Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-19
Is, THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1875.

momentous struggle, bat for the clergy
Of New England. the enemy's flash
would never have been put out.
No. iii.
'.Pdr robbie fratr7sm" can be said,
in a true, exalted sense. Of Moses and
Thomas Allen. A sketch Of the pa
triotic labor of the latter we gave you
in the last number of the Observer.
The former, at the other extremity OF
the colonies did an equally brave work.
Settled in Midway Georgia, in TIT,
he soon found himself in nest of
Tories. But, patriotic like his older
brother, and, like him, fearless as a
lion, he at once made his pulpit ring
with denunciations of the mother coun-
try and with appeals to the patriotism
of the people. The next year, Gov.
Houston leading in person a body of
troops against the Tories and Indians,
he joined the brigade as chaplain.
The ignoble failure Of the expedition
elated the Tories and equally disap-
pointed the patriots, especially that
class who were timorous, and many
seemed inclined TO make terms with
their enemies. Mr.. Allen was fitted
for just such a crisis, and he reused
himself to tenfold effort. Tn the pull
pit and out Of it, he besought, appeal
ed and denounced in turn. His inhu-
ence was so powerful that he carried
all before him. The Tories were so
cxasperated that they openly threaten
ed to take his life, and doubtless, il
he had not been a clergyman, he would
have fallen victim to their fury.
In the meantime, body of British
troops, with Tories and Indians, in
vaded the State, burning and laying
waste. Midway was considered the
hotbed Of rebellion, and thithar Pro
vost, the leader, directed his rabble
horde. Mr.. Allen's congregation was,
of course, broken up. His wife and
only child, with the other women, fed
into the surrounding country, while he
gathered the able-bodied men of bis
congregation around him and Joined
the American commander, Gen. Scriv-
en-. Although there were several scir-
mishes, in one Of which the Tory COM
mander was killed, the force was too
small to resist the invaders, and they
entered Midway. The Tories told the
British commander that the rebel par
son Allen did more injury to the cause
of the King than dozen colonels, and
that the hornets nest should be utter
ly destroyed The latter ordered them
to fire both the parsonage and church.
declaring, with an oath, that there
should be no more rebellion preached
from that pulpit They did SO, and
soon the buildings were wrapped in
flames.
This piece Of vandalism did not tend
to lessen Mr.. Aliens patriotism, and
now, with no home and no church to
preach in, he joined the army in Sa-
vannah, under Howe. He labored in
cessantiy to stimulate the people to
the defence Of their Gown against the
invaders, who, it was known, were pre-
pairing TO advance against it. Selling
the spade and pickaxe, be toiled side
by side with the citizens, setting an
example that few could resist. It was
all in vain, however. Howe posted
his slender force badly, and, worse than
all, left by-path that led to his rear
unprotected. The result was, that
while the main body advanced in front,
strong body Of troops, guided by a
negro, marched swiftly along this path
and, just as the battle commenced in
front, fell on the American rear. OF
course, the contest was hopeless but
young Allen, disdaining to fly, rushed
whre the contest was fercest, and, by
the daring manner in which he expos
ed his person and heroic appeals, held
the disordered militia for a long time
to the desperate conflict. But, the
commander having fallen, the disorder
became rout and the troops scatter
cred in every direction. Some got off
amid the rice-felds and by swimming
a creek, while four hundred and fifty
were taken prisoners, and among them
Mr.. Allen
The Continental officers were releas-
ed or parole, but the privates were
placed on a prison-ship, and with them
Mr.. Allen. This outrage grew cut of
the reputation the clergyman had Sc
cured as the most dangerous man in
the colony to the cause Of the King.
On this account, this educated, accom-
plished young divine was thrown into
loathsome prison-ship and kept con-
fined between decks, where the. space
was so crowded that the air soon be-
came almost insuferable and the men
fell sick by scores. Young Allen, how
ever, bore up like hero, under the
sufferings and degradation of his posi-
ton. He prayed with the sick and
cheered the dying. Some of them
were his parishioners, whose wives and
families were wanderers, like his own
wife and child, amid their desolate
homes. To filth, disease, and dirty,