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Reminiscences of Dr. William Read, Arranged From Notes and Papers (Part II) Two companies of riflemen had arrived, and were placed around Government House. Mr. R. spent many hours in conversing with these men, and inculcating on them the good of moderate measures, bringing to view the conduct of our Northern brethren on a similar occasion. On going home next morning, he found his mother in a state of distracting despondency. He informed her all he knew; she communicated it to Mr. Read in his confinement, on a slip of paper. On the second and third nights he still hovered about the Government House, and used dissuasives to any violent measures. At length the gentlemen of the Council were parolled to the Government House and a guard set on them with drawn swords. The gentlemen were permitted to receive visits from their wives and families, and servants were permitted to go in with necessaries. On Mr. W. Read visiting his parent, a tender scene ensued; he embraced him tenderly. The Governor accosted him with: "You see, young gentleman, what a state of things you have brought about." He replied, I have had nothing to do in this affair. I am reflected upon and suspected, if I open my mouth in argument at any of the popular meetings. Sir James had treated Mr. Read roughly on his paying him the compliment of a visit on his first arrival from the North. Among other rough things, he said: "So you know, young sir, that you have a halter about your neck!" His reply was: Have I, sir; then it sits very easy? and if such is my condition, there are thousands, tens of thousands in the same predicament, and I should die in good company. Mr. James was enraged, and expressed deep regret that he (Dr. Read) should have taken so ungracious a course. Mr. Alexander Wright sat in the audience room, and listened to all this conversation, on which Wm. Read observed civilly, that Sir James had the advantage of him, that he had an evidence; he (W. Read) had none, on which the Governor desired his son to leave the room. He then launched out in invectives against those who were driving the people to madness, naming especially Joseph Habersham, Francis Farris, Elbert, &c. Mr. Read advised temperance and prudence, reminded Sir James of the scenes of the rebellion of '45, not very remote. They parted on that occasion in good humor. Sir James said jocularly, "is green and yellow the costume of medical students?" Wm. Read said it was the best coat he had, and would certainly wait on the Governor in his best garb. "Is it," said the Governor, "usual for students of physic to wear a sword." Wm. Read had, on that occasion, put on his sword, as he begun to feel confident from the gathering of the people in Councils of Safety. Read's reply was, that it was a drossy bauble, obtained for supposed services to a company of gentlemen in Philadelphia, in drilling and training them, and you, Sir James, know how I obtained the art, as you were privy to it, as he was one of a juvenile company who used to muster in Sir James' presence. Sir James gave Read a solemn warning, and Read returned the "take care," but they parted in good humor. W. Read knew how far matters had advanced in the popular meetings. Just ten days after this communication, the scene described above took place. Dr. Read (we will in future call him so) watched over the prisoners incessantly, barely taking time to go home speedily and take his meals. The regiment of riflemen were encamped at the west end of the Government House, and the men would frequently fire their rifles at the house (a wooden house) notwithstanding his (Dr. Read's) remonstrances to the contrary, and the orders of Samuel Elbert, now nominated as General. Dr. R. got one of his mother's servants to carry in a slip of paper, warning the inmates to lay down on the floor for safety against the rifle balls. Sir James' two daughters Sarah (afterwards wife of Sir James Wallis), and Bella (afterwards Mrs. Barry), were in the house, and all of his Majesty's members of Council. At length these Western soldiers became tired of the service, and talked of breaking in and destroying the prisoners; Dr. Read's anxiety became extreme. He saw that the parole was broken by the violence of these riflemen, as a parole implies safety and protection to the prisoners. He advised Sir James to fly, and advised, by a slip of paper, the manner of getting clear, convinced that if he was out of the way the remaining prisoners would be more mercifully and leniently dealt with; and thus it happened, as the Council of Safety admitted the Counsellors to their parole on their plantations; Dr. Read's father was confined to his plantation on Great Ogechee. Dr. Read was instructed to wait on his parent there, medically and filially. Dr. Read repaired thither, and spent some time in dreary solitude, which to him who had been in very active habits, was intolerable; there he became better acquainted with his parent, and he with him. Mr. Read was of lofty, austere manners, and rarely admitted of an opportunity of conversing. On this occasion he relaxed and conversed freely with his young son, and made him narrate all the of circumstances of his defense of his companion, William Allston, against assassination, from a sailor on the Chesapeake, in 1774, on which he said you are a brave boy, and I would trust you on any occasion. Dr. Read narrated the cold and dubious reception given him by his brother-in-law, Lancelot Jacques, in Annapolis, on account of this fete, doubting his being a Georgia boy; on which he said that it was unkind in Jacques, and ill judged, and that his son was in the right to leave his house as he did, his uncle-in-law having expressed his belief doubtful of his identity, while his aunt acknowledged him with tenderness and confidence. He had been at lodgings three or four days, when the coach of Benedict Calvert, Esq., of Mount Airy, came for him, and conveyed him to his aunt, Molly Read's, who, on hearing Mr. Jacques' doubt, called him an ignorant old man. Here he received the kindest attention, and became current at the seat of Mr. Calvert, who lived in a style rarely to be met with; here he made himself useful in visiting and administering to the tenants and slaves of the family, inoculating two hundred young negroes; here, too, he improved in acquaintance with John Park Custis, Gen. Washington's son-in-law, which had commenced at the College of Philadelphia, and which subsequently grew into a firm friendship. It is probable that the last letter written by that by that gentleman was to Dr. Read, just previous to the attack of Yorktown, where he died. After this degression, the narrative goes onWilliam Read returned 1st September to his studies, and underwent the scenes glanced at in Philadelphia; and, on his return to Georgia, Dr. Read being almost solitary at his father's seat on the Great Ogechee, felt a longing desire to mix in the circumstances and turmoil of war, and offered himself to Gen. Robert Howe, who was organizing an expedition against Florida. He was accepted, and desired to make a rendezvous at Ogechee Ferry, to receive and inoculate recruits. It had been the policy of our enemy to turn loose prisoners having the small pox, to communicate it to our troops. The business was done, and Dr. Read, not having full occupation, went into the practice of physic, and his success was wonderful all through the vicinity of Little and Great Ogechee. In the meantime the war was carried on, armies raised, and the expedition against Florida failing, the army retreated, covered by the militia of St. John's Parish, Liberty county, where, on the last battle near the Causeway, Gen. Scriven was killed, and Col Maybank shot down with a fractured thigh-bone. About the close of the campaign, a party of militia were marching to Savannah, under the command of Col. William McIntosh; Dr. Read was crossing the ferry, when, observing two officers, prisoners of war, lying on the ground, tied in a cruel manner, he demanded, rather warmly, who these prisoners were, and why they were fettered, bound in that manner; he was informed that they were Capt. Bacop, of a British transport, and Lieut. Beacher, of the marines, that they had been taken with a marauding party of English on the St. James' River; that they had made sundry attempts to get away; that that young man Beacher ran like an Indian, and that he had nearly escaped, and they were obliged to pursue him on horseback, and knock him down. Beacher spoke and said, that he was taken out of his place; that he had only gone on shore to explore the country, with no evil intention, be discredited in the British army, and that he would as leave die as not. Dr. Read at once assumed the position of a friend to the distressed, and requested that the sentinal would slacken their ligatures. This he refused to do, urging that (Beacher) would run off. It was in vain that Dr. Read plead that there were three rivers between these prisoners and their friends; the soldiers referred Dr. Read to their Colonel. Dr Read rode up to the Colonel's quarters, and requested that act of humanity; but the Colonel would not deign to reply. Read became animated, and spoke rather unceremoniously to the Colonel, accusing him of want of proper feeling for a prisoner, &c., &c., and at length rode back to the prisoners, lit, and proceeded to slacken the ligature, when the sentinel struck him on his head with the muzzle of a rifle, which cut to the bone. Dr. Read rose, and was presently covered with blood. McIntosh saw it, and, it was said, regretted it. Dr. Read bound up his head, mounted his horse, and was proceeding homewards, when McIntosh sent his secretary after him to bring him back, but Read refused to obey; but send him back with a pistol at his breast, with a bold and rough defiance to his Colonel. Notwithstanding this rebuff, Dr. Read rode next morning eight miles, in pursuit of the marching party, and carrying clothes and implements with him, he succeeded in having the prisoners loosened and shaved, and shifted, so as to be comfortable. The day after, his wound became painful, and was apt to bleed. On the fourth day a Capt. (Odingsell) was sent with a command to make Read prisoner, urging his conduct as aiding and abetting the enemy. Read submitted, and was conducted to Savannah, and, after some contention in the Council of Safety, he was committed to prison, in an apartment where he found Parson Zubly and William Telfair, fellow prisoners; Zubly was in irons. Mr. Read lay all night without any bedding, laying on his breast, on account of the wound of his head, making of his arms a pillow. The prisoners reasoned and consoled each other; agreeing that it was chiefly from party rage that these irregularities took place. On the third day Dr. Read was released, leaving his fellow prisoners behind. He rode home, and met with his father's tender sympathy, and a regret in the old British officer that it was not in his power to redress his wrongs. Mr. Read now consented to his son going to the Northern army, enjoining him only to serve medically, by way of improving himself. Dr. Read then, as soon as wound was healed, set himself about settling his affairs, and set out for the North. His employers generally approved of his purpose, and paid him in coin, Mr. William Elliott especially doubled his account, and presented him with the finest young horse in his stable. He took a solemn farewell of his father and mother, and young brother and sister, and set out about 31st May, 1778, with little hope of ever seeing them more. He made some improvements in his arms and travelling equipments, discharged a drunken servant and employed a steady, respectable Englishman. When he reached Georgetown, Winyaw, a letter overtook him, informing him of his father's death. Dr. Read returned express, and, after visiting his beloved father's grave, near Savannah, he rode to his late seat to offer consolation to his mother. In a few days he set out again on his expedition, and after some singular adventures, reached the field of battle at Monmouth; the battle was raging, Gen. Washington having rallied Gen. Lee's retreating columns, and ordered Lee into the rear. Dr. Read saw Gen. Lee standing at a tavern window with the landlady, and heard him call aloud to an officer riding by, and was told that the General asked, "What news?" The officer replied: "They are fighting on the plains of Monmouth, and the British grenadiers have given way;" when Gen. Lee replied, "That is a dd lie, the British grenadiers never give way. Was an angel to come from Heaven and tell him so, he would say he was a liar." This was certainly said, as it came out in testimony on Lee's trial. Dr. Read, after a singular adventure, reached the battle-field. All appeared to him confusion and smoke; the weather was excessively hot. Dr. Read's enquiry was for the Pennsylvania line, and was told by a wounded soldier that Gen. Wayne had pushed it on to the field of battle; presently he saw an officer borne off by six soldiers, in a dying condition, and knew it to be that of Col. Bonner, the man he was on the enquiry for. He stayed by him a few minutes, when he rode into the thick of the battle, his servant all the time remonstrating with him to go no further, reminding him of a promise "not to carry him into battle." Dr. Read saw Gen. Washington riding to and fro along the line, sometimes at full speed, looking nobly, excited, and calling loudly to the troops by the appellation of brave boys. He saw Washington standing to the right of the line, with a number of officers near him, and saw a cannon ball strike a wet hole in the side of a hill, and the dirt fly on him. Two officers then rode up, and seemed to reason with him, and lay hold of the bridle of his horse. The General, coolly standing in his stirrups, was said to say to the officers who urged that that was no place for him, he being observed by the enemy, "that he was admiring the manner in which Proctor was handling their right." Dr. Read was near enough to hear the word Proctor, and was told what the General said. He then moved off at full speed, all the throng following, and Read among the rest. It was Col. Laurens and Huntingdon, he thinks, who prevailed on the General to change his position. The dust and smoke would sometimes so shut out the view, that one could form no idea of what was going onthe roar of cannon, the crackling of musketry, men's voices, making horrible confusion; then the groans and cries of the wounded. Dr. Read watched for an opportunity to speak to Gen. Washington, from old acquaintance, but it was not obtained, or of Col. Laurens. The evening at length came on, and the battle ceased, except some skirmishing at a distance, and some struggles to the left in arranging off prisoners. (From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 2, pp. 248-293) Doc ID: Gibbes, v. 2, p. 248b Date: various |
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