Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.I, p.17

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History of Cambria County, V.1

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 17

Carpenter's Hall convention of 1775 resolved that the colonies should raise an army to defend their principles and to Pennsylvania was allotted the quota of 4,300 men. To more effectually carry it into effect a committee of public safety was appointed on June 30, 1775, which consisted of prominent patriots in the colony. Benjamin Franklin was president thereof; William Garrett, secretary, and Michael Hillegas, treasurer. Barnard Dougherty, of Bedford county, was a member, of that committee.
     Within ten days after the battle of Bunker Hill was fought (June 17, 1775) Captain Cluggage, of Bedford, had a company on the march to Boston to assist Prescott, Pepperell and Warren, the heroes of that defeat. On its arrival at Carlisle it was assigned to the First Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion, commanded by Colonel William Thompson. The battalion started from Reading, passed through Easton and northern New Jersey, crossed the Hudson river a few miles north of West Point, and joined the Continental army in the trenches at Boston, August 8, 1775.
     They were the first troops to arrive from the west side of the Hudson, and served in all the skirmishes in front of Boston; but before the British evacuated that city Colonel Thompson's battalion was ordered to New York to aid in repelling the landing of the enemy. Colonel Thompson was promoted to brigadier-general, and Lieutenant Colonel Hand of Lancaster was advanced to the colonelcy. When the term of enlistment expired, June 30, 1776, most of the men re-enlisted for three years or during the war. It then became the First Regiment of the Continental Line, and was actively engaged in the battles of Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, and Princeton, under Colonel Hand, who on April 1, 1777, was made a brigadier-general to be succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel James Chambers of Chambersburg. Under his command the regiment fought at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, and every other battle and skirmishes until it retired, January 1, 1781. Thatcher's Military Journal says of this command:

     "Several companies of riflemen amounting, it is said, to more than fourteen hundred men, have arrived here from Pennsylvania and Maryland, a distance of from five to seven hundred miles. They are remarkably stout and hardy men, many of them exceeding six feet in hight. They are dressed in white frocks or rifle shirts and round hats. These men are remark-

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	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.	17
Carpenter's Hall convention of 1775 resolved that the colonies should raise an army to defend their principles and to Pennsylvania was allotted the quota of 4,300 men. To more effectually carry it into effect a committee of public safety was appointed on June 30, 1775, which consisted of prominent patriots in the colony. Benjamin Franklin was president thereof; William Garrett, secretary, and Michael Hillegas, treasurer. Barnard Dougherty, of Bedford county, was a member, of that committee. Within ten days after the battle of Bunker Hill was fought (June 17, 1775) Captain Cluggage, of Bedford, had a company on the march to Boston to assist Prescott, Pepperell and Warren, the heroes of that defeat. On its arrival at Carlisle it was assigned to the First Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion, commanded by Colonel William Thompson. The battalion started from Reading, passed through Easton and northern New Jersey, crossed the Hudson river a few miles north of West Point, and joined the Continental army in the trenches at Boston, August 8, 1775. They were the first troops to arrive from the west side of the Hudson, and served in all the skirmishes in front of Boston; but before the British evacuated that city Colonel Thompson's battalion was ordered to New York to aid in repelling the landing of the enemy. Colonel Thompson was promoted to brigadier-general, and Lieutenant Colonel Hand of Lancaster was advanced to the colonelcy. When the term of enlistment expired, June 30, 1776, most of the men re-enlisted for three years or during the war. It then became the First Regiment of the Continental Line, and was actively engaged in the battles of Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, and Princeton, under Colonel Hand, who on April 1, 1777, was made a brigadier-general to be succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel James Chambers of Chambersburg. Under his command the regiment fought at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, and every other battle and skirmishes until it retired, January 1, 1781. Thatcher's Military Journal says of this command: "Several companies of riflemen amounting, it is said, to more than fourteen hundred men, have arrived here from Pennsylvania and Maryland, a distance of from five to seven hundred miles. They are remarkably stout and hardy men, many of them exceeding six feet in hight. They are dressed in white frocks or rifle shirts and round hats. These men are remark- Vol. I-2