George Silver, Jr., A brief history of the German Regiment

The German Battalion unofficially referred to as the 8th Maryland Regiment under the command of Haussegger and DeArendt. Nicholas Haussegger, major of the Fourth Battalion, was commissioned Colonel of the German Regiment. Pennsylvania furnished by far the largest number of both of its officers and recruits. A handful of men from Tom's Creek Hundred who served in the German Regiment were Private John Patterson and Private Michael Smith.

One May 25, 1776 Congress resolved that one battalion of Germans be raised for the service. By June 27, four companies of Germans were raised in Pennsylvania and another four companies were raised in Maryland to compose the German Battalion for a three year service to the army. By October 20, newly elected Colonel Nicholas Haussegger was commissioned to the regiment. Since it's creation in the summer the regiment spent time training at the barracks in Philadelphia, and did not see action until December 1776. There is no evidence that shows the German Regiment was entirely German, as many Tom's Creek citizens properly spoke English; however, newer immigrants would have surely spoken German when translating commands.

On December 2, the regiment marched out of Philadelphia to join General Washington's Army. By December 8, the regiment was guarding Coryell's Ferry on the Pennsylvania Side of the Delaware River. By Christmas day the German Regiment was ordered to Washington's Army for the famous battle attack on the Hessian garrison in Trenton.

During the early part of January of 1777, the German Regiment participated in the battle of Princeton on the 3rd and after the battle; they went into winter quarters near Morristown, New Jersey. During May of 1777, the German Regiment was transferred to Deborre's brigade, of Sullivan's division. Colonel Haussegger left the army after the Battle of Monmouth, and returned to his farm near Lebanon, PA. Lt Colonel Weltner succeeded to the command, who commanded the German Regiment until the end of the war. The German Regiment participated in the Brandywine Campaign during September 1777. They fought at the battle of Germantown on October 3, 1777, thus ending the Brandywine Campaign late in November performing reconnaissance of General Cornwallis' forces in New Jersey. The German re-crossed the Delaware River into Pennsylvania re joining the rest of Washington's Army shortly before the winter encampment at Valley Forge.

On February 26, 1778, the German Regiment was assigned entirely to Maryland (After 1780 it was unofficially called the 8th Maryland Regiment). Although Pennsylvania officers continue to receive support from the Pennsylvania legislature, the rank and file of Pennsylvanian troops was not entitled to any bounties voted by the Pennsylvania legislature, and Maryland would limit its state bounties to only those soldiers who actually lived in Maryland.

During June of 1778 at the battle of Monmouth, the Germans served as reserves being attached to Muhlenburg's Virginia brigade. On July 22, 1778, the unit was transferred to the Second Maryland Brigade, staying with that Brigade until the end of November, 1778. By the end of November, they escorted British Prisoners in New Jersey and shortly after went into winter quarters in Easton Pennsylvania.

On March 24, 1779, the German Regiment left winter quarters. During July, orders for the German Regiment were to marched from Fort Wyoming, and to rejoin the army and by August the German Regiment participated in the battle of Newton, New Jersey. The German Regiment lost many of men mainly due to the soldiers who had only enlisted for three years were discharged. Shortly after the battle of Newton, the German Regiment was ordered to the outposts on the branches of the Susquehanna with the center of operations at Sunbury and Fort Augusta.

In 1780, the German regiment took part in Sullivan's campaign against the Indians, and in the spring of 1780 it was stationed on the frontier of Northumberland County. By August, 1780, the regiment was recalled from the frontier to support the garrison at West Point, New York.

By resolution of Congress in October of 1780, the German Regiment was reduced and ended its organization January 1, 1781. The Regiment was dissolved and orders were issued for the Pennsylvania soldiers to encamp at Morristown, New Jersey, while the soldiers from Maryland were transferred into the Maryland Continental Troops, part of the 3rd Maryland Regiment, where they marched back to Frederick and then to Baltimore where they were re-equipped to go south to Yorktown.

The German Battalion enlisted for three years, and served between the years of 1776-1780 and saw action for almost five years at Trenton, White Plains, and Brandywine. In January of 1781 the Regiment was disbanded as a separate entity and was folded into the Maryland Continental Troops, part of the 3rd Maryland Regiment. Most of the men from Tom’s Creek Hundred were of German decent, for example, Hockensmith and Rowe. The Emmitsburg Chronicle in 1908 interviewed Nathaniel Rowe whose grandfather George served in the Revolutionary War. Since his great-grandfather was a German emigrant it might be possible his son served in the German Regiment. Nathaniel Rowe then continued to tell the history of his grandfather during the war.

"I recollect he said they were camped through an entire winter in a valley, the snow was deep and the soldiers had to carry wood for their fires from the Ridge a mile away. When his regiment was in camp near Lancaster Pennsylvania he often saw the great Pulaski, the Polish patriot who fought in the Revolutionary army and was killed at the siege of Savannah in 1779. My great-uncle, Michael Rowe, was a lieutenant in a Maryland regiment during the War of the Revolution and he also used to tell me stories of his adventures which I wish I could remember for your readers."

GEORGE SILVER, JR'S PENSION APPLICATION

George Silver Junior (Johann Jurg Silber) moved to Frederick County, Maryland sometime during 1774 with his parents when his father George Sr. purchased land. The land was named "Littleworth" and was referred to as a Plantation. George Jr. probably assisted his father on the plantation during the next two years. During 1776, George Jr. joined the Continental Army.

Vance Pollock was generous enough to include George Silver’s War Record as he applied for Pension in 1832. George Silver Jr gives in great detail his war time memories. A copy of George's pension application, copies of military pay records obtained from the National Archives document his services from November 1779 through December 1780. During this period, he served as a private in The Lieutenant Colonel's Company, German Regiment of Foot, commanded by Lt. Col. Ludwig Weltner.

During the Revolutionary War George’s Father George Sr. Also enlisted and fought with General Washington's army. He returned four years later (about 1779), old and in poor health. His son, George Jr., eighteen at the time, went back in his father’s and fought until the close of the war three years later in 1783, serving as a member of Washington's bodyguard.

For the record of the next five years, we must refer to George Jr.'s pension application filed in Bakersville, Mitchell County, North Carolina in January of 1833. That document is printed in its entirety herein.

The Declaration of George Silver (Jr.) in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832. State of North Carolina, County of Burke. On the twenty third day of January 1833 personally appeared before me David D. Baker one of the acting justices of the peace in and for the county of Burke aforesaid, George Silver, a resident of Toe River in the county of Burke and state of North Carolina aged about eighty years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.

The first tour he served was with the Maryland troops at Annapolis in that state for a term of six months under Captain William Norris. After his term of service was out he returned home to the neighborhood of Fredericktown in Maryland. Not long after he returned he enlisted in Fredericktown under Captain Ralph Hillory in what was called the Flying Camp for a term of eighteen months.

The dates when he enlisted he cannot state but recollects very well that he was in the Battle of Germantown (Pennsylvania) in 1777 while under this enlistment and that in that battle a bullet grazed the skin of his neck. And when his enlistment was up he received his discharge in Fredericktown in Maryland. And that shortly after he was discharged he enlisted again in Fredericktown in Maryland under Captain Boyer for three years in the German regiment.

Soon after he enlisted he was marched to Northumberland and from there to Wyoming (Wyoming Valley, PA). This he believes to have been about the year of 1779. This he says was against the Indians and others which they dispersed. Afterwards he was marched to West Point and while he was there he was sent out with a detachment and had a skirmish with some British Draggoons, and he says he was present and under arms when Major Andre, the British spy, was executed in 1780. Afterward he was marched to Philadelphia and from there to Baltimore and we lay sometime at a fort on the Slatistone point not far from Baltimore.

When we marched from this place we went to Annapolis and after harvest we were marched to Yorktown where we besieged the British under Lord Cornwallis in 1781. After the surrender of Lord Cornwallis and the British army at Yorktown he was ordered to the south and was attached to the Army under General Green. And while in South Carolina he was sent out with a party against a party of mounted Negroes near Charleston which the British had sent out. Of this party they killed and made prisoners of the whole party.

And he further states that he continued in South Carolina till about the close of the war. (Then) he was marched back to Annapolis and then to Fredericktown in Maryland where he received his discharge from Captain Winchester. But (he) says this (discharge) and all his other papers are lost or destroyed.

He further states that after his term of enlistment expired he was induced to stay with the Army until he was discharged in Maryland. He says he believes he served under his enlistments and other ways upwards of five years. And he says that his memory is bad and that he has forgot the names of many of his officers, but says his first tour to Annapolis his captain's name was William Norris.

The rest of their names he has forgotten except a Sergeant Shoemaker. And in the 18 months enlistment in the Flying Camp his captain was Ralph Hillory. He says General Smallwood and Colonel Will Luckett was with them and many others that he has forgot.

But (he) says General Washington was chief commander at the Battle of Germantown. And he says Captain Huff was wounded in the engagement and Lieut. Michael Thrush was killed.

And in his three years enlistment under Captain Boyce, Wettner was the name of his colonel in the German Regiment. He recollects the names of the following officers, Captains Crawford, Rice and Winchester and Major Oxburg.

But Washington and Green was mostly the generals he was under. He says there was one John Gordon, a quartermaster sergeant, and he says he knew one Lieut. Bettis and says he knew a Sergeant Low that deserted to the enemy.

He thinks these are names enough to mention, and he further says that he is not on any pension roll in this state nor any other state or United States and that this is the first time that he ever made application to be put on the pension roll of the United States or any other state.

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. George Silver, X, his mark. I, the aforesaid David D. Baker, one of the acting justices of the peace in and for the county of Burke aforesaid do hereby certify and declare that in my opinion that the above named applicant, George Silver, was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states—and also that the above named applicant from age and infirmities is not able to attend at the courthouse in person to make application without great bodily pain. He lives at least forty miles from the court house. David D. Baker.