be our proud and
tormenting enemies."
Page 185 -
Page 186 -
Page 187. -
Page 188 -
Page 189 -
ONE OF THE FIRST
AMERICAN CANNON.
Page 190 -
<
CLICK HERE to RETURN to TABLE of
CONTENTS > |
