[The first portion of the following paper (pp. 297-308,) was originally published in the "Collections of the New-York Historical Society," (Vol. III. pp. 387-404.) By the courtesy of that Society, the Publishing Committee are enabled to insert it here, with the author's emendations, as giving completeness to Dr. Mease's subsequent communication to the Massachusetts Historical Society.]

DESCRIPTION

OF SOME OF

THE MEDALS,

Struck in relation to Important Events in North America, before and since the Declaration of Independence by the United States. By JAMES MEASE, M. D.

1. OCCASION.Settlement of Pennsylvania. Silver. Face. A head of William Penn.

Legend. WILLIAM PENN - BORN 1644, DIED 1718.

Reverse. Device. Device. Penn standing; his left hand on his walking cane, and shaking hands with an Indian Chief, who is holding a bow in his left hand.

2. OCCASION.In honor of the late General John Armstrong, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for destroying the Kitanning Indian town. Silver.

Device. An officer followed by two soldiers the officer pointing to a soldier shooting from behind a tree, and an Indian prostrate before him. In the back ground Indian houses are seen in flames. Legend. KITANNING DESTROYED BY COLONEL ARMSTRONG, SEPTEMBER 8, 1756.

Reverse. Device. The arms of the corporation of Philadelphia. These consisted of four devices: on the right hand, a ship under full sail on the left, a pair of scales equally balanced on the right, above the ship, a wheat-sheaf: on the left, two hands locked.

:

Legend. THE GIFT OF THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.†

*I am not informed by whose authority this medal was struck. It is preserved in the Cabinet of the Library Company of Philadelphia.

† Silver medals were presented to each of the commissioned officers.

38

The district including the site of the battle fought between General (then Colonel)'Armstrong's troops and the Indians, is now called "Armstrong County," "and contained in 1812, according to the official census by the marshal of Pennsylvania, 6,413 inhabitants. The population of the county of Armstrong, in 1830, was 17,625.

I have read the copy of Colonel Armstrong's letter to the Governor of Pennsylvania (William Denny), in one of the books of public documents in the office of the secretary of the Commonwealth, and can assure the Society, that the following account contains all the essential particulars of the action. The letter is very long, and minutely details the progress of his march, and the occurrences that took place during the expedition. The account is taken from Franklin and Hall's "Pennsylvania Gazette" of September 23d, 1756.

"Saturday last, arrived an express from Colonel Armstrong, of Cumberland county, with advice that he marched from Fort Shirley, on the 30th past, with about 300 of our provincial forces, on an expedition against Kitanning, a town of our Indian enemies on the Ohio, about 25 miles above fort Duquesne (Pittsburg).* On the third inst. he joined the advanced party at the Beaver Dams, near Frankstown; and on the seventh, in the evening, being within 6 miles of Kitanning, the scouts discovered a fire in the road, and reported that there were but three or at most four Indians at it. It was not thought proper to attempt surprising those Indians at that time, lest, if one should escape, the town might be alarmed; so Lieutenant Hogg, with twelve men, was left to watch them, with orders not to fall upon them till day-break: and our forces turned out of the path, to pass by their fire without disturbing them. About three in the morning, having been guided by the whooping of the Indian warriors at a dance in the town, they reached the river, 100 perches below the body of the town, near a corn-field, in which a number of the enemy lodged, out of their cabins, as it was a warm night. As soon as day appeared, and the town could be seen, the attack began in the corn-field, through which our people charged, killing several of the enemy, and entered the town. Captain Jacobs, the chief of the Indians, gave the war-whoop, and defended his house bravely through loop holes in the logs, and the Indians generally refused quarters, which were offered them, declaring they were men, and would not be prisoners. Colonel Armstrong (who now received a wound in his shoulder by a musket-ball) ordered their houses to be set on fire over their heads, which was immediately done. When the Indians were told that they would be burnt if they did not surrender, one of them replied, 'he did not care, as he could kill four or five before he died;' and as the heat approached, some began to sing. Some, however, burst out of their houses, and attempted to reach the river, but were instantly shot down. Captain Jacobs, in getting out of a window, was shot, as also his squaw, and a lad called the king's son. The Indians had a number of spare arms in their houses, loaded, which went off in quick succession as the fire came to them; and quantities of gunpowder, which had been stored in every house, blew up from time to time, throwing some of their bodies a great height in the air. A body of the enemy on the opposite side of the river, fired on our people, and were seen to cross the river at a distance, as if to surround our en; they collected some Indian horses that were near the town, to carry off the wounded; and then retreated without going back to the corn-field to pick up those killed there in the beginning of the action. Several of the enemy were killed in the river, as they attempted to escape

* Kitanning is on the Alleghany river, 44 miles above Pittsburg.

by fording it; and it was computed that, in all, between thirty and forty were destroyed. Eleven English prisoners were released, and brought away, who informed the Colonel, that, besides the powder (of which the Indians boasted they had enough for ten years' war with the English), there was a great quantity of goods burnt, which the French had made them a present of but ten days before. The prisoners also informed, that, that very day, two batteaux of French Indians were to join Captain Jacobs to march and take fort Shirley, and that twenty-four warriors had set out before them, the preceding evening, which proved to be the party that kindled the fire the night before: for our people, returning, found Lieutenant Hogg wounded in three places, and learnt that he had, in the morning, attacked the supposed party of three or four, at the fire place, according to order, but found them too numerous for him. He killed three of them, however, at the first fire, and fought them an hour, when, having lost three of his best men, the rest, as he lay wounded, abandoned him and fled, the enemy pursuing. Captain Mercer, being wounded in the action, was carried off by his ensign and eleven men, who left the main body in their return, to take another road."

Annexed, is a return of the killed and wounded, and the names of the released prisoners. Captain Mercer,* with twenty-three soldiers, and four released prisoners afterwards returned safe.

The Corporation of Philadelphia, on the 5th of January, 1757, addressed a complimentary letter to Colonel Armstrong, thanking "him, his officers and men, for their gallant conduct, and presented him with a piece of plate, besides the silver medal. A silver medal was also presented to each of the commissioned officers, and " a small sum of money, to be disposed of in the manner most agreeable to them.”

3. OCCASION. Promoting peace with the Indian tribes. Device. A head of George the Second.

Reverse. Device. A citizen and Indian seated under a tree; the former holding up the calumet of peace: the Indian in the act of receiving it. A fire, as usual on such occasions, is between thein. The sun is in the zenith.

Legend.

LET US LOOK TO THE MOST HIGH, WHO BLESSED OUR FATHERS WITH PEACE. 1757.

The medals were struck at the expense of the association (chiefly composed of the religious society called Quakers), formed for the purpose of promoting peace with the Indian tribes. The gentleman † to whom I owe the knowledge of this fact says further, "I well remember the striking of those medals by my father. They were executed in silver and presented to the Indians by the Society. The appropriate inscription on the reverse, is

* General Mercer of the United States army, who died near Princeton, of the effects of a blow received in the battle at that town, January 12, 1777.

Mr. Joseph Richardson, assayer of the mint of the United States. Mr. Richardson's father was a silversmith in Philadelphia, and the son of one of the original settlers of the province under William Penn. Mr. Richardson informed me that the original dies of the medals for "Colonel Armstrong," and for " moting peace with the Indians," were in his possession, and permitted me to have some medals struck from them. One of each is deposited in the cabinet of the [New-York] Historical Society.

pro

truly characteristic, and may serve to convey to posterity a just idea of the men of influence in those days."

4. OCCASION.Evacuation of Boston by the British troops, in 1776. Gold.

Face.The head of General Washington, in profile.

Legend. GEORGIO WASHINGTON SUPREMO DUCI EXERCITUUM

ADSERTORI LIBERTATIS COMITIA AMERICANA.

Reverse. Troops advancing towards a town which is seen at a distance. Troops marching to the river. Ships in view. General Washington in front, and mounted, with his staff, whose attention he is directing to the embarking enemy.

Legend.
Exergue.

HOSTIBUS PRIMO FUGATIS

BOSTONIUM RECUPERATUM XVII. MARTII MDCCLXXVI.

This medal was ordered to be struck by a resolve of Congress, of March 25th, 1776, and to be presented to General Washington. A vote of thanks was also passed to him, and "the officers and soldiers under his command, for their wise and spirited conduct in the siege and acquisition of Boston."

Gold.

5. OCCASION.Surrender of Lieutenant-General Burgoyne and his army, at Saratoga, New York, in 1777. Face. A head of General Gates, in profile.

Legend.

CANA.

HORATIO GATES DUCI STRENUO COMITIA AMERI

Reverse. Gates and Burgoyne in front of the American and British troops. Burgoyne in the act of presenting his sword to Gates. The Americans on the right, with arms shouldered, and colors flying. The British on the left, in the act of grounding their arms, and laying down their colors. By the side of the two Generals are a drum and stand of colors.

Legend. SALUS REGIONUM SEPTENTRIONAL.

Exergue.

HOSTE AD SARATOGAM IN DEDITION. ACCEPTO DIE XVII OCT. MDCCLXXVII.

This medal (which weighs 10 half Joannes,*) was ordered by a resolve of Congress of November 4, 1779, which stated the particular defeats of Burgoyne's army and detachments from it. (Journals of Congress, 1777, p. 472.) The reader is referred to "A State of the Expedition from Canada, as laidbefore the House of Commons, by Lieutenant General Burgoyne, London 1780," for a variety of interesting details of the march, repeated battles, and progress from Canada to Saratoga of the British army to the British "Annual Register" for 1779, p. 149: also to General Wilkinson's Memoirs," for many particulars never before published of that expedition, and of the capitulation of General Burgoyne: see also Gates's Life, in "The Port Folio," New Series, Vol. II. with a plate of the medal.

* Medical Repository, New York, Vol. IV. p. 307.

6. OCCASION.Capture of the English frigate Serapis, Captain Pearson, by the Bon Homme Richard, Captain John Paul Jones. Gold.

Face. Head of John Paul Jones, a good likeness.

Legend.

AMERICANA.

JOANNI PAULO JONES CLASSIS PREFECTO COMITIA

Reverse. Two frigates engaged yard-arm and yard-arm: the English ship severely battered in the sides. Another ship lying across the bow of the British frigate.

Legend. HOSTIUM NAVIBUS CAPTIS AUT FUGATIS.
Exergue.

AD ORAM SCOTIE XXIII. SEPT. MDCCLXXVIII.

I

This medal was struck by order of Congress in 1787. The one saw was of copper. Considering that Jones fought under the American flag, and that the victory over the Serapis was highly honorable to our country, he certainly deserved a medal. He had besides made several other captures, and had done great injury to the British. The action between the Richard and the Serapis was very severe, and lasted four hours. Jones's account of it, and a journal of his naval exploits, may be seen in "Niles's Register," (Baltimore,) Vol. II. p. 296.* Captain Pearson's is inserted in the British "Annual Register," London, 1779.- See also Clarke's Naval History of the United States. The Serapis carried 44 guns on two decks, the lower battery consisting of 18-pounders; and the Countess of Scarborough, her consort, was a new ship of 22 guns. Jones's ship, the Richard, he says, only carried 34 12-pounders. The battle was fought by moonlight, off Flamborough head. To relieve himself from the superiority of his enemies, and to cover his ship from the fire of the Countess of Scarborough, Jones grappled with the Serapis, on which her consort ceased to fire, the captain knowing that by firing he must endanger the Serapis; while the captain of the Alliance, the American ship in company with the Richard, fired three broadsides, which did much mischief to her. She sunk two days after the action. Pearson was knighted after his exchange, and made one of the officers of Greenwich hospital. He died a few years since.

On the 27th February, 1781, Congress passed a very complimentary resolve expressive of their sense of the military conduct of Captain Jones, especially in the capture of the Serapis; and of their approbation of the honor intended to be conferred on him by the King of France (as communicated to them) by investing him with the "cross of military merit.” And on the 26th June of the same year, they unanimously elected him captain of the American, a 74-gun ship; but he was deprived of the honor of her command, in consequence of the loss of the French ship Magnifique 74, in the harbour of Boston, when Congress seized the opportunity to testify their gratitude to their good ally, by presenting him with the American to replace her. The King of France also presented him with a sword, the hilt of which was composed of gold, and bore the following flattering motto:

7. OCCASION. River, by storm.

VINDICATI MARIS

LUDOVICUS XVI. REMUNERATOR

STRENUO VINDICI.

Taking the fort of Stony-Point, on the North Gold.

* See also the Biography of Paul Jones, by Mr. Sherburne, 1825, and another by his niece, Mrs. Taylor, 1830.