Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-12

town formed part prior to 1776, and Of Mont
gomery county. which in that year created
out of the lower part of Frederick during the
struggle is one which the people Of these
counties may well contemplate with emotions
Of patriotic pride. Georgetown was no in
significant actor and factor in it Her FORCES
and smith shops resounded with the manufac-
ture of arms; the work Of recruiting for the
service went on continuously; she became q
great depot for the collection Of military sup
plies and several of her sons attained distinc-
ton in the Maryland line so famous in revolu-
tionary annals.
In January, 1776, the Maryland convention
resolved that the province ''be Immediately
put in the best state of defense" and that a suf
ficient armed force be raised for its protection.
John Murdoch became the colonel, Thomas
Johns the lieutenant colonel, William Brooke
the first major and William Deskins the second
major of one of the battalions Of Frederick
county militia raised under this resolution.
They were all residents of Georgetown or its
suburbs, as were also Capt benjamin Spiker
and the other officers and men Of the battalion.
HE WAS FIGHTING QUAKER.
Thomas Richardson. whose name is ap-
pended to the letter to Mr.. johnson. which has
been mentioned, was a Quaker. but evidently
one Of the militant kind for he led one Of the
first companies out Of Georgetown to the seat
Of war. Alexander McFsdden was the first
lieutenant and John Peter the second lieutenant
of this company. Thomas Beall Of George.
afterward one Of the trustees Of the federal
city, raised a company Of rihemen, which was
assigned to duty in Col. Moses Rawlings regi-
ment and took part in the engagements around
New York. This regiment was sent by Gen.
Greene to reinforce the garrison of Fort Washing
ton on the Hudson. They made a stubborn de-
Tense to the attack Of Knyphausen and Rail-
With 1000 Hessians and Waldeckers and (says
Scharf, from whom the facts in relation to this
engagement are taken) held their entrench-
ments on the north lines against five times
their number, until. in the charge
besiegers and besieged, owing to the indisposi-
tion of the rifemen to retreat even when over
powered, became mixed together, but their
rifles having become fouled and useless from
frequent discharges. their colonel wounded,
their tanks turned and receiving no support,
they were forced back. fighting all the way,
until within a hundred yards OF the fort,
which soon surrendered. Gen. Greene said
that il this regiment had been supported
knyphauseu could not have gained the north
lines: that the defense elsewhere was irresolute.
but that had it been like that of Rawlings
rihemen 1t would well nigh have crippled the
enemy" Il cost Knyphausen nearly 800 men
to force the single regiment of Rawlings back.
The regiment was complimented by Gen.
Washington for 1.-The great spirit with which it
behaved on this occasion
Capt. Leonard NJ. Deakins' company of Col.
Grifith's battalion recruited from the
Young men of the town and neighborhood and
started for the scene OF war in July of l776.
His brother Francis was engaged in recruiting
a company at the same time. who were supplied
with guns and blankets and left Georgetown,
taking up their line of March in the same direc-
ton in the following August.
THEY DID THEIR DUTY.
William Deakins, the brother of Leonard and
Francis above mentioned, was active in vari-
Gus ways in the cause. He was one of the
''worshipful justices of the county and as such
presided at the trials of n number of persons
who had been indicted for "damning Con-
gress, wishing success to the kings arms.
'-dsmning wings and rebels" and other grave
offenses agains: the peace and dignity OF the
newly declared sovereign and independent
state. He was. as we have seen, the second
major of MurGocks regiment Of militia His
regiment being called to the front he entered
upon active service and subsequently attained
the rank of colonel IN the maryland troops.
The same rank was attained by the gallant
Captain Thomas Beall. Another citizen of the
town (James VI. Lilgan). whose sad fate in the
so-called 'federalist' riots in Baltimore in
1912 made his name historic. was a gallant
officer in the Maryland line, in which he at
tanned the rank of general.
These fragments OF the towns history, Gin
the times that tried mems souls" have now
been for the first time gathered together; they
Will serve to correct IN the future any impress
sion which might otherwise prevail that during
the revolutionary war Georgetown had 10 his
tory to boa5. of. l am led to say this by reason
OF the fact tina: Gen. W. II. F. Lee in response
to the address of welcome delivered by Com
missioner Wheatley to the visitors from Viz
ginia at the celebration which was held over
.he opening of the new free bridge, stated in
the midst of tribute which was otherwise
graceful. eloquent and generous to the heritage
of giories which the old town NAV Justly con-
slider as hers, that he had not been able to find
that she mac taken a conspicuous part In the
revolutionary war.