Pre-Revolutionary Military Service in Pennsylvania

Pre-Revolutionary Military Service in Pennsylvania WILLIAM A. HUNTER HE MILITARY SITUATION IN PROVINCIAL PENNSYLVANIA. The royal charter granted William Penn by Charles lIon 4 March 1681 conferred upon the Proprietor authority "to doe all . . which to the charge and office of a Captaine generall of an Army belongeth." This authority, usually delegated to the lieutenant governor, sufficed for the commissioning of military officers, the defining of their authority, and the ordering of troops. Legisla* non to regulate and pay for military service, however, had to originate in the elected Provincial Assembly. The distinctive aspects of military service in Provincial Pennsylvania reflect the fact that this colony was established by Quakers, members of the Society of Friends, a religious group profoundly opposed to war and other violence. In such circumstances the proprietors' and governors' appeals for the establishment of a regular militia were of little effect upon the Assembly; and until the French and Indian War Pennsylvania neither had a militia act nor maintained its own troops. In 1756 the Quaker members resigned their Assembly seats to end the disharmony between their convictions and the urgent need for action on military legislation occasioned by the French and Indian War. It should be noted, however, that throughout the provincial period Pennsylvanians were free to enter His (Her) Majesty's service on the same basis as other British subjects. At the same time, such volunteers did not serve under the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania, but under that of the Crown. Of course, no records of their service are included with the Provincial records. SUMMARY OF PROVINCIAL MILITARY ACTIONS, 1681-1776. The British Empire was involved in a number of wars during the pre-Revolutionary colonial period. Specifically, these were: T King William's War (War of the League of Augsburg), 1689-1697• Queen Anne's War (War of the Spanish Succession), 1702-1713. "Cresap's War," 1736. War with Spain (War of Jenkins' Ear), 1739. 236 Pre•Revolutionary Military Service 237 King George's War (War of the Austrian Succession), 1744-1748. French and Indian War (Seven Years' War), 1755-1763. War with Spain, 1762-1763. Pontiac's War, 1763-1765. First "Pennamite War," 1769-1771. Second "Pennamite War," 1773-1775. Lord Dunmore's War, 1774. Although Pennsylvania furnished money and supplies to support most of these conflicts, Pennsylvania troops were raised for only seven. Queen Anne's War (War of the Spanish Succession), 1702-1713: In 1704 Governor John Evans commissioned militia officers and on 11 July ordered all persons enrolled in the militia exempted from service in the Philadelphia city watch. According to the Assembly, there forces were used only "to awe the Electors at Philadelphia." War with Spain ("War of Jenkins' Ear"), 1739: By the end of July, 1740, seven companies of a quota of eight, in British pay, were raised. King George's War (War of the Austrian Succession), 1744-1748: On 4 September 1746 four Pennsylvania companies, of 100 men each, left Philadelphia to rendezvous at Albany, New York, with troops from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. The Pennsylvania companies were discharged on 31 October 1747. To provide an adequate militia in the absence of a militia law, in 1747 Benjamin Franklin proposed that the people take the initiative and form "associations" whose elected officers the governor might commission at pleasure. Companies of 50 to 100 men would elect a captain, a lieutenant, and an ensign, and submit their names for commissions to run for a year. The companies of a county would constitute one or more regiments with a colonel, a lieutenant colonel, and a major elected by the company officers. Four deputies from each county would meet to form a General Military Council. On 7 December President Anthony Palmer of the Council informed assembled Associators that their action was "not disapproved" and that he would commission their officers. One of these companies, an artillery unit, erected a battery below Philadelphia, 29 August 1748, named "The Association." French and Indian War (Seven Years' War), 1755-1763: Pennsylvania contributed no troops to Braddock's campaign. Following Braddock's defeat, Governor Robert Hunter Morris encouraged the formation of volunteer militia companies; and when the Assembly delayed action, on 6 November invited the people to form associations and to elect officers for commissioir 238 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine ing. In general, these militia groups followed the pattern of the Association of 1747. On 3 November the Governor authorized James Hamilton, a member of the Council, to commission militia officers in Lancaster County. After passage of the Supply Act of 27 November, some of these militia were taken into Provincial pay. The associated militia were not affected by the Militia Act passed on 25 November 1755. The regular militia companies differed from those of the Association type chiefly in having a different legal basis. The militia bill submitted by the Assembly on 20 November, and signed five days later, was drawn so loosely to satisfy conscientious objectors that it was voided by the King on 7 July 1756, after a Crown committee had pronounced it "rather calculated to exempt Persons from Militia Services than to encourage and promote them." The royal veto was of little importance since it was not known in Pennsylvania until 15 October, fifteen days before the act was to have expired by its own terms. Moreover, the deficiencies of the act were all too apparent. Membership was entirely voluntary; the officers were of course elected as in the Association; the men might not be taken more than three days' march beyond the settlements nor kept longer than three weeks in garrison. On 13 February 1756, it was determined that companies formed under this act should be regimented by counties (Philadelphia to have its own City Regiment, however), and that no regiment should contain fewer than eight companies. The raising and maintenance of paid troops became possible with passage of the £60,000 Supply Act on 27 November 1755. As a temporary measure, some militia and their elected officers were at first taken into pay; thereafter, troops were enlisted to serve under officers chosen by the governor. The earliest companies had a short term of enlistment and consisted of thirty to seventy-five men; small companies had two commissioned officers, a captain and a lieutenant, while larger ones had an ensign as well. Not only captains but battalion and regimental officers of higher rank also commonly commanded companies; in such companies the second officer was designated captain lieutenant and generally exercised the actual command of the company. Enlisted men received six dollars a month, arms, blanket, and food, and provided their own clothing. By the spring of 1756 companies were generally of fifty men and three officers each; and the total force was 1,400 officers and men in three battalions: the Pennsylvania Regiment manned the line of frontier posts between the Delaware River and the Maryland line, with the 1st Battalion east of the Susquehanna and the 2nd Battalion west of the river; the Augusta Regiment, of one battalion, had headquarters at Fort Augusta (present Sunbury). The three battalion$ were Pre-Revolutionary Military Service 239 commanded respectively by two lieutenant colonels and a colonel, all under the governor as commander-in-chief. With slight variations in designation, this organization continued until January, 1758, when the forces were regrouped into two battalions, for which the old 2d and Augusta battalions served as nuclei. For the Forbes campaign of 1758 and for the campaigns of the two following years, the armed strength was temporarily increased to 2,700 by enlisting additional men for the duration of the campaign. When serving with British troops on these campaigns, the Pennsylvania troops were supplied at Crown expense, but were paid by the Province. In 1761 the Assembly authorized only 300 men to serve at the western posts until November and thirty to garrison Fort Augusta, which remained garrisoned until Pontiac's War. The Royal American (62d, later 60th) Regiment, organized in this period and recruited in North America (largely in Pennsylvania), was a British unit, not part of the provincial forces. Pontiac's War, 1763-1765: Militarily, this war was for the Province practically a renewal of the French and Indian War, On 11 June 1763, the Provincial Commissioners agreed to reinforce Fort Augusta with 100 men. The Assembly voted on 6 July to take 700 more troops (making a total of sixteen companies of fifty men each) into service, and later voted to continue their service until December. In this last month they voted to provide 1,000 troops (by adding four new companies to those already in service) to serve with General Amherst's British forces (under Colonel Henry Bouquet), In 1764, in addition to the 1,000 troops serving with the British forces, 250 men were stationed on the Pennsylvania frontier. In consequence of Bouquet's campaign of 1764, the Indians sued for peace; and although a treaty was not signed until 8 May 1765, Governor John Penn ordered a cessation of hostilities in Pennsylvania on 5 December 1764. Excepting the Fort garrison, which was continued until 13 June 1765, the Pennsylvania troops were then discharged. A few units of associated militia also served in this war. Second "Pennamite War," 1773-1775: Upon request by the Assembly, Governor John Penn on 25 November 1775 ordered the Northumberland County Sheriff and posse to deal with the Connecticut settlers at Wyoming. This posse, which was repulsed, numbered almost 500 men, drawn from associated militia companies commanded by Colonel William Plunket. It may be noted that the minutes of the Council (Provincial Record) break off about this time, but that Sheriff William Scull's official report is inserted into the "Votes of Assembly" (Pennsylvania Archives, Eighth Series, VIII, 7395-96; see also 7363-64 and 7401)• 240 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Lord Dunmore's War, 1774: This was a war between Virginia and some of the Ohio Indians. Pennsylvania was concerned not only because of proximity to and interest in the region but also because the southwestern part of the Province, including Pittsburgh, was claimed by Virginia and was partly under Virginia administration. In May, 1774, Arthur St. Clair and other residents of Westmoreland County agreed to support a volunteer ranging company of 100 men for one month to patrol between Pittsburgh and Ligonier; later the number was in creased. On 20 July the Assembly agreed to pay these rangers until 20 September. On 29 September the Assembly agreed to continue 100 men and officers who served until 1 November. The proprietary government of LOCATION OF PROVINCIAL RECORDs. Provincial Pennsylvania was essentially personal, with the consequence that many records which now would be considered public were then private. While the legislative minutes (Votes of Assembly) were required to be printed, the executive minutes (Provincial Record) were not, and were not open to examination. The governor and the Provincial secretary were responsible to the proprietor, and their correspondence was private. Many records thus remained in the hands of the Penns and their appointeesi of these, many papers preserved by the Penns and the families and associates of Richard Peters, Edward Shippen, Isaac Norris, Benjamin Franklin, and others active in Provincial affairs have come into custody of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the American Philosophical Society, and other scholarly institutions. Papers in the custody of Provincial Secretary Joseph Shippen at the time of the Revolution were in August, 1776, delivered by him to Governor John Penn, who in April, 1780, was requested to deliver them to the Supreme Executive Council of the State. Those in State custody are now included in Record Group 21: Records of Proprietary Government. Assembly records, in contrast, survive only in the printed Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Province of Pennsylvania, usually referred to as "Votes of the Assembly." PUBLISHED PROVINCIAL RECORDS. The "Votes of Assembly," as printed in six volumes during the colonial period, have been reprinted as the eightvolume Pennsylvania Archives, Eighth Series. The modern text is not entirely trustworthy, however, and its usefulness is lessened by the editor's omission of dates of minutes prior to 14 October 1756 (Volumes I-V). Most military data in this series appear in the incorporated accounts of disbursements by Provincial commissioners and others. (See V, 4354-75; VI, 4865-84, 5050-66, 5151-56; VII, 5654-67. 5913-14). Pre-Revolutionary Military Service 241 Of the executive records, the minutes of the Provincial Council (Provincial Record) have been printed in Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania (title varies; better known by the binder's title, Colonial Records), Volumes I-X. Papers of the Council appear in Pennsylvania Archives, First Series, Volumes I-IV; Second Series, Volume II; and, specifically military items, Fifth Series, Volume I. Colonial Records is a fairly reliable transcript of the manuscript Provincial Record, details of punctuation and capitalization excepted. Pennsylvania Archives, First Series, contains innumerable minor errors of transcription and some of editing. For example, items printed at II, 159-66, 239, and 240-41 as of 1754 are actually of 1757, 1756, and about 1775, respectively. The Second Series, Volume II, includes "Papers Relating to the Province . . .," chiefly military in content, and "Officers and Soldiers . . 17441764," which includes some editorial compilations, particularly a list of "Provincial Officers — 1754" based on the document misdated in the First Series, II, 159-66, noted above. Papers of the later group are reprinted in the Fifth Series, Volume I. Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, I, "Officers and Soldiers . . . 17441765," amplified from Second Series, II, includes material not in State custody. Here, again, are editorial compilations (pp. 3, 30-32, 41-42, for example) and errors of dating (pp. 29-30: 1759, not 1749). The list on pp. 88-91 represents a proposed reorganization not effected in this form (compare pp. 105-108). In addition to these printed works, the entire body of manuscript executive records, both minutes and papers, has been published (1966) in microfilm form, in 26 rolls. The minutes reproduce the manuscript Provincial Record, consisting of twenty bound books of various size, lettered A to U. The papers reproduce 3,000 manuscript items, most of which have been published in the Pennsylvania Archives, as noted. In the century since publication, the originals of some of the published documents have been lost, including especially all those printed in First Series, Volume IV. On the other hand, the microfilm edition includes surviving papers that have not appeared in print. Indexes: There is no published index to Pennsylvania Archives, Eighth Series, but a typed index may be consulted in the Division of Archives and Manuscripts. The printed volumes of Colonial Records and Pennsylvania Archives, First Series, are individually indexed, and a separate volume provides a General Index to both publications, but these are inadequate and unreliable. With a few exceptions, volumes of the Second Series are sep- 242 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine arately indexed. An index to the Fifth Series was printed as Pennsylvania Archives, Sixth Series, IV. A printed Guide to the Microfilm of the Records of the Provincial Council, 1682-1776, includes a chronological "List of the Papers of the Provincial Council" (pp. 14-130). MILITARY RECORDS IN THE DIVISION OF ARCHIVES AND MANUSCRIPTS. In consequence of the early dispersal of Provincial records, as noted above, only a part of those originally produced have come into State custody, and these have been depleted somewhat by later losses. Briefly summarized, the military records held by this Division include: War with Spain: Names of officers of the first seven companies raised appear in Council Minutes of 22 August 1740 (printed in Colonial Records, IV, 468)• King George's War: Three copies of a printed form for commissions issued by Governor Thomas; data supplied in ink for militia officers in Lancaster County (Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, I, 3-5), but neither signed nor sealed. Perhaps clerk's copies of commissions issued, or invalid items retained as specimens; they do not constitute proof of service. Returns of the four companies sent to New York, 1746-1747. and a list of deserters (ibid., 6-16; see also Colonial Records, V, 176-81). Lists of militia officers commissioned, 1747-1748, were entered in Council minutes and printed by Franklin in the Pennsylvania Gazette, (See Colonial Records, V, 174, 181, 185-86, 193-94, 209-10, 248-49, 325.) French and Indian War: Military records kept for the governor by the Provincial secretary, who acted also as military secretary, apparently included orderly books, maps, and other material (Colonial Records, VII, 228), but these are not to be found. Most of the surviving records are now in the Papers of the Provincial Council and have been published as previously listed. As noted, the originals of all Provincial papers printed in Pennsylvania Archives, First Series, IV (1761 - 1776), have since been lost. SERVICES AVAILABLE. In the absence for the provincial period of anything resembling a modern individual service record, it is impossible for the Division of Archives and Manuscripts to ascertain or certify to military services, or to provide identifications of persons named in the records. Verification can be made of the accuracy of the published copies of manuscripts held by the Division; and certified photostatic copies of such manuscripts are available at cost. The manuscript records themselves may be consulted in the Search Room of the Bureau of Archives and History, the William Penn Memorial Museum and Archives Building. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.