A history of the life and services of Captain Samuel Dewees, a native of Pennsylvania, and soldier of the revolutionary and last wars. Also, reminiscences of the revolutionary struggle...and late war with Great Britain. In all of which he was patriotically engaged

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Chapter I

I WAS born in 1760 at Patton's Furnace situated about ten miles from the town of Reading, in Berk's County Pennsylvania. My father's name was Samuel Dewees, and was by trade a leather breeches maker. At the time of my birth however my father was master collier at the above named furnace. My father's family consisted of six: sons and one daughter, — I was the fourth child. John was the eldest, the rest with myself, were born in the order following: William, Elizabeth, Samuel, Powell, Thomas and David; all are dead, with the exception of myself and my brother Thomas, who now lives in Wayne County, Ohio.

Owing to difficulties always attendant upon poverty, my father sought places for all of his children ; places where he had good reason to believe we would havebeen treated with kindness or else he would not have placed us there. This seems to be a hard and sad alternative in any instance, but those having had the trials of poverty; who having had to contend with every species of poverty with which they have been rifely beset ; who having had to struggle against the tides of ill fortune in. a cold, oppressive and unfriendly world, when rearing a large family of small children, can best tell what a painful trial it is to break the family ties of kindred, feeling and hourly intercourse by a separation thus, at a tender age. My father was a stern unyielding patriot, and although a soldier by nature, — a man whose courage neither the cannon's awful roar, the battle-field's bloody carnage nor yet the wounds received in battle could shake; was not cruel in his disposition, but upon the contrary very tender hearted, especially, when that heart's full How of humanity was taxed with the objects of suffering at all times when falling within the sphere of its own consciousness.

I was nearly five years old when my father bound me to one Richard Lewis, a tory quaker who lived in what was then (and suppose is yet) called Poplar Neck in Berk's County, Pa., and who it will be seen possessed (contrary to the nature in general of that virtuous people denominated Friends,) but little of the milk of human kindness. He treated me not only with harshness and rigid severity but with the most brutal and wanton cruelty. Cruelty which has stigmatized him and made him to appear to couple himself with my earliest associations of thoughts within my own mind in recollections as a demon, throughout a long life with which I have been blest by Almighty God.

1 was undoubtedly, as most children are that are not blest with a proper culturing hand in youth — inclined to be mischievous and Lewis was among the last of men (and his wife among the last of women) to make any allowance for the abberrations of juvenile nature. He kept a whip constantly laid up for me, and often, very often used it, more to gratify a savage or fiendish and ferocious disposition of heart than to correct a fault, many of which were very trivial in themselves. During the winter seasons whilst I was with him it was made my duty to tie up and fodder the neat cattle, to house the sheep, feed the hogs, cut fire wood, go to mill, &c. One winter night after having been in bed sometime, Lewis called out to me in a very surly tone " Sammy." I answered (as I was taught) " what." He then said aloudj did thee put in all the sheep ? I replied I did. "Thee lies thee dog, come down here.'' I jumped out of bed and put on my little sheepskin breeches and came down stairs ; it was a bitter cold night, the snow was fully knee deep to a grown person and had a crust upon it. After I came down stairs I was in the act of putting on my stockings and shoes when he bawled out, "No thee dog, thee shall go without thy shoes and stockings ;" and with a clout along side of my head he drove me reeling out of the house into the snow barefooted. I found some of the sheep out. After penning them up which was as quickly done as possible, I returned to the house almost frozen, my feet particularly, and with the blood trickling down my shins. Lewis, with a blow on my head, had sent me out of the house, but his work was not finished until now^, with another he sent me off crying to my bed, accompanying me on my passage thither with the epithets rascal, dog, &c.

At another time he called out at the top of his voice Sammy, Sammy. I answered, what? and then neared him. Go, said he, and draw a pitcher of cider. I took the pitcher out of his hand and went down to the cellar and drew it full of cider, or rather more than full, for I could not shut the spigot; knowing what I would get, I w^as very much scared and ran and left the cider running out of the barrel and pretty fast too. I was afraid to call or to run and tell him of the disaster, I ran up and left the pitcher in the room and took french leave for the moment. Lewis hearing the cider running longer than necessary to fill the pitcher repaired to the cellar in double quick time and stopped it. He had no sooner ascended the cellar steps than he bawled out in an unusually angry tone (which has often since brought Cowper's priest to my mind.) Sammy, Sammy. I then knew the time of day and having no protector to fly to I had to obey the citation of this monster of cruelty who took down his w^hip and set to w^ork deliberately to plat a cracker and affix to the lash. This cracker he tied full of knots ordering me at the same time to haul off my roundabout and jacket this done h& set himself to w^ork to beat me. He whipped me until h©

LIFE OV became tired. He then stopped a short while. After having rested himself he then examined my back striping up my shirt and seeing that it looked pretty well scarified already and yet not enough to glut his vengeance for he gave me a severe cut upon it when he had bared it and then bade me to begone for a rascal and do my work. Oh ye hellish guardians of orphans, poor and unbefriended children, what labor can you expect a child with a torn, bleeding back, and a broken and wounded spirit can perform for you ? Thanks be to God the salutary laws of my country now a days can be brought to bear upon you, snug as you sometimes are in your nests of cruelty. This by some disinterested friend of ill used and shamefully abused servants and apprentices. Go hide your faces ye male and female monsters of cruelty with which ihe earth and innocence are so often cursed.

At the time there was a shoemaker by the name of Gideon Vore, a quaker who lived in Reading but who at this time was at work in the house of Lewis, he remonstrated sharply with Lewis against the cruel beating which he gave me. Lewis not taking it well, angry words ensued upon both sides. Vore being a pretty resolute fellow backed his just spirit, and told Lewis plainly that he would soon see whether there was not law to be had to protect me against such savage usage. He put on his coat immediately and started for Reading. Lewis seeing he was determined, followed him out of the house and prevailed upon him to come back. I did not know upon what ground he succeeded in diverting him from his purpose, but suppose that he promised to Vore that he would not flog me so severely again.

Among the cattle of Lewis there was one a steer, which had a white spot on his forehead, and I having found a nest full of rotten eggs in the stable conceived the idea (as I was letting the cattle out one morningj of target firing, and so setting to work, I blazed away at the white spot in the steer's forehead. I stood at some distance from him and was amusing myself very much and proud too, that I could hit so near to the white spot as I did. Lewis being a looker on in Venice, beheld the sport, which it appeared, innocent and harmless as it was, he did not relish very w^ell. Not having a hand in that frolic he thought it was best for him to have one in which he could, and where he could show himself off as principal actor and master of ceremonies too. After beholding my sport of egg-shooting, he provided himself with a hickory weith and bawled out Sammy in a lusty manner. I answered, what? He cried out, come here. I went to him. He then said, Sammy thee has had fine sport this morning, and I want a little too. He then ordered me to strip oft" my jacket — I did so, or rather he took it from oft" me. He then began to play away upon me, wuth the hickory weith and I began to dance to its all inspiring music of unmerciful harhness, and so we had it until both became tired. If he had promised to Vore that he w^ould not again flog me so severely, he broke his promise now, for in consequence of my having to endure such an unmerciful flogging, at his hands, my back was well striped and exceedingly sore indeed.

There was a corn-husking one night at my master's brothers, all in the family were invited and went but myself; I wished to go, but the old man ordered me off" to bed; the thing troubled me so much that it appeared it was the whole engrossing subject within my mmd, when asleep. I at length arose out of my bed and started off* undressed to go to the husking, and fortunately was met more than halfway, as they were returning home again, which must have been well on towards daylight. They took hold of me and found I was asleep. This was the first knowledge I had of my having been asleep, after which I was very cold.

At another time when I was engaged in driving the cattle out of the stable, there was one that I was much plagued with, for I could not get it from the stable door, I picked up a piece of a knot of wood and let slip at it and knocked it down; my mistress seeing this took after me cudgel in hand and yelling like a savage, I off* without the w^ord go, and streaked it into a rye field for shelter. I heeled it through the rye which was then in blossom, and she tried to heel it too, but "couldnt coiiie it ;" once and a while I would pop my head above the rye in order to see where the old vixen was, and when I perceived that she in her course or tacking was likely to overhaul me I would slide into another point of the compass, and ensure the safety of my person thereby. I had ray sport in fooling her until almost night, for I was determined not to surrender to petticoat government or authority in that instance. Not being willing to return to the house that night, I pushed off in search of quarters which I obtained, for I billetted that night in a neighbor's barn and was without a supper. Next morning my master's son came after me, the owner of the barn understanding that I was there talked with Lewis' son about me, and made him promise that I should not be whipped; upon this condition I capitulated and went home with him, but if I did, I went trembling every step of the road; this because I knew something of the characters I had to meet. When we arrived I was about to "catch it,"' but young Lewis plead with his mother for nearly an hour ere she waived her intention, she very reluctantly agreed to bury the hatchet for a time and so I escaped punishment at that time — she might have agreed sooner to have let me slip, for nothing was more easy than to have given me two wdiippings at one and the same time.^ thereafter, a game which she could play and which I understood very well, but was satisfied with the armistice established on thai occasion. This will not be wonder-] ed at, as it is natural for persons, particularly youths, to put off the evil day as far as possible in the future.

How admirably fitted are all the providences of God to emergencies falling out, unto us in life — one such a providential deliverance, I must here note ; I was sent one day to carry dinner to my master's son where he Avas ploughing in one of the fields of the farm. When I had gone to the distance of two or three hundred yards from the house, I was met by a large boar belonging to Boston Murrier, who was one of our neighbors. The

CAPTAIN SAMUEL BEWEES. 37

boar advanced towards me with bristles ei^ct, and run* ning, sideways as is the attidude of battle among hogs; when I would stop, he would stop and champ and froth like a prancing charger would his bridle-bit. When I would endeavor to go on (for I had a hope, that I could have reached a fence not very far off) he would run sideways after me. I contended with him in this way for some time, but found it impossible to reach the fence ; I then dropped my basket, containing the dinner, ajid had the hope that as I w^ould run towards the house, he would have stopped to devour the contents thereof, and let me go. I started at full speed for the house and seeing my master's daughter at the wood-pile, I called aloud to her. The boar however did not stop to taste its contents but ran after me, overtook and threw me down. —

Mrs. called to my master who was then in the

house. They both ran accompanied by a large dog and succeeded in taking him off me, but not until he had sunk his tusks into my back so that a finger might have been thrust through into my inside. They succeeded w4th the help of the dog in catching him, which when they did my master, wiih a large stone broke off his tusks and some of his teeth and then let him run. The belief w^as that had not help been thus afforded me, he would have torn me to pieces, and had it not been that my master's daughter was at the time at the wood-pile, I might have cried in vain, ere help would have been extended to me. This woman was married and lived in Reading, but was on a visit to her father's at the time — she was quite another kind of woman when compared with her mother — she was always very kind to me when on visits to her father's, and upon this occasion manifested her joy in my rescue, and was very tender to me in my then injured and helpless state. Lewis sent Murrier word that if he still would permit the boar to run at large, he would shoot him wherever found. Murrier put him up to fatten, which no doubt secured the person of others from bis fierce attacks thereafter.

Whilst I remained in the family of Lewis another ac- 4 cident befel me which came near ending my life; it happened in hay harvest ; we were engaged in hauling hay and whilst taking in the last load into the barn, a sonin-law of Lewis' drove the wagon wheels over a stump, which pitched mc off head-foremost against a rock and with such violence as to crack my skull. I was much injured by this accident for a time and must attribute it in a great measure to my own carelessness and contempt of danger, for, after I had finished building the hay upon the wagon, I laid me down upon my back on the top of the load, an act that no persons in their senses should at any time be guilty of. It is fair and not unreasonable to state, that a great proportion of accidents fatal and otherwise are the resultsof carelessness, which is to say in other words, not exercising the rational powers of mind possessed, in order to obtain a forecast as to what is really prudent and right or what is imprudent, wrong and most profoundly ignorant and foolish in the extreme.

Servitude w^ith these cruel-hearted people was very irksome to me. When I look back upon the scenes of hardships I was made to endure, the continual scoldings meted out to me, and the unmerciful corrections I received at their hands, I can but liken myself to a person in the midst of a den of rattlesnakes, afraid to move in any one direction for fear of encountering the venomous fangs or bite of those having the power over me. My cloathing was of the coarsest cast. I recollect, that when linen collars and wristbands were put u|3on my coarse tow-linen shirts, I was very proud indeed. In eating I was often the subject o^pot luck. Lewis had a nephew that lived with him some time and his victuals like mine were often "begrudged," as the saying is. This lad was perhaps eighteen years old, I remember that the old man lectured him occasionally upon the art of eating. One day the old man was lecturing his nephew upon eating, trying perhaps, to break my back over the shoulders of the nephew, said he to his nephew, "thee should always quit eating and rise from the table hungry." Indeed uncle (said the nephew) I always eat until I am full and i then I like to take a good chunk of pie with me in my fiist, to eat after that again, by way of a finish to my meal as a topper out.

Chapter II

**In 1773, committees of correspondence were organized in Massachusetts, and at the instance of the Virginia House of Burgesses, '^standing committees" were, chosen throughout the colonies, and by means of a frequent conference, each colony was put in possession of the determinations of the whole. Meetings of the people were frequently held and the "SONS of LIBERTY" every where were alive to the interests of the colonies and were up, active and doing.

The duty imposed by the King and Parliament of Great Britain upon the colonies with reference to the article of tea, the people regarded as a flagrant and wanton assumption of power upon the part of the Ministers, Parliament and King of Great Britain.

The people ov/ned themselves subjects of the Crown, but, stibjects with constitutional rights; and they could not concede to any body, the right of infringino; upon those rights, without their own unqualified assent thereto.

Large quantities of tea had been consigned to different points in the colonies. The people of Philadelphia and New York refused to purchase or to accept of it, on any terms. They "sent the ships back to London and they sailed up the Thames, to proclaim to all the nation that New York and Pennsylvania would not be enslaved. The people of Charleston unloaded the tea and stored it in cellars where it perished."

The people of Boston acted differently, they utterly refused to receive it, and a large number of the citizens habited as "Mohawk Indians" went aboard of the vessels, broke open the whole number of chests containing the tea and cast it overboard. The surface of the waters in the vicinity of the wharves and for some distance out was literally coated with drifting tea.

In September of the next year, 1774, the meeting of the first Continental Congress took place at Philadelphia, in order to concert measures for the better protection of the colonies against the arbitrary encroachments of the King, Ministers and Parliamentof Great Britain and the governors of the crown in each of the colonies.

General Washington (then styled Colonel) sat in that first Congress when it assembled, as a deputy from the colony of Virginia.

This choice concentration of much of the best intellectual powers and deep wisdom of the colonies, it would seem aimed not firstly at Independence. That body, with that humbleness which still characterized the members thereof and the people of the colonies whom they represented as loyal subjects of his Majesty the King of England, voted a series of resolutions touching the grievances they were enduring. It voted a declaration or Bill of Rights, exhibiting the causes that led to the stand which the colonies had took from the beginning of the difficulties, and set forth in a lucid and unsophisticated manner their rights as colonies, and the protection that those rights claimed for them as citizens at the hands of their sovereign. It voted a number of addresses by way of appeals. It also petitioned the King for a redress of grievances, and whilst those resolutions, declaration of rights, addresses, petitions, &c. &c., were "pronounced by competent authority," to have been "master pieces" of the age in "wisdom, dignity," lofty, patriotic strength and sublimity of language and "moral courage," the Ministers and Parliament, with the King at their head, blinded by their avariciousness and rage, looked upon and conceived them to be nought but tirades of insult, impudence and the sheerest nonsense.

Mr. Frost states that the determination upon the part of the people of New England was that their course should be such that in the event of hostilities breakingout, the royal party should be the aggressors. But in the event of such a disasterous state of things existing their determinations were to act as one, upon the defensive, and repel in the strength of their might any hostile attack that might be made by the royal forces against them.

The colonists had collected some military stores at Concord (a place situated 18 or 20 miles from Boston,) to destroy which a detachment of royal forces had been despatched by the royal Governor and were under the command of Colonel Smith and Major Pitcairn. This royal force was met and opposed by the aroused citizens at Lexington, and a number killed and wounded on both sides. This battle, denominated the "battle of Lexington," was the first battle of the revolution.

The British forces after the continental militia gave way, (the militia costituting a small body compared with "800 grenadiers and infantry" whom they opposed) pursued their design, and moved on to Concord for the purpose of destroying the military stores.

The continental militia rallied again, joined by others of the citizens that flew to the assistance of their continental brothers and marched to Concord. The loyalists opened a fire upon the colonists and a general engagement look place. The royalists were beaten and put to the route. This engagement constituted the second battle of the revolution. The royalists were pursued by an annoying fire and whilst enduring this, three regiments under the commmand of General Lord Percy came to their aid ; reinforced thus they plundered and fired the town of Lexington and a number of houses were consumed.

At West Cambridge the colonists were joined by the noble Warren, and also by General Heath, and the militia encouraged by their presence poured in upon the royalists a very destructive fire and contlned to dog them, hanging on their sides and rear in their flight. The reinforcement under Lord Percy formed itself into a hollow 4* square. The fugitives, says a British historian, when they were received into it, lay down on the ground with their tongues hanging out of their mouths like dogs after a chase.

It would appear there was neither skill nor judgment thrown away by the colonists in their use of fire arms. Their just anger in their willing forbearance was longunder the curb, but when it burst its fetters asunder, it descended like a mighty torrent upon the guilty heads of their inhuman oppressors. Their aim in the field was a deadly one.

" Liberty, from whose imperial eye.

Unfettered limb, and step of majesty.

Perpetual sunshine brightens all the air.

When undisturbed by man — in wrath is there I

And prostrate armies now, are kneeling round,

They see the rolling clouds I they hear the sound

Of pealing thunders ! while her martial form

Lightens tremendous in the gathering storm !

They breathe that buoyant mountain atmosphere.

And kindling in their eyes those lights appear, —

Those (jufnchless lights ! — that despots, tyrants dread

When man comes forth in might, and lifts his head

Sublime in desperation ; when they hear

The song of trumpets bursting on their ear!

The shock of armies ! and, afar, behold

Rebellion's crimson standard all unrolled f

When slaves are men — are monarch^ — and their tread

Comes like the resurrection of the dead !

Man bursts his fetters ! shakes his sheathless sword —

Stands on his grave, and battles with his lord

For sepulture or freedom — eye to eye —

And swears to live his equal, or to die,

Li glorious martyrdom — to glorious LIBERTY.

Then let the trumpet of the battle sound!

Then let the shuddering challenge peal around f

*Till all our ruffled eaglets start and wake —

And scream aloud — and whet their beaks — and shake

Their guardian wings, o'er mountain, wood, and lake ?

The blast will but disturb the spirit there;

But rouse the she wolf from her bloody lair;

But wake the fiery — harnessed multitudes :

The dark battalions of untrodden woods;

Whose viewless chiefs shall gird their armor on.

And lighten o'er the fields their valor won ;

'Twill waken echoes in that solitude,

Less welcome than the panther's cry for food;

Less earthly — than the voices heard, when night

Collects her angels on some stormy height.

And airy trumps are blown ! and o'er the heaven

Ten thousand fearful challenges are given !" — Jolm JSeal.

These successful movements at once placed both parties in a posture of open war, the bravery of the colonial troops on these occasions gave great promise of efficient usefulness, in the expected future operations of the colonists in the battlefields of their country. The first step of the colonial Congress was to view with a scrutinizing eye, the conduct of the colonial troops in these battles, by an examination of the whole affair. Their conclusions were that the colonists had acted strictly upon the defensive, — that intrenching themselves behind their owm natural and acquired rights — rights, that no law, upon the principles of justice could in any way interfere with, should be faithfully supported at all hazards. Congress at once gave to these latter movements upon the part of the unorganized provincial troops, the stamp of their most hearty approval, and set itself about to devise means whereby they could back their whole course by bringing the whole strength of the country to a speedy operation in their favor.

The second step of Congress was to raise an army by making a levy for 30,000 men on the colony of New England. A great part of these levies speedily repaired to camp in order to join in besieging Boston. The battles of Lexington and Concord had the effect to arouse the spirit of the people to avenge the death of their unoffending and slaughtered brethren. Troops in a scattering manner were constantly pouring in from all quarters. Truly, the motto of, dont tread upon me w^as not urged upon the sons of Liberty in vain. ^'•God and our country^'' could be heard uttered with determined pathos by many who possessed undaunted spirits, but heaving bosoms. "Wife, children and friends," and that dear hut our home.

"There blend the ties that strengthen

Our hearts in hours of grief,

The silver links that lengthen

Joy's visits when most brief;

There eyes in all their splendouTj

Are vocal to the heart,

And glances, gay or tender,

Fresh eloquence impart. ?

Then dost thou sigh for pleasures !"

Or fear on battle fields to "roam,"

Go guard thj' country's treasures,

Liberty ! Friends and Home.

Go, Soldier, and battle nobly

For God, for country and thy home,

Go bless time's latest posterity.

Nor fear, on battle fields to roam.

/. S. Hanna.

The brave Colonel Ethan Allen with a detachment of "Green Mountain boys," was joined by a detachment of Connecticut troops at Castleton. A portion of these troops under Allen immediately marched to invest Fort Ticonderoga. Allen with an unprecedented celerity of action, made himself master of that fortress without firing a gun. When the continental troops advanced lo the entrance a sentinel snapped his piece at Allen, who, followed by his brave troops, drove him in from his post, and so quickly did Allen and his men enter the fortress that time was not allow^ed to the commander of the garrison to get out of his bed. Colonel Allen in a peremptory manner demanded of him a surrender of the fortress. The commander in quailng accents asked Allen by what authority he demanded it.-^ Allen replied, "in the name of the GREAT JEHOVAH and the continental Congress."