NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES
II II I II I
3 3433 08044636 6
Bertolet, Benjamin,
Camp Pottsprove.
1903.
IGE
Camp Pottsgrove
September 18th to 26th, 1777
General Washington
with his Continental
Army at Fagleysville,
New Hanover Town-
ship, Montgomery
County , Pennsylvania
J903
BENJAMIN BERTOLET
Philadelphia
■
J
Camp Pottsgrove
September 18th to 26th, 1777
General Washington
with his Continental
Army at Fagleysville,
New Hanover Town-
ship, Montgomery
County, Pennsylvania
f
1903
BENJAMIN BERTOLET
Philadelphia
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39234
CAMP POTTSGROVK AT FAGLEYSVILLE, PA
BACK OF THE CROOKED HILLS.
A NEW REVELATION ON CAMP POTTSGROVE IN NEW HANOVER BY
FINDING NOTES IN A JOURNAL, AND ORDERLY BOOK.
Two years ago the author issued a paper under the
title "The Missing Link of Camp Pottsgrove, September
19th to 26th, 1777," which was read before the Historical
Society of Montgomery County, Pa., by my son Walter
B. Bertolet, on February 2 2d, 1901, based principally on
tradition, and what was handed down by the different
families and statements by old respectable citizens who
lived and were raised in the neighborhood, and the Rev-
olutionary relics found on the farms named.
It affords the writer great pleasure to say that he is
able to add another day to the length of the encampment
at Camp Pottsgrove and write September 18th, instead of
the 19th, 1777.
"Washington's Army near the County of Berks,"
by M. S. Montgomery Esq., of Reading, Pa. He says
the nearest point to Berks County that he reached was on
September 21st, 1777, when he and his army were in
Pottsgrove Township about four miles southeast of Potts-
town. The British having moved after him up the west
side of the Schuylkill river. He remained there until
the 26th of September, 1777. Anyone who is familiar
with this location would say that must be at the Crooked
Hills, now Sanatoga.
"In Muhlenberg's Journal" under the date of Sep-
tember 19th, 1777, he says : "The army marched south-
(■)
ward from Parker's Ford, on the cast side of the Schuyl-
kill river, by way of the Trappe, a village on the Reading
road 25 miles from Philadelphia, as far as the Perkiomen
creek, where it encamped. I lis Excellency, George
Washington, was with the army in person, and marched
past here (Trappe) to the Perkiomen creek.
"The procession lasted the whole night, and we had
numerous visits from officers wet breast high, who had to
march in that condition the whole night. On the 2i»t,
the enemy having moved rapidly up the road on the west
side of the Schuylkill toward Reading, Washington
marched his troops to within four miles of Pottsgrove,
now Pottstown."
On September 18th, 1777. Washington writes from
Warwick Furnace to General Wayne : "The army here
is so much fatigued that it is impossible I should move
them this afternoon."
On September 19th, Washington writes from Parker's
Ford to the President of Congress ; "I am now repassing
the Schuylkill at Parker's Ford with the main body of
the army, which will be over in an hour or two, though
it is deep and rapid. As soon as the troops have crossed
the river, I shall march them as expeditiously as possible
towards Flatland's, Swede's, and other fords, where it
is most probable the enemy will attempt to ] ta-
in Marshall's "Life of Washington," we are told
that on the 19th day of September, 1777, Washington ami
his army encamped on both sides of the Perkiomen creek,
in Providence Township, and that the camp extended
from the Trappe to lower end of Kvansburg and Provi-
dence Hill.
I am more than pleased to be able to lay before the
public the undeniable fact that Washington with his
Continental Army laid in New Hanover Township, where
Fagleysville is now located, on what was then the follow
W
ing farms: The Philip Brandt farm of 250 A., the John
Fagley farm of [50 A., the minister's or church farm of
100 A., where General Wayne had his headquarters, the
Andrew Smith farm of 450 A. on which there was at that
time a hotel, it is now Martin Wagner's farm. It was on
these farms that the army relies were found by the differ-
ent inhabitants, which were dropped there by those
poorly clad soldiers, that had neither shoes nor clothing
to wear.
On September 23d, General Washington writes to
the President of Congress; "One thousand of my men
are barefooted and have performed the long inarches
in that condition."
Frederick Fagley who is 82 years old and lives at
1619 North 19th street, Philadelphia, says his grandfather,
John Fagley. who was a member of Captain Philip Hahn's
company from New Hanover Township, used to tell him
and his brothers Elias, John, and Noah the stories of the
war. He used to say that he was at the Battle of the
Brandy wine and at Paoli, and after the retreat the army
had their camp on his place, now Fagleysville. He used
to point out where they killed the cattle under a big
sprawly low-limb oak tree where they hung the cattle
after they were killed. This oak tree stood down towards
Michael Wagner's farm, near the Speck creek where the
off-falls were dumped.
Mr. Fagley says when a boy he used to pick up the
army relics on his grandfather's farm. He says he had
found enough leaden musket balls and grape and canister
balls and pieces of shell to fill an old straw bread basket
full ; they were mostly leaden musket balls. He pre-
sented the writer with one of the leaden musket balls,
which I have placed in the Historical Society of Mont-
gomery County, in connection with two other leaden
musket balls found by Mr. William Moor of Fagleysville,
which the writer procured from him.
(3)
ward from Parker's Ford, on the east side of the Schuyl-
kill river, by way of the Trappe, a village on the Reading
road 25 miles from Philadelphia, as far as the Perkiomen
creek, where it encamped. His Excellency, George
Washington, was with the army in person, and marched
past here ("Trappe) to the Perkiomen creek.
"The procession lasted the whole night, and we had
numerous visits from officers wet breast high, who had t«»
march in that condition the whole night. On the 2i^t.
the enemy having moved rapidly up the road on the west
side of the Schuylkill toward Reading, Washington
inarched his troops to within four miles of Pottsgrove,
now Pottstown."
On September KSth, 1777, Washington writes from
Warwick Furnace to General Wayne : "The army here
is so much fatigued that it is impossible I should move
them this afternoon."
On September 19th, Washington writes from Park
Ford to the President of Congress ; "I am now repassing
the Schuylkill at Parker's Ford with the main body of
the army, which will be over in an hour or two, though
it is deep and rapid. As soon as the troops have crossed
the river, I shall march them as expeditiously as possible
towards Flatland's, Swede's, and other fords, where it
is most probable the enemy will attempt to pass.
In Marshall's "Life of Washington," we are told
that on the 19th day of September, 1777, Washington and
his army encamped on both sides of the Perkiomen creek,
in Providence Township, and that the cam]) extended
from tlie Trappe to lower end of Evansburg and Provi-
dence Hill.
I am more than pleased to be able to lay before the
public the undeniable fact that Washington with his
Continental Army laid in New Hanover Township, where
Fagleysville i> now located, on what was then the follow
ing farms: The Philip Brandt farm of 250 A., the John
Fagley farm of [50 A., the minister's or church farm of
100 A., where General Wayne had his headquarters, the
Andrew Smith farm of 450 A. on which there was at that
time a hotel, it is now Martin Wagner's farm. It r
these farms that the army relies were found by the differ-
ent inhabitants, which were dropped there by those
poorly clad soldiers, that had neither shoes nor clothing
to wear.
On September 23d, General Washington writes to
the President of Congress; "One thousand of my men
are barefooted and have performed the long marches
in that condition."
Frederick Fagley who is 82 years old and lives at
1619 North 19th street, Philadelphia, says his grandfather,
John Fagley. who was a member of Captain Philip Hahn's
company from New Hanover Township, used to tell him
and his brothers Elias, John, and Noah the stories of the
war. He used to say that he was at the Battle of the
Brandywine and at Paoli, and after the retreat the army
had their camp on his place, now Fagleysville. He used
to point out where they killed the cattle under a big
sprawly low-limb oak tree where they hung the cattle
after they were killed. This oak tree stood down towards
Michael Wagner's farm, near the Speck creek where the
off- fa lis were dumped.
Mr. Fagley says when a boy he used to pick up the
army relics on his grandfather's farm. He says he had
found enough leaden musket balls and grape and canister
balls and pieces of shell to fill an old straw bread basket
full ; they were mostly leaden musket balls. He pre-
sented the writer with one of the leaden musket balls,
which I have placed in the Historical Society of Mont-
gomery County, in connection with two other leaden
musket balls found by Mr. William Moor of Fagleysville,
which the writer procured from him.
(3)
oi the cam]) was located outside the Sanatoga Gorge,
where the Jackson Hill school house now stands. The
writer is of the opinion that the exact location was not to
he known as they retired to this place to recuperate. It
at this camp that the army was replenished with
shoes and clothing from the storehouses at Reading and
Lancaster. The distance from New Hanover to Reading
is twenty-four I 24) miles.
At Skippackville on October 1st, Washington writes
these words. "Our army has now had the rest and
refreshment it stood in need of."
General Washington heads all his letters from the
2 1 st of September, "Camp Pottsgrove." The last one
was dated on September 26th, 1777.
"We are now in motion and advancing to form a junction
with General McDougal. I expect to be joined in a day or two by
General Foreman with fourteen or fifteen hundred Jersey Militia."
Washington.
In this camp there was also located a bake bouse and
oven built in it, as Sub-lieutenant William Antes bought
brick and had them hauled to camp and paid for them on
September 23d, 1777, sixty dollars ($60. It is my opinion
that this bake house was located on the old Philip Brandt's
farm southwest of Fagleysville.
Washington writes again September 26th, 1777. after
arriving at Pennypacker's Mill, to William Henry, Lan-
caster, Pa., to authorize him to impress all blankets, shoes
and stockings that can be spared by the inhabitants. This
letter is headed Pennypacker's Mill.
The Orderly book Note that mentions the camp at
New Hanover, reads as follows : An advertisement which
was issued while the army lay near Skippackville, Pa.,
to which place they moved on the 29th of September,
1777. Kxtract from General Weedon's Orderly Book on
the 30th day of September, 1777.
(6)
"General Green lost at New Hanover rani]), a brass
pistol; both stock and barrel marked II... K... Any
person who has found it and will return it to the General,
shall receive twenty dollars."
This Orderly book note establishes the fact that both
General Weedon and General Green were in this camp
with their commands. This note was sent to me by my
esteemed friend, the late Henry S. Dotterer.
The two notes cited, and the relics found at New
Hanover, now Fagleysville, and the numerous statements
made by old and respected citizens of the neighborhood
should be sufficient proof that the camp was in New Han-
over, now Fagleysville, Pa.
Camp Pottsgrove, Thursday, September 25th, 1777.
"To-day it rains ; to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock we march
and join General McDougall. Pretty soon I imagine we shall pro-
ceed to attack the enemy if their post is practicable."
To John Pickering. Col. Pickering.
General McDougall with his command was in charge
of the Skippack road at or near Pennypacker's Mill. Col-
onel Pickering's letter also shows that he had a good
conception of the camp and its movements, and had
charge of his command in the camp.
Camp Pottsgrove, Friday, September 26th, 1777.
"We shall move towards Philadelphia to-day, as the weather
is clear and our reinforcements are at some distance below, ready
to fall in with us."
To Henry Laurens. John Laurens.
By the tone of this letter the army officers were
already advised of the forward march to Philadelphia.
"In the Perkiomen Region, Past and Present," by
the late Henry S. Dotterer, Vol. 3, No. 12, page 178, he
says: "Washington at the home of Colonel Frederick
Antes." When did this happen ? On the night of the
20th of September, 1777, the army decamped and retraced
its steps up to the Trappe. On the 21st of September he
marched his troops to wdthin four miles of Pottsgrove,
(7)
now Pottstown, and established Camp Pottsgrove. How
long he remained here is not definitely known.
We are of the opinion that he was here from the night
of the 2istto the morning of the 26th of September, 1777.
He further says, in order to satisfy the inexorable demands
of the historians, a half dozen words in a diary, a sentence
in a letter, a note from an orderly hook or something
similar is necessary. I am sure we are now able to satisfy
those wants of the historians, and that they will be con-
vinced by the notes from Captain William Beatty's Jour-
nal and from General Weedon's Orderly Hook, and the
army relics that have been found, that Cam]) Pottsgrove
was located at New Hanover, and that General Washing-
ton had his headquarters with Col. Frederick Antes, from
the 2 1 st to the 26th of September, 1777.
It is little known what this country owes to these
patriotic men of the upper end of Montgomery County,
at that time a portion of Philadelphia County. Such men
as Colonel Thomas Potts, of Pottstown or Pottsgrove, as
it was then called ; General Daniel Heister of Upper Sal
ford Tow nship, (Sunneytown, Pa. ) later of Berks County ;
Michael Hillengass, of Upper Hanover Township, who
came to the assistance of the Colonial Government with
$100,000.00 in cash, after Philadelphia fell into the hands
of the British making the Colonial Treasury helpless
Colonel Frederick Antes, of Frederick Township,
stood almost at the head in prominence. After the death
of his father, Henry Antes, on the 20th of July, 1755, his
son Frederick was appointed to succeed him by the King
of Fmgland, as Justice of the Peace of Frederick Town-
ship, thus making it his business to look after the King's
interests in that section of the province. But when the
war broke out he took sides with the American cause ; he
turned a rebel and left the Crown Government to fight
their own battles. He was appointed one of the Delegate-
18)
to the Provincial Convention, whicb was held January
23d to 28th, 1775. at Carpenter's Hall, in Philadelphia.
He again attended another convention along with others
from the upper end on June iSth, 1776. The following
are among the names subscribed thereto : Frederick
Antes, Col. John Bull, and Capt. Matthew Brooke.
After these incidents he drew his sword in the Amer-
ican cause, and led the 6th Battalion of the Philadelphia
Count}' Militia, for which the Crown Government set a
reward of £100 Sterling on his head, dead or alive. He
lived on what is now known as the Isaac Bott's farm, in
Frederick Township, Pa., where his father, Henry Antes,
is buried. It will do anyone good to make a visit to his
grave and read the inscription on his tombstone. About
the year 1780, Colonel Frederick Antes was compelled to
sell his mill and farm to his neighbor, Samuel Bertolet,
in double haste on account of the British spies and detec-
tives that were hunting him. During these trying times
he was compelled to leave the neighborhood and go west
into the wilds and wilderness of the Susquehanna river
valley, where he afterward settled. Lately the writer
has located one of his shoe buckles and a knee breeches
buckle, and several arnry-coat buttons.
During the stay of the Continental Army at New Han-
over, now Fagleysville, Pa.. General Washington had his
headquarters with Colonel Frederick Antes, and his body-
guard and the high officers had their headquarters and
office with his neighbor, Samuel Bertolet, where the for-
ward move was planned to attack the enemy near Phila-
adelphia.
The late Henry S. Dotterer says in his "Perkiomen
Region," that Frederick Antes was employed at the Warwick Fur-
nace to superintend the casting of cannon during the two years,
1775 and 1776.
(9)
HOMESTEAD OF SAMUEL, BERTOLET
The Revolutionary Soldier
Occupied by General Washington and his staff as their headquarters and
office during the encampment of Camp Pottsgrove,
September iSth to 26th, 1777.
During October, 1902, I had my cousin to call on me
from Wyoming County, Pa. His name is Jacob Bertolet
and he is eighty 80) years old. He is the son of Samuel
Bertolet, who lived at the French Creek Mills, and
who was the second son of Samuel Bertolet, the Revolu-
tionary Soldier. Samuel, the father of Jacob, used to tell
his family that his father, Samuel, ( Jacob's grandfather
hauled stores and supplies to Valley Forge Camp during
the cold winter in response to a personal appeal made by
General Washington while stopping a few days with Col-
onel Frederick Antes on his second visit to the valley
during the winter of 1777 and 177S.
(10^
THE SIXTH BATTALION
OF THE
PHILADELPHIA COUNTY MILITIA
In the Spring of 1777, when General Washington
was compelled to change his field of operations from New
Jersey into Pennsylvania, he opened his Summer cam-
paign about April 1st, 1777. The Assembly was passing
laws to strengthen the Continental Army with new recruits
by forming the Militia into Battalions.
The Militia of Philadelphia County was organized
into seven battalions, each battalion consisting of eight
companies. The Colonels commanding the different bat-
talions were : The first commanded by Daniel Hiester ;
the second by John Moor ; the third by Benjamin
McVeagh ; the fourth by William Dean ; the fifth by
Robert Curry ; the sixth by Frederick Antes ; and the
seventh by Isaac Warner.
On May 6th, 1777, Frederick Antes, of Frederick
Township, Montgomery County, (then Philadelphia
County, Pa) was appointed Colonel of the Sixth Battalion
of the Philadelphia County Militia. It was composed of
eight (8) companies from the following townships ; Doug-
lass, Frederick, Limerick, New Hanover, Upper Hanover,
Marlborough, Perkiomen, and Salford.
Frederick Weiss was appointed Lieutenant Colonel.
Jacob Bishop was appointed Major.
William Antes, Esq. was appointed .sub-lieutenant
and paymaster.
do
The captains in command of the eight companies of
the Sixth Battalion were : First company by John Brooke;
the second company by Benjamin Brooke; third company
by Peter Lower; fourth company by Philip Hahn; fifth
company by Peter Richards; sixth company by Michael
Dotterer; seventh company by Jacob Reed; and the eighth
company by Childs.
The militia were divided into eight classes and they
consisted of all the men liable to military duty. Captain
Michael Dotterer, of Frederick Township, received his
commission as captain on May 12th, 1777, and served at
the head of the Frederick Township Militia.
In those days the colonel of a regiment had full con-
trol and supervision of a militia regiment. The Colonial
States were unable to supply the wants of the militia,
therefore he appointed Samuel Bertolet to run the quarter-
master's team. His team consisted of four (4) horses and
a conestoga wagon with its feed trough swinging on the
back of the wagon. The feed trough was so constructed
that when in use it fitted on the wagon tongue. I well
remember the trough, as my father, Daniel Bertolet,
became the owner of it ; my father also became the owner
of his army overcoat, which was in our family up to
i860. It was always said that two of the horses of
Samuel Bertolet's army team belonged to Colonel Fred-
erick Antes.
Colonel Frederick Antes and Samuel Bertolet lived
a- adjoining neighbors, the buildings being only 300
yards apart, and Captain Michael Dotterer lived one-half
mile northeast of them
Colonel Frederick Antes' regiment after it was fully
formed and organized, proceeded to Newtown, Bucks Coun-
ty, Pa., near Trenton on the western banks of the Dela-
ware river. The regiment followed the army from this
point to Philadelphia, where Washington established his
camp along Nicetown Lane at the Falls of Schuylkill,
iiear -.what is known as dobson's Hill and where the
CUflwmo»t Reservoir is located.
From this point Washington's Army travelled to the
Brandywine, where they fought the Battle of the Brandy-
wine on the nth of September, 1777. During the battle
the militia had charge of the stores on the Chester Road,
so said John Fagley, of New Hanover. That night the
army retreated to Chester and the next day back to the
old camp at the Falls of Schuylkill.
COL. FREDERICK ANTES' HOMESTEAD.
Where Gen. George Washington had his headquarters, Sept. 21 to 26, 1777.
Two days later the army moved to Buck Tavern and
White Horse Tavern, where some of the militia had a
clash with the English, September 16th, 1777. About
this time the fall rainy season (fall equinox) set in and
the army travelled from here to Chester Springs and War-
wick Furnace to bury sixty (60) cannon that had been
cast at the furnace that year.
(13'
While General Washington was making these maneu-
vers and getting ready to recross the Schuylkill at Parker's
Ford. General Wayne was detailed with a small detach-
ment of regulars and a battalion of militia to guard the
crossing of the main army over the Schuylkill, and on
the loth of September, after the main army had crossed
the Schuylkill, General Wayne took upon himself to make
a raid on the English Army. He started south and
reached Paoli in the evening of the same day. That night
General Grey made a dash upon his cam]) and early in
the morning of the 20th of September. General Wayne
was badly defeated and a number of his men massacred.
Samuel Bertolet's team was one of the teams that
were in this engagement, and he with his team helped to
haul the wounded soldiers to the Andrew Smith Hotel at
New Hanover, where the amputating was performed
.mi the bar-room table. Afterwards the old log Swam])
Reformed Church was used as the hospital for the wound-
ed. General Wayne's command also arrived in camp on
the 20th of September, at Xew Hanover.
The following are the names of the men enrolled in
Captain Michael Dotterer's Company of Militia from Fred-
erick Township as found in the Pennsylvania Archives:
Peter Acker, Francis Bart, Jacob Beltz, Samuel Bartley
Bertolet), Conrad Bickhard, Henry Boyer, Jacob Boyer.
Philip Boyer, Valentine Boyer, William Boyer, Jacob
Christman, Jacob Detweiler, Conrad Diffenbacher, Henry
Hollobush, Yost Hollobush, Daniel Krause, Henrv
Krause, Michael Krause, Michael Kuntz, Francis Leidig,
Leonard Leidig, John Lay, George Michael, Zacharias
Nyce, Gottfried Savior, Henry Sassaman, Charles Solner,
Jacob Stetler, Henry Stetler, Christian Stetler, George
Smith. George Swanck, Jacob Swanck, Jacob Reimer,
Ludwig Reimer (Ludwick), John Reimer, Jacob Under-
cuffler, Henry Werner, Jeremiah Weiser, Jacob Zieber,
and John Zieber.
(.41
INCIDENTS OK NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP
IN THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
This sketch relates to the names of the men enrolled
in the New Hanover Company of the Sixth Battalion of
the Philadelphia County Militia, and the statements of
different persons who were born and raised in New Han-
over as follows :
The statements of John Fagley, the Revolutionary
soldier, are very interesting as handed down directly
through his grandsons, three of whom are still living
although very aged. Frederick Fagley and Elias Fagley
have both passed the four score mark. These statements
were told them by their grandfather while they were boys
of proper age and good understanding, as Frederick savs
he was 14 years old when his grandfather died at the age
of eighty-four (84) years, while Elias says he was 12 years
old when his grandfather died. John Fagley and Noah
Fagley, the other two grandsons follow their brothers
closely in age, but John Fagley died a year ago. In my
former statement I gave several facts of the statement of
Frederick Fagley. He also says that his grandfather
used to say that General Washington taught his army to
read and to commit and to pray the 91st Psalm. He also
remembers his grandfather when he used to mount his
saddle horse and rode from his home at Fagleysville to
New Hanover Square with his old army overcoat on, to
cast his vote on election day. This overcoat was similar
to the present army overcoat except it was made with
three capes.
(15)
The following is a statement of Elias Fagley, of
Philadelphia, Pa. : I well remember my grandfather and
I remember him saying that he had been engaged at the
Battle of the Brandy wine and also at Paoli, and that Wash-
ington's Army was encamped on the different farms
around Fagleysville.
Washington used to go over on the Prospect Hill
Irom where he had a full and commanding view of the
Sanatoga Valley to Pottsgrove ; and on the Fagley's Hill
from where he had a full view of the Great Road to the
Trappe and Valley Forge. It is at the foot of this hill
that the gorge runs, through which was the door to the
Falkner Swamp Valley and which is commonly known
as the Schwammer Tohr or (Swamp Door).
I also remember the big oak tree which my grand-
father used to point out as being the place the army
slaughtered their cattle and hung them on the low spread-
ing limbs. We also had grandfather's wooden canteen
which was made of sassafras wood ; it was so constructed
that the height was three times the length. We also had
grandfather's powder-horn in our family.
Statement of the late John S. Fagley, who lived on
Chalkley Hall Lane, 25th Ward, Philadelphia. "I was
about (8) years old when grandfather died, and I remem-
ber the sprawley oak tree beneath which the army slaugh-
tered their cattle. I also remember the Revolutionary
War relics which my brother Frederick found on our
grandfather's farm, such as leaden bullets, broken bayo-
nets and iron canister balls ; they laid in our garret for a
long time. I helped to melt some of the leaden bullets to
get the lead, which we wanted for other purposes. I well
remember the old army overcoat and his powder-horn and
wooden canteen that were stored away in the garret.
Grandfather used to relate a story that went the
rounds in Fagleysville when I was a boy, to the effect
(16)
that when the artillery of Washington's Ann\ came into
camp along the road 1>> the Philip Brandt Farm, one of
the Brandt sons was plowing in the field and when he
caught sight of the army he left his plough and team of
horses stand in the field and joined the ann\ '
Statement of Noah Fagley, of Fagleysville, Pa. "I
was born on my grandfather's farm and I now own the
Tannery farm and the farm on the Swamp Creek Hill
HEADQUARTERS OF GEN. ANTHONY WAYNE
while in command of the outpost in the Sanatoga Valley. Later the birth-
place of the late Gen. John F. Hartrauft, Governor ol
Pennsylvania, 1872 to 1878.
road. I have spent my lifetime on these three farms, and
have found a number of war relics on them, such as lead-
en bullets, grape shot and pieces of broken shells. The
old people used to say that the stone house on the Church
farm was occupied by the Generals of Washington's
Army, being the headquarters of Gen. Wayne."
U7)
The following are the names of the men that served
under Captain Philip Halm in the Militia Company
New Hanover Township, which was a part of the Sixth
ilion of the Philadelphia County Militia :
John Bitting, Peter Bitting, Yost Bitting, Philip
Brandt, G Buchert, Peter Dehaven, Jacob Denny,
John Detier, Michael Egolf; George Emhart, Ensign;
John Fagley, Lewis Frankenberger, John Freed,
Freese, Adam Gerver, John Grove, Bernard Freyer, John
Freyer, Michael Hilber ; Jacob Hill, Corporal; Michael
Hoover ; Jacob Kern. Corporal ; Sebastian Koch, Adam
Krebs, Philip Krebs, Michael Krel»-, Davis L/essig, Peter
Loch. Benjamin Markley, Joseph Maybury, Frederick
Miller. Martin Miller, Benedict Mint/. Alexander Mc-
Michael, Adam Neidig, Jacob Neighman, George Pals-
grove, Henry Palsgrove, Daniel Pile, Sebastian Reifsni-
der, Daniel Rhoads, John Richards, John Sackman,
Christian Sackriter; George Sheffy, Corporal; J afcob Sheffy,
John Sheffy, John Shuler, Christian Slonaker, George
Adam Slonaker, Henry Slonaker, John vSmith, Henry
Snider, Jr., Jacob Snider, John Snider, Ludwig Stark,
Jacob Strouse, Adam Warthman, John Walter, John
Willower, Philip Yawn, Adam Yerger, Andrew Yerger,
Martin Yerger, Philip Young, and Chistian Zoller.
The writer finds that a number of the men whose
names are mentioned in these companies were promoted
and a few occupied vcr\ prominent positions during the
Revolutionary War.
In the \ear [782, Colonel Daniel Hiester was pro-
moted to the -ride of Brigadier General by the Executive
Council on May 23d. Captian Jacob Reed was appointed
Major in the same year and served during the war. lie
was b »rn in Franconia Town-hip, one mile west of Hat-
Pa . and died in New Dritian Township, Bucks Co.,
Pa., and is buried at Leidv Church . A granite moiui-
(18)
nient was erected in [902 to honor his name and mark
his grave.
I find Captain Benjamin Markley in command of a
company from New Hanover Township in the year [781.
I also find among the old records of 1781, a receipt of his
which reads as follows :
Received, January 31st, 1781. of Peter Richards, one
of the Sub-lieutenants of the County of Philadelphia, the
sum of six hundred dollars in full, for the dium and fife
of my company for the summer last past, and one hundred
dollars for two days service in notifying the 5th, 6th, 7th,
and 8th classes of militia in my company.
Pr. me, Benjamin Markley, Capt.
(19)
cgg^ss^g^.
HDDENDR
The object of publishing this pamphlet is for two
reasons.
First.— To give the exact location of Camp Potts-
grove to the present and the future generations, as its
location has for years been a bone of contention among
the historians.
Second. — To place the spelling of Samuel Bertolet's
name correctly in history and the services he rendered to
his country during the Revolutionary War. You will
perceive under the enrolment of Captain Michael Dot-
terer's Company from Frederick Township, in the Penn-
sylvania Archives, his name is there enroled as Samuel
Bartley. To this day the Bertolets are known by that
name in Berks and Montgomery Counties, which comes
under the French Huguenot pronunciation, thus : Bar-to-
la ; the e takes the sound of a and the t being silent.
ts^^se^gs*
