He graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1774, and was studying for the ministry when the Revolutionary war broke out. As related by himself afterwards, "The beating of the danger drums past his window made such a noise that he could not study," and he concluded to enter the army. When the county of Adams was formed he was appointed by Governor McKean its first prothonotary, a position he held until after the election of Governor Hiester. Having received from the State of Pennsylvania a tract of land in the Donation district located in the Shenango Valley, in which is now Pymatuning township, Mercer county, he removed there, where he remained until his death, June 24, 1844, at the age of eighty-eight years.] I. CAMP BEFORE YORKTOWN, October 2, 1781. It may not be amiss to take notice of a few remarkable occurrences prior to the commencement of this journal. The army were never so universally deceived in regard to the operations of the campaign as at this time. New York was thought to be the object, and no maneuver left untried to confirm this opinion, when all on a sudden the army decamped from W. Plains, crossed the North river, and proceeded by a circuitous route to Springfield, in New Jersey, where, after a halt of a few days (in order the better to deceive the enemy), they took their route for Trenton, at which place the artillery stores with our regiment and some other troops embarked. We were now no longer at a loss to know our place of destination. We arrived at Christiana bridge, and from thence marched by land to the head of Elk, where the French troops with the rest of our army joined us in a very short time. Here we were delayed for six or seven days, being busily employed in embarking ordnance stores of all kinds on board the vessels. In the meantime the French troops with some other corps of our army proceeded by land for Baltimore. The bay not being able to furnish a sufficient number of vessels the Rhode Island regiment with ours was obliged to embark on board a number of flatbottomed boats, which had been constructed at Albany and brought to this place. We set out on this arduous and very hazardous undertaking about September 15, and arrived at Williamsburg the 26th. On our passage we hugged close to the western shore, but the many bays and mouths of rivers we were obliged to cross rendered it exceedingly dangerous. I think the rivers in their order were as follows, viz: Elk, Susquehannah, Petapsco, Severn, Patuxent, Potomac, Rappahannock, Pequankitank, York and James. The bays were numerous. Among the largest is Mock Jack, better than twenty miles across. The weather in general was very favorable excepting at the time of our crossing the mouth of Rappahannock, when on a sudden a furious wind arose, which occasioned a very rough sea. A number of boats were dismasted, sails torn to pieces, and the whole in the utmost distress. We, however, all made round the point into a safe harbor, excepting Colonel Antill, who, missing the point, was obliged to stretch for Given's island. After repairing our rigging it was determined to proceed a safer course than that which Colonel Antill took, by sailing across Pequankitank bay into the mouth of a river which forms Given's island. In this attempt I shipped water several times and had all my sail torn to pieces. Some of the boats were more prudent and did not cross that day. However, we all arrived safe, and were detained there two days by the storm. Three vessels sailing in the bay were the same day foundered. A miraculous escape! I cannot but mention the very polite treatment we received from the inhabitants of Given's island. I have said we arrived at Williamsburg the 26th; the 27th and 28th were detained at this place in making preparations for the siege, and on the 29th the allied army moved down toward York (distant from Williamsburg about 12 miles), and made a short halt about two miles distant from the enemy's outworks when a few shots were fired from the French pieces at some of Tarleton's horse, who immediately dispersed. In the evening we proceeded about half a mile farther and encamped for the night. In the course of the night three deserters came in with little or no intelligence that could be depended upon. On the morning of the 30th we had orders to approach the enemy's works. After marching a short distance we were ordered to load and proceed within half a mile of the enemy's works on the left. One brigade of infantry was halted, while the First brigade, commanded by General Muhlenburg, crossed a small morass and paraded in order of battle, marched a short distance in front; but the enemy, not firing, they wheeled to the right and took their post in the line; a picket was now turned out (the better to favor reconnoitering parties) which advanced in front nearly half way to the enemy, until they were obliged to retreat by the fire of a field piece from the enemy's works. (It was said his excellency, the commanderin-chief, was in front of this picket the whole time reconnoitering.) The sentries were, however, continued at their posts and regularly relieved the whole day. One of the sentries was so unfortunate as to receive a wound on his foot from a cannon ball, which obliged the surgeons to make an immediate amputation of his leg. We sustained no other harm from their firing, although they frequently overshot us. The remainder of the day was employed in reconnoitering the enemy; and toward evening the whole army encamped nearly on the ground they had before occupied. Before we proceed it may be proper now to take some notice of the different corps and the arrangement of the army. The Marquis de Lafayette's division of L. infantry, composed of Muhlenburg's and Hazen's brigades on the right of the front line, and nearest the enemy; the Baron Steuben's division, composed of the Marylanders, Pennsylvanians and Virginians on the left of the front line. The Jersey troops in the rear of the infantry, and the York in the rear of Steuben's division, with the park of artillery and sappers and miners in the center, forming the second line; the militia forms the corps de reserve, and the French troops, commanded by Count Rochembeau, on the left of the whole. We passed this night with little or no disturbance from the enemy, but guess our agreeable surprise when on the morning of the ensuing day (Oct. 1) we found the enemy had evacuated all their front works, and retreated about half a mile. We knew no other way to account for this than that their works being too extensive and weak, they were afraid of a storm. This morning Colonel Scammel was unfortunately wounded and taken by the enemy, as he was too closely reconnoitering, and sent on parole to Williamsburg. No sooner were the enemy's works evacuated than they were taken possession of by our pickets, supported by the whole army, who marched up for that purpose, and continued on the lines a great part of the day, although the enemy at certain times fired very briskly from their pieces. About 8 o'clock this morning the French grenadiers attacked and carried a small battery, with the loss of four killed and six wounded. Ten companies were ordered out early this morning for fatigue of which I had the honor to command one. Until 11 a. m. we were employed in cutting and stripping branches for gabions. On being furnished with shovels, spades, pick axes, etc., we were ordered up to the lines, where we continued inactive until about an hour before sunset. In the meantime, the engineers were employed in reconnoitering the enemy's works, and fixing on proper places to break the first ground. Let me here observe that the enemy by evacuating their works had given us an amazing advantage, as the ground they left commanded the whole town, and nothing but the reasons before alleged could have justified them in so doing, as by contrary conduct they must have very much retarded the operations of the siege. The engineers having fixed on and chained off the ground in two different places to erect their works within point blank shot of the enemy, the parties were called on. Five companies were ordered to an eminence on the right and five to another on the left. It happened to be my fate to be stationed on the left, a place the most dan gerous of the two, as it was nearest to the enemy and more exposed to the fire of the enemy's batteries. We were now conducted to a small hollow near the ground. Five men were ordered by the engineer to assist him in clearing away the rubbish, staking out and drawing the lines of the work. This was in the face of open day, and the men went with some reluctance; a little before this we had a shot from the enemy which increased their fears. At dusk of evening we all marched up, and never did I see men exert themselves half so much or work with more eagerness. Indeed, it was their interest, for they could expect nothing else but an incessant roar of cannon the whole night. I must confess I too had my fears, but fortunately for us they did not fire a shot that whole night. I am at a loss to account for it, for the moon shone bright, and by the help of their night glasses they must certainly have discovered us. We were relieved about daybreak, and scarcely had we left the trenches when the enemy began their fire on both works from three pieces. NOTES AND QUERIES.-CCXXXIV. THE SHEE FAMILY. In looking over the index of the old Moravian grave-yard at Lancaster I was struck by the number of Shees who were interred there during the latter half of the last century and beginning of the present. The plan showed eighteen members of that family as being interred there. I took down a list of their names and carefully searched the register of the Moravian Church with good results, as appears further on. Most writers state that Col. John Shee, of Revolutionary fame, was a resident of Lancaster when the Third Pennsylvania battalion was mustered in in 1775 under his command. About the same period Walter Shee, of Philadelphia, merchant, owned land on Orange street, and after his death his widow, whose maiden name was Vernon, subsequently married Robert Thompson, of Lancaster, who was quite a prominent man in civil affairs. As the family of Shees who were interred in the Moravian grave-yard may have been connected with the family from which sprang Col. John Shee, I forward the data to Notes and Queries. S. M. S. THE EARLIEST MEMBER.-Marcus Shee, died Jan. 5, 1787, aged 56 years; married; born in Ireland in December, 1730. Children of Marcus Shee and Ann Christine Shee. Susan Maria Shee, eldest daughter, born December 16, 1753; died March 5, 1785. Simon Jacob Shee, born February 13, 1756, at 3 p. m., died July 24, 1768. Killed by a stroke of lightning. Anna Magdalene Shee, born December 6, 1758, at 9 a. m.; died Dec. 12, 1758. John and Henry Shee (twins), born March 31, 1760, at 8 and 9 a. m.; John died August 12, 1760; Henry died Aug. 24, 1766. Christine, Magdalena and Catharine (triplets), born December 22, 1762. All of the congregation was present at their baptism, and three different ministers officiated. Christine and Margaret died Dec. 29, 1762. Catharine Marcus Shee (2d), born Nov. 16, 1765; married, Jan. 26, 1789, Susanna Biegler, widow, by whom he had issue eight sons and four daughters. Died March 29, 1821, leaving six sons and two daughters, and nine grand-children surviving. Died of consumption. Elizabeth Shee, born April 10, 1769; died May 20, 1769. Children of Marcus (2d) and Susanna Shee. John Shee, born Oct. 29, 1789; died Oct. 23, 1794. This record sets forth as follows: "Son of Marcus Shee, locksmith, and Susanna Biegler." George Shee, born May 31, 1790 (not a full term child), died June 1, 1790. One of its sponsors at baptism was "its grandmother, Ann Christine Shee, born Krohn." Adam Shee, born Aug. 1, 1791; died Aug. 7, 1791. Michael Shee, born July 27, 1792; died Catharine Shee, born March 12, 1794; died March 18, 1794. Rebecca Shee, born Dec. 27, 1795; died Daniel Shee, born June 1, 1798; died June 6, 1798. One of his sponsors was "Catharine Sweizer, born Shee." This was probably the Catharine who was one of the triplets born Dec. 22, 1762. Sophia Shee, born May 21, 1799; died Abraham Shee, born Aug. 11, 1801; died Aug. 16, 1801. Susanna Shee, born Dec. 30, 1807; died The old chart, or plot of the grave-yard shows that in 1802 a beatice (meaning stillborn) child named Shee was interred. This was |
