SC Historical Society: Reminiscences of Dr. William Read, Arranged From Notes and Papers (Part IV)

Reminiscences of Dr. William Read, Arranged From Notes and Papers (Part IV)

Dr. Read went on acting with Dr. Scott in the utmost harmony, in fixing and organizing this new establishment, and in receiving patients and prescribing. Their practice was similar, Dr. Read's first medical preceptor, David Brady, of Savannah, being coeval with Dr. Scott in Edinburgh. There is a fashion in medicine as well as in other science. Dr. Read established a practice of an afternoon visit to the hospital, a thing never done by any other hospital surgeon, but, on a very stout horse with corked heels, he used every day twice to ascend the frozen hill to the barracks. This was pleasing to the Doctor, whose corpulency and senior time of life rendered it irksome to him. It has been remarked above that the weather in 1775-'79, was extremely cold. This close attention to business was noticed by the Superintending Officer, Col. Carvel Hale, and by several other officers residing in the town, which attached them to the young, stranger Doctor. The army was at this time very full of women and children, and in its destitute situation they partook especially of its discomforts; widows, deserted wives and girls were many. Often they were seen walking down to Brunswick bare-footed, carrying an infant in their arms, with one or two little ones holding on to their skirts, through the snow; their resort was to the doctor's, and to the quarters of the officers. A camp woman was generally considered of loose character; but it was not strictly so in our armymany were innocent and correct, whose real history would be affectingly interesting. Dr. Read has at times, during a snow-storm, had three of these poor sufferers, with several children, sheltered in his chamber, whose protection from the weather, and a good fire, were their chief object; this was the case likewise with the other officers in the town. Charity, and its means and forbearance, being nearly exhausted, Dr. Read, with Col. Carvel Hale, Col. Abraham Beauford and Major Graham, met and devised a plan of aiding, clothing and supporting these wretched beings. They resolved to erect a theatre, and play, to raise funds for the purpose; a spacious room, called Whitehall, was gratuitously furnished by Mrs. Voorhees. The party contributed, and furnished materials, and fitted up a pit and scenes, and all the necessary appendages of a play-house, and commenced acting. The ladies of Brunswick, and the vicinity, took much interest in the plan, and did much for them; young college boys took the parts of women, and their sisters furnished dresses. It was the custom in those days to act in the costumes of the nation they represented. They played from Shakespeare and Addison; the dresses were made of camblet, which was got out of New York by strategem, and it was made up and fashioned by the ladies according to the cuts in the volumes they played from. They formed companies of working parties, and worked industriously to meet the occasions, while they retired to study their parts, and sometimes met in joint board to communicate with each other, and give the cue to the young scholars who acted the female parts. Dr. Read has often valued himself and his associates on their moral good habits and good conduct. A Mr. Harley, who had been a manager of a theatre in England, offered himself as director and prompter. Each of the gentlemen had seen some stage playing; Dr. Read, especially, had made it a scholastic exercise in Savannah, and was pronounced by Stanley master of the business. They played to full audiences, frequently twenty tickets were purchased, and only one or two were used. The intention was understood, and greatly applauded. Major Graham was the treasurer; the money was economically and judiciously laid out; many suits of warm clothing, and shoes and stockings, were got out of New York by industry and private correspondence. At length, all communication ceasing by flags of truce, an adventurous man was procured who would go in at night a slender frame, and come out next night a Falstaff in form, with goods of various sorts, which bestowed comfort on numerous needy women and children. It is highly satisfactory to reflect on the satisfaction felt on the grateful acknowledgment of the receivers; it was like bestowing life. There may be some actors in this drama still in being, and it would be a pleasant reflection to think on their associates; life, however, is fugitive and unstable. In 1809, thirty years after these scenes, Dr. R., on a visit, found no one scarcely that he knew; Dr. Scott was living, but very infirm, and it was with difficulty that he could make him recollect him, and not until Dr. R. Read pointed out a deep scar on his forehead, given him by a Commissary, in which Dr. R. attended him, and resented the outrage, that Dr. Scott could fully recollect him; on which, he embraced him tenderly, shed tears, and made many enquiries. The scenes at Brunswick having ceased, Dr. Read broke up the establishment, and moved the invalids to White's house, over the Raritan, where, covered by a detachment under Baron DeKalb and Major Hamilton, of the Pennsylvanians, they were supposed to be secure, and the battle of Springfield was fought. The department being moved back to Brunswick, was conducted by Dr. VanBuren. Dr. Read, ever on the alert for service and distinction, joined Col. Posey, of the Virginians, on an expedition up the East River. On the second night of their being on the river, Dr. R. being sentinel, discovered, by his peculiar long sightedness, an embarkation of horse and foot, on which it became necessary for the Colonel to retreat, having no horse with him. On the retreat Dr. Read was taken suddenly ill, and obliged to go into a farm-house, uncertain of the principles of the landlord; he interested a young woman servant to give him early secret notice of the approach of the enemy, he having laid down with warm applications to a painful face. The British arrived, faithful notice was given, when Dr. Rend was obliged to leap out of a lofty window, and run. On passing through a gate, he saw his servant riding off, leading his horse. He was afraid to call to him, lest he should be heard, and pursued; but ran after him until he was exhausted, then turning from the river on his left, he entered a swamp, came across a saw-pit, found some boards so placed as to afford shelter. The weather was cold, and he had no cloak; however, he contrived to get some sleep in tolerable comfortthe pain of his face had vanished. At daylight he set out across the swamp, directed by the barking of dogs; he reached the high grounds at sunrise. His servant, an Irish lad, had reached the place before him, and on another hill, which was a camp, had been made prisoner, and severely questioned; Dr. Read coming up, likewise a prisoner, it assured his servant, and made him answer to questions without equivocation, in which he had deviated, replying to suit a purpose, admitting that the army might be on the British side of the question. The story of his having come over a bridge was discredited as an impossible thing, as the party had burnt it a few days previous, leaving only the sleepers. This mystery continued unexplained, and they were disposed to consider both Dr. Read and his servant as spies. Dr. Read demanded to be carried to the Commanding Officer, a Col. Van . He put a bold face on the affair, demanded to be released, and to be escorted to the camp of Gen. Clinton, whether he supposed Col. Posey had retreated; "that he was assured that Col. Posey would be here presently in search of him." This assurance, and Dr. Read's manner, having an effect on Col. Van , he hesitated. Dr. R. demanded pen, ink and paper, and sitting down, wrote a letter to Col. Laurens, at head-quarters, explaining his situation. On enquiring the Colonel's name, "say commanding a regiment of militia." Dr. Read finished and read the letter, and required that it should be sent to the care of Gen. Clinton. A militia man came up and complained that Dr. Read had ordered him off the river, threatening to make him prisoner, or shoot him, the day before; this, although urged in complaint against him, had the happiest effect; it confirmed his story, and that the equivocation had only been from his affrighted servant. Dr. Read insisted on the restoration of several articles which had been taken from his servant. He then proceeded on with four horsemen as escort or guides, to Gen. Clinton's camp. Col. Posey had not been there; the letter to Col. Laurens had been suppressed. Gen. Clinton heard Dr. Read's story with great interest, and said, "that man shall explain what he is about in four hours." Dr. Read heard no more of the affair, except that there was some hanging of that party. Dr. Read reached Round Brook next day, and laid down much fatigued and hungry, man and horse. He never met Col. Posey after this, to enquire and explain matters. He now resorted to head-quarters, and presently had a business assigned him; it was to ride to , a village in the south-west of New Jersey, and dismiss an hospital, with a surgeon, a physician, a nurse, and an orderly man, and only one patient, an invalid. He performed the duty, and the affair was attended with a circumstance of such peculiar prescience, as would tell like romance; but, being attended to, saved him from capture, or being killed, and all the persons abovementioned. Dr. Read, and the officers of the hospital, had been gone about four hours, when a British party, headed by Col. Simkoe, rode into the village, and cut down all before them, set fire to the court-house, which had been an hospital, demanded and drank wine at the house of Mr. Clopper, the principal of the village, rode down the road to Brunswick. The Colonel had his horse shot under him, and was made prisoner, the militia having taken the alarm from what Dr. Read said on his ride to Brunswick, merely from the suggestions of a young lady. Dr. Read rode all night, and probably was no more than four hours ahead of this party of horse when he reached Brunswick. The cavaliers did not stop to rescue their Colonel, but rapidly charged on, leaving the barracks, near the town, to their left, rode on to Amboy, where they embarked by pre-concert, and got safely off; there were some shot down. On their passing the barracks, they encountered a Capt. Voorhuse, who was coming from the country, who imprudently but gallantly defended himself with his small sword, and was cut to pieces; he was brought into Brunswick in a dying condition, and Simkoe, at the same time, in a stunned condition. The British Colonel would have been made a sacrifice of by the populace, but for the humane interference of Levinus Clarkson and Dr. Read, who brought to view the circumstance of the Colonel being prisoner before the massacre of Capt. Voorhuse, which pacified the enraged people. The gallant Colonel had come out of New York with a corps disguised like Baylor's horse, drew rations and forage as such at one of our posts; and, charging rapidly over the Raritan, set fire to Washington's boats, in the act of being built on the Milstone, and made their retreat as above. Dr. Read repaired to head-quarters, and had to report this expedition. Hearing that Gen. Woolford had gone to his quarters a sick man just returned from Georgia, from Gen. Robert Howe's campaign against Florida, he rode to Brunswick, and took care of the General. After recruiting, he proposed a ride to confirm his recovery. They rode to Elizabethtown, and hearing that the Marquis Lafayette had given a ball, with general invitations to all officers, Dr. Read went to it, leaving the General to go to bed. At about 1 o'clock, P. M., the alarm was given"the enemy in town!" Col. Sterling had crossed over, and was in hopes of surprising our General, Maxwell, and of catching the Marquis, but they escaped. The British set fire to the armory, and some other buildings, and pushed on after Maxwell. Dr. Read ran to his quarters, got Woolford on horseback, and mounted his horse; they rode off at speed towards the town gate, leaving his servant to follow with his pormanteau, which contained all his clothing, and every article he possessedthe hilt of the sword he had received from the silk stocking company (so called) of Philadelphia; his gold medal obtained from the clinical class of Dr. Rush, in 1775; his letters and memorandums. A party threw themselves immediately between his retreating servant, a soldier on a public horse and the gate, and made him prisoner. This he considered a great misfortune as he had not the means or opportunity of supplying himself. He was/however, amply supplied by the man who had been his tailor when a student in Philadelphia, who subsequently would receive no payment, although pressed upon them. It being understood that large inforcements to the British army were expected, General Washington hesitated at sending troops to the South. Prejudices were great against the climate, and the safety of the soldiery; a wish was uttered at head-quarters that some active, intelligent man would ride into Carolina, and ascertain the facts with regard to the real state of things. Several weeks had elapsed since there was any information carried to head-quarters from South Carolina, and all was anxiety and uncertainty. Dr. Read at once offered himself as that man. He received his orders, went through the line to tell of his mission, and enquire for commands, rode down to Brunswick, disposed of his servant and spare horse, mounted his hardiest nag, and set out. He went by way of Baltimore, Annapolis, Norfolk, Newbern, Wilmington and Long Bay, and Georgetown; his ride averaged fifty miles per day, on one and the same horse; he bore his own expenses on this march; they were not heavy, as he was temperate; his payments for horse, and his own feed and lodging, was often refused; there was no instance in which a woman would take money. Some remarkable incidents took place on this march, but would be too long in narrative for a memoir like this. Dr. Read reached the house of Mr. Jacob Ion, in Christ Church Parish, his horse completely worn down, and having lost his hair. His friend lent him a horse, on which he rode to Charlestown; next day to Stono, it being a few days after the battle of Stono. He found the sick and wounded well accommodated and cared for by the neighboring planters, especially at the house of Mr. Humphry Summers. In Charlestown he found a well-regulated hospital, under the direction of Dr. Tucker Harris and Dr. Earnest Poy, as an assistant. Dr. Read then crossed over the river to report himself to Gen. Moultrie. While there, Major Thomas Shubrick having organized an expedition at midnight to John's Island, Dr. Read joined in the adventure; there were twelve men chosen by Major Shubrick, among a number who offered. They embarked on board a canoe, with muffled oars, in solemn silence; this was an age of chivalry and enterprise. After many hours the party landed on John's Island; marched up a causeway, seized a sentinel who leaned against a coach-house door at Mr. Gibbes', gagged him, took from the stables two fine horses, Flimnap and Abdalla; these they sent off by Stono Ferry, by preconcert, dragged along the prisoner to the boat, and made their retreat good. The party had barely embarked, when Col. Thomson's corps was seen riding down the causeway, trumpets sounding; but they had got out of reach, and there was no boat, in which they could have pursued. They returned safe to James' Island. Gen. Moultrie spoke in warm terms against such "expeditions." Dr. Read rested himself one day, took from his father's gang of negroes, which had retreated to Carolina, a boy, whom he mounted and carried on to the North with him, who proved a faithful servant throughout the subsequent service. Billy was well known through the army, making himself useful in shaving and dressing the hair of many officers. Kosciusko makes kind mention of Billy in a letter to Dr. Read. On returning to head-quarters, and making his report, he had the personal thanks of Gen. Washington. The reinforcements under Gen. Gates marched to the South. Dr. Read was then ordered to open an hospital at Trenton, for inoculating recruits, both soldiers and seamen, in course of which lie treated 300 with success. In this service he met with some singular adventures, interesting at the time, but fitter for oral narration than for a written memoir; in one of which he met with unkindness and opposition from the magistrates of Trentown, and especially from Governor Livingston; but which he repelled with firmness, and came off triumphantly, supporting the dignity of the medical department, concluding the dispute by making a good use of a timely letter received from President Laurens on public affairs, from the South. Dr. Read's resistance to the Governor and the Magistrates was all got over, and salved over on its being made manifest that he was a friend and correspondent of Henry Laurens, President of Congress. This business being over, and the hospital dismissed, Dr. Read was ordered to Fort Pitt, on the Ohio, to fix on a site for an hospital, in case of the retreat of our army. He rode hastily to Baltimore, was politely received by Messrs. Buchanan & Smith. With one soldier as a guide, he travelled to the Chesnut Hills, and over the Monongahela, and to Fort Pitt. He could get little or no information, the popular man, Mr. Harris, being absent. He saw nothing except Indians, who daily crossed over the River Ohio, and annoyed him very much; at length, understanding that they had taken a fancy to the fine horse Dr. Read rode, and would buy or steal him, Dr. Read (being advised by a half-breed man to do so) started at midnight, and made his retreat good across the Monongahela. He reported the abortive mission, having only designated the spot for a site, probably on the place where Harrisburg now stands, or Pittsburg. Dr. Read now solicited an order to proceed to the South, Gen. Gates being on his march to South Carolina. He received his orders, and set out for Philadelphia, where he was to receive money as pay; and for the hospital department none was to be had. He applied in vain to President Laurens; but was told that a board was sitting, to pay officers who were on their march for the Southern service. It was composed of Colonel Grayson, Richard Peters (since Judge Peters), and Mr. Pleasants. There were many applicants, and the board received and settled their demands in rotation; such were the number of applicants, that it appeared improbable that Dr. Read could be heard for ten days. He was at private lodging at a dear rate, and paying with his own hard money; this he spoke of and complained. Col. Benjamin Harrison was a fellow lodger, and took an interest in the young stranger, learning some interesting things in his being the drill and training master to the first company raised in Pennsylvania for the protection of the first Revolutionary Congress, and some other chivalrous things, felt embarked in his behalf; and, together with Col. Grayson, devised a scheme to get his pay. He was instructed to go to the board next day, and to force his way into the chamber through the crowd of applicants, and to demand his pay, urging the necessity of his going to join Gen. Gates in South Carolina. "Be as importunate and boisterous as you please, the thing will be understood and arranged." Dr. Read did so, and was presented with a quire of Continental bills, with, "let us get rid of this importunate young man, his case is a peculiar one." Dr. Read marched off with his money, and set out on the same day for Annapolis, where he had left a carriage and a portfolio, the carriage to be sold. He found his neat, elegant carriage in an outer livery stable-yard, almost gone to ruin, and his portfolio missing; there had, in the meantime, been a change of landlords, and no accountability. The carriage sold for $50, which barely paid him for his delay at Annapolis. Dr. Read now hurried on for the Southern campaign on horseback, with his faithful servant Billy, on two fine horses. On this march he avoided his old acquaintances of Marlborough and Mount Airy, leaving them to his left. He now travelled in the capacity of a poor soldier, with only a commission; formerly he associated with the distinguished inhabitants of that region, and of Mount Airy and Mount Vernon, and Arlington, especially, as a young gentleman. The case was altered, and he changed with the times. He met with some singular adventures on this march, which would tell too much like romance for a plain matter-of-fact memoir like this. Mr. John Park Custis, hearing that his old acquaintance, Dr. Read, had passed through the country with a portion of the marching army, made a prodigious ride to overtake him, and persuade him to return to his old acquaintance, if only for a day or two. He drove a set of fine horses in a phaeton, and offered to carry Dr. Read back to Mount Airy, and to forward him on his march of duty; but, at the same time informed him of the death of his aunt, Molly Read, and of the engagement of Miss Elizabeth Calvert, being engaged to a Mr. Steward, and the wedding only postponed on account of the death of his aunt. All these things were interesting to him, but nothing could divert the purpose of Dr. Read from proceeding on to the army. Mr. Custis, then, with sorrow and chagrin, informed Dr. Read that there had been private information received the night before by a Tory neighbor, that Gen. Gates was defeated, and totally routed, and that his reinforcement under Col. Beauford had been surprised by the gallant Tarleton, and cut to pieces at Waxsaws. It is worthy of remark, with what industry the King's adherents kept up their information on all our movements and transactions. Their struggle was a hard one, to keep hold of the country; and much money and pains were expended in spies, express riders, and secret information.

(From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 2, pp. 248-293)

Doc ID: Gibbes, v. 2, p. 248d
Date: various

Last modified: 10/8/03/CLN.

URL: http://www.southcarolinahistoricalsociety.org/displays/RevWar/archives-online/Gibbes__v__2__p__248d.html