The Revolutionary Struggle to the Battle of Brandywine

tend to overturn the Constitution, by declaring an Independency in the execution of which they are aided by this Committee and the board of Commissioners and Assessors with the arms now making for this County; and as such report could not originate but among the worst of men for the worst of purposes, -- This Committee have therefore thought proper to declare, and they hereby do declare, their abhorrence even of an idea so pernicious in its nature; as they ardently wish for nothing more than a happy and speedy reconciliation, on constitutional principles, with that state from whom they derive their origin.
"By order of the Committee.
"Anthony Wayne, Chairman."

The committee, after adopting the foregoing document providing for an election by the people in the several townships on the 11th day of October following, for persons to serve on the committee for Chester County for the ensuing year, then adjourned to meet in the borough of Chester on that date. The next day, September 26th, the Council of Safety directed that an order for five hundred pounds should be drawn in favor of Chester County, the money to be expended in the purchase of arms and other munitions of war.

The Assembly, Oct. 19, 1775, reappointed the then Committee of Safety, and added new members thereto. So far as Chester County was concerned, the representation remained unchanged, excepting that it was increased by the appointment of Nicholas Fairlamb,¹ the latter a resident of the present county of Delaware.

The new committee of the county of Chester which had been selected on October 2d, by which some slight change was made in the personnel of that body, met shortly afterwards, and gave official publication to the following proceedings:

"Chester, Oct. 23rd, 1775.
"Pursuant to public notice given, the Committee met at the house of David Coupland, in the borough of Chester. On motion ordered, that each member of this Committee do immediately make return to the Chairman, of the quantity of Powder which he already has or may collect within his district, together with the price and the name of the owner thereof, that the some may be paid for.
"On motion resolved, that Anthony Wayne, Francis Johnston, and Elisha Price Esqrs., Mr. Richardson, Mr. Knowles, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Brannan, be and they are hereby appointed a Committee of Correspondence for this County.
"By order of the Committee.
"Francis Johnston, Sec'y."

It may be doubted whether any of the muskets ordered for Chester County were delivered until this month, for on October 6th, Mr. Dunwicke, a gunsmith, "now employed in making the Provincial Muskets for Chester County," asked Council for an order on the commissary for two pounds of powder, "to prove some of them now ready." Which request was granted, and the commissary ordered to be present when the firearms were tried.²

The necessity for a more thorough organization in the several counties became so apparent that the Assembly, on Nov. 25, 1775, adopted rules and regulations to that end, and at the meeting of the committee of Chester County, on December 26th, that body reorganized in conformity with the suggestions of the Legislature. At the same meeting the committee

"Resolved, that Anthony Wayne, James Moore, Francis Johnston, Esq., Dr. Samuel Kenedy, Caleb Davis, William Montgomery, Persifor Frazer, and Richard Thomas, Gentlemen, or any five or more of them, be appointed, and they are hereby appointed to represent the county (if occasion be) in Provincial Convention for the ensuing year."

The provincial authorities were very active in pushing forward military organizations, for Washington was constantly drawing the attention of Congress to the fact that in a short time the term of service of many of the troops with him, besieging Boston, would expire, and the army must be filled with fresh men. On Dec. 9, 1775, Congress resolved that four battalions should be raised in Pennsylvania, and on the 15th provided that the Committee of Safety should be requested to recommend proper persons as field-officers, from which names Congress would select and commission the colonels, lieutenant-colonels, and majors. Of all officers below the rank of major, the Committee of Safety were to make the appointments. On Jan. 2, 1776, the Committee reported the name of Anthony Wayne as colonel of the Fourth Battalion, which nomination was confirmed by Congress. On the 3d of January the Committee nominated Francis Johnston as lieutenant-colonel, and on the 4th, Nicholas Haussegger as major of the same battalion, which nominations were promptly confirmed. The next day the Committee of Safety appointed Persifor Frazer, Thomas Robinson, John Lacey, Caleb North, Thomas Church, Frederick Vernon, James Moore, and James Taylor captains of the several companies of the Fourth Battalion, and they were commissioned as of that date.³ The battalion rendezvoused at Chester on February 9th, and on the 17th, Col. Wayne reported that five hundred and sixty officers and men were present at camp, and that ten commissioned officers were absent, with recruits, the number of which was sufficient, he believed, to make the battalion complete. At that date he stated he "had only twelve rifles and twenty muskets," and was in want of every other article. On January 22d, Congress ordered the companies, as fast as they were equipped, to march to New York. Robinson's, Church's, and Lacey's companies, under the command of Maj. Haussegger, reported at New York on the 28th. The troops must have been housed even as far away from Chester as Darby, for on April 26th, Wayne arrived at New York, assumed command of his regiment there, and dispatched Maj. Haussegger to Philadelphia to immediately bring on the other five companies, and we find that the next day he ordered Capt. Lacey to return to Darby and settle for the board of his (Lacey's) men. Capt. Lacey always asserted that Wayne had promised to settle that account himself, and he sent him (Lacey) back simply to have an op-