the absence of a Fifer to play the Fife myself-and told him my name was Dewees. Washington smiled and said, "Captain Dewees you have been in the Revolutionary war." Yes, sir, said I. He then said, "you have played the fife during the war." I told him that I had, he said that he knew by the tunes we had played, and by the manner in which they were played that I had been in the Continental service. He then complimented me upon my having sacrificed my station (that of Captain,) to gratify his ear with the well to be remembered airs so often heard during the Revolution in the camps of his country. He then observed "Captain Dewees you are disposed to pay great respect to me, for which I am extremely obliged to you as also to the officers and men composing your company.* But there has been so much respect paid to me on my whole route, at Reading, especially, that I feel rather unpleasant when in the receipt of it. I know, sir, that it is earnestly done. Although I have not done less than any man, I have always tried to serve my country faithfully, fearlessly and nobly, whether when in the field or out of it and in doing this, I have but done my duty to my country and countrymen, posterity and to my God. Still, sir, I dont wish to damp your patriotic ardour, nor the patriotic ardour of a single member of your company. Nor am I to be understood, sir, as wishing to damp the generous and patriotic feelings of the men and women, citizens of Wormellsdorff, now present as spectators, nor do I wish, Captain Dewees, to be viewed as despising your tender of honors. Nor do I wish you, sir, to understand me as as forbidding you to fire a salute, but I would respectfully request that it may be dispensed with, and if it will be agreeable to you and your men, that of granting my request, I hope that a salute will not be fired." I replied, "General Washington, if it is your desire that we shall not fire a salute, there shall not be a gun fired." I then addressed myself to my *He had been informed by the landlord that preparations were making to fire fifteen or twenty rounds, as a salute at the door of the Hotel at which he then stopped. men and stated that not a man would be permitted to fire a gun. President Washington then requested me to march my men into the house. I did so. He then ordered different kinds of liquor to be set out, and invited us to partake with him, of whatever kinds of liquor we should choose to drink, I then asked my men to come forward and partake of the President's treat, and observed, that they should take a civil drink, and for each, to do so, in a quiet and respectful manner. After all had drank, I gave them strict orders also, that no man should behave in an uncivil, rude or noisy manner; that we had called, out of respect, to tender respect and honors to his Excellency the President, and all things should now be conducted in a respectful and quiet manner.The President told the landlord to charge the liquor he had ordered to his bill, thanked us in a kind manner for the honors we had done him, bowed to us, bade us good night and then retired to his room. I do not pretend to state, that the President's language was in the precise words I have used, but it was tantamount thereto. As soon as the President retired, I then ordered my Drummer and I may add myself (for I assisted) to beat up the long roll, this done, the men paraded at their posts and formed ranks immediately. We then marched down to the lower tavern, in Wormellsdorff, kept by Wierech Seltzer, where we enjoyed ourselves in dancing awhile. We dispersed (I suppose) at a late hour, but the orders which I gave, that mirth and sociability should reign throughout the evening, were most happily obeyed. Nothing transpired to (not even the President's wish as regarded a salute, this of itself was not a disappointment for he was a lover of quiet, and every man yielded spontaneously what he so anxiouly desired) mar the patriotic pleasure which each member of my company set out determined to enjoy. "Bold chief, who stood nobly, on freedom's towering height, Throughout, even from when freedom's patriot war began. Thou, all hail, first father of pure liberty here, Liberty! nought in thy heart was ever prized more dear, Liberty's laurel wreath still encircles a Washingion's head. Liberty's loud peans bear upwards thy praise, Liberty's sweetest daughters all, all, to thee we shall bring, As Liberty's pure streams shall flow over all lands. Whilst I lived in this place (Wormellsdorff,) I went up to Seelin's Grove and from thence I rode out to Sunbury, Pa. I had an acquaintance living beyond Seelin's Grove, of the name of Himmelbriech, whom I called to see. Whilst I halted at his house, he proffer ed to conduct me to an Indian mound that was in his neighborhood. I went with him to look at it. Its width, at its base was about fifty feet. This mound was as round as a charcoal pit, and something in shape like to a sugar loaf. Its height was from fifteen to twenty feet and was flat or level on top. There was a tree stood upon the top about sixteen inches thick at the butt.This tree was dead. The top and perpendicular or rather conical surface of this mound, was overgrown with briars or blackburry bushes. It yielded a fine crop of berries that season. The bushes were covered with them. The berries were ripe and very delicious, and I partook heartily of them. This mound must have contained a great number of Indian bodies. This could be discovered by forcing a stick into it, some little distance, and thereby breaking off some of its side, jaw and other bones could be seen. I recollect that some of the jaw-bones I saw, were filled with teeth that appeared to be very sound. Himmelbriech stated to me, that if I could spare the time to do it, he would conduct me to another, about a mile farther down the valley, and which (he said) was a much larger one than the one I have described. The tradition (he said) in that country was, that one nation of Indians had fallen upon another one, and pursued it to the grounds adjacent to these mounds, that there they had a horrible battle, the pursuing nation cutting off the pursued one totally, and that those of one nation had been buried in one of these mounds, and those of the other nation in the other mound. Both of these mounds had once been much wider and higher than they were at the time I beheld the one I here describe. It is reasonable to suppose this, for heavy rains, snows and freezings for a great number of years would in time greatly reduce the diameter as well as the height of both. CHAPTER XX. In the fall of 1793, I disposed of my house and lot in Wormellsdorff, and in the spring of 1794, I removed my family to Harrisburg, Pa. I was not long at Harrisburg until it became known to some of the leading men there, that I could play the fife. Lawyers Fisher, Dentzell, Elder and a store keeper of the name of Reitzell and others of the citizens, were engaged in raising and organizing a volunteer military company. Lawyer Fisher was elected Captain, Lawyer Dentzell, Ensign, Reitzell, First Lieutenant, and Second Lieu tenant. The company was a large one, and each member uniformed and equipped himself in handsome style. Captain Fisher found out the residence of a Drummer, of the name of Warriour, who then lived some two or three miles from Harrisburg. Warriour had been a British Drum-Major, but had at an early stage of the Revolutionary struggle, deserted from the British and joined himself to the Continental army and had beat the drum for it until the end of the war. Warriour was chosen Drum-Major in Captain Fisher's company, and I was chosen Fife-Major, Warriour was decidedly the best Drummer that I ever had seen or heard beat, during the Revolution. His music was not of the loudest kind, but it was sharp, clear, well-timed and rich in its spiritstirring melodies. About this time an insurrection broke out into an open rebellion in the western counties of Pennsylvania. "The tax which had been imposed upon spirits distilled within the country, bearing heavily upon the people in the western counties of Pennsylvania, produced there disaffection and disturbance. All excise taxes, of which this was one, being considered hostile to Liberty; great exertions were made to excite the public resentment against those who should willingly pay it, and especially against the officers appointed to collect it. In September, 1791, a large meeting of malcontents was held at Pittsburg, at which resolutions, encouraging resistance to the laws, were passed; and subsequently other meetings were held, at which similar resolutions were adopted. Committees of correspondence were also appointed to give unity of system to their measures, and to increase the number of their associates." Hale's United States, page 214 verse 47th. A tremendous meeting of the insurgents was held at Braddock's fields. They marched to and from there in organized companies, and with music and every demonstration of martial pomp. About this time the insurrection was causing a great alarm throughout the country. President Washington |