Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-04-15
MUHLENBERG AT WOODSTOCK.
BY JOHN W. WAYLAND, PHI. D.

Alcllll Oih lO"h vi "SOSohSNht h'~
county seat OF Shenandoah county. Early
in the revolutionary war il was the scene
OF one OF the most spectacular incidents
OF that long struggle, and the central figure
OF that incident was one OF the most re-
markable of all German Americans, John
Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg.
This man was born al TTappe, Pa,
Oct. /, l746, the son OF the Rev. Heinrich
Melchior Muhlenberg, the founder OF
Lutheranism in America. As a youth he
was sent 10 study at Halle, where his
father had been student and teacher,
but he soon ran away from the classic
shades and became soldier. For year
he served as private in the Dragons,
doing various things meanwhile that
helped his comrades TO remember him.
In l766 he returned to America, where he
entered upon training for the Lutheran
ministry. In iii he was called 10 Viz
ginia. To have legal standing there as a
clergyman he went to England in l772
and was ordained by the Bishop OF Lon
don. Returning to Virginia the same year,
he settled at Woodstock as pastor OF the
local congregation. He doubtless extend
ed his pastoral care TO other congrega-
tions in the vicinity, probably those at
Rude's Hill and New Market and perhaps
those al StraSburg and Winchester also.
In l772 the new county OF Shenandoah
was established by the Virginia colonial
assembly and called Dunmore, after the
Governor. In l777, because Dunmore
had become hateful TO the Virginians, the
name OF the county was changed, by act
OF assembly, from Dunmore TO Shanando.
Shanando in time became Shenandoah.
The village OF Woodstock also had
different name al first. For some years
it was known as MuellerStadt, in honor Of
Jacob Mueller (Miller). In l76l he en-
larged the plan ofthe village by laying oil
| 200 acres into lots and streets, and the
colonial Legislature erected the place into a
town, under the name OF Woodstock.
Very probably the name Muellerstadt
(Miller's Town continued TO live on for
some years longer in the familiar speech
of the neighborhood. The trustees OF
Woodstock, appointed under the Act OF
l76l, were Cornelius Riddel, John Skeen,
Burr Harrison, Mathew Harrison, Joseph
Langdon. Moses Striker, Adam Weaker.
Jacob Miller and Peter Hanger. Atleast
five of them were Germans.
On the 10th Of June, l774, spirited
meeting was held al Woodstock. 1t ex-
pressed the growing sentiment OF oppo-
sition TO the coersive acts OF the British
parliament.
The Rev. Peter Muhlenberg was mod
orator this meeting Strong resolutions
were adopted setting forth the determina-
ton of the people 10 stand upon their
rights as protected by law and usage. A
committee OF safety and correspondence
was appointed for the county, which
committee consisted OF Peter Muhlenberg,
chairman; Francis Slaughter, Abraham
Bird, Travener Beale, John Upton and
Abraham Bowman.
The next year war began. The blood
OF men and boys stained the early April
sod at Lexington and Concord, and
Out OF the North the wild news came.
Far flashing on IFS wings Of flame,
down even into the quiet Valley OF the
Shenandoah, in Virginia. The men Of
Woodstock heard the news, and leader
arose among them 10 lead them away TO
death and fame. Virginia Cavalier and
Massachusetts Roundhead forgot the days
OF King Charles IN their anger at King
George.
In December, ITS, The Virginia as
sembly passed an act providing for the
raising OF six additional regiments, each
10 be composed of $50 men. One was
10 be called the German regiment, and
was 10 be made up OF German and other
officers and soldiers, as the military COM
mittees OF the several counties OF Augusta,
West Augusta, Berkeley, Culpeper, Dun
more, Fincastle, Frederick and Hamp-
shire should Judge expedient. BY the
month following, Pastor Muhlenberg, the
one time dragoon. had commission as
colonel, and was gathering recruits for
his regiment-the Eighth Virginia, the
German regiment. As might be expected
OF the man, he proceeded in striking
way, and this was demonstrated in the
spectacular incident refered to at the be-
ginning Of this sketch.
One Sundayin January. l776, the people
OF Woodstock went TO the little log church
for worship. ! suspect some of them
went for other reasons too. for the rumor
OF stirring events about TO break must
have been whispered far and near. No
doubt The rude building was crowded TO
the door, and groups might have been
found at the narrow windows outside.
Horses were hiiched TO the trees and
fences, and, consistently with the time,
many of the men bore muskets and rifles.
The text was warlike-the theme was
war. Then, throwing of his black mantle
of priesthood. the preacher stood forth as
warrior, read his colonel's commission,
and called upon the men OF the valley 10
follow him TO the battlefield. Afew roy
alists may have raised voice OF protest,
but the wave of military fervor swept the
little town like a tempest, and the patriot
army marched away.
Thomas Buchanan Read, in the "Wag-
oner OF the Alleghanies, hasimmotalized
fl,;s Incident et fha rnaf eneak.