207 
 
 A* 
 
 -NRLF 
 
LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Gl FT OF 
 
 
 C/ass 
 
MAJOR WILLIAM FERGUSON 
 
 MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN PHILO 
 SOPHICAL SOCIETY, OFFICER IN THE 
 ARMY OF THE REVOLUTION AND IN 
 THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES 
 
 BY 
 
 CHARLES BEATTY ALEXANDER, LL.D. 
 
 OF THE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI 
 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 MCMVIII 
 
The edition of this volume, limited to two hun 
 dred copies, all being numbered and signed by the 
 author, was printed on Italian hand-made paper, at 
 The Trow Press, in the month of February, 1908. 
 
 This is No 
 
 THE TROW PRESS, NEW YORK 
 
PREFATORY NOTE 
 
 THE following brief memoir of Major 
 William Ferguson has been compiled from 
 various sources. Extracts from some of 
 these, including certain letters and other 
 memoranda, will be found in the appendix. 
 A considerable part of the narrative, which 
 deals mainly with Major Ferguson s military 
 career during the War of the Revolution, 
 and during a subsequent campaign against 
 the Indians, is taken from an article by the 
 Rev. Samuel D. Alexander, D. D., which was 
 published in the" American Historical Record" 
 (Vol. II.), from the Diary of Major Ebenezer 
 Denny; and from Howe s " Historical Collec 
 tions of Ohio." The sketch is intended pri 
 marily for the descendants of Major Fergu 
 son, but the writer hopes that it may be of 
 some interest to his brethren in the Society 
 of the Cincinnati, some of whose ancestors 
 are mentioned in its pages. 
 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 William Ferguson was born in Armagh, 
 Ireland, of Scotch-Irish parents. The exact 
 date of his birth is unknown ; but toward the 
 close of the year 1774, being about twenty- 
 one years of age, he came to America with 
 his parents, Usher and Mary Ferguson, and 
 settled in Philadelphia. The country was at 
 that time in a state of great unrest, which 
 soon developed into active warfare. Penn 
 sylvania was among the first of the colonies 
 to take arms, and Ferguson, always a man of 
 honor and keen sensibilities, was not slow to 
 discover on which side he stood. On Octo 
 ber 30, 1775, he enlisted as bombardier in 
 Captain Proctor s Company of Pennsylvania 
 Artillery. Proctor, himself an Irishman, was 
 the son of Francis Proctor, who emigrated 
 before the Revolution, and took up his resi 
 dence in Philadelphia. He raised the only 
 regular organization of Pennsylvania artillery, 
 which was celebrated by the famous Major 
 
 5 
 
Andre in a poem composed shortly before 
 his death: 
 
 "And Major Lee took horses rare 
 And Proctor with his cannon/ 
 
 It may be added that Captain Proctor was 
 well known as a free mason, and afterwards 
 organized a lodge in his regiment, on May 
 1 8, 1779, although no record of membership 
 is in possession of the Masonic Order. This 
 artillery regiment fought in the battles of 
 Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and Ger- 
 mantown. In 1779 it formed part of the 
 force of Sullivan in his expedition against the 
 Six Nations. 
 
 On October 27, I775, 1 Proctor had ap 
 plied to the Council of Safety for appointment 
 as captain of an artillery company which the 
 provincial authorities had already determined 
 to raise and employ at Fort Island, in the 
 Delaware, for the defense of the Province. 
 In this application he was successful, receiv 
 ing on the same day a commission as Captain 
 of Artillery, with authority to recruit a com 
 pany. Two months later, he was stationed 
 
 1 This account of the formation and career of the First 
 Pennsylvania Artillery, is taken in part from The Pennsyl 
 vania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. XVII, No. 
 4, p. 454 et seq. 
 
 6 
 
at Fort Island, in command of about ninety 
 men, charged with the active defense of the 
 river. On May 6, 1776, he received orders 
 from the Committee of Safety, " to call every 
 boat and soldier to their stations, and each 
 to prepare for immediate action and to suffer 
 no officer or man to leave their stations with 
 out the license of this board or the command 
 ing officer." The British men of war Roe 
 buck and Liverpool lay in the Delaware just 
 below Philadelphia, and on May 8, 1776, an 
 engagement took place between these ships 
 and the naval forces of Pennsylvania. In 
 cooperation with the latter, serving on the 
 Hornet were Captain Proctor and one 
 hundred of his men who volunteered for the 
 fight. 1 This was probably the first active 
 service in which Ferguson took part. Proc 
 tor s command remained at Fort Island 
 through the next spring and summer, per 
 forming, however, under order of the pro 
 vincial and state authorities, various services 
 in Philadelphia and at other neighboring 
 points. 
 
 On July 31, 1776, Proctor s Company 
 consisted of one hundred and fourteen men 
 all told, together with twelve musicians. The 
 
 1 Scharf & Westcott s "History of Philadelphia," p. 306. 
 
 7 
 
following is a muster roll of its officers on 
 that date: 
 
 Captain. 
 Thomas Proctor. 
 
 Captain Lieutenant. 
 Jeremiah Simmons. 
 
 First Lieutenant. 
 Hercules Courtenay. 
 
 Second Lieutenant. 
 John Martin Strobogh. 
 
 Lieut. Fire Worker. 
 Francis Proctor. 
 
 Quarter Master Sergeant. 
 John Webster. 
 
 Corporal and Clerk to Company. 
 Patrick Duffy. 
 
 Sergeants. 
 Charles Turnbull, 
 Jacob Parker, 
 John Stephenson. 
 
 Corporals. 
 William Ferguson, 
 Thomas Healy, 
 George May. 
 
 (Penna. in Rev., Vol. II, p. 175.) 
 
 As may be seen, Ferguson s name here ap 
 pears in the list of corporals. 
 
 The services of the company were so well 
 
 8 
 
appreciated that on August 14, 1776, it was 
 determined to increase the number of men 
 employed to two hundred, and to divide the 
 body into two companies. John Martin Stro- 
 bogh was appointed captain of one, and 
 Thomas Forrest of the other. Proctor as 
 sumed the general command with the title of 
 Major. 
 
 On October 5, 1776, Ferguson was com 
 missioned, by the Committee of Safety, Third 
 Lieutenant of the First Company, under the 
 general command of Major Proctor. On 
 the same day the following resolution was 
 adopted by the Committee : 
 
 "Resolved, That a detachment be made 
 from the artillery companies of the State, of 
 fifty men, to be sent to Fort Montgomery, 
 under the command of Captain Strobogh, 
 subject to the direction of the Commander in 
 chief, and that two of the commissioned of 
 ficers in his company, and Lieutenant Proc 
 tor, 1 of Captain Forrest s Company, proceed 
 with the said detachment (that they may have 
 an opportunity of seeing service) to be re 
 lieved at such time as the Board may think 
 proper, and that they shall march as soon as 
 they are furnished with necessary camp 
 
 1 Second Lieutenant Francis Proctor. 
 9 
 
equipage. Major Proctor is to see this re 
 solve carried into execution." l 
 
 On December i, 1776, Major Proctor pro 
 ceeded to execute this resolution, and for the 
 purpose detailed Captain Thomas Forres^ 
 with fifty officers and privates, and two six- 
 pounder brass field pieces. They proceeded 
 from Philadelphia to Trenton, and there 
 placed themselves at the disposal of General 
 Washington. They were actively engaged 
 in the events which subsequently occurred. 
 There is no accurate list of those who accom 
 panied Captain Forrest at this time. There 
 were with him, however, only two lieutenants 
 in Captain Strobogh s Company, and Fergu 
 son may have been one of them. 
 
 General Knox was so impressed with the 
 efficiency of Proctor s Artillery that, in the 
 early part of 1777, he sought to annex this 
 force to the Continental Artillery already 
 under his command. Proctor is said to have 
 objected to such an arrangement, being un 
 willing, without an absolute order of State or 
 Congress, to abandon his position as provin 
 cial commander and to accept a position sub 
 ordinate to Knox. But, on February 6, 
 1777, the Council of Safety vetoed the pro- 
 
 1 See Appendix A. 
 IQ 
 
posed annexation of Proctor s Company to 
 the Continental Army, and ordered that a 
 complete regiment of State artillery be raised, 
 which Proctor was to command with the rank 
 of colonel. Of the part played by Ferguson 
 in the early history of Proctor s Company we 
 have meager information ; but there are some 
 details of an engagement in which he was 
 taken prisoner by the British under Lord 
 Cornwallis : 
 
 " Shortly after its being thus organized, 
 Proctor s regiment was deprived of the serv 
 ices of two of its bravest officers and a score 
 or more of its men, who were surprised by 
 the enemy and captured. The circumstances 
 of this little affair were as follows : General 
 Lincoln, with about five hundred men, con 
 sisting among others of a portion of the Sec 
 ond Pennsylvania Regiment, some militia, and 
 part of Proctor s Artillery, was stationed at 
 Bound Brook, New Jersey, charged with the 
 protection of territory some five or six miles 
 in extent. To perform this service Lincoln 
 was compelled to dispose of his troops so as 
 to leave his flanks exposed. Lord Corn 
 wallis, who lay at Brunswick, conceived the 
 plan of attacking Lincoln and Chase the 
 morning of the I3th of April, 1777, for the 
 
 ii 
 
execution of his design. The plan was ex 
 ceedingly well laid and nearly as well exe 
 cuted. Through the neglect of the American 
 patrols the enemy were allowed to cross the 
 Raritan River, just above Lincoln s quarters, 
 and to advance to within two hundred yards 
 of him, before they were discovered. Lord 
 Cornwallis and General Grant were with the 
 attacking party, and General Lincoln and his 
 command were compelled to make good their 
 escape. The enemy remained about an hour 
 and a half, destroying some stores before re- 
 crossing the river to Brunswick; General 
 Lincoln, being reenforced, took possession of 
 the post again in the evening. 
 
 " The British loss upon this occasion was 
 reported by Lord Howe to be three killed 
 and four wounded. In regard to the Ameri 
 can loss, General Washington, on April i4th, 
 reports to the Board of War, as follows : 
 Our chief and only loss was two pieces of 
 artillery, and with them Lieutenants Fergu 
 son and Turnbull, with about twenty men 
 of Colonel Proctor s regiment. A party of 
 horse was pushed so suddenly upon them 
 that they could not possibly get off. " * 
 
 1 The Pennsylvania Magazine, Vol. IV, No. 4, Phila., 
 1880. Article by Benjamin M. Nead, Esq. 
 
 12 
 
From April 13, 1777, until December i, 
 1780, Lieutenant Ferguson was a prisoner of 
 war, being confined during a part of this time 
 at Flatbush, Long Island, where he devoted 
 much time to study, particularly of ordnance 
 and of the art of war. His intense interest 
 in his profession and his enthusiastic de 
 votion to perfecting himself in everything 
 pertaining to it, were always noticeable and 
 won for him the deep regard of all with 
 whom he came in contact whether soldiers 
 or civilians. During the period of his im 
 prisonment he was promoted to the rank of 
 captain. This was on August 18, 1778; and 
 by an act of Congress, on September 3d, of 
 the same year, his regiment was formally 
 admitted to the Continental Army. We 
 know but little of his life at Flatbush. The 
 voluminous records concerning those confined 
 there, now in the Library of the New York 
 Historical Society, make no mention of him, 
 nor does his name appear in the lists of those 
 who took part in the theatricals organized by 
 the prisoners for their amusement, nor is he 
 mentioned in the many letters from Flatbush 
 which have been printed. Edward Authill, 
 however, author of a manuscript treatise on 
 Geography and Astronomy, was one of his 
 
 13 
 
fellow prisoners. He dedicated the work to 
 " William Ferguson, Esq., Captain in Colonel 
 Proctor s Regiment of Artillery, in the Army 
 of the United States," adding, " I have singled 
 you out from a number of my unfortunate 
 brethren in consequence of my observation 
 of your studious turn and laudable thirst for 
 mathematical knowledge." 
 
 In the monthly return of officers of the 
 Pennsylvania State Regiment of Artillery, on 
 March 29, 1780, Captain Ferguson is men 
 tioned as being " exchanged and in camp." 
 His actual exchange, however, by Abraham 
 Skinner, Commissary General of Prisoners, 
 probably did not take place until December 
 i, 1780. 
 
 After his release Ferguson seems to have 
 been transferred in company with some 
 others to General Greene s command in the 
 South, although there is little or no record of 
 his position between 1780 and 1785. It is 
 known, however, that after the surrender of 
 Cornwallis, three companies of the Conti 
 nental Artillery were transferred to the South 
 ern Army, under General Greene ; and in his 
 "Archives" 1 Dr. Egle refers to the " Hand 
 
 1 The writer has searched in vain for the original of this 
 return. But the " Hand Papers " have been scattered,, since 
 
Papers," as containing a return dated James 
 Island, S. C, January 31, 1783, which gives the 
 strength of this detachment as follows : Capt. 
 Ferguson s Company, 21 ; Capt. Bruce s Com 
 pany, 14; Capt. McClures Company, 25. 
 
 The following letter was written by Fer 
 guson while in camp at Camden, South 
 Carolina : 
 
 CAMDEN, April 26, 1781. 
 Dear Doctor: 
 
 I have just received your kind favor of 
 the 4th ultimo, and have at the same time a 
 direct opportunity of writing by Captain 
 Campbell, who is returning to Carlisle, to 
 whom I must beg leave to refer you, particu 
 larly for the news, as he is just from camp. 
 I understand from him there is like to have 
 been shooting work at camp lately. Sergeant 
 Gosmer has been shot a few days ago for be 
 ing concerned with several others in a con 
 spiracy against General Greene. They agreed 
 to deliver the General into the hands of the 
 enemy, who had sent out one hundred and 
 
 their sale at auction some years ago to many different pur 
 chasers. In Col. Rec., Vol. XII, p. 718, the following ap 
 pears, under date of May 4, 1781: "At a meeting of the 
 Council, there was voted in favor of Capt. Wm. Ferguson on 
 his order the sum of one hundred pounds State money to be 
 charged to his account and deducted as aforesaid." 
 
 15 
 
fifty horses for that purpose, and had got into 
 the rear of the army, about two miles from 
 the General s quarters, but was happily pre 
 vented from effecting their scheme. The 
 British horse on their return fell in with be 
 tween twenty and thirty of Lee s horse, of 
 whom it is said they took ten horses and nine 
 men. General Wayne has had a brush with 
 the enemy in Georgia, in which he was suc 
 cessful, but can t give the particulars. The 
 enemy desert very fast. Our army is in a 
 most dreadful situation for want of cloathing, 
 being almost destitute of everything to ren 
 der the fatigues of war supportable, and pro 
 visions are very often scarce and very bad. 
 These and the want of pay are the reasons of 
 their discontent. The army lies at Bacon s 
 Bridge, about twenty miles from Charles 
 Town. How long they will be able to keep 
 that position, can t tell. The times of the 
 Southern troops are dayly expiring, and con 
 sequently the army is lessening in number. 
 
 McClure, Douty, Parker and myself are 
 stationed at this place and believe we shall 
 remain here all summer. It is a very poor 
 place at present, being stripped of everything 
 when the British were in possession of it, but 
 hope provisions will be plenty when the new 
 
 16 
 
crops are got in. We have been very busy 
 in making a gardain, and if you pay us a 
 visit hope we shall be able to treat you with 
 some of the fruits of our labour. If you 
 come this way I would beg leave to recom 
 mend the supplying yourself with a good 
 store of coffee and sugar, as these articles are 
 very scarce and dear. The very worst sugar 
 half a dollar a pound, and coffee one dollar, 
 but dearness and scarcity don t affect us as 
 we have no money to purchase were it ever 
 so cheap and plenty. I will not particularize 
 any of my friends and acquaintances, but 
 leave the presenting them with my best 
 wishes to your own discretion. The gentle 
 men here are all well and desire their com 
 pliments to you and all brother officers. 
 
 I am, dear Reading, yours, etc., 
 To W. FERGUSON. 
 
 DOCTOR BEATTY. 
 
 Please present my compliments to Cap 
 tain Smith s family in Carlisle. When you 
 write let us know the strength of the regi 
 ment with you. 
 
 MOSES COHEN, 
 
 Intelligence Office, 
 
 East side of Front Street, 
 
 20 doors above Market Street 
 
The war came to a close with the evacua 
 tion of the City of New York by the British, 
 on November 25, 1783, and on December 
 23d Washington resigned his commission 
 and the troops were disbanded. A short 
 time before, a number of officers, then at 
 Newburgh, formed the Society of the Cincin 
 nati, of which Ferguson was an original mem 
 ber. He was one of a number who gave one 
 month s pay to the funds of the Society. 1 
 
 The following is one of the few letters of 
 Major Ferguson which remain. It is given 
 here on this account, not because it has any 
 intrinsic importance : 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, January 15, 1783. 
 Dear Doctor : 
 
 Yours of the nth instant I received this 
 morning. I am happy to understand the 
 papers afforded you some amusement and 
 herewith send you some more. In them 
 you will see how the Censors have handled 
 the late Election. This day they have begun 
 to erect the Triumphal Arch, and it s said the 
 display of fireworks is to be on the evening 
 
 1 The writer, who is a member of the State Society of the 
 Cincinnati, of Pennsylvania, in succession to his great grand 
 father, Major Ferguson, has in his possession the original cer 
 tificate of membership, signed by General Washington, and at 
 tested by General Knox. 
 
 18 
 
of the 2Oth inst, if the weather be fair, if not, 
 on the first that will answer. I hope you will 
 come to see them, as it is said they will ex 
 ceed anything of the kind that has been ex 
 hibited here these several years. Doctor 
 Martin was buried to-day; he was obliged to 
 be bound to his bed for some time before his 
 death, being lunatic, which they say was oc 
 casioned by a fall on the ice. Crosley was 
 in town this evening ; he begs to be remem 
 bered to you. People are all well in Darby. 
 I see Ashton, Sunday eight days, who told 
 me the Accounts were almost finished. 
 Proctor is able to drink his beer again. 
 Please to present my compliments to our 
 friend Craig, and believe me to be sincerely 
 
 y urs W. FERGUSON. 
 
 DOCTOR BEATTY. 
 
 For some months prior to the summer of 
 1784, there existed no Federal forces of any 
 kind. But soon the necessity of some means 
 for internal protection became clear; and by 
 the end of 1784 several of the States had or 
 ganized a militia for home defense, and espe 
 cially for defense against the Indians, who 
 were becoming actively hostile along the 
 frontier. Pennsylvania was among the States 
 which had made this preparation. In June of 
 
 19 
 
that year a resolution was passed by Con 
 gress calling upon the States to organize a 
 militia, and in April, 1785, a measure was 
 enacted providing for a Federal militia and 
 again asking troops of the States. The regi 
 ment organized by Pennsylvania was under 
 the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Josiah 
 Harmar, then stationed at Fort Mclntosh 
 (now Beaver, Pa.). 1 
 
 On October 20, 1785, the Supreme Ex 
 ecutive Council 3 appointed Ferguson to be 
 Captain of Artillery, for service in the regi 
 ment commanded by Colonel Harmar, and 
 this was reported by the Secretary of the 
 Council to the United States Secretary of 
 War. Two years later we find further in 
 formation regarding Colonel Harmar s Regi 
 ment, and a muster roll, in the following 
 letter : 
 
 LT. COL. JOSIAH HARMAR TO 
 PRES. FRANKLIN, 1787. 
 
 FORT HARMAR, AT THE MOUTH OF THE 
 MUSKINGUM, December 23, 1787. 
 
 I have the honor to enclose to your Ex 
 cellency & the Honorable, the Council, a 
 
 1 See Appendix B. 
 
 * Colonial Records. Minutes of Sup. Ex. Council of Pa., 
 p. 569. See Appendix C. 
 
 2O 
 
return of the Pennsylvania Troops in the 
 Service of the United States, dated this day. 
 
 The Secretary at War informs me that 
 Congress by their Act of the 3d of October 
 last, have been pleased to call upon the same 
 States to raise the same number of men for 
 three years, in order that the present officers 
 might be retained in service. 
 
 By Mr. Melchior your Excellency s Letter 
 was received, likewise one from the hon 
 orable, the Vice-President, General Mifflin, 
 & the honorable Charles Biddle, Esq., the 
 Secretary; all in favor of this young Gentle 
 man for the appointment of an Ensigncy. 
 Previous to the receipt of these letters I was 
 induced, in my letter of the yth August, to 
 recommend to your Excellency, Mr. Robert 
 Thompson, a son of the late General Thomp 
 son s, to fill the first vacancy. He was 
 warmly recommended to me by General Ir- 
 vin & several others of his acquaintance. 
 
 From the powerful recommendations in 
 favor of Mr. Melchior it would be presump 
 tion in me to urge the matter further, as the 
 matter rests solely with your honorable body. 
 
 If it meets the approbation of your Excel 
 lency & the Honorable Council, the following 
 is the arrangement which I wish to take place 
 
 21 
 
Josiah Harmar, 
 
 Captain Joseph Ashton, 
 
 in our State, for the First United States 
 Regiment, viz : 
 
 f Lt. Col. Com t 
 1 Brigadier General by Brevet. 
 Captain William Ferguson, Artillery. 
 Captain David Ziegler, Infantry. 
 Captain William M Curdy, ditto. 
 
 f Infantry, Vice Cap 
 tain. Finney, re 
 signed ist Sep 
 tember. 
 
 Lieutenant Ercurius Beatty, Infantry. 
 Lieutenant Thomas Doyle, ditto. 
 Lieutenant John Armstrong, ditto. 
 Lieutenant Edward Spear, Art y, Vice Lt. 
 
 Ashton, promoted 
 Ensign Ebenezer Denny, Infantry. 
 Ensign Nathan M Dowell, ditto. 
 
 One of them to be En 
 sign in the Infantry, 
 Vice Ensign Spear, 
 promoted. 
 
 It is uncertain 
 whether he will 
 continue in the 
 Service or not. 
 Richard Allison, Surgeon s Mate. 
 
 Robert Thompson, 
 Jacob Melchior, 
 
 John M Dowell, Surgeon. 
 
 22 
 
Either Mr. Thompson or Mr. Melchior, 
 whichever your Excellency & the Honorable 
 Council shall judge most proper, will fill the 
 vacancy occasioned by Captain Finney s 
 resignation. If Doctor M Dowell declines 
 the service, Doctor Allison, the mate, is, I be 
 lieve, in every respect qualified to succeed 
 him. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 With the highest esteem & respect, 
 Your Excellency s & the honorable 
 Council s most h ble & obt. Serv t, 
 Jos. HARMAR, 
 
 Lt. Col. Com. ist U. S. Reg, & Brig. Gen. 
 
 by Brevet. 
 Directed, 
 
 His Excellency, Benjamin Franklin, Esq., 
 President, & the honorable, The Supreme 
 Executive Council, Pennsylvania. 1 
 
 This was the origin of the First United 
 States Regiment. Ferguson s energy and 
 devotion in its service were conspicuous. He 
 was active in fortifying his post, and in drill 
 ing his command. A trace of his zeal as a 
 recruiting officer appears in the following un 
 dated letter : 
 
 1 Pennsylvania Archives, Old Series, Vol. XI, p. 217. 
 23 
 
To His Excellency Thomas Mifflin, Esq., 
 and the Honourable the Supreme Executive 
 Council : 
 
 Gentlemen : 
 
 I have now recruited upwards of fifty 
 soldiers as part of the Pennsylvania Quota of 
 troops, and now request that an order may be 
 drawn in my favour for fifty dollars, on the 
 treasury, on the same principle that Capt. 
 Ziegler rec d a dollar per man for his Recruits 
 last year. I am, Gentlemen, 
 
 Your most obedient humble Servant, 
 
 W. FERGUSON. 
 
 In a dispatch to General Knox from Fort 
 Washington, General Harmar says : " I am 
 particularly indebted to Captain Ferguson and 
 Lieutenant Pratt for their indefatigable in 
 dustry and attention in forwarding the work 
 thus far." This work was the construction of 
 Fort Washington, on what is now the site of 
 Cincinnati. 1 
 
 About this time a dispute arose between 
 Captains Ferguson and Ziegler regarding 
 rank. There are several references to this in 
 contemporary documents. 
 
 "In June, 1784, when Congress called for 
 
 Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. XI, p. 590. 
 24 
 
a regiment partly infantry and partly artillery, 
 Pennsylvania immediately furnished her quota 
 infantry and artillery. Lieut. Col. Josiah Har- 
 mar commanding, Captain Douglass and 
 Lieut. Jos. Ashton were appointed to the 
 command of the Artillery Company. They 
 both belonged to Proctor s regiment. The 
 following year Captain Douglass was dropped 
 and Ferguson took his place, apparently on a 
 claim of rank." Major Ferguson s descend 
 ants claim that he was in the service continu 
 ously from 1775 until his death. 1 
 
 It appears that General Knox, Secretary 
 of War, wrote to the Supreme Executive 
 Council 2 with respect to this matter, and that 
 the Vice-President of the Council was in 
 structed to order the Secretary of War to in 
 stitute a court of inquiry and return a report. 
 In reply, General Knox wrote as follows : 
 
 WAR OFFICE, February 16, 1788. 
 Sir: 
 
 I have the honor to acknowledge the re 
 ceipt of your favor of the 2d instant, stating 
 the dispute of rank between Captains Ziegler 
 and Ferguson, and also covering the certifi- 
 
 1 Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 
 IV, No. 4, p. 489. 
 
 3 Minutes of the Sup. Ex. Council y Vol. XV, p. 394. 
 
 25 
 
cate of the promotions and appointment in 
 the quota of Pennsylvania troops in the serv 
 ice of the United States, made by the Exec 
 utive Council on the 26th of November, 
 1787 to wit: Lieutenant Ashton promoted 
 to be a captain, vice Finney resigned the 
 senior Ensign promoted to be a Lieutenant, 
 vice Ashton promoted, and Robert Thompson 
 appointed to be an Ensign. 
 
 Your letter contained the first intimation 
 of the dispute alluded to. Early after the 
 formation of the present corps, I directed the 
 commanding officer to assemble the other 
 field officers, and the inspector, as a board to 
 settle the relative rank of all the officers of 
 the regiment. But the dispersed and distant 
 situation of the several companies prevented 
 a compliance with my orders. 
 
 On considering the subject of rank of the 
 officers on the present military establishment, 
 it appeared perfectly reasonable to me that all 
 the commissions should be dated on the day 
 of the resolve of Congress which gave exist 
 ence to the corps. That unless this point 
 were made a principle, officers might lose or 
 gain what they regard as an essential right 
 from the accidental circumstance of the legis 
 lature of the State to which they were at- 
 
 26 
 
tached, meeting a little early or later as the 
 case might be ; accordingly, the commissions 
 were all dated on the 1 2th of April, 1785, and 
 the settlement of their relative rank was left 
 to the judgment of the field officers. 
 
 But as the resolves of October, 1 786, aug 
 mented the troops, by which officers might be 
 introduced on the same grades with those 
 previously in service, it became necessary to 
 hold up the principle that officers, in the serv 
 ice of the Union, should in cases of original 
 appointments, take rank from the dates of the 
 acts of Congress, by which they were raised, 
 notwithstanding any difference of relative 
 rank during the late war. 
 
 In holding up this idea as a principle, I 
 did not think it ought to operate prior to 
 April, 1785. The corps raised for one year 
 by the resolve of Congress, of the 3d of June, 
 1784, I considered merely as militia, and I 
 conceive this conclusion was fully authorized, 
 as well by the letter as the spirit of the said 
 resolve, and that such temporary service 
 ought not in equity, nor could not with mili 
 tary propriety be estimated as a counterbal 
 ance for the established relative rank which 
 might have subsisted for several years of the 
 late war. 
 
 27 
 
Notwithstanding my opinion on the sub 
 ject of the troops raised by the resolve of 
 June, 1 784, the Executive Council possess the 
 right on an original appointment to arrange 
 their officers as they please, but perhaps they 
 may on consideration be of opinion that it 
 might conduce to the harmony of the service 
 to leave the decision of the present dispute 
 to a board of field officers. If so, and you 
 should be pleased to intimate such disposi 
 tion to me, I will direct the commanding offi 
 cer accordingly. I do not conceive that the 
 service can suffer any degree of injury by the 
 time such reference would require, as the 
 present stations of the two officers are greatly 
 separated. 
 
 I should be much obliged by being in 
 formed, whether any measures have been 
 taken by the Legislature of Pennsylvania in 
 consequence of the requisitions of Congress, 
 of the 3d of October last, for replacing the 
 troops on the frontiers. 
 I have the honor to be, Sir, 
 With the highest respect and esteem, 
 
 your most obedt. & very humble Servant, 
 
 J. KNOX. 1 
 
 1 Pennsylvania Archives, Old Series, Vol. XI, p. 240. 
 For further letters on this subject, see Appendix D. 
 
 28 
 
However this matter of rank may have 
 been settled, it does not seem that the dis 
 cussion interfered with Ferguson in the per 
 formance of his duty. Nor did he resign as 
 other officers did in certain cases of a similar 
 kind. In December, 1788, he left Fort Har- 
 mar, where he was at that time stationed, 
 carrying a letter from General Harmar to 
 Governor Mifflin, at Philadelphia. In this 
 letter Ferguson is highly commended as an 
 officer. On April 20, 1789, he married Su 
 sanna, daughter of Markell and Mary Ewing. 
 The wedding was at Philadelphia, and the 
 bride is described as "both a belle and a 
 beauty," and a pastel portrait, now in pos 
 session of the family, would seem to confirm 
 the latter statement. Ferguson, however, did 
 not remain long inactive. On September 2Qth 
 his nomination was sent to the Senate as 
 Captain of a battery of artillery in the first 
 regular army organized under the United 
 States Government. And toward the close 
 of the year he began to be active in prepar 
 ing for the Indian War, which was then im 
 pending. Toward the close of 1789 the atti 
 tude of the Indian tribes on the frontier had 
 become decidedly hostile. General Harmar 
 was put in command of all the United States 
 
 29 
 
forces along the border; and among these 
 was Ferguson s Company. He was stationed 
 at Fort Washington, being second in com 
 mand to General Harmar. Always an en 
 thusiastic and energetic disciplinarian, he did 
 all in his power to strengthen his post, and to 
 perfect the equipment and efficiency of his 
 men. But in so doing he encountered many 
 difficulties; for the soldiers were ill-fed, 
 poorly equipped, and quite unused to the 
 hardships of frontier life. Ferguson com 
 plained repeatedly of the youth of the recruits 
 who came to his command. He was, how 
 ever, forced to train these raw young men for 
 the defense of his post and to make them an 
 effective element in Harmar s fighting force. 
 Ferguson arrived at the front on August n, 
 1789, joining the force of General Harmar, 
 and, on September 4th, he "with his com 
 pany was ordered to join Strong in erecting 
 a fort near to Miami." 1 Active preparations 
 for an advance against the Indians began on 
 July 15, 1790. "The General commenced 
 his preparations, calculations of provisions, 
 horses, stores, etc., which were immediately 
 made out and ordered accordingly. Every 
 day employed in the most industrious man- 
 
 1 Diary of Major Thomas Denny, of that date. 
 30 
 
ner Captain Ferguson, with his Company, 
 engaged in getting in complete order the ar 
 tillery and military stores." 1 These prepara 
 tions were continued until September 30, 
 1 790, when " the General, having got forward 
 the supplies, moved on with the Federal 
 Troops formed into 2 small Battalions un 
 der the immediate command of Majors 
 Wyllys and Doughty, together with Capt. 
 Ferguson s Company of Artillery, who took 
 along three light brass pieces." l The militia 
 had moved ahead on the 26th, under Lieut- 
 Col. Tribley and Major Paul. After a fatigu 
 ing march the enemy was encountered at the 
 junction of the St. Mary and St. Joseph 
 rivers, where Fort Wayne, Indiana, now 
 stands. Here a fierce battle took place, 
 which resulted in what has been wrongly 
 called " Harmar s defeat." For the object of 
 the expedition was attained; many Indian 
 towns and supplies were wholly destroyed. 
 But the success of the engagement was im 
 paired by the miserable condition of the 
 militia and their unseemly jealousy of the 
 regular troops. A Court of Inquiry was or 
 dered subsequently, by which General Har- 
 mar was honorably acquitted. Ferguson was 
 
 Diary of Major Thomas Denny, of that date. 
 31 
 
one of the witnesses, and testified that the 
 Kentucky militia "were almost destitute of 
 camp kettles and axes ; nor could a supply of 
 these useful articles be procured. Their arms 
 were generally very bad and unfit for serv 
 ice." " They came under my inspection," he 
 continued, " in making repairs ; as a speci 
 men, one rifle was brought to be repaired 
 without a lock, and another without a stock. 
 . . . Among the militia were a great many 
 hardly able to bear arms, such as old infirm 
 men, and young boys. They were not such 
 as might be expected from a frontier country 
 smart, active woodmen, well accustomed 
 to arms, and alert to revenge the injury done 
 them and their connections. Now there were 
 a great many of the substitutes who had 
 never fired a gun. Major Hall, of Pennsyl 
 vania, told me that many of his men were so 
 awkward that they could not take their gun 
 locks off to oil them and put them on again, 
 nor could they put in their flints so as to be 
 useful." 1 
 
 At the point where Harmar was defeated, 
 Ferguson was immediately employed by Gen 
 eral St. Clair, in organizing a military post 
 connected by intermediate stations with Fort 
 
 1 Howe, " Historical Collections of Ohio," Vol. II, p. 435. 
 
 32 
 
Washington. At the close of April, 1791, St. 
 Clair was at Pittsburg, to which point troops 
 and supplies were being forwarded. On May 
 1 5th he reached Fort Washington. Accord 
 ing to Harmar, Ferguson did not accompany 
 St. Clair on the march to Fort Washington, 
 but awaited him there. In his own narrative, 
 however, St. Clair says that on June 20, 1791, 
 Ferguson came with a quantity of military 
 stores. " It was then known that nearly the 
 whole ammunition for the campaign was to 
 be made up, and a laboratory had now to be 
 prepared ; and one convenient for making 
 musket cartridges in was soon got in order, 
 but there was no place to fill the shells in 
 but one of the blockhouses, which was occu 
 pied as a storehouse, where also all the artil 
 lery cartridges had to be filled, as well as the 
 shells for the howitzers : for loose cartridge 
 could not be trusted in the barracks room, 
 with fires on all sides of it, and it was much 
 hampered and far from a safe situation. 
 Any person acquainted with the fixing of 
 ammunition knows that it is very tedious as 
 well as very laborious business ; and that in 
 places where there is no want of room, or 
 other conveniences, accidents very frequently 
 happen, and the laboratory blows up. But it 
 
 33 
 
was not ammunition for the campaign only 
 that we wanted, but a stock likewise for the 
 projected post at the Miami, which was to be 
 garrisoned by twelve or fourteen hundred 
 men for the winter at least ; and for the in 
 termediate posts. It was discovered also that 
 the carriages of the guns that came from 
 Philadelphia were unfit for service, and that 
 those pieces must be new mounted. This oc 
 casioned more labour, and of course a greater 
 number of workmen, for not only shops to 
 work in was to be built, but tools to work 
 with to be made. An armoury likewise was 
 to be constructed for the repairing of the arms 
 and it would have been altogether impossible 
 to have got forward at all had there not been 
 a considerable number of artificers among 
 the troops which arrived with Major Gaither. 
 Heavy draughts had of course to be made for 
 them, which was submitted to with some re- 
 luctancy, and that is not to be wondered 
 at. The Officer dislikes to have his men taken 
 away from him, and it is but too often the 
 case ; that dislike to labour is the principal in 
 ducement of men s listing as soldiers, which, 
 when there is occasion to employ them as 
 artificers, always occasions discontent. The 
 arms of the detachment were in bad order 
 
 34 
 
also, and had nearly all to be repaired, and so 
 fast did the work of that kind increase upon 
 our hands that at one time it appeared it 
 would never be got through, nor, indeed, 
 would it, but for the indefatigable industry of 
 Major Ferguson, who undertook to superin 
 tend the artificers, as well as the Laboratory." 1 
 Further details of the imperfect condition 
 of the supplies are given in a letter written 
 from Fort Washington by Major Ferguson to 
 General St. Clair, and dated June 25, 1791, 
 in which it is said : " In the enclosed return 
 of military stores, powder, lead, paper and 
 thread are wanted to complete three thousand 
 men with one hundred and thirty rounds 
 each. Should more be required, these articles 
 will have to be augmented. I beg leave to 
 report that the casks in which the Powder 
 was last sent were very light, and not prop 
 erly secured ; also the musket-cartridge paper 
 was not of proper sort, being too easily torn, 
 and of course the cartridges made of it will 
 not bear much carriage." 2 Another obstacle 
 in preparing for the campaign was the incom- 
 petency and culpable neglect of duty shown 
 
 , " Historical Collections of Ohio," Vol. II, p. 435. 
 2 St. Clair Papers. Compiled by William Henry Smith. 
 Vol. II. 
 
 35 
 
 . 
 . 
 
 ... 
 
by Quartermaster Hodgdon. Harmar testi 
 fied in the Court of Inquiry that " Major Fer 
 guson complained most bitterly " of him; and 
 Major Zeigler in his testimony said that the 
 pack-saddles were too large, and that Major 
 Ferguson was extremely uneasy on this ac 
 count, as indeed were all the officers who saw 
 them. The lack of implements for building 
 fortifications was severely felt: often there 
 was only one axe to three men, and two 
 looked on while the third used it. Colonel 
 Winthrop Sargeant in his diary 1 also re 
 marks : " Major Ferguson has very frequently 
 represented to me that the military stores and 
 arms were sent on in a most infamous man 
 ner." It would seem that the entire burden 
 in this campaign was laid upon Ferguson 
 of rectifying the mistakes of others, and of 
 bringing to some sort of efficiency men and 
 tools quite unadapted to the severe service 
 required of them. Colonel Sargeant adds : 
 " Without him the expedition would probably 
 have failed in ignominy, even before the In 
 dians were reached." 
 
 After an arduous march through the wil 
 derness, General St. Clair with his command 
 arrived at the Wabash River on November 3, 
 
 1 Printed privately by his grandson. Wormsloe, June 20, 1851. 
 
 36 
 
I79 1 - Major Ebenezer Denny in his diary 
 gives some details of the expedition. The 
 march began at nine o clock in the morning. 
 At about noon the small army passed over 
 dry ground, descended gradually to a small 
 creek " supposed to be a branch of the waters 
 emptying into Lake Erie." Two miles further, 
 they encamped " on dry, pleasant ground " on 
 the bank of " a creek about twenty yards wide, 
 said to be the Pickawayfork of the Omie." 
 The distance marched was nine miles : and 
 " fresh signs of savages " appeared in different 
 places. Scouting parties were sent out, but 
 did not find the enemy. Upon going into 
 camp, the men were much fatigued, so that 
 no measures for defense were ordered by the 
 General. A plan of attack was arranged, how 
 ever, by the latter in consultation with " Major 
 Ferguson, commanding officer of artillery." 
 The space on the dry ground was rather lim 
 ited and the men in camp were crowded. 
 Parallel with the front line ran the creek. 
 " The militia advanced across the creek about 
 three hundred yards." The rest of the army 
 soon followed under Major Denny s direction 
 and at dusk they went into camp. Contrary 
 to the plan made by the commanding officers, 
 the Indians with an overwhelming force took 
 
 37 
 
the offensive. The following graphic account 
 of the engagement is given by Major Denny : 
 
 " November 4th . . . The frequent firing of 
 the Sentinels through the night had disturbed 
 the camp, and excited some concern among the 
 officers. The guards had reported the Indians 
 to be skulking about in considerable numbers. 
 About ten o clock at night General Butler 
 who commanded the right wing was desired 
 to send out an intelligent officer and party to 
 make discoveries. Captain Slough with two 
 Subalterns and thirty men I saw paraded at 
 General Butler s tent for this purpose, and I 
 heard the General give Captain Slough very 
 particular verbal orders how to proceed. My 
 self and two or three officers staid with the 
 General until late, when I returned to the 
 Commander-in-chief whose tent was at some 
 distance on the left, and who was unable to be 
 up. The troops paraded this morning at the 
 usual time, and had been dismissed from the 
 line for a few minutes, when the woods in 
 front rung with the yells and fire of the sav 
 ages. The poor militia who were but three 
 hundred yards in front, had scarcely time to 
 return a shot they fled into our camp. The 
 troops were under arms in an instant, and a 
 
 38 
 
smart fire from the front line met the enemy- 
 It was but a few minutes, however, until the 
 men were engaged in every quarter. The 
 enemy from the front filed off to the left and 
 right, and completely surrounded the camp, 
 killed and cut off nearly all the guards, and 
 approached close to the lines. They advanced 
 from one tree, log or stump to another, under 
 cover of the smoke of our fire. The artillery 
 and musketry made a tremendous noise but 
 did little execution. 
 
 "The Indians seemed to brave everything, 
 and when fairly fixed around us, they made 
 no noise other than their fire which they kept 
 up very constant, and which seldom failed to 
 tell, although scarcely heard. Our left flank, 
 probably from the nature of the ground, gave 
 way first, the enemy got possession of that 
 part of the encampment, but it being pretty 
 clear ground, they were too much exposed, 
 and were soon repulsed. I was at this time 
 with the General engaged towards the right ; 
 he was on foot, and led the party himself that 
 drove the enemy out, and regained our ground 
 on the left. The battalions in the rear charged 
 several times, and forced the savages from 
 their shelter, but they always turned with the 
 Battalions and fired upon their back ; indeed 
 
 39 
 
they seemed not to fear anything we could 
 do. 1 "When the Indians began a pursuit 
 of the flying militia, Major Ferguson opened 
 an artillery fire upon the former, which put 
 them to great confusion, but they were soon 
 rallied by a leader on horseback who wore 
 a red coat and was undoubtedly a British 
 officer." 2 
 
 The fire seems to have been directed 
 chiefly against the centre of the American 
 troops, where the artillery was stationed. 
 Attempts were made to drive back the In 
 dians with the bayonet, but the latter " would 
 skip out of reach of the Bayonet, and return 
 as they pleased. They were visible only when 
 raised by a charge." 3 The slaughter on both 
 sides was great, for the ground was " literally 
 covered with the dead." " At one time Colonel 
 Darke was ordered to make a charge with a 
 part of the second line ; and the movement 
 was executed with great spirit. The Indians 
 at once gave way, but for want of sufficient 
 riflemen to preserve the advantage gained, 
 
 1 Major Ebenezer Denny s Diary. Published by J. B. Lip- 
 pincott & Co., Philadelphia, 1860. 
 
 2 Testimony of Colonel Semble on the Inquiry ordered by 
 General Washington. See Smith s Letters in the St. Clair 
 Papers. 
 
 8 The quotations which follow, unless otherwise indicated, 
 are from Major Denny s Diary. 
 
 40 
 
the enemy soon renewed their attacks, and 
 the Americans in turn were forced to give 
 way." The wounded were taken to the cen 
 tre, where it was thought safe, and where a 
 great many demoralized men had sought 
 shelter. Repeated charges by the Americans 
 were attended with great success, but upon 
 each occasion there were heavy losses of men 
 and officers. Of the second regiment, Major 
 Butler, who had shown great gallantry, was 
 dangerously wounded, and every other regi 
 mental officer fell except three. Indeed it 
 seemed as if the officers had been singled out 
 by the enemy, so great was the slaughter 
 among them. General Butler and some of 
 his most experienced subordinates were 
 among the number. The men were left with 
 few officers, " became fearful, despaired of suc 
 cess, gave up the fight, and to save themselves 
 for the moment, abandoned entirely their duty 
 and ground, and crowded in toward the cen 
 tre of the field, and no exertions could put 
 them in any order even for Defence." The 
 American artillery was at length captured by 
 the enemy, " though not until the Officers 
 were all killed but one, and he badly wounded, 
 and the Men almost all cut off, and not until 
 the pieces were spiked. As our lines were 
 
deserted the Indians contracted theirs until 
 their shot centred from all points, and now 
 meeting with little opposition, took more de 
 liberate aim and did more execution." As 
 the artillery had been silenced, and as the 
 troops were now exposed to destructive cross 
 fire, a retreat became absolutely necessary. It 
 was hoped that the Indians might momentarily 
 be diverted by the spoils of the camp, and 
 might not press their advantage. The fight 
 had been going on for three hours, when 
 orders were given to make a feint upon the 
 right flank of the enemy. By this means the 
 force was enabled to gain the road. " A few 
 officers put themselves in front, the men fol 
 lowed, the Enemy gave way, and perhaps not 
 being aware of the design, we were for a few 
 minutes left undisturbed/ The militia led 
 the way, followed by the United States troops. 
 The rear was covered by Major Clark with his 
 battalion. The camp was, of course, aban 
 doned, and as the horses had been killed, the 
 artillery was left upon the field. As they re 
 treated, the men threw away their arms and 
 accoutrements, even after the enemy had 
 given up the chase. The road was covered 
 with discarded equipment. At the moment 
 of the Retreat, one of the few horses was given 
 
 4 2 
 
to the General, who until then was on foot. 
 Major Denny says : " I kept by him, and he de 
 layed, to see the rear. The enemy soon dis 
 covered the movement, and pursued, though 
 not more than four or five miles, and but few 
 so far, they turned to share the spoil. Soon 
 after the firing ceased I was directed to en 
 deavour to gain the front, and if possible, to 
 cause a short halt that the rear might get up." 
 Howe, speaking of this retreat, says : " All the 
 horses of the General were killed and he was 
 mounted on a broken-down pack-horse that 
 could scarcely be forced out of a walk. It was 
 therefore impossible for him to get forward 
 in person, to command a halt, till regularity 
 could be restored, and the orders which he 
 dispatched by others for that purpose were 
 wholly unattended to. The rout continued to 
 Fort Jefferson, where they arrived after dark, 
 twenty-seven miles from the battle-ground. 
 The retreat began at half-past nine in the 
 morning, and as the battle commenced half 
 an hour before sunrise, it must have lasted 
 three hours, during which time, with only one 
 exception, the troops behaved with great 
 bravery. This fact accounts for the immense 
 slaughter which took place." 1 Major Denny 
 
 1 Howe, " Historical Collections," Vol. II, p. 485 f. 
 43 
 
was on horseback from the first alarm, and 
 was well mounted. Hoping to restore order, 
 he pushed forward, but met with so many diffi 
 culties and interruptions that he was two hours 
 trying to reach the front. The journey to Fort 
 Jefferson was made slowly and painfully. 
 " With the assistance of two or three officers," 
 continues Major Denny, " I caused a short 
 halt, but the men grew impatient and would 
 move on. I got Lieutenant Sedam and Mor 
 gan, with half a dozen stout men, to fill up the 
 road and to move slowly. I halted myself 
 until the General came up. By this time the 
 remains of the army had got somewhat com 
 pact, but in the most miserable and defence 
 less state. The wounded who came off left 
 their arms in the field, and one half of the 
 others threw theirs away on their retreat. 
 The road for miles was covered with firelocks, 
 cartridge boxes and regimentals. How for 
 tunate that the pursuit was discontinued ! A 
 single Indian might have followed with safety 
 upon either flank. Such a panic had seized 
 the men, that I believe it would not have been 
 possible to have brought any of them to en 
 gage again." 
 
 Ferguson was probably killed in one of 
 the fierce fights when the enemy tried to take 
 
 44 
 
possession of the artillery. The fieldpieces 
 which he brought into action were captured 
 and recaptured three times, and were not 
 abandoned until every artillery officer but 
 one had been killed, and that one desperately 
 wounded. In his official letter General St. 
 Clair says : " The loss which the public has 
 sustained by the fate of so many officers, par 
 ticularly General Butler and Major Ferguson, 
 cannot be too much regretted, but it is a cir 
 cumstance that will alleviate the misfortune 
 in some measure, that all of these fell most 
 gallantly doing their duty." 
 
 The only fault which the General found 
 with his army was its want of discipline, 
 but this was owing to the short time that 
 they had been in service. The officers in 
 many cases were killed while attempting 
 to restore order in the demoralized ranks. 
 The United States forces were greatly out 
 numbered by the Indians, and the General 
 was himself suffering from disease and fatigue. 
 
 On the afternoon of the same day that the 
 fight occurred, Lieutenant Kersey with a de 
 tachment of the First Regiment met the rest 
 of the army. They heard the sound of the 
 firing when thirty miles from the scene of the 
 battlo, and soon learned from some of the 
 
 45 
 
militia that the army had been defeated. 
 Major Hamtranck, the commanding officer, 
 thought it best that the regiment should re 
 tire to Fort Jefferson, " to secure at all events 
 that post." Here they were found by the 
 fugitives from the battle. General St. Clair 
 seems to have thought it fortunate that the 
 First Regiment was not present during the 
 engagement. The result would probably have 
 been the same, but the loss of life in the 
 United States army would have been greater. 
 The battle was celebrated in verse by an 
 artilleryman in Major Ferguson s command : 
 
 We charged again with courage firm 
 But soon again gave ground ; 
 The war-hoop redoubled 
 As did the foes around ; 
 They killed Major Ferguson, 
 Which caused his men to cry : 
 " Our only safety is in flight 
 Or fighting here to die." 
 
 A few weeks after the battle, search was 
 made for the lost cannon, but without success. 
 In 1830, a brass fieldpiece was found buried 
 which doubtless belonged to Major Ferguson s 
 battery. For this was the spot from which the 
 Indians were three times driven at the point 
 of the bayonet to the high ground in the rear ; 
 
 46 
 
and it was probably at this spot that Ferguson 
 met his death while gallantly serving his guns. 
 Some years after the battle, Ferguson s watch, 
 silver cup and pocket Bible were found in the 
 possession of a British officer of Detroit, who 
 had received them from an Indian. When 
 applied to by the family for the return of these 
 mementoes, the officer surrendered the cup 
 and Bible, but it is reported that he said he 
 had use for the watch. The Bible and cup 
 are in possession of the writer. 
 
 Beyond his military record but little is 
 known of Major Ferguson s life. His entire 
 energy seems to have been given to his pro 
 fession. But on January 21, 1791, he was 
 elected a member of the American Philosoph 
 ical Society, at the same time with Alexander 
 Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, and 
 Edmund Randolph, Attorney-General of the 
 United States. Two years previous to this, 
 he had presented to the Society " a collection 
 of curious petrifications and other fossils found 
 in different parts of the western countries." 
 Benjamin Franklin presided at the meeting 
 when the presentation was made. 
 
 Colonel Winthrop Sergeant in his diary 
 pays the following tribute to Ferguson s char 
 acter : " Major Ferguson (whose department 
 
 47 
 
though in all services the most arduous and 
 attended with many perils as any in the army, 
 does not afford a very ample field for the bril 
 liant display of military merit) was a most 
 cool, determined, indefatigable and gallant 
 man, and united all those requisites which are 
 so seldom to be met with, but which are an 
 absolute essential in the artillery officer who 
 aspires to the head of that scientific profes 
 sion." 
 
 Major Ferguson left but one child, a daugh 
 ter who became the wife of President Matthew 
 Brown of Jefferson College, Pa. They in turn 
 had but one daughter, Susan Mary, who mar 
 ried the late Henry M. Alexander of New 
 York. Through this marriage there are 
 numerous descendants of William Ferguson. 
 
 48 
 
APPENDIX A 
 
 Resolution passed by Committee of Safety, Qth January, 
 1776 : "Resolved, That Capt. Proctor immediately go to Fort 
 Island, and take under his Command the Artillery Company 
 station d there." 
 
 (Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. 
 X, p. 45 2 .) 
 
 Resolution passed by Committee of Safety, 25th Jan y, 1776 : 
 " The Committee of Safety having resolved to increase the 
 Number of Men in the pay of, and for the defence of this 
 Province, Captain Proctor is hereby directed to enlist seventy 
 Volunteers, who are to be instructed principally in the use and 
 management of Artillery, but to be embodied in such manner, 
 and employed occasionally upon such service as may hereafter 
 be determined by the said Committee." 
 
 (Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. 
 X, p. 467.) 
 
 From the Minutes of the Council of Safety, under date of 
 26th Jan y, 1776 : 
 
 " The following is the form of an Enlistment to be signed 
 by the Voluntiers to be enlisted by Capt. Proctor, Vizt: 
 
 * We whose names are hereunto subscribed, do voluntarily 
 agree to enter into the Service of the Province of Pennsylvania, 
 to be instructed in the use and management of Artillery, Com 
 manded by such officers as now are or may be hereafter ap 
 pointed by the Assembly of this Province, or Committee of 
 Safety, and to be occasionally employed in such Military Duty 
 and Service in this or the Adjacent Provinces, or the River 
 Delaware, as the defence of this Province may hereafter re- 
 
 49 
 
quire, and for which they shall receive the orders of either of 
 the above Boards." 
 
 (Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. 
 X, p. 468.) 
 
 Resolutions passed by the Committee of Safety, 24th 
 Febr y, 1776 : 
 
 " Resolved, That Capt. Proctor make use of Seven Rooms 
 in the Pest House, on Province Island, for quartering part 
 of the Artillery Company. 
 
 "That there be Six 18 pound Gun Carriages made for the 
 use of the Battery at Fort Island, and that Mr. Nevil be em 
 ployed in making one of the said Carriages, and furnish this 
 Board with an account of the same. 
 
 " That Captain Proctor have the use of as many Firelocks 
 as he may have occasion for, and a 6 pound Cannon to exer 
 cise the Men under his Command, and that Robert Towers be 
 directed to deliver the same. 
 
 " That Commodore Caldwell & Capt. Proctor fix upon 
 proper Signals for the Fleet, Merchantmen & Battery, and 
 that the same be communicated to the Pilots employed in 
 Navigating Vessels through the Chevaux de Frize. 
 
 " That Capt. Proctor procure a Flagg Staff for the Fort, 
 with a Flagg of the United Colonies. 
 
 " That Robert Towers put up 50 Rounds of Cartridge, with 
 different kinds of Shot, for each of the six 18 pound cannon on 
 the Battery at Fort Island. 
 
 " That Mr. Owen Biddle & Capt. Whyte order a Smith s 
 Shop and Forge to be erected on Fort Island, and to furnish 
 the same with proper Smith s tools. 
 
 " That the said Committee see that the necessaries wanting 
 at Fort Island for the use of the Battery, and for Capt. Proctor s 
 Company, not mention d in the above Resolves, be supplied. 
 
 " Resolved, That Jeremiah Simmons, now a Lieut, on board 
 one of the armed Boats be appointed ist Lieutenant in Capt. 
 Proctor s Company of Artillery." 
 
 (Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania^ Vol. 
 X, p. 494.) 
 
 50 
 
Extract from the Minutes of the Committee of Safety, 
 under date of Monday, 6th May, 1777 : 
 
 " Orders were this day sent to the Commanding officer of 
 the Fleet & Artillery Company at Fort Island, to call every 
 Boat & Soldiers to their stations, & each to prepare for imme 
 diate action, and to suffer no Officer or Man to leave their 
 station without the License of this Board, or the Commanding 
 officer." 
 
 " Resolved, That Colo. Nixon & Capt. Whyte be desired 
 immediately to go to Fort Island, and give every necessary 
 advice to assist the Officers carrying the above orders into 
 execution. 
 
 " The Officers & Men of the Armed Boats now in Town, 
 except Capt. Boy s, were this day directed to go immediately 
 to their stations at Fort Island." 
 
 (Minutes of the Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. X, p. 557.) 
 
 Resolution passed by the Committee of Safety, under date 
 of 7th May, 1776 : 
 
 "Resolved, That the following recommendation be made 
 public at the Coffee House of this City : 
 
 " In Committee of Safety, May 7, 1776. 
 
 " There being a very pressing necessity for a large Quan 
 tity of Lead for the public use, in the Defence now formed for 
 the security of the Liberties of this Country, it is most ear 
 nestly recommended to all the Inhabitants of the City and 
 Liberties of Philadelphia, to send in to Robert Towers, Com 
 missary for this purpose, all such Lead as they may have in 
 use in their Families and about their Houses, such as draught 
 weights, window weights & Clock Weights, and it is hoped that 
 this requisition will be cheerfully complied with, when every 
 individual considers that he thereby does Essential service to 
 his Country, and that Iron weights may be procured to supply 
 his private convenience. The Liberal Price of six pence per 
 pound will be allowed. " 
 
 (Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. X, 
 P. 558.) 
 
 51 
 
Resolution passed by the Council of Safety, October 5, 1776 : 
 " Resolved, That the two Companies of Artillery, under the 
 Command of Major Thomas Proctor, be officered with One 
 Captain & three Lieutenants for the present ; & that the fol 
 lowing Gentlemen be and are hereby appointed officers in said 
 Companies, vizt. : 
 
 First Company. 
 
 John Martin Strohbogh, Captain. 
 Worsley Ernes, First Lieutenant. 
 Charles Turnbull, Second Lieutenant. 
 William Ferguson, Third Lieutenant. 
 
 Second Company. 
 Thomas Forrest, Captain. 
 Hercules Courtney, First Lieutenant. 
 Francis Proctor, Second Lieutenant. 
 Patrick Duffy, Third Lieutenant. 
 
 (Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. 
 X, p. 742.) 
 
 Resolution passed by the Council of Safety, October 
 
 5, 1776: 
 
 "Resolved, That a Detachment be made from the Artillery 
 Companies of the State, of fifty men, to be sent to Fort Mont 
 gomery, under the command of Captain Strohbogh, Subject to 
 the direction of the Commander-in-Chief, and that two of the 
 Commissioned Officers in his Company, and Lieutenant Proc 
 tor, of Captain Forrest s Coinp y, proceed with the said De 
 tachment (that they may have an opportunity of seeing 
 Service), to be relieved at such time as the board may think 
 proper, and that they shall march as soon as they are furnished 
 with necessary Camp Equipage. Major Proctor is to see this 
 resolve carried into Execution." 
 
 (Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. 
 x > P- 743-) 
 
 52 
 
APPENDIX B 
 
 COL. J. HARMAR TO PRES. DICKINSON, 1785. 
 
 FORT MclNTOSH, MAY 24, 1785. 
 Sir, 
 
 I was honored last evening with your letter of the 26th 
 ult o, inclosing me the late resolution of Congress respecting a 
 new arrangement of the Corps. 
 
 Inclosed be pleased to receive a list of the Officers who are 
 willing to continue upon the present establishment. If two 
 Captains only are to be appointed, I would beg leave to recom 
 mend seniority. 
 
 Lieut. Herbert has been suspended in his command the 
 chief part of the time the Corps was raised, and in my opinion 
 is unworthy of command. 
 
 The reduction of the Pay of the Officers appears to be 
 rather parsimonious. What the views of Congress may be, in 
 abridging the pay, the Officers know not. If his Excellency 
 the President & the Honorable Council should think proper to 
 continue me, I am willing to remain upon the present arrange 
 ment. 
 
 Pay & Subsistence (any further than to support the rank & 
 Dignity of an Officer) I despise. 
 
 I have the honor to be, Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient & very h ble Serv t, 
 
 Jos. HARMAR, Lt. Col. Com. 
 Directed, 
 
 To the Honorable John Armstrong, Esqr., Secretary to 
 Council, Philadelphia. 
 
 Hon d Lt. DOYLE. 
 
 Names and Rank of the Officers of the Pennsylvania Line 
 who are at present in the service of the United States and are 
 willing to remain upon the Establishment agreeable to the Act 
 of Congress of the 7th of April, 1785. 
 
 53 
 
Names. 
 
 Josiah Harmar, 
 Walter Finney, 
 David Zeigler, 
 William McCurdy, 
 Thomas Douglass, 
 Joseph Ashton, 
 Stewart Herbert, 
 Erkurius Beatty, 
 Thomas Doyle, 
 John Armstrong, 
 Ebenezer Denny, 
 Nathaniel McDowell, Ensign, 
 John McDowell, Surgeon, 
 Richard Allison, Mate, 
 
 Jos. HARMAR, 
 FORT MclNTOSH, May 24th, 1785. 
 
 Rank. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel, 
 Captain, 
 Captain, 
 Captain, 
 Captain, 
 Lieutenant, 
 Lieutenant, 
 Lieutenant, 
 Lieutenant, 
 Ensign, 
 Ensign, 
 
 Dates of appointment 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 2ist October, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 1 2th August, 1784. 
 L t Col. Com t. 
 
 APPENDIX C 
 
 In the Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council of Penn 
 sylvania, Vol. XIV, Colonial Records, p. 569, there appears 
 the following under date of October 20, 1785 : 
 
 " Council met this day and proceeded to the appointment 
 of a Captain of Artillery and Ensign of Infantry to complete 
 the number of officers required of this State in forming the 
 Federal Militia Regiment commanded by Colonel Josiah 
 Harmar when 
 
 " Ferguson, Esquire, was appointed Captain of Artillery 
 and Edward Speare, Esquire, Ensign, of Infantry." 
 
 This action was reported to the Secretary of War by the 
 following communication : 
 
 SECRETARY ARMSTRONG TO SECRETARY OF WAR, 1785. 
 Sir, 
 
 I have the honor to inform you that from the Resolutions 
 of Council of the 8th of September & 2oth of October, 1785, it 
 
 54 
 
appears that the following gentlemen were appointed to com 
 mand the quota of Troops, required from this State in forming 
 the Regiment of Federal Militia, agreeably to an Ordinance of 
 Congress & a Law of this Commonwealth. 
 
 Viz. Josiah Harmar, Esq., Lt. Col. Commd t. 
 
 Walter Finney, Captain. 
 David Zeigler, " 
 Wm. McCurdy, " 
 
 Ercurius Beatty, Lieutenant of Infantry. 
 Thomas Doyle, 
 
 John Armstrong, " " " 
 
 Nathaniel McDowell, Ensign. 
 Ebenezer Denny, 
 Edward Spear, " 
 
 Ferguson, Captain of Artillery. 
 Joseph Ashton, Lieutenant " 
 John McDowell, Surgeon. 
 Richard Allison, Surgeon s Mate. 
 I am Sir, with much respect, 
 
 Your most Obedient Humble servt., 
 
 JOHN ARMSTRONG, JR., Sec y. 
 Philadelphia, Secretary s Office, 2oth October, 1785. 
 
 Directed, 
 
 The Honorable Major General Knox, Secretary of War. 
 
 55 
 
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APPENDIX D 
 
 LT. COL. JOSIAH HARMAR TO V. P. MUHLENBERG, 1788. 
 
 FORT HARMAR, June 30, 1788. 
 Sir, 
 
 I had the honor to address Council on the 24th April, from 
 Fort Pitt upon the subject of the Treasurer of Pennsylvania s 
 three drafts on the County Treasurer of Westmoreland, Wash 
 ington & Fayette, for monies for the recruiting service, & to 
 inform your honorable body that there was a likelihood of ob 
 taining nothing but the paper currency for them, & at the same 
 time praying that some other arrangements might speedily be 
 made in order to obtain specie, as paper would not answer the 
 purpose. 
 
 Since which I have to acknowledge the receipt of two 
 Letters from the hon ble, the Vice President in Council, the 
 one dated the i8th April, the other the i6th May last. The 
 former enclosed our State Commissions. The latter, I ob 
 serve, desires that the final determination on the rank of 
 Ensigns Denny & Spear may remain suspended until I have 
 an opportunity to lay the several pretentions before the 
 Board. 
 
 Respecting the dispute of rank between these Gentlemen, 
 a Board of officers was convened a twelvemonth ago, in order 
 to determine it, I did not chuse to give my opinion at that 
 time concerning it, but referred the proceedings to the Secre 
 tary of War, who was pleased to decide in favor of Ensign 
 Spear ; upon this principle, that Ensign Denny could not by 
 virtue of his one year s service (which was considered as 
 militia Rank, from the Act of Congress of the 3d June, 1784) 
 take rank of Ensign Spear, whose rank was derived from Con 
 tinental service. In consequence of this decision of the Secre 
 tary of War, orders have long since been issued by me at this 
 post, announcing Ensign Spear as the Senior officer. 
 
 I have been informed that Captain Zeigler is contesting 
 rank with Capt. Ferguson. The same principle which de- 
 
 57 
 
cides the rank of Ensign Denny & Ensign Spear, I presume 
 should operate in the case of Capt. Ferguson & Capt. Ziegler. 
 The Query is whether the one year s service was Militia or 
 Continental rank ? If Council should be of opinion that the 
 one year s service was Militia rank, Capt. Ferguson is un 
 doubtedly Senior to Capt. Ziegler. 
 
 As the right of finally judging upon this case rests with 
 your hono ble Body, I beg leave to offer the following obser 
 vations. 
 
 Captain Ferguson is now absent at Post Vincennes, and 
 perhaps has not in council one friend to advocate his cause. 
 He is an officer of distinguished & superior abilities in the 
 Artillery department. The consequence will be that if Cap 
 tain Ziegler obtain Rank of him he will instantly resign, 
 which will be a loss not only to the State of Pennsylvania, but 
 to the States in General. I question very much whether an 
 officer of equal abilities of his grade & in his line, can be fur 
 nished by any State in the Union. 
 
 Doctor John McDowell has resigned his commission on the 
 ist instant. The surgeon s mate, Richard Allison, is fully 
 qualified, I believe, to succeed him. 
 
 There will be a vacancy now for a Surgeon s mate from our 
 State. Doctor Scott, the surgeon s mate of the Jersey quota, 
 begs me to recommend a friend of his, Mr. John F. Carmichael 
 (a native of Pennsylvania). I have no knowledge of the young 
 Gentleman, but from Dr. Scott s representation, I beg leave to 
 recommend him to fill the vacancy, provided the hon ble 
 Council thinks it proper, and has no other person in view. 
 I have the honor to be, Sir, 
 
 With the highest Esteem & respect, 
 
 Your most h ble & obt. Serv t, Jos Harmar, 
 Lt. Col. ist U. S. Reg. 
 
 Directed, 
 
 The honorable P. Muhlenberg, Esq., Vice President in 
 
 Council, Pennsylvania. 
 
 (Pennsylvania Archives, Old Series, Vol. XI, p. 325.) 
 And at page 391 the following letter from Peter Muhlen- 
 
 58 
 
berg, Vice President of the Council, which seems to be the last 
 recorded transaction covering the matter. 
 
 V. P. MUHLENBERG TO BRIG. GEN. JOSIAH HARMAR, 1788. 
 
 In Council, 
 
 Phila., Wednesday, September gth, 1788. 
 Dear General, 
 
 Your favor of the 3Oth of June has been for a considerable 
 time under consideration of the Board, but owing to the embar 
 rassment The Executive labor under by the depreciation of the 
 paper Curr y, we found that to comply with your request, rela 
 tive to the Money allotted for the recruiting service, it was 
 absolutely necessary we should lay the matter before the House. 
 This has been done & the result I shall do myself the Honor to 
 communicate as soon as the House determine. 
 
 Agreeably to your recommendation, The Board have ap 
 pointed R. Allison Surgeon to your Reg t & J. F. Carmichael, 
 Mate. The Board seem still to adhere to their former deter 
 mination relative to the dispute of Rank between Ziegler, Fer 
 guson &c., as they do not consider the Troops rais d by virtue 
 of the resolution of Congress of the 3d of June, 1 784, as Militia. 
 The hurry of business occasioned by the meeting of the 
 House &c., prevents me from saying more on the subject at 
 present. I shall do myself the Honor to write you fully in a 
 few days. 
 
 I have the honor to be 
 
 with great Respect, your most 
 
 obedient and very humble Servant, 
 Peter Muhlenberg, 
 
 V. President. 1 
 Honorable Brigadier General Harmar. 
 
 Extract from Henry Howe s " Historical Collections of 
 Ohio," 1852, which is taken from Burnet Notes. 
 
 Page 130. The loss sustained by the country from the fall 
 of so many gallant Officers & Men was most seriously regretted, 
 General Butler and Major Ferguson were spoken of with pecul- 
 1 (Pennsylvania Archives, Old Series, Vol. XT, pp. 325-391.) 
 
 59 
 
iar interest. The public feeling was, however, in some measure 
 alleviated by the fact that these brave Men, Officers and 
 Privates fell covered with honour in defending the cause of 
 their country. 
 
 APPENDIX E 
 
 List of the Killed and Wounded Officers in the Army of 
 the United States, commanded by General Arthur St. Clair, 
 November 4, 1791. 
 
 ARTILLERY 
 
 Killed. Wounded. 
 
 Major Ferguson. Captain Ford. 
 
 Captain Bradford. 
 Lieutenant Spear. 
 
 CAVALRY 
 
 Wounded. 
 
 Captain Trueman. 
 Captain Debutst. 
 Cornet Bhines. 
 
 FIRST REGIMENT 
 
 Wounded. 
 Captain Doyle. 
 
 SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Killed. Wounded. 
 
 Major Heart. Lieutenant Graton. 
 
 Captain Phelon. 
 Captain Newman. 
 Captain Kirkwood. 
 Lieutenant Warren. 
 Ensign Balsh. 
 Ensign Cobb. 
 
 60 
 
FIRST REGIMENT OF LEVIES 
 
 Killed. Wounded. 
 
 Captain Vanswearinger. Lieutenant Colonel Dark. 
 
 Captain Tibton. Captain Dark. 
 
 Captain Price. Captain Buchanan. 
 
 Lieutenant McMath. Lieutenant Morgan. 
 
 Lieutenant Boyd. Lieutenant Lyle. 
 
 Ensigns Wilson. Lieutenant Rhea. 
 
 Reaves. Lieutenant Davidson. 
 
 Brooks. Lieutenant Price. 
 
 Chase. Adjutant Whistler. 
 
 Turner. 
 
 Adjutant Burgess. 
 Dr. Grayson. 
 
 SECOND REGIMENT OF LEVIES 
 
 Captain Cribbs. Lieutenant Colonel Gibson. 
 
 Captain Pratt. Major Butler. 
 
 Captain Smith. Captain Slough. 
 
 Captain Purdy. Lieutenant Thompson. 
 
 Lieutenant Kelso. Lieutenant Cummins. 
 
 Lieutenant Lukins. Lieutenant Read. 
 
 Ensigns McMickle. Ensign Moorhead. 
 
 Beatty. Adjutant Crawford. 
 
 Purdy. 
 Adjutant Anderson. 
 
 KENTUCKY MILITIA 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Oldham. Captain Thomas. 
 Captain Lemmon. Captain Maddison. 
 
 Lieutenant Briggs. Lieutenant Owens. 
 
 Ensign Montgomery. Lieutenant Stagnet. 
 
 Ensign Walter. 
 Dr. Gano. 
 6l 
 
APPENDIX F 
 
 Letter of President Washington announcing to Congress 
 the defeat of Gen. St. Clair, in which engagement Major 
 Ferguson was killed : 
 
 UNITED STATES, Dec. 12, 1791. 
 Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives, 
 
 It is with great concern that I communicate to you the 
 information received from Major General St. Clair, of the mis 
 fortune that has befallen our troops under his command. 
 
 Although the national loss is considerable, according to the 
 scale of the event, yet it may be repaired without great diffi 
 culty, excepting the brave men who have fallen on the occa 
 sion, and who are a subject of public as well as private regret. 
 
 A further communication will shortly be made of all such 
 matters as shall be necessary to enable the Legislature to judge 
 of the future measures which it may be proper to pursue. 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
 APPENDIX G 
 
 Inventory of the Personal Estate of the late Major William 
 Ferguson, dec d., taken the seventeenth day of March, Anno 
 Domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, 
 
 by EDWARD LYNCH, 
 
 PETER BENSON. 
 In the Kitchen. 
 
 1 Tin plate Stove 6 .10. 
 
 2 old chairs 3 . 
 
 i Pine Table 3 . 9 
 
 i pair of Andirons, Shovell & Tongs i . 
 
 1 Oval bake oven & Hooks 15 . 
 
 2 Iron potts & Kettle 12. 6 
 
 i Copper Tea Kettle 10 . 
 
 i Gridiron & Bake plate 6.8 
 
 1 Dripping Pan & Frying pan 8.4 
 
 2 Funnels & i Toaster 
 
 2 Tin Cullinders 
 
 62 
 
In the Kitchen. Continued, 
 i Tin lamp 
 
 3 do cups 
 
 6 do Pattepans 9 . 
 
 i Drudge box 
 
 i Iron Pepper box 
 
 1 do Sauce pan 
 
 2 Pewter Dishes 9 . 
 
 2 Iron & brass candlesticks 8.4 
 
 i pair Flat Irons & Stand 7 . 
 
 Carried forward ^2- 2. 7 
 
 Brought forward i 2.2.7 
 
 i Spicer Mill 5 . 
 
 6 Skewers & i Flesh-fork 9 
 
 Crane Hooks & Chain i . 6 
 
 i Cleaver i . 6 
 
 4 Oyster knives 
 
 4 Table Do 
 
 6 Forks & i Carving knife & fork 
 
 8 Plates (Queens Ware) 
 
 9 Desert Do. Do 
 
 5 Soup Do. Do 
 
 i Pitcher Do. Do 
 
 1 Do. (Earthen) 13. 9 
 
 8 Jars 
 
 6 Earthen Potts 
 
 3 Do. basins & pipkin 
 
 2 Queens Ware Bowls 
 
 2 pair Snuffers & Tray i . 
 
 3 pewter Spoons 6 
 
 1 Bucket & 2 pot Hooks 2.6 
 
 2 Queens Ware butter boats & Mug i . 
 
 Carried forward l $ 1 5 I 
 
 Brought forward ; J 3- J 5 J 
 
 i Iron ladle, Strainer & Rowling pin 2. 
 
 i Wash bench & Ironing board 5.6 
 
 i Knife board i 
 
 63 
 
In the Cellar. 
 
 i Safe 15. 
 
 4 Cedar Tubs 10 . 
 
 i Brass Kettle 2 . 
 
 i half barrel & brass Cock 4 . 
 
 i Market basket 2 . 
 
 In the Parlour. 
 
 8 Cane Chairs (stuffed bottoms) 4.10. 
 
 i Dining Table (Mahogany) 3 . 
 
 i Breakfast " " 1.15. 
 
 i Looking Glass 5 1 2 . 6 
 
 i Sett China (not compleat) & Tray 3 . 
 
 i Small Waiter 12 . 6 
 
 i Rittenhouse Stove 3 . 
 
 i pair brass Andirons 2 . 5 . 
 
 i pair Tongs & Shovel 10 . 
 
 i Hearth brush i . 
 
 i Carpet 2 . 
 
 3 Small baskets 1.16 
 
 i Castor with Silver Top 2.10. 
 
 i pair plaited Salts i . 5 . 
 
 i China punch bowl 7 . 
 
 3 large & 4 small Queens Ware dishes ... 12.6 
 
 i Delft bowl . , i . 10 
 
 i Doz. black bottles & Cork Screw 4. 
 
 6 Blue & White Cups & Saucers (China) . 7.6 
 
 i pair brown Tea pots " 2 . 
 
 i Sugar bowl & Cream Cup " 5 . 
 
 Carried forward ^19.16.11 
 
 Brought forward ^"19.16.11 
 
 6 breakfast bowls & Saucers 3.9 
 
 3 Tea Canisters (Tin) 2 . 
 
 1 Sugar box " i . 10 
 
 4 Decanters 9 . 
 
 5 Wine Glasses 3 . 9 
 
 3 Tumblers i . 
 
 2 Small Servers i . 3 
 
In the Parlour. Continued. 
 
 12 Tea Spoons & Sugar Tongs ^4. 2 . 6 
 
 4 Table Spoons 4 . 
 
 i Cloathe Brush & i Furniture Do 2 . 
 
 Books on different subjects 4 . 
 
 i Map of the Western Country 2.6 
 
 i pair of gift Candlesticks 15 . 
 
 i pair Window blinds 4 . 
 
 In the front Chamber. 
 
 i High post bedstead & Sacking bottom. . 3.15. 
 I Suit bed Curtains (Do.) & 3 Window 
 
 Curtains with cornices & pins 18.15. 
 
 i Small pine Table 3 . 9 
 
 i Small Looking Glass 2 . 5 . 
 
 4 Cane Chairs i . 10 . 
 
 i Pair Small Andirons 14. 
 
 i Case with 12 bottles 15 . 
 
 In the middle Chamber. 
 
 i low post bedstead 7 . 6 
 
 i Chair 3 . 9 
 
 In the Kitchen Chamber. 
 
 i Mahogany Bureau 4 . 
 
 i Field bedstead & Sacking bottom i.io. 
 
 3 Rush bottom chairs 12. 6 
 
 Carried forward 9% i 7 
 
 Brought forward j>9% -17. 
 
 i Travelling Trunk containing 3 Dimity 
 
 Jackets, 3 pair Breeches & 3 pair 
 
 Stockings i. 6. 6 
 
 3 Feather beds with boulsters & pillows 
 
 (weight 100 Ibs.) 13.15. 
 
 3 Blankets 1.17. 6 
 
 3 Coverlets 3 . 
 
 3 Bed quilts 1.17. 6 
 
 65 
 
In the Kitchen Chamber. Continued. 
 6J pair Sheets, 4 pair fine & 3 coarse 
 
 pillow-cases 15 . 
 
 1 Chintz Bed Spread 1.15. 
 
 4 Damask Table cloths 3 . 
 
 2 Diaper 7 . 6 
 
 6 fine & 6 coarse Towells n. 3 
 
 6 Ib. Flax 7 . 6 
 
 1 6 half shares National Bank Stock 1200. 
 
 In the hands of Mr. Robert Patterson : 
 
 Drs. Cts. 
 
 378.22 in Six P Cents ^ J 4 J J 6. 8 
 
 600 " " 225. 
 
 1,006.72 in Cash 377.10. 5 
 
 In Mrs. Ferguson s hands 52.15. 
 
 i Brass Kettle 2 . 
 
 ^2,132.11.10 
 
 EDW D LYNCH, Sworn the nth day of April, 1792, & 
 Before 
 
 ISAAC WAMPOLE, D Reg r. 
 
 Extracted from Probate Records in office of Register of 
 Wills at Philadelphia. 
 
 APPENDIX H 
 
 " The Council met. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, October 20, 1785. 
 Present : 
 The Honorable CHARLES BIDDLE, Esquire, Vice President. 
 
 HENRY HILL, ) 
 
 JOHN WHITEHILL, and I ^ 
 JOHN BOYD, ;. __ > Esquires. 
 
 JOHN NEVILLE, \ 
 
 STEPHEN BALLET, 
 
 Council this day proceeded to the appointment of a Cap 
 tain of Artillery and Ensign of Infantry, to compleat the num- 
 
 66 
 
ber of officers required of this State, in forming the Federal 
 Militia regiment, commanded by Colonel Josiah Harmar, when 
 FERGUSON, Esquire, was appointed Captain of Artillery, 
 and Edward Spear, Esquire, Ensign of Infantry." 
 
 (Extract from Minutes of Supreme Executive Council of 
 Pennsylvania, 14 Colonial Records, p. 559.) 
 
 APPENDIX I 
 
 31627 A. G. O. 
 
 WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL S OFFICE, 
 
 WASHINGTON, January 21, 1896. 
 
 MR. CHARLES B. ALEXANDER, 
 
 No. 4 WEST 58 STREET, NEW YORK CITY. 
 Sir: 
 
 In reply to your letter of the i2th instant, I have the honor 
 to inform you that there is no record in this office of the early 
 service of Major William Ferguson ; but that it appears from 
 Heitman s Historical Register of Officers of the Continental 
 Army that he was from Pennsylvania ; that he became a Cap 
 tain-Lieutenant, 4th Continental Artillery, March 14, 1777 ; 
 was taken prisoner at Bound Brook April 13, 1777 ; exchanged 
 December i, 1780; promoted captain April 14, 1778, and re 
 tired January i, 1783. 
 
 The official records show that he was appointed Captain 
 United States Artillery, 2oth October, 1785 ; Captain Artillery 
 Battalion United States Army, 29th September, 1789; pro 
 moted Major Commandant Artillery Battalion United States 
 Army, 4th March, 1791 ; and was killed 4th November, 1791, 
 near Fort Recovery, Ohio, in action with Indians at St. Clair s 
 defeat. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 W. P. HALL, Assistant Adjutant General. 
 
APPENDIX J 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, December 20, 1898. 
 REV. MAITLAND ALEXANDER, D.D. 
 
 43 EAST 125 STREET, NEW YORK. 
 Dear Sir and Brother : 
 
 In reply to yours of the lyth instant, I have caused a care 
 ful search to be made of the records in this office, and the 
 name of William Ferguson does not appear among those who 
 were members of the Craft in this Jurisdiction. 
 
 In the confusion of the war of the Revolution many of our 
 early records were lost. 
 
 While the Provincial Grand Lodge granted military or 
 travelling Warrants, there were no returns received or kept of 
 the transactions of such Lodges. I herewith enclose Historical 
 sketch of Lodge No. 19, by Brother George Griscom, which 
 may prove of interest to you, and from which you will learn 
 how difficult it is to obtain correct information relating to the 
 matter you refer to. 
 
 Regretting my inability to furnish you the information you 
 desire, I remain, 
 
 Yours truly and fraternally, 
 
 WILLIAM A. SINN, Grand Secretary. 
 
 APPENDIX K 
 
 ARMY RECORD OF MAJOR WILLIAM FERGUSON 
 
 Heitman s Historical Register of the Continental Army shows 
 
 that William Ferguson became a 
 Captain-Lieutenant, 4th Continental Artillery, March 14, 
 
 1777. 
 
 He was taken prisoner at Bound Brook, April 13, 1777. 
 Exchanged, December i, 1780. 
 Promoted Captain, April 14, 1778. 
 etire d January i, 1783. 
 
 68 
 
Appointed Captain United States Artillery, October 20, 1785. 
 Captain Artillery Battalion, United States Army, September 
 
 29, 1789. 
 Promoted Major Commandant Artillery Battalion, United 
 
 States Army, March 4, 1791. 
 Killed November 4, 1791. Near Fort Recovery, Ohio, in 
 
 action with Indians at St. Clair s defeat. 
 
 APPENDIX L 
 
 Extract from Smith s Letters in St. Clair s Papers of the tes 
 timony of Colonel Semble on the Inquiry ordered by President 
 Washington. 
 
 Just after the tap of the drums of the morning of the 4th 
 I heard Major Butler interrogating Adams about the success 
 of the enterprise of Captain Slough the preceeding night. 
 Adams replied that they had seen a number of Indians; that 
 he, Adams, had shot at, and, he believed, killed one, and wished 
 a party to go out with him and endeavour to find the Indian. 
 Major Butler seemed displeased that they had taken no 
 prisoners, about this time the firing began, an attack having 
 been made on the Militia; I observed Major Ferguson prepar 
 ing to fire his cannon on the Indians who were pursuing the 
 flying Militia; and soon saw him fire, which put them in great 
 confusion, but they were soon rallied by their Leader on horse 
 back dressed in a red coat. 
 
 APPENDIX M 
 
 Extract from Major General Arthur St. Clair s Book on his 
 Campaign against the Indians. Note 18 in appendix; page 269. 
 
 " It was my intention to have moved as early as possible on 
 " the 4th of November and by a forced march to have reached 
 
 6 9 
 
" the Miami Town that day ; and to that end all the provisions, 
 "except for two days which the Men were to carry; the bag- 
 " g a g e an d knapsacks, were to have been left in a small redoubt 
 "that could have been constructed in a few hours; (the plan 
 " and situation of which had been settled with Major Ferguson) 
 " under the guard of all those who were not fit to undertake 
 "such a march." 
 
 
LOAN DEPT. 
 
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