’Bye, George: Blazing a New Nation: Us War of Independence

By John Ebenreiter

It is 1774 and the stage has already been set for the War of Independence. As a Continental Congress is called to deal with the deteriorating situation between the colonies and Britain, six soldiers begin penning heartfelt letters to Eb Chaplin, the owner of the Blaze Horse Tavern in Philadelphia.

Soldiers Moses, Ben, Teunis, Roelof, and Felix are Patriots. The sixth soldier, Zack, is loyal to King George III of Great Britain. In letters addressed to Eb Chaplin written over the course of several years, the Patriot soldiers sound off about Loyalists, their hopes that Congress can come to a resolution with Britain, the opening salvo of slaughtering fifty Americans by the Kings Men, the capitulation of General Cornwallis, the Loyalists dismay over the Rebels win against the Crown, and their relief when the war is over. In his return letters to the soldiers, Chaplin tells of the political and diplomatic events affecting the War of Independence from the beginning to the end when America bids King George farewell with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

In this historical novel, six soldiers reveal their battle experiences, hopes and fears, and lessons learned through letters to a Philadelphia tavern owner before, during, and after the War of Independence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Mar 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781491791318

John Ebenreiter

John Ebenreiter first became passionate about history while reading encyclopedias in his one-room Wisconsin schoolhouse. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, John spent forty-seven years in the accounting field, mainly with two Fortune 500 companies. Now retired, John is a Brandywine Battlefield tour guide and resides with his wife, Sharon, in Media, Pennsylvania.

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Copyright © 2016 John Ebenreiter.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-9130-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-9131-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016903796

iUniverse rev. date: 03/29/2016

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Epilogue

Appendix 1: Map

Appendix 2: Guide to Participants

Appendix 3: Pronunciation Guide

Appendix 4: Battle Timeline

Appendix 5: Noteworthy Events

Appendix 6: What Happened to the Signers?

To my wife, Sharon, who put up with my being hidden away for hours while writing, who put up with my absences while on research trips, and who spent countless hours proofreading my manuscript. To my stepdaughter, Heather, for suggesting the epistolary novel approach in writing Bye, George. To my mother, Paula Swart, whose ancestors' efforts helped establish the country we all love.

Prologue

Why are we discussing a battle in 1778 when independence was declared in 1776? This was a question asked of the professor in a colonial history course I was auditing at a local university. In that instant, I decided to alter the thrust of the book I was beginning to write from being directed to youthful readers to those of all ages.

While I've been interested in history for as long as I can remember, as a youngster I found the War of Independence confusing. I didn't realize the war spanned eight years. It was hard to follow because it didn't flow easily from battle to battle. Confusion existed among the personalities in the war---were they all made up of the Founding Fathers, or were there other famous folks who really weren't considered among the founders of our country? And, of course, I thought every American was for independence and, therefore, against the British and King George III.

Two years before I audited the colonial history course, I became a tour guide at Brandywine Battlefield in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. As I became familiar with Brandywine, it whetted my appetite to learn more about the War of Independence. I voraciously read many books on the subject, and, to become more familiar, I visited many sites relating to the War of Independence.

As a result, this book is meant to convey that very learning that I so sadly missed. To express that message in this book, I decided to have seven Americans, who lived during the war, write a series of letters to one another to tell of their own experiences and to describe some of the major combatants whom they met or with whom they were associated.

Each chapter sets the stage for the events of which the letter writers will go on to describe their experiences or to share information received from others. Following is an introduction to those writers of the letters:

Ebenezer Chaplin: Mr. Chaplin (Uncle Eb) is the uncle of three of the letter writers. He is the father of one, is a distant cousin of another, and writes to his son's friend. Mr. Chaplin owns the Blaze Horse Tavern in Philadelphia. Philadelphia, being the capital and largest city of the American colonies, is the hub of political activity in the colonies. Many people frequented Mr. Chaplin's tavern---those for independence, those who wanted to stay loyal to the Crown, and those who didn't care one way or another.

Moses Chaplin: Moses, a student, is the son of Ebenezer Chaplin. When the Continental Army was being raised under George Washington, he immediately joined in 1775 and was not discharged until the war was over in 1783.

Ebenezer (Ben) Thompson: Ben is a nephew of Ebenezer Chaplin. He is a cordwainer, a person who makes shoes, and he lives in Salem, Massachusetts. He takes up the revolutionary cause almost immediately. He is soon engaged in the war and remains active until nearly the very end.

Zaccheus (Zack) Witt: Zack is a nephew of Ebenezer Chaplin. He is a ropewalker, is involved in making ropes used on ships, and lives in Boston, not far from his cousin Ben. He decides to stay loyal to the Crown. He fights with the British in many battles. At the end of the war, he decides he will not be able to continue living in the new United States of America.

Teunis Swart: Teunis is a nephew of Ebenezer Chaplin. He farms near Hoosick, New York. He hastens his involvement in the war to keep the British out of his home area. Later in the war he is involved in skirmishes with Native Americans (Indians) who, on behalf of the British, were attacking areas near his home.

Roelof Staley: Roelof's mother, a cousin of Ebenezer Chaplin, is married to the owner of a plantation (Boyne Manor) in King William, Virginia. Roelof gets involved in fighting even before we Americans have a fight with the British. Later he is involved in a secret offensive to the west.

Felix Porter: Felix is a friend and neighbor of Moses. As a farrier, a person who shoes horses, he moves from Philadelphia to Moncks Corner, South Carolina, near Charleston, where he could better use his talents in horse country. He gets involved in some of the most vicious fighting of the war: Patriots versus Loyalists.

To assist in the reader's understanding, the following items are part of the appendixes.

• Maps: A series of maps is included to familiarize the reader with the geographic locations of the battles.

• Guide to Participants: The reader may find it confusing at times to discern on which side a participant mentioned might be. This guide provides the role of the participant during the war and then his/her role after the war is over. (Note: Many officers moved up in rank during the war. The guide usually lists the highest level the participant attained.)

• Pronunciation Guide: Many participants were French or German. This guide provides the proper pronunciation of their names. Also certain military terms need pronunciation guidance, and, in some cases, English and American participants require guidance on pronunciation.

• Battle Timeline: This list notes the date of the letter where the battle is covered.

• Noteworthy Events: The list of noteworthy events includes the date of the letter where the event is mentioned.

• What Happened to the Signers?: This is a listing of all signers of the Declaration of Independence, the colony that they represented, their age at signing, and their lives afterward.

The letter writers use the term Indian for Native American, and the term Negro for black American. The latter terms were not used in the time period in which these letters were written. Loyalists, or Tories, denote the term used to describe those Americans who wanted to stay loyal to the British Empire. Rebels denotes the term used by the British and Loyalists to describe the Patriots who were fighting for independence. The term Signer identifies one who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Chapter One

Give me Liberty, or give me Death.

---Patrick Henry

From 1754 to 1763, the French and Indian War was fought between Great Britain and France (with whom the Indians allied) for control of North America. British America consisted of the Atlantic Seaboard area north of Florida to Newfoundland. New France covered the territory from Quebec down through the area west of the Appalachian Mountains all the way to New Orleans. Britain and her American colonists defeated the French and Indians, taking what was New France.

In fighting this war, Britain supplied soldiers and munitions to their American citizens. As a result, Britain incurred enormous debt to finance the war. Britain felt that a portion of the debt payment should be borne by the people whom they defended. Over a course of several years, Parliament passed a succession of revenue-raising acts. Because American colonists were not represented in Parliament, these acts met with resistance, especially in Boston, resulting in the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. This set the stage for the War of Independence.

In 1774, a Continental Congress was called to deal with the deteriorating situation between the colonies and Britain. In February 1775, the first American bloodshed occurred at Salem, Massachusetts. Two months later, the first shots in the War of Independence were fired at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.

The Continental Congress established the Continental Army. George Washington became its commander in chief. A two-pronged invasion of Quebec was launched.

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August 1, 1774

Dear Ben, Roelof, Teunis, Zack, and Felix,

Ever since Paul Revere rode from Boston to Philadelphia back in May, telling us of the Port Act, which basically isolates Boston economically, there's been a lot of conversation on how to deal with the deteriorating situation with our mother country over the past few years. Now the hot talk is about what might be coming out of the call in May for a Continental Congress when it convenes in September to address the issues.

Moses and I have been discussing what has led us to this situation. Of course, the constant effort by Britain to tax us to pay for the French and Indian War is a big reason. The Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Townshend Act, and Tea Act were all taxes imposed on the colonies without our having representation in Parliament to redeem the debts from that war. Many feel this is simply taxation without representation.

Even though we've been subjects of Britain in most colonies for over one hundred years, even with having Crown governors, we've pretty much governed ourselves with elected local officials. The recently enacted Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act, one of the Coercive Acts, replaces elected officials with a mandamus council appointed by the governor. So far this practice relates to only Massachusetts. What colony might be next?

It is obvious that Parliament passed the Coercive Acts in response to the Boston Tea Party of last December 16. Just eight days later on Christmas Eve, the tea ship Polly came to Philadelphia. It was not allowed to unload the tea and was sent back to England still fully laden with its cargo of tea. We did not dump the tea, as had been done in Boston, but we too did not allow its unloading. Will Pennsylvania be next with its own Regulating or Port Act?

Many people here in Philadelphia were shocked when we heard the news that Ben Franklin, in London, had been brought before the privy council's cockpit in late January for exposing former Massachusetts governor Hutchinson. He was shamefully ridiculed. For years he has been a cool hand in London when things got hot between the colonies and Parliament. His attitude may now change.

In Philadelphia there is a lot of emotion between those who feel Britain, over the years, has become more and more oppressive in its treatment of the American colonists versus those who hold, and will continue to hold, a strong loyalty to His Majesty King George III and the Crown. Moses and I would appreciate hearing from you as to your own views and the sentiments in your area, as they might relate to the calling of a Continental Congress.

Sincerely, Eb Chaplin

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August 15, 1774

Dear Uncle Eb,

So good to hear from you. I recently completed my apprenticeship as a cordwainer and have opened my own shop. I can only hope that all the unrest won't lead to military action now that I've started on my occupational career. I am part of the newly formed Minutemen in our militia. Being a Minuteman requires us to turn out on a minute's notice. We each need to have our own firearm and supply of ammunition. We train four times a year. Because William Browne, a strong Tory, was sloppy in leading our militia, he was recently replaced by Timothy Pickering.

Several weeks ago our delegates were chosen here in Salem. When Thomas Cushing, John Adams, Sam Adams, and Robert Treat Paine left for Philadelphia, they made a point of parading their carriage right past the British troops in Boston. Having those troops in Boston makes the situation very tense. After all, when troops were sent in response to the Townshend Acts, they massacred five civilians four years ago.

We call the new British Coercive Acts the Intolerable Acts. The Port Act will have an enormous economic impact on Boston, with no shipments allowed in or out. The Quartering Act is very repressive. If the military wants to use your home as an abode for their soldiers, you have no choice in the matter. The Port Act also moved the seat of government for Massachusetts from Boston to here in Salem.

The Quebec Act affects several colonies---Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia---that have land claims west of the mountains. The act now makes that territory off-limits to future development. Since the Quebec Act also gave recognition to the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec, will the next action of the British be the banning of our annual mockery of Catholics on Pope Day each November 5?

Uncle Eb, I cannot overempathize how tense the situation is up here. We have several cannons stored in town. Many other towns have gunpowder in storage so it can be accessed by the militia if the need arises. I hope the Continental Congress can work something out to defuse the tense situation. But with Sam Adams being a delegate, so passionate against the Crown, I wouldn't count on it.

Sincerely, Ben

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August 16, 1774

Dear Uncle Eb,

I am happy to give you my views regarding the present situation. It gives me a chance to sound off about the despicable Rebels here in Boston. The rebellious activities for the past ten years stem from the fact that Britain is trying to raise funds to reduce the debt incurred by our mother country in its armed support to save America from the French and Indians. My father fought in the French and Indian War and was most thankful there were British soldiers on our soil to assist us.

When the Stamp Act was imposed, the Rebels formed a group: the Sons of Liberty. They should be called the sons of anarchy for all the chaos they've stirred up over the years here in Boston. Do we forget the lawlessness shown against Lieutenant Governor Thomas Hutchinson when they threatened his life, ransacked his house, and destroyed his property in 1765 when protesting the Stamp Act? How about the tar and feathering done to men who don't agree with resisting the British?

Due to all the protesting against the Townshend Acts, the British in 1767 sent enforcement troops. The friction that caused resulted in the so-called Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. At least our justice system worked when John Adams worked on behalf of the accused troops, obtaining their acquittal. Did the Sons of Liberty feel any remorse for the bloodshed for those killed in that mob action?

To protest the Tea Act passed in May 1773, these so-called purveyors of freedom, not wanting to be identified, on December 16, 1773, dressed up as Indians to dump tea from the ships into the harbor. A tea party! What does that bring? It brought the Port Act, which forbids shipment of goods, including food, into Boston. Luckily, just yesterday, Israel Putnam drove 130 sheep from Connecticut into town to help feed the poor. In May, Thomas Gage was sent as our new governor, replacing Governor Hutchinson, who was recalled to Britain. Ironically, Gage was greeted by the Independent Company of Cadets commanded by John Hancock, who everyone suspects was heavily engaged in the Tea Party.

Because most of my fellow workers are ardent Rebels, being a ropewalker is not the best occupation for someone who feels loyalty to the Crown. They call me a brainless Tory. But tell me which is better---to be ruled by one tyrant three thousand miles away or to be ruled by three thousand tyrants not one mile away.

God Save the King, Zack

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August 20, 1774

Dear Mr. Chaplin,

It was good to get your letter. After leaving Philadelphia, I have been quite happy pursuing my occupation as a farrier near Moncks Corner, South Carolina. Horse racing is so popular here. There is hardly a Sunday when there isn't a horse race. The rice and indigo plantation owners are quite wealthy. Horse racing and, of course, the betting that goes with it are their main hobbies.

I couldn't help but snicker when you mentioned the Boston Tea Party of December 16, 1773. You may not have heard, but we had our own tea party two weeks earlier. On December 3, 1773, the London, loaded with tea, entered the harbor at Charleston. The ship was unloaded, but the tea was not allowed to be sold. The tea was stored in the Exchange Building. The last I heard it's all spoiled.

You asked about sentiment down here. The plantation owners I am familiar with lean toward resentment toward Britain. I've also heard that is the feeling of the tobacco planters in the Wilmington area of North Carolina. The most anti-British folks are the overmountain men in Western North Carolina. You may recall in May 1772 they established the Republic of Watauga and declared themselves independent of British rule.

On the other hand, the more recently arrived Scots Highlanders in both Carolinas have a strong loyalty to the Crown. Except for St. John's Parish, settled by Yankees from Connecticut, Georgia is basically Loyalist.

South Carolina has named the five delegates it is sending to the Congress: Christopher Gadsden, Thomas Lynch, Henry Middleton, Edward Rutledge, and John Rutledge. Ed Rutledge, better known as Ned, is about my age. I talk often to him at racing events. The news I have from North Carolina is that they are sending three delegates: Richard Caswell, Joseph Hewes, and William Hooper.

This is a nervous time. I am hoping fervently that Congress can come to some solution with Britain. If not, I have the feeling that down here, because of the deep feelings on both sides, we could have a really tough time of it.

Sincerely, Felix

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August 21, 1774

Dear Uncle Eb,

While I appreciate hearing from you, the reason for your letter is frightening. As you know, I have a farm near Hoosick. Just last year I married a sweet young lady, Sarah van Vorst. Sarah also grew up on a farm, so she is familiar with all the hard work a farm requires. If things get so bad that we go to war, what would I do? I can't imagine going off to war and leaving Sarah with all the farm work.

The sentiment here is mixed. There are many folks very loyal to the Crown. Most of them are foreign-born. Their families have not been in America for generations like ours have been. They are not aware of the sacrifice we have had to make in fighting the French and then to be double-crossed by the Quebec Act.

For instance, there are the German Palatines. They are loyal to the Crown because the British let them settle here to escape starvation in their homeland. The Scots and Irish Catholics are loyal because they faced difficulty in practicing their faith before they came but are now free to practice their Catholicism. They are so disrespectful of their new environment. They still speak Gaelic!

When I heard of the Quebec Act, I was incensed. When I was just a baby, the French and Indians attacked our area. We were lucky to escape with our lives. And before that, at the turn of the century in King William's War¹ and Queen Anne's War², my ancestors had to fight the French. And now, with the British recognizing French civil law and extending the borders of Quebec south to the Ohio River and west to the Mississippi River---nice thanks for all of our efforts to defend ourselves and British territory from the French.

You mentioned the Boston Tea Party. On April 24, 1774, the Nancy, fully laden with tea, tried to dock in New York. She was turned back to Britain still fully laden with her tea. New York is sending nine delegates to the Continental Congress. I am only familiar with three of them: James Duane, Philip Livingston, and John Jay. I pray they find some way to work things out with Britain so we don't go to war. At any rate, I hope they get the British to rescind the Quebec Act.

Sincerely, Teunis

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October 27, 1774

Dear Ben, Zack, Felix, Teunis, and Roelof,

Yesterday the First Continental Congress adjourned. I wanted to let each of you know what transpired. The Congress convened September 5 with fifty-six delegates from twelve colonies at Carpenter's Hall. It was opened by an Anglican minister with the very poignant Psalm 35. Georgia had a lot of fighting going on with the Creek Indians, which required support of British troops. As a result, their governor, James Wright, forbade any delegates to attend.

Some of the more prominent delegates included John and Sam Adams, Massachusetts; John Jay, New York; John Sullivan, New Hampshire; Caesar Rodney, Delaware; Roger Sherman, Connecticut; John and Edward Rutledge, South Carolina; and Patrick Henry (who early on declared, I am not a Virginian but an American), Benjamin Harrison, Richard Henry Lee, and George Washington, Virginia. Our most prominent delegates from Pennsylvania were Joseph Galloway and John Dickinson. Peyton Randolph of Virginia was elected president of the Congress.

Early in the meetings Galloway offered a Plan of Union of Great Britain and the Colonies. This plan urged compromise instead of any belligerent action. Before it could be voted on, Paul Revere arrived from Boston with the Suffolk Resolves primarily drafted by Dr. Joseph Warren. This document included the boycott of British products and urged colonies to raise militias of their own people. After much discussion, the Suffolk Resolves were endorsed and the Plan of Union was not adopted.

On October 20, Congress created the Continental Association to go into effect December 1. This is a plan of agreement among the colonies to ban import or consumption of any goods from Britain, Ireland, or the British West Indies. The goal is to bring pressure for repeal of the Intolerable Acts. On October 21, Congress resolved to send letters of invitation to Quebec (in French and English), Saint John's Island³, Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida, and West Florida to the Second Continental Congress scheduled to meet on May 10, 1775. They then adjourned with a toast to King George III.

During the sessions, while at the Blaze Horse, the Virginia delegates told me their governor, Lord Dunmore, was sending a contingent of militia west to claim more western territory for Virginia from the Shawnee Indians. I just learned there was a pitched battle at Point Pleasant, where the Kanawha River flows into the Ohio, between Colonel Andrew Lewis's militia and Chief Cornstalk's men. While Lewis prevailed, he lost seventy-five men versus forty warriors.

Sincerely, Eb Chaplin

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February 27, 1775

Dear Uncle Eb,

Yesterday afternoon while attending church service, Major John Pedrick, after galloping from Marblehead, threw open the doors and shouted, The regulars are coming after the guns and are now near Malloon's Mills. Being a Minuteman, Colonel Timothy Pickering ordered us to hide the cannons. At the same time, Benjamin Daland raced off to Danvers to tell them of the march of the Regulars.

Many townspeople raced toward the bridge between Marblehead and Salem to rip up the planks. However, the Regulars, led by Colonel Alexander Leslie, replaced enough of the planks to cross the river. Then as Leslie approached Spike Drawbridge over the North River, it was raised, preventing the Regulars from crossing. The townspeople shouted at the Regulars, Soldiers! Red Jackets! Lobster coats! Cowards! Damnation to your government!

After some time, Leslie was made aware of some scows in the river and sent his soldiers to commandeer them to cross the river into Salem. With this, several of the owners and their workmen got to the boats first and smashed the bottoms, making them useless. At this point things became quite scary when one of the workmen, Joseph Whicher, had a bayonet shoved at his chest, with blood spurting everywhere.

With sunset soon to arrive and getting colder, Leslie became desperate to locate and remove the cannons. About this time, Pastor Thomas Barnard of North Meetinghouse, a known strong Loyalist, shouted to Leslie, asking for a discussion. Barnard suggested to Leslie that if the drawbridge was lowered, Leslie could march into Salem no farther than thirty rods and, if he saw no cannons, march back out of town. Since by this time the Marblehead Regiment had formed at Leslie's rear and the Salem and Danvers militia in front, he took the offer and the incident was over, saving our nineteen cannons.

As I said in my last letter it is tense and getting hotter up here. Was Whicher's blood the first shed in a revolution?

Sincerely, Ben

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March 30, 1775

Dear Mr. Chaplin,

I apologize for not responding earlier to your request regarding the atmosphere in Virginia. When I got your letter I was well on my way to the Ohio country in response to a request in May 1774 by Governor Lord Dunmore to do battle with the Indians who were harassing citizens settling the region south of the Ohio River.

I was with Colonel Andrew Lewis while other troops were with Dunmore on his route to Fort Pitt.⁴ Early on October 10, 1774, our camp was attacked by Shawnee Indians led by Chief Cornstalk. The battle raged all day, with heavy hand-to-hand fighting. Tomahawks were being used on both sides. Having more men, we eventually won, but at a cost of 75 killed and 140 wounded. The battle forced Cornstalk to cede all the territory south of the Ohio.

When we got back, we were told that Dunmore's effort dishonored the Crown because of encroachment on tribal lands. However, from a personal standpoint, I was glad I went on the raid because Dunmore granted me a patent for one thousand acres of land in what is called the Vandalia Colony.⁵ The trouble is that it is in an area of dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Right now Dunmore is not happy about several actions taken in Virginia. On November 7, 1774, a ship arrived in Yorktown, and it included tea in its cargo. Because of the boycott enacted, the tea was dumped into the harbor and the ship was not allowed to load a shipment of tobacco destined for England. Then on January 20, the Fincastle Resolutions were published by prominent Fincastle citizens in western Virginia. One of the signers is William Campbell, a brother-in-law of Patrick Henry.

As you know, Patrick Henry was a delegate to the First Continental Congress. Back in 1773, he, Thomas Jefferson, and Richard Henry Lee organized the Virginia Committee of Correspondence. Patrick is quite a firebrand. I know him well, being a former neighbor in the next county. On March 23, he made a most forceful and eloquent speech at a meeting of the House of Burgesses, which included this exclamation: Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, Give me Liberty, or give me Death!

Sincerely, Roelof

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April 20, 1775

Dear Uncle Eb,

Joe Whicher may have spilled the first blood at Salem in February, but yesterday the King's Men killed almost fifty Americans and wounded at least as many, or more. We got the alarm in Salem midmorning yesterday. Colonel Timothy Pickering quickly gathered the militia, and we made our way toward Charlestown. We encountered the Regulars just before they got to Charlestown but did not attack. Pickering didn't attack because he was adhering to the rules of engagement for the militia units set out by Provincial president Joseph Warren. To engage, the Regulars had to be a force in excess of five hundred troops; the