The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-04-09
LOCAL HISTORY.
THE LIONS OF THE LEGION.
The Heroes, John and Michael Rudolph,
of Maryland.
BY T.. TANLM HANK.
BY T.. TANUM HANK.

Whether it be SO or not. that the fam
lily of the heroic RudulphS was Of TIL,
same extraction that the RudulphS %
lIapsburg and AlSace were it is Of it'll,
moment seeing that the Mary land Ru
dulphS carved their own way to fame.
yet it l. quite certain that their ancestors,
may have come from gentle blood, fm
there has ever been Il tradition in the
family that there was once Il Count
among them. "IIonor and shame,
however. " from no condition rise. - etc.
may be said to he the generally accepted
American maxim. though it must be con
icSscd. we are rather prone. all demo
cratic as We arc. to squirt at and admire
stars and gartcrs and titles hung round
with strings ana we do like. above all
other things human, to boast of the pure
blood of an Industrious race in quiet flow
from Lucrecc to IHcrcce. and albeit it
too. by our fathers worth rate our OWL
still on the average. we do really, as
Americans, only account those who are
really good, truly great. for "what can
ennohle sots. slaves, or towards? Alas.
not all the blood OF all the liowards.'
The father of these heroes. John and
Michael Rudulph. it is pretty well ascer.
tanned. landed at Philadelphia. Scptem-
Der 22nd. 1862 in the ship Hlifar, Cap.
tain Thomas Coatam. from Rotterdam.
and thence settled in Cecil county. Mary
l,nG. The fathers and SONS are said to
have spoken German and French fluentlN
(not at AL t" be wondered at i'll the
father. at least. in that he came from
| AlSacc. or the neiGhborhood of DcuX
| PrntS,) and the sons were doubtless 10y
him taught in America both languages.
tie Knowledge of which. we shall see
served the Younger son Michael Il good
purpose in later life. Both John and
Michael Rudu'ph joined Lees legion
when first organized. and both did val
iantly throughout the revolutionary
struggle. John WAS. in the estimation
| OF Lee. what Michael was afterwards IL
Jldb vi INC Sltab .Ndpf'itpi, llic plaNt 81
of the brave" and to him Lee ever COM
m;ttcd the daring icats Of that prodiyi-
0 lSly daring and scrvceable revolution
AIRY corps.
Lees Legion. the celebrated indepen-
dent partisan corps. originated thus
| Henry Lee. of Virginia. called Light
Horse Harry" and Legion Harry was
father to the late Robert +. Lee. and only
twenty years of age in l1,G, when he
was made captain of one of the six com
plnies of cavalry raised by the State Of
the campaigns of the Continental army
in 1175 and 1116. there did not exist "A
single troop of cavalry, and the great
want of such an efficient arm of service
was manifest. Washington himself keen
~ felt the Inconvenience and great dan
ger arising from this exigency, and upon
his calling the attention of Congress t.
it as an absolute requisite. Lee, in Sep
tember III. with his company OF cav
airy. was taken into the service Of the
| Union. and joined the main army Here
| he WAS under the immediate eye of Wash
ington. and soon exhibited the wonlrouS
qualities of courage and capacity pecn-
liar to him. and he gained the entire con-
lidence of the commanders. chief. a test
Of merit uuqucstioned by Americans.-
His troops were remarkable for prompt
ness and efficiency. all owing to Lees
vigorous attention to the equipment of
his men and horses. us well as to his
strict discipline in the corps. hence when
called upon. as it was SD freq lently in
the field. in procuring information. as Il
foraging party, and in attacking light
parties o: the enemy. it was enabled at
once to act. and thus ever rendered most
eifectual service. and is it to be wonder
ed at. when we find Lee selecting such
captains as John and Michael Rudolph
and E,gieston, all OF Maryland.
Congress soon Ui1S). at the instance
If Washington. raised Lee to the rank of
major, with the command of an indepen-
lent corps Of two troops and a body Of
infantry. which is described as the finest
:nrpS OF Americans that appeared during
the Revolution.
The first event OF great moment after
the corps was thus constituted as the
h.ginn,' was its capture of the British
harrison at PowleS Hook (now Jersey
'ity) on the 10Th of August. 1919. Lee
was ordered by Washington t. take that
garrison. With about three hundred
men, Captain John Rudolph at the head,
he completely surprised the British.
taking 100 p, iSoneis. and with the loss of
hut two men. His great prudence.
bravery and aidicSs' on this OCCASION
N view of the late British crueltes. war-
rantlng severe retaliation. challenged the
admiration and commentator of TIL,
commander. in-chef as well as Congress.
md the latter voted Lee tn inks and Il
gold medal. which WIS struck and pre-
>-nted as follows: One side containin.
hust Of Lee with the words. - Hen
rico Lee. Le.ionis Z Iuit. Prae fectn
'nmita Americana That is: 1.-The
Amer lean Congress to Henry Lee. Colo
lel of Cavalry" On the other side. in
Latin also. is as follows. withstand
ing rivers and intrenchments, he. with
y small band, conquered the foe by war
like skill and prowesS and firmly bound
by his humanity those who had been con-
uuered by his arms. In memory Of the
@:rhe writer of this interesting sketch
has fallen into an error in surprising
MAJOR John and Captain Mike to be
brothers. They were cousins. Major
John WAS the son of Tobias lsudulph the
rirst and brother Of Tobias Rudulph the
second who was the father of the late
Mrs. Ann Sewall and Mrs. Martha Ru
duph and grandfather of the present
Tobias.
Captain Mike was the son of anothe,
Rudulpir the brother of the first Tobias
hut whether his name WIS Zehulon or
Jacob the writer of this note does not
certainly know. Jacob Rudolph was the
grandfather of the late William Hewitt.
who always reckoned himself of neal
lin to Captain Mike. and in CONVERSE
tnn with the writer of this note always
repudiated the legend Of his identity
with Ncy.
Captain Mike had brother Zebulon
who early emigratrd ~ Georgia and after
wards settled in Mobile. Alabama. who