Chapter 6: Winter 1777-1778, Valley Forge

Congress wanted the army to keep fighting, but Washington insisted on a winter encampment. Nevertheless, as a concession to the politicians, he looked for a place that would keep them close to the British in Philadelphia. He chose a densely wooded place near the Schuylkill River known as Valley Forge.

2 Martin was still beating out the cadence as his regiment marched into the area in the middle of December. Lieutenant Colonel Harney could hear Martin’s drum even when his own company’s drummers had fallen silent. “I like that drummer’s enthusiasm,” he told one of his privates as they too approached the place where they would camp.

3 The first order of business upon their arrival there was to provide adequate shelter for the troops from the cold and wet of a Pennsylvania winter. As a consequence, everyone was immediately transformed into carpenters and construction laborers.

4 Even Martin temporarily set aside his fife and drum and took up the axe and saw. In fact, when all was said and done, Martin was sure that he had cut down more trees than any other man in his unit.

5 To be sure, the cabins that sprang up along the avenues of the camp were crude and drafty, but they would keep out some of the wind, snow and rain that everyone knew was on the way. “Fill in every one of those cracks,” Selby ordered one of his men who had begun chinking between the logs of the cabin he would share with Colonel John Patton and Major Hardy Murphy.

6 “You may not want to seal it up too tight!” the major shouted from the cabin next door. “I’m afraid no one here knows how to build a chimney that will draw properly,” he explained. The remarks would prove prophetic. Their very first fire in their new cabin almost smoked them out of their cozy little home away from home.

7 Also, in the midst of the hard work and slim rations, there was a little good news for Selby. There was a knock on his cabin door, and he opened the door to find an out of breath lieutenant waiting on the other side.

8 “General Washington wishes to inform you that your brother, Lieutenant Jenethan Harney, has been released by the enemy as part of an exchange of prisoners,” the young man managed to spit out. “Thank you and thank General Washington!” Selby replied with a big smile.

9 “That’s good news,” Colonel Patton said as he slapped Selby on the back. “Now, if we could just get something good to eat, we could be really happy,” Major Murphy added.

10 “A little meat sure would be nice,” Martin grumbled in another cabin a short distance from Selby’s. “I know that I’m tired of firecake!” Sergeant Bullock agreed. “I’d give my left nut for a pair of shoes and a decent blanket!” Private Robert Dennis added through chattering teeth. He would be dead by March. Indeed, the American Army seemed to be short of almost everything that winter.

11 Their suffering, however, was not limited to the dearth of supplies. Frostbite and sickness plagued almost every cabin in the encampment. Washington tried to improve the lot of his soldiers, but his efforts often went unrewarded. He knew that it would be very hard to maintain the morale of his army in the face of such deprivation and illness. The foreboding grey sky that stood over the camp like a dome didn’t help matters either.

12 Then, in late February, a ray of sunshine in the likeness of a former Prussian Army officer appeared in camp. His name was Friedrich von Steuben, and he was just what the American Army needed. Although he spoke only a few words of English, he quickly set about the task of instructing the soldiers and their officers in the martial arts as practiced by professional armies in Europe.

13 At first, he introduced the drill to only a few men. Nevertheless, by the time that spring arrived, the entire camp was learning about his techniques and had already begun to employ many of them on a daily basis.

14 Martin noticed the Baron busily training a small group of musicians one day and was mesmerized by the spectacle before him. Von Steuben was waving his arms and marching around the men while shouting commands in French and German, along with an occasional expletive in English. Martin understood some of the German words that he had heard as a child in his parent’s home, and he certainly understood the expletives.

15 Von Steuben spotted Martin standing to the side listening to what was being said and asked him if he understood German. “Yah,” Martin answered without thinking. “I have tried to explain to my drummers and fifers the importance of our music in conveying signals and orders to the other soldiers,” Martin told him in broken German. The Baron was ecstatic.

16 He marched over to Martin and pulled him into the circle of troops and included him in his instruction about the various signals. “The General is used to alert the soldiers that it is time to strike their tents and prepare to march,” he told them. He went on to explain the use of The Assembly, The March, The Reveille and The Tattoo. “Did you get all that?” he asked Martin in German. “Yah,” Martin replied with a smile. “Good!” the Baron exclaimed in English as he patted Martin’s shoulder.

17 “Imagine how much better our army will be when all of our soldiers are able to recognize the signals!” Selby told Colonel Patton, who was standing next to him watching the Baron train the men. “Yes, I believe that the enemy is going to be surprised the next time we meet on the battlefield,” the Colonel agreed.

18 The Commander-in-Chief was also pleased with the results of the training that the Baron had instituted. “Now I can face them with a real army,” Washington thought to himself as he observed from a distance. In fact, many of the soldiers who had survived the hardships of the winter began to allow themselves to imagine that this army, their army, might actually defeat the British when the fighting resumed.

Chapter 5: September-November 1777, Brandywine and Germantown

Drum Major and Fifer Martin Luther Miller was a mixture of excitement and nervousness as the Ninth North Carolina Regiment marched out to join General Washington’s army in Pennsylvania. He beat the march out on his drum as the soldiers moved through the fields, woods and small hamlets of Virginia. Whenever they passed through a city or village of any size, Martin would shift to his fife and add a little color to the music to impress the locals and inspire a little pride in his comrades.

2 It was late summer in the South when they had started, but Martin was a little apprehensive about those notoriously cold winters in the North. Still, there would be time enough to think about those things in the months ahead. “Why spoil such a beautiful day with such dreariness?” Martin thought as he soaked in the sunshine beating down on his face.

3 A few months earlier, another North Carolina regiment had set out for the North. Selby Harney had joined the Second Regiment as a major and had marched north with his unit in May. They too had passed through Virginia but had taken a more circuitous route than their brethren. They stopped in Alexandria to be inoculated against the dreaded scourge of Smallpox, and then continued on to join the Continental Army in New Jersey.

4 Upon their arrival, they found their fellow soldiers to be in relatively good spirits. They were still basking in the glow of the American victories at Trenton and Princeton. The enemy, however, was on the move again and seemed intent on capturing Philadelphia.

5 Nevertheless, while Congress and the Commander-in-Chief were preoccupied with what General Howe was trying to do, Selby could only think about his brother languishing on a British prison ship. “Those people have Jenethan!” he thought.

6 In the meantime, the Continental Army had arrived at Brandywine Creek and was busily making preparations to prevent the British from crossing it. “As the road to Philadelphia crosses the Brandywine there, I believe that the enemy will most likely attempt to cross at Chadd’s Ford,” Washington told his subordinates.

7 “What about the fords above and below that one?” General Greene asked. “We must, of course, be prepared to meet the threat wherever it arises,” was the answer. Then the Commander-in-Chief turned to General Francis Nash and said, “The North Carolina Brigade will be able to spring into action and meet any unforeseen contingencies.”

8 Martin was busy tutoring his young drummers and fifers while the officers plotted their strategy. “We must take our lead from the officers,” he told them. “Don’t take your eyes off of them!” he continued. “And listen to me – not the cannons and muskets. When the battle begins, it will be our duty to communicate to the troops through our music what their commanders expect them to do,” Martin continued.

9 “Tom, if you and John can’t pay attention today, what must I expect from you then!” he scolded two young men whispering together at the edge of the small group of musicians. “Sorry, Martin,” they both offered at the same time. “Let’s just do our duty and not disappoint anyone,” Martin smiled.

10 On the morning of September 11, the British opened fire on the defenders of Chadd’s Ford. The two sides exchanged musket and artillery fire for several hours without much effect. “I knew they would hit us there,” Washington thought to himself. Finally, as the futility of the exchange became more apparent to both sides, the artillery and musket fire dwindled to almost nothing.

11 Just then, a message arrived from General Sullivan. “A large column of enemy soldiers was seen marching north along the Valley Road,” it read. This was followed by yet another sighting of British troops on the same road. “Is this another feint?” Washington wondered to himself.

12 Major Harney entered the General’s headquarters and approached the table where the Commander-in-Chief was studying a crude map that had been hastily spread over its surface. Washington looked up and spoke first. “You will convey to Lord Stirling that I want him to move a few regiments here to the north of his current position,” he said as he pointed to the map. “And tell General Nash to ready his troops to move in the same direction at my command,” he ordered. Selby shook his head and quickly set off on his mission, forgetting that he had wanted to talk to the General about his brother.

13 In the meantime, a man named Thomas Cheney rode up to Washington’s headquarters, dismounted and demanded to see the Commander-in-Chief. “The General is busy right now!” the incredulous sentry declared. “I don’t care how busy he is. I’ve got to see him,” the man insisted. “Follow me,” the sentry finally relented.

14 As Cheney was ushered into Washington’s presence, he pushed past the sentry and removed his hat. “General, the Redcoats are on this side of the Brandywine and are approaching your army from the north!” the man exclaimed. The sentry saw a look of pure astonishment on the General’s normally placid face.

15 “Convey to General Sullivan my earnest desire that he redirect the attention of his regiments to meet this threat!” Washington ordered one of his aides. “You,” he pointed at another aide. “Inform Lord Stirling and the other reserves that they must also move forward to meet this challenge,” he commanded.

16 Fortunately for the Americans, it was late in the day when the attack from the north commenced, and the British forces under Cornwallis were exhausted by their sixteen-mile march to surprise their foes. The battle was intense, and the British were relentless. While advancing and attacking the Americans on their right flank and rear, they simultaneously pushed across Chadd’s Ford. Nevertheless, most of the American soldiers refused to panic, and Washington was able to rally his army to retreat with some semblance of order.

17 Martin’s drummers and fifers never stopped playing either. The drums continued to provide the music for the march as the Americans withdrew from the battle. Sure, they wavered a time or two, but they had never fallen altogether silent. “I like that sound,” Selby told Lieutenant Colonel John Patten as they marched along. “It is somehow very reassuring to me.”

18 The American Army bivouacked at Chester that evening. The following day they marched to Reading Furnace to replenish their stores of ammunition. Having done that, they marched out to face the enemy again.

19 The two armies met again near Warren Tavern and prepared for another major battle. God, however, had other ideas. The heavens opened up and quickly drenched both armies.

20 “Now that is a proper rain,” Martin told Tom. At the same instant, about one hundred feet away, Major Harney was reporting his own news about the deluge to General Nash. “The men’s cartridge boxes are soaked, and their ammunition is ruined!” he told the general. “Carry that report to General Washington,” Nash ordered. Selby hurried off through the rain to Washington’s headquarters and repeated what he had just told Nash.

21 When the rain finally stopped, Washington ordered his troops north again to replace their ruined ammunition. From there, the Continental Army moved into position once again to block the enemy’s path into Philadelphia.

22 The British general, however, out maneuvered Washington once again and marched into the city as September was drawing to a close. Fortunately, the members of the Continental Congress had already fled the city. Even so, it was a psychological blow to the Americans to lose their provisional capital.

23 As a consequence, Washington decided to attack the British forces stationed north of the city in Germantown at the beginning of October. “General Greene’s soldiers will march down the Limekiln road and force the enemy toward the Schuylkill River,” the Commander-in-Chief explained to his subordinates. “I will accompany General Sullivan’s forces down the Main Street and attack the main body of their army,” he continued. “General Armstrong will approach the enemy on the Manawatamy Road, and General Smallwood will attack from the York Road. Lord Stirling’s men, under Generals Maxwell and Nash, will follow as reserves,” he finished.

24 On the night of October 3, the four columns of Continental soldiers moved south toward Germantown. At dawn, Washington ordered the attack to begin.

25 In the meantime, a thick fog had settled over the entire area making it virtually impossible for the Commander-in-Chief and his generals to coordinate their attack. Thus, although the initial attack looked like it was working, the British managed to quickly recover their equilibrium and go on the offensive.

26 General Nash and his men could hear the cannon and musket fire in front of them, but the fog prevented them from seeing what was unfolding there. “I can’t see anything!” Major Harney told the general. Martin and the other musicians were even closer to the officers than usual because of the fog.

27 Then, suddenly, appearing out of the mist before them, some of their comrades emerged. They were obviously fleeing the battle. “What’s happening?” Captain Allen asked one of the soldiers. “Them Redcoats is headed this way!” the soldier exclaimed.

28 Nash turned to Major Witherspoon and ordered him to ready the troops for battle. The officers quickly lined up their men, and the soldiers marched toward the sound of the battle. When they reached the action, the men promptly raised their muskets and began firing into the enemy lines.

29 The British artillery fire was merciless. Martin looked up just in time to see General Nash hit first by a musket ball in his head, and then his horse was hit by a cannonball at about the same time. Selby was showered with blood and gore, but Major James Witherspoon was even more unfortunate – he had been too close to the general when the projectile had hit.

30 Witherspoon was obviously beyond anyone’s help, and Selby immediately redirected his attention toward his commander. “The General has been wounded!” Major Harney shouted. “Help me to move him!”

31 Nash’s face was swollen and distorted from the musket ball, and he was bleeding profusely from the area where his trunk connected to his legs. Nevertheless, Selby and two other soldiers managed to drag the stricken general from the field. Martin watched them in stunned silence for a moment as his regiment continued to fall back from the slowly advancing Redcoats.

32 Finally, the British onslaught stopped, and the Americans retreated from Germantown. They had been defeated, but they had not acted like cowards. They had had the audacity to launch an attack on the greatest army on the face of the earth at that time.

33 Martin felt nothing but pride for the men surrounding him. He raised his fife and began playing a tune that was now familiar to all of them: “The Lexington March” (or what later generations would recognize as “Yankee Doodle”).

34 General Nash died a few days later. After the war, a city in the new State of Tennessee would be named in his honor. Toward the end of November, Major Harney was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in recognition of his cool-headedness and bravery at the Battle of Germantown. Washington and his army, however, were now preoccupied with preparing for the rapidly approaching winter.

35 Now these are the generations of Martin Luther Miller of Germany:

36 Martin and Elizabeth Miller were the parents of Daniel.

37 Daniel Miller married Betsy Fields, and they had Nancy, Thomas and David.

38 After Betsy’s death, he married Mary Streval, and they had children: Martha, William Preston (Press), Frank, Mary, James, Dorsia and Isaac. 

Chapter 4: October - November 1776, Retreat and the Battle of White Plains

The British were now threatening the American defenses on the Heights of Harlem. General Washington summoned his subordinates for another council of war. General Sullivan and Lord Stirling (just released by the British as part of a prisoner exchange) joined the council.

2 “We must continue to occupy the fort and protect the Hudson, but I do not want to give the enemy the grand battle he so desires,” Washington began. “It is, therefore, my decision to withdraw the main part of our forces to White Plains. Lord Stirling’s men will go there immediately to secure the place for us.”

3 The generals nodded their understanding of the plan, and the council was finished. Everyone was tired, discouraged and a little numbed by the events of the previous two months.

4 In fact, despite the reinforcements which the army had just received from the South, the dispirited men under Washington’s command had begun to desert at an alarming rate. Joshua Harney was not immune to the melancholy that infected his comrades.

5 “My enlistment is almost up, and I’m going home when it’s finished – I’ve had enough of this mess,” he confided to a friend. “Don’t know if I’ll wait that long,” his friend responded.

6 As they were finishing their conversation, Captain Hall approached their tents. “Colonel Haslet wants everyone ready to move out,” he announced. Joshua sighed and turned to take down his tent and pack what meager belongings he still had.

7 In the meantime, General Howe was determined to pursue the retreating Americans and finish them off once and for all. Toward that end (and to cover his own advance), he ordered Major Robert Rogers and his rangers to Mamaroneck. When they arrived, the British soldiers quickly set up their camp and prepared to get some rest for the anticipated campaign against the rebels.

8 Colonel Haslet, however, did not plan on allowing the enemy soldiers to have their ease that evening. “We will surround their encampment and attack tonight,” he told his men. Thus, it was that the boys from Delaware surprised the British rangers and forced them to fight for their camp. Nevertheless, Rogers was able to rally his men in short order and repel the Americans.

9 “I don’t know what that accomplished,” Joshua complained. “It may give them pause about attacking our army before we can get situated at White Plains,” Captain Hall explained. Whether or not it helped in that regard, the Americans were able to get situated there without much interference from the British.

10 The American Army occupied the low hills around White Plains and waited for the British to arrive. They didn’t have long to wait. General Howe arrived outside of the village on the 27^th of October, and immediately sent out several patrols to reconnoiter the area. “They are very interested in Chatterton’s Hill,” Washington observed. “Send Colonel Haslet’s men to fortify it,” he ordered.

11 As a consequence, the following morning, the men from Delaware occupied the summit of Chatterton’s Hill. They had barely had time to get in position when the British attack commenced. Moreover, to everyone’s horror on the hill, the British seemed to focus all of their energy and attention on that position.

12 British and Hessian troops advanced up the hill from the south toward the defenders. Joshua and his fellow soldiers opened fire, and the British advance wavered for a moment. Then the enemy began to bombard the hill with artillery fire. Suddenly, the Hessians were swarming up the hill from the west, and many of the Americans began to abandon their positions and flee across the Bronx River toward the main body of the Army. Even so, Joshua and his comrades covered their retreating countrymen and slowly followed them across the river.

13 With the British now in possession of Chatterton’s Hill, the entire Army was exposed to the enemy’s superior artillery. Washington ordered his men to abandon White Plains and withdraw to higher ground. “The Army must be preserved, or our cause will be lost,” he explained to his subordinates.

14 To everyone’s surprise, the British did not pursue them. Instead, about a week later, they withdrew to the south and began to make the necessary preparations to attack Fort Washington.

15 A little over a week later, the American garrison there had surrendered. In one fell swoop, the enemy had captured almost three thousand Americans.

16 Joshua Harney had had enough. His brother was dead or captured, and the army had suffered one defeat after another. His enlistment was up, and he was going home!

Chapter 3: 1775-1776, Delaware and Long Island

The news of what had happened at Lexington and Concord energized everyone in the colonies who wanted to resist Britain’s efforts to subjugate them. This was followed by a request to the Lower Counties from the representatives of the Colonies meeting at Philadelphia to raise a regiment to support the Continental Army. As a consequence, the Delaware Council of Safety had done just that in January of the New Year and appointed Colonel John Haslet to command it.

2 A few days later, Jenethan Harney joined the regiment and was assigned to Captain David Hall’s company as a Lieutenant. “I’m going too!” his younger brother, Joshua, announced to the family after Jenethan had told them about joining the regiment.

3 By April, Haslet had put together a formidable looking group of men. They wore blue jackets trimmed in red with guilt or pewter buttons (depending on the soldier’s rank), white waistcoat and buckskin trousers. Indeed, the Blue Hens looked like soldiers, and they had already developed an esprit de corps that did not exist in most other units.

4 More importantly, their military skills matched their professional appearance. Haslet drilled his soldiers over and over again to ensure that they would be ready for battle. Delaware’s contribution to the cause might be small, but it would be significant.

5 In the meantime, General George Washington had forced the British to evacuate Boston and had turned his attention to the defense of New York. He arrived there in early April and began to personally supervise the preparations to secure the city against a British attack. The task would be almost impossible, but the situation demanded some kind of effort to demonstrate that the Continental Army would not willingly concede any territory or advantage to the British Army.

6 In July, the “unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America” was published, and Colonel Haslet ordered Jenethan Harney to read it aloud to his troops (General Washington was doing the same thing in New York). The young man cleared his throat and began to read: “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

7 The men were silent and attentive. Jenethan paused for just a moment as the weight of their concentration washed over him.

8 Then he cleared his throat and resumed reading the document. Indeed, his voice seemed to grow stronger as he read: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” When he had finished, there wasn’t a dry eye among the soldiers standing there.

9 A little over a week later, Congress asked them to join General Washington’s forces in the defense of New York. “We are very pleased to see you and your men,” General Washington greeted Colonel Haslet. “I hope that you can appreciate how vital it will be to the success of this enterprise that we all work together to defend this city against the enemy, and I hope that you will only allow yourself to consider the honor and success of this army going forward,” he continued.

10 “Of course, Sir, we will do all that we can to assist you in defending this place,” Colonel Haslet replied. The General nodded and smiled. “You have been assigned to Lord Stirling’s Brigade and will report to him at your earliest convenience for further instructions,” Washington concluded.

11 The British, however, had not been idle while the American’s were busy preparing for them. Admiral Richard Howe and his brother, General William Howe, had amassed over thirty thousand troops on Staten Island. The Redcoats and their Hessian allies were spoiling to teach the rebels a lesson they would not soon forget.

12 The clouds of war were gathering, and nature seemed to mimic the human preparations on the ground. On the evening of the twenty-first of August, a great storm erupted over New York. For three hours, the city and its environs were inundated with lightning, thunder and near torrential rain.

13 The following morning, the British invasion of Long Island began. The clear blue sky and bright sunshine lifted the moods of men in both armies, but the memory of last night’s violent storm was still fresh in their minds as well. Like the weather of the last twelve hours, both armies were a mix of confidence and trepidation that morning.

14 Washington had just placed General Israel Putnam in command of all the American forces on Long Island. “The Heights of Guana (a wooded ridgeline that separated the two armies on Long Island) must be defended at all hazards,” the Commander-in-Chief demanded. “It is very important that you prevent the enemy from passing through it and approaching these works,” Washington explained as he pointed at the map.

15 “Stirling’s men are watching the Gowanus Road, General Sullivan’s men are guarding Flatbush and Bedford Pass, and we have a few officers keeping an eye on Jamaica Pass,” Putnam reported. “Good,” Washington responded.

16 Joshua, along with a good many other men, had been ill for several days and was still recovering within Fort Stirling at Brooklyn Heights. Jenethan was in Lord Stirling’s camp with the other still healthy men from their unit. “I wonder what those devils are up to,” Jenethan thought as he bedded down for the evening. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.

17 It was now the twenty-sixth of August, and the British put their plans into motion that very night. Generals William Howe and Henry Clinton, with the main body of their troops, began marching toward the lightly guarded Jamaica Pass. Early the next morning, General James Grant marched out to confront the defenders of the Gowanus Road. Likewise, the Hessians pressed toward the passes that General Sullivan’s men were guarding.

18 General Putnam stormed into camp before dawn and awakened Lord Stirling. “The British are attacking us at the Narrows!” he reported. “You will proceed immediately to repulse them from the Narrows and hold the Gowanus Road,” Putnam added.

19 Soon, the entire camp was awake and gathering rifles and ammunition. “This is it!” Captain Hall shouted. “My God, Colonel Haslet is still in New York serving on a court-martial,” Jenethan thought as he rushed into the line of soldiers preparing to march.

20 They had marched about two miles out of camp when they spotted the advancing Redcoats. Stirling had the men form their lines and ordered them to get ready. “Hold your fire until they are within fifty yards of our position!” he shouted.

21 At about two hundred yards distance, the British stopped and fired their cannons and muskets into the rebel army. Two men fell near the place where Jenethan was standing. Nevertheless, Stirling’s men held their ground, and the British did not attempt to come any nearer to their lines.

22 “We stopped them!” Lieutenant Enoch Anderson shouted. Stirling ordered his men to return fire. Jenethan took aim and fired. A Redcoat dropped across the way. “Did I kill him?” he wondered. Lieutenant Anderson was wondering the same thing. “General Grant said that he could conquer America with a few thousand men!” Stirling reminded them with a wide grin on his face.

23 It was, of course, only a diversion. They had no way of knowing at the time that Generals Howe and Clinton would soon be attacking them from the rear. During the night, the generals had marched the soldiers under their command through the Jamaica Pass and were rapidly approaching the American lines from the other side. Indeed, they had already overwhelmed Sullivan’s men to the east.

24 Then, suddenly, General Grant’s soldiers advanced. Hessians swarmed in at them from the east, and more Redcoats approached them from behind. They were surrounded! Watching through a spyglass from Brooklyn Heights, Washington sighed. “My God, what brave men I am losing today!” he exclaimed.

25 “Do what you can for yourselves!” Lord Stirling shouted. The American lines began to break. Men were running in all directions. Some headed for the swamps, while others attempted to surrender to the British officer nearest their position.

26 Bewildered and disoriented, Jenethan saw that his commander and some of the troops from Maryland were charging toward the Redcoats at their rear. Suddenly, he was surrounded by Hessian soldiers. One of them lunged at him with his bayonet, but Jenethan quickly turned aside and narrowly averted being stabbed in the stomach. Instead, he felt a sharp pain in his left leg and looked down in time to see a red stain begin to spread across his buckskin breeches.

27 He had been captured by the enemy! “You will follow me, Lieutenant,” one of the British soldiers had demanded. He was feeling faint now, and the thought of being a prisoner terrified him. Someone wrapped a piece of linen around his leg, and then he joined several other of his countrymen who had been captured in the battle.

28 Their immediate destination was the barn of a Tory farmer. “You rascals shoulda been run through with a bayonet!” the farmer’s wife shouted as the men were ushered into the barn. “Ya ought to be ashamed of yourselves taking up arms against your rightful king!” her husband agreed.

29 Jenethan, along with several other men who had been wounded, had struggled to keep up with the other captives and were the last ones into the barn. One of the British soldiers hit him on the back of the head and knocked another man to the ground before closing the door behind them.

30 Jenethan and another man lifted the man who had been knocked down from the dirt floor and placed him on a bed of straw in one of the empty stalls. When he released the man, his hands felt wet and sticky. In the dim light that filtered through the cracks in the walls, Jenethan could see that his hands were covered in blood.

31 “It is hard to die like this,” the man whispered. “Don’t say that, Captain,” the other man pleaded. Jenethan’s leg was throbbing, and he couldn’t watch this man die. He turned away and walked to the other side of the barn.

32 That evening, the British soldiers opened the door and marched their prisoners to the water’s edge and loaded them onto some waiting boats. They were then rowed out to one of the ships anchored off of Long Island and placed unceremoniously in its hold. It appeared that they were to be treated as cargo. The smell of the prison ships was nauseating, but it would get much worse before it would get better.

33 Jenethan’s leg had finally stopped bleeding, but he was so weak and sick now that he began to despair of surviving his captivity. “I hope that Joshua is safe,” he whispered to himself. “I may never get to see him or my mother and father again,” he thought. He wept, but there was no one there to comfort him.

34 In the meantime, Joshua had insisted on leaving his bed when he heard about what had happened at the Narrows. “Have you seen my brother?” he asked several of the refugees from his company who had managed to return from the battlefield.

35 “I saw one of those damned Hessians bayonet him,” one man told him. Joshua's heart sank. “I think he was captured,” another man said. In the midst of such confusion, one thing was clear: Jenethan wasn’t there.

36 Joshua couldn’t return to his bed. Instead, he reported for duty. “Are you well enough?” Colonel Haslet demanded. “I can’t rest while my brother…” He choked on the words. “Well, get your rifle then, soldier,” the Colonel told him.

37 Joshua ran to join the other soldiers who were manning the defensive positions surrounding Brooklyn Heights. They waited for hours, but the British did not come. For some unknown reason, the enemy had stopped. The stragglers and wounded continued to approach the lines throughout the evening, but there was still no sign of Jenethan.

38 The next morning, General Washington ordered more troops from Manhattan to cross the East River and reinforce the soldiers defending the Heights. Nevertheless, it was rapidly becoming apparent to everyone (including the Commander-in-Chief) that the American Army was in danger of being annihilated if they continued to occupy the Heights. If the wind shifted, the British could cut off their only avenue of retreat across the East River.

39 That afternoon, a cold front moved in and the rain began. It continued through the night and all of the following day. There was no sleep, no cover, and there were no fires. The soldiers’ misery over their defeat was multiplied by the unrelenting weather, and the knowledge that the British could attack them at any moment.

40 Then the spell was broken. “Prepare yourselves for a night attack!” the officers shouted at their troops. Joshua got his pack, picked up his rifle and joined his comrades in line.

41 Even so, to Joshua’s surprise, they did not march out to meet the British. Instead, they were marched to the ferry landing on the East River and loaded into small boats and rowed across the river to Manhattan.

42 They were told that fresh troops would replace them on the Heights, but Joshua noticed that the boats kept coming across the river loaded with troops and returning to Brooklyn empty. “Washington is evacuating the Heights,” observed one of the men who was standing next to him.

43 The Commander-in-Chief was conducting an orderly withdrawal under the most difficult of circumstances. It continued throughout the night and into the following morning. “The light will reveal this enterprise to the British!” Washington gasped.

44 God or fate, however, intervened. A thick fog settled over Brooklyn and continued to conceal the evacuation from the British. The American Army would live to fight another day.

45 Now these are the generations of Thomas Harney:

46 Thomas Harney married Hannah Mills, and they had children: Selby, Mary, Jenethan, Joshua, Hannah, Nancy, Thomas, Mills and Sarah.

47 Thomas Harney III married Margaret Hudson, and they had children: Benjamin, John, James Thompson, Robert, Thomas, Eliza, Margaret and William Selby.

48 James Thompson Harney married Mary Ann Frailey, and they had children: Susan Rumsey, James, Julia, Elizabeth, Mary, Harriett, Adeline, Robert, Jane, Lucy and Edward.

49 Susan Rumsey Harney married Johnathan Reynolds, and they had two children together.

Chapter 2: 1770-1776, Presbyterian Patriots

York County, South Carolina was a long way away from County Antrim, Ireland. Nevertheless, after settling and living in Virginia for many years, John and Martha Dickey had eventually ended up here in the Backcountry among other pioneering Scots-Irish Presbyterians.

2 Their sons and neighbors had quickly set about the task of building them a rather large and comfortable two-story log home. Little did they know at the time, but that house would stand for almost two hundred and twenty years on that spot and would one day be restored and moved to a South Carolina state park for the citizens of their adopted state to enjoy.

3 In 1771, however, that was all a distant dream. For now, they and their neighbors were more concerned with carving a new home out of this wilderness.

4 One of those neighbors, William Hillhouse, had established his plantation just across the road from John’s and Martha’s place. The two families were friendly and quickly established both formal and informal connections with each other. Indeed, Robert married William’s daughter (Margaret) in 1772, and his sister Polly married Margaret’s brother, James. Of course, both families were prominent members of the local Presbyterian congregation at Bullock Creek.

5 “I have been told that Robert is going to be elected as an elder here,” John Dickey confided to his wife. “I’m so proud of him,” she smiled. “He has grown to be such a fine Christian man, and he has always been a good son.” “Ah, yes, but David is the one who has stayed with us and helped us with our daily work,” John reminded her.

6 “Robert and the other elders need to find a good shepherd for the flock,” he continued. “That is the business they need to be about!” he declared. Martha shook her head in agreement and stirred the kettle of beans simmering over the low fire in the fireplace.

7 They didn’t have to wait long. Reverend Joseph Alexander had decided to join the Presbyterian pioneers in York County after losing his teaching job in North Carolina. Like them, his ancestry was Celtic, and his spiritual roots were in the austere and no-frills Christianity of Knox and Calvin. Unlike most of them, he had been educated at Princeton and was familiar with the mood then extant in the rest of the country.

8 “The presbytery would very much like to offer you the office of pastor here,” Robert told him. Alexander squirmed in his seat but looked squarely in the face of each of the elders. “I would be honored to serve as your pastor, but you must understand that I am very plain spoken and that I intend to open my own academy in these precincts as soon as possible,” he confessed.

9 Robert allowed a small smile to form on his face and then cleared his throat. “I think that we have already determined that you are plain spoken, Reverend Alexander,” he began. “And, as for the other, I think that we can all acknowledge the need for more and better education in these parts.” To which, the other elders nodded in solemn agreement.

10 “Well, gentlemen, I think that you have found your pastor then,” Alexander concluded. With that, they all shook hands, and the meeting was adjourned.

11 Over the next few years, as tensions between the colonists and England over taxes and local governance increased, Reverend Alexander’s sermons always assured his congregation that God was on the side of the Americans. “The king and his parliament must not provoke the wrath of their children here!” he declared. “God has given them their places to serve His people and their needs, not to serve their own bellies!” he continued.

12 Consequently, when news of what had happened at Lexington and Concord reached the Backcountry, there was no question about where the loyalties of the people of Bullock Creek lay. Indeed, Robert Dickey was one of fifteen men chosen to represent that region of the state at the convention to draft the state constitution in 1776.

13 True to his word, Reverend Alexander had also not wasted any time in establishing his academy. Among his pupils, there was a young lad who would be destined to play a large part in the new nation which they were helping to create. His name was Andrew Jackson.

14 Later, when the war moved south, Lord Cornwallis would set up his camp on the Hillhouse plantation, and many battles would be fought in the immediate area. Robert Dickey, John Dickey Jr, John Hillhouse, William Hillhouse, Thomas Kirkpatrick (and many other members of the Bullock Creek congregation) would serve in the South Carolina Militia.

15 Reverend Alexander’s home would also eventually serve as a hospital to treat patriots wounded in battle against the British and their Tory allies. In short, these simple Backcountry Presbyterians were fully immersed in the struggle for American independence.

16 Now these are the generations of John Dickey and Martha McNeely Dickey:

17 They had children: Jane, John, George, Ebner, Robert, David, Eleanor, Polly, Martha and William.

18 Robert Dickey married first to Margaret Hillhouse, and they had children: John, William and Martha. After her death, he married Mary Henry. They had children: James, Alexander, Mary, Robert, George, Agnes, Elizabeth and Susannah.

19 Mary Dickey married Robert Ross, and they had four children together.

20 Now it also happened that Joseph Alexander was the second cousin of Margaret Hudson, the mother of James Thompson Harney and William Selby Harney. 

Chapter 1: 1765-1771, The Regulators of North Carolina

Jeffrey and Lydia Beck left Pennsylvania in search of a fresh start. They had settled in Orange County, North Carolina just twelve years ago, but that seemed like a lifetime ago now. So much had happened since then. Lydia died. Jeffrey remarried and participated in numerous land transactions over the years which had followed.

2 “I am so weary of paying these fees and taxes every time we buy or sell a piece of land!” Jeffrey told his neighbors Joseph Sitton and William Moffett. “Fanning collects a fee every time he puts his pen to a paper,” he complained. “And there simply isn’t any money to pay them all, and he won’t take a cow or a bushel in payment,” Joseph agreed.

3 “Herman Husband has been giving them the what for over all of this,” William added. “Yes, I hear that he is in contact with Doctor Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia,” said Jeffrey. “Herman has certainly given voice to our concerns, but no one seems to be listening,” William replied.

4 “That is why we all need to stick together and sign the petition,” Joseph concluded. “Yes, perhaps the King’s Governor will intervene and put an end to these abuses,” Jeffrey finished on a hopeful note.

5 Things were rapidly coming to a head. Money was scarce in these parts, and conversations similar to the one Jeffrey and his neighbors just had were taking place all over the county.

6 “I am going to support the advertisement,” Peter Kivett announced to his neighbors. “I don’t know if the Governor will step on these ‘hungry caterpillars’ who are eating us out of our homes and lands, but we have to try,” Simon Hadley explained. “The people of these colonies are tired of paying for other peoples’ wars and foolishness,” another man agreed. “Yeah, like that palace the Governor is building” William Butler shouted. “When the King is made aware of what has been going on in his name, he will put an end to this business!” James Barnes exclaimed.

7 The document that Jeffrey and Peter both eventually signed read in part: “We, the inhabitants of Orange County, pay larger fees for the recording of our deeds than any of the counties surrounding us, and many other fees that the law does not allow. We have asked our representatives to intercede for us in this matter, but our previous applications for satisfaction have been disregarded. This has resulted in growing discontent in these parts and has threatened the public peace. We, therefore, beg you to take these matters under serious consideration and redress those areas where we have been wronged.” It was addressed to Governor William Tryon and his “Councill.”

8 In the meantime, however, the man who had been responsible for collecting all of those fees and stirring up the citizenry of Orange County had been busily working to make sure that the governor and his council would be on his side. Edmund Fanning had already written a lengthy letter of his own to Governor Tryon explaining his perspective on what was happening in the county.

9 He said: “The people, in every part and corner of this county, are actively meeting and conspiring to refuse the payment of their taxes and to prevent the execution of law. They have also threatened death and destruction to myself and the other leaders of this county.”

10 The Governor was outraged. “This is insurrection!” he declared to his council. Nevertheless, the Governor was also a shrewd politician. Things had obviously gotten out of hand in the backcountry.

11 To quiet the widespread discontent, he issued “A Proclamation Against Charging Exorbitant Fees.” He also decided to make a personal visit to Hillsborough (the county seat) and attempt to persuade the agitators to disband and leave the governance and administration of the colony to their betters.

12 As a further enticement to disband, Tryon even permitted Fanning to be formally charged with taking illegal fees. Even so, the indictment of Fanning and other county officials did not convince the aroused citizenry that things had truly changed. They refused to promise to pay their taxes or stay away from the court proceedings. The Governor appealed to the shepherds of this unruly flock and called out the militia just in case things got out of hand.

13 That Sunday, in the Presbyterian service, Jeffrey Beck’s minister quoted from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. He turned to the page in his Bible and read: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”

14 The message could not have been any clearer: God and the Church were on the side of the government officials in this matter. “Yes, but God doesn’t have to pay these fees and taxes!” the man seated next to Jeffrey whispered in his ear.

15 Herman Husband, William Butler and two other men were arrested and charged with inciting a mob to riot. Although Husband was acquitted of the charges, the other men were convicted. However, in a gesture of good will toward the Regulators (the name with which they and their supporters had been tagged), Tryon released the men and suspended payment of their fines.

16 During that same term of the court, Edmund Fanning was found guilty of several counts of extortion; but he was only fined one penny for each of them. Jeffrey and Peter were among the more than eight hundred Regulators who had assembled just outside of Hillsborough to await the court’s verdicts. Nevertheless, although they were not completely satisfied with the outcome of the trials, the Regulators disbanded; and the Governor dismissed the militia.

17 An uneasy peace settled over the backcountry of North Carolina over the months that followed these events. In September of 1769, Governor Tryon even issued a general pardon to most of the Regulators. County officials, however, continued to attempt to collect the numerous fees and taxes that had been the real cause of the unrest in the first place.

18 Then, in the spring of 1770, Hillsborough elected Edmund Fanning to the North Carolina Assembly. Orange County elected Herman Husband to the same body.

19 The Regulators met that summer and composed yet another petition for a redress of their grievances. This time the document was addressed to the Superior Court in Hillsborough. “They will listen to us or face the consequences!” Jeffrey proclaimed. “Nothing has changed – we must be heard,” Peter agreed.

20 That fall, the Regulators descended on Hillsborough once again. This time, however, they went directly to the courthouse. Judge Richard Henderson had refused to rule on the petition the previous week, and the crowd was angry. Unfortunately, Edmund Fanning happened to be in the courthouse when the Regulators arrived.

21 “There’s the scoundrel!” Peter shouted. “Get him!” Jeffrey pointed. The Regulators surged forward and knocked Fanning to the ground. Jeffrey picked up one leg and Peter grabbed the other, and they drug him toward the steps. His head hit every step on the way down to the first floor. When they got him to the door and stood him up, another man kicked him out of the door and onto the ground. The crowd roared in laughter.

22 Fanning, taking advantage of the distraction, quickly got back to his feet and ran toward a friend’s house. The man pulled him inside and locked the door behind him.

23 The next day, the mob went to Fanning’s house and went inside. They proceeded to smash every piece of furniture in the house and tossed all of his dishes and clothing into the street. By the time their anger was spent, the house was in ruins.

24 In the meantime, the Assembly expelled and arrested Herman Husband because of his previous association with the Regulators. They also passed a “Riot Act” in January of the new year to deal with the Regulators once and for all.

25 Husband, however, was released by the Superior Court the following month and hurried home to meet with his fellow Regulators. They shortly denounced the “Riot Act” and announced that they would not permit any more fees to be collected in Orange County.

26 The Assembly responded by authorizing the Governor to once again call out the militia. Tryon was able to put together a small army of about one thousand men to face the Regulators and immediately marched them off to Hillsborough. They then proceeded to set up camp along the western bank of Alamance Creek and prepare to attack the rebels.

27 Jeff and Peter, along with about two thousand other Regulators, had set up their own camp a few miles away. The tension in the air was palpable, but the spirit of defiance and determination was strong among them.

28 Thus, when the militia marched out to meet them, every man stood his ground. The Sheriff approached them first and began to read a proclamation from the Governor. He said: “You, who are assembled here as Regulators, are ordered to lay down your arms, surrender your leaders to justice and submit to the laws of your country. He further declares that you are, at this time, in a state of war against your king and his laws…”

29 “Go home!” someone from the Regulator side interrupted before he could finish. “You should be ashamed of yourself!” Jeffrey shouted. Then the entire crowd erupted in jeers and shouts, and the Sheriff was unable to finish his speech. “Fire on us, and be damned for all eternity,” someone shouted as he retreated back to the militia.

30 As soon as the Sheriff had returned, the Governor ordered the cannons to fire the signal for the battle to begin. The cannons remained silent at first. “Fire the signal!” he shouted again. The cannons fired that time, and the battle began.

31 The soldiers opened fire on the Regulators, and everyone on the other side began running for cover and ducking behind trees. Some of the Regulators returned fire, but others fled the field as quickly as possible. It wasn’t long, however, until the militia was alone on the field with the wounded and dying.

32 The King’s representatives in North Carolina had triumphed, but it was clear that many of that colony’s citizens were growing weary of paying taxes to a government which they felt failed to serve and protect their interests. Moreover, it was clear that this sentiment was not confined to North Carolina. People all over America were beginning to feel the same way, but the government in London was determined to make these upstarts pay for all of the benefits they had derived from their sponsor. Neither side realized it at the time, but they were both moving inexorably toward confrontation and separation.

33 Now these are the generations of Peter Kivett:

34 Peter and Anna Kivett were the parents of a daughter named Charity.

35 Charity Kivett married Jacob Foust, and they too had a daughter named Charity.

36 Charity Foust married John McMasters, and they had children together.

37 Now these are the generations of Jeffrey Beck:

38 Jeffrey and Lydia Beck were the parents of a daughter named Sarah.

39 Sarah Beck married Charles Hobson, and they had a daughter named Hannah.

40 Hannah Hobson married Jonathan McMasters, and they had children together.

Book III: Freedom (1765-1781)

The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness… (Exodus 7:16)

Chapter 15: 1759-1763, Williamsburg

Williamsburg had been the capital of Virginia for sixty years, and James Tarpley had been a prominent merchant within that city for a decade. The great and near great of Virginia had walked along its alternatingly dusty and muddy streets and dodged in and out of its taverns and stores for many years.

2 The Governor’s Palace and Capitol (where the House of Burgesses met) stood like bookends to the community and served as the focal point of the entire colony. Situated at a prominent point between them stood the Bruton Parish Church, the center of religious life for the elite of the community. These edifices, along with most of the other buildings and houses that lined those streets, were constructed of a kind of narrow red brick that lent a rather homogeneous look to the whole.

3 James had been looking to expand his operations within the city for several years. “There is money to be made in Williamsburg,” he had told anyone who was willing to listen.

4 In fact, he had been talking to Henry Wetherburn about a lot on Duke of Gloucester Street for several months. “It would be a great location for my store,” he told him. “You aren’t using it for anything – you have your tavern,” he persisted. “You are wasting my time,” Wetherburn had told him. “You don’t have the money to buy it.”

5 However, with a fresh infusion of money from his backers in Bristol (England), Tarpley was able to purchase the lot in 1759 and erect a new building to house his flourishing business. “We import European goods and sell them at a very reasonable price,” was the way that he had once described it to a friend. To be more precise, James sold an assortment of linens, clothing, sugar, rum and other household essentials that were then in great demand in the colonies.

6 Unfortunately, his success and prosperity had also encouraged James to live above his means. His wife, Mary Camp, had died the year before he had decided to build his new store, and she had been the only remaining check on his extravagance. Moreover, as James’ children often benefited from his largesse, they too had no incentive to try and curb it. Thus, although sales were booming in his store, his expenses continued to outpace his income. James, however, seemed oblivious to his mounting debt.

7 In fact, in 1761, James decided to donate a bell to the Bruton Parish Church (where he and his family had attended for many years). “We accept the gift of Mr. Tarpley with gratitude to him and the God who made it possible,” Reverend William Yates had announced in the worship service that Sunday. After the service had concluded, James also had the pleasure of receiving the personal thanks of many of his fellow parishioners.

 8 “I would like to commend you on your generosity to God’s house,” George Washington (a member of the House of Burgesses) told him. “Thank you, sir,” James nodded and smiled. “Now I suppose we will have to build a tower to house it!” Reverend Yates added.

9 James, however, never lived to see the tower built. He died just two years later, and the tower was not finished until almost seven years after that. In the meantime, his business partners quickly liquidated his assets and attempted to recover as much of their investments as possible.

10 James’ descendants would be left to pick up the pieces and deal with the widening rift that was developing between themselves and Mother England. Indeed, some of them would live to hear their father’s bell proclaim America’s independence from that country.

11 Now it happened that several of the children of James and Mary Camp Tarpley married cousins from their mother’s family. One of their daughters, Nancy Anne, married Thomas Camp (who would become a soldier in the struggle for America’s independence).

 

Chapter 14: 1750-1765, Delaware to North Carolina

It had been a long and arduous journey from County Antrim in Ireland to America for James McMasters. Nevertheless, his life in Pennsylvania over the past fifteen years had made that seem like child’s play. During that time, he and his wife had seven children together and buried two of them. Finally, last year, he had lost his wife just after she delivered their eighth baby into the world.

2 “My children need a mother,” he told his neighbors. As a consequence, James set about the task of finding them one.

3 In the pursuit of that objective, he soon met a remarkable young lady named Susanna Cann who lived just over the border in nearby Delaware. Susanna was the granddaughter of the immigrant John Cann of West Jersey. And, although she was not the prettiest girl around, she was ten years younger than James and strong enough to shoulder the responsibilities that he needed her to assume.

4 “James McMasters wants to marry me, Papa,” she told her father. “I know, he asked for my permission this morning,” he replied. “What did you tell him?” she demanded. “I told him that I would talk with you.”

5 “Well?” she asked in exasperation after several minutes of silence. “Do you want to marry him?” he asked.

6 “He has four small children, and they will need a great deal of care and attention,” Susanna began. “The older children can help you with the younger ones,” he responded. “I am not sure how I feel about taking on another woman’s children,” she confessed.

7 “You will have to settle that in your own mind, but you should not forget that you are twenty-five years old,” he reminded her. “What does my age have to with this?” Susanna demanded. “Do you want to have a family of your own?” he asked. There was silence.

8 Susanna and James were married at the end of October in 1750 at the Old Swede’s Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Although they were from sturdy Quaker stock, both families had drifted away from that faith over the years and were more concerned at present with life in the here and now than in life in the hereafter.

9 “I think that we should leave the past behind us and make a new beginning for ourselves,” James announced at the beginning of the following year. “What do you mean?” his already pregnant wife demanded.

10 “I hear that there is good land available in Carolina,” he told her. “Who told you that?” “George Hobson” “The wheelwright?” “Yes, he is talking about moving his family there.” “When?” “As soon as they are able.”

11 James, however, did not want to wait. Thus, they loaded their belongings into a wagon and began the long trek southward. Susanna had their first son together along the way to their new home. David was born in the bed of the wagon.

12 When they finally reached Chatham County, James immediately began felling trees and building a log cabin to shelter them against the cold of the approaching winter. Over the years that followed, James and Susanna added five more sons and welcomed the Hobsons as their neighbors.

13 In 1765, she was expecting again. “I hope that this one is a little girl,” she told James. “I need sons to help me with this work,” he protested. “I know,” Susanna sighed. “Don’t worry – it seems as though that is all I can deliver!”

14 She was right. Their sixth child was another boy. They named him Jonathan (after David’s friend in the Bible). And Susanna never did get her daughter. Their final two children together were also boys!

15 Now these are the generations of James McMasters of Ireland:

16 James and Susanna McMasters were the parents of eight sons, and one of them was named Jonathan.

17 Jonathan McMasters married Hannah Hobson, and they had a son named John.

18 John McMasters married Charity Foust, and they had sons named William and John.

Chapter 13: 1746-1754, A Quaker abolitionist

The Spirit had been working on John Woolman’s mind for many years now, and he knew it was time to answer that calling. “I feel drawn to travel about and share with others the light which our True Shepherd has placed within me,” he confided to his friend Isaac. “I believe that I am drawn to that same calling!” Isaac replied. “I was hoping that you would say that,” John smiled.

2 “What do you think about visiting the Meetings in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia?” he pressed. “I would be honored to accompany you on such a journey, but we will have to seek the blessings of our own Meetings to do so,” Isaac answered. “Yes, if we desire to be accepted among Friends in those places, we will need certificates,” John agreed.

3 As a consequence, John brought the matter to the attention of the next Monthly Meeting at Burlington. And, after brief expressions of support, his brethren there decided to grant him the letter of introduction to the Friends in neighboring colonies which he had requested. Isaac received the same support from his congregation.

4 Thus, with the blessing of the Jersey Quakers, the two men set out full of missionary zeal and high hopes for the success of their enterprise. Along the way, they stayed in the homes of willing Friends and spoke with their brethren on First Day (Sunday).

5 As they traveled through Virginia, however, John was troubled by what he observed there of the institution of slavery. The work that the slaves performed, and their treatment by their masters, made quite an impression on his mind.

6 “I recall my first acquaintance with the sale of a Negro a few years ago,” he confided to Isaac. “My employer at the time desired me to write him a bill of sale for this woman, and I remember feeling very uneasy about writing an instrument of slavery for one of my fellow creatures” he explained.

7 “Although I executed the task which had been given to me, I told my master that I did not think that slave keeping was consistent with the precepts of the Christian religion.” Isaac was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “I understand what you are saying, but I think that we should be very careful not to offend our hosts.”

8 Nevertheless, at the very next home that hosted them, John was again distressed by what he witnessed there. The master of the house and his family lived very well and performed almost none of the tasks necessary to run the home or the lands which surrounded it. John decided that he simply could not remain silent about what he was observing.

9 “Can I speak privately with you?” he asked the man. “Of course, John, what is on your mind?” “Do you think that the keeping of Negroes as slaves is compatible with the love of Jesus Christ?” he blurted out. “Well,” the man cleared his throat, “I had not given it much thought.”

10 “Perhaps it would be better to treat them with the same mercy and compassion which we hope to enjoy in the Lord?” John suggested. “Does not God help us to shoulder our burdens when they are too heavy?” he pressed. “I will have to give this some thought, John,” the bewildered man offered with a weak smile.

11 John, however, was still troubled by what he had observed in the Southern colonies, and he decided to write a treatise on the subject when he returned to Burlington. Knowing that his intended audience would be unaccustomed to hearing what he had to say, he opened with an appeal for them to be willing to abandon customs and opinions which did not conform to the Lord’s standards. He then proceeded to make the case that the keeping of Negro slaves was one of those customs.

12 He wrote: “The general disadvantage which these poor Africans lie under in an enlightened Christian country has often filled me with sadness, and I think it my duty to offer some thoughts thereon for the consideration of others.” He then proceeded to remind his readers that the Lord had made all nations of one blood, and that we are all subject to the same afflictions and infirmities as humans.

13 He asked his White audience to try to imagine finding themselves in the same circumstances in which many of their Black brethren currently found themselves. “How should I approve of this conduct were I in their circumstance and they in mine?” he asked.

14 Next, he pointed out that the Lord had given to His people specific instructions about how they should treat strangers in their midst. He encouraged his brethren to compare the treatment which Africans received at their hands with the admonitions found in the Old Testament, and he quoted one of those passages to drive home his point. He wrote: “Thou shalt not vex him nor oppress him; he shall be as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.”

15 John even anticipated some of the arguments that would be employed against his treatise. He realized that some would defend the practice by drawing attention to the fact that they had a considerable amount of money invested in their slaves, but he would not allow that to be employed as a justification for the practice. He wrote: “If I purchase a man who has never forfeited his liberty, he retains his natural right of freedom. Do I then have the right to keep him and his posterity in servitude and ignorance?”

16 He continued: “Whoever rightly advocates the cause of some, thereby promotes the good of all.” In other words, White Christians would experience personal spiritual benefits from taking up the cause of their downtrodden Black brethren. With that, John had effectively transformed his philosophical distaste for the practice of slavery into a moral crusade against the institution that would ultimately benefit all of society.

17 At first, John quietly shared his treatise with a few of his most trusted friends. Then, as he received more and more positive feedback about what he had written, he began to share it with all of the Quakers who lived near him. Finally, in 1754, the Yearly Meeting at Philadelphia approved the publication of John’s treatise under the title of Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes.” It would prove to be the opening salvo from a group of people who would come to be known as abolitionists by later generations. 

Chapter 12: 1742-1748, Marrying out of meeting

Thomas Ellis was now one of the most respected leaders of the Society of Friends in that part of Pennsylvania. In fact, he was the leading elder in the Exeter Monthly Meeting, and he was very conscientious about protecting his reputation and the way in which he handled his religious responsibilities. Even so, ensuring the proper moral behavior of his flock was often a difficult and thankless task; and that fact was about to be underscored by circumstances which developed within one of the most prominent families in the congregation.

2 Sarah Boone, the oldest daughter of Squire Boone, had fallen in love with a neighbor who was not a Quaker. “You know that a disorderly marriage will not be tolerated amongst God’s people,” her father told her. “But John is a good man, father, and I love him,” she replied. “Honor thy father, daughter, and do not bring him to grief,” her mother said in a soft voice.

3 “It is too late for all of that – I am carrying his child!” Sarah blurted out. Now her parents felt as if they had no choice – Sarah was allowed to go forward with the marriage.

4 Thomas liked Squire Boone, and he dreaded the duty which had fallen to him and two of his brethren in the faith. He knocked on Boone’s door and waited for a response. Slowly, the door opened and revealed Squire and his young son Daniel standing before him.

5 “Squire Boone, we would have a few words with thee,” Thomas began. “I have been expecting this,” he replied with a sigh. “Come in, friends and find peace here,” he offered. As they took their seats before the fireplace, everyone was quiet and filled with nervous anticipation.

6 “We are here to speak with thee about the fornication and disorderly marriage of thy daughter Sarah,” Thomas told him. Squire nodded. “As thou knowest, it is thy duty to bring her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” he continued. “Thou must set a good example in this matter for thy other children, and for thy brothers and sisters in the truth. Therefore, thou must confess thy fault and repent of thy sins before all, so that thou mayest be restored to thy proper relationship with the Lord and with them,” he finished.

7 Squire was silent for several minutes as he stared into the fire. “We understand, and we thank thee for thy concern for us and our family in this matter” his wife finally volunteered. “Please be assured of our sorrow and repentance,” she added. After they left, there was another long period of silence. “This does not feel right,” he told his wife.

8 A little less than five years later, the issue arose once again with the marriage of their eldest son Israel. This time, however, Squire would not be silent.

9 “A man must know how to rule his own household,” Thomas began. “My children have always honored us,” Squire protested. “Thy son has unequally yoked himself with an unbeliever,” Thomas gently reminded him.

10 “She is a good girl from a good family,” Squire replied. “Thou knowest that we cannot control who our children love,” he defiantly added. “Thou knowest that thou will not be permitted to have fellowship with us until thou hast acknowledged thy fault and confessed thy sin,” Thomas concluded in exasperation.

11 “I will not stand in thy way,” Squire told his wife after the others had left. He, however, never attended another meeting of the Quakers. And, later that same year, he gave his son Daniel his first rifle and taught him how to use it.