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Reminiscences of Dr. William Read, Arranged From Notes and Papers (Part V) Mr. Custis' hard ride after Dr. Read was to give him the above information, and to divert his attention from the disastrous circumstance of a defeated army; but it only served to stimulate his intention to proceed, and throw himself into the breach. At Fredericktown, where Dr. Read was to rendezvous, there was no information of the defeat in all the next day; but, fearing that the bad news was too true, he took a farewellan eternal farewellof his friend Custis, and proceeded on, leaving the rendezvous to Dr. Prescot. His ride was rapid, and the full account of Gates' disaster never reached him until he arrived at Petersburg, in Virginia. There he heard the sad detail, and the narrow escape of his old acquaintance, Col. Abraham Beauford. Dr. Read never met Beauford afterwards; he fell in Gen. Sinclair's defeat. Custis died at the siege of Yorktown; he wrote Dr. Read tenderly the day before his attack. Dr. Read then proceeded on, and having joined Major Kendall, after some singular adventures they reached Hillsborough. There he met Gen. Gates, with the remainder of his defeated army; they were in a state of the utmost destitution; bereaved of their baggage, they were badly clad, many unable to leave their huts and tents for want of necessary clothing. Provisions, likewise, were very scarce and very coarse. A few officers who had money would send into the country and get some comfortable things; but in general the bread of the army was made from corn grated down on old canteens, with holes punched through them. The mills being generally burnt, or mill dams cut, no meal could be got. Gen. Gates' mess and family fared in the same manner, until an unexpected supply of butter and flour was sent to Dr. Read by the wife of Col. Elliott. It was a delicate acknowledgment of tender and polite treatment in his call at the Colonel's house. The supply was most welcome, and Dr. Read made a generous, liberal use of it. It restored the General to better health and good humor, which were sadly impaired; on several sick and wounded officers it had a salutary effect. Never was a barrel of flour, and a keg of butter more usefully expended, or so gratefully received. Gen. Gates was sadly low spirited at the time Dr. Read joined him, and made every one unhappy that had to communicate with him; he was uneasy at the state in which he stood with Congress, and with his Commander-in-Chief, after his defeat. He was under the impression of Dr. Read's knowing something about it, and he became short and unpleasant to him, notwithstanding, from dates, that the knew that Dr. Read had heard nothing of his battle until he reached the interior of Maryland; and that when Dr. Read left Philadelphia, all appeared prosperous in the Southern army, and that it was marching on confident of success. But, Dr. Read being a correspondent of Mr. John Park Custis (son-in-law to Gen. Washington), Gates was impressed with the idea of his having some information of the impression his defeat made at head-quarters, and with Congress; but Dr. Read had not heard from Custis since the disaster. Other surmises and injurious impressions against Dr. Read, were dwelling in his breastone was, that he was an Englishman (which he concealed), another, that he was a Romanist. Dr. Read, abhorring anything like equivocation, had to bring Major Pierce Butler to head-quarters, and put such questions to him in the presence of the General, that convinced him that Dr. Read's birthplace was Carolina, and that he grew up in Georgia, and was educated in the end in Philadelphia. His suspicion of Romanism arose from Dr. R.'s proposing to make an hospital of a Protestant Church; it was a remedy against the sad prevalence of typhus fever among the soldiers. Gen. Gates enquiring of Dr. Read the cause of the fever, was told that it arose from exhaustion, fatigue and chagrin at defeat. The General fretted and said: "Then, I am to be blamed for an act of God!" Dr. Read replied that he had answered him candidly. Gen. Gates at length was attacked with a painful complaint, which Dr. Read remedied successfully, and the General became more pleasant with him. Shortly after this time the Southern affairs took a happy turn; the Georgians and Carolinians, South and North, mustered to stop the career of the British under Col. Ferguson. He was carrying terror and devastation through the Western country, when the combination of field-officers, with their men, overtook the bold, enterprising Commander, and brought him to battle at King's Mountain. The account of it belongs to history. He was killed. This news elated Gen. Gates exceedingly, and cheered us all. The General did not possess the equa mente. He soon prepared to advance into South Carolina. The night before he marched, some thief got into the public stable and stole a fine horse of Dr. Read's from among fifty others; he was the horse on which Dr. Read made the ride into South Carolina from Brunswick, in 1779. Major Depeyster, second in command, being paroled, came to Gates' quarters, and there, at dinner, said that Col. Jacob Read would be executed, in retaliation for Major Andre. A dead silence ensued for some minutes, when, all eyes being on Dr. Read and Depeyster, Dr. Read rose and said: "How can you say so; was Major Read taken as a spy? Major Read is a militia officer, belonging to South Carolina, and not to the Continental army." Gen. Gates interposed, and said that Major Depiester did not know that Major Read had a brother at the table. The Major said he did not, and the matter was quieted. Several officers spoke and said: "My brave fellow, if that is to be the policy of your army, a scene of carnage will ensue which will make you all rue it." Gates marched, and in a few days nine of the prisoners came to Hillsborough, directed to Dr. Read's quarters. He received them politely, and had to regret that his flour and butter was nearly exhausted; but some farmers, near the town, soon found them out, and supplied them plentifully; they would visit them, and cherish them. Dr. Read was struck with this instance of the attachments of these men to the British interests, and had to reprove it, reminding these men of their treasonable disposition, and he had to check their language to these officers, and to strictly caution them that their tongues were paroled as well as their swords; soon, however, they were forwarded to a Commissary of prisoners, and heard no more of. Gen. Nathaniel Greene now arrived, and took command of the Southern army; a long and interesting conversation took place between Dr. Read and the General. Gates had advanced as far South as Charlotte, in North Carolina. Greene found the remaining troops, such as wounded and invalids, well furnished with wholesome provisions, especially bread, which was contrary to his information. Gen. Gates had, a few weeks previous to his march, contracted with a Mr. Hog, by a secret understanding, to furnish our army with provisions, and corn meal especially. Protection and neutrality was afforded him by Gates, and he was permitted to bring corn and beeves from the south, where Col. Fanning commanded. Mr. Hog established within his enclosure, and worked, a number of mills; the enclosure was permitted to be neutral ground. Dr. Read has seen a hundred mules and horses, loaded with corn, ascending the rocky heights near Hillsborough, and he understood that they were in motion all night. It was a mutual accommodation between enemy Commanders, and, Dr. Read believes, brought about by Mr. Millet, an excellent Republican citizen of North Carolina, who attached himself to Gen. Gates, and was very serviceable to him after his disaster. Gen. Greene heard this arrangement with delight. It is probable that the British armament moved from their position when the defeat of Ferguson took place, and Gates moved South, as the supply from below immediately ceased. A good store, however, remained, and served Dr. Read's department during his delay, and on his march, until he reached the plentiful country about Salisbury. Gen. Greene proceeded on and superseded Gates, who soon returned to Hillsborough. Dr. Read made a point of waiting on his fallen General in sympathy; he saw him receive a dispatch from the North, and, on reading a letter, he saw a good deal of feeling expressed; the General put the letter to his lips, and uttered some words. Dr. Read waited a while, and then approached his old enemy in tender sympathy; the General received him gratefully and graciously, and, pointing to the letter, said, "Washington sympathises with me in the loss of my son, and commands me to the right wing of the army." There were several officers of distinction, invalids and wounded, who did not visit the General on this occasion. Dr. Read's instructions were to follow Gen. Greene's march as speedily as possible, and to fix his department at Salisbury until further orders. Gates called at Dr. Read's quarters, and bid him farewell, seeming to have forgotten their former hostility. Dr. Read moved on with his department in a few days; on his march he met with a singular adventure. Feeling sore at the loss of a fine horse, as related above, he wished to recover him, and, as a mere possibility to obtain that end, he determined to make an effort. He struck into a road which deviated to the left of the main road, and rode rapidly on, in hopes to be able to regain the road on which his department marched, and, struck with a track of a single horse on said road, which resembled that of his stolen horse, he pursued the track for many miles, at a round gallop, not conscious how far he was deviating from his direct road. At length the track ceased, by the grass on a neglected road, and he saw a building; it proved a lofty mill, now in disuse. On approaching the scene, he perceived two men running; they ran towards a dwelling-house, whither he pursued them, in order to speak to them. He was accosted by a respectable-looking man with, "Who art thou?" and "What dost thou want?" He told his errand without dismounting, and asked for some refreshment. Dr. Read was invited in, where he saw another very respectable-looking man, a senior. They called in a negro man, and set before him beef, bread and eggs, and ordered his horse fed. One of his servants came in and said, in an under voice, "he never saw such a horse before." He rode his fine Irish grey. He felt uneasy, and wished for the time that he had rode some less attractive horse; but his meal being finished, he requested to be instructed how to fall in with the main road to Salisbury, and then informed them who he was, and his march towards that town. These people had only a vague report of the battle of King's mountain, and the death of Col. Ferguson. This was a place of mills; a vast quantity of lumber lay about. Dr. Read was now told that, if he wanted to depart by any other way than the he came on, he must be blindfolded, and obey instructions; he consented, and had his handkerchief placed over his eyes. He and his horse were lead over heaps of boards, and carried to a river, embarked in a flat, and poled along by the white man and negro; no word was uttered except "stoop," "stoop low." The boat appeared to enter a creek, and to be poled along many miles. At length he was landed, and, being released by his conductors, got directions to ride forward in a precise direction, to ride hard, until he struck a deep swamp, and to course along about ten miles, and he would strike the main road. He did so; probably galloped twenty miles before he struck the swamp, and ten along that course. About half-way along, he came to a settlement of new huts; asked for some water; was known to the negroes; called young master, and was told that they had belonged to his uncle Rose, and that they had seen him at Oakhampton; said they belonged to the public. Dr. Read on reaching the main road, and perceiving no fresh track of' his department, road down the road in hopes of meeting his party. In an hour's ride, now at night, he met some of his officers, who had been uneasy at his rash resolve to leave his party in the vain search of a lost horse, they being in an enemy's country. He moved on as speedily as the insufficient equipment of his department would admit; numbers of wounded and invalids insisted on going on in hopes of recovery, and being able to take the field again. Never was there an instance of such zeal, such enthusiasm, displayed in common soldiers, as was exhibited here on Gen. Greene taking the command. He reached Salisbury, and not being preceded by a Quarter-Master, had to ride through the town, and to put under requisition such buildings as he required for an hospital, and such apartments as he stood in need of for himself and officers. He did so as best suited the purpose, but it occasioned much discontent between the Republican and Royalist owners, and some warm conversations with him. Dr. Read's policy was to conciliate good will, and to make friends to the cause wherever he served, and he succeeded in many instances. At Salisbury he was well established, himself and the young gentlemen of his department, and some prisoners. Col. Rugely was a sick man, a prisoner on parole. They thought themselves well off for some weeks; and, had Gen. Greene been able to fight and repel Cornwallis, he might have remained stationary. When behold, one night his landlord came to his bed-side, saying, "Dr. Read, I have bad news for you!" A marauding party has been to my wash-house, and plundered my washer-woman of all my clothes, and of yours, and of these gentlemen, meaning Col. Rugely, and of Capt. Churchill Jones (a sick officer, who was at my quarters). "Another piece of bad news is, that Gen. Greene is on the retreat, and there is an express now in town enquiring for you." They all dressed in a hurry. The express did come, and communicate the orders: "that Dr. Read must retreat immediately." Capt. Jones was not in a condition to ride, but, getting a litter made, he was laid on it, and they were all on the retreat towards the River Yadkin before daylight. Drs. Brownfield and Gillet were eminently useful in packing up their stores and medicines, and in getting off the patients. They crossed the Yadkin. Dr. Read, confident of his horse, remained in town until he saw Greene's retreating army march through. Greene followed, and was actually alone, the most fatigued man he ever saw. Read was seated giving paroles to certain prisoners of war. Some of this assumed service was attended with such circumstances of romance, as would not bear a narrative here, although strictly true. A scene transacted here is given in Garden's anecdotes. Dr. Read, having Gen. Greene's sanction and approbation, finished the business, and rode with the General to the Yadkin, and they crossed the river together at the Island Ford. Dr. Read continued with the General, no aid-de-camp or other officer being with him; his aides and secretary were all absentgone, as he said, to meet Gen. Huger, and to hasten his march. Gen. Isaac Huger commanded such of Gates' defeated troops, and such volunteers as he could collect North of the Cape Fair, and to him all eyes were turned for the reinforcement to enable Greene to meet the foe. Huger's name was uttered a thousand times by the soldiery, as a desirable arrival. He at length reached the River Dan, and crossed. Gen. Greene requested an interview with Dr. Read the morning after their crossing the Yadkin; and giving him his orders, said"Your department would embarrass my march; you must march to the left, and reach Virginia as soon as you can. You are to take the prisoners (the Queen's Rangers) with you, about 150. You march through an hostile country, and these men may be rescued by the disaffected inhabitants; each man is worth the release of an American soldier, a prisoner, therefore be careful of them." Dr. Read said, "Gen. Greene this is more than my duty." The General contemplated Dr. R. for some time and said: "Dr. Read, we must all do more than our duty, or we never shall succeed; this is not the first time that extra duty has been required of you. I rely much on you. I will give you thirty stand of arms, and you must organize a guard of volunteers from among the invalids, and be upon your guard." Dr. R. knew that Cols. Scophol and Cunningham were in the field, no great way from his march, as a short time previous to this he (Dr. Read) was sent by the General, express to Col. Lock, to order a thousand men raised, to cover Major Hyrne's retreat with the captive regiment, the British 71st, taken at the battle of the Cowpens, as Scophol and Cunningham were in the hostile position a little to the west. The service was promptly performed. The transaction was attended with a laughable circumstance, which was given to Major Garden as an anecdote. Dr. Read's march was made with all possible dispatch, lame and insufficient as his transportation was. On the first night, being on the way in rainy weather, Dr. Read riding in the van, was hailed"Who comes there?" to which he responded, drawing out and cocking his pistol. Again they hailed, when Dr. Read, telling his name, was answered with the reply"You are the man I am looking for, having come across the country with great perseverance." It proved to be Major Call, with a dispatch. Dr. Read went under a wagon, struck a light, and read the dispatch. The service was done to Gen. Greene's satisfaction. It was most important, and is told in Garden's anecdotes. The cartridges obtained by Dr. Read's vigilance, and his influence with Tranqut Buggie (the principal of the Moravians), were dispatched to the army on the Dan, and were probably the missiles at the battle of Guildford. Buggie would take no payment for the fare of the officers, and took certificates only for the rations furnished the troops. The march was continued, attended with many interesting circumstances, one of which may be told. Dr. Read, in riding forward in the van, reached a dairy, which in a manner overhung the road. He looked in, and observing a fine dairy, endeavored to buy all the milk, &c., in it, for his poor, sick and wounded soldiers. A bargain was struck for all in the dairy except the butter. The woman of the dairy went into the dwelling-house to ascertain the worth of her milk, &c., and stayed a long time. In the meantime his wagon and marching parties moved on, were ordered to halt, and the people to return with their canteens and cups; they did so, and carried off all the milky fluid. Payment was now offered; the price fixed was four-and-a-half crowns. Dr. Read held the silver in his hand; the woman did not take it, but opened a gate, and motioned Dr. Read to ride in; he said "no! that he was in a hurry," and again handed the money. The woman refused to extend her hand, but urged him to ride in. He thought that he saw something designing in her manners, and much trepidation, when, looking towards the house, he saw two men riding hard towards him; one of them was one of the Queen's Rangers, in green and crimson, a man that he made missed all the day previous. Dr. Read took the hint, and rode off towards his party. His soldiers were indignant at this treacherous affair, and were with difficulty prevented from returning and wreaking vengeance on the house; but policy, as well as humanity, restrained him. He was in hourly expectation of being pursued by Tarleton, or a detachment of his corps, as he knew they were to cross the Yadkin at the Shallow Ford, and would march through Salem, and there get an account of Dr. Read's marching party, which might be an object; he, therefore, proceeded in all meekness and benevolence towers the inhabitants. The two men were seen late on that day riding on the side of a mountain parallel with the marching party, out of reach of musket shot. Dr. Read was delicate in making requisitions on the inhabitants, except for provisions, and a few blankets for the needy. The scarcity of that article was severely felt in many instances. After the defeat of Gates, scarce one man in five had a blanket. Dr. Read was at quarters out of Hillsborough, together with Gen. Isaac Huger and Col. Kosciousko, without a blanket, for more than six weeks, their only bedding being the General's cloak, under which they occasionally slept; they constantly hoped for a supply. The weather was in the meantime very cold, but they bore it without a murmur. The sick soldiers, women and children, benefited by the milk, and the treacherous woman lost her money. Returning this way some months after, nobody was at this house; all was ruin and desolation. On reaching Salem on a mission to obtain scalpels and lancets, he learned that the British army did search through Salem, and the respectable old Principal observed to Dr. Read that "he took all their milk," but said he, "the British took off all our milch cows." The instruments were obtained, and were probably used on the field of battle at Guildford Court House. (From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 2, pp. 248-293) Doc ID: Gibbes, v. 2, p. 248e Date: various |
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