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 F 153 B581883 
 
 Autobioaraphv of Charles Biddle ,,,Y,J9,f~P'' 
 
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 http://archive.org/details/cu31924028831259 
 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY 
 
 CHARLES BIDDLE 
 
 VICE-PEESIDBNT 
 
 SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 1745-1821. 
 
 {PRITATELT PRINTED.) 
 
 PHILADELPHIA; 
 E. CLAXTON AND COMPANY. 
 
 1883. 
 
 Or 
 

 /\ 
 
 A^^\^^' 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in^he year 1883, by 
 
 CRAia BIDDL 
 in the Office of the tihrarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
 COLLINS PRINTING HOUSE, 
 
 705 Jayne Street. 
 
This work is printed from the Manuscript, in the possession of 
 Judge Craig Biddle, exactly as written, with no attempt to embellish 
 its natural, easy, and simple style. Having been found of interest 
 by the immediate descendants of the writer, it is thought that it 
 may prove so to the large number of persons more distantly re- 
 lated to him. That the period covered by it embraces the Ameri- 
 can Revolution and the early days of the Republic seems an 
 additional reason for putting these reminiscences in a permanent 
 form. 
 
 The original letters appended, from Burr, Wilkinson, and Trux- 
 tun, have not before appeared in print. ~ 
 
 The family history contained in the Notes has been obtained 
 from the most authentic sources, and is believed to be accurate. 
 
 JAS. S. BIDDLE. 
 JULT, 1883. 
 
 1* 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page 41, line 22, /or 1763 read 1768. 
 " 110, third line from foot, for Sanderson's read Simpson's. 
 " 135, line 6, for Cartaret read Carteret. 
 " 315, line 25, for 1809 read 1807. 
 
 " 366, third line from foot, /or Shewsbury read Shrewsbury. 
 " 370, line 27, fm Note D read Note G. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Birth and parentage, 1 — Letter from mother to Mrs. Lux, 2 — Boyish pranks, 3 — 
 Goes to sea, bound to Spain, 6 — Bull fight at Cadiz, 7 — Sickness, 8 — Returns 
 and sails for Fayal, 9, 10 — Shipwreck, 11, 12 — Burial of English merchant, 13 
 — Ships on board a Snow to return home, 14 — Lieutenant Nesmith takes com- 
 mand of a Snow ; goes as second mate in her, 15 — Sails for Antigua and Hon- 
 duras, 16 — Apparition ; return to Philadelphia, 19, 20 — Sails with Captain 
 McFunn, an old naval officer, to Jamaica and Honduras, 1765, 20 — Anecdote 
 of McFunn; burning of a black, 21 — Shipwrecked on Northern Triangles, 
 brother Nicholas with them, 23-27 — First mate to Charleston, as captain to 
 West Indies and Honduras, 28, 29 — Adventures with cousin John Scull ; 
 averse to keeping slaves, 32 — Embarks on board the King George for Phila- 
 delphia, 1767, 35 — Sails as one-quarter owner and captain to Grenada, 37 — 
 Fights a duel at Chincoteague, 38 — At Lisbon, 1768, nearly shipwrecked, 39 
 — Arrives 2d of May at Philadelphia, 41 — Sails to Fayal ; a frolic, 41 — Present 
 to him ; called Boy Captain ; arrives in Philadelphia, 43 — Refuses to carry 
 slaves, 43 — Sails in the Ann to Honduras and back ; narrow escape from 
 drowning, 44 — Goes again to Honduras ; trial of McCarty, " eye of the law" • 
 duels ; Benedict Arnold, 46 — Arrives in Philadelphia ; takes command of 
 ship for Port au Prince ; yellow fever, 47 — Sails for Philadelphia, 2d Febru- 
 ary, 1770, arrived 20th; bet with Hepburn, 49 — Makes another voyage to 
 Port au Prince and returns, 50 — Takes command of " Charming Nancy" 
 in 1772, and sails again for Port au Prince ; French deserters, 53 — Troubles 
 with French officers, 56 — Resolves to leave ofif a bad habit of striking his 
 men, 57 — 28th March, 1773, sails for Philadelphia, 58 — A Frenchman's grief, 
 59 — Sails again to Port au Prince ; refuses to haul down pennant, 60 — Diffi- 
 culty with French captain, 61 — His resemblance to Captain T. Allen and conse- 
 quences, 62 — Sails for Philadelphia ; another voyage to Port au Prince, and 
 sails February, 1774, for Philadelphia, 65 — Saves Duffield's sugar from the 
 Custom House officers, 66 — Discovers the robber of Benijah Liston, 67 — A 
 voyage to Cape Franj ois, 69 — Sails in brig Swift for the Mole, and returns, 
 69 — In 1775 purchases part of brig Greyhound ; sails to Mariagalante and 
 Dominica, 70 — From thence to Hispaniola ; Captain Stephen Decatur pas- 
 senger ; returns to Philadelphia, May, 1775, 71, 
 
Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Difficulties with Great Britain ; disorderly conduct of our people, 72— Shooting 
 at a mark with Captain Graydon ; a child struck, 73 — Edward Biddle, his 
 brother, 74— Sails with Captain John Craig for L'Orient to buy powder and 
 arms, 75 — A man overboard; arrives at L'Orient, 76-^Goes to Nantes, 77 — 
 Returns by land to L'Orient, 78— Sails for Philadelphia, 79— Stops at St. 
 Eustatia ; meets Captain James Craig, brother of John, 80 — Detained by 
 sickness sails in another vessel for Philadelphia ; dangerous voyage, 80 — ■ 
 Arrives at Philadelphia 9th January, 1776 ; joins Captain Cowperthwaite's 
 company of Quaker light infantry, 83— English ship of war Roebuck in Dela- 
 ware Bay and River ; ship sent down to attack her ; volunteers as seaman, 
 83 — Reading of the Declaration of Independence ; Thomas Paine's Common 
 Sense, 86 — Goes to Elizabethtown in the company, 87 — General Mercer, 89 — 
 Judge Allen, 90 — Sailed for Port au Prince in brig Greyhound ; taken by the 
 English frigate Antelope, and carried to Jamaica, 90 — Violence of the Admi- 
 ral ; is ordered to be put in irons, 92-3 — Base conduct of Midshipman Cra- 
 thorne, a Philadelphian, 93 — Escapes and is recaptured, 95 — Again escapes ; 
 goes to Nicola Mole, 96 — Starts for any port on the coast in schooner Three 
 Sisters ; goes into Beaufort, North Carolina, 98 — Meets for first time Miss 
 Hannah Shepard; journeys to, Reading, 99 — Goes to Charleston, South Caro- 
 lina, to see his brother Nicholas ; then to Beaufort, and starts home, 99 — Stops 
 at Baltimore ; British fleet in the Bay ; then goes to Philadelphia, 100 — 
 Battle of Braudywine ; goes to Trenton in his brig, canying refugees from 
 the city, 101 — Mr. Riche and Mr. Kirkbride, 102 — Goes to Reading; starts 
 for Charleston with CoUinsou Read ; anecdotes of the journey, 103 — -Meets his 
 brother Nicholas ; takes a short cruise with him, 104 — Fire in Charleston, 
 105 — Goes to Newbern to fit out a vessel, 106 — Loss of frigate Randolph ; 
 challenges Captain Morgan, 106— Notice of Nicholas Biddle, 109— A French 
 adventurer. 111 — Sails in armed brig from Newbern, 23d September, 1778, 
 113 — Arrives at St. Eustatia, 114— Returns to Beaufort ; meets Miss Shepard, 
 116— Marries Miss Shepard November 35th, 1778, 117— Meets Mr. William 
 Hodge ; his imprisonment in the Bastile, 117— Passes the winter at Newbern, 
 119— A prize case, 119— Sails from Beaufort 1st August, 1779, for St. Thomas 
 123— Proposed attack on Tortola, 134— Return to Beaufort, 135 — Narrow 
 escape from drowning, 136— Death of brother Edward and character, 137— 
 6th October, birth of son called Nicholas, 1779, 127— Anecdote of Judge 
 Peters, 128— Disturbance of Captain Gibbons, 138— Chosen captain of militia 
 company, 128— Disturbances at Beaufort, 131— Drives Gibbons from the place, 
 134 — Elected to the Assembly from Carteret County, and goes to Newbern 
 134— Goes after an English privateer, 135— Returns to Newbern, 138— Sends 
 out Joseph Biddle, son of his brother James, in command of a schooner 138 
 
CONTKNTS. IX 
 
 — ^Never heard of, 139 — William, son of his brother James, comes to Beaufort, 
 140 — Sends William to sea ; never heard of. 111 — Debates in North Carolina 
 Legislature, 142 — Major John Stewart, anecdotes of, 143 — Opinion of the 
 Indians ; comfort administered to his brother Edward by an Indian chief, 
 144 — Starts by land, with his wife, for Philadelphia 1st June, 1780, 145 — GoT- 
 ernor Nash's certificate, 146 — Meets Baron DeKalb, 147 — ArrlTCS at Reading, 
 149. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 General Richard Butler, 150 — Anecdotes of Captain Bowen , 151 — February, 1781, 
 son born at Reading ; sails for St. Thomas in brig Active, 152 — Dr. Standley 
 and the Hessian wounded, 153 — Fever on board, 155 — Taken by tjie Chatham, 
 Captain Douglas, 157 — Opinion of British officers, 158— Ship on fire, 159— 
 Lands at New York, 1782, 161 — Samuel Shoemaker, 161 — Jersey prison-ship, 
 162 — Goes on parole to Flatbush, 164 — Is exchanged and arrives at Reading ; 
 Captain Furman, 166 — Roderick Random gave him first inclination for the 
 sea, 168 — Prepares to take command of Friendship, large armed vessel, from 
 Baltimore for San Domingo and Mediterranean, 169— Captain Wilson, 171 — 
 Count de Benyowsky passenger, 172 — Suicide of Captain Craig, 172— Sails 
 from Baltimore 15th July, 1782, with one hundred and thirty men, in com- 
 pany with French frigate Sybil, 173 — Quarrel with Benyowsky; arrives at 
 Cape Franfois, 175 — Sells his vessel, 176 — Count Benyowsky ; purchases a, 
 brig called the St. Patrick, 177 — Captain Whitehead's case before a judge, 
 181 — Sails from the Cape, September, 1782, 183 — Two French women passen- 
 gers ; their ill manners, 184 — Arrives at Baltimore, 184 — Arrives at Reading 
 with Mrs. Lux ; February, 1783, Mrs, Biddle has a son called James after his 
 brother ; Yankee story ; goes to New York, 185 — His brother John, 186 — Sails 
 as passenger to Port au Prince, June, 1783, 186 — Goes to Cape Francois by 
 land, 187 — Sails from Cape Franjois AugUlst, 1783 ; arrives at Wilmington, 
 and goes thence to Reading, 188 — Mr. James Collins marries Lydia Biddle, 
 daughter of his brother James, 189 — Collins & Truxtun become bankrupt ; 
 honorable conduct of Commodore Truxtun, 189 — Captain Thomas Allen 
 lost at sea, 190 — Elected a member of the Supreme Executive Council from 
 Berks County, 191 — Trial and execution of Welsh for robbery, 192 — Elected 
 Chief Burgess of Reading, 194 — Leaves Reading for Philadelphia 20th Octo- 
 ber, 1784 ; John Dickinson President and General James Irvine Vice-Presi- 
 dent of Council, 194 — Election of Captain Graydon Prothonotary for Dau- 
 phin County ; Constitutionalists and Republicans, 195 — October, 1785, chosen 
 Vice-President by Council, 197 — Arrival of Dr. Franklin from France ; he is 
 chosen President, and Charles Biddle Vice-President ; their election con- 
 firmed by the Legislature, 198 — Execution of Elizabeth Wilson for child 
 murder, though innocent, 199 — Republicans and Constitutionalists, 202 — 
 
X CONTENTS. 
 
 Irish brogne, 203— Duel of Dean and Dr. Linn, 305 — Execution of an Indian 
 and of John McDonald, 306 — Disputes between Pennsylvania and Connecti- 
 cut settlers in Luzerne County, 207 — General Armstrong, 308 — Execution of 
 two men for murder in Franklin County ; pardon to Mr. Mathias Aspden in 
 1786, and of Phineas Bond, 209— Ke-elected Vice-President October, 1786, 
 312— Tench Coxe, 312 — Breaks his knee-pan, 213— Executive Council meets 
 at his Bouse, 216 — Captain William Craig, 216 — Disturbance in Legislature 
 about Federal Constitution, 217 — McCalmont and Miley forced to attend, 
 218 — Removal of seat of government to Lancaster ; reasons for, 219. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Captain Craig arrests John Franklin, Connecticut settler, in Wilkesbarre, 321 — 
 Society of Political Inquiries, Dr. Franklin, President, 823 — Elected secretary 
 to Council, October, 1787; anecdote of Dr. Franklin, 224 — Elected member 
 of Legislature from Berks County ; declines It, 225 — Grand festival proces- 
 sion, July 4th, 1778, 225 — Colonel Oswald committed for contempt of court 
 July, 1788, 228— Action of the Legislature, 239- The Adopted Sons of Penn- 
 sylvania ; duel of Oswald and Matthew Carey, 831 — Levi and Abraham Doan 
 taken ; their history, 232 — October, 1788, his brother James made Prothono- 
 tary of Court Common Pleas, 235 — Notice of him, 336 — Continental money and 
 Virginia money, 236 — State Island money, 238 — February, 1789, again breaks 
 his knee, 339 — Convention to alter constitution, 240 — Death of his mother, 
 1789 ; paper left by her ; notice of her, 240 — Death of his niece, Mrs. Catharine 
 Lux, at his house, 1789, 342 — Loses a daughter, fifteen months old, 243 — Death 
 of Dr. Franklin in 1790 ; his character, 343 — Election of General Mifflin as Gov- 
 ernor under new Constitution ; Constitutionalists and Eepublicans, 344 — Exec- 
 utive Council abolished ; difference with Governor Mifflin, 245 — His brother 
 James made Judge of Common Pleas, 247 — He is appointed Prothonatory, 248 
 — Visit to Cape May, 249 — Travelling in New Jersey, 250— Reception of M. 
 Genet, Minister from Republic of France, in 1793, 251— Vice-President of 
 Democratic Society ; David Rittenhouse President, 252 — Dinner to Genet, 
 253— Goes to Long Branch ; engagement of French frigate Ambuscade 
 and English frigate Boston off that place, 2.'54 — Yellow Springs ; Judge 
 and Mrs. Jones, Montgomery County, 254 — Yellow fever in Philadel- 
 phia; sends family to house of Mr. William Lardner, husband of Mrs. 
 Biddle's sister, 254— Death of Dr. Hutchinson Septemljer 6th, 1793, 355 — 
 
 Captain Stephen Girard's noble conduct; Mr. Peter Helm's also, 2.57 
 
 " Fears of the brave," 357— Judge Biddle opens and adjourns his court, 
 359 — Treatment of yellow fever, 260 — In November people return to 
 Philadelphia, 260— Difflculty about excise, and western insurrection, 261 
 —Hugh H. Brackenridge's account of the insurrection in western Penn- 
 sylvania, 263— Severe illness, April, 1796, 264— Operation performed, 265 
 
Xii -CONTENTS. 
 
 Wolbert appointed by Governor Snyder Prothonotary in his place, 326— 
 Proposed change of seat of government from Washington, 327— A company 
 for insuring lives and granting annuities established, 337— Reason for not 
 getting a charter, 328— Governor Spaight, of North Carolina, killed in a duel, 
 329- Elected State Senator by Federal party ; son Nicholas in the House, 329 
 — Apgjit^ation of Bank of United States to Legislature for a charter ; speech 
 of Nicholas, ^31— Nicholas refuses to run again ; sons_Nicholas and Charles 
 married,^32^n 1811, offers resolution to the Cincinnati for erection of monu- 
 ment to General Washington, 333— Plan for the same, 333— Attends Senate at 
 Lancaster, 334— Violent resolutions offered, 335— Prospect of war; son 
 Thomas appointed captain in the army ; son John second lieutenant in third 
 artillery, 335— Chairman of a meeting to organize a company of those over 
 forty-five to preserve the peace of the city, 336— Pockets some resolutions, and 
 meeting adjourns ; another meeting, 337 — Row at the election, 338 — Ap- 
 pointed commissioner to sign treasury notes, 340 — Seat in Senate contested, 
 341 — Takes his seat in Senate ; stays with Captain Graydon, 342 — Son James 
 takes command of Flotilla for defence of Delaware ; chairman of committee 
 of citizens to build and man gun-boats, 343 — Pea Patch, 344 — Goes to Legis- 
 lature ; banks chartered, 344 — General St. Clair's pension, 345 — Debate on 
 James O'Hara's pension, 346 — Returns to Philadelphia ; sons Thomas and 
 John, 347 — Starts' with wife and two daughters for New London ; visits Colo- 
 nel Burr at New York, 347 — Sunday travelling in New England, 348 — Visits 
 son James on board the United States ship Hornet, 349 — Death and character of 
 Colonel Clement Biddle, 350 — Burning of Washington, 350— -Proceedings at 
 Philadelphia, 350-51 — Death of British General Ross, 362 — November 10th, 
 1815, account of club of which he was a member ; Major Moore's drinking 
 powers, 353 — Goes with family to Schooley's Mountain and Easton ; meets 
 General Thomas Craig, 353 — Truxtun elected sheriff, 354 — October, 1817, 
 foreman of grand jury ; case of Dr. Tardy, 355 — 1st January, 1818 ; state of 
 his health, 357 — Reminiscence of Dr. Franklin, 358 — Summer of 1819 visits 
 Schooley's Mountain and Joseph Bonaparte's place, 358 — Death of Charles 
 Biddle, April 4th, 1831, 359. 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 PABE 
 
 Note A. — ^William Biddle ... 361 
 
 B. — Nicholas Scull 378 
 
 C. — Edward Biddle .... 389 
 
 D. — Captain Nicholas Biddle 393 
 
 E. — Commodore James Biddle 397 
 
 F. — Aaron Burr — Commodore Truxtun 402 
 
 G. — :Nicholas Biddle 4]^5 
 
 H. — Owen and Clement Biddle 43O 
 
I WAS born in the city of Philadelphia the 24th of De- 
 cember, 1745. My father, William Biddle, was a native of 
 'New Jersey, grandson Of William Biddle,* who came from 
 ;|]ngland, one of the proprietors of that State. Mj' grand- 
 father was a man of very large fortune. He sent my father 
 to Philadelphia, where he was brought up by Mr. Griffiths, 
 at that time one of the first merchants in America. My 
 mother was the daughter of Hicholas Scull,f Surveyor-G-ene- 
 ral of Pennsylvania. She possessed great firmness, and was 
 one of the most amiable and best of women. My father 
 was unfortunate from his first entering into business. Soon 
 after he was married, he became bail for a Captain Turner, 
 in a large sum of money. As he understood he was going 
 off without settling the debt for which he was bound, my 
 father took out a bail-piece. Turner had locked his room, 
 and declared he would put any man to death who forced the 
 door. As the sheriflF and his officers knew Turner to be a 
 desperate fellow, they were, afraid to go near the door, but 
 called on my father, who was a man of uncommon strength 
 and resolution. He immediately went to the house, and, 
 notwithstanding Turner declared he would cut down the 
 first man that entered, he forced the door, when the villain 
 wounded him with a cutlass in the right arm in such a 
 manner that it was almost useless the remainder of his life. 
 
 * See Note A at the end of this volume. f ^^e Note B. 
 
 1 
 
Z AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 During the confusion that ensued the fellow slipt among the 
 crowd and made his escape. For him my father had a large 
 sum to pay ; in everything he undertook he was unfortunate. 
 Although naturally of a mild disposition, his temper became 
 soured by his misfortunes, which at last he sank under. My 
 mother gives some account of their situation about this time, 
 in a letter to her granddaughter, Mrs. Lux, daughter of my 
 brother Edward, married to Mr. George Lux, of Maryland, 
 a man who, had he conducted himself with prudence, would 
 have been an honor to his country. If Mrs. Lux had not 
 died without children, T would not have mentioned this 
 letter. She wrpte : — 
 
 " I am truly sorry to hear you have met with great afflic- 
 tion. If it arises from the behavior of Mr. Lux, as I fear 
 it does, your prudence and fortitude must be called in to 
 assist you. I am informed that he cannot dispose of his 
 property without your consent. If so, and I hope it is, never 
 give your consent. It is only making him a prey to game- 
 sters, the worst of villains. If he gives them his bond, and 
 they" should sue him, they cannot recover. When you mar- 
 ried, the estate was equally yours, and dearly have you earned 
 it. I allow that it seems hard that a wife should deny to 
 pay her husband's debts, but they are not just debts. How 
 many wives are now suffering the utmost misery by comply- 
 ing with the wishes of such a husband ! I am now writing 
 supposing your present uneasiness is owing to Mr. Lux. 
 Whatever it is, there is one will never forsake you. It is, 
 perhaps, for our advantage to be sometimes afflicted. We 
 too often forget ourselves. I was married nineteen years, 
 and at times thought everything that gave me pain a dread- 
 ful affliction. But when I really knew what sorrow was, I 
 looked back on my former repinings with shame. I had 
 nine children, one at my breast, when Mr. Biddle informed 
 me one morning that he had involved himself and ruined 
 me and his children. I was much shocked, but begged he 
 would settle his affairs, and hoped he would be better off 
 than he expected. We had an estate in Jersey, which he 
 sold for two thousand pounds. He could not see his children 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. O 
 
 without tears. "We paid all our debts, and Mr. Bid die en- 
 tered into partnership with one Jacobs, a man supposed to 
 be possessed of a great fortune. In one year he broke, and 
 we had to pay fourteen hundred pounds for him. This quite 
 simk Mr. Biddle. We had very little left. My dear Mr. 
 Biddle was taken with a lingering disorder. For six weeks 
 before he died I never slept with my clothes off. The situ- 
 ation of my children made me exert myself to provide for 
 them. Your Uncle James had just begun to practice the 
 law, and this best of sons shared with me everything he 
 could earn. Your father, then but sixteen years of age, 
 went an ensign in the army. Charles and Nicholas, at about 
 the age of fourteen, went to sea. They, as well as your 
 uncles John and Thomas, all were happy in rendering me 
 every assistance in their power. I suffered mach at the loss 
 of your uncle Nicholas in the Randolph, but it was a consO' 
 lation to know that he was one of the best of young men, 
 and died in the service of his country. I am now, with the 
 assistance of my sons, vevj comfortably situated, and when 
 I look round me, think I have as little reason to complain 
 as any person in the world." 
 
 When about eleven years of age my mother sent me to the 
 wharf after wood. Returning along Water, near Market 
 Street, to avoid a dray, I stepped on a pile of wood. There 
 being snow on it, ,my feet slipped and my left leg came 
 directly under the dray, Avhich had a hogshead of sugar on 
 it. My right leg was nearly in between the spokes ; the 
 bone was mashed a little below my knee. When they were 
 carryiifg me to my mother, I thought it disgraceful to cry, 
 and she, seeing me brought home without making any noise, 
 concluded I was drowned. I was laid upon a table, and one 
 of the most eminent surgeons in the city thought it would 
 be necessary to take off my leg. This was opposed by Dr. 
 Evans, the family physician, by my mother, and myself. It 
 was near six months before I was perfectly recovered. In 
 Jamaica, many years after, I felt some pain where the bone 
 had been broken, but none since. 
 
 Before I went to sea, few boys were more mischievous 
 
4 AUTOBIOGKAPHT OP 
 
 than myself; two or three of my companions were much the 
 same— Eobert Shewell, Townsend White, Erank Manny, 
 W. Buddeu who was some years older than either of us, 
 S. Hepburn, and Esquire Forman. We were always playing 
 some pranks. Eudden's father commanded a ship. He told 
 one of his apprentices, of the name of Bowen, who had done 
 something improper, that he did not believe there was so 
 wicked a fellow in the city as he was ; " Go see, you rascal, 
 if you can find any one as bad as yourself." He went to our 
 companion and told him his father wanted him immediately. 
 They went together, and Bowen says to his master, "Here, 
 sir, is one that is my match." The old gentleman laughed, 
 and told him he believed he had found one full as bad as 
 himself. With White I have frequently gone close to a man 
 walking the streets and fired one of my brother Edward's 
 pistols close to his ear ; sometimes gone of a dark night with 
 a rope and tripped up the heels of people. Whenever we 
 met a person in the night with a basket or tub oh his head, 
 one or other of us would throw it oft'. Going one night with 
 him throwing down cellar doors, among others, we threw 
 down our schoolmaster's, Captain Stiles. He happened to be 
 just coming out of the door, ran after us, caught me and 
 gave me a most severe beating. As it was dark he did not 
 know me, and I was afraid to make a noise for fear he should 
 find out whom he was flogging and remember me the next 
 day. 
 
 One day Shewell persuaded me, without much difticulty, 
 to take a very large imported horse, belonging to Mr. Gray, 
 a brewer, out of the stable. AVe rode this horse without 
 anything but a halter up to Chestnut Hill, where we both 
 had relations, to buy game-fowls upon credit, for we had no 
 money. Upon our return Shewell, according to agreement, 
 took the horse back to the stable. The Sunday following we 
 were in the brewhouse yard, when one of the porters, who 
 had seen Shewell bring the horse home, caught him, and, not- 
 withstanding all he said about my taking the horse, beat 
 him very severely. At this time Shewell was not more than 
 thirteen years of age. I was two years younger. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 5 
 
 One evening, pulling off my shoes, I clambered up a board 
 and got into the gallery of the theatre in Southwark through 
 a small opening in the upper part of the building. Just be- 
 fore I reached the opening, one of the attendants of the house 
 caught hold of the board, and threatened to turn it over if I 
 did not come immediately down. At this time some person 
 called to him to let the board alone — the little rascal has run 
 the risk of his neck, let him get in if he can. The play was 
 just over when I got into the gallery ; all the actors were on 
 the stage. I thought it a most grand sight. In fact there 
 was no kind of mischief could be proposed but what I was 
 ready to be concerned in. Fortunately for me, my brothers 
 James and Edward heard of one of my pranks. They took 
 me into a room and pointed out to me in strong terms the 
 ruin I should bring upon myself, and how unhappy my eon- 
 duet made my mother by keeping the company I did. 
 Young, and thoughtless as I was, what they said made a deep 
 impression upon me ; the thought of giving pain to the best 
 of mothers affected me very much. The lecture of these ex- 
 cellent brothers had an effect on me ever after. I imme- 
 diately quit the company of my companions in mischief, and 
 associated with those who conducted themselves better. I 
 believe the young people at this time are not so bad as they 
 were when I was a boy. 
 
 "When I was fourteen years of age, my mother being ex- 
 tremely anxious to put me an apprentice to a merchant, I 
 went for a short time to Mr. William Ball. Although I had 
 not the least reason to complain of this gerftleman, I soon 
 was tired of this business, and was determined to go to sea, 
 where I expected soon to make a fortune, or at least do some- 
 thing to prevent my being a burden to my mother and elder 
 brothers. However, after I left Mr. Ball, at the earnest re- 
 quest of my mother, I went with her to Messrs. James & 
 Drinker, eminent merchants that were concerned in shipping, 
 and who from the regard they had for the family wished me 
 to live with them. Not finding either of these gentlemen at 
 home, and falling in with a Captain Robert Grant, bound to 
 St. Lucar, in Spain, who wanted such a lad as I was, he easily 
 
6 AUTOBIOGK APHT OF 
 
 persuaded me to go with him, and I believe now, that my 
 going to sea was the best thing I could have done ; nor have 
 I 'ever repented it. The leaving my mother and family was 
 the only cause of regret. Grant was a good seaman, but, 
 what is very uncommon in a seaman, he was a great miser. 
 We went to sea without any poultry, and few stores of any 
 kind. He used to say he did not like to indulge himself in 
 any luxuries, for he did not know how soon he might want. 
 However, I have no doubt that he would have indulged him- 
 self if he could have done it without any expense. 
 
 Before I went to sea with Grant, I wrote to Mr. McFunn, 
 my brother-in-law, who was then master attendant of the 
 navy yard at Antigua (he had been many years an officer 
 in the navy), to know if he could get me on board a man- 
 of-war. As he was much esteemed by 8ir James Douglass, 
 he agreed to take me as an acting midshipman on board 
 his own ship, the Dublin ; and I should have gone if peace 
 had not been soon after concluded. I did not want to enter 
 when nothing was to be done. Had it not been for the peace, 
 I should have gone into the navy, and probably remained 
 in it. 
 
 We left Philadelphia the 10th of May, 1763, and nothing 
 remarkable happened until the 3d of June following, when 
 at daylight we discovered a large armed ship about three 
 miles to windward with Spanish colors, bearing down upon 
 us, and an English brig almost within hail. There was very 
 little wind. Grant, not liking the appearance of the Spaniard, 
 which he tooJ to be a pirate, or some privateer that had 
 not heard of the peace between Great Britain and Spain, 
 spoke the brig. She was from Jamaica bound to London, 
 and, the captain being of the same opinion that Grant was, 
 we both kept away before the wind. At 12 o'clock it was 
 almost calm, and the Spaniard nearly within gunshot of us. 
 As the brig had a few guns, it was concluded between the 
 two captains, that we should all go on board the brig, and if 
 the Spaniard came up with us, to fight her. At 4 o'clock 
 she was so near as to heave a shot over us, and then all went 
 on board the brig, and fired several shots which fell short, 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 7 
 
 which convinced us her metal was much heavier than ours. 
 It soon fell calm and remained so until about 10 o'clock at 
 night, when upon the appearance of a squall we went on board 
 our own vessel, and had hardly time to get in our boat be- 
 fore it came on to blow very hard. "We soon lost sight of 
 the ship and brig. About 2 o'clock in the morning the mate 
 came down to inform Grant that the Spaniard was upon our 
 weather-quarter and coming up fast. This put the crew in 
 great confusion, for we all firmly believed she was a pirate, 
 and we should be treated very ill. Being then a boy and 
 only wanting to learn my business as a seaman, and having 
 nothing to lose, I felt as little uneasiness as any one on board. 
 However, upon the vessel getting within hail we found it 
 was Captain Betson, who left the Capes of Delaware with 
 us bound for Madeira. After this nothing material happened 
 during the voyage. "We arrived at St. Lucar on the 20th 
 of June. St. Lucar is a considerable town, and was said at 
 this time to contain twenty-five thousand inhabitants. Five 
 leagues distant from it is Port St. Mary's, and here you take 
 passage for Cadiz. A few days after our arrival there was a 
 grand bull-fight, given on account of the peace between Great 
 Britain and Spain. They had a large circus amphitheatre 
 with seats arranged one above another to a considerable 
 height. In a large balcony near where the bulls entered, the 
 Governor and a great number of the nobility were seated. 
 They had procured a number of the most ferocious bulls 
 that could be found in the Province of Andalusia, which is 
 famous for those animals. Before the bull enters the arena 
 he is goaded by a fellow placed above with a kind of pike, 
 so that when he enters he is perfectly mad, and rushes with 
 great violence at the first person he sees. The men who 
 fought the bulls behaved with most astonishing courage and 
 dexterity. Frequently when the bull was rushing on them, 
 and you would suppose they must certainly be killed, they 
 would put their hands on his head or neck and jump over 
 him. "Whenever anything remarkable was performed, they 
 were called to the balcony and money thrown to them. 
 K'otwithstanding all their skill, several were thrown a great 
 
8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 height, and three were so much bruised as to be carried to 
 the hospital, where it was reported two of them died the 
 next day. The fight gave great pleasure to most of the 
 spectators; for my own part, although the novelty of the 
 fight pleased me at first, I was soon so much disgusted that 
 I would gladly have quitted my seat long before it was 
 finished, if I could have done it. But that was impossible, 
 for we were on one of the upper, seats. It was near night 
 when it was ended, and the mate, who went with me, and 
 myself were moving ofi", when we were stopped by some 
 Spaniards. As we could neither of us speak a word of 
 Spanish, nor they English, it was not until a person came 
 up that could speak English, that we found they wanted to 
 be paid for our seats. We were detained by these fellows 
 until it was dark. Having paid for our seats we set off to 
 go on board our ship, which lay about two miles above the 
 town, but, mistaking our way, we went the road to Seville. 
 We had proceeded about a mile when we came to a small 
 hill from the top of which we could see the river, and were 
 then convinced we had mistaken our road. We determined 
 to cross the vineyard until we reached the waterside, where 
 we had no doubt of soon finding our ship. However, we 
 had not gone far before we were hailed by one of their 
 watchmen. As we had done a good deal of injury to the 
 grapes, and expected to be roughly handled, when he hal- 
 loed we ran, but we were soon stopped by some fellows in 
 front of us. They were taking us to their watch-house when 
 we broke from them and made our escape. We now did 
 what we should have done when we first discovered the 
 river; that is, go back to town. We did this now, and, 
 having kept along the river, about twelve o'clock at night 
 got on board, heartily sick of our expedition. 
 
 About two weeks after our arrival I was taken very ill 
 with the flux, occasioned by my eating too many grapes, 
 which I believe has been fatal to many not accustomed to 
 eating them. As I had never been sick before, nor ever 
 heard of this disorder, I inquired of an old seaman who had 
 been long on board of a man-of-war, whether he knew what 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 9 
 
 the flux was. " That I do," answered he, " for I lay two 
 months with it in the hospital at Gribraltar, and never ex- 
 pected to get up again ; many of my ship-mates died of it. 
 Indeed, very few recovered." "While my honest friend was 
 comforting me in this manner. Captain Grant came on board, 
 and, the mate telling him of my disorder, he went ashore 
 and spoke to Mr. David Ferrier, to whom the vessel was 
 consigned. This gentleman had been concerned in the rebel- 
 lion in Scotland, and was obliged to leave his country. He 
 was a very worthy, respectable man. He took me to his 
 house, and treated me with great kindness. I was also much 
 indebted to Mr. "William Seton, a young gentleman of 'New 
 York, who lived with Mr. Ferrier. He behaved as a brother 
 to me, and it was owing to the goodness and attention of 
 these gentlemen that I recovered. They dieted me on barley 
 broth, which Mr. Ferrier thought good for all disorders. 
 
 "When the vessel was discharged of her cargo, we went up 
 to the salt-works and were soon loaded. "While we lay there, 
 we had frequent disputes with the Spaniards about the 
 bravery of the British and Spanish troops. They would 
 allow that no people fought so well at sea as the British, but 
 that their troops were better. However, we could always 
 silence them by tglling them of the Havanhah, which they 
 had always supposed it was not possible to take. The 
 Spaniards are a people very honorable in their dealings, but 
 very indolent and proud. Captain Hardy, of Philadelphia, 
 told me of an old woman whom he had known for many 
 years at Cadiz, a beggar; the last voyage he made there, 
 when he saw her, she cried very much, and told him they 
 had taken her son from her and bound him to a cooper, and 
 that he was the first of the family who had ever been brought 
 up to a trade. 
 
 "We sailed from St. Lucar about the first of August, and 
 nothing unusual happened during our passage home. We 
 arrived in the Delaware the 20th of September. When we 
 anchored off" Marcus Hook, Grant hired a horse to send me 
 to inform the owners of our arrival. I was greatly rejoiced 
 at being sent up, and rode as fast as I could get the poor 
 
10 AUTOBIOGKAPHYOF 
 
 animal to go, but, notwithstanding all my exertions, it was 
 at least five hours before I arrived at Philadelphia, and there 
 found Grant, who was there an hour before me, through a 
 fair wind soon after I set ofi". My joy was so great at getting 
 home that I hardly knew how to contain myself. My mother 
 and all the family were greatly rejoiced to see me. I believe 
 there never existed a family fonder of each other than we 
 were. 
 
 As Captain Grant had behaved well to me, the family 
 took a good deal of notice of him, and when he was again 
 going to sea he prevailed on me to go with him. Had I 
 then known the difference between a summer and a winter 
 voyage, I never would have gone in such a vessel. We 
 sailed the beginning of December for the island of Fayal. 
 A few days after we were out, we had a most violent gale of 
 wind which obliged us to lay to. About 3 P. M., the mate 
 desired me to go below and bring him a drink ; I was on the 
 ladder, just going to hand it to him, when a tremendous sea 
 broke on board and cleared the decks of everything upon 
 them but the masts and pumps. There were two men with 
 the mate upon the deck. The seamen had, fortunately, taken 
 hold of a rope the moment the sea struck us, and by that 
 means were saved. The mate was lost. As he was fond of 
 liquor and surly, the crew did not much regret his loss. A 
 coop broke when washed oveKboard,*that had some geese in 
 it ; they appeared atop of the waves to enjoy very much 
 their liberty. A large dog was in the midst of them ; he 
 swam to the vessel and we took him on board. Grant and 
 the watch below were soon upon deck. We put our bark 
 before the wind, and were rejoiced to find she made little or 
 no water. The wind was at northeast, and although out of 
 our course, we were obliged for twenty-four hours to keep 
 before it, and frequently expected our old bark would have 
 been stove to pieces. The next day the gale abated, and at 
 night it was perfectly calm. The wind afterwards springing 
 up from the westward, we made sail and stood our course. 
 Christmas day we made the land. It being thick weather, 
 and not knowing the land, we stood close in with it, when a 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 11 
 
 boat came off and informed us it was the island of Flora. 
 We stood for Fayal, and two days after anchored in the road 
 in twenty fathoms of water. This is a bad, and in the winter 
 season a dangerous road, being entirely open to the southeast 
 wind. The weather was boisterous from the time of our 
 arrival until the second of January, 1764, so that we could 
 not land any of our cargo, although it was sold, and a part 
 of it much wanted by Mr. Gathorn, the British Consul, as 
 about a month before our arrival a transport, with between 
 two and three hundred of Montgomer3''s Highlanders, Lieuts. 
 West and McKenzie (son to the Earl of Cromartie), of the 
 king's own regiment, and Lieut. Bloomfield of the artillery, 
 from Quebec, bound to England, had put in here in distress, 
 and their vessel was so leaky they were obliged to run her 
 ashore to prevent her foundering. 
 
 The evening of the second of January it began to blow 
 hard, and by midnight increased to a perfect storm. Signals 
 of distress were fired from all the vessels which had guns, and 
 they continued firing all night. At daylight signals of dis- 
 tress were made by every vessel in the harbor. In our old 
 bark we expected every instant to founder. GTrant would 
 have cut and run the vessel ashore, but was afraid we should 
 all perish. We continued in this situation until about one 
 o'clock, when we parted our best bower cable, and found we 
 were drawing on shore. The scene now before us was 
 enough to shock the stoutest heart. We were drawing fast 
 upon rocks that the sea broke over in Such a manner that 
 death appeared inevitable. In this situation we did every- 
 thing that was possible to preserve our lives ; we cut our re- 
 maining cables, (here every vessel hires cables, especially in 
 the winter) hoisted a small piece of our foresail to keep her 
 clear of the rocks, and stood for a sandy beach opposite the 
 town, where we expected there would be some hopes of our 
 being saved. Although it -blew and rained harder than it 
 had ever been known before by the oldest inhabitant of the 
 place, there was scarce a person belonging to the town but 
 what was on the walls gazing at us. In front of those on 
 the beach, when atop of the sea, we could see the gallant 
 
12 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 Highlanders standing ready to afford us any assistance that 
 could be given. As"! sWam remarkably well, I was deter- 
 mined as soon as the vessel struck to commit myself to the 
 waves, and swim for the shore. For this purpose, I had 
 stripped myself naked. A young Scotchman, of the name ot 
 Daniel Carr, who was one of the men washed overboard 
 when we lost our mate, swam well, and agreed to follow me. 
 Grant, from the quarterdeck, seeing me naked, called to me. 
 He represented to me the impossibility of my being saved by 
 swimming while there was such a dreadful surf. When he 
 found this had no effect, he begged me not to leave him, that a 
 few moments would decide our fate, and that I had a much 
 better chance of being saved by staying with him than by 
 jumping overboard. When I looked at him, I perceived 
 tears in his eyes. This and his request had more weight 
 than anything he could say about the danger of my attempt. 
 As he could not swim, and he knew how well I did, he thought 
 it probable I might be of service to him. This, indeed, 
 was one great inducement for me to stay. His countenance 
 expressed satisfaction when I told him we would live or die 
 together. We were now driving fast on shore, which had a 
 horrid appearance. As soon as the vessel touched the ground 
 Daniel went overboard. He had nothing on him but a 
 handkerchief tied round his waist, with the little money he 
 possessed in it. Twice he was on his feet, and some of the 
 brave troops were very near him ; but the undertow carried 
 him off, and he wa"s drowned. He was the most active man 
 belonging to the vessel. Having a great regard for him, I 
 was much affected at his loss. His money prevented our 
 ever finding his body, and possibly occasioned his being 
 drowned. When we first struck, I expected the vessel would 
 have gone to pieces; however, the second heavy sea, after we 
 struck, hove her so far on the beach, that when the sea left 
 her she was almost dry. In this situation we dropped from 
 the end of the bowsprit, and with the assistance of the High- 
 landmen, we reached the shore in safety. Lieutenant 
 McKenzie distinguished himself in his endeavors to save us, 
 and had very nearly lost his life in the attempt he made to 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 18 
 
 save poor Daniel. This young gentleman, I think, told me 
 he was at his mother's breast when she applied to the king 
 for a pardon for her husband, who was concerned in the Re- 
 bellion. We were treated with great kindness by Messrs. 
 Gathorne and McKnight, merchants of this place, and by all 
 the British officers, most of whom had served with my 
 brother Edward, for whom they expressed a great esteem, 
 and on his account M'ere particularly kind to me. All the 
 vessels in the road, being eight, received more or less damage, 
 and two besides our own were totally lost. 
 
 Shortly after the loss of our vessel, an English merchant 
 died here suddenly, and was buried near one of the churches. 
 The Portuguese were, or pretended to be, much shocked at a 
 heretic's being laid near one of their churches, and during 
 the time of our walking to the ground and putting the body 
 in the grave, continually j)elte<i and abused us. Had the 
 soldiers been armed, there would have been some bloodshed. 
 At the grave there was a dispute whether the head should 
 be laid to the east or west. This was settled by an old mas- 
 ter of a ship, who said, if the head was laid the wrong way, 
 when all hands were called, he had only to turn upon his heel, 
 and all would be right. We were told the inhabitants took 
 up the body in the night and threw it into the sea. 
 
 Two nights after this funeral, the Highlanders were de- 
 termined to be revenged for the insults they had received. 
 They paraded the streets, and insulted and abused every in- 
 habitant they met with. They wounded some who opposed 
 them. Complaint was made the next day by the governor 
 to their commander, Captain St. Clair. He requested 
 St. Clair to have their broadswords taken from them ; this 
 he refused, and told the governor that unless his soldiers 
 were treated better, he would give them pistols. After this 
 the people of the island were afraid of the soldiers, and be- 
 haved better to us. Many of those Highlanders who had 
 served some years in America, and with English regiments, 
 I was told could not speak a word of English. It was re- 
 markable that none of the officers could fire well at a mark. 
 They pitched upon me to fire against an Italian gentleman. 
 
14 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 who valued himself much upon his skill. "We had several 
 trials, and although I never at home was considered a good 
 marksman, I was fully equal to this man who, one day, took 
 some improper liberties with the officers ; but they soon con- 
 vinced him that if they did not fire well at a mark, they 
 were any of them very ready to take a shot with him, or 
 try him in any way he chose. He was obliged to humble 
 himself very much to prevent being severely handled. It 
 was with difficulty Mr. McKenzie could be prevented from 
 kicking him. 
 
 Mr. Gathorn told me that the winter before we were cast 
 away, a ship hove to off the harbor when it blew a gale of 
 wind from the westward. She had a signal of distress, and 
 was full of people. As the water was smooth, he engaged a 
 number of boats to go off to her. They intended to take the 
 people out and run into a small harbor in Pico, but before 
 the boats could put oft', the ship made sail and ran ashore 
 upon Pico, where the captain and most of them perished. 
 She was from Ireland, bound to America. Those who were 
 saved said the captain was very drunk at the time they ran 
 ashore. Passengers should be very careful how they put 
 themselves with a dru'nkard. They had better be in a bad 
 ship with a sober, careful man, than in a good one with a 
 man too fond of liquor. 
 
 In the month of February, Mr. Graham, partner of Mr. 
 Gathorn, arrived in a Snow from Philadelphia. The captain 
 and he having diftered on the passage, the captain left her at 
 Fayal, and the command was given to Captain Grant. 
 About this time a transport ship belonging to Philadelphia, 
 Captain Dennis,* arrived from Lisbon, and took on board 
 the troops to carry them to England. We parted with the 
 officers with much regret. The Snow was ordered to Charles- 
 ton, and I shipped myself on board of her. It was the ninth 
 of March before we left this island, which is very pleasant 
 and fertile. By my long residence here in a Portuguese house 
 I had acquired a tolerable knowledge of their language. "We 
 
 * Afterwards commanded a revenue cutter in New York. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 15 
 
 arrived on the coast of Carolina early in April. Just off 
 soundings we lost both our topmasts. This was entirely 
 owing to the obstinacy of Grant, for the mate, who was an 
 old seaman well acquainted with the coast, advised him to 
 take in sail long before he would do it. I was going up to 
 hand* the maintop-gallant sail, and was just getting into the 
 top when the topmast went over the side. Great care should 
 be taken to be well prepared for these squalls, for frequent 
 accidents happen by trusting that they will not blow hard. 
 Having a fair wind we arrived a few days afterwards in 
 Charleston. Grant and myself left the suow, and took pas- 
 sage for Baltimore, and from thence went to Philadelphia, 
 where I had the happiness to find the family all well. 
 
 After settling with his owners Grant was determined to go to 
 England, and from thence to India, where he had been before, 
 and where, he said, he was sure of making his fortune in the 
 coasting trade. He wanted me very much to go with him, 
 and probably I should have done so, but my family were all 
 very much against it, particularly my mother. He promised 
 to write to me, but I never heard of him after he left 
 England, so that it is probable he did not live long after 
 reaching India. . 
 
 Lieutenant John Lockart Nesmith, who was a half-pay 
 lieutenant in the British navy, came from London this spring 
 to build a vessel. As he had served with Captain McFunn, 
 who had some time before married a sisterf of mine, Captain 
 McFunn agreed to take a third in the vessel he intended 
 building. They employed Mr. John Wharton, who built a 
 snow of a hundred and fifty tons burthen. As I attended 
 very constantly to the fitting of this vessel, and was stout of 
 my age, I was appointed second mate of her. Just before we 
 sailed I was paid for my work on board, and had a month's 
 advance given me. As I had not time to go home after it 
 was paid me, I sent it from the Capes to my mother, and I 
 never disposed of any money that gave me so much pleasure. 
 We left the Capes about the middle of October, and a few 
 
 * To furl. t -Lydia, eldest sister of the writer. 
 
16 AUTOBIOSEAPHYOF 
 
 days after it blew so hard from the southward that we were 
 obliged to heave to. As the gale increased in the night, our 
 chief mate, Mr. Campbell, about eleven o'clock went down to 
 inform the captain and to tell him he thought we had better 
 take in the foresail. As Campbell was waking the captain, 
 the vessel gave a lee-lurch, and the table giving way and 
 making a great noise, alarmed ]!Tesmith very much. He 
 came running upon deck, and halloed down the steerage 
 hatchway, "Jump up, my brave lads; make haste up, my 
 good fellows, or we all perish ;" and some other expressions 
 that showed he was much agitated. These expressions were 
 repeated and laughed at afterward by the seamen. From 
 trifling circumstances of this kind many a brave officer has 
 been thought a coward. There are few gallant men but 
 •what will on some occasions behave in such a manner as to 
 be considered wanting in courage. At that time all our 
 ship's company thought him a coward ; but he was a very 
 brave man, and a good seaman, that had raised himself by his 
 merit. He afterwards mentioned that just as he was called, 
 he was dreaming that the vessel was foundering. "We had a 
 tedious passage of thirty days to Antigua. We soon discharged 
 our cargo , took in ballast, ru m , and dry goods, and proceeded for 
 the bay of Honduras. One night while at Antigua, being on 
 shore in the boat by myself waiting for the captain and crew, 
 a drunken fellow, who commanded a drogher, insisted upon 
 my putting him on board his vessel. From words we soon 
 came to blows, and as he was much too strong, I got severely 
 beaten, and probably would have been murdered, but fortu- 
 nately the captain and crew came down while we were fight- 
 ing. They hove the fellow overboard. 
 
 On our passage down we touched at the Mosquito Shore, 
 and hired one 'of the Indians they call a striker, that is, a 
 man to supply the crew with fish, turtle, and maniti or 
 paeon, which is excellent eating. One of these men will (or 
 would at this time) supply a ship's company with more fish 
 and turtle than they could eat. We lay here nearly four 
 months, and were daily furnished by this man. The crew 
 were at last so tired of fish and turtle that they would beg 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 17 
 
 for a mess of salt provisions. The inhabitants of the bay at 
 this time were chiefly old seamen or unfortunate merchants. 
 They were very hospitable and generous, would give freely 
 any liquor or provisions they bad in their houses. In return 
 they would expect to be treated in the same manner when 
 they came on board your ship. If you did not treat them 
 well they never would purchase or sell to you, and you 
 would be insulted whenever you went ashore. 
 
 When loading, and Captain iffesmith up the river, a shal- 
 lop came alongside with a load of logwood. We had taken 
 but a few tons on board, when Captain Wright, who com- 
 manded a brig belonging to 'Sew York, came on board and 
 told Mr. Campbell that the wood was intended for him and 
 he must have it. Campbell informed him that as Captain 
 Nesmith was not on board, he could not let the wood go. 
 Upon this Wright attempted to cast oft' the shallop, and 
 called his boat's crew to come on board and assist him. As 
 soon as they entered a battle ensued, in which several on both 
 sides were much hurt, and George Peters, one of our crew, 
 being knocked from the gunwale' of our vessel into the shallop, 
 had his arm broken and lay for some time lifeless. Wright 
 was a remarkably stout man, and after a warm contest he 
 carried the shallop off. That night JSTesmith returned, and 
 was very much exasperated when he heard of the behavior 
 of Wright. Early in the morning he ordered the boat 
 manned, and we armed ourselves as well as we could, Nes- 
 mith being determined to bring the shallop back or lose his 
 life in the attempt. She was at this time alongside of the 
 brig. As Wright was an old captain of a privateer, and a 
 very determined fellow, I expected we should have a bloody 
 piece of business, but he had been so much bruised the day 
 before that he could not get out of his bed, and we took her 
 without opposition. The baymen at this time would fre- 
 quently sell their wood to two or three different captains, 
 which occasioned much squabbling and fighting. There be- 
 ing no law but club-law, the strongest always took the wood. 
 
 We sailed the beginning of April for Curagao, and beat 
 for several days to get up as high as Bonacco. This is done 
 2 
 
18 AUTOBIOGKAPHTOF 
 
 by most masters of vessels before they stand to the north- 
 ward for Cuba. I do not, however, think it necessary to 
 beat up to this island, for you may go to the westward of 
 Turneff and between the JSTorthern Triangles and the main, 
 or to the windward, if the wind will permit, and beat up 
 when you get into the latitude of Cape Anthony or to the 
 northward of it. When you beat up to Bonaeco, and stand 
 over for Cuba, you frequently make the land to windward 
 of Cape Anthony and have to run down. You sometimes 
 meet with a westerly wind, which if to leeward, would be 
 a fair wind for you. From December to March you fre- 
 quently have westerly winds. In the latitude of 20° 50', 
 about five leagues from Cape Catoche there is a bank that 
 I have been upon. You will have on it from twelve to six- 
 teen fathoms. I believe it is not laid down in any chart. 
 When we first discovered the bottom we were in company 
 with the ship Sally, Capt. Osman, and it alarmed us a good 
 deal. Having never heard of this bank, as it was in the 
 evening when we made it, we could not tell the extent. In 
 navigating those seas your safety much depends upon a very 
 careful lookout, and never to run for any of the islands or 
 reefs in the night if you can possibly avoid it. Thousands 
 have perished by being too anxious to make a short passage. 
 S'othing material happened until we arrived in the lati- 
 tude of Curagao, which we passed about ten o'clock in the 
 morning, mistaking it for one of the islands that are to the 
 windward of it ; nor did we discover our mistake until we 
 spoke a schooner beating up. They told us the island we 
 supposed to be Cura9ao, and for which we were standing, 
 was the island of Oruba. We immediately hauled our wind, 
 and inquiring if they could furnish us with a pilot for Cura- 
 9ao, they, after some consultation, informed us they could. 
 The schooner was full of men, and Nesmith was under some 
 apprehension of their being wreckers or some ruffians that 
 probably would plunder us. He therefore directed me, when 
 I went on board of her to bring the pilot, not to suffer any 
 other person to come into the boat, as there were between 
 thirty and forty men in the schooner, and only four of us in 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. .19 
 
 the boat, and we had no weapon with us but the boat-hook. 
 I knew if they were determined on it we could not prevent 
 them ; yet, as I was then, and have ever since been, of the 
 opinion that an officer should always obey his superior's 
 orders, be they almost what they may, or endeavor to do it, 
 I told him no other should come into the boat. While we 
 were alongside several ill-looking rascals attempted to come 
 in, but when I told them my orders, and that I would drive 
 the boat-hook into any that came into the boat, they de- 
 sisted. We understood from the pilot, that the people on 
 board the schooner had gone from Cura9ao to a vessel that 
 was wrecked in Oruba. We beat here several days, when 
 being in want of provisions and finding we daily lost ground, 
 we bore away for Jamaica. The poor pilot, when he found 
 we were standing for Jamaica, was ready to jump overboard, 
 for when he came on board he expected to be in Curasao in 
 a day or two, and was engaged to be married as soon as he 
 arrived there. We arrived in Jamaica in a few days. 'Ses- 
 mith, not being willing to take the price oiFered for his cargo, 
 stored it. I understood from him afterwards, that it sold for 
 one-half of what had been offered, and I believe it is better 
 to sell almost any cargo in the West Indies than to store it. 
 The expense of storing is great and the result uncertain. 
 
 During the time we were at Kingston three of our crew 
 ran away. I don't know that I^esmith used them worse 
 than usual, but I am sure he was glad they left us ; for they 
 had several months' wages due them. I have known masters 
 behave ill to their crew when they had much wages due, to 
 induce them to run away. This is certainly a most infamous 
 way of saving money. 
 
 We went from Jamaica to the Bay and there took in a 
 cargo for London. We were loaded and nearly ready to sail 
 when a vessel arrived from Philadelphia, which brought 
 letters for Nesmith, ordering him home. As most of the 
 crew belonged to Philadelphia this intelligence was received 
 with the greatest joy. We sailed soon after, and arrived safe 
 after an absence of twelve months. 
 
 During this voyage a circumstance happened that I have 
 
20' AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 been almost afraid to mention, even to my friends, fearing 
 they should doubt it, although they never had any reason to 
 doubt my veracity. It was in March, one pleasant night, 
 when we were on our passage to Curasao, being at the helm, 
 I thought I saw the apparition of one of my sisters, that I 
 had left sick in Philadelphia, pass and beckon to me. It had 
 such an effect on me that I awoke my brother ITicholas and 
 mentioned it to him, and set down in my journal the time it 
 happened. Upon our return we anchored off the city about 
 ten o'clock at night. I went ashore and was hurrying to my 
 mother's when I overtook my sister Mary. I eagerly inquired 
 after our sister- — " She is well, and has a fine boy." " I do not 
 mean our sister McFunn, but Abigail." " My God ! have you 
 never heard that we lost her. It is upwards of six months 
 since she died." I found upon further inqxiiry it was the 
 night I thought she appeared to me. She had been a remark- 
 ably hearty girl until one night going to a dance, and, on 
 returning home, sitting for some time in a damp room brought 
 on a complaint that soon hurried hgr to her grave. The day 
 before she died she requested to be lifted up to see the sun 
 rise, which she said she was sure would be the last time she 
 should ever see it. She died with the utmost composure. 
 
 "We found that none of the vessels we had spoken during 
 this voyage had published the name of our vessel or captain 
 right. The Snow was called the Ann and Almack. Ann 
 was the name of Captain Alraack's sister, who was married 
 to Almack, a celebrated tavern-keeper in London. Most of 
 those who spoke us mentioned their speaking the Snow 
 Almanack. 
 
 Captain ISTesmith left the Snow in PhiladelpTiia, and bought 
 a small shallop to trade up the rivers in the Bay, and my 
 brother-in-law. Captain McFunn, took command of the Snow. 
 We left Philadelphia in October; 1765, for Jamaica, where 
 we arrived the beginning of November. After we had dis- 
 charged our cargo, and were taking in ballast, Mr. Campbell 
 sent me one morning in the boat to bring a craft that was 
 becalmed alongside with ballast. We were discharging her 
 when the captain of a London ship came on board. Camp- 
 
•CHARLES BIDDLB. • 21 
 
 bell being in the hold, he addressed himself to me in a noisy, 
 rude manner, and told me the ballast was for his shipj and he 
 would have it. Captain McFunn, who was one of the stoutest, 
 most resolute, and passionate men in the world, was below, 
 and a barber shaving him. Hearing a noise, he called to me 
 to know what was the matter. When I informed him, he 
 came upon deck in a violent rage, and asked the London 
 captain how he dared to come on board his vessel and behave 
 in the manner he had done. Not liking the answer he re- 
 ceived, he gave the captain a blow with the back of his hand 
 which knocked him from the gunwale into the water. He 
 very rferrowly escaped falling into his boat, which had luckily 
 been just pulled ahead. When he was hauled in his boat he 
 told Captain McFunn that he hoped soon to find him ashore, 
 when he would punish him for his infamous behavior. 
 McFunn immediately ordered the boat manned, and, half 
 shaved as he was, went immediately ashore. HoM'ever, he 
 was not followed. 
 
 A few days after, we dropped down to Port Royal. While 
 here, upon a Sunday, we hoisted a king's jack. A small 
 sloop-of-war sent her boat on board and took it away. • Cap- 
 tain McFunn was then at Kingston ; when he came on board, 
 and was informed of what had happened, he thought by going 
 on board and informing the captain of the sloop it was hoisted 
 without his knowledge that it would be given up. However, 
 he was mistaken, for the captain of the sloop told him that 
 his being an old naval officer made him more inexcusable, and 
 he should not have the colors. This was very mortifying to 
 McFunn, but there was no remedy. Had he met him on shore 
 he would probably have demanded satisfaction. Fortunately 
 they did not meet, for we sailed the day after for the Bay. 
 
 Soon after our arrival in the bay Captain McFunn hired a 
 black man named Marlborough. He was a stout, active young 
 man, about twenty-one years of age, and of his color remark- 
 ably handsome. He was a most excellent servant ; had been 
 brought up in Bristol ; could shave, dress, and was handy and 
 willing to do everything. He belonged to one Cook, who, 
 after he had been on board a month, said he could not live 
 
22 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 without him, and took him up the river where he then lived. 
 For some crime he supposed the unfortunate black had com- 
 mitted, and which it appeared afterwards was not done by 
 him. Cook cut off one of his ears. Marlborough immediately 
 took a gun that happened to be in the room and shot his 
 master dead. He fled to the woods. A few days afterwards, 
 as our long boat was coming down the river he knew her, 
 and, driven by hunger, he hailed her; and upon Mr. Scull, 
 who commanded the boat, promising not to deliver him up 
 he came on board. As soon as he sat down to eat they seized 
 upon him, and upon their arrival at St. George's they de- 
 livered him to the magistrates, who condemned him 'to be 
 burned, and he was executed the day after he was tried. 
 They bound him to a stake and made a fire round him with 
 empty barrels and brush. Soon after the fire was kindled, in 
 order to put him out of his pain, Captain McFunn kicked 
 one of the empty barrels that was in a blaze close to his head. 
 He was sensible that it was intended to relieve him from pain, 
 and, being unable to speak, he bowed his head to thank him. 
 No man ever sufiered with more fortitude than this unfortu- 
 nate black. Our crew detested Scull so much for his breach 
 of promise to Marlborough that it was hardly safe for him 
 to come on board the Snow. "We all thought Marlborough 
 perfectly right in shooting his inhuman master. 
 
 At the Bay we found Captain l^esmith, who had provided 
 a great part of our cargo, and the 28th day of December we 
 sailed from the bay for Antigua. We had light aire and 
 variable winds for several days. On the 2d of January, 1766, 
 we were becalmed between the J^orthem Triangles and the 
 main. At dark we set* the southernmost part of the reef. 
 It bore S. E. by S. from us. It continued calm until about 
 nine o'clock, when we had a light breeze from the northwest. 
 We set all sail and steered S. by W., intending to keep that 
 course until we passed the reef. At 11 o'clock it blew very 
 hard ; we were then under our foresail and close-reefed main- 
 topsail. About half-past eleven Captain McFunn told me he 
 
 * "To set" is to take the bearing by compass. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 23 
 
 felt as if a mountain was removed from his breast; that he 
 had been uneasy at not having any insurance on his part of 
 the Snow ; that he had never gone to sea before without doing 
 it ; that he was sure we had now passed the reef, and were 
 out of danger. It now blew excessively hard, and he ordered 
 me to call all hands and take in the maintopsail, and told 
 Campbell and myself he intended to stand to the eastward 
 under the foresail. All hands were called, and the chief mate 
 took the helm. We were just going to take in the topsail 
 when George Peters, a Scotch seaman, that was looking out 
 from the end of her boltsprit, called out^-" Starboard ! Star- 
 board! for God's sake, or we are all lost." The chief mate, 
 who was very hard of hearing, put the helm a-port. The 
 man repeating the cry, I ran aft and we shifted the helm, 
 which was not done more than ten minutes when she ran 
 ashore. We were going at the rate of seven or eight knots 
 when she struck. The first stroke she gave was dreadful, 
 and if she had been loaded with any other cargo than maho- 
 gany and logwood she would have gone to pieces in an hour. 
 The second sea that struck her carried her within the outer 
 breaker, and fortunately threw her broadside to the sea, 
 by which means our boats could live to leeward of her. 
 We hoisted them out ; the long boat was soon lost. The 
 yawl we veered away with a hawser. My brother Nicholas 
 went in her, and did everything he was ordered with as much 
 coolness as he would have done alongside the wharf. We 
 then cut her masts by the board ; one of them falling on the 
 starboard, the other on the larboard side. After the masts 
 were cut away I went into the cabin, and, finding the captain's 
 chest driving about, I was lashing it to one of the stanchions 
 when Campbell came down. He told me it was an unneces- 
 sary piece of business, for he was sure none of us would ever 
 live to see daylight. This made me desist; however, as my 
 clothes were wet, I opened the chest and took some out, and 
 by this means did not save any whatever belonging to my- 
 self. About two o'clock we all went into the steerage, but 
 had not been there long before we found the deck settling, 
 and all hurried to the after part of the quarter deck, which 
 
24 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 was the only part of the wreck the sea did not make a breach 
 over. Having lost our long-boat, we had nothing but a yawl, 
 and as she would hardly carry us all, we were afraid of one 
 another. Having done everything we could, we all went 
 into the steerage. We were soon, however, driven thence 
 by a heavy sea breaking on board which made the deck 
 crack. We now retreated to the after part of the quarter 
 deck, the only part of the wreck that was dry. We waited 
 with great anxiety for the dawning of the day. When it 
 appeared, we saw the Northern Triangles,* the nearest part 
 about eight miles, and that we had struck on the southern- 
 most part of the reef, so that if Campbell had kept the helm 
 a-port, as he first put it, in a few minutes we should have 
 cleared the reef. He said afterwards, that when he heard a 
 noise forward he suspected what was the matter, and know- 
 ing the reef must be to the eastward, made him put the 
 helm to port. It still blew excessively hard, and we were 
 afraid to venture in the boat. We passed another dismal 
 night on the wreck. The second day the gale abated a little) 
 and the wind hauled round to the northward. We deter- 
 mined to reach the shore, as we thought it impossible to live 
 another night on board. We took with us a small cask of 
 water, a bag of bread, a compass, and a few other necessa- 
 ries. There were ten of us, five at the oars, two lay in the 
 bottom of the boat, I steered her, and Captain McFunn and 
 Campbell were employed bailing, for we took in a great deal 
 of water, so that the poor fellows in the bottom of the boat 
 were almost drowned. Just before we went into the boat, a 
 poor English lad, of the name of John Phillips, who knew 
 how well I could swim, came to me and begged if the boat 
 should sink I would try to save his life. I encouraged him all 
 I could, but thought it very doubtful whether we should ever 
 reach the shore. We had left the wreck but a few minutes 
 when we found the boat was too deep to row. We therefore 
 hove over all our water. For four hours we could not tell 
 whether we gained or not on the shore, and we made every 
 
 * Off" the coast of Yucatan, in lat. 18° 37' N., long. 87° 20' W. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 25 
 
 possible exertion, well knowing if we went astern we must 
 perish. About eleven o'clock we perceived we neared the 
 shore ; this encouraged us, and a little after dark we reached 
 it, almost dead with hunger and fatigue. N'otwithstanding 
 our fatigue, we were so much rejoiced that we ran about the 
 island like wild Indians. That night we spent without any- 
 thing whatever to cover us, the next day we built two huts. 
 The fourth day, being moderate, I went on board the wreck 
 with four hands. We got some flour and other necessaries. 
 We continued going on board for some days, when, having 
 fitted our boat with washboards, and done everything we 
 could to fit her well, we determined to put to sea, and en- 
 deavor to get back to the place from whence we had sailed. 
 As the boat would not carry us all to sea with safety, we 
 agreed to draw lots. This was a business we did not feel 
 much anxiety about, for it was expected if the boat got safe 
 those on the island would be saved. If the boat's crew per- 
 ished, there was little chance of those on shore being ever 
 released. It fell to the lot of Captain McFunn, Mr. Camp- 
 bell, myself, and three seamen to go in the boat ; my brother, 
 an old shipmate of mine of the name of Armstrong, that 
 had been with me when I sailed with Grant, Phillips the 
 boy I have mentioned, and one George Peters, to stay on 
 the island. After taking an affectionate leave of our ship- 
 mates, on the 15th of January, 1766, with a moderate breeze, 
 we left the island. It was with great regret I left my brother. 
 At parting, I told him if we did not return in two weeks he 
 might conclude we were lost. The breeze died away when 
 we were about a league from the land, and continued calm 
 all day. Owing to calms and head winds we did not reach 
 St. George's Key until the 20th, in the evening. During 
 this passage we suffered very much. We were all very re- 
 ligious, everything material was done in the name of the 
 Lord until we made the land. The fellow who first dis- 
 covered it had just stood up to stretch himself, being cramped 
 sitting in the boat ; when he saw the land, he halloed out 
 with great surprise and joy, " Damn my eyes, there is the 
 land." We were all overjoyed at the sight. As we drew 
 
26 AUTOBIOttRAPHYOF 
 
 near the reef we could see that it broke very high, and we 
 had nearly perished in crossing it. We kept within the 
 reef until we landed at the westward of St. George's Key, 
 and Captain McFunn, who did not know how Ifesmith 
 would receive hira, sent me to inform him of what had 
 happened. When I went to his house, or, rather, hut, he 
 was mending an old sail. He east his eyes up as I entered, 
 expecting to see some person of the island, hut when he 
 found it was me, he stared for some time without being able 
 to speak one word. At last he exclaimed, " G-ood heavens! 
 Charles, where did you come from ? I thought you were near 
 Antigua." I told him in a few words what had happened, 
 and informed him where Capt. McFunn was. He arose im- 
 mediately, and asked me to take some refreshment. I told 
 hira I did not want any, and pressed him to go with me di- 
 rectly to the boat, which he did. As we went, I requested 
 that whatever he felt at the loss he would sustain by the 
 Snow, to say nothing to Captain McFunn about it, for I was 
 sure this worthy man was very unhappjj both on his own 
 and his account, and that he must be very certain the loss 
 was not occasioned by want of skill, or by negligence in Cap- 
 tain McFunn, for there was no man more prudent, none 
 better qualified to command a ship. Captain ISTesmith had 
 always expressed the most affectionate regard for me. He 
 told me that he had been uneasy on account of the tremen- 
 dous gale of wind they had soon after we sailed, but he had 
 long before he saw me concluded we had escaped it. He 
 promised he would receive Captain McFunn as an old friend. 
 Although his reception was not altogether such as I wished, 
 he behaved with tolerable kindness. I was very glad that 
 Captain McFunn sent me, for had he gone himself he would 
 not have been so well received. Being extremely anxious 
 about my brother, in two days after our arrival I sailed with 
 Campbell, our chief mate, in a shallop for the IsTorthern Tri- 
 angle. The northerly winds that generally prevail at this 
 season made it a dangerous and disagreeable expedition. We 
 were several times driven back, and I believe if it had not 
 been for myself, those we left on the island would never have 
 
CHARLESBIDDLE. 27 
 
 been taken off. The last time we went out Captain I^esmith 
 was with us in his own shallop. Expecting to save some- 
 thing from the wreck we anchored under Turneff,* and here 
 some Englishmen, who were after turtle, told us that they 
 had heard that a party of Spaniards, who were then at 
 Turneff, had been to the Triangles and murdered all the peo- 
 ple we left there. Although I doubted the truth of this re- 
 port, it made me very unhappy, and I requested If esmith to 
 let me go with some of the crew and bring the Spaniards on 
 board, that we might carry them with us, and if we found 
 them guilty punish them. After a good deal of persuasion 
 he consented, at the same time telling me he was afraid I 
 would repent it. The Spaniards were about four miles from 
 us. I took three men with me, one of whom spoke Spanish. 
 When I told them of the report they all declared that it was 
 not true, that the turtlers had only mentioned this story be- 
 cause they were afraid of being prevented from getting turtle. 
 They very readily agreed to go on board with me, and I took 
 six out of ten that were on the island. As two of us were 
 well armed we could, and would have obliged them had they 
 been inclined to dispute the matter. The wind and weather 
 being favorable, in three days after this to my great joy we 
 made the island, and soon discovered a fire on it. We anchored 
 near the wreck, and I set off immediately after with the six 
 Spaniards for the shore, taking with us some refreshments. 
 As we approached the land I concealed myself The poor 
 fellows on shore seeing none but Spaniards in the boat were 
 afraid of being cruelly treated, and therefore prepared, as 
 well as they could, to defend themselves. When we came 
 within a quarter of a mile of the landing, I stood up and 
 called to my brother and Armstrong. Nothing could exceed 
 their joy, they ran up to their Tvaists in the water to get into 
 the boat to embrace me ; it was near two weeks we had been 
 absent. I was shocked to see how miserably they looked. 
 The water on the island was so bad that nothing but neces- 
 sity could induce them to drink it. The island we were 
 
 * Lat. 170 36' N., Long. 87° 46' W. 
 
28 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 upon is the largest of the Triangles, and is about two miles 
 in circumference. The reef runs near three leagues to the 
 southeast. The Spaniards call it the Devil's Nut. We found 
 some cocoanut trees, and a little animal called a guana. They 
 are shaped like a lizard, about the size of a squirrel, and very 
 good eating ; at least we thought so. They are easily caught, 
 for when chased, and got to their holes, they only hide their 
 heads. We lay here about ten days, saving what we could 
 from the wreck. During this time myself, the Spaniards, and 
 one of our crew, had nearly been lost in a gale of wind. 
 Captain Nesmith was ashore with the rest of the crew. He 
 should have come on board before the gale came on, but I be- 
 lieve he thought it safer on shore. When I spoke to him about 
 his staying on shore, he told me he knew I would do every- 
 thing that was necessary. We parted our cable, and before 
 we could make sail were within ten yards of the reef. It 
 was three days before we again anchored near the wreck. 
 Being all now heartily tired we took our departvire from these 
 islands the 22d of March, 1766. Having a fair wind in two 
 days we arrived at St. George's Key. The Spaniards, who 
 had behaved remarkably well, got from the wreck a good 
 deal of old iron, with which they were perfectly satisfied. 
 
 Some time after our return from the wreck Captain McFunn 
 chartered a sloop belonging to Jamaica to take a cargo 
 for Charleston, South Carolina. I was then acting as second 
 mate on board a ship belonging to Boston, but at the request 
 of Captain McFunn I left the ship and went on board the 
 sloop as his mate. I did not wish to leave the ship, but could 
 not refuse to comply with any request this worthy man could 
 make, esjjecially as he had been unfortunate. He wished my 
 brother JSTicholas to come on board, which he did immediately. 
 This vessel was built at Jamaica upon the plan of the Ber- 
 muda sloops, and sat well upon the water, but was one of the 
 worst barks that ever went to sea. We left St. George's Key 
 the third day of July, and had been out but a few days before 
 we were obliged (to prevent her foundering) to throw over- 
 board a considerable part of our cargo. It was the middle of 
 August before we arrived on the coast of Carolina, where we 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 29 
 
 suffered very much for want of provisions and water, and we 
 were obliged to keep one pump constantly going, and in bad 
 weather both. "We arrived at Charleston the 20th of August. 
 After we had discharged the cargo Captain McFunn left the 
 sloop and gave me the command of her, which I was then 
 very proud of, although it would have been much better to 
 have gone as a common seaman- on board a good ship. She 
 was advertised for passengers to Kingston and the Bay of 
 Honduras. The only passenger we had was an unfortunate 
 black that ran away from his master from Kingston. We 
 sailed from Charleston the fifteenth of September. The 
 twenty-fifth we had a hurricane, and it was wonderful how 
 we escaped. We at length arrived at Port Royal, and 
 soon after we anchored I went up in the boat to Kingston, 
 and delivered my letters to Mr. Jerman, to whom Captain 
 McFunn had written to assist me in anything I should want. 
 "We called on the man who owned the black, and he paid for 
 his passage, and I promised to send him up from Port Royal. 
 However, it was a promise not in my power to comply with, 
 for when I returned to the sloop I found the mate had been 
 on shore, and the black had made John Phillips, the boy I 
 have formerly mentioned, believe that he had liberty from 
 me to go on shore, and he went off with some blacks. The 
 next morning I called and informed the owner what had hap- 
 pened, expecting as the black was old and infirm he would 
 be glad to get back the money he had paid for his passage, 
 which I offered him. This he refused, and declared if I did 
 not find him he would make me answerable for his value. I 
 found out afterwards that the black had been guilty of some 
 crime. The fellow who owned !him expected he would be 
 executed, and he should be paid for him by government. 
 When this was told me I was very glad the poor devil had 
 got off. Upon consulting with Jerman, he was of opinion as 
 all my business in Jamaica was finished, and my vessel cleared 
 out, I had best get away from Port Royal as soon as possible. 
 Leaving the passage money with him, I set off in the evening 
 in a wherry, determined to sail for the Bay the next morning. 
 When I got on board, to my inexpressible mortification, I 
 
30 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 found the mate and all the people, except Phillips and a small 
 boy about fourteen years of age, had left the sloop. The 
 mate gave Phillips a letter for me in which he expressed sor- 
 row for leaving me, but declared he did not think it safe to 
 proceed to sea in such a vessel. Except a negro lad there 
 were only two boys belonging to the sloop. In the night 
 Jerman sent me word that, the owner of the black who had 
 run away intended to send the water bailiff after me. Upon 
 this I was resolved to leave Port Royal early in the morning. 
 As soon as it was daylight I went ashore to get hands to go 
 the voyage, for with those on board we could not weigh the 
 anchor. I could find none that would go the voyage. I there- 
 fore hired a few blacks to get up our anchor and make sail. 
 Before we could do this I saw a boat, in which I supposed was 
 the water bailiff, coming down from Kingston. Being deter- 
 mined not to be taken, if I could possibly prevent it, I armed 
 the two boys and negro with handspikes and the fish-gig, 
 keeping a good pair of pistols myself. They stood after us 
 for some time, but having a good land breeze they gave 
 over the chase and stood for Kingston. As it would have 
 given me pain to have wounded any of the men in the boat, 
 I was much pleased when they gave over the chase. The 
 wind was fair for four days when we made the island of 
 Bonaco, and I flattered myself that in a few days we should 
 get to the Bay, and be rid of our miserable bark, but before 
 night the wind shifted to the westward, and blew with such 
 violence that we were obliged to heave to. The wind for 
 near three weeks continued blowing from the westward, 
 during which time we were almost dead with hunger and 
 fatigue. Everything was in bad order, we frequently had 
 four, sometimes five, feet of water in the hold before we could 
 get the pumps to work, and several times owing to the bad- 
 ness of the pumps we expected to founder. That day three 
 weeks we were driven from Bonaco, we again made it. We 
 had a fresh gale at northeast, with thick hazy weather, so 
 that we were very near the island before we discovered it. 
 Although I had never been in the harbor, and it blew too 
 hard for a boat to come off, I was determined to attempt 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 31 
 
 getting in, and went to the masthead where I could see all 
 the shoals, and soon carried her into the harbor. We found 
 here a brig belonging to New York, one Johnson, Master, and 
 three or four small vessels who had come here from the Mos- 
 quito shore to shelter themselves from the north winds which 
 had been blowing for some time on that coast. Soon after 
 we anchored the boat was hoisted out, and we went on shore. 
 There was no inhabitant on the island at this time but one 
 old Frenchman, who lived by fishing and hunting. The 
 morning of our arrival he had shot a wild hog, a part of 
 which I purchased of him, and it was the most delicious food 
 I ever tasted. The island lies but a few leagues from the 
 Mosquito shore, has an excellent harbor, and there is great 
 plenty of fish and turtle to be caught here ; and the woods 
 abound with wild hogs. As the island is pleasantly situated, 
 and, I believe, healthy, it is surprising there are not many 
 settlers on it. We lay here three days, when the wind being 
 favorable, we stood to the westward. We had light winds, 
 and it was not until the next day that we were able to take 
 our departure from the west end of Ruatan. The next night 
 we anchored at Key Bokell. The same night a ship from 
 E'ew York, commanded by Wright, whom I formerly men- 
 tioned as abusing Mr. Campbell, the chief mate of Ifesmith, 
 arrived ; on board this ship was Mr. Stacy Hepburn, an old, 
 intimate friend of mine. He was going to the Eay to pur- 
 chase a cargo for a ship belonging to Philadelphia, which 
 was to leave Jamaica soon after him. I was greatly rejoiced 
 at meeting this worthy friend, who came on board as soon as 
 he understood I commanded the sloop. He brought plenty 
 of stores with him, and having some difference with Wright, 
 he continued with me until we came to anchor at St. George's 
 Key. Owing to the wind being to the northward, I was 
 under the necessity of anchoring near the River Belize, and 
 I went from there in my boat to St. George's Key, to inform 
 the owner of the sloop of my arrival. It was a mortifying 
 circumstance to him, for she was insured in Jamaica much 
 above her value. He let me know in pretty plain terms that 
 he wished her lost before she reached St. George's Key, and 
 
32 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 hinted he would make it worth my while if I would run her 
 ashore. I told him he was a villain, and should have exposed 
 him in the Bay but that he was poor and sick. I brought 
 the sloop safe to St. George's Bay, and delivered her up. 
 Upon examining her, the carpenter declared her unfit for sea, 
 and they were surprised at her getting safe from Jamaica. 
 
 I had not been long in the Bay before Captain McFunn 
 arrived from Jamaica. After he came to anchor, he went 
 ashore in Captain McCarty's boat, who was here in a sloop 
 belonging to Philadelphia. When rowing for the shore he 
 inquired of McCarty what sloop it was lying aground near 
 the shore. McCarty asked if he did not remember his old 
 sloop — that it was the Kingston, that Charles came in. He 
 told me afterwards he never in his life was more rejoiced, for 
 there were several vessels in Jamaica that had left the Bay 
 three or four weeks after we sailed from Port Royal, and 
 he had little doubt but I was lost, and on his arrival was 
 afraid to inquire for me. I found, in the Bay, Mr. John Scull, 
 a cousin of mine. He was a young man that left Philadel- 
 phia with a small adventure, and came to the Bay in hopes 
 of making his fortune. He had been persuaded to go up a 
 river called by the English J^ew River,* by the Spaniards, Rio 
 Mort. The bank of this river, near the mouth of it, was so 
 sickly, that the Spaniards said a child was never raised there 
 to the age of nine years. My cousin being very anxious I 
 
 * New River is one of the numerous rivers of Belize or British Hondu- 
 ras, and empties into the Bay of Honduras at about 18|° N. St. George's 
 is a small fortified island ofl' the harbor of Belize, at the mouth of Belize 
 Jiiver, in 17° 29' N., 88° 12' W. The settlements along the north shore of 
 Honduras proper, the Bay Islands, and the Belize Coast (commonly called 
 British Honduras), were at tliis time greatly resorted to for their valuable 
 woods, and were, in nautical phrase, all comprehended in the term " The 
 Bay." The English, as early as 1674, had formed settlements about the 
 Belize (see Dampier's Voyages), from which they have never since wholly 
 receded, though oiten attacked by the Spaniards. 
 
 The Bay Islands (Roatan, Bonaco, etc.) were seized by the English in 
 1 742, and were occupied by them during the period embraced in this narra- 
 tive. The whole region was in a lawless condition, perhaps not unlike some 
 frontier parts of our own Western country. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 33 
 
 should accompany him up the river, and having suffered so 
 much at sea lately, I agreed to go vvdth him. We went up 
 the river in a craft belonging to my old commander, Nesmith, 
 who had a settlement a great many miles up this river, where 
 he lived retired, with a woman he brought from Philadelphia. 
 After staying a few days at his settlement, we left him, in 
 order to go up a creek called Irish Creek, where, we were in- 
 formed, the land was good, and that there was plenty of 
 mahogany and logwood near the banks. We had all our 
 fortune in this canoe. It consisted of an old negro man we 
 called Friday, who was a much greater trouble than profit to 
 us, a barrel of flour, a cask of pork, an old musket, a pair of 
 pistols, and a few other trifling articles, the whole not worth 
 twenty guineas. We proceeded, I believe, thirty miles up 
 the creek before we met with a place that suited us. At last 
 reaching a high bank we determined to flx ourselves. Scull, 
 being bred in the country, and a good axeman, soon cut down 
 as much timbefr as built us a house, which in this country is 
 soon built, four small, forked trees, with a few poles laid on 
 the top and covered with plantain leaves, being all that is 
 necessary. This will keep out the rain, and we were in no 
 danger of house-breakers. We had no household furniture 
 but what we made ourselves, except a tin mug and an iron pot, 
 and this last had but one leg, and there was a small hole in 
 the bottom. However, with this we were contented, which 
 is a happiness seldom, I believe, found in a palace. Our situa- 
 tion reminded me of a saying of one of the ancient philoso- 
 phers, when going through a fair : " What a number of things 
 are here that I do not want." We continued to work hard 
 for two months, when we paid a visit to our friend Nesmith. 
 During these two months we had not seen a human creature 
 but ourselves, and to human creatures we had not much re- 
 semblance, being almost naked, and in all that time had never 
 shaved, l^esmith was very comfortably situated, having 
 almost every convenience of life, and five or six negroes that 
 cut him a great deal of wood. While on this visit, I had 
 nearly been lost. Having taken a gun, in the morning about 
 nine o'clock, I went into the woods after game. It was a 
 3 
 
34 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 clear day, and I knew the river could be easily found by 
 taking notice of the sun. I went in pursuit of game a con- 
 siderable distance in the woods ; towards noon it became 
 cloudy, when I thought it necessary to return. About one 
 o'clock it began to rain. Continuing on for the river, as 
 I thought, as it grew dark I did not know which way to 
 go. It now rained hard, and as it was in vain for me to 
 fatigue myself by endeavoring to get out of the woods, I sat 
 down on a log and began to think I should perish in the 
 woods, as several had before, who, like me, had gone a gun- 
 ning. After being in this melancholy situation about an 
 hour, I heard a bell. Roused by this agreeable sound I fired 
 my gun, which, as well as my ammunition, I took care to 
 keep dry. Soon after I heard the bell much plainer. It 
 sounded pleasanter than any music I had ever heard. Having 
 good lungs I sang out with a loud voice, which some of the 
 party hearing they answered. Soon after my friends E^esmith 
 and Scull appeared. They had been uneasy at my long stay, 
 and had, with some negroes, come into the woods to look for 
 me. It happened we were not far from the house. This 
 adventure made me cautious of going into the woods. 
 
 After staying a few days with Captain Ifesmith we returned 
 to our habitation, where we were received with great joy by 
 old Friday, who expected we never intended to return. Want 
 of society soon made us tired of our plantation, and we deter- 
 mined to proceed down the river. We put our little property 
 in a craft and sailed for St. George's Key. We left our old 
 negro with Captain ITesmith, who promised and I knew would 
 take care of him. Had he been young we would have given 
 him his freedom, for I was always averse to keeping of slaves. 
 In the Bay the blacks are treated much better than in the 
 islands, their masters being afraid of their running away to 
 the Spaniards. They allow them Friday and Saturday, and 
 many of them that are industrious make a good deal of money, 
 and all are well fed and comfortably clothed. 
 
 When we arrived at St. George's Key we disposed of our 
 wood, and, having divided our stock, I was about entering 
 on board a ship belonging to Liverpool. The captain of the 
 
CHARLES BIDBLE, 35 
 
 ship, having buried hie mate a few days before we arrived at 
 the Key, oifered and pressed me to accept of the berth, but 
 my friend Hepburn, being at this time about leaving the Bay, 
 was anxious I should go to Philadelphia with him. At this 
 time my returning home was so much a matter of indifference 
 to me that I tossed up, whether I would go in the ship to 
 Liverpool or return with Hepburn, when, it happening to turn 
 up for my returning to Philadelphia, I went immediately on 
 board with Hepburn. The ship we were going in was called 
 the King George, one Henry Dunn, master, belonging to 
 Philadelphia. He was an old man, a good seaman, but much 
 addicted to liquor. The ship was a very old one, in which my 
 friend Campbell had served his apprenticeship with Captain 
 Charles Stuart. He often mentioned that during the -rebel- 
 lion of 1745, they were hailed going up to Leith, " What 
 ship is that ?" " The King George." " Who commands her ?" 
 " Charles Stuart." " Oh !" says the man that hailed, " I wish 
 to God it was true, that Charles Stuart commanded King 
 George." We left the Bay the beginning of February, 1767. 
 Besides Mr. Hepburn, there was a Mr. Crisp, passenger. We 
 had a good deal of blustering weather, but nothing remark- 
 able happened until we reached the north side of Cuba and 
 had beat up near the Havannah. Here we had a gale of wind 
 from the N. W. and stood with a press of sail to the east- 
 ward. The next day, the wind hauling round to the east- 
 ward, we stood to the southward, to make the land. When 
 we drew near it, I perceived we were above the Matanzas, 
 which is the usual place for vessels to take their departure 
 from that are bound through the Gulf of Florida. I told 
 Captain Dunn we had better run to the westward till we 
 made the Matanzas, but he would not, and declared he would 
 stand to the northward. I knew in the night we must get 
 upon some of the keys, or the Bahama Bank. Accordingly, 
 about ten o'clock at night, all hands were called, the bottom 
 being plain to be seen under the ship. She was immediately 
 put about. While in stays, I hove the lead, and found we 
 were in five fathoms. At first. Captain Dunn appeared much 
 , alarmed, but having taken a drop of comfort, he was deter- 
 
36 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 mined to put about again and stand to the 'R. W. This he 
 did, and I believe we ran for thirty-five hours over the bank. 
 The weather was fine, and as we had two good boats, and 
 there was no danger of our lives, I was perfectly indifferent 
 about the loss of the ship. However, we got safe over into 
 the Gulf. AVe had a favorable wind from this time till the 
 sixteenth of March, when we had a gale of wind from the 
 S. E. We were then, by our reckoning, a little to the south- 
 ward of Cape Hatteras, and not more than fifteen leagues 
 from the land. One of our pumps was continually at work, 
 and could hardly keep her free. Towards night the gale in- 
 creased. The ship was very deep, being full of logwood and 
 mahogany in the hold, and several large pieces of mahogany 
 on deck. As I knew this must strain her very much, I told 
 Mr. "Wright, the chief mate, that the ship would be much 
 eased if we were rid of those pieces, in which he agreeing, 
 we cut the lashings and were soon clear of them. The morn- 
 ing of the seventeenth it blew very violent. At 9 A. M., the 
 foresheet gave way. Captain Dunn was then standing in the 
 companion. Instead of having the sail clewed up, he ordered 
 the helm up, and put her before the wind. Being up most 
 part of the night, I was at this time fast asleep. The passen- 
 gers, Hepburn and Crisp, were much terrified — ^they begged 
 me to go up on deck. I found her before the wind, and the 
 foresail blowing to ribbons. Dunn was standing, drunk, 
 upon the companion ladder. I persuaded him to go below, 
 and then directed the ship to be hove to.- When she was 
 brought to, I went first upon the foreyard, to hand what re- 
 mained of the foresail. The crew were so fatigued with 
 pumping, and being all night wet, that it was with great 
 diflaculty I could get as many up as were suflicient to hand 
 the sail. Hepburn and Crisp, who were looking up, told me 
 they never expected to see me come down alive. As I was 
 upon the lee yard-arm, they thought the sea or sail would 
 carry me overboard. They both caught me in their arms 
 when I did come down, calling me their preserver. I, how- 
 ever, had exerted myself at least as much on my own account 
 as theirs. It blew with great violence till about 4 P. M., 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 37 
 
 when in a heavy squall it shifted to the S. "W". The hardest 
 gales we have on the coast of America are from the S. E.,but 
 they seldom last long. The wind continuing from the S. W., 
 in a few days we arrived safe at Philadelphia. On the pas- 
 sage, Hepburn and myself broke out with what the people 
 of Honduras call the Bay scrub, which is a very bad kind of 
 itch. We both broke out at the same time. He accused me, 
 and I him, of having first had it. We rubbed ourselves for 
 three nights with tallow and brimstone, drinking, at the same 
 time, warm tea. This effectually cured us of this trouble, 
 which may truly be called a vile disorder. To my great joy, 
 upon going home, I found my mother and family well. Cap- 
 tain Dunn wanted me to, go as his mate to Ireland, but I had 
 enough of him during our passage from the Bay. The ship 
 was never heard of after he sailed for Ireland. 
 
 I had been at home but a short time when Captain Budden 
 called on me, and offered to sell his fourth part of a schooner 
 he commanded, and Messrs. Chew, Clayton, and Chew, who 
 owned the other three-fourths wishing me to command her, 
 with the assistance of my brother James I made the pur- 
 chase, and sailed in June for Grenada, having Mr. John 
 Chew, the youngest partner of the house, our supercargo.* 
 As he is a very agreeable man, we had. a pleasant passage 
 without anything remarkable, l^ot being able to procure a 
 return cargo at Grenada, we sailed for St. Croix. At this 
 place I was attacked with a violent fever, which with my 
 own imprudence had nearly destroyed me. From thence we 
 proceeded on our passage home. We had a gale of wind 
 from the eastward which obliged us to put into Chincoteague, 
 a harbor that all the Delaware pilots should be acquainted 
 with. It was owing to our having a good pilot that we got 
 
 * The nature of the restriction upon colonial trade imposed by Acts of 
 Parliament, is shown in the bond required in the case of this vessel, still ex- 
 tant, dated June 18, 1767. The captain, Charles Biddle, of the "Betsy," 
 and John Clayton, bind themselves that the iron shall not be landed in any 
 part of Europe except in Great Britain or Ireland, and that the lumber shall 
 not be landed in any part of Europe to the northward of Cape Finisterre, 
 except in Great Britain or Ireland. 
 
38 AUTOBIOGKAPHTOF^ 
 
 in, by which means the vessel and cargo, and probably our 
 lives, were saved. At this place I had a foolish dispute with 
 Mr. Harrison (a young officer that was a passenger with me 
 from Grenada), that had nearly proved fatal to us both. I 
 esteemed him much, and he professed a very great regard for 
 me ; indeed, he afterwards proved himself a sincere friend. 
 Our quarrel was occasioned by a bet upon two fowls we had 
 bought ashore. After they had fought until they were 
 almost dead, I had them separated. This, he declared, was 
 owing to my being afraid of losing the bet. Upon my using 
 some language he did not like, he told me I would not treat 
 him in that manner ashore. I immediately ordered the boat 
 manned, and we went ashore armed with pistols. We fired 
 at the distance of ten paces and missed, and had agreed to fire 
 the next shot at five yards, but before we were loaded an old 
 gentleman, at whose house we had been, came down and pre- 
 vented us firing a second time, and soon persuaded us to be 
 reconciled. This difference with Mr. Harrison was of service 
 to me afterwards, and it was a caution not to lose my temper 
 in a dispute with a friend. The wind being soon after favor- 
 able, we sailed for Philadelphia, where we safely arrived the 
 first of October. As the owners intended to send the schooner 
 to Lisbon, it was necessary to put another deck upon her. It 
 was December before she was fitted. "We then took in a cargo 
 of flour and staves, and sailed for Lisbon. It was the tenth 
 of December we left the Capes, and I believe she was the 
 smallest vessel that ever crossed the Atlantic at this season 
 of the year, for she carried but five hundred barrels. We 
 had continued gales of wind, and were thirty Aays before we 
 made the Rock of Lisbon, which was on the eighth of January, 
 1768. During most of that passage the sea made a continual 
 breach over us, and there were but three or four days during 
 the passage that we could cook. We took a pilot on board 
 and proceeded up the Tagus as far as the castle of Beluni, 
 where we came to anchor. The next morning at daylight it 
 blew a hard gale of wind, and about sunrise we found the 
 schooner was driving very fast upon a dangerous shoal called 
 the B , before we could make sail she struck, and the sea 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 39 
 
 broke on board with great violence. The pilot, like a pious 
 Christian, went below to say his prayers. As she continued 
 striking very hard, I ordered the mainmast cut away. 
 Thomas Armstrong, who had been shipwrecked with me in 
 the Snow, took the axe to cut the lanyards. Just as he gave 
 the first stroke, a sea broke over us, and he lost the axe. He 
 came aft to me and told me what had happened, saying at 
 the same time, " I believe. Captain Biddle, it is all over with 
 us." Armstrong was an excellent and brave seaman. A 
 young lad who had persuaded his parents to let him make 
 the voyage, hearing it, cried out, " Oh! my mother, what will 
 you suffer !" 
 
 I told Armstrong not to despair, that as the flood was 
 coming in, we would endeavor to force her over the shoal. 
 I knew we had no other chance of being saved. For this 
 purpose I had the cable cut, and the jib and foresail set. 
 Although she struck in such a manner that we expected every 
 moment she would go to pieces, I went to the masthead to 
 try to con* her over the shoal, and placed Armstrong at the 
 helm. "We at last beat over the shoal. As it blew very hard 
 I kept away for St. TJbes, and set both pumps to work, not 
 permitting the well to be sounded for fear of discouraging the 
 crew. We kept as near the shore as possible, that if she 
 foundered we should stand some chance of being saved. In 
 the evening we came abreast of the castle at the entrance of 
 the harbor, and as I would not anchor for fear of being driven 
 out or foundering (for we had not yet freed her), they first 
 hailed and then fired. The first shot went between our 
 masts. I hoisted a signal of distress, and continued on. 
 Our pilot again wanted to go below, but as I thought his 
 presence necessary on deck, I would not suffer him to leave 
 it. We ran in, and the castle kept firing until we were ' 
 among the shipping close in shore where we anchored. About 
 nine o'clock we had all the water out of her. The next 
 morning we went ashore where the Portuguese directed us, 
 and after the health officer had examined our papers, were 
 permitted to go to the town. I went to the house of one 
 
 * To "con" is to direct the helmsman in the steering of a vessel. 
 
40 AUTOEIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 JSTicholson, an Irishman, that kept a tavern. He was also a 
 pilot and had lived many years at St. Ubes. He was a kind, 
 generous fellow, and his wife well calculated for her business. 
 The day after our arrival the Portuguese pilot wanted me to 
 pay him much more than I thought, from his conduct, he 
 deserved, and upon refusing, had me up before the consul. 
 There he made me very angry by calling me an impudent 
 boy. I was so imprudent as to strike him. He went away 
 threatening to take my life before he left St. Ubes. This he 
 had nearly accomplished a few days after by attempting to 
 stab me with a knife, when a person present caught his arm. 
 He ran off, and I never saw the ruffian afterwards. Having 
 received a letter from Mr. Daniel Arthur, to whom I was 
 consigned, requesting to see me, I set off with a Portuguese 
 gentleman for Lisbon. We rode on mules, and the man 
 they were hired of went with us. He was afoot, and fre- 
 quently ran from one side of the road to the other, to beat 
 our miserable animals. The roads are sandy, and the country 
 appeared very poor. I was received very politely by Mr. 
 Arthur, who was one of the principal merchants in the place, 
 and very much respected. He lived very elegantly. Shorfly 
 after this he broke, and my owners lost a considerable sum 
 by him, they having sent a large ship consigned to him, 
 which arrived but a few days before his failure. 
 
 There is not much improvement since the earthquake. 
 The orange and lemon trees, with the vineyards, make the 
 country about Lisbon pleasant. 
 
 The Castle of St. Julian is at the mouth of the harbor. It 
 is founded on a rock, the base of which is washed by the sea, 
 and is a very strong fortification. There is a fort on a small 
 island opposite that defends the entrance of the river. 
 
 The fandango which the people, high and low, dance is 
 very indecent — they throw themselves into all attitudes. In 
 the streets you never see the face of a woman — she has a hood 
 turned over and you can only see her eyes. 
 
 The streets in Lisbon are narrow and dirty, and the poor 
 live miserably. The merchants live well, and are men of as 
 much honor as those of any country whatever. Their soldiers 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 41 
 
 do not make a very military appearance. Most of their officers 
 are foreigners. I staid in Lisbon a week, and then returned 
 to St. Ubes. In proportion to the size of the place there was 
 much more damage done at St. Ubes than at Lisbon by the 
 earthquake. Immense pieces of the walls were carried from 
 the seaside to the commons back of the town. 
 
 While I was at St. Ubes Henry White, one of the seamen 
 that had frequently occasioned disturbances, came on board 
 ofte night in liquor. A small apprentice boy of mine, Wm. 
 Williams, speaking to him about making a noise, he took up 
 a handspike and threw it at him with such violence that if it 
 had hit him, as he intended, must have killed him. Hearing 
 the boy cry I ran upon deck, and, being informed what White 
 had done, I was determined to punish him severely. When 
 I went forward to take hold of him he jumped into the boat ; 
 however, before he could cast off the painter, I had hold of 
 him, and forcing him on board gave him such a beating with 
 the end of a rope as I supposed would be a caution to him 
 not to behave in such a manner again. For several days he 
 pretended to be too unwell to work ; soon after he ran away, 
 swearing to one of the crew that he would be revenged of me 
 whenever he had an opportunity. 
 
 We sailed from St. Ubes the 11th of February, 1763, loaded 
 with wine, oil, and fruit. The 20th, off Madeira, we had a 
 squall of wind that sprung our mainmast so badly that during 
 the remainder of the passage we could not let the boom out 
 of the crutch. Schooners, from the manner of their being 
 rigged, are more apt to meet with accidents than other vessels. 
 This unfortunate accident, with calms and light winds, made 
 it the second of May before we arrived at Philadelphia. Our 
 long passage occasioned a good deal of the fruit to be spoiled. 
 Some of the boxes of lemons were put into the hands of Mr. 
 Patrick Farrel, an honest Irish cooper (well known in the city 
 from his being concerned in digging for money). He was to 
 separate the good from the rotten lemons. He came on board 
 a few days after the boxes were put in his hands to tell me if 
 I would send him up a case bottle he would fill it with very 
 good lime-juice he squeezed out of the rotten lemons. 
 
42 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 The beginning of June we took in a cargo for Fayal, and 
 greatly to my satisfaction nay friend Hepburn was put on 
 board as supercargo. We had a pleasant passage to Fayal, 
 and I found Mr. Graythorn still consul. This worthy man 
 received me with great kindness, and his partner, Mr. G-raham, 
 was very friendly. While we lay here, Mr. Gaythorn gave 
 an entertainment at a house he had a small distance fi'om the 
 town. The house not being finished, we had to go up a ladder 
 to get in the dining-room. When he was called away, which 
 I believe was done by his own orders, he placed me in, his 
 chair to do the honors of his table. I drank so freely, that I 
 could not tell how or when I got down the ladder. In going 
 to town in the dark, I fell down in a field, and was unable to 
 rise. My friends searched in vain for me. I remained on 
 the ground very quietly until daylight, when I went on board 
 and felt no injury from my hard bed. Never before or since 
 was I in such a plight. Ifo person ever had, or has, a greater 
 detestation than myself against a person addicted to liquor. 
 It renders a man unfit to be trusted with anything. While 
 we lay here this voyage we were much diverted by the mas- 
 ters of two whaling sloops, one belonging to Cape Cod, the 
 other to Cape Ann. The Cape Cod man insisted on it, that 
 the men belonging to Cape Cod were far superior in skill and 
 courage to those of Cape Ann, while the men of Cape Ann 
 held those of Cape Cod in the most sovereign contempt. 
 Gaythorn was highly entertained with these disputes, but he 
 was obliged sometimes to interfere to prevent their coming 
 to blows. A few days before we sailed, a ship from London, 
 bound to St. Augustine, put in here. She had on board Mrs. 
 Farmer, who was going to her husband. Major Farmer. She 
 was a beautiful and accomplished woman. I understood 
 afterwards she kept a lodging-house in London. The day we 
 sailed, a vessel from China, bound to London, put in here in 
 distress. One of the crew had a very handsome set of china 
 which he brought to Mr. Gaythorn's to sell. I wanted to 
 purchase it, and was talking to the man about the price when 
 Mr. Gaythorn came up and told the man he would take it. 
 The manner in which this was done provoked me very much. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 43 
 
 and I should have aftronted almost any other person who had 
 behaved in the manner Mr. Gaythorn had done. When we 
 were on the beach, and I was just going into the boat, he 
 called me aside, and told me he had put the china aboard the 
 schooner, and begged I would deliver it at Philadelphia to 
 his sweetheart, but if I could not find his, to give it to my 
 own. As he had never been in Philadelphia, I found he had 
 purchased the china to make me a present of it. Hepburn 
 and myself were young, but we looked so much, younger 
 than we were, that they called us the boy captain and boy 
 supercargo. During the time we were there, Mr. Gilmore, 
 since so eminent a merchant of Baltimore, arrived from 
 America. He was then going, I believe, to Scotland, intend- 
 ing to return and settle in America, which he spoke very 
 highly of. 
 
 We left Fayal the last of August. We had a good deal 
 of calm weather, so that it was the fourteenth of October 
 before we arrived in the Delaware. A few days after we 
 had a most violent gale. The owners, Messrs. Chew, Clay- 
 ton and Chew, having been unfortunate in business had dis- 
 solved their partnership, and soon after our arrival, sold the 
 schooner. The purchasers wished me to hold the share I had 
 and contintie the command, but finding they intended to send 
 her to the coast of Africa for slaves, I left her, for nothing 
 would have tempted me to go such a voyage. I expressed 
 my abhorrence of this trade in such a manner as to give great 
 offence to the owners, who purchased my part of the schooner, 
 and procured a master who had no objection to go any voy- 
 age they thought proper to send him. 
 
 During my stay at home this time I saw my friend Camp- 
 bell, whom I have often mentioned. It gave me much 
 satisfaction that it was in my power to render him some 
 services. He was a very good, but a very unfortunate man. 
 In 1755 he was pressed on board the Northumberland, com- 
 manded by Lord Colville. He told me that when he was 
 first pressed, if he had thought he should have been kept six 
 months on board her, he would have jumped overboard. 
 Attempting to make his escape shortly after he was pressed, 
 
44 AUTOBIOGRAPHTOF 
 
 he was taken, and so narrowly watched that he could not 
 get away, and he continued on board until the year 1763, 
 when the crew were paid off. He said it was a long time 
 before he could believe he was at liberty to go where he 
 pleased. Before I sailed he procured the command of a ves- 
 sel bound to Curasao and the Spanish Main. Off" Garth agena 
 there was a mutiny among the crew, and poor Campbell 
 going forward with a handspike to quiet it, was stabbed by 
 one of the villians, and died immediately. He was too easy 
 in his temper to command a crew of such ruffians as they 
 generally have on board these vessels. 
 
 In November, Messrs. James and Drinker off"ered me the 
 command of a brig called the Ann, belonging to Mr. 0. 
 Eves, who had been an inhabitant of Philadelphia, but at 
 this time resided in the Bay of Honduras, where the brig 
 was bound. I accepted the command, and arrived in Decem- 
 ber in the Bay. Mr. Eves informed me he had a cargo ready, 
 and we should sail in a few days ; however, owing to northerly 
 winds, it was two months before we got away. I was glad 
 of this detention, for I did not wish to go on the coast in the 
 winter. 
 
 The brig this voyage was moored at a small key to the 
 northward of St. George's, called Sand Key. Here Mr. Eves 
 at that time lived. 
 
 During the time we were loading I frequently took a fast- 
 sailing boat we had, and went to St. George's Key by myself. 
 Returning one day T went outside the reef, intending to try to 
 fish. When about half-way to the brig, perceiving a squall com- 
 ing on, I took in the mainsail, intending to receive the squall 
 under the foresail. As it approached it appeared as if there 
 was a good deal of wind, and as I was too near the reef to put 
 before the wind, I went forward to hand the foresail, intend- 
 ing to heave to until it was over. Before I had the foresail 
 in the squall took me and blew with great violence. I ran 
 aft to get her before the wind, but before I could do so she 
 shipped a great deal of water, and, being ballasted with pig 
 iron, went down. Fortunately there were two large oars 
 which I lashed together with a handkerchief taken from my 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 45 
 
 neck. "When the squall cleared away I pushed for the nearest 
 land. It was about ten o'clock when the boat sank. In 
 crossing the reef I was near losing my oars; it would then 
 have been impossible to escape drowning. The current set- 
 ting against me, it was nearly three o'clock before I was near 
 enough to hail a man walking on the shore. It was Captain 
 Thomas Remington. It was son^e time before he heard me, 
 and then looked about a good while before he perceived me. 
 When he did, he called and told me I could touch the bot- 
 tom. This I tried, and finding it only up to my breast, I 
 quit my oars and walked ashore so much exhausted I could 
 hardly stand. Remington received me very kindly. During 
 my being outside the reef I suffered more from the dread of 
 sharks than anything else. I took care after this not to go 
 in a boat by myself. 
 
 l^othing remarkable happened until my return to the 
 Delaware. Having anchored in the night, a little below ISTew 
 Castle, about eleven o'clocik a boy came from on board a 
 shallop near us, hailed the brig, and begged for God's sake 
 we would come on board, as some men were murdering the 
 captain. The watch upon deck informing me of the boy's 
 hailing, I immediately ordered the boat manned, and went 
 on board. The skipper, who was an elderly man, told me 
 that two fellows had requested a passage from Philadelphia 
 to Reedy Island, where the}' said their vessel was lying ; that 
 soon after he anchored, when he supposed they thought him 
 asleep, they came down and were fastening a hankerchief 
 around his neck to strangle him when the boy hSiiled the 
 brig. He said the fellows were on the wharf when be brought 
 a bag of dollars on board, and he was now sure they had 
 come on board with an intention of murdering him. The 
 boy, who was son to the skipper, struck up. a light, and I 
 went into the hold M'here the two ruffians were found covered 
 with an old sail, and pretended to have just waked. When 
 they were brought to the light, I found one of them to be 
 my old shipmate Henry White, as pickled a rascal as ever 
 was hanged. He immediately exclaimed to his comrade, 
 " Oh ! it is Captain Diddle, we may expect no mercy from 
 
46 AUTOBIOGKAPHYOF 
 
 him." I took them on board the brig, and had them lashed 
 to the pumps, intending to deliver them up to justice when 
 I arrived in Philadelphia, but fearing I should be detained 
 and plagued if they were put to gaol, I directed the mate, 
 the night of our arrival, to let them run. 
 
 I sailed again for Port Antonio, in Jamaica, and the Bay in 
 the month of May. I had a very worthy Scotch planter a 
 passenger. He told me in Jamaica that Avhen he came to 
 take his passage he was afraid he should not be safe with 
 such a boy as I appeared. He was, however, very much 
 pleased, and wrote to the owners in the highest terms of me. 
 We had a very short passage to Port Antonio, where we 
 staid but a few days, when we sailed for the Bay, where we 
 arrived without anything material happening. While lying 
 here there was a man tried for the murder of one McCarty. 
 One of the witnesses swore that the man went to the compan- 
 ion and called out, " Come out here, McCarty." Another swore 
 that when he called him he said, "McCarty, come out here." 
 A Captain Arbuthnot, of Philadelphia, who was one of the 
 jury? gravely remarked to the other jurors that there was a 
 very material difference in the eye of the law between come 
 out here, McCarty, and McCarty, come out here. He was 
 always after this called the " oculist, or the eye of the law 
 explained." This is a saying I have often heard since, but it 
 arose, I believe, from what I have mentioned. 
 
 I had this voyage four masters of ships passengers, Captains 
 (Ireen, Shewell, and two of the name. of Welsh. There were 
 at this time four Captains Welsh in the Bay. They were dis- 
 tinguished by Long Welsh and Short Welsh, King's Religion 
 Welsh, and Priest Welsh. The Priest, who was one of my 
 passengers, was an honest Roman Catholic. (Jreen had a 
 dispute with one Samuel Jones, of JS'ew York, w:hom he 
 struck. Jones stuck up an advertisement at the tavern that 
 Green, presuming on his bodily strength, had struck him and 
 refused to give him satisfaction. He therefore published him 
 as a coward and a rascal. As Green was going with me, and 
 belonged to Philadelphia, I took down the advertisement and 
 gave it to him. He immediately called on Jones and agreed 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 47 
 
 to fight him. They prepared a boat, and, as I was not present, 
 Green spoke to a Captain Sinnot to be his second. Sinnot 
 was one of the magistrates, but before he set oft' he resigned 
 his commission. There was at this time a sloop-of-war, com- 
 manded by a Mr. Jackson, lying here, and the boat happen- 
 ing then to be at the Key with Jackson, some person informed 
 him that Jones and Green were just put off with an intention 
 of going to the next Key to fight, and begged he would send 
 his boat and bring them back. He immediately sent his boat. 
 When she got near and Jones understood their errand he 
 swore he would fire into the boat if they attempted to come 
 alongside. Finding they paid no regard to what he said he 
 fired a pistol into the boat and wounded one of the boat's 
 crew slightly in the thigh. They however pulled alongside, 
 and the bowman, if he had not been prevented, would have 
 driven the boat-hook through Jones. They carried him on 
 board the man-of-war, and he was kept there until we sailed. 
 There were a good many duels fought at this time in the 
 Bay. Captain Shewell was wounded in the breast by one 
 Brockholst, of Ifew York, and the celebrated Arnold,* who 
 was here at this time, fought and wounded one of the Bay 
 men. It was said that Arnold frightened his antagonist, who 
 had agreed that he should fix the distance, by naming five 
 yards. They were more turbulent at this time in the Bay 
 than I had ever known them before. 
 
 "We left the Bay the last of August and arrived in Phila- 
 delphia the latter end of September. Being offered the com- 
 mand of a ship by Mr. Aspden, an old schoolmate of mine, I 
 left the brig and took the command of the ship. She was a 
 large old vessel then chartered to carry a cargo to Port au 
 Prince. In order to make as much as possible by the freight, 
 Mr. Aspden had a great quantity of boards and scantling put 
 upon the ship's deck. Some of my friends who came on the 
 wharf when we were loading called her a three-decker. Some 
 of them said they were sure we should be obliged to clear our 
 decks before we were at sea a week. "We left the Capes the 
 tenth of December, 1769, in a gale of wind at northwest. 
 
 * Benedict Arnold. 
 
48 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 About eleven o'clock at night the chief mate, Mr. Savage, 
 came down and told me they could not get the pump to suck. 
 I ordered him to call all hands and get both pumps to work. 
 I turned out myself and took the helm. It blew so hard that 
 we were scudding under our foresail. Savage had been a 
 schoolmate of Aspden's and mine. He was an excellent officer, 
 lie came to me about twelve o'clock and begged I would allow 
 him to cut the lashings of the lumber and clear the decks. I 
 should have consented but for what had been mentioned before 
 we left Philadelphia, of our soon clearing the decks. It was 
 daylight before we had all the water out of her hold. During 
 the night I frequently looked over the side, and thought she 
 M^as waterlogged. The next day the gale abated, and we had 
 a tolerably good passage. 
 _ Port au Prince was at this time in a miserable situation. 
 A few months before my arrival most of the houses had been 
 destroyed by an earthquake, and owing to many dead bodies 
 lying unburied hear the town, and the total neglect of clean- 
 liness in their houses and other causes, there were few that 
 escaped the earthquake but what died or were sick. Every 
 house was a hospital. I was consigned to Messrs. Pasquer 
 and Boyay. Boyay died a few days before we arrived, and 
 Pasquer was very ill with a fever. As he was a very worthy 
 man, I did everything in my power to relieve him, by send- 
 ing from the ship poultry, apples, porter, and some other re- 
 freshments. The porter he thought of more service to him 
 than anything he had taken. I also sent my carpenter, who 
 was very handy, to assist in making his habitation more com- 
 fortable. He was very grateful for the services I rendered 
 him, and, when we sailed, made me a handsome present. 
 During the time we were here I anchored outside of all the 
 ships in the harbor. This occasioned my being some time 
 longer unloading, but by this means, and not suffering any 
 of the crew to go on shore of a Sunday (at which time they 
 generally get drunk), I preserved the health of my crew, 
 having none of them sick during the time we were here. A 
 few days after my being in this port a brig arrived from 
 North Carolina, commanded by a Captain Gordon, a genteel 
 
CHARLESBIDDLE. 49 
 
 young man. I was standing on the wharf with Captain 
 Hamilton, of New York, when he landed. After going up 
 into the town and returning, he appeared much disturbed. 
 Coming up to us, he exclaimed, " My Grod ! gentlemen, what 
 a dismal place this is; how sickly alf the inhabitants look." 
 After he had left us, Hamilton, who was a rough old tar, 
 swore he was so much frightened he did not believe he would 
 live a week, and he was right, for poor Grordon took sick the 
 next day, and in three days he was committed to the deep. 
 
 At this time we expected, by every amval, to hear of war 
 between Great Britain and Spain, which made me anxious to 
 get home as soon as possible. The last of January, three of 
 the crew who did not like to go on a winter coast ran away. 
 The 2d of February, 1770, 1 left Port au Prince. The 4th, I 
 went ashore in the boat at Cape Nicola Mole, in hopes of get- 
 ting two or three hands, but I could not procure any ; we, 
 therefore, proceeded on our voyage. I had on board a young 
 Frenchman named Dubois, concerned in the opposition made 
 to an edict directing the planters to perform militia duty. 
 The edict occasioned great disturbances in the island, and 
 many of the planters declared they would oppose it at the 
 hazard of their lives. My passenger told me he belonged to 
 a company, the captain of which was a rich young planter, 
 who raised about seventy men, with which he supposed he 
 should be able to oppose all the force that could be sent 
 against him. About twelve dragoons came from Port au 
 Prince to attack them ; when they perceived the dragoons 
 advancing, they deserted their commander, and Dubois ac- 
 knowledged that he galloped oil" as fast as any of them. 
 Leaving his horse, he hid himself in a field of sugar-cane. 
 The next day when he came out, the first object that struck 
 him was his late captain hanging on a tree. Many of the 
 unfortunate insurgents were in confinement during the time 
 I was at Port au Prince, and some were sent to France. They 
 were all afterwards pardoned by their humane and generous 
 monarch, who also restored to them their property. 
 
 We arrived the 20th of February oft' Cape May, and I sent 
 the boat on shore for a pilot. The weather was moderate, 
 4 
 
60 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 and we soon procured one. With the flood it, came on to 
 blow fresh frona the southeast, and before the pilot thought 
 the tide was high enough to get under way, it blew very 
 hard, and the sea ran high. Our windlass, which was old 
 and rotten, broke, and the ship drove ; we immediately cut 
 the cable and made sail. After striking several times, we 
 beat over the shoal, called the Overfalls, which is a quicksand, 
 and the next day anchored oft' Philadelphia. 
 
 A few nights before I had sailed on this voyage, my friend 
 Hepburn called to inform me a vessel had just arrived from 
 Hispaniola, and the captain informed him that the plague 
 was in Port au Prince, and had swept oft' most of those who 
 escaped the earthquake, and he begged me to give up the 
 command of the ship. I told him nothing would induce me 
 to do it after engaging myself. He used all the arguments 
 he could to make me give up the voyage, but finding they 
 had no eff'ect, he told me he would lay a beaver that I would 
 die there of the plague. I agreed to the bet. Upon my re- 
 turn, and calling upon him for the hat, he swore I was not 
 the same man that went out master of the ship Lark, and he 
 would make oath of it before a magistrate. To prove him 
 mistaken, I went before George Bryan, Esq., one of the jus- 
 tices, and made oath that I was the same man who went out 
 master of the ship Lark, and was then alive. Upon pro- 
 ducing the certificate of my having taken the oath, he 
 laughed heartily and paid the bet. 
 
 The ship having occasion for a good deal of repair, it was 
 the month of May before we were ready to sail. We took 
 out a number of frames for houses, and several carpenters* 
 to put them up. We also carried out a quantity of flour, 
 five hundred barrels of which were for the governor, and in 
 consequence of his having them at a low price, we had per- 
 mission to land five hundred barrels more, to be sold to the 
 inhabitants. The granting permission to bring flour from 
 America gave great umbrage to the masters of ships and 
 
 * Cowperthwait and Jones, two of tlie carpenters, made a good deal of 
 money. They afterwards settled at New Orleans, and were much respected 
 there. — Author's notk. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 51 
 
 merchants from Bordeaux, who had before supplied the place 
 with flour. Upon my arrival many of them came on board 
 to inquire the quantity we had, and were much exasperated 
 when they found we should not only supply the garrison, 
 but also had to sell to the inhabitants. However, they were 
 afraid to say anything to the governor, and for myself, I 
 cared nothing about them. They told the bakers and others 
 that the flour was much inferior in quality to theirs, which 
 they knew was not true. The bakers pretended it was riot 
 as good, but they did not buy of the Bordeaux men while we 
 had any to sell, and gave us the same price they demanded. 
 It was the beginning 0(f September before we sailed for 
 Philadelphia. On the passage we saw a vessel ashore on 
 "Watling's Island. I ran to the leeward of the island, came 
 to anchor, and boarded her. She proved to be a ship from 
 Jamaica, bound to London, the crew of which had left her, 
 and gone to Providence in what was called one of the Moon- 
 cursers or wreckers. We took out of her a few hogsheads 
 of rum and sugar, and some trifling articles. There was 
 under the cabin scuttle an iron bound cask that I labored at 
 for a considerable time, supposing it contained something 
 valuable. "When bored, it proved to be a cask of peas. I 
 had it put down again. Captain Shewell, who sailed a few 
 days after me from Port au Prince, told me he was on board 
 the same wreck and worked very hard to get up this cask of 
 peas, supposing, as I had, that it contained something valua- 
 ble. The appearance of bad weather made me leave the 
 island much sooner than I otherwise should have done. For 
 four or five days we had fresh breezes with cloudy weather ; 
 there was then a perfect calm for two days. The third 
 morning about three o'clock we had a moderate breeze from 
 the eastward. About five o'clock the second mate waked 
 me, and told me the sky had a strange appearance, and he 
 believed there was going to be a squall. I went up imme- 
 diately, and never beheld such an alteration as one hour had 
 made. From being perfectly clear, heavy black clouds 
 appeared all. round the horizon, and a wild sky that denoted 
 an approaching gale of wind. We then had every sail set. 
 
5*2 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 I ordered the top-gallant sails in, and the top-gallant masts 
 and yards sent upon deck, the fore and maintop sails close 
 reefed and handed, the sails well secured with double gaskets, 
 the mizzen yard and topmast sent on deck. By eight o'clock 
 we were under a reefed foresail, and before nine were obliged 
 to hand it. Soon after it blew so hard that no canvas could 
 have stood it. For more than thirty hours it blew the most 
 violent hurrricane I ever knew. In an old ship, partly 
 loaded with molasses, the hold not full, we were in great 
 danger of foundering. During the height of the gale I could 
 not 'make any of the crew hear me without a speaking 
 trumpet. Fortunately we lost nothing. The next day about 
 eleven o'clock the gale abated so much that we set the fore- 
 sail and topsails. In the afternoon we saw several sail dis- 
 masted, and passed near one that was overset, all the crew of 
 which must have perished. Just before dark we saw a brig 
 with a signal of distress out, and about eight o'clock we were 
 close alongside. She had lost her fore topmast, and sprung 
 a leak. As the sea ran very high, and there was some risk in 
 boarding, I went myself in the boat. She belonged, I think, 
 to Pool in England, and was last from IS'ewfoundland bound to 
 "Wilmington, ITorth Carolina. The master's name was Eowe. 
 He told me that before they had the height of the gale all 
 their sails blew from their yards, although he had them 
 secured in such a manner that he thought it impossible this 
 could have happened. The mate, who was a very old man, 
 declared he had never been in such a gale. The crew, who 
 were mostly lads, wanted to leave the brig, and as there was 
 every appearance of bad weather, and the brig was a mere 
 wreck, I endeavored to persuade the captain to leave her, 
 which he would not do, declaring to me in a low voice he 
 had made up liis mind, which was never to quit her. He 
 begged me to speak to his crew, and tell them there was no 
 danger of another gale. This I would not do. He, how- 
 ever, persuaded them himself to stay with him. Had the 
 crew requested it, I would have taken them and obliged the 
 captain to leave her. I supplied him with provisions, and 
 every article he wanted that we could spare. He gave me a 
 
CHARLES BIDDLK. 53 
 
 bill upon a gentleman at "Wilmington, which was paid, but 
 the brig never arrived. Indeed from the bad weather we 
 had soon after we parted I did not expect she ever would 
 reach any port. A master should never leave his vessel if he 
 thinks it probable he may save her ; but in the condition this 
 vessel was in, no man should risk his life and those of his 
 crew by staying on board when they have a good opportunity 
 of leaving her. The wind continuing favorable, the twenty- 
 seventh of September we made the Capes, and the next day 
 arrived in Philadelphia. 
 
 My owner, Mr. Aspden, having made a good deal of money 
 in the trade to Hispaniola, in June, 1772, agreed with Mr. 
 John Eyre to build a ship for him. I superintended the 
 building and fitting her. She was launched in October. As 
 Mr. Aspden left the naming of her to me I called her the 
 Charming Infancy, after a young lady of the city, whom I then 
 thought a charming girl, and now that I am writing in 1802, 
 although she has lost a little of her bloom, she is a charming 
 woman. I left the Capes in this ship on Thursday the third 
 of December, 1772, bound to Port au Prince. The day after 
 we left the Capes we sprung a leak — in a few hours it in- 
 creased upon us. One of the pumps we could not get to 
 deliver any water, and the other would not keep her free. 
 After hoisting the pump out, which we did with difficulty, 
 it blowing a hard gale, we found it split. We repaired it, 
 got it to work, and in the night freed her. Our American 
 ships are generally very badly provided with carpenters' 
 tools as well as with sails and rigging. Many a ship has 
 been obliged to leave the coast for want of a few necessaries 
 that they always should have on board. An owner much 
 oftener loses than gains by endeavoring to save a trifle in this 
 way. 'No nation sails their ships with so few hands as we do, 
 which makes it the more necessary they should be well pro- 
 vided with everything that may be wanted. In this ship, 
 which was nearly three hundred tons burthen, I had but two 
 mates, six men, and a boy ; and few of our ships were better 
 manned. The ship sailed very fast. The Thursday after we 
 left the Capes we made Turk's Island, a passage seldom made 
 
54 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 in a deep-loaded ship in so short a time. The 16th of Decem- 
 ber we anchored at Petit Guave, where Mr. Pasquer had 
 requested the ship should touch to land part of her cargo, 
 which we did the next day, and sailed in the evening for Port 
 au Prince. This part of the island is very sickly. I took an 
 officer of the army from this place to Port au Prince. I think 
 he told me there were only three officers alive that came out 
 from France with the regiment he belonged to, and it was 
 but a few years the regiment had been in the island. This 
 was the more extraordinary as the French officers are gene- 
 rally very temperate. As they have no whipping in their 
 army they hang and shoot a great many of their privates. It 
 is generally for desertion — if a soldier deserted and carried off 
 his arms, and was taken, they hung him, as they considered 
 him a thief as well as a deserter. If he went off" without his 
 arms he had the honor of being shot. I believe at this time 
 they sent to the island those who had deserted in France. I 
 have heard this mentioned as the reason of so many here 
 attempting to go off. It was hardly possible for any of them 
 to escape. The roll is called morning and evening, and when 
 any are missing they fire a gun for each one that is gone off". 
 This firing is repeated in the country, and numbers are imme- 
 diately after them, so that very few get to the Spaniards, 
 where, I believe, they are not much better treated than in 
 their own regiments. If they are brought back to the garri- 
 son in the morning they are hung or shot in the afternoon ; if 
 in the evening they are executed the next morning. If they 
 ai-e to die the executing them so soon is an act of mercy. I 
 was told that at one time there were nearly fifty deserted in a 
 body. They were soon taken, and all of them ordered for 
 execution ; when the regimeiit was drawn out the soldiers all 
 declared with one voice the prisoners should not be executed, 
 and the officers thought it prudent to pardon all of them 
 except a few of the ringleaders. "While I was at Port au 
 Prince, and a soldier was to be executed, the Major, when the 
 unfortunate man was brought out, rode in front of the regi- 
 ment, and with a loud voice pronounced it death to any man 
 who requested the life of the criminal ; and I was informed 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 55 
 
 that this was done on account of what happened on the ahove 
 occasion. I was told of another affair that made a good deal 
 of noise in Port au Prince. A deserter was cut down, and as 
 his comrades were taking him to his grave, he was found to have 
 some life in him. They immediately took him to the bar- 
 racks, bled him, and he was so far recovered in a few hours 
 that he was sitting up eating some soup, when the officer of 
 the guard, hearing of what had happened, had him carried 
 to the place of execution and shot. So seldom did a soldier 
 get off that it was a common saying in Port au Prince when 
 the gun fired for a deserter, " we shall have an execution to- 
 morrow." 
 
 Soon after my arrival I had a difference with my old friend 
 Pasquer, that gave me much concern. I sold fifty barrels of 
 flour that belonged to myself to a Mr. Peyrobe, who had 
 formerly lived with Mr. Pasquer as a clerk, but, having some 
 difference, they parted. Peyrobe was a manly, generous fel- 
 low, for whom I had a great regard. After leaving Mr. 
 Pasquer, he married and set up the baking business. When 
 Mr. Pasquer understood Peyrobe had bought my fleur, he 
 declared he never would pay me, that he intended to cheat 
 me when he made the purchase. I told him if that should 
 be the case, the loss would be mine, but I was under no ap- 
 prehension about it, believing Peyrobe to be an honest man. 
 Some person who heard the conversation told Peyrobe, who 
 came on the wharf in a great rage, and inquired of Pasquer 
 if he had accused him of intending to cheat Captain Biddle 
 out of his flour. As Mr. Pasquer gave him no answer, he 
 struck him a violent blow in the face that brought him to 
 the ground. He would have repeated his blow, but was pre- 
 vented by the people on the wharf. For one gentleman to 
 strike another was what had probably never happened before 
 in Port au Prince, and therefore made a great noise. In the 
 evening, Mr. Pasquer sent for me. I found him in bed, com- 
 plaining very much of the pain he was in. He had a notary 
 with him, who had drawn up a paper for me to sign. I told 
 Mr. Pasquer I would not sign any paper without it was in 
 English. He immediately sent for one of his clerks that 
 
56 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 understood the language, and had it translated. I found he 
 wanted me to declare he never had said Peyrobe intended to 
 cheat me. I told him I never had mentioned to Peyrobe, nor 
 any other person, what had passed between him and me re- 
 specting this business, but if he would give himself time to 
 reflect, he must know it would be wrong in me to sign such 
 a paper. He endeavored to explain the meaning of what he 
 had said, but as T understood him differently, I would not 
 sign the paper. This occasioned a coolness until I was almost 
 ready to sail, when he behaved with his usual attention. 
 
 Peyrobe, I understood afterwards, was almost ruined by a 
 suit that was brought against him for the blow. 
 
 As it was thought by Mi*. Pasqiier there would be no risk 
 in my taking sugar in molasses casks, I took on board a 
 hundred and ten hogsheads of sugar. The day before we 
 were to sail a frigate arrived from France, and anchored close 
 alongside of us. She sent her boat on board to examine our 
 cargo, and happening to bore a cask of triage (or bottoms of 
 the cistern), they thought it was what would condemn the 
 ship. When I went on board in the evening, I found the 
 chief mate very much alarmed. A number of French sailors 
 were in the hold with a lantern sitting on the cask, and the 
 mate told me the frigate's crew had given three cheers, 
 thinking they had a good prize. I was very glad to find 
 they had not discovered what would really have made her a 
 good prize. After ordering the Frenchmen something to eat 
 and drink, I went on board the frigate. What my feelings 
 were may more easily be imagined than described, for the 
 sugar was taken on board without orders from my owner, 
 for whom I had the greatest affection and esteem. I appeared 
 before the captain cheerful and as unconcerned as I could, 
 and told him that what his people supposed to be sugar we 
 had permission to take on board. His boat being at that 
 time going on shore, he sent for a friend, who after having 
 examined the contents of the cask, told him that what I 
 informed him was true. He immediately ordered his men 
 on board. As they had been well treated, they went away 
 very well contented. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 57 
 
 Three things happened this voyage that made a great im- 
 pression on me, and broke me of a vile habit I had of strik- 
 ing with anything I laid my hands on, or heaving at any of 
 the crew that did not move as briskly as I thought they 
 should do. The first was soon after we left the Capes of 
 Delaware. When we first discovered the ship had sprung a 
 leak, I ordered Mr. Corry, the chief mate, to turn out all 
 hands. They were all soon upon deck except John Walsh, 
 a very stout, lazy fellow, that Corry told me was always the 
 last up. I called him myself, but he not answering, I jumped 
 into the steerage with a belaying pin in my hand, and going 
 up to his berth intended to give him a stroke over his back, 
 but being very dark, I struck him on the head. He soon 
 after began to groan, and when I spoke to him, made no 
 reply. • Feeling him about the head, I found I had struck 
 him in the mouth, and that it was bleeding. I ordered a 
 light, but as it was blowing a hard gale of wind, it was a 
 long time before they could get one, or at least it appeared 
 a long time to me. During this time I felt the pains of the 
 damned, for I concluded he was mortally wounded. Had 
 they called out from the deck the ship was foundering, it 
 would have added very little to the pain I then felt. It 
 determined me to break myself of the abominable practice of 
 striking with what might endanger the life of a man, and 
 from that time I never gave a sailor a blow with anything 
 but a piece of rope that could do no material injury. When 
 the light came I was greatly rejoiced to find he was not so 
 much hurt as he pretended to be, or as I expected he was. 
 I, however, let him stay below all night, and was glad to 
 find him on deck in the morning. His mouth was tied up, 
 and he complained of some of his teeth being stove in. He 
 was soon well. After this, when all hands were called, there 
 was no occasion to give Walsh a second call. The next thing 
 that made me think seriously about striking, was an accident 
 that happened in Captain Randall's boat. I had dined with 
 him, and, going on shore in the afternoon, as they were pull- 
 ing off the boat one of the crew happened to touch Randall 
 with his oar. When he spoke to him, and told him to take 
 
58 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 care what he was about, the man gave him an insolent 
 answer, uijon which Randall gave him a stroke on the head 
 with the tiller. He fell immediately backwards, was taken 
 on board the vessel, and died soon after. The affair was not 
 known at Port au Prince, as Randall sailed in two days. 
 Upon his return to 'New York he was obliged to keep out of 
 the way. Randall had no intention of hurting the man 
 much, and was shocked extremely when he fell back to all 
 appearance dead. He let none of his crew go on shore at 
 Port au Prince after this accident. 
 
 The night before we sailed, which was the 28th of March, 
 1773, 1 invited several of my friends to sup with me. When 
 at supper there was a great noise upon deck. Upon first 
 hearing it I was afraid'the captain of the frigate had put his 
 boat on board, for I still felt uneasy about the sugar.- Upon 
 going up I found the noise was made by "William Thomas, 
 an Englishman, that was our cook. He was quarrelling with 
 the second mate. Upon my threatening hini he was quiet, 
 but soon after, getting more liquor, he struck the mate. The 
 boy telling me this, I went up a second time, with an inten- 
 tion of giving him a severe beating; but, when I found he 
 was very drunk, and recollecting he was a very good man 
 when sober, I did not touch him, but ordered him carried to 
 his berth. In the morning at daylight we got under weigh. 
 About eight o'clock the cook came up and told me he was 
 very sick. After telling him I supposed it was owing to his 
 being drunk the night before, I directed him to go below. 
 The next morning when I went upon deck, the second mate 
 told me he had just been in the steerage, and Thomas was dead. 
 It appeared the poor fellow had fallen from his berth the 
 morning we came out, and probably broke a bloodvessel. 
 Although I was sorry for the loss of this man, it was pleas- 
 ing for me to think I had not touched him. 
 
 We had pleasant weather until we were within ten leagues 
 of the lighthouse on Cape Henlopen, when, the wind being at 
 S. E., and blowing fresh with rain, I ordered the mainsail 
 hauled up, intending to keep my wind until it cleared away. 
 All hands were called, when the cooper, Robert Craig, who 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 59 
 
 was one of the most active men I ever had with me, coming up 
 last, I called to him, " How is this, Eobert, all hands up before 
 you?" He made no answer, but walked forward round the 
 bow of the boat, then coming aft he gave a spring upon the 
 roughtree, and then for the main shrouds, which missing he 
 fell into the sea. I was on the quarter-deck and saw him fall. 
 Calling to him, I told him not to be afraid, we would be with 
 him in a minute. With the assistance of a French gentleman 
 that was a passenger, I threw a hen-coop close to him. He 
 swam to it, and got upon it. At the risk of the masts I hove 
 the ship round to immediately, cut the boat's gripes, and had 
 her over the side in a few minutes. But when he saw the 
 ship hove to, he quitted the coop, and, before we could get to 
 him with the boat, went down. Had he staid by the coop, we 
 should have saved him. He was a young man very much 
 beloved by the whole crew. Although natui-ally very cheer- 
 ful, he was, the day he was lost, remarkably so. He had been 
 four voyages with me, and what made me have a particular 
 regard for him was the care he took of his mother, who was a 
 poor widow, that during his absence he left a power with to 
 receive one-half his wages. Wo person in the ship lamented 
 the loss of poor Craig more than Mr. Dubois, my French pas- 
 senger, who had been much attached to him from the time 
 of his first coming on board. He rolled about the deck as if 
 he was distracted ; however, if he lamented more at first, he 
 was the first to forget the loss of him. Grief never affects a 
 Frenchman long.* 
 
 * The father, mother, and wife of Count de Noailles were guillotined 
 while the Count was in Philadelphia. When he first heard of it, he.shut 
 himself up for two hours almost frantic with grief — this was a long time for 
 a Frenchman to grieve. I saw the Count the day after he received the 
 intelligence, and if he had not told me of the loss he had sustained, I should 
 not, from his behavior, have supposed anything more than usual had hap- 
 pened, and yet the Count is an amiable man, and more grave than his 
 countrymen generally are. — Author's note. • 
 
 The Count's wife, her mother, the Duchess D' Ayen, and her grandmother, 
 La Marechale De Noailles, were guillotined on the same day, July 22, 
 1794. The Count's father and mother, the Marechal de Mouchy and his 
 wife, were executed a few weeks before, on the 27th of June. 
 
60 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 We arrived at Philadelphia two days after this melancholy 
 accident. The unhappy mother of Craig never was well after 
 she heard of his death, but died in a few months after him. 
 What ought not to have given her pain afflicted her more, 
 she told me, than his loss would have done had he died 
 ashore; this was his being buried in the ocean. This, I 
 believe, has been the cause of grief to many a one before and 
 since who have lost their friends at sea. 
 
 The ship wanting nothing done to her, in seven weeks 
 after we left Port au Prince we were there again. The gover- 
 nor thought it impossible we could be back so soon, and said 
 he was sure we could not have been to Philadelphia, but had 
 landed our cargo at the Mole, a harbor at the west end of the 
 island. However, I soon convinced him by my papers that I 
 had been at Philadelphia. The governor was the Chevalier 
 de Vallier, and a worthy good man he was. I beat the ship 
 from the watering place up to the harbor under close-reefed 
 sails when it was blowing a gale of wind. Most of the 
 inhabitants were looking at us while working up, and Mr. 
 Pasquer and some of his friends told me they expected every 
 time we hove about the ship would have overset. 
 
 The Sunday after my arrival, all our colors were hoisted, 
 when the lieutenant of a frigate (the captain being in the 
 country) hailed the ship and told me to haul down my pen- 
 nant. This I have no doubt he did at the request of a Bor- 
 deaux captain who was moored near us, and was then on 
 board the frigate. I answered immediately that I would 
 not haul it down, nor sufl'er it to be done. They then sent 
 their boat, and the officer who came on board told me a 
 merchant ship could not hoist a pennant in a harbor with 
 one of our own men-of-war, and they would not suffer me to 
 hoist one. I told him I knew very well we had no right to 
 hoist one in a harbor with one of our own men-of-war, but 
 we were not bound by any treaty to show them that mark of 
 respect, nor should it' be done by me ; that if the governor 
 ordered me out of the harbor, I would go with much pleasure, 
 but would never suffer the flag of my country to be insulted 
 while in my jjower to prevent it. Finding me obstinate. 
 
CIIAKLESBIDDLE. 61 
 
 and not choosing to push matters to extremities, he left us 
 muttering some curses against the English, and wishing 
 they were again at war with them. This I told him he 
 could not wish more fervently than I did. So high an 
 opinion had I imbibed from Lieutenant E"esmith and Mr. 
 McFunn, the two old naval officers that I was brought up 
 under, that nothing but force would have obliged me to haul 
 down my colors, and had they compelled me to do it, I would 
 have gone to Jamaica and complained to the admiral. ISo 
 seaman should ever suffer the flag of his country to be in- 
 sulted ; it will make foreigners have a contemptible opinion 
 of you, and dampen the spirits of your own countrymen. 
 The captain of the frigate, being sick, was seldom on board, 
 so that the lieutenant, who was a malicious rascal, had it in 
 his power, and did not neglect it, to give me a great deal of 
 trouble by sending his boat frequently on board under pre- 
 tence of searching for sugar or coffee. A few days before 
 we were ready to sail, a large Guinea ship that lay to the 
 windward of the whole fleet took fire, and burnt with great 
 violence. The harbor was full of shipping, and, as it was 
 said the Guinea man had a quantity of powder on board, 
 there was a great alarm and confusion among the shipping. 
 The frigate fired a good many shot at the ship on fire with 
 an intention, as it was afterwards said, to sink her, but as 
 the water was smooth this could not easily be done. Instead 
 of firing and trying to sink her, they should have gone with 
 their boats and those of the fleet, and towed her on shore, 
 for they knew on board the frigate that there was no powder 
 on board of the ship on fire. As this was not attempted, we 
 knew when her cables burnt she must drift among us, and we 
 therefore prepared to keep out of the way. I had only two 
 men and a boy on board, the remainder of the crew being 
 gone for a load of molasses. I ran out a small anchor to the 
 southward, intending, when the ship drifted, to heave on it 
 if it should be necessary. Just at this time a large French 
 ship carried an anchor out across our bows, which -would 
 have prevented me from heaving should I have wanted to do 
 it. I hailed the ship, and told the captain if he attempted to 
 
62 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 heave upon his cable we would cut it. He answered, " Do, 
 if you dare," and they began to heave in the slack. Imme- 
 diately we got a slip-rope, and getting the cable over the 
 cathead, cut it, the French captain threatening all the time 
 what he would do. I was quite regardless of what he said, 
 and did not hear his threats without replying. Fortunately 
 the ship on fire drifted clear of all of us. The sight was 
 awfully grand. The next day there was a complaint made 
 against me by the French captain for cutting his cable. I 
 told the governor and intendant (who happened to be pre- 
 sent) that I cut the cable to preserve my own ship, and that 
 they had no business, nor any occasion, to carry out their 
 anchor where they did. The French captain told them I had 
 
 d d all the French for a set of lubberly b . The 
 
 governor gave him a look of contempt, and told him that 
 was a business he should have settled himself. The behavior 
 of the French captain the day after the fire reminds me of 
 what Smollet in his Roderick Random says of the day after 
 the battle of Dettingen : " Every one of them during the tire 
 had performed wonders." 
 
 About a month after my being at Port au Prince, a vessel 
 arrived from North Carolina, commanded by Captain Thos. 
 Allen. I soon became very intimate with Allen and much 
 attached to him, and he had the warmest friendship for me. 
 Allen was born in England. - Being in the trade of ISTorth 
 Carolina, he married and settled in Wilmington. "We were 
 so much alike in our persons that we were frequently taken 
 for each other, and had several curious adventures in con- 
 sequence of these mistakes. One of them had like to have 
 been attended with serious consequences to me. Going one 
 day to a billiard table, after staying a short time, I paid for 
 what I had lost and was going away, when the tavern-keeper 
 civilly requested me to pay for the wine I had the day before. 
 I told him he was mistaken, for I had never been in his house 
 before. He laughed at first, thinking me joking, but when 
 he found me serious, he was very abusive, and at last de- 
 clared I wanted to cheat him. Upon his saying this I gave 
 him a kick that overset him. When he got up he ran for 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 63 
 
 the guard who came immediately and arrested me. They 
 are always ready to come on such occasions, as they gene- 
 rally get something. I requested they would go with me to 
 Mr. Pasquer, which, after some consultation, they agreed to, 
 and we proceeded to his house accompanied by a large mob. 
 Allen happened to be there, and was just leaving the house to 
 look for me. The tavern-keeper appeared much astonished 
 when he saw Allen, whom he knew was the man he had 
 mistaken me for, and who told him he was just going to his 
 house to pay him. Pie said he was sorry for what had hap- 
 pened. As I thought the kick was equal to the abuse, I 
 gave the soldiers a trifle, and we all parted satisfied. If we 
 had not found Allen, I should have been carried to gaol, and 
 perhaps had a large sum to pay, for the tavern-keeper would 
 have sworn I was the person who had his wine, and what 
 would have been infinitely worse, it would have been thought 
 by those that did not know me, that I wanted to impose upon 
 the man. Allen and myself were going ashore one evening 
 in the jolly-boat, dressed as common sailors, and just before 
 landing we ran foul of a French boat. The crew were very 
 abusive, and one of them caught hold of our boat, when 1 
 gave him a shove with the oar, and pushed ashore. We 
 were walking up the wharf, his arm within mine, when the 
 fellow who had been struck, coming unperceived behind us, 
 gave Allen a stroke with a stick on his neck that brought 
 him to the ground. The sailor immediately ran to his boat 
 and they put oflf. It was some time before Allen could 
 recollect himself, as he was much hurt. We went into the 
 first house we came to, and I sent for a surgeon who ordered 
 him bled. The surgeon said if the blow had been a little 
 .higher it must have killed him. The next day he was seized 
 with a fever, and I was much afraid we should lose him ; 
 however, the fever left him, and in a few days he was able 
 to walk about. One of the French merchant-men at that 
 time acted as commodore, and wore a broad pennant, and we 
 knew the French boat we ran foul of belonged to the com- 
 modore's ship. We went on board to demand satisfaction. 
 The commodore was ashore, and we found him at his store. 
 
64 AUTOBIOSRAPHTOF 
 
 He behaved very politely, sent for the fellow, and told us he 
 should be punished in any vs^ay we wished for behaving in so 
 base and cowardly a manner. The man declared he took us 
 for two common sailors, and he was hurt by ray shoving the 
 oar at him. As he appeared very humble, we thought it 
 best to let the matter drop. Even if there had been no resem- 
 blance this fellow might have mistaken Allen for me, for the 
 night was dark. 
 
 As the French frigate still lay near us, I did not think it 
 safe to take coifee on board in the harbor, and therefore 
 hired a schooner to carry ninety hogsheads of coffee to 
 Heneaga*, a small island about twenty leagues to the north- 
 ward of Hispaniola. I left Port au Prince the 20th of Sep- 
 tember ; the schooner sailed with the coffee the day before 
 me. I fell in with her off Cape l^Ticola Mole, where she 
 was to wait for me, and we stood over in company for Hene- 
 aga, but the weather being dark and squally the night we 
 took our departure we lost sight of her. The next day we 
 came to anchor near the west end of the island in six fathoms 
 water, soft white sand with a few scattering rocks. The 
 southwest point of the bay bore S. S. E. The north point 
 jST. IST. W. distant about four miles. There is fresh water 
 here in a small pond. The road to it is from a small reef of 
 rocks that are close to the shore. But the best watering 
 place is round the north point of the island in what is called 
 Ocean Bight. I staid here three days waiting with great 
 impatience for the schooner. I was preparing the long-boat 
 to go in quest of her, when we discovered her two or three 
 leagues to the westward beating up. I went on board her, 
 and found, in the squalls the night we left Hispaniola, they 
 were obliged to bear away, and had nearly been lost on Cuba. 
 The skipper Ificholo, an old acquaintance of mine, was very- 
 much rejoiced to find us, for he was short of provisions and 
 water, and was afraid he should never have found the ship. 
 As I was uneasy at lying here, being afraid of British or 
 French cruisers, we soon got her alongside, and m a few 
 
 * Now called Inagua. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 65 
 
 • 
 
 hours took out the coffee and made sail from the island. 
 Nicholo told me afterwards they suffered much in their pas- 
 sage hack to Hispauiola. We had favorable weather, and 
 arrived without any accident at Philadelphia. 
 
 I made another voyage in this ship to Port au Prince, 
 where I. found my friend Allen, who arrived a few days 
 before me. Two days before he got in, he was fired into by 
 a ship called the Ville de Paris. The shot went through his 
 boat, but did no other damage. I sailed from Port au Prince 
 the last of February, 1774. 
 
 On the 8th of March in lat. 27°, long. 74° 25', Stout, the 
 mate, came down and informed me that it looked squally. 
 Going on deck it appeared as if it would blow hard. I 
 ordered the topgallant sails handed, and the topsails lowered 
 on the cap to reef them. James Gurly, the second mate, 
 was on the main topsail j^ard, and I was calling to him to 
 take the second reef in the topsail, when, instead of attend- 
 ing to what I said, he let fall the sail, and taking hold of one 
 of the backstays, came upon deck. Much surprised and 
 exasperated, I inquired what brought him off" the yard. He 
 appeared much alarmed, and told me he came down because 
 there was a whirlwind in the squall, that he was on board a 
 large ship which was dismasted in a moment by such a whirl- 
 wind, and they had all nearly perished although they had 
 only received the tail of it, and that he was much afraid this 
 would prove fatal to us. As Gurly was a good seaman, and 
 of course not easily frightened, what he said made an im- 
 pression on all the crew. It approached us, and had a most 
 awful appearance. Por a great distance the sea appeared to 
 be carried up to the heavens. Observing it attentively for a 
 minute or two, it appeared to me that it was driving to the 
 northward, and that if we wore and made sail to the south- 
 ward we should avoid it. I therefore immediately wore 
 ship, and as I thought it would make no difference if it took 
 us, whether we were under sail or not, I made sail and stood 
 to the southward. To our great joy we soon perceived it 
 would pass astern of us. I never thought myself in greater 
 danger than when this whirlwind was coming down upon us. 
 5 
 
66 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 It reminded me of one I had heard of that did great mischief 
 in South Carolina. I had two passengers, who, when they saw 
 the squall and heard Gurly's story, went into the cabin, out 
 of which, they afterwards told me, they never expected to 
 go alive. After this we arrived without anything material 
 happening. 
 
 My owner, having the offer of a good freight for Bristol, 
 chartered the ship to go there. While we were cleaning her 
 at Mr. Peter Knight's wharf, a schooner belonging to an old 
 friend of mine, Mr. John Duffield, came from Hispaniola and 
 landed her sugar and coffee in Mr. Knight's stores. The 
 custom-house officers had information of it, and sent to Mr. 
 Duffield for the key. I happened to be on the wharf when 
 Mr. Duffield came up with it, and was going to give it to 
 Swanwick, the chief of the gang. As I felt for Duffield, who 
 had a lai'ge family, and I looked upon these people as little 
 better than robbers, I was determined to save the property if 
 possible, and for that purpose requested Duffield to give me 
 the key, and go off the wharf. This he very readily did. 
 Upon Duffield delivering me the key Swanwick came up and 
 demanded it of me. I told him he should not have it. Upon 
 this he directed some of his men to get a crow and an axe, 
 and break open the door. I called to Mr. Corry, my mate, 
 and desired him to come ashore and bring some of the crew 
 with him. This he immediately did, and when the custom- 
 house officers came with an axe and crow they were taken 
 from them and hove into the dock. Upon this Swanwick 
 went to his boat in order to go on board a sloop of war that 
 lay in the cove, but I would not suffer him. Just at this 
 time the people from Phillip's ropewalk (rented at that time 
 by my friend Hepburn, who sent them) came on the wharf 
 The foreman,* who was an Irishman, coming up to me, called 
 out, " Capt. Diddle, who shall we seize?" At the same time 
 an apprentice boy of mine, with a tar brush in his hand, 
 catching hold of Swanwick, begged I would let him paint 
 
 * J. Lang, afterwards an officer in the Continental army. — Author's 
 
 NOTE. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 67 
 
 him. I made him let him go, and the poor devil was glad 
 to run from the wharf, and his myrmidons followed him. I 
 sent directly for all the draymen that could be found, and we 
 soon emptied the store, putting the sugar and coffee in dif- 
 ferent stores, where they were safe. When this was done I 
 locked the door, put the key in my pocket, and* went to Duf- 
 field, who lives now (1802) in the house he then lived in. I 
 found him and his family much distressed until he heard 
 what had happened, when he gave me the warmest thanks. 
 From him I went to Swanwick, and told him if he was going 
 to give an account to the Grovemor or Collector of what had 
 happened, not to mention my name, as he must know I saved 
 him from being tarred, if not thrown from the wharf into the 
 dock. He said he was very sorry I had not called sooner, 
 for he had already complained to the Collector. I desired 
 him to let'me see what he had written. After some excuses 
 he let me see a copy. I found he had mentioned that Cap- 
 tain Charles Biddle, at the head of a mob, had driven him 
 and the rest of the custom-house officers from the wharf. I 
 told him if he did not take care of himself he would be 
 driven from the city. I expected some notice would have 
 been taken of this affair by the Governor or Mr. Patterson, 
 the Collector, as they threatened to do it, but they did not. 
 They began at this time to be afraid of acting in the manner 
 they would have done some time before. 
 
 The ship sailed in May, 1774, under the command of Capt. 
 Corry for Bristol. Corry had been my chief mate from the 
 time the ship was launched. He is a native of New Castle 
 upon Delaware, an excellent seaman, and a very good officer. 
 He had only one fault as an officer, and that was his being too 
 fond of striking. This, in a great measure, I broke him of, 
 for I never allowed any one gn board to strike the crew. He 
 slept less than any man I ever knew or heard of. I often 
 told him he must have been guilty of murder or some horrid 
 crime that troubled his conscience and prevented his sleeping. 
 
 A curious affair happened the last time I was at Port au 
 Prince that I forgot to mention. A man by the name of Be- 
 nijah Liston, belonging to New England, wrote from Leogane 
 
68 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 that a person of the name of J. S., whom he had taken in 
 sick and nursed until he got well, had robbed him of some 
 money, a watch, ring, etc., and he supposed had gone to Port 
 au Prince. He gave me an exact description of the robber, 
 and begged I would try to apprehend him, that he belonged 
 to Philadelphia, and probably would try to get there. He 
 mentioned the maker's name and number of the watch. As 
 soon as I read the letter I went on shore, and going to a bil- 
 liard table frequented by the English, I saw a person playing 
 who answered the description exactly. I went close up to 
 him, and taking hold of his watch chain I drew it out of his 
 fob, and, before he could recover his surprise, opened it, and 
 found it was the one stolen from Liston. I caught hold of 
 him, and told him if he did not go quietly on board he should 
 be put to gaol and punished as a thief. I sent for a boat, and, 
 as I could not go immediately on board myself, directed Corry 
 to come in her. When S. was going on board he jumped out 
 of the boat and attempted to swim ashore, but he was soon 
 taken and carried on board. In the evening when I went on 
 board he was lashed to one of the pumps. I had him loosed 
 and stripped, without finding any of the articles stolen. I 
 was almost tempted to believe the story he told me of his 
 having purchased the watch, when one of the crew going up 
 to him, says to him, "My father was an old thief that used 
 to hide the money he stole under his hat," at the same time 
 knocking off his hat, when out dropped a purse containing 
 the money, ring, etc. I sent for Liston, who was highly 
 pleased at getting his property. J. S. appeared very penitent 
 —he signed a paper acknowledging his having robbed Liston, 
 which was witnessed by Captains Wilson and Kiddel. This 
 acknowledgment I have kept ever since. S. behaved very 
 well, and was a useful hand diiring our passage home, for 
 which reason I let him go when we got up to town. 
 
 After the ship sailed Mr. Aspden purchased a brig for me 
 in which I went to Port au Prince. She was a miserable old 
 vessel, as leaky as a basket. When Pasquer came on board 
 and saw the vessel, and observed the pump almost constantly 
 going, he declared he would never put a cargo on board of 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 69 
 
 her, and begged me to leave her and let her be condemned. 
 But I had Mr. Aspden's interest so much at heart that I 
 would not consent to it. Fortunately we had good weather 
 until we arrived in the river. Had we remained at sea a few 
 days longer it is probable we should have been lost, for we 
 had a violent gale of wind in the river. 
 
 I did not think it safe to sail again in the brig, but left her 
 as soon as she was discharged. Upon examining her the 
 carpenter declared she was not worth repairing. 
 
 With Mr. T. Yorke I purchased a large schooner, and made 
 a voyage to Cape Francois. During this voyage nothing 
 material happened. 
 
 Upon my return we purchased a remarkably fast-sailing 
 brig called the Swift, and loaded her for the Mole. Two 
 days before we sailed, "William Johnston, a young man who 
 had been with me on previous voyages, and whom I agreed to 
 take out as my mate, rode out to Germantown and got mar- 
 ried. She was a very good girl whom he married, he had 
 long known her, and she had promised to marry him when 
 he could get to be mate of a vessel. As they were returning 
 to town, he stopped the chair and got out to speak to a friend, 
 when a wagon coming by overset the chair, and the wheels 
 went over his wife's breast. A thick pair of new stays pre- 
 vented her being crushed to death. In the confusion the 
 brute who drove the wagon got off, nor could we after- 
 wards find him. As soon as I heard of the accident I went 
 to see her and Johnston. He was perfectly deranged ; she, 
 although in great pain, composed, and trj'ing to soothe him. 
 She died the next day. I was obliged to sail without John- 
 ston. We sailed from Reedy Island in company with' a fine 
 brig commanded. by Captain Clay, bound also to the Mole. 
 We bet a suit of clothes upon our passage. I had a very 
 short one, and was nearly ready for sea when he arrived. 
 When I went on board, and inquired what passage he had 
 come through, he declared he had made no land until he 
 made Hispaniola, which appears almost impossible. We 
 sailed the last of N'ovember from the Mole; the 10th of 
 December we were near the lighthouse, and by the negligence 
 
70 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 of the mate in not calling me in time when a squall was 
 coming up we had nearly overset. We escaped however, 
 with the loss of our main topmast. That day seven weeks 
 that we purchased the brig, we sold her and settled all our 
 accounts, and made a very good voyage. 
 
 A Mr. Gayraud, a French gentleman who had been an 
 officer in Mariagalante, a small island to windward of Gauda- 
 loupe, was introduced to me as a very worthy, good man. 
 He told me if I would join him we could make a great 
 voyage by going to this island, that he could easily get us 
 permission to sell, and bring away coffee. We purchased a 
 brig called the Greyhound* between us, and loaded her with 
 such a cargo as he said would answer. We left the Capes 
 the 28th of February, 1775. As we drew near Mariagalante 
 I found Mr. Gayraud appeared uneasy and expressed his 
 fears that those who. were in office when he left the island 
 were dead or removed. This gave me a suspicion that all 
 was not right. I determined, therefore, not to enter the 
 harbor until I was sure we should meet with no difficulty. 
 As we drew near the island I found his uneasiness increase. 
 I then requested he would tell me candidly if he did not 
 think we ran some risk, should we go directly into the har- 
 bor as he proposed. He appeared relieved at the question, 
 and honestly declared he felt some apprehension, and agreed 
 with me that we had best let the brig lay off' the harbor 
 until we went ashore, and found whether we could be ad- 
 mitted to enter with safety. The 22d of March we hove to, 
 and went ashore in the boat under pretence of want of water. 
 The little island appears a perfect garden. Upon speaking 
 to some of Mr. Gayraud's friends, I found it would not do to 
 come to an anchor, and told him we had better stand over 
 for Ross in the Island of Dominique. He appeared extremely 
 chagrined, and I believe. expected he would not be treated by 
 me as well as he was before we landed ; but as he was unfor- 
 tunate, and, I believed, honest, I behaved with more atten- 
 
 * Pennsylvania Journal, February 22, 1775. " Cleared Brig Greyhound, 
 C. Biddle to Grenadoes." 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 71 
 
 tion to him than ever, and he soon recovered his cheerfulness. 
 We touched at Dominique, Mountserat, ISTevis, St. Kitts, and 
 St. Eustatia. At the last three islands we went ashore on 
 the same day. Finding the markets would not answer at 
 any of these islands, we sailed for Hispaniola, and arrived at 
 the Mole the 4th of April, and to my great joy found here 
 my old friend Allen. I had this voyage with me Captain 
 Stephen Decatur,* who afterwai'ds commanded a privateer 
 out of Philadelphia, and in 1778, was in the American navy. 
 He came out with a small adventure, and left me here, to 
 command. a vessel bound to Europe. 
 
 We sold our oargo, and took another for Philadelphia, and 
 sailed the 23d of April, 1775. We left the Mole in company 
 with several sail of vessels bound for different ports in 
 America, who all soon left us, the brig being flat-bottomed 
 and sailing remarkably bad upon a wind. We however had 
 a tolerable passage, arriving in the Delaware the 4th of May. 
 
 * Father of the distinguished officer of the same name. 
 
72 AUTOBIOaBAPHYOP 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Upon our arrival we heard of the hattle of Lexington, and 
 found the whole country preparing for war. Being young, 
 and considering my country unjustly persecuted, I was as 
 willing to go to war as any man in America. Perhaps my 
 having little to lose was another reason for my having no 
 ohjection to it. Talking with my old friend Aspden, I found 
 him as much averse to a war as I was for it ; and this was 
 not surprising, for he is what is called a worldly man, and 
 had much to lose. I never felt the less friendship for him, 
 nor did I ever feel the least resentment against any man in 
 America for being opposed to the Pevolution, where he 
 acted from principle. 
 
 The conduct of our people at this time was not always cor- 
 rect. A very genteel young man, son of the Collector of 
 Jersey, I believe from Salem, came to Philadelphia to give 
 information respecting a ship from Ireland. He was seized 
 by a mob while at the Coffee House, tarred and feathered, 
 dragged with a rope fastened round his body through the 
 city, and then obliged to jump into the dock up to his waist 
 in water to wait for a boat to carry him to Jersey. I felt 
 very much for this young man, who was only obeying the 
 orders of his father. When in the boat they took him along- 
 side the ship he had come to inform against, and some of 
 the people on board were so inhuman as to heave hot water 
 on him. I was so much incensed at this inhuman behavior 
 that I got in a boat with a few that felt as I did to take him 
 from the wretches he was with. They, however, put off 
 before we could get to the ship, which probably was fortunate 
 for us. They took Mm to Cooper's Perry, where he had 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 73 
 
 medical aid. I understood he was so much injured that he 
 could never be perfectly well. While he was tied an acquaint- 
 ance of mine (concerned in the ship informed against) struck 
 him with a stick, and would have repeated the blow if I had 
 not stopped him. I never liked this man afterwards. When 
 Dr. Kearsley and Hunt were afterwards carted around the 
 town, I did not feel for them. Kearsley would huzza for the 
 king, notwithstanding his friends begged him to be quiet and 
 that they would take him out of the cart. The doctor made 
 a shocking appearance — ^he had declared he would not be 
 taken alive out of his house, and when the mob went there 
 he was sitting in his front parlor with pistols. A young man 
 broke the sash, and several entered and dragged him out of 
 the window. His face and head were much cut. He was 
 prudent enough not to fire, for if he had done so he certainly 
 would have been killed. Captain Shewell, a relation of Hunt's, 
 was anxious to get him out of the cart, and would have at- 
 tempted it at all hazards had I not persuaded him against it ; 
 for it appeared to me that Mr. Hunt was much pleased with 
 his situation. He was going to England, where he thought 
 it would be a recommendation to him, and I believe it was. 
 He was a lawyer when here, but turned clergyman in England, 
 and had a living given to him.* 
 
 Captain Graydon, of Shee's Regiment, and myself went out 
 one morning about this time to fire at a mark with our pistols. 
 After we had each fired several times at a piece of paper on 
 a fence, a man came running up to us, his face as white as a 
 sheet, and cried to beg we would not fire again ; that we had 
 shot his child. Inquiring where the child was, he pointed to 
 a house a considerable distance back of the fence. We had 
 observed the house, but did not suppose it within reach of our 
 shot. He desired us to go with him to his house ; however, 
 as we thought that might occasion some trouble we refused, 
 but told him we would call next day. He said it was no 
 
 * An account of the carting around the town of the "Tory doctor," Dr. 
 Kearsley, and Isaac Hunt, the attorney, which occurred in July, 1775, will 
 be found in Graydon's Memoirs, pp. Ill, 112. Hunt was the father of 
 Leigh Hunt, the poet, and soon after left the country. 
 
74 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 matter, he knew Captain Biddle very well. After consulting 
 together, we thought, as he knew me, it would be best to go 
 with him. We found the ball had gone through a pane of 
 glass and struck the child, who was in its mother arms, in 
 the side, but had not entered the body. Probably it would 
 have been killed but for the thick woollen clothes it had on. 
 After expressing our concern, and giving the mother some 
 money, they were perfectly satisfied. I called several times 
 afterwards, and found the child had received no injury what- 
 ever. The pistol was fired by me — the ball must have passed 
 throuo-h a hole in the fence. The father, whose name was 
 Gilbert, a potter, and a poor man, told me he was at work in 
 his shop when the mother called out the child was shot ; and 
 when he ran to us, which he did without going to the child, 
 he expected it was mortally wounded. He was much delighted 
 when he returned and found it not hurt. Graydon and myself 
 felt little less pleasure than the father. He kept the ball, 
 which he said he would preserve for the child, and probably 
 it is still kept in the family.* 
 
 I expected the difference between Great Britain and America 
 would not be settled without a war. The first day Congress 
 sat I rode out with my brother Edward, who was a member 
 of Congress, to meet Mrs. Biddle who was on her way from 
 Reading. He then told me that from the disposition of the 
 members, particularly those from Ifew England, he was sure 
 much blood would be spilt before the dispute was settled. He 
 said he would give up his practice at the bar, which at that 
 time was very great, and go into the army, as he had been an 
 ofiicer in the Provincial Army, and was in the prime of life. 
 Brave, strong, and active, esteemed and respected for his 
 talents, he would probably have been next in command to 
 General Washington, but coming to Philadelphia in January, 
 1775, from Reading in a boat, he fell overboard. I was in 
 the boat with him. We got him in immediately, and went 
 
 * This incident is told in Graydon's delightful "Memoirs of a Life chiefly 
 passed in Pennsylvania," etc. p. 110. Graydon's father and Judge James 
 Biddle (brother of Charles Biddle) having married sisters named Marks, 
 the author of the Memoirs speaks always of Judge Biddle as his uncle. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 75 
 
 ashore to a tavern that happened to be near ■wh«re we landed. 
 In order to prevent his taking cold he drank a great deal of 
 wine and stood before a large fire in his shirt to dry it. The 
 landlord being a Tory, and saying something about what Con- 
 gress had done being improper, he beat him severely. "With 
 his passion and wine he became ungovernable. He ordered a 
 blanket to be brought in, and •although Col. Patton and 
 several of his friends as well as myself tried all we could he 
 would not change his shirt, but laid down in it damp before 
 the fire. The next morning he was very ill, and in a few 
 days broke out all over his body and face large blotches. He 
 had one in his eye that deprived him of the sight of it. Al- 
 though he lived nearly five years afterwards, he had scarce a 
 day's health. Before this he never was sick.* 
 
 My friend Mr. Yorke launched a ship soon after my arrival, 
 which, ofiering me the command of, I accepted and fitted her 
 for sea. We took in a cargo for Lisbon, but before we were 
 ready to sail I was spoken to by Mr. Mifiiin to go to France 
 to purchase powder and arms. As I infinitely preferred this 
 to going in the ship to Lisbon, with the consent of Mr. Yorke 
 I left her, and on the 10th of September, 1775, sailed in the 
 brig Chance, Captain John Craig, for L'Orient. Congress 
 had declared that, if the British Acts of Parliament they com- 
 plained of were not repealed by this day, they would not, after 
 it, export anything whatever to Great Britain, Ireland, or 
 the West Indies. It was a very fine day. The river covered 
 with ships and the wharves crowded with inhabitants was a 
 pleasant sight, if you could look at it without reflecting on 
 the occasion that drove the country into the measure. Several 
 of the vessels had arrived but a few days before, two or three 
 only the day before. They were unloaded and loaded with 
 great dispatch — they had as many hands as could work night 
 and day. It would, perhaps, have been better policy in Con- 
 gress to have prohibited any trade to Great Britain or her 
 possessions. We should then have kept many a gallant sea- 
 man that sailed in this fleet and never returned to America ; 
 
 * See Note C, at the end of this volume. 
 
76 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 for many of the vessels were sold abroad, and the crews not 
 being able to return were obliged to enter into foreign service. 
 The trade should have been stopped, or the owners obliged to 
 bring back the crews they sent out. I went to town, the day 
 after the fleet sailed, on business ; the wharf was clear of every- 
 thing except a few melancholy looking jDeople. 
 
 A schooner under the command of Capt. Ash sailed in 
 company with us for Portugal. He was to dispose of his 
 cargo there, and pay the net proceeds to me in France., We 
 were armed so as to keep oft" any boat or small vessel, and 
 my orders were to speak no vessel, if we could avoid it. Off 
 the Banks of ^Newfoundland we fell in with several sail, 
 amongst them was a frigate that, about eight o'clock, gave 
 chase to us; she was then near three leagues from us. There 
 was a pleasant breeze, and she gained very little upon us until 
 about ten o'clock, in a heavy squall we found she had gained 
 considerably upon us, they having carried their topgallant 
 sails when we were obliged to take in ours, and lower our 
 topsails. Just after the squall a young man named John 
 Williams fell from the foreyard overboard. He was a Ber- 
 mudian, and swam like a fish. A rope was hove to him, 
 which missing, he went astern. He was called to, not to be 
 afraid, and answered he w^ls not the least uneasy. We threw 
 him a spar. Craig was of opinion the frigate would pick him 
 up, and was against heaving to, but I had the brig hove to, 
 the boat hoisted out, and we got him on board. We had no 
 right to expect the frigate would heave to when we would 
 not. It was a • very trying time to me, for the frigate was 
 coming up fast, and I did not know what would be the con- 
 sequence of my being taken going on such an expedition. 
 It may be supposed I was very impatient until we made sail. 
 While the boat was out, Craig was comforting me by declar- 
 ing he was sure our heaving to would occasion our being 
 taken. However, there was no danger of Williams's being 
 drowned, for he could swim to Bermuda. Before we could 
 make sail the frigate was within less than two miles of us. 
 It blew hard in squalls all the afternoon ; in the squalls she 
 gained upon us, but when we could carry our topgallant 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 77 
 
 sails we dropped her. Tinding she could not come up with 
 us, just before it was dark she hove to and hoisted a signal 
 of distress. As I supposed it only done to decoy us, we paid 
 no regard to their signal ; indeed it was pretty evident nothing 
 material could be the matter, for she carried a press of sail 
 the whole day, and left her convoy, or the ships in company 
 with her, in the morning. Before I sailed we had an account 
 of one of our ships being taken by bearing down upon an 
 armed vessel that hoisted a signal of distress. Taking vessels 
 by this infamous method should be forbidden by all nations, 
 for, if made a practice, no one would run the hazard of being 
 taken, let the appearance of distress be ever so evident, and 
 thus many lives may be lost that if this shameful practice 
 was put a stop to would be saved. I was much rejoiced to 
 get clear of the frigate. Some time after in the night we 
 fell in with a brig bound from Lisbon to Cork. The captain 
 inquired eagerly what news? I told him the American army 
 had the advantage of the British in several engagements, 
 and expected soon to drive them from the country. He struck 
 his speaking trumpet with great violence upon the roughtree 
 and swore he was glad to hear it, and hoped we would soon 
 drive the British from America. "When we were near the 
 coast we passed a great many vessels that from the badness 
 of the weather would not run in with the land. The twenty- 
 second day after we left the Capes we arrived at L'Orient. 
 I found there was no powder to be had here, and therefore 
 set off in a small French coaster for E"antes. The morning 
 we went from L'Orient the skipper fell into the hold, and 
 was so much hurt he thought it necessary to bear away and 
 go into the river Vilaine, where his family lived. The crew 
 all went from the vessel, and there was no one left on board 
 but an old French seaman I brought from Philadelphia, and 
 myself. As it was cold, I ordered him down in the cabin 
 and to shut the scuttle. A short time after, perceiving a fire 
 in the caboose which was in the hold, I told Peter to get up 
 and put it out, but the hasp of the scuttle had got over the 
 staple, and he could not get out, and there was no cabin 
 window by which we could escape. In vain we tried every 
 
78 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 method to break or cut our way out. Fortunately the fire 
 burnt down without doing any damage. It blew hard, and 
 we remained in this perilous situation for twenty-four hours 
 before the boat came on board and released us. As the wind 
 was ahead, I went on shore. The people appeared to live 
 very miserably, having little but black bread and fish to live 
 upon. We remained here two or three days, when we sailed 
 for ISTantes, where we arrived the 10th of October in the 
 evening. The next morning early I took a walk along the 
 ramparts. In looking out I saw the body of a man lying on 
 his face in the mud. It appeared he was an Irish priest, and 
 it was supposed some person in a fit of jealousy had destroyed 
 him. As I was the first person that discovered the body, I 
 was under some apprehension that the people who were 
 assembling in crowds would apprehend me. However, they 
 took no notice of me. 
 
 It was a disagreeable and dangerous business I was on, for 
 I was not acquainted with any person in France, and after an 
 article that was prohibited from being sent out of the country. 
 I had some letters with me from my old friend Pasquer, but 
 they were written long before I had any thoughts of going to 
 France. As I knew Mr. Pasquer had an uncle in if antes, I 
 brought these letters, and with them introduced myself to 
 Mr. Pichard. I believe that was his name. He was a very 
 respectable man, and received me with great politeness ; and 
 his son, who was an officer in the army, behaved very friendly. 
 They both told me it was a very dangerous business I was 
 upon, and appeared uneasy at my visiting them. I applied 
 to some of the masters of ships I had knoAvn in Port au 
 Prince, but they were afraid of me when they knew my 
 business. One of them told me it was highly probable I 
 would be taken up by the officers of the government i£ I re- 
 mained much longer. Finding nothing to be done here, I set 
 ofl^ for L'Orient by land. The roads are good, but the country 
 not so thickly settled as I expected to find it. The horses 
 were not good. I was determined on my arrival at L'Orient 
 to sail for Holland, where I was ordered if powder and arms 
 could not be had in France. However, it was left in a great 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 79 
 
 measure to myself to do what I thought best. Upon my 
 return to L'Orient, Captain Mason, of Philadelphia, was there 
 in a schooner loaded with saltpetre bound home. He informed 
 me the merchant who did his business proposed sending a 
 ship for Philadelphia, with a great quantity of powder, arms, 
 and other war-like stores. He told me if I would go in his 
 Schooner he would load the brig and bring her and the ship 
 to Philadelphia. It was with great reluctance I consented to 
 leave the brig, but as I could do it consistent with my in- 
 structions, and considered it would probably be of great 
 advantage to my country, as Messrs. Barard Freres promised 
 faithfully to send the ship if Mason stayed, fully I'elying on 
 their promises and those of Mason, I went on board the 
 schooner. "We sailed from L'Orient the 30th of October. 
 The schooner was a handsome vessel, and had the appearance 
 of sailing fast, but she did not. Her mainmast worked so 
 much in the step that I expected we should lose it. We 
 stood to the southward until we got into the trade-winds. 
 While we were running down the trades, the main topmast 
 gave way at the cap while a young man was then at the top 
 of it, reeving halyards for a royal we intended setting. He 
 called out the topmast was going, and a moment. afterwards 
 it went away. He had a miraculous escape, having received 
 no injury. He was a very active young man of the name of 
 Dickson. He came from the back part of Pennsylvania, and 
 this was his first voyage. We kept the trade wind until we 
 were to the westward of Bermuda, when we stood to the 
 northward. In the latitude of 35° we had a severe gale of 
 wind from the northwest, during which the mainmast worked 
 in such a manner that we expected every moment it would 
 go over the side. Consulting with Captain Patton, whom 
 Mason had brought out with him as master of the schooner, 
 we concluded it would not be safe to go on the coast with 
 the mast in its present situation, and as we had no way of 
 securing it at sea, that it was necessary we should bear away 
 for the West Indies. It would not have been safe to bear 
 away during the gale. When the wind and sea fell, we stood 
 to the southward, intending to put into St. Eustatia. Two 
 
80 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 or three days after we stood to the southward, I fell down the 
 fore-scuttle and hurt myself very much. It occasioned my 
 having a spitting of blood for some time. The first land we 
 made was St. Martin's.* We went in here to avoid a ship 
 we took for a British cruiser. The day after we arrived I 
 went in a small schooner to St. Eustatia for some assistance. 
 Here I found many of my acquaintances from Philadelphia, 
 amongst others, Captain James Craig, brother to the captain 
 who went with me to France. He was very much alarmed 
 at first seeing me, fearing his brother was lost. From them 
 I understood there was no prospect of peace. Having pro- 
 cured what was wanted for the schooner in a few hours, I 
 returned to St. Martin's. A British ship of twenty guns 
 went into the harbor with us and anchored near the schooner. 
 I expected we. should have had some trouble with this man- 
 of-war, but she sailed the next day without taking any notice 
 of us. "We hoisted no colors and suffered none of the crew 
 to go on shore, so that it is probable the captain of the man- 
 of-war, who I believe was Hawkes, did not know where we 
 belonged to. Upon our arrival the crew had directions to 
 tell any person that inquired, that we were loaded with salt. 
 Still feeling the hurt I received from my fall, and exposing 
 myself in getting the schooner ready for sea, I was seized 
 with a fever that had nearly proved fatal to me. The schooner 
 being now ready to sail, and being myself too unwell to pro- 
 ceed in her, and fearing some accident should she be detained, 
 I sent her home under the charge of Capt. Patton. In a few 
 days, my fever having abated, I went to St. Eustatia, and 
 finding a ship belonging to Boston, commanded by a Captain 
 Adams, ready to sail for Philadelphia, although she was a 
 miserable old vessel, I was so anxious to get home I took my 
 passage in her. A few days after we sailed we were alarmed 
 by a piece of sheathing coming off. As the weather was 
 good, we soon got a piece of board nailed over where the 
 sheathing was off,biit from the badness of the sheathing I 
 was convinced if we had bad weather on the coast we should 
 
 * One of the Leeward Islands. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. ' 81 
 
 be in great danger of foundering. The fourth of January, 
 1776, about four o'clock in the afternoon, we struck sound 
 ings. We had no observation that day, but by our reckoning 
 we were in latitude 38° 20'. At this time we had a light 
 breeze from the northeast. At dark the breeze freshened 
 with rain. At six o'clock the fore and main topsails were 
 close reefed, the mizzen topsail handed, and we hauled upon 
 a wind to the eastward. At seven o'clock as there was every 
 appearance of a gale of wind the topsails were handed. 
 Hearing them a long time at the pump about half-past eight 
 I went upon deck, and finding it blowing hard, and the ship 
 laboring very much, I told Capt. Adams (who was a good 
 fellow) he had better ease the ship by taking in the mainsail. 
 He said he was in hopes that it would soon moderate, that 
 he was almost perished with being so long wet and cold. 
 Understanding some time before this, from the mate, who 
 was not on very good terpis with Capt. Adams, that this was 
 the first time he ever commanded a square-rigged vessel, and 
 as they had no gale of wind before during the voyage, I began 
 to think he did not know how to take the mainsail off her. 
 I therefore told him he had better go below, and put on dry 
 t'lothes, and I would attend to the ship. He went imme- 
 diately down, and I had the mainsail handed, mizzen and 
 fore topsails hauled down, and the ship hove to under her 
 foresail. Still finding the pumps had not sucked, I went to 
 Capt. Adams, and told him we had better go in the hold and 
 see if we could discover the leak. When we went down she 
 had a great quantity of water in her, and some of the empty 
 water casks were floating in the forehold. I then never ex- 
 pected to go alive out of the hold. We found the water was 
 rushing in forward, the ceiling* was cut away, and we per- 
 ceived the leak was occasioned by the sheathing being off. 
 We stopped it as well as possible, bat as she still made a 
 great deal of water we concluded it best to stand to the west- 
 ward and get in shore, that if the leak gained on us, and we 
 could not get into the Delaware, we could run ashore and 
 
 The inside planking of a vessel. 
 
82 •AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 probably save our lives. It was disagreeable and dangerous 
 running in shore at this season of the year in a gale of vrind 
 from the northeast, but of two evils this appeared the least. 
 We accordingly bore away W. IST. "W. intending to fall in 
 with Cape May. The next day, happily for us, it was more 
 moderate. About eleven o'clock we made the land a little 
 to the eastward of Cape May. At twelve o'clock, seeing a 
 man upon the beach, we put the boat ashore for him. The 
 men in the boat were all N"ew England men, who knew how 
 to manage a boat in a heavy sea as well, if not better than 
 any other people. With some difficulty and danger they 
 brought the man on board. The N'ew England men ai'e not 
 generally good seamen, being seldom regularly bred to the 
 sea, but they are sober, active men, most of them very stout, 
 and will endure more hardships than any people I ever sailed 
 with. This ship had an excellent crew. The man they 
 brought on board was a Cape May pilot. He soon anchored 
 the ship oft' the Cape. I understood from him with much 
 pleasure that Patton had arrived safe. As there was a good 
 deal of ice in the river and bay, the ship could not proceed 
 up. I therefore took my clothes on shore, and with a fellow 
 passenger hired a light wagon to carry us to Philadelphia. 
 We arrived at Cooper's, opposite the city, about noon, the 9th 
 of January. The river was crowded with people skating and 
 we crossed on the ice. I found all my relations well except 
 my brother Edward. Mr. Mifflin, who engaged me to go to 
 Erance, was perfectly satisfied with what I had done. A few 
 days after my being at home. Mason arrived. He put into 
 Morris River and left the brig. I went there, and brought 
 her up. He and Craig diff'ered, and would not speak to each 
 other. She had some powder on board, but her cargo con- 
 sisted chiefly of saltpetre, which was as acceptable as powder. 
 Messrs. Berard, after having their ship nearly ready to sail, 
 were afraid to send her. 
 
 As all classes well affected to the American cause were 
 associating, I joined Captain Cowpe^thwaite's Company of 
 Quaker Light Infantry. It was corhposed of men who were 
 .Quakers, or descendants of Quakers. We went out every 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 83 
 
 day to exercise, and took great pains to make ourselves quali- 
 fied to act our parts as soldiers when called into the field. 
 General Harmar belonged to this company. Of him, Baron 
 Steuben and General "Washington both said they never knew 
 a better, if so good an officer as he was. Several others of 
 the company joined the American Army and became valuable 
 officers. 
 
 In the spring there was an account came up to the city 
 that the Rqebuck, Captain Hammond, was aground on the 
 Brandywine Shoal. We had at that time a provision ship 
 of fourteen guns, fitting out under the command of Captain 
 Read. It was determined this ship should sail immediately 
 with two or three of the galleys. Captain Cowperthwait 
 waited on the Committee of Safety, and offered his company 
 to act as marines. The Committee thanked him and the 
 company, but said there was a full company of marines be- 
 longing to the ship. I then offered myself as a seaman, when 
 Captains Souder, Jackson, Potts, and some others of the 
 company did the same. Our service was gladly accepted, 
 and we went immediately on board. The ship was fitted out 
 with great dispatch, numbers of respectable people coming 
 down to assist in getting the guns, water, and ballast on 
 board. Although it rained very hard, they never left the 
 wharf until she had everything on board. "When we put 
 off' from the wharf, we had about one hundred and fifty men 
 on board, but we were very badly fitted. Our guns were a 
 great deal too long, and our crew were chiefly landsmen. 
 There were not more than twenty seamen including the offi- 
 cers on board, so that we should have made a bad hand at 
 fighting. Having some apprehension of being taken, I took 
 on board only a few shirts and trowsers, being determined if 
 taken, and the ship came into the river, to endeavor to make 
 my escape by swimming. However, I was not put to the 
 trial, for the day after we sailed intelligence was brought us 
 of the Roebuck getting off" the shoal, and the volunteers were 
 all dismissed. Had Captain Hammond known our intention, 
 and kept his ship on a heel near the shoal, he could easily 
 have taken the ship and galleys. 
 
84 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 The intelligence of the Roebuck getting off the shoal was 
 brought by Captain Andrew Caldwell, who had been down 
 to the Capes to see in what position the Eoebuck lay. When 
 the galley returned and anchored near the ship, Captain Read 
 ordered the barge to be sent to bring Captain Caldwell on 
 board. I went in her as coxswain, and the rest of the masters 
 as the boat's crew. When we got alongside of the galley, I 
 stood up with my hat off, and received him on board the 
 barge with as much ceremony as if we had belonged to the 
 barge of a British man-of-war, and he had been an Admiral. 
 When we were at some distance from the galley. Captain 
 Caldwell, looking at me very steadfastly, exclaimed, "My 
 God, Biddle! isit you?" I answered, yes. He then recog- 
 nized Potts and some of the other masters whom he knew. 
 When he put the same question to Potts that he did to me. 
 Potts told him that we had been unfortunate, and were 
 obliged to enter before the mast. As he was well acquainted 
 with my family, he seemed much affected ; however, he was 
 soon relieved by Captain Read, who wished us to mess with 
 him. This we would not do, for having entered as foremasts 
 men we were determined to act as such. 
 
 Some time after this the Roebuck and Liverpool came into 
 the river, and were attacked by the galleys. I have heard 
 that Captain Hammond then said if the commanders of the 
 galleys had acted with as much judgmentTas they did cour- 
 age, they would have taken or destroyed his ship. 
 
 Hearing the evening before the engagement that the galleys 
 were going down from Marcus Hook, where they were lying, 
 and that it was probable they would engage the Roebuck and 
 Liverpool, I set off" early in the morning in a chair with Mrs. 
 Gibbs, a widow lady, at whose house I was very intimate, to 
 see the intended battle. My intention was to go as a volun- 
 teer on board one of the galleys commanded by Captain 
 Thomas Houston, a schoolmaster of mine. This I did not, 
 however, communicate to my friend Mrs. Gibbs, who owned 
 the chair, and I was fearful, if she knew my intention, that 
 she would choose some other gallant, for she was attached to 
 the British and T believe wished them success. After we 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 85 
 
 had passed Chester about a mile, as I was driving furiously 
 along, one of the shafts broke. Having kept the reins in my 
 hands, I stopped the horses, so that we took the ground with- 
 out any injury. Pulling the chair on one side of the road, I 
 made an apology to Mrs. Gibbs for leaving her, and set off 
 as fast as my feet could carry me for Marcus Hook, which 
 was near three miles from where the accident happened. 
 Notwithstanding all my exertions I was a few minutes* too 
 late. N"ot being able, to get a boat to put me on board, I 
 returned to Mrs. Gibbs, who was a very enterprising lady. 
 She had with the assistance of some passengers got a rail put 
 alongside the shaft, and was coming down when I met her. 
 As she had a great friendship for me, she readily forgave me 
 for leaving her so abruptly. She told me she was ver^' glad 
 of my being disappointed, that it was very foolish in me to 
 run the risk of my head or neck on such an occasion. "We 
 drove down and soon saw the ships (which were under way) 
 and the galleys firing at each other. It was a fine day, and 
 the banks of the river, out of reach of the shot, were lined 
 with spectators, and every house near the shore filled. Among 
 others Colonel Turbutt Francis was there. Col. Francis was 
 a native of Philadelphia, who had been an officer in the 
 British service.* He had a chair placed on the bank of the 
 river where he sat to see the action. He was so much afllicted 
 with the gout that he could not walk. As his chair was 
 placed where the shots from the ships sometimes passed over 
 him, I requested he would have it removed. He, however, 
 
 * Colonel Francis, brother of Tench Francis, had also served as Lieut.- 
 Colonel in the Provincial Army. In the minutes of the Provincial Council 
 is the following entry : — 
 
 Provincial Council, Monday, May 21, 1770. 
 This day the Governor was pleased to appoint Turbutt Francis, Esq., to 
 the several offices following in the room of Hermanies Alricks, Esq., who 
 resigned, by five separate commissions, under the great seal of the Province, 
 viz. . Prothonotary or Principal Clerk of the County Court of Common 
 Pleas ; Clerk of the Quarter Sessions of the Peace ; Clerk to Register of the 
 Orphans' Court; Recorder of Deeds; and a Justice of the Peace, and of 
 the County Court of Common Pleas for the County of Cumberland. 
 
86 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 would not, saying there was little danger, and he sat with 
 great composure, observing the engagement. 
 
 On the memorable 4th of July, 1776, 1 was in the Old State- 
 House yard when the Declaration of Independence was read. 
 There were very few respectable people present. General 
 
 * spoke against it, and many of the 
 
 citizens who were good Whigs were much opposed to it; 
 however, they were soon reconciled to it. 
 
 Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense, contributed 
 much towards reconciling the people to the Declaration of 
 Independence ; and his pieces afterwards published, entitled 
 " The Crisis," had a great effect in rousing the people to arms. 
 The beginning of his first number, in which he says, "These 
 are the times to try men's souls ; the summer soldier and the 
 
 * This name is obliterated and entirely illegible in the manuscript. 
 
 It is remarkable that we have few accounts of this memorable incident 
 from actual witnesses. Until recent times little importance was attached to 
 the exact date of the public reading of the Declaration. Thus it happens 
 that, writing from memory, the author has given the date as the 4tli of July 
 instead of the 8th, the latter being doubtless the correct one. Christopher 
 Marshall says, "in the presence of a great concourse of people, the Declara- 
 tion was read by John Nixon." Mrs. Deborah Logan, who was standing 
 in her father's garden at a point which is now the N. E. corner of Fifth 
 and Library Sts., says, "I distinctly heard the words of that instrument 
 read to the people ■ • • the first audience of the Declaration was 
 neither very numerous nor composed of the most respectable class of citizens." 
 Note at p. xlv. Penn and Logan Correspondence. In this last particular her 
 account is confirmed by the author of these reminiscences. 
 
 Upon the reading of the Declaration to the troops in the field, Graydon 
 remarks: "'The Declaration • • • was with the utmost speed transmitted 
 to the armies, and when received read to the respective regiments ; if it was 
 not embraced with all the enthusiasm that has been ascribed to the event, it 
 was at least hailed with acclamations, as no doubt any other Act of Congress, 
 not flagrantly improper, would at that time have been." (Memoirs, p. 140.) 
 
 It is not certain that there was any public speaking on the occasion of 
 reading the Declaration. There had been held in the State-House yard 
 on 20th of May a very large, and not entirely harmonious, meeting to con- 
 sider the resolution of Congress, of 15th of May, recommending the Colo- 
 nies to adopt such government as should best ' ' conduce to the happiness and 
 safety of their Constituents in particular, and America in general." At this 
 meeting, doubtless there was warm debate. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 87 
 
 aunshine patriot," published a few days before the battle of 
 Trenton, were in the mouths of every one going to join the 
 army, and have since been often repeated. Paine may be a 
 good philosopher, but he is not a soldier — he always kept out 
 of danger. He is about five feet nine inches high, thin, and 
 has a sottish look. 
 
 In August, being desirous of having a shot at the Hessians, 
 whom I considered as a set of horrid wretches that would 
 hire themselves to commit any crime whatever, I gave up the 
 command of a vessel to go out with the Quaker Light In- 
 fantry. Several of those who signed the articles to go, when 
 we were ordered to march, would gladly have stayed behind. 
 Being determined on going myself, I was resolved to get all 
 I could, and, acting as a sergeant, with a small party, took 
 some of those who intended to give us the slip.* "We went 
 in a shallop to Trenton, where we encamped for several days.f 
 "We had in the tent I belonged to a Captain "William Potts. 
 He was a very stout fellow, and would have been thought by 
 many people an excellent hand for such an expedition. He 
 supplied us with plenty of tin cups and small articles of that 
 kind. If he found anything in that way in the camp that he 
 wanted, he would mark it Tent 'So. 1. If it was claimed 
 afterwards, he would declare it had the mark of our tent, and 
 nobody should have it without fighting him, and this very 
 few would do. We were obliged, however, at last to tell him 
 that he must lieave off this practice or leave the tent. He 
 was a brave, good soldier; he now (1802) keeps a tavern in 
 the iN'orthern Liberties. "We marched from Trenton to Bruns- 
 wick, and crossed the river at Brunswick about the 25th of 
 August, a remarkably hot day. We did not get over the 
 river until ten o'clock. We marched to Woodbridge, which 
 
 * Capt. John Morril was one of them. He got up into a new house and 
 took up the ladder. I got some shavings, and threatened to burn him out ; 
 upon which he surrendered. He is a brave, good soldier. — Authob's 
 Note. 
 
 f August 11, 1776. Several shallops, with troops for the camp, went 
 from town yesterday, as [others] did also this morning [at] flood. — Mar- 
 shall's DiAKY. 
 
88 AUTOBIOGKAPHTOF 
 
 is ten miles, and had just encamped when an express came in 
 from Gen. Mercer informing us that he intended that night 
 to attack the British on Staten Island, and requested those 
 who chose to go on the expedition to march to Elizabethtown. 
 Our company, although much fatigued with the morning's 
 march, being exposed to a scorching sun, turned out to a man. 
 Leaving our baggage, we set off immediately. During the 
 march several of the company fell with the excessive heat. 
 Before sunset we reached Elizabethtown, and were paraded 
 with a body of 'New England troops. We were just going 
 to march to the Point and embark when, fortunately, a violent 
 gust arose which prevented it. The gust I have no doubt 
 saved a number of us, for we afterwards learned the British 
 were informed of our intention and well prepared to receive 
 us. The next day we encamped at the Point in sight of the 
 British troops. When marching to encamp we went several 
 times round the guard-house at the Point, which I suppose 
 was done to make them imagine we had more men than there 
 really were. We could see the officers of the British army 
 looking at us from Staten Island with their spy-glasses. A 
 few days after we encamped some of Miles' Rifle Company 
 went without any orders from their ofiicers to Staten Island, 
 and with great deliberation loaded their pieces and fired at a 
 breastwork the British had thrown up in the marsh opposite 
 the Point. When the riflemen first fired, a man we took to 
 be an ofiUcer ran from the breastwork along the causeway 
 until he was at a considerable distance. His runninsr with 
 so much speed after he was out of all danger set all the camp 
 laughing. The riflemen might as well have fired at the moon 
 as at the troops behind the breastwork. The British fired a 
 long time without any effect. We were all astonished at 
 their firing so badly. They at last killed one of the riflemen. 
 Bateaux then went over and brought them oft". This, and 
 some of the troops deserting, occasioned an order from Gen. 
 Mercer that no person should go over in a boat or swim to 
 the island. Frequently before this order, myself, with a 
 number of others belonging to the company, had swam over. 
 Although we went within musket shot of the British, they 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 89 
 
 never fired at us. In the tent with me was' Captain Souder, 
 P. M. Austin, and several other seafaring men. One night 
 Gen. Mercer sent to know if we were willing to go upon an 
 expedition in boats. We informed the messenger we would 
 go anywhere the General thought proper to send us. About 
 ten o'clock at night sixteen of us embarked in two small 
 boats. We expected it was to take some of the British sen- 
 tinels from Staten Island. The night was very dark, and it 
 rained hard. About twelve o'clock we anchored near a sloop 
 of ten guns, and all our company were anxious to board her ; 
 and I am convinced we could easily have taken her, for, not 
 expecting an attack, and the rain falling in torrents, I believe 
 there was not a man upon deck, and probably all were asleep. 
 However, the ofiicer who commanded had his orders what to 
 do, and would not make the attempt. Just before daylight 
 we got under way and rowed up to the guard-house. We 
 found afterwards we were sent to intercept some Tories that 
 were expected to cross at this place. When on guard at the 
 waterside we suffered very much from the mosquitoes ; when 
 off guard we spent our time very agreeablj^. One morning 
 we were alarmed by the sentinels calling out that the British 
 
 had landed. Potts was the first out of our tent; he d d 
 
 his eyes if there were not ten thousand of them on the shore. 
 One of the ofiicers of Grubb's Battalion who heard him set 
 off and ran to Elizabethtown, from whence he went home. 
 Grubb swore he would advertise him. We were soon under 
 arms in our shirts. It was, however, a false alarm, occasioned 
 by some rails put on end along the fence in the night, which, 
 as the day broke, were taken by one of the sentinels for the 
 enemy. We remained here until relieved by what was very 
 properly called the Flying Camp. They did not arrive until 
 long after the time for which we engaged to serve. Our com- 
 pany was composed chiefly of men who had been inured to 
 hardships, and I believe would have fought well had they 
 been brought to action. Cowperthwaite, our captain, is a 
 brave ofiicer. Humphreys, who has since been a Quaker 
 preacher, was one of our lieutenants; his looks and manners 
 are so much altered since his conversion that I can hardly 
 
90 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 keep from laughing when I meet him, which, as he lives 
 near me, is very often. He sometimes seems himself inclined 
 to laugh.* 
 
 In 1766 some of our committee pressed the horses of Judge 
 Allen, a worthy, respectable old gentleman, who used often 
 to stop me to talk of my father, who was a great favorite with 
 the judge. I had a dispute about taking the horses with one 
 of the committee. They were most of them a bad set of 
 fellows. Mr. Allen usied to say that America was the finest 
 country in the world, Pennsylvania the garden of America, 
 Philadelphia the first city of America, and his house the best 
 situated of any in Philadelphia. 
 
 Soon after my return I sailed in the brig Greyhound for 
 Port au Prince. We had a pair of swivels and some muskets, 
 being sufficiently armed to keep off a boat. We also had six 
 wooden guns. Nothing remarkable happened until the 18th 
 of September, when, in the evening, we saw two small 
 schooners lying at anchor under the West Caicos. They 
 
 * A somewhat amusing account of this military episode is given in " Lox- 
 ley's Journal of the Campaign to Amboy, 1776." OoUeotions of Hist. 
 Soo'y of Pa., vol. 1. 
 
 The following certificate refers to the same period:— 
 
 Phila., Feb'y 24th, 1806. 
 These are to certify whom it may Concern, That Capt. Charles Biddle 
 joined the Quaker Light Infantry, as it was then called, Commanded by the 
 subscriber. He joined it in Jan'y, 1776. Some time after, there was a 
 Report in the City that the Roebuck Man-of-war was aground in the Bay of 
 Delaware, when the Prove, ship Commanded by Capt. Read, was Fitted 
 out to go down & attack her. I went with my com'y and offered to serve 
 on Board as Marines. The Committee of Safety Returned us their thanks 
 and said there was a company of marines belong to the ship, and they only 
 wanted seamen, upon which Capt. Biddle, Capt. Souder, and some other 
 Captains of vessels that then belonged to the said Com'y offered themselves 
 as seamen and went Volunteers in the ship. In the summer of 1776, Capt. 
 Biddle Left a ship he had then the Command of and went with the above 
 named Co. into the Jerseys. While there, at the Request of Gen'l Mercer, 
 he went as a Volunteer on an Expedition in Boats up the Sound and upon 
 Every occasion behaved as a Good Soldier. The above all came under my 
 notice. Given under my hand 
 
 Jos. CovyPERTHWAIT, 
 
 Capt'n at that time. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 91 
 
 weighed and stood toward us. As our vessel sailed heavily, I 
 knew it would be in vain to run from them, and therefore 
 hove to as if to engage them. This had the desired effect, 
 for they soon hauled their wind and left us. We stood over 
 all night for Hispaniola, with a fresh* of wind. At daylight 
 we unfortunately fell in with the Antelope of fifty guns, and 
 about nine o'clock were taken. This ship was conimanded 
 by Captain Judd, and had been dispatched a few days before 
 by the Admiral to cruise off Cape Fran9ois. The brig was a 
 valuable prize, being loaded with flour, which, was then much 
 wanted in Jamaica. Captain Judd kept my spy-glass, which 
 Lieutenant Cadogan endeavored to get back for me. As he 
 could not, he generously gave me his own, which was much 
 better. They put Lieutenant Harvey, two midshipmen, an 
 officer belonging to some other ship, and ten seamen on board. 
 They left on board belonging to the brig two young men, 
 Messrs. Hunter and Fisher, who were passengers with me, 
 and Goforth, a pilot. As the officers of the frigate Antelope 
 were very negligent of their arms, I determined to endeavor 
 to retake the brig. Upon mentioning it to Hunter and Fisher, 
 they immediately agreed to join me, and, after some persua- 
 sion, Goforth also agreed to assist us. It was my opinion, if 
 we could secure the officers below, there would be no difliculty 
 with the seamen, as one of the men they put on board had 
 been a barber in Philadelphia, and frequently mentioned his 
 regret at leaving it. I conversed with him on the subject, 
 and, finding him willing to join us, told him our intention. 
 This man's name was McKenzie ; he said he thought the best 
 way would be for him to go below when the officers were 
 asleep and cut their throats with a razor. As he was one of 
 their own men, he could easily have done this ; but neither re- 
 capturing the brig nor anything else would have induced me to 
 consent to so horrid a deed. It was agreed that Hunter and 
 Fisher should keep the officers below, while Goforth and 
 myself were to manage the seamen, and we were to begin 
 soon after the watch was relieved at eight o'clock. I have 
 
 * This quaint nautical expression is now obsolete. 
 
92 AUTOBIOGKAPHTOF 
 
 every reason to believe that just before the time we had fixed 
 upon Goforth informed Mr. Harvey of our intention, for a 
 little before eiaiht he secured all the arms which before were 
 lying carelessly on the quarter-deck, and took such precau- 
 tions as put it out of our power to do anything. We arrived 
 two or three days after this at Port Royal, and I was per- 
 mitted with Hunter and Fisher to go on shore. At Kingston 
 I met with Messrs. Cadwalader and Thomas Morris, Captain 
 Miller, Mr. Daniel Major, and several other of my American 
 friends and acquaintances, and spent my time as agreeably as 
 a man could do who had just been robbed of nearly all his 
 property. The day after my arrival at Kingston I went on 
 the wharf with several of my friends and met Lieutenant 
 Harvey. He expressed himself very glad to see me, and 
 requested I would go on board with him. As he had behaved 
 very friendly, and my clothes were still on board the brig, I 
 very readily consented. "When we were a little way from 
 the wharf, he told me the Admiral wanted to see me, and 
 that he had threatened to break him for letting me go on 
 shore. I begged he would let the boat's crew lay on their 
 oars until I informed my friends that they need not wait for 
 me. One of those friends has since told me he never was so 
 much affected in his life as when I hailed them and said they 
 need not stay for me, for he expected, from his knowledge of 
 the Admiral, that he had ordered me to be taken up, and 
 that he would treat me with great severity. I was taken 
 that night on board an armed schooner commanded by Lieu- 
 tenant James Cotes, a very worthy man. He went the next 
 morning with Mr. Harvey and myself to the Admiral, Clark 
 Gayton, who stayed at Greenwich. Gayton was as great a 
 ruffian as ever was hanged. At this time he was a miserable, 
 sickly old man, much afflicted with the gout. When we 
 went to his house, he was sitting in his balcony with a young 
 mulatto wench. When Lieutenant Harvey informed him 
 who I was, he took up a Philadelphia paper and read an 
 account of the taking of some prizes by the Andrea Doria, 
 commanded by my brother Ilficholas. He inquired if I was 
 brother to that rebel. I told him that man was my brother. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLK. 93 
 
 lie then began to abuse him, the country, and everything in 
 it ; wishing to God he had " the damned Congress" in Jamaica. 
 Smarting under my loss of property, and the ill-treatment of 
 this man, my temper forsook me. I answered that he knew, 
 situated as he at present was, he could abuse my country or 
 me without any danger. Enraged at this and something else 
 that passed, he ordered Mr. Cotes to take me on board and 
 put me in irons. Mr. Cotes and Mr. Harvey stayed with him, 
 while I walked to the boat with the crew. "What they said 
 to him must have induced him to change his orders, for I 
 was not put in irons. Mr. Cotes told me afterwards the 
 Admiral said to Harvey and him he was sure by my eyes 
 that I was a rebel. I was informed this man was born in 
 Boston. Mr. Cotes, who behaved with the greatest kindness 
 to me, begged if I was again taken before the Admiral that 
 I would be more prudent. The attention of Mr. Cotes I im- 
 puted in a great measure to the friendship of Mr. Harvey. 
 A person going to sea in wsir times should be careful of 
 having any papers on board that may injure him. Probably 
 the account of the captures made by my brother induced 
 Gayton to behave with more severity than he otherwise 
 would have done. He was, however — rest his soul — a great 
 brute. In the fifth volume of the Naval Chronicle, he is men- 
 tioned as a good and gallant officer. He may have been a 
 good officer, but, if applied to him as a man, the word "good" 
 would as well apply to Black Beard the Pirate. 
 
 There was, at this time, on board the Admiral's ship, a 
 young man of the name of Joseph Crathorne, a native of 
 Philadelphia. He was taken some time before me, and 
 entered on board the Admiral's ship as a midshipman. He 
 came on board the brig when we first arrived, and not hav- 
 ing the least suspicion of him, I mentioned several circum- 
 stances to him that happened in Philadelphia after he sailed, 
 which, from the questions put to me by the Admiral, he must 
 have told him. I believe this man occasioned the ruin of 
 many of his countrymen by informing against, and having 
 them detained as prisoners. 
 
 Lieut. Cotes being ordered on a cruise, I was sent on board 
 
94 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 the Antelope, then lying at Port Royal. The officers all be- 
 haved extremely well to me, particularly one of the lieuten- 
 ants, who informed me privately, a few days after my being 
 on board, that he had orders to search my chest and trunk. 
 An hour after he had given me the information, when I had 
 put away everything that could do me any injury if found, 
 he had me called, and ordered me, in a peremptory manner, 
 to give hira my keys, which, when he received, he made a 
 most diligent search, turning everything out and examining 
 every article. I was afterwards told Crathorne informed the 
 Admiral, if thej searched, they would probably find my uni- 
 form coat, and, if I had not received intimation of the search, 
 it would have been found, for I had imprudently taken it 
 with me. The lieutenant who gave me the information was 
 as good an officer, and as warmly attached to his country as 
 anj' man in the fleet. He knew if a uniform had been found 
 it would occasion my being ill treated, and answer no good 
 purpose whatever. 
 
 When the fleet was to sail, which was the beginning of 
 January, 1777, 1 was informed the Admiral intended to send 
 me to England in a sloop-of-war that was going to convoy 
 the fleet. This I was determined to avoid if possible. My 
 friends from Kingston having liberty to see me, four of them 
 agreed to come down in a boat in the night and take me oft". 
 This, on their part, was a very hazardous enterprise, for, had 
 they been taken in the attempt, they would have been pun- 
 ished severely. For two nights they attended, but it was 
 impossible for me to get clear of the sentinels, who probably 
 had orders to be particularly attentive to me. Finding my 
 escape could not be made in this way, I tried several other 
 methods of escape, without effect— one was, dressed in the 
 clothes of a mulatto girl. In this dress I should have got 
 ashore one night but for one of the midshipmen, who was 
 too inquisitive. Had he known me, he would not have 
 stopped me. The evening before the fleet sailed, a small 
 sloop, bound to Cape Nicola Mole, anchored at Port Royal. 
 My friends at Kingston informed me of her. She was com- 
 manded by Capt. Paxton, a very worthy Englishman, that 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 95 
 
 had long sailed out of Philadelphia, and would have done 
 anything to have served me. In the night, as upon all such 
 occasions, there was a good deal of noise, and confusion on 
 board, during which a small boat came alongside with two 
 men who agreed to take me on board the sloop. I took 
 nothing with me but the clothes on my back, a little money, 
 a pair of pocket pistols, and under my coat, a cutlass. We 
 soon got on board, and, the land-wind springing up soon after, 
 we set sail, and at daylight were abreast of Rock Fort, which 
 i# about [ten] miles from Port Royal. I now concluded 
 myself perfectly safe, and my good friend Paxton appeared 
 as much rejoiced as myself. He requested me, as I had been 
 up all night, to go below and sleep. I laid down in my 
 clothes, and was soon in a sound sleep from which I was 
 wakened by hearing Paxton say, "By G-d ! the Admiral's 
 barge is coming -after us." It was now perfectly calm. I 
 went immediately upon deck, took up the glass, and could 
 plainly perceive in the boat one Sims, an American that was 
 a Master's mate. As soon as he boarded us, not observing 
 me, he ran below. I was on deck with Paxton, and, advising 
 him to abuse me before Sims for deceiving him, I called to 
 Sims from the deck, and inquired if it was me he wanted. 
 He ran immediately up, and was much more pleased at seeing 
 me than I was him. He requested me to go in the boat, 
 which I immediately did, being now anxious to get away, 
 fearing much they would take Paxton (who acted his part 
 very well) as well as myself. We had not been in the 
 boat five minutes when the sea-breeze set in and blew so 
 strong that if we had received it before the barge boarded us 
 she never could have come up with us. No officer in the 
 ship would have pursued me so far but Sims, for, being him- 
 self an American, he was afraid 'if he did not take me he 
 would have been suspected of knowing my intention and 
 assisting me. He declared if he had not found me he never 
 would have returned to the ship. When we reached Port 
 Royal I was taken to the capstan-house and confined in irons. 
 In this infernal place they kept me some time, during which 
 no person was allowed to see me, nor did I speak five words 
 
96 AUTOBIOGRAPHYOF 
 
 during the whole time. From this place they took me on 
 board the Antelope, where I was again treated by the officers 
 with great kindness. Poor Hunter came on board to see me, 
 and cried like a child when he understood I had been in irons. 
 All my thoughts were employed in contriving how to make 
 my escape, which I almost despaired of effecting, when one 
 of the lieutenants, who had been a midshipman under Captain 
 Stirling with my brother Nicholas, and who had a great 
 affection for him, advised me to apply to Captain Judd for 
 liberty to go on shore at Port Royal. Judd was very seldom 
 sober in the evening, and one night when he had taken a 
 larger does than usual, and was staggering along the quarter- 
 deck, I applied to him for leave to go ashore. He told me, 
 "yes; go at any time; he did not care a damn about me." 
 The lieutenant, who heard him, immediatelj' ordered a boat 
 to take me on shore, and in a few minutes Lhad all my things 
 in the boat and set oft' for Port Royal, where we soon landed. 
 Lieutenant Cotes was then fitting out, and I was determined 
 not to leave Port Royal without seeing and expressing my 
 gratitude to him for the attention he had paid me. When I 
 told him Captain Judd had given me leave to go, he expressed 
 great satisfaction ; and when I rose to take my leave of him 
 he insisted upon my spending the evening .with him, which 
 I would gladly have dispensed with, being not perfectly at ease, 
 but I could not get oft'. We took an aft'ectionate leave about 
 two o'clock in the morning. As soon as it was daylight I 
 went in a wherry to Kingston, and from thence to my friend 
 David Major, a few miles from town. 
 
 During the time I was at Mr. Major's we had an account 
 of the British marching through the Jerseys and driving our 
 troops before them, and it was one night reported that Gene- 
 ral Washington was killed. An honest Scotchman who knew 
 the general swore he was very glad to hear it, " for he was 
 too gude a mon to be banged;" one or the other he thought 
 must he his fate. 
 
 While I made my home at Major's I used to come from his 
 Pen to town almost every evening. One night, when I was 
 at the coft'ee-house, a Frenchman came in, that was taken a 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 97 
 
 few days before on his passage from Philadelphia for His- 
 paniola. The people crowded round him eager to inquire 
 about the army. One of them asked him if the British troops 
 were in Philadelphia. " Yes." " And what are they doing, 
 hanging up the rebels?" " ISTo," says the Frenchman, " they 
 came there to be put in gaol." He then gave an account of 
 the battle of Trenton, of which we had not heard, before. 
 This gave great pleasure to the few Americans that were in 
 the coffee-house, some of whom were so imprudent as to 
 laugh out. For my own part I had suffered so much for my 
 want of caution that the pleasure I felt was kept to myself. 
 
 It has been justly observed that what we think the greatest 
 misfortune frequently turns out the greatest benefit. This 
 was the case with me at this time, for I thought when Sims 
 retook me nothing more unfortunate could have happened, 
 but it ultimately proved of great advantage. When I left 
 Philadelphia several people had sent money with me, which 
 I had saved and contrived to get ashore to my friend Major, 
 who wishing to be concerned in a trade to the Mole, pur- 
 chased a prize brig, which I took part of. We loaded her 
 with salt, got a Capt, Carr, an Englishman, to command 
 her, and sailed for St. Nicola Mole. We had a number of 
 Americans, who had been robbed of their property, on board, 
 and a young woman of South Carolina, of the name of ]!!f elly 
 Rose, daughter of a merchant of Charleston who had come 
 out to seek her fortune. We arrived at the Mole after a 
 passage of six days. The day we went in, a privateer from 
 Charleston arrived. Had we fallen in with her at sea, we 
 should have been a good prize, being under English colors. 
 I soon sent the brig back loaded with flour. Concluding to 
 stay here some time, I wrote to Mr. Isaac Caton, who had a 
 very good house at the Mole, to beg he would let me have it 
 until he arrived. He was then at Cape Frangois, whence he 
 sent me a very friendly answer, giving me the use of bis 
 house and stores. I immediately took possession, and several 
 vessels valued themselves* upon me, so that if I could have 
 
 * Probably an obsolete expression, meaning that they placed their business 
 in the hands of the writer. 
 
 7 
 
98 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 contented mj'^self here, I should have made a fortune ; but my 
 anxiety to get home induced me to purchase one-half of a 
 schooner from Captain Bristol Erown, of Virginia. At this 
 time they gambled very high at the Mole, and at the head of 
 these gamblers was the governor. Any person who had 
 money was welcome to the table. They played at what they 
 called vingt-un, or twenty-one. ^Nothing was allowed to be 
 staked but gold, and every evening large sums were won and 
 lost. The first night I went to look at them, a Mr. Marignolt 
 (a German who had lived many years with Mr. Meredith a 
 merchant in Philadelphia, and afterwards settled in this place, 
 where he had acquired, with a fair character, a handsome 
 fortune) was dealing, which was what few of these gamblers 
 would do, for the dealer bets against all the table, and must 
 therefore risk much more than those who do not deal. He 
 was confused at seeing me, and took an opportunity of telling 
 me it was only by chance he came there, and begged I would 
 not mention to any of the Americans my seeing him there, 
 as it would perhaps injure him. I told him if he would 
 promise me never to go again, no one should know it from 
 me. He readily promised he would not. However, he went 
 soon after, and in two nights lost everything he had. I was 
 informed by several who were at the table with him, that he 
 left it about two o'clock in the morning very much agitated. 
 It was generally supposed he drowned himself, for he never 
 was seen or heard of after he left the table. Thus ended poor 
 Marignolt, who was an honest, friendly man, and, before he 
 took to the gaming table, a respectable merchant. He was 
 one of the last men of my acquaintance I should have sus- 
 pected of gaming. He was a very sober, quiet, reserved man, 
 and was in a good way of business. It was diverting to look 
 at the countenances of many of these people at the time they 
 were playing; their extravagant joy when fortune was favor- 
 able, and their execrations when losing considerably, were 
 ■expresse4 in so ludicrous a manner as would have extorted a 
 laugh from any one that saw them. 
 
 "We loaded the schooner, which was called the Three Sisters, 
 in April, and I embarked on board her. As there were a 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 99 
 
 number of British cruisers on the coast, I was determined to 
 get into the first port we could make. The first land we 
 made on the coast was near Cape Lookout, and the wind 
 being fair for Beaufort in North Carolina, we entered the 
 harbor. Beaufort is a pleasant little village on the sea-coast. 
 Here it was I first became acquainted with Miss Hannah 
 Shepard, whom I afterwards married. Mr. Jacob Shepard, 
 the father of Miss Shepard, had been a respectable merchant 
 of ITewbern, and removed here on account of his health. 
 Taking a voyage to Philadelphia, he was seized soon after his 
 return with the smallpox. Notwithstanding he was much 
 beloved by the people here, they dreaded the smallpox so 
 much that they were afraid to go near the house, so that it 
 was difficult for the family to procure the necessaries of life, 
 and impossible to get any one out of the family to nurse him. 
 Mr. Shepard died in a few days extremely regretted by all 
 who knew him. His widow, finding this a very healthy 
 place, concluded to reside here. Her daughter spent her 
 time between an uncle Smith's near jSTewbern and her 
 mother. Having sold the cargo, loaded the schooner and 
 sent her to BroM^n at the Mole, I set out, by the way of North 
 River and Portsmouth, for Philadelphia. At Portsmouth I 
 called on Mrs. Brown, the wife of Capt. Brown who was con- 
 cerned with me in the schooner. She was an amiable woman, 
 and told me her husband had written to supply me with 
 everything in her power. I took passage here for Baltimore, 
 from thence to Philadelphia. 
 
 I found my mother and all the family had, on account of 
 the war, removed to Reading. After going there and stay- 
 ing some time with them, the first of July I set ofl:' with 
 Col. Jacob Morgan and Mr. Charles Shoemaker, for Charles- 
 ton, South Carolina. The intention of these gentlemen was 
 to purchase goods, mine to see my brother who was there in 
 the Randolph. When the Randolph sailed from Philadelphia 
 bound on a cruise, February, 1777, in a gale of wind they 
 lost all her masts and boltsprit. They were so rotten they 
 went over the side, notwithstanding the yards and topmasts 
 were down. It was very difficult to refit her here. She had 
 
100 . AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 two mainmasts put in that were shivered to pieces with light- 
 ning. After staying some time with my brother, who was 
 very dear to me, I went to Beaufort. A few days after my 
 being there, when at the house of an acquaintaince a little 
 way from the town, a man came from Beaufort and informed 
 me the Three Sisters was oif the Bar. I hurried down and 
 found her standing from the Bar towards a vessel to leeward 
 of her. It surprised every one on the beach ; however, the 
 mystery was cleared up at night, for the schooner's boat came 
 on shore with all her crew. It appeared the vessel to leeward 
 was a cruiser from ITew York, who had hoisted a signal of 
 distress, and by that infamous contrivance induced the cap- 
 tain of the schooner to go down and speak her. Although 
 I was very much enraged at the captain when he came on 
 shore and informed me how he was taken, yet, when I con- 
 sidered he could have gone to speak her only from motives 
 of humanity, I was reconciled to him. Col. Morgan joining 
 me at this time, we set off for Philadelphia. jSTothing in the 
 country at this time had the appearance of distress ; the peo- 
 ple ever3'where as we passed appeared cheerful and contented. 
 The day we arrived at Baltimore, the British Fleet appeared 
 in the Bay. The town was in great confusion, and every one 
 that could do it was moving out, expecting the British 
 would land and take the town, which they could very easily 
 have done. As it would have detained them a very little time, 
 and they could have done much mischief to many an inno- 
 cent person, it is surprising they did not land, for at this 
 time, driven about as they were, they could expect nothing 
 but what they could get by plunder. At the tavern where 
 we stopped a company was collected of very fine young 
 fellows. They had chosen a foreigner for their captain, 
 because they supposed he was better acquainted with mili- 
 tary matters than any other they could get. As soon as 
 the fleet was in sight, he sent in his resignation. The com- 
 pany deliberated what they would do with him ; several pro- 
 posed hanging him, and had he come amongst them at this 
 time, if they had not hanged him, they would have treated 
 him with some violence. They afterwards obliged him to 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 101 
 
 leave Baltimore, and he now resides in Philadelphia. He is 
 a quiet, inoffensive man, very unfit to command a company 
 of high-spirited young men. Mrs. Lux, a lady who lived 
 adjoining the town at this time, showed as much love for 
 her country, and fortitude, as was ever done hy any of the 
 Roman matrons. As soon as she was informed the fleet was 
 off the town, and the troops would probably land, she went 
 into the town where her only son, Mr. George Lux,* of whom 
 she was doatingly fond, was sleeping. She awakened him, 
 and, having his accoutrements brought, told him to hurry 
 down and join his comrades in defending the town. I knew 
 Mrs. Lux well. She was a verj' amiable, pious, good woman. 
 We remained in Baltimore until we found the fleet intended 
 to go up to the head of Elk. We then left it, and went to 
 Reading, from thence I went to Philadelphia, and there en- 
 gaged to go in an armed brig belonging to some of my 
 friends to France. She was built by Mr. Eyre, for a priva- 
 teer, but I was determined never to go privateering, consider- 
 ing the crew of a privateer little better than a band of robbers. 
 The British having landed at the head of Elk, I went to 
 our army with Captain Barry and some others. The roads 
 at this, time were continually crowded with people going to 
 or returning from the army. We saw the British Army 
 near Brandywine ; our troops were in high spirits, and I was 
 in hopeswhenever attacked would give a good account of 
 the enemy. Being anxious to get the brig to sea, and not 
 expecting an engagement soon, I returned to Philadelphia. 
 We could distinctly hear the firing at this battle in Philar 
 delphia, where prayers were offered up for both parties. 
 There was an awful silence most of the day. People were 
 coming in every minute from the scene of action, scarce any 
 two of whom agreed in their account of the battle. We soon, 
 however, found that our troops were worsted and retreating 
 towards the city. With some others we wanted to form an 
 artillery company, but I soon found nothing could be done. 
 
 * Mr. George Lux married the daughter of Edward Biddle, the writer' s 
 brother. 
 
102 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Some that promised to join went to take care of their fami- 
 lies. A remarkable circumstance took place at the action. 
 A brave young man of the name of Scull, a cousin of mine, 
 who commanded a company in Hampton's Regiment, was 
 going to make an attack upon some troops that were advan- 
 cing towards him. When he was going to fire, one of his 
 company, deceived by the uniform, called out they were 
 Americans. The ofiicer who commanded them, hearing 
 what was said (for they were very near), with great presence 
 of mind called out, "Don't fire, we are your friends;" and, 
 advancing close to Captain Scull, gave his fire, which proved 
 fatal to most of the company. Captain Scull escaped unhurt. 
 As the owner concluded to send the brig up the river to 
 Trenton, I took on board every person that applied to go up 
 until we had as many as we could stow. Many of these un- 
 fortunate people who were leaving the city knew not how 
 they were to subsist. Some of them had wives and children 
 without a morsel of provisions to give them. The day after 
 we left town, we anchored off Bristol.* I landed there, and 
 found the place full of people flying from Philadelphia, many 
 of whom were my acquaintances. I furnished my passengers 
 provisions while they remained on board the brig. We lay 
 off Bordentown. A number of vessels followed us up, 
 amongst others the Washington and Effingham frigates. 
 As my brig was armed, I lay in the stream to prevent any 
 shallop going down without a pass. At this time Mr, Eiche 
 lived at an elegant place opposite to Bordentown, and Mr. 
 Kirkbride near him. Before the war they were intimate 
 friends, but, taking opposite sides, Riche being a Tory, and 
 Kirkbride a Whig, they became inveterate enemies. They 
 
 * A few days before I left the city, having more hard money than I had 
 occasion for, 1 buried, in the cellar of the house where I lodged, thirty half 
 Johannes in a bag. After my return to Philadelphia in 1784, I went with 
 Capt. Chas. Craig to the house, then inhabited by Mr. Hugh Lenox. Find- 
 ing there was a new cellar door, I told Craig it was a bad sign, as it was 
 probable they had been searching the cellar. However, I went down and 
 soon found the money, loose— the bag, as may be supposed, was entirely 
 rotten. — Author's Note. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 103 
 
 were both hospitable men, and I often dined at their houses ; 
 however, as Mr. Riche had a number of fine daughters I was 
 much more at his house than at Mr. Kirkbride's ; and Mr. 
 Riche was always glad to have me with him, as my being 
 there often prevented his being robbed or insulted. The 
 daughters I frequently took over the river to see Mrs. Field, 
 their aunt. This gave great offence to Kirkbride, who, after 
 expressing his surprise that I could take any pleasure in the 
 company of Tories, informed me it was contrary to law to 
 take them out of the State, and that he must stop my boat if 
 I attempted again to go over the river with them. I told 
 him the law was certainly not intended to stop young ladies 
 from crossing the river, and if he attempted to stop the boat 
 I would bring the brig's guns to bear upon his house and 
 beat it about his ears. After this he was so much offended 
 that he never spoke to me. Some time after this Mr. E-iche's 
 daughter Mary* went into Philadelphia to see some of her 
 friends, and it was asserted tha,t when the British sent up 
 troops to destroy the shipping at Bordentown Miss Eiche 
 requested the officer who commanded the expedition to burn 
 Mr. Kirkbride's house. The house was burnt down by the 
 British, but I do not believe she ever made such a request, 
 for although she detested Kirkbride (and with good reason, 
 for he had her father taken when ill of the gout, and confined 
 in Newtown gaol), she was of too amiable a disposition to 
 make such a request. It is probable that the officer who 
 went on this command had heard from some of the refugees 
 in the city, of Mr. Kirkbride's ill usage of them. 
 
 The day after the battle of Germantown I set off for 
 Reading. On my way I stayed two days with our army. 
 They were very badly provided, but in good spirits. Many 
 of the officers were of opinion they would have got into 
 Philadelphia if they had not attacked Chew's house. After 
 remaining some time in Reading I set off with Mr. Collinson 
 
 * See "Inscriptions in Christ Church Burial Ground," p. 14. Mary 
 Rich6 married Charles Swift, and was the mother of Mr. Charles Swift 
 Kich§ and of Mr. John Swift, Mayor of Philadelphia. 
 
104 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Read* for Charleston, South Carolina. Mr. Read was going 
 to purchase goods, in which I was concerned. "When we left 
 Reading I went in a sulky, he on horseback. Before we 
 reached Lancaster he begged I would let him ride in the 
 sulky as he was fatigued a horseback. As I knew the road 
 for a considerable distance was very bad for a sulky, I readily 
 consented. When we exchanged I kept ahead of him to 
 Fredericksburg, where, being over the worst part of the road, 
 I waited for him, and it was two days before he came up 
 with me. He was so heartily tired that he declared no con- 
 sideration whatever would induce him to ride another day 
 in it. I now took the sulky, and we proceeded on. Coming 
 one evening late to our stage, I found a number of people at 
 it, and was fearful we should have a bad lodging, so as Mr. 
 Read came up to the door I told him to pretend to be very 
 ill. This he did, and getting him near the fire, I inquired if 
 he thought it was the smallpox he had. At mention of 
 this many of the men started, but when he said he had some 
 breaking out and was fearful it was the smallpox, we soon 
 had a clear house. We were obliged to inform the landlord 
 of the trick, or he would have run off with his guests. He 
 was angry at first, but we soon pacified him. We proceeded 
 on without anything material happening. One day when I 
 was a good way ahead of Mr. Read in i^orth Carolina, he 
 said he heard a great noise in the woods which alarmed him 
 and frightened his horse. When he came up to what occa- 
 sioned the alarm he found it was the wheels of a cart loaded 
 with tar, one spoonful of which would have eased the horses 
 and prevented the disagreeable noise. 
 
 At Charleston I found my brother Nicholas, who had been 
 out on a short cruise during which he took a sloop called the 
 True Briton, of twenty guns, and some other vessels that were 
 under her convoy. The captain of the True Briton, when 
 leaving Jamaica, expressed a wish that he might fall in with 
 
 * CoUinson Read was a member of the bar of Philadelphia, and married, 
 in 1773, Mary, daughter of Captain Wm. MeFunn, so frequently mentioned 
 in this narrative. Capt. McKunn married Lydia, sister of Charies Biddle, 
 Dec. 3, 1752. 
 
CHAELES BIDDLB. 105 
 
 the Randolph, which ship he heard was cruising off Carolina. 
 When the Randolph was bearing down upon him he kept up 
 a constant fire, hiit when the Randolph got within pistol-shot, 
 and fired a gun, she struck her colors. Captain Shaw, who 
 commanded the marines, a gallant young oflicer, was a re- 
 marllably thin man. He told me he never thought himself in 
 any danger from a shot until one of the True Briton's carried 
 away a mizzen-shroud of the Randolph's. He then thought 
 himself in some danger. When I arrived in Charleston, they 
 were fitting out some vessels that were to sail with the Ran- 
 dolph to attack two frigates that were off" the Bar. The day 
 after my arrival Mr. Drayton sent me a note informing me he 
 had authority to offer me the command of a ship called the 
 Volunteer. I returned him my thanks, and accepted the 
 command. I went on board on Monday, and the fleet was to 
 sail the Saturday following. At the time appointed for sail- 
 ing we had not more than fifty men, and few of these seamen. 
 Under these circumstances I wrote to Mr. Drayton, that 
 manned and-fitted as she was I could not acquire any honor 
 to my country or myself in going out in her, and would 
 therefore prefer going a volunteer in the Randolph. I ac- 
 cordingly gave up the command of the Volunteer and went 
 on board the Randolph. The British frigates sailing away 
 from the Bar before we could get over, I took an affectionate, 
 and as it proved to be a last, leave of my brother, and returned 
 to Ifewbern, where I had engaged to take the command of a 
 ship called the Cornelia, take a concern in her and fit her out. 
 During my being at Charleston this time, there was a 
 dreadful fire happened that destroyed a great part of the town. 
 The night of the fire a company of us supped together, and 
 we were sitting up when they began to cry fire. Had there 
 been any engines, it would have soon been put out, but, as no 
 water was near, the people did not know what to do. In the 
 house where the fire originated, a woman was brought out 
 just as we got there, but she was burnt in so shocking a 
 manner that she expired in a few minutes. Finding the 
 flames spreading very fast, I went to the house of the sailing- 
 master of the Randolph, who lived near where the fire began, 
 
106 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 in order to assist his wife. I found her busy in removing her 
 goods from her shop, in one corner of which I saw a small 
 cask with the head put loosely upon it. Thinking it coffee 
 or tea, I took it in my arms and carried it out. Just as I 
 went from the door a servant girl told me to take care, it 
 was a cask of powder I had under my arm. The fire was 
 then falling very fast near me. I covered it as well as I could 
 with my coat, took it to the waterside and threw it in. If 
 the girl had not informed me it was powder, I should certainly 
 have been blown up. The fire after raging a great while was 
 at last stopped by blowing up several houses. Upon my 
 return to JSTewbern, I found it necessary to take out all the 
 lower masts and boltsprit from the Cornelia. This, in a 
 country where you could scarce get a seaman, was a very 
 troublesome business, and obliged me to be almost constantly 
 on board. The hull also wanted a good deal of repair. 
 While fitting out this ship, we had an account of the loss of 
 the Eandolph. It is impossible to describe what I felt on 
 this occasion. I could get no sleep for several nights, and, as 
 some of the fleet had returned to Charleston, I was deter- 
 mined to go there and inquire into the particulars of the 
 unfortunate accident. I set off from ITewbern in company 
 with Major Lucas, who was going to join his regiment in 
 Georgia. During the journey I had many melancholy re- 
 flections ; it was very different from my last, when I went to 
 see and enjoy the company of a much-loved brother. I ar- 
 rived at Charleston in the evening, and went to Mrs. Dennis's 
 where I had formerly lodged. She was a native of Phila- 
 delphia, and knew my brother and the family well, and 
 always expressed a great regard for my brother as well as 
 myself. As soon as she saw me she took me into a private 
 room, and told me she was extremely glad to see me, that an 
 affair had happened that had given her a great deal of pain, 
 that Capt. Morgan who commanded a State brig, and was 
 out in the fleet with my brother, had given a toast that re- 
 flected very much on him. I felt a gloomy pleasure at the 
 thought of calling him out; but I immediately sent a mes- 
 sage to him by Major Lucas, desiring he would meet me 
 
CHAKLES BIDDLE. 107 
 
 Math his friend and a pair of pistols, and told Lucas to get 
 hint to fix on as early an hour as possible. In a short time 
 Morgan called on me with Major Lucas. He told me the 
 toast he had given was, " More wisdom to those at the head 
 of our navy ;" that he meant it for those who fitted out our 
 ships ; that no man ever loved and esteemed another more 
 than he did my brother, and that he would at any time have 
 risked his life to have served him ; that, if I wished it, he 
 would give me from under his hand what he now asserted to 
 be true. As I knew Morgan to be a brave, good officer, what 
 he said was perfectly satisfactory. I had some reason after- 
 wards to suppose that Morgan had displeased Mrs. Dennis 
 by not marrying a relation of hers, to whom, it was said, he 
 had paid his addresses. Had I known what was long after- 
 wards told me respecting the conduct of Sullivan, who com- 
 manded the ship General Moultrie, I should have sent Lucas 
 to him. It appeared from the testimony of Mr. Davis, for- 
 merly of South Carolina, who now keeps the E,ed Springs in 
 Virginia, and was one of the Randolph's crew picked up by 
 the Yarmouth, that they first discovered the Yarmouth about 
 one o'clock P. M., to windward standing for them. At three 
 o'clock she approached so near that they took her for a ship 
 of the line, and one of the Randolph's crew that had deserted 
 from the Yarmouth, said she was a ship of seventy-four guns, 
 and that it was her bearing down upon them. As soon as 
 my brother was certain that she was a ship of the line, he 
 hove out a signal to make sail, which was instantly obeyed 
 by all the fleet but the General Moultrie, who lay with her 
 maintop sail to the mast, so that Captain Biddle was obliged 
 to engage the Yarmouth or sacrifice the General Moultrie. 
 It is probable he expected to cripple the Yarmouth, which 
 he in some measure did, and very likely would have effectually 
 done it but for the unfortunate accident that happened. One 
 of the men picked up by the Yarmouth (which took four of 
 them ofl^a piece of the wreck three days after the action) sailed 
 with me from Baltimore. He told me he was stationed at 
 one of the quarter-deck guns near Capt. Biddle, who early in 
 the action was wounded in the thigh. He fell, but imme- 
 
108 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 01' 
 
 diately sitting up again, and encouraging his crew, told them 
 it was only a slight touch he had received. He ordered a 
 chair, and one of the surgeon's mates was dressing him at 
 the time of the explosion. None of the men saved could 
 tell by what means the accident happened. Mr. Davis told 
 me that the Randolph fired four broadsides to the Yarmouth's 
 one, and that she was in a perfect blaze from the time the 
 firing first began until the explosion. Captain Morgan told 
 me he thought it was the ship the Randolph was engaged 
 with that had blown up, and he bore away to inquire how 
 Captain Biddle was, and had the trumpet in his hand, going 
 to hail, before he found his mistake. Thus fell in the twenty- 
 eighth year of his age one of the best and bravest of men, 
 and as gallant and well-disciplined a crew as ever sailed the 
 ocean. My brother was brought up to the sea. In 1770, 
 when a war was expected between Great Britain and Spain, 
 he went to London and entered as a midshipman with Cap- 
 tain Stirling. "When the difference was settled between the 
 two countries, although Capt. Stirling was unwilling to part 
 with him, being anxious to go on the expedition under 
 Commodore Phipps, he left Stirling and entered before the 
 mast. He was afterwards made coxswain of the barge. 
 Upon the breaking out of the American war, he came out 
 and entered into the service of his country. He was a re- 
 markably handsome young man, and very cheerful and enter- 
 taining. I believe he never drank a quart of liquor in his 
 life. The following certificate I received from Mr. John 
 Davis, of Virginia. 
 
 "I, John Davis, at present keeper of the Red Springs, 
 Botetourt County, Virginia, do hereby certify, that in Feb- 
 ruary, 1778, I sailed in the ship General Moultrie from 
 Charleston in company with the Randolph, Captain Biddle. 
 That, on the 7th of March following, at one P. M., we discov- 
 ered a sail standing for us, when the Randolph made a signal 
 to heave to. About four P. M., Captain Biddle hove out a 
 signal to. make sail. We then spoke him, and Captain Biddle 
 told us that one of his crew had deserted from the British 
 ship Yarmouth of 74 guns, and he knew the ship to wind- 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 109 
 
 Avard to be her — and from her appearance he had no doubt it 
 was her ; notwithstanding which, Sullivan did not make 
 sail, and the Randolph was obliged to engage the Yarmouth 
 or sacrifice our ship.. The Yarmouth hailed us as he passed. 
 We answered, 'the Polly, from Charleston,' and that our con- 
 voy was ahead. They then hailed the Randolph ; and imme- 
 diately after engaged. The Randolph appeared to fire four 
 or five broadsides to the Yarmouth's one, until she blew up, 
 when Sullivan hauled down his colors, and we should have 
 been taken but for Captain Blake, who commanded the 
 marines. He insisted upon our making sail, and such was 
 the confusion on board the Yarmouth, or she was so much 
 injured during the engagement, that they took no note of us. 
 To the truth of the above I am ready at any time to make 
 oath. 
 
 (Signed) J. Davis. 
 
 We, the subscribers, lodgers in the house of Mr. Davis, 
 heard him declare the above account of the engagement be- 
 tween the Randolph and Yarmouth, and of the conduct of 
 Sullivan, to be true. 
 
 (Signed) Richard Mtncrbeff, 
 Robert C. Latimer. 
 
 Aug. 21, 1801." 
 
 The following lines upon Captain Beauclerk, killed at Car- 
 thagena, would apply as well to Captain ITicholas Biddle. 
 
 " Sweet were his manners as his soul was great, 
 And ripe his worth as immature his fate ; 
 
 Each tender grace that joy and love inspires, 
 Living he mingled with his martial fires. 
 
 " The blast that nips my youth will conquer thee ; 
 It strikes the bud, the blossom, and the tree."* 
 
 * " Nicholas Biddle was the ninth son of William Biddle, of New Jersey, 
 who had removed to the city of Philadelphia previously to his birth, and 
 where this child was born in 1750 [Sept. 10]. Young Biddle went to sea 
 at thirteen, and from that early age appears to have devoted himself to the 
 calling with ardor and perseverance. After several voyages, and suffering 
 
110 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 After a short stay in Charleston, I returned to Ifewbern, 
 and applied myself diligently in fitting out the ship. Owing 
 to many disappointments, I could not get her ready to go 
 down the river until the month of August. I had six iron 
 and fourteen wooden guns, and seventy men, not more than 
 five of whom could be called seamen. I lay three weeks 
 
 much in the way of shipwreck, he went to England, and by means of letters 
 was rated as a midshipman on board a British sloop-of-war, commanded by 
 Captain, afterwards Admiral, Sterling. He subsequently entered on board 
 one of the vessels sent toward the North Pole, under the Hon. Captain 
 Phipps, where he found Nelson, a volunteer like himself. Both were 
 made coxswains by the commodore. This was in 1773, and the difficulties 
 were coming to a head. In 1775, Mr. Biddle returned home, prepared to 
 share his country's fortunes in weal or woe. 
 
 "The first employment of Mr. Biddle in the public service was in com- 
 mand of a galley called the Camden, fitted out by the colony for the de- 
 fence of the Delaware. From this station he was transferred to the service 
 of Congress, or put into the regular marine [Dec. 22, 1775], as it then existed, 
 and given the command of the brig Andrea Doria, 14. In this vessel he 
 does not appear to have had much share in the combat with the Glasgow, 
 though present in the squadron and in the expedition against New Provi- 
 dence. His successful cruise to the eastward in the Doria has been related 
 in the body of the work, and on his return he was appointed to the Ran- 
 dolph, 32, the vessel in which he perished. 
 
 "In the action with the Yarmouth, Captain Biddle was severely wounded 
 in the thigh, and is said to have been seated in a chair, with the surgeon 
 examining his hurt, when his ship blew up. His death occurred at the early 
 age of twenty- seven, and he died unmarried, though engaged at the time to 
 a lady in Charleston. 
 
 "Thei'e is little question that Nicholas Biddle would have risen to high 
 rank and great consideration had his life been spared. Ardent, ambitious, 
 fearless, intelligent, and persevering, he had all the qualities of a great naval 
 captain, and though possessing some local family influence perhaps, he rose 
 to the station he filled at so early an age by personal merit. For so short a 
 career, scarcely any other had been so brilliant, for though no victories over 
 regular cruisers accompanied his exertions, he had ever been successful until 
 the fatal moment when he so gloriously fell. His loss was greatly regretted 
 in the midst of the excitement and viscissitudes of a revolution, and can 
 scarcely be appreciated by those who do not understand the influence such a 
 character can produce on a small and infant service." — Cooper's Naval His- 
 tory, vol. i. p. 120. See, also, Portfolio for October, 1809, and Sanderson's 
 Eminent Philadelphians. 
 
 See note D. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. Ill 
 
 down the river exercising the crew in working the ship, 
 sending down the yards and topmasts, and doing everything 
 I could to make them useful and prepare them for action. I 
 had a tally upon all the running rigging, with what it was 
 called written on it. By this means they were soon useful. 
 As there were several cruisers off the Bar, I wanted to be pre- 
 pared as well as it was possible before we left JSTewbern. I 
 told Mr. Singleton, one of the owners, that, at the season of 
 the year we were going to lie at Ocracock, it was probable 
 we should have a gale of wind, and he had better get a new 
 cable. He told me he thought what we had would do very 
 well, and, as he was going down with me to attend the load- 
 ing of the ship, I said nothing further to him about it. 
 When we anchored in the Road, which is an exceedingly 
 bad one, there was every appearance of a gale of wind. The 
 pilot requested I would let him go on shore, as he had a family, 
 and could be of no service if an accident happened to the 
 ship. I readily consented, but, when Mr. Singleton was go- 
 ing into the boat, I stopped him, and reminded him of what 
 passed in Newbern, and told him, if the cables were good 
 enough for me and the crew, they were for him, and he should 
 not go on shore. He was much surprised, and endeavored to 
 persuade me to let him go with the pilot; but, as I thought 
 he had behaved wrong in not procuring a new cable, I was 
 determined he should not go on shore. It blew very hard in 
 the night, and poor Singleton suffered so much that I was 
 sincerely sorry for having detained him. The next day, the 
 gale abating, he went on shore, and, although we were de- 
 tained here, for the remainder of our cargo, upwards of twenty 
 days, he never came on board. It is a bad Road, and dan- 
 gerous at the season of the year we were there, especially 
 with bad cables. I never went on shore, being fully em- 
 ployed exercising my crew, as I expected to be attacked as 
 soon as I went over the bar. 
 
 "While I was fitting out the ship, a gentleman of the name 
 of O'lS^eal arrived from France. He came to America to enter 
 our armj'. He took up his quarters at the house at which I 
 put up (Mr. Rainsford, an honest seaman, who kept the best 
 
112 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 house in Wewbern). From his name it would be supposed 
 he could speak good English ; he spoke, however, very little. 
 The first night he came, finding at supper that he had a difli- 
 culty in calling for something he wanted, I spoke to the ser- 
 vant and told him what it was. O'lSTeal, finding I understood 
 something of the language, came round the table and seated 
 himself next to me. He expressed much pleasure at finding 
 some person in the house who could understand him, and 
 then he gave the history of his life and adventures. He 
 was one of the most incessant talkers that ever lived. If he 
 had spoken slowly, which few of his countrymen do, I should 
 not have understood one-half of what he said, but he talked so 
 fast that I did not understand one word in ten. I was sorely 
 grieved that he had heard me translate his French to the 
 servant. Recollecting that the State of ]!forth Carolina was 
 raising a regiment of foreigners, most of the officers of which 
 were Frenchmen, and anxious to get rid of O'Neal, I men- 
 tioned this regiment to him, and told him I would introduce 
 him to the colonel, who was an acquaintance of mine. He 
 was delighted at hearing this, and begged I would go imme- 
 diately with him. It was about eleven o'clock when we 
 went to the colonel's lodgings. Knocking at the door, a win- 
 dow was opened by him, and he inquired what we wanted. 
 I told him there was a gentleman just from France, who 
 wanted to speak to him on business of great importance. 
 He hurried on his clothes, and was soon down stairs, when 
 I introduced 0'l>feal, and immediately went away, leaving 
 him to explain the motives of our visit, and congratulating 
 myself upon my escape, and laughing to think how Mr. Char- 
 iot (the name of the colonel) would be plagued with his coun- 
 tryman. O'lsTeal, however, was not to be done with me, for, 
 after staying some hours with the colonel, he came back to 
 the tavern, and, inquiring of the servant that sat up for him, 
 for my room, he came to me and awakened me out of a sound 
 sleep to tell me that the colonel had promised to use his inte- 
 rest to get him a commission, and desired him as soon as he 
 got to the tavern to speak to me to use my interest for him. 
 This, I had no doubt, he told him, to be up with me for dis- 
 
'CHARLES BIDDLE, 113 
 
 turbing him so unseasonably. He kept talking to me until 
 I pretended to be asleep. The next day I saw Chariot, who 
 was a very pleasant, good fellow. When he came up to me, 
 " Ah ! Mr. Biddle ! where you pick up Mr. O'JSTeal ?" I found 
 he had been as tired of him as myself. As I was the only 
 person in the house that could speak a word of French, 
 whenever I came in O'JS'eal fastened on me. Chariot soon 
 after procured him a commission, and I have no doubt he 
 was a good officer. My friends in ]S"ewbern used to say I 
 wanted to get O'lS'eal appointed a general officer, that he 
 might make me one of his aids. 
 
 We sailed from the Bar the 22d of September, 1778, in the 
 afternoon; a pleasant breeze and moderate weather. Just 
 before midnight I directed the chief mate to call me and 
 mention aloud there was a ship under our lee bow he be- 
 lieved to be a cruiser. Immediately all hands were called, 
 and I was much pleased to find how readily they went to 
 their quarters. It convinced me they would fight well if 
 brought to action. The marines were commanded by Captain 
 Ward, who had most of them been before in an independent 
 company belonging to the State of North Carolina. Having 
 served the time for which they enlisted they entered with 
 him on board the ship. With fifteen of these men Captain 
 Ward boarded and took a privateer of eight guns and fifty 
 men. It was in the night when she was lying at Cape Look- 
 out. The commander of her, when at Beaufort, said if he 
 had not been surprised in the night, a hundred of them would 
 not have taken her; and that he should be glad to meet 
 Ward when they were upon an equal footing. Ward took 
 no notice of this at the time, but the fellow remaining in the 
 country, and getting naturalized. Ward sent him a challenge, 
 and as he had not courage to meet him, he chastised him 
 very severely with a whip, which he bore with Christian 
 patience. 
 
 Knowing that exercise is an excellent remedy for sea-sick- 
 ness, and wishing to make the young men on board learn to 
 go aloft, whenever the weather was fair I had the hand 
 pump taken up to the head of the main top-mast and there 
 8 
 
114 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 lashed, and every one of them that wanted a drink of water 
 was obliged to go up, bring the pump down, and after they 
 had taken a drink, carry it up again. For the first five or 
 six days many of them would come upon deck, look up 
 wistfully at the pump, but rather than go aloft would go 
 down again. However, they were soon reconciled to it, and 
 I believe it was of great service to them. During our pas- 
 sage, one morning at daylight, we fell in with two ships that 
 I took to be British Letters of Marque bound to America. 
 We were not more than two miles from them, yet we took 
 no notice of each other. My object was to go safe, and I 
 was determined not to be taken if I could possibly avoid it ; 
 nor was it my wish to take anything. When we were ofl:" 
 St. Eustatia it was calm, and the current going to the wind- 
 ward we were drifted close to St. Kitts. There were then 
 two privateers lying there, one a ship, I believe commanded 
 by a Capt. Phillips, and a schooner. I made all the show we 
 could with our men ^and wooden guns, hoisted our Jack, 
 ensign and pennant, filled the tops with men, and prepared 
 to engage should they come out. However, fortunately for 
 us, they did not, and the breeze springing up about ten o'clock 
 we soon reached St. Eustatia. The captain of the privateer 
 was laughed at for not going out and attacking us. He said 
 he took us to be a Continental ship of twenty guns, and ex- 
 pected to get nothing but hard knocks; that if he had been 
 in a king's ship he should have acted differently; if any one 
 doubted his courage he would try them. About noon we 
 anchored at St. Eustatia, and I went on board Admiral 
 
 * ship, and told him if he could return it I would 
 
 fire a salute. He behaved with great politeness, but informed 
 me he could not return the salute. As I lay near him we 
 manned the yards and gave him three cheers, which he re- 
 turned. Admiral * was killed soon afterwards. 
 
 When the British took St. Eustatia Admiral Rodney sent 
 the Monarch in pursuit of the Dutch Admiral, when an 
 engagement ensued and he fell. During the time we lay 
 
 * The name of the Dutch Admiral is -wanting in the MS. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 115 
 
 here it came on to blow one night very hard. It was ex- 
 pected we should have a hurricane, and I intended at day- 
 light to go out of the Road. There was at this time a heavy 
 sea rolling in. When I was below the chief mate ordered 
 one of the crew in the maintop. He fell from the futtock 
 shrouds overboard, and it was with great difficulty that he 
 was saved. This man's name was Samuel Rogers, a drunken 
 fellow, and the only one of the crew that was so. A few 
 days after he ran from the ship ; had he applied for his dis- 
 charge I would have given it him, and paid his wages, for 
 on a drunkard you can have no dependence. We sold our 
 cargo well, and took in a valua-ble one. As there were a 
 good many small privateers cruising off St. Eustatia, I pur- 
 chased a pair of six pounders, and then thought myself a 
 match for any of them. Seven or eight sail of us, bound to 
 different ports in America, sailed together, and although 
 several privateers were in sight they were afraid to come 
 amongst us. The next day we saw a sloop to windward 
 which I took to be an Anguilla* privateer, and hoisted Eng- 
 lish colors in hopes she would bear down upon us. As soon 
 as our colors were hoisted she did as I expected, and made 
 preparations to engage us. As I found she intended to get 
 upon our weather quarter, I had two of the guns loaded with 
 grape run aft, and all the marines lying on quarter-deck with 
 a bullet and two buckshot in their muskets; and as her crew 
 were entirely exposed in coming up, which they did with 
 their drums beating, I expected to make great havoc among 
 them ; but just as we hauled down the English colors, and 
 hoisted our own, and were going to tire on them, they hoisted 
 American colors, and we found she was a privateer from 
 Charleston, I believe commanded by a Capt. Milligan. The 
 captain came on board, and told us he was as much dis- 
 appointed as we were, for he thought us to be an English 
 Letter of Marque. Nothing material happened until Ave 
 were off Cape Lookout, when at daylight we fell in with a 
 small British cruiser, which we stood for and expected to 
 
 * Anguilla is a small island off the north coast of Cuba. 
 
116 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 engage, but when near she made sail from us. In carrying 
 sail after her we sprang the head of our foremast. From the 
 appearance of the weather, expecting a gale of wind we 
 stood for Beaufort, and anchored there about twelve o'clock 
 the 16th of N"ovember, having been just eight weeks on our 
 voyage. "When we were going to salute the town I directed 
 Mr. Sumeral, the chief mate, to draw the wads and unshot 
 the guns. "When he told me it was done I gave orders to 
 fire. Hesitating to fire his gun, I went up to him and asked 
 him if he was afraid to fire, and intended to take the match 
 from him, but upon mj speaking he fired, and the gun burst 
 into a hundred pieces. A large piece went through the boat, 
 another through the foretop-sail. A splinter of the carriage 
 scratched one side of my face, and the same piece tore the 
 ensign all to pieces. Poor Sumeral had his thigh broken in 
 two places, and many of the crew were slightly wounded. 
 Considering the gun was loaded with- grape shot, and the 
 decks full of men, there being many on board from the shore, 
 it was surprising more were not injured. Sumeral lingered 
 a great while before he died, and I believe if we could have 
 procured a good surgeon he would have recovered. He told 
 me he was really afraid to fire the gun ; he had tried to draw 
 the wad but could not. Had he mentioned this to me the 
 accident would not have happened. 
 
 "When I went on shore in the evening, to my very agree- 
 able surprise, I found Miss Shepard. She had just come 
 down from her uncle's on a visit to her mother. "We were 
 engaged to be married as soon as I returned to ISTewbern, 
 which I did not expect, when I sailed, would be before the 
 beginning of December. The meeting here was entirely 
 accidental ; Miss Shepard, hearing of her mother being 
 unwell, had set off the morning of my arrival, and rode fifty 
 miles on horseback that day. The springing of my foremast 
 (which at the time I was very much concerned about, and 
 which in the evening I was much pleased had happened) was 
 the occasion of my being at Beaufort. As it was uncertain 
 when I should be at JSTewbern, I persuaded Miss Shepard to 
 be married here, and, aa there was no marriage settlement to 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 117 
 
 be made, the 25th of If ovember, 1778, we were married, and 
 I can now (January, 1812) say with truth, what with truth 
 all married men cannot say, that it was the most happy cir- 
 cumstance of my life, and that she has been everything to 
 me T could wish. 
 
 Shortly after my marriage a large sloop anchored near the 
 Bar. We took her to be an English cruiser, and prepared to 
 attack her if she should come near the town. However, at 
 night, the pilot came on shore and brought with him the 
 owner, who, I found, was Mr. William Hodge, an old school- 
 mate of mine, and who was very much rejoiced to see me. 
 Having been long absent from America, and anxious to get into 
 any port on the continent, and Beaufort being the first port 
 he made, was the reason of his putting in here. Mr. Hodge 
 had been for a long time in France, where he was concerned 
 in a privateer that had taken a packet and some other vessels 
 belonging to the British. The English Ambassador, being 
 informed that Hodge was concerned in the privateer, applied 
 to the French Court to have him confined, and although they 
 were then privately giving every encouragement to the Ameri- 
 cans they basely complied with the Ambassador's request, and 
 had Hodge arrested and carried to the Bastile. He told me 
 he was fencing with a master who was teaching him, when 
 two well dressed men came into the room, inquired if his 
 name was not Hodge, and when he^ informed them that it 
 was, they told him he was their prisoner, and, desiring him 
 to step into the carriage, they also came in and carried him 
 immediately to the Bastile. He was confined there in a 
 room by himself for six weeks, and probably would have 
 died there but for the favorable turn in our afiTairs. During 
 his imprisonment he never spoke a word to any person what- 
 ever. Mr. Carmichael, who lived with Dr. Franklin, fre- 
 quently wrote to him, but he never received but one of his 
 notes, and that he found in the plaits of one of his shirts. 
 It fell out as he was putting the shirt on. He was very 
 much rejoiced at getting it, as it informed him he would soon 
 be released. 
 
 Mr. Hodge left the sloop in my charge, and went to Phila- 
 
118 AUTOBIO&UAPHTOF 
 
 delphia to consult with his friends what he should do with 
 her. He soon returned and fitted her out to cruise. He 
 wanted me to command her, but as I disapproved of com- 
 manding or being concerned in a privateer, he gave the com- 
 mand of her to a young man of the name of Simpson (son 
 of Captain Simpson, of Philadelphia), who came with him 
 from Cadiz. I never knew a man whose attachment was so 
 strong to his native place as Hodge's. He thought a man's 
 being born and brought up in Philadelphia was a suflBlcient 
 recommendation. This must have been his motive for giving 
 the command of the sloop to Simpson, for there were several 
 at that time in I^ewbern much better qualified, who would 
 gladly have taken the command of her. Simpson was a good 
 young man, and brave, but totally unfit for a privateersman. 
 The best oflicer belonging to the sloop was John Harris, of 
 Boston. He was a man of uncommon size and strength, very 
 active and brave. G-oing ofl' with him one day, there was a 
 Spanish seaman behaved with insolence to Harris ; he struck 
 him, — the fellow immediately took out his knife and, if one 
 of the boat's crew had not caught his arm, would have 
 plunged it into Harris. Harris took no further notice of the 
 fellow than taking the knife, until we were all out of the 
 boat but himself and the Spaniard, whom he made stay with 
 with him. As soon as we were on board the vessel he took 
 the Spaniard, who was a stout fellow that valued himself for 
 his strength, by the collar and hove him overboard, and, not- 
 withstanding all his prayers and entreaties, put his head 
 under water until he was almost drowned. He several times 
 brought his head above water to let him breathe, and then 
 thrust him down again. He then hauled him on deck, more 
 dead than alive. The fellow, after this cold bath, behaved 
 extremely well. The sloop soon got her complement of men, 
 and sailed on a cruise. She had a brush with a privateer 
 from ISTew York the day they left the Bar. They soon 
 parted, and the Eclipse, as she was called, went off Charles- 
 ton, where they took a brig and sent her to Beaufort. Soon 
 after they were chased and had a narrow escape from a British 
 frigate. ISTothing saved her then but getting into shoal 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. • 119 
 
 water. They returned without takmg any other prize than 
 the brig. 
 
 I fitted out the Cornelia, and sent Captain Cook, of Phila- 
 delphia, master of her to St. Eustatia. A few days after 
 they left the Bar she lost her main-mast in a gale of wind. 
 She was chased by a privateer near St. Eustatia. The cap- 
 tain told Captain Cook, in St. Eustatia, that he knew the ship 
 and was acquainted with me, and did not think it prudent to 
 come alongside, and so she arrived safe in St. Eustatia. On 
 her return she was taken by one of the Providence privateers. 
 
 I moved about a month after my marriage to a small house 
 belonging to an uncle of Mrs. Biddle. We went to J^Tewbern 
 during the winter, which we passed very agreeably. We 
 were entertained at l^ewbern with great hospitality by the 
 families of Jones and Singleton (where we made our homes), 
 by Governor ISTash, Mr. Blount, and some other respectable 
 families there. During my stay at Newbern I attended the 
 trial of a cause for my friend Hodge, who was at Philadel- 
 phia. It was about the prize brig sent in by the Eclipse. 
 She was claimed by some merchants of Charleston as Amer- 
 ican property. I employed the Attorney-General, Avery, 
 who had all the trouble of preparing for the case. When 
 the trial was coming on Mr. Avery advised me to speak to 
 Mr. ISTash (afterwards, Governor), which I did. He was an 
 eminent lawyer, but very negligent, and did not come into 
 court until after the jury were sworn, and did not speak half 
 an hour. When the jury went out, I called at my lodgings 
 and placed five hundred dollars. Continental money (equal 
 then to about one hundred and fifty dollars specie), in a paper 
 to hand to Mr. I^'J'ash. We dined together at Mr. Savage's. 
 After dinner, intending to set off" for Beaufort, I called him 
 out, and presented him the money. Inquiring how much it 
 was, I told him five hundred dollars, the same as given to 
 Mr. Avery, and with which that gentleman was perfectly sat- 
 isfied. He returned the money, telling me he would rather 
 compliment me with his services than take such a fee. I 
 took the money, made a low bow, thanked him for his polite- 
 ness, and went away. He was a good deal mortified after- 
 
120 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 wards when he found I had taken him at his word, and gave 
 me several hints about the business, but I took no notice of 
 them, and never gave him a farthing. I would have given 
 him something, but he shamefully neglected the business. 
 
 After the condemnation of Cliftbrd and Wells's ship, they 
 applied to Council for the half by law coming to the Com- 
 monwealth. At the trial it was clearly proved that the 
 owners were in no way whatever concerned in the smuggling, 
 yet the jury, as the law stood, were obliged to condemn the 
 ship. Council had power to remit fines and grant pardons, 
 but could do nothing in ease of forfeiture, a fine being a com- 
 mutation for a corporal punishment, a forfeiture a resumption 
 of property lost to the owner hy breaches of the municipal 
 law of society, which has in consequence of such breaches 
 been passed from the owner to the community. 
 
 I had some time before this a difference with E . He 
 
 wanted me much to command his privateer Bellona. To in- 
 duce me, he said he would go with me, and near where he 
 formerly lived in Ireland he could load the brig in the night 
 with linen from the bleaching yards. I told him no man 
 but a thief would think of making money by such base 
 means. 
 
 In the spring Mr. Stanley, of N'ewbern, fitted out a ship 
 and several small vessels, of all which he offered me the con- 
 signment if I would take command of the ship, but as I 
 found Mrs. Biddle was very much averse to it, and having 
 no great inclination myself, I was easily persuaded to stay at 
 home. I was afterwards sorry I had not gone, for they made 
 a short voyage, sold their cargoes well, and arrived home to 
 a great market. 
 
 One morning in April I was reading in the parlor, when a 
 person looking in at the window, exclaimed, " By G-d, that is 
 Biddle !" Looking up, I perceived it was my old friend, J. 
 Allen. It gave me great pleasure to have this worthy man 
 under my own roof He had put in to get a supply of pro- 
 visions, and inquiring who lived in the place, he was greatly 
 surprised when he was informed I was one of the inhabi- 
 tants. He stayed with me several days, and then went to 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 121 
 
 Wilmington. Poor fellow ! he was much altered ; he had 
 lost a favorite child, which had almost deprived him of his 
 senses. Although it was upwards of a year before the time 
 he was with me, he could not mention it without being 
 greatly aifected. I did not then, but since have known, 
 what he must have suffered. 
 
 In July Mr. Hodge concluded to send the Eclipse to the 
 "West Indies on freight. Some of my friends soon loaded 
 her with tobacco for St. Thomas, and I agreed to join her. 
 When we were nearly fitted a brig appeared off the Bar, 
 which was said by some person on shore, that pretended to 
 know her, to be a Letter of Marque belonging to Hew York, 
 that had been before off the port. In expectation of bringing 
 her in or driving her oft' the coast, I intended to go out in 
 the Eclipse, and was waiting the tide to run at the Bar, to go 
 over it, when Mr. Hodge returned from IsTewbern. He im- 
 mediately sent oft" to request that I would not go out; if I 
 did, and any accident happened, he should look to me for 
 damages. This cooled me, and I returned to the old anchor- 
 ing ground. We were afterwards informed she was one of 
 the stoutest privateers belonging to New York, who, in all 
 probability, would have carried us there. 
 
 When we were nearly ready to sail a small privateer was 
 brought into N'ewbern by the privateer Bellona, belonging to 
 that port. The crew were confined in gaol. G-oing to New- 
 bern soon after, and wanting seamen, I went to gaol to see if 
 any of them would enter on board the Eclipse. Thirty-seven, 
 chiefly Irishmen, agreed to go with me. When I was taking 
 them to the wharf on their way to Beaufort, Mr. John Owens, 
 an honest Welshman, then a merchant of ]S"ewbern, who came 
 with me from St. Eustatia, stopped me and informed me that 
 one of the men going with me, of the name of Henderson, 
 had agreed to go in a small sloop of his, and begged I would 
 let him go with him. I told him Henderson had been a 
 petty" officer on- board the privateer, understood navigation, 
 appeared to be a fellow fit for anything, and probably would 
 take the vessel from him, while with me he could do no 
 mischief if inclined to do it. He said he was not the least 
 
122 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 afraid of that, upon which I let him go. It was my opinion 
 that Owens had a passport or some protection from the British, 
 for he was remarkably timid, and if he had not a protection 
 would hardly have risked taking such a man as Henderson. 
 The sloop was commanded by Capt. Gourling, now of Phila- 
 delphia. The day they went over the Bar, when about six 
 leagues from the land, Henderson went aft to Owens and 
 Capt. Gourling, who were on the quarter-deck, and told them 
 the sloop was his, and they might go into the boat. He was 
 followed by seven of the crew who had agreed to join him. 
 They attempted to expostulate with Henderson, but he told 
 them that it was in vain to say anything, and if they did not 
 get immediately into the boat he would pitch them in. 
 Owens and Gourling were obliged to go in, and they had 
 like to have perished before they reached the shore. Just as 
 they were pulling off Henderson called to them and told them 
 he believed Capt. Biddle to be a clever fellow, that he there- 
 fore wished them to inform me that the men I took out of 
 gaol had taken an oath that they would kill me as soon as 
 the sloop was over the Bar, for that they did not expect they 
 could get the sloop without putting me to death. It was 
 expected Henderson would have gone into New York with 
 the sloop, and Owens got a flag to go there, but she was not 
 in New York. It was afterwards reported they went to 
 Ireland ; however, they never could hear any certain accounts 
 of them. As soon as Owens reached JSTewbern he sent an 
 express to inform me of the intention of my gaol birds. As 
 I knew well that seamen generally, as well as other people, 
 were they once well treated soon change any bad intentions 
 they may have had, and as I had marines, who were most of 
 them young men of respectable families, born about Beaufort, 
 very stout, active, and resolute fellows who had been with 
 me in the Cornelia, and would risk their lives for me, and 
 knowing what discipline would do, I felt not the least uneasi- 
 ness. If Owens had not sent to me, the manner in which I 
 obtained these men would have made me cautious of them. 
 The day before we sailed I had them all called aft, told them 
 if they behaved well and did their duty cheerfully, they 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 123 
 
 should be well treated and have everything that had been 
 promised them, but if I found the least murmuring, or in- 
 tention of making any disturbance on board the sloop they 
 should be punished in the severest manner; and at the same 
 time I ordered the marines that if any man when called to 
 quarters was the least backwards, or did not do his duty in 
 action , instantly to shoot him. As they knew this would be 
 done it had a wonderful effect. Then ordering a drink of 
 grog, they were dismissed ; they gave three cheers, and swore 
 they would do their duty faithfully. I believe it very seldom 
 happens that there is a mutiny in a ship, or any disturbance, 
 but the fault is with the officers. If the crew are not ill- 
 treated, or, what is equally bad, too much indulged, are given 
 what they are entitled to, and made to do their duty, it will 
 seldom happen that a crew behave ill. From no men was 
 less to be expected than from those I had taken from gaol, 
 yet no men behaved better. When called, they were the 
 first at their quarters ; and if we had been brought to action 
 I am convinced they would have fought well. From their 
 behavior I believe they knew I was informed of what they 
 had intended. 
 
 We sailed from Beaufort the 10th of August, 1779. The 
 sloop drawing a great deal of water we struck hard upon 
 the Bar, and I expected, as she was very weak in her bottom, 
 she would have been stove. However, we got off without 
 receiving any injury. We had the prize brig and some small 
 vessels under our convoy. E'ear St. Thomas we fell in, at 
 different times, with two or three small privateers, but none 
 sufficiently strong to engage us. We arrived at St. Thomas 
 without any accident. I sold my cargo to the Royal Danish 
 Company, which at that time was just established. When I 
 came to discharge it, to my great mortification, I found that 
 a good deal of the tobacco was very much damaged, which could 
 not have happened on board the sloop, for she did not leak. 
 The company sent me word that as the tobacco was not mer- 
 chantable they must return it. I waited on, and told them 
 I was very sorry to find the tobacco not so good as it should 
 be, but that it would be very bad policy in them, as I was 
 
124 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the first American from whom they had purchased, to dispute 
 about the cargo, that the Americans would then be afraid to 
 deal with them, whereas if they behaved generously and 
 friendly it would induce them always to give the company a 
 preference. After some consultation they agreed to take it. 
 I never went on the wharf when they were examining the 
 cargo, but it made me ashamed to think what trash I had 
 brought, and if the company had not purchased, it would not 
 have been sold. They behaved extremely well. 
 
 While lying here Mr. Bull, an inhabitant of Tortola, a 
 native of 'New England, who appeared warmly attached 
 to his country, came down to see if any of his countrymen 
 would engage to go upon an expedition against Tortola. He 
 complained of being ill-treated there because he was an 
 American and wished well to their cause. I inquired if he 
 had never given any occasion for being ill-treated. He de- 
 clared he had not, but that he did say there and everywhere 
 that he wished well to the American cause. He reminded me 
 of a German servant woman of my mother's, who complained 
 of being beaten by her husband. My mother, knowing her 
 violent temper, said to her, "And, well, Katy, did you say 
 nothing to provoke your husband ?" "lio. Mistress, indeed I 
 did not. The worst words I said to him were that he was a 
 good-for-nothing scoundrel." Mr. Bull was of a warm temper, 
 and probably his ill-treatment was brought on him by his im- 
 prudence. Mine being the strongest American vessel in the 
 port, Bull was very desirous of my going. He said there 
 was hardly any person in the fort, that we could land a few 
 men and get possession of it, and then should command the 
 shipping. "When I considered that Tortola was a place of ren- 
 dezvous for privateers, and as I believed it could be very easily 
 taken, I had a great inclination to go, and for two or three 
 nights could not sleep for thinking of it. My officers were 
 all eager to go. However, when I reflected it would be 
 exceeding my instructions, and if any accident happened it 
 would be a great injury to my friend Hodge ; and that set- 
 ting such a crew as I should be obliged to take ashore, would 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 125 
 
 probably occasion the ruin and perhaps murder of some inno- 
 cent people, I determined not to go. 
 
 The day before I sailed two of my gaol birds getting 
 drunk, deserted, and enlisted in the garrison. As we had 
 rather too few for our guns before, and there was a privateer 
 off the west end of the island said to be waiting for us, I 
 waited on the Governor, who had treated me with great polite- 
 ness upon a former occasion, to endeavor to get the men back ; 
 but when he knew my errand he told me they should not be 
 delivered up, that they were not my countrymen, and they 
 had a right to enlist. It was in vain to argne with him. I 
 therefore shipped two others. When cleared out and ready 
 for sea I dropped down abreast of the fort and hoisted Amer- 
 ican colors. This was what they had refused to allow us, 
 and we were obliged to hoist a white flag. They soon hailed 
 me from the fort, "Haul down them colors." Upon my 
 refusing they threatened to sink me ; but I knew their guns 
 were out of powder, and therefore disregarded all they said, 
 keeping my colors up and drum a-beating until the afternoon, 
 when we weighed and stood out of the harbor. When 
 almost clear of it a black Curasao man, whom I had shipped 
 in the room of one of the men who had deserted, jumped 
 overboard and swam on shore. I made some of the marines 
 fire ahead of him to frighten him, but he dived, and seemed 
 to regard their firing as little as I did the threats of the 
 officers in the fort. Ofi:" the west end of the island we dis- 
 covered the privateer said to be waiting for us. She was 
 close in with the land, and did not show any inclination to 
 come out, with which I was full as well pleased as I should 
 have been to see her bear down upon us. 
 
 Ilf othing material happened until we got on the coast, when, 
 on the 17th of September, we had a violent gale of wind, or 
 rather hurricane, in which we all expected the sloop would 
 have foundered. She worked very much, and we could 
 hardly keep her free. Two days after this, we made the land 
 a few miles to the southwest of Beaufort. In the afternoon we 
 could plainly see the town. As the wind was ahead and we 
 could not get in that night with the sloop, I was resolved 
 
126 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 to go ashore in the boat. Notwithstanding Captain Tucker 
 and some other passengers begged me not to attempt it, that 
 I ran a great risk of being lost with all that were with me, 
 finding several of the crew, who lived in Beaufort, as anxious 
 to go as myself, I picked out five that could swim and row 
 well, and put off in a whaleboat. The passengers took leave 
 of me as if they never expected to see me again. As we 
 drew near the shore, we found there was a dreadful surf. 
 We stood some distance to the southward, to try to find a 
 better place to land, but it was tremendous everywhere. 
 And now I believe every man in the boat secretly wished 
 himself on board the sloop ; for my own part, I most fervently 
 did, but we were so far to leeward, that had we attempted 
 to reach the vessel, we could not have done it before night,, 
 and it was mortifying to think of it. Finding it in vain to 
 stand further to leeward, and night approaching, with dark, 
 cloudy weather, I pretended to see a smooth place abreast of 
 us, and pushed in for the beach. Expecting we should have 
 to swim, when near, I ordered them to lie on their oars, and 
 pull ofl' their jackets, and did the same myself. Just as I 
 had my jacket ofl", and was taking hold of the oar to steer her, 
 a sea broke with great violence on board, and filled the boat. 
 It was some time before I could recollect myself, when look- 
 ing around, I could see the people hanging on the boat. I in- 
 tended at first to swim to them, but seeing a heavy sea coming, 
 I put before it, and was so long under that I never expected 
 to rise. It threw me on the beach, but so much spent that 
 it was with great difficulty I could scramble out of reach of 
 the sea. The boat's crew staid by her until she reached the 
 shore, one of them so far gone, that it was with much diffi- 
 culty we could get him out of the surf. We had now seven 
 miles to walk before we came to a house, and were obliged to 
 help the young man who was so much exhausted. When 
 we reached the house they had nothing to cross the sound in 
 but an old canoe. It is from here, I believe, near eight miles 
 to Beaufort. Taking three of the stoutest men with me we 
 embarked, and about two o'clock in the morning reached 
 Beaufort, almost dead with hunger and fatigue. We lost 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 127 
 
 our boat, oars, and jackets. At daylight I was awakened by 
 the sloop firing a salute. She had got up with the Bar in the 
 night, and the tide answering, she came in as soon as it was 
 broad daylight. 
 
 The day I sailed for St. Thomas, Mr. Hodge set off for 
 Philadelphia, and did not return for some time after my ar- 
 rival. He brought me the first account I had of the loss of 
 my brother Edward. Mr. James Read, then a member of 
 the Supreme Executive Council, and who knew him from 
 his infancy, gave a character of him in Dunlap's paper of the 
 9th of September, 1779, which he justly merited. He says : 
 
 " On Thursday last, after a very lingering illness, died at 
 Baltimore, in the forty-first year of his age, that great lawyer, 
 the Honorable Edward Biddle, Esqr., of Reading in this 
 State. In early life as a captain in our Provincial forces, his 
 military virtues so highly distinguished him that Congress 
 designed him to high rank in the American army, which, 
 however, his sickness prevented. His practice at the bar for 
 years having made his great abilities and integrity known, 
 the county of Berks unanimously elected him one of their 
 representatives in Assembly, who soon made him their 
 Speaker and a Delegate in Congress. And the conduct of 
 this patriot did honor to their choice. As in public char- 
 acter very few were equal to him in talents, or in noble ex- 
 ertions of them, so in private life, the son, the husband, the 
 father, brother, friend, neighbor, and master, had in him a 
 pattern not to be excelled. Love to his country, benevolence, 
 and every manly virtue, rendered him an object of esteem and 
 admiration to all that knew him." 
 
 The 6th of October, 1779, Mrs. Biddle was delivered of a 
 son, whom I called after my brother E^icholas.* 
 
 At this time, being every day liable to an attack, T per- 
 suaded the people of the town a:nd neighborhood to build a 
 small fort. We all worked at it, and soon made a tolerably 
 good one. There were four six pounders belonging to the 
 United States which we mounted in it. Mr. Ellis, the Con- 
 
 =) 
 
 This child died in infancy. 
 
128 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OP 
 
 tinental agent, when he heard these guns were mounted, sent 
 for them ; but as I knew they were wanted much more at 
 Beaufort than at IsTewbern, I refused to let them go until we 
 had orders from the Board of "War.* Ellis threatened to sue 
 me, but upon my writing to him he thought better of it. 
 
 Mr. Hodge having agreed to send the sloop as a flag of 
 truce to 'Sew Providence, a great many prisoners were sent 
 from Newbern to go in her. These people, with the English 
 and Irish seamen belonging to our vessels, were frequently 
 making disturbances, and we" had one inhabitant of the place 
 as bad as any of them. This man, under pretence of his 
 being afraid of an attack, had a pair of four pounders mounted 
 in his piazza, and frequently in the night, when drunk, would 
 fire them ofiTto the great disturbance of the peaceable people of 
 the town. I spoke to Col. Bell, and told him, as he commanded 
 the militia, he should put a stop to Capt. Gibbons's firing ; 
 that if I had the command of the militia, the town should 
 be kept in better order. Bell was a very worthy man, but 
 of too easy a temper to command such a man as Gribbons. 
 He said he did not know what to do with him, he had often 
 talked with him, and he had promised to behave better; but 
 when drunk, there was no doing anything with him, he was 
 a perfect madman. He would, however, try again what could 
 be done. The method he took to try again " what could be 
 done," was to get me appointed captain of the town company 
 of militia. Although this was an appointment by no means 
 agreeable to me, knowing myself not qualified for it, yet 
 after what had passed between Col. Bell and myself, I was 
 determined not to shrink from it, but to do everything in my 
 
 * The Secretary of the Board of War, Richard Peters, Esq. , is an old friend 
 of mine, and remarkable for his wit. The Board wanted to remove Robert 
 Morris, Esq., from the office of Financier, and Col. Grayson, one of the Board, 
 requested Peters to join them. After reading the memorial, he told Gray- 
 son if they would strike out one word, he would sign the paper. They 
 were much pleased, and declared they would alter,- not only any word, but 
 any paragraph he objected to. "Well," says Peters, "in this memorial 
 you very often have, ' this Board complains,' strike out the word ' board,' and 
 put in the word ' shingle,' and I will sign it directly." 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 129 
 
 power to prevent any further disturbance in the town. I 
 therefore accepted the commission, and having mustered the 
 company, most of whom were very orderly men, who were 
 pleased with my being their captain, and who I believe re- 
 commended the matter to Bell, I told them that in the ex- 
 posed situation we were in, it was necessary for preservation 
 that we should live in harmony with each other, that every- 
 thing in my power should be done to promote the peace of 
 the town, and if any disturbance was made, the person or 
 persons who made, it should be punished as far as I could 
 punish them, whoever he or they were. After enlarging on 
 our situation, I gave them a drink and dismissed them. 
 Soon after I called upon Gibbons, and told him he would 
 oblige me by taking the guns out of his piazza. After some 
 persuasion he agreed to it, but with a very ill grace, and 
 when I left him did not appear satisfied. In the evening, 
 going by his door, he called me in. Believing the man 
 capable of attempting anything, I was upon my guard, and 
 as at that time we were under some apprehension of an attack 
 by the- prisoners, I never went anywhere without pocket 
 pistols. When entering the house, I drew one so far out as 
 to let him see it. There was a pair of large pistols on the 
 table, which convinced me he had some bad design, and I was 
 determined if he took up one of them to try for the first 
 fire. His wife (who was a Miss Robinson, a very good young 
 woman, who was frequently in- the night obliged to run out 
 of the house, when she always came to my house for pro- 
 tection, which perhaps was one cause of his dislike for me) 
 was sitting by the fire. He ordered her in a surly tone to 
 leave the room. Having no confidence in the man, I then 
 expected we should try our skill, and I wished some person 
 present to see fair play. He was about half drunk, and per- 
 ceiving that I watched him narrowly, he appeared sullen and 
 confused. After some time he roused himself, and asked me 
 to drink some gin, declaring at the same time he had a 
 regard for me, and as we were the only masters of vessels in 
 the town, we should live in friendship with one another; that 
 he knew I thought myself much above him, but he would 
 
130 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 sooner die than be treated with contempt by any person 
 whatever. I told him it would give me pleasure to be on 
 good terms with him, that it depended entirely on himself 
 whether we were, or were not ; that he had no reason to sup- 
 pose I considered myself above him, or treated him with 
 contempt. After some further conversation we parted, to all 
 appearance on better terms than we ever had been. The 
 next day there was a disturbance on board one of the vessels 
 in the harbor. The captain fearing, as he afterwards said, 
 he should be murdered, had secured himself in the cabin, 
 from whence he hailed a coaster lying near him, and begged 
 the master to inform the people on shore of his situation. 
 Upon Jiearing of it, I took some of the company and went olff. 
 "When we were near, one of the crew hailed us and swore we 
 should not come on board. I ordered the boat to row along- 
 side, and told the fellow that hailed, if they made any resistance 
 they should have no quarter. When I went on board the crew 
 were mostly drunk. The one who appeared the ringleader, 
 coming up behind me would have struck me with a hand- 
 spike, and probably killed me, but for a stout young man 
 who caught hold of him and took the handspike from him, 
 declaring at the same time in broad Scotch, that no man on 
 board should hurt Capt. Biddle. Hearing us upon deck, the 
 captain came out of the cabin, when the crew and captain 
 began to accuse each other of behaving ill. Upon inquiring 
 of the young Scotchman, whose name was Smith, I found the 
 captain had not behaved well, and the crew worse. After 
 going into the cabin, and giving my advice and opinion to the 
 captain, speaking to the crew, and taking the fellow who 
 attempted to strike me, and who the captain said was the 
 occasion of all the disturbance, I went ashore. 
 
 Eeturning home one very dark night from a neighbor's 
 with Mrs. Biddle, we met several of the prisoners armed 
 with clubs. Having a servant with a lantern, I knew one 
 we met to have been a lieutenant of a privateer, of the name 
 of Rankin. Calling to him by name, I told him it was time 
 he was in his hammock. In an insolent manner he answered, 
 " Yes it is, and time you were at home." When we got into 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 131 
 
 the house I found one of my company. He told me he 
 believed the prisoners intended to do some mischief. I sent 
 him with orders to bring as many of the company as he 
 could. We soon mustered about a dozen well armed. "We 
 then sallied out, and one of the first men we met was Rankin, 
 who, with a few others, was secured and put in gaol. The 
 rest dispersed. Two days afterwards, in the evening, one of 
 the inhabitants came running into my house much alarmed, 
 and told me a large mob of sailors were collected on the shore 
 and were marching up towards my house. I directed him 
 to go up in the town (mine being the first house as you entered 
 from the eastward) and desire all the men he met to get their 
 arms and come to me. As soon as the sailors came about 
 my house I observed at the head of them one Knox, one of 
 the fellows I had taken out of the ISTewbern gaol to go to 
 St. Thomas's. Going up to him with a pair of pistols in my 
 hands, I inquired what they wanted. He told me they did 
 not intend to injure any person, much less me, but they 
 wanted Lieutenant Rankin, and the others who were put in 
 gaol with him. "While I was in the midst of them telling 
 Knox, who was a good-tempered fellow, the consequences 
 of what he was about, as he was considered as an American, 
 Gibbons fired twice. I believe his intention was to have hit 
 me ; however he did no injury. Many of the town company 
 collecting, and seeing me among the seamen, cam,e up and 
 Gibbons with them. The sailors then threw down their 
 clubs and surrendered. As many of them were drunk we con- 
 cluded it would be best to put them all in gaol for the night 
 and in the morning let them all out but the ringleaders. 
 Among the sailors I was much surprised to find Smith. 
 Inquiring how he came amongst them, he declared he only 
 came with them to try to prevent their doing any mischief, 
 and he begged I would not let him be sent to gaol with such 
 a set of wretches. Having a particular regard for the lad 
 from his behavior before, and believing what he said true, I 
 sent one of the company with him to my house, and desired 
 him to stay there until my return. After seeing the sailors 
 in gaol, and a guard placed over them, I returned home in 
 
132 A0TOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 company with Gibbons, who declared he thought the sailors 
 had made me their prisoner or he should not have fired. 
 But nothing he could now say could do away with the suspi- 
 cion I entertained of him. "When at home I sent for Smith 
 and found, on conversing with him, he was a sensible, intelli- 
 gent young man. Inquiring how he came to know me, for 
 he had called me by name the first time I recollected seeing 
 him, he told me he had seen me on shore, and from the like- 
 ness to my brother Ificholas inquired who I was. He said 
 the name of Captain Biddle was very dear to him, he never 
 heard it without bringing to remembrance my brother, who 
 had taken him in a ship from Scotland with troops when he 
 commanded the Andrea Doria ; that my brother took him 
 and another lad, Daniel McCoy, as his cabin boys and treated 
 them with the greatest kindness ; that Daniel was a fifer, and 
 not wishing to go to sea, my brother had him bound, with his 
 consent, to a house carpenter ; that he left the Andrea Doria 
 and went in a merchant vessel and had continued in one ever 
 since until he heard of the loss of the Randolph. He had 
 always been wishing he had continued with my brother, 
 whom he should ever remember as being his best friend. 
 What he mentioned respecting Daniel I knew to be true, and 
 I had no reason to doubt anything he told me. His narra- 
 tive afi^ected me very much and increased my desire to serve 
 him. Although greatly fatigued when I lay down, which 
 was about ten o'clock, the thought of what Smith had men- 
 tioned of my brother — that brother who was so dear to my 
 heart — kept me from sleeping. About eleven o'clock, hear- 
 ing some person go out of the back part of the house, I 
 called to know who it was. Smith answered me ; he told 
 me he had left some things in the boat, and, as all was now 
 quiet, he would go and get them, for he was afraid in the 
 morning they would be stolen. I desired him to make haste 
 back, and half an hour after he was gone, hearing a violent 
 noise at the front door, I inquired who was there and what 
 was the matter. A man answered he was "Fuller" (this 
 was one of the company that knew Smith), that he came to 
 inform me Gibbons had shot Smith, who begged to see me. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 133 
 
 I went immediately to the gaol, without waiting to put on 
 my clothes, and found it was true. I had him taken from 
 the gaol to the nearest house, and sent for an English surgeon 
 who happened to be at Beaufort. It appeared the ball had 
 gone in at his breast and lodged in his back. It was cut 
 out, and tjie surgeon gave me some hope of his recovery. 
 Poor Smith did not think there was any. Upon inquiring 
 how he came to be in gaol, he told me that returning from 
 the boat to my house he unfortunately met Gribbons, who was 
 going on guard at the gaol. Gibbons inquired where he was 
 going. He told him to my house. Gibbons said he lied, and 
 should go to gaol. He requested Gibbons to go with him 
 to my house, which was not a hundred yards away, and he 
 would be convinced that what he told him was true. Gib- 
 bons swore he would not disturb me at such an hour, and, 
 being armed, made the poor fellow go with him. When 
 Smith was in gaol he told Gibbons that it was very hard a 
 quiet, peaceable man should be put in gaol by him who was 
 continually disturbing the town. Gibbons swore if he 
 repeated what he said he would shoot him, and upon Smith 
 saying what he had said of him was true the cruel ruiiian 
 shot him. Business obliging me to go the next day to New- 
 bern, before my departure I called on Smith, who appeared 
 better. I gave directions that he should want for nothing 
 during my absence. He told me he did not expect ever to 
 get up, and that he considered Gibbons as his murderer. 
 When I looked at the young man, and considered the manner 
 in which he had been brought into a situation that if he 
 lived he could hardly expect to be a hearty man, I could not 
 help execrating G ibbous. He heard of what I said of him from 
 a relation of his wife who was present, and, just as I was 
 setting oft' sent a note informing me he was unwell or he 
 would have called on me, and begged to see me ; that he 
 could convince me that he was not only justifiable but right 
 in what he had done. I sent him word that only one message 
 from him would induce me to see him ; nothing he could 
 possibly say would alter my opinion ; that his conduct was 
 unmanly and brutal ; that upon my return from N"ewbern he 
 
134 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 or myself must leave Beaufort. After being two days in 
 ]!fewbern I had an account of the death of poor Smith, who 
 went off with great composure. Upon jny return to Beaufort 
 I found Mr. Parrot, father to Gibhons's wife, had managed 
 to get himself and some of the crew of Gibbons's vessel and 
 a few poor people, who I have no doubt he bribed, to be a 
 jury for the coroner, and had a verdict returned of accidental 
 death. Being determined not to let the matter pass in this 
 manner I had the body taken up, and respectable people 
 put on the jury, who brought in their verdict, wilful murder. 
 Gibbons, hearing this, and that I was applying for a warrant 
 to apprehend him, went off and did not return to Beaufort. 
 This murder broke up his family and ended in his ruin. 
 
 At this time many of the young men who had been to sea 
 with me, with their relations and friends, called upon me to 
 know if I would serve in the Assembly. They wanted to 
 leave out Col. Thompson, who had long been their represen- 
 tative, as he was thought by them not to be so much attached 
 to the Revolution as he should be. I told them that as it 
 was not my intention to go to sea soon, if they elected me, I 
 would serve. A meeting was called for the purpose, and my 
 friends having proposed me, they unanimously agreed to run 
 me, and I was elected by a very large majority. Mrs. Biddle 
 and myself had a very pressing invitation from Mrs. and Mr. 
 Jones, of ISTewbern, to stay with them during the sitting of 
 the Assembly. Mr. Jones was a native of Pennsylvania, but 
 had been settled for some time in K"ewbern, as a merchant. 
 Mrs. Jones was born in Carolina; her maiden name was 
 Blackledge, and a more amiable, worthy woman never lived. 
 We were received by them, and treated during our stay with 
 the utmost kindness and hospitality. The evening we got 
 there, Mr. Jones had a number of his friends to sup with 
 
 him, among others, Mr. , the Speaker of the House of 
 
 Assembly. When Mr. Jones introduced me to him as his 
 friend, who had come to attend the sessions, he asked me 
 what county I was from. This was what I could not tell 
 him, and was obliged to apply to Jones to know. This, as 
 may be supposed, caused a good deal of laughing, not only in 
 
CHAKLBS BIDDLE. 135 
 
 the company, but all over the town and with the members 
 of the House, for the Speaker took care to tell the story 
 wherever he went. Living in the town of Beaufort, I 
 thought it was the County of Beaufort that I represented, 
 but the county in which Beaufort is the county town is 
 called Cartaret. 
 
 Shortly after the sessions began, there was a report of a 
 British privateer being within the Bar, and doing a good 
 deal of mischief I was dining with Governor E'ash (my 
 lawyer in the case of the prize) when it was first mentioned. 
 I told him if the report was confirmed, I would fit out one of 
 the vessels at the wharf and go down, and endeavor to bring 
 her up. There was at the table a large company, a good 
 many of whom declared they would go with me. Early the 
 next day we had a confirmation of the report. I immediately 
 waited on the Governor and had his directions to fit out a 
 sloop and a schooner. As they did not want much, and we 
 had a good many hands, by four o'clock in the afternoon they 
 were both ready to sail. I then sent a note to each of the 
 gentlemen who had promised to go with me, but they all, ex- 
 cept Mr. Spaight (afterwards Governor of North Carolina) and 
 Mr. Blackledge, made excuses. Some were sick, others had 
 particular business ; one of them, who had always behaved 
 like a brute to his wife, sent me word she would not consent 
 to his going. He was the only one I sent a second time to, 
 and that was to inform him that I would call up and endeavor 
 to persuade his wife to let him go. Fearing that I would, and 
 knowing his wife would readily consent to his going any- 
 where, so that she was rid of him, he rode out of town. As 
 there were a good many vessels in port, I went round to them 
 and soon procured as many volunteers as I wanted. In the 
 evening we went down the river. Going down at night, I 
 was telling an honest Irish friend , Mr. Michael Falvey, who 
 went with me, about the promises made at the Governor's 
 table, and mentioning the persons who had declined going 
 after giving their word that they woulc^. From his long 
 residence in i>rewbern he knew them all, particularly the one 
 who had sent word his wife would not let him go, which he 
 
136 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 laughed very much at, declaring he knew he had several 
 times beat her, and that she detested the sight of him. 
 " Faith," says he, " I wish you had told me all this before we 
 set off. The devil a bit of Falvey would have come. What 
 the devil business have you or me upon such an expedition 
 when these people decline. We have nothing to lose by the 
 privateer, let her do what she will. In my opinion we had 
 better go back." I told him, probably we had better not 
 have embarked, but as we had, we must do what we could 
 to clear the coast of this robber, who otherwise would plun- 
 der, and perhaps murder some of the innocent people on the 
 coast. He was not altogether reconciled, but he knew he 
 could not get back. However, as he was a cheerful, good 
 tempered fellow, he soon was satisfied, or at least appeared 
 so. I have generally found the Irish generous, friendly, open, 
 candid, and sincere ; warm in their attachments, and active 
 in support of their friends. You will seldom find one that 
 is a coward, or a miser, but most of them make bad husbands ; 
 they are too fond of rambling, negligent of their affairs, and 
 their hospitality frequently occasions their drinking when 
 they are not dry. However, I have known many who were 
 the best of husbands, of fathers, and friends. 
 
 The day after we left the wharf, early in the morning I 
 had all hands mustered to quarters and exercised them, when 
 to my great surprise I found among the crew that belonged 
 to the vessel before m}' taking the command of her, my old 
 acquaintance, Henry White, the identical Henry White who 
 ran away from me in Portugal, and whom I afterwards caught 
 attempting to commit a robbery and murder in the Delaware. 
 Going up to him I inquired where he had been since his 
 adventure with the shallop-man. He had a patch on one 
 side of his face, and I believe expected I should not have re- 
 collected him, but so strong an impression had his former 
 behavior made on me, that I should have known him in any 
 disguise. He requested to speak to me by myself. When 
 alone, he said he must acknowledge he had been a very bad 
 fellow, that too much indulgence from the most affectionate 
 of parents had been the cause of his behaving so ill, that he 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 137 
 
 had often wished he had followed the advice I gave him when 
 he went with me to Portugal ; he had suffered severely for his 
 misconduct, which he begged me not to mention, declaring I 
 should never hear of his acting improperly again, that no 
 man in the vessel would do more to serve me than he would. 
 Although I had not much confidence in what he said, but as 
 mentioning his tricks would injure him, and perhaps drive 
 him to the commission of some crime, I told him it depended 
 altogether upon himself; if he behaved well, nothing would 
 be said by me against him, but he must be on his guard, for 
 if I discovered his doing or attempting anything wrong, he 
 should be punished with the utmost severity. I inquired 
 about him of the captain he had been last with, who was 
 then on board. He told me he had been with him for six 
 months, and behaved very well. He was very thankful for 
 my promise, and declared for the future he would do his duty 
 and behave to my satisfaction. In the afternoon we spoke a 
 pilot going up. He told us the privateer was a small sloop, 
 had but six guns and twenty-five men, that she was com- 
 manded by a Capt. Slough or Slow, an old privateer's man, 
 and belonged to New York ; that Slough was a very daring 
 refugee. As our sloop sailed heavy I Avas determined to send 
 her back, and only take the same number of hands in the 
 schooner that the privateer had. Taking no more than 
 twenty-five was very wrong, but it was the wish of Spaight, 
 Blackledge, and some others, and I was determined to indulge 
 them. I picked my men, they were all young, stout, active, 
 and resolute. ^Notwithstanding all his promises "White was 
 not numbered among the picked men. Falvey being anxious 
 to be at INewbern I let him return in the sloop, although it 
 was with reluctance I parted with him. As to White, in 
 case of coming to action, I should have been more apprehensive 
 of him than of an enemy. 
 
 After sending back the sloop, we proceeded to the Bar, 
 and cruised near it for several days without gaining any in- 
 telligence respecting the privateer. We, however, at last 
 discovered a vessel coming out of INeuse Harbor, that answered 
 the description we had of her. As our vessel was a coaster 
 
138 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 I intended, if possible, to deceive them, therefore putting 
 some lumber on our guns, of which we had but two, and 
 sending all hands below but one man and a boy, we stood on 
 as if bound into the harbor expecting she would run alongside 
 without being prepared. My crew sat about the hatchway, 
 each well prepared for boarding. When we were within half 
 a mile of her, a squall came on and lasted a considerable time. 
 When it cleared away we could see nothing of the privateer. 
 We stood into ISTeuse Harbor, where we lay that night. A 
 day or two afterwards we went to the Bar, where we under- 
 stood that Slough being informed that some vessels were 
 fitted out against him, had gone over the Bar. We then 
 returned to ISTewbern, having been absent about two weeks, 
 during which time we had an agreeable cruise, excepting one 
 day that it blew hard and we had nearly been lost. We received 
 the thanks of the Governor, which was certainly a sufficient 
 reward. 
 
 A short time before we left Beaufort to come up to E'ew- 
 bern, Mr. Joseph Biddle, son of my eldest brother, James, 
 came to my house. He was a lad his father had sent with 
 me in the Charming I^ancy, intending him for the sea. He 
 had gone from Philadelphia in a sloop for Hispaniola, and 
 was taken. On his return, near Cape Hatteras, they put five 
 hands on board, leaving none belonging to the sloop but 
 himself and a boy, and, in fact, he himself was only a boy. 
 They had a gale- of wind the day after they were taken, which 
 drove them in sight of land, and but for the wind suddenly 
 shifting to the northwest they would have been wrecked. 
 Here they beat for several days, when one very cold morning, 
 watching an opportunity when the prize crew were all below 
 but a lad that was at the helm, they secured them down, 
 took possession of the sloop, and bore away for Ocracock, 
 intending to go in there, but at 1 P. M. they fell in with a 
 cruiser. Finding they had no way of escaping but by run- 
 ning on shore they stood in for the land, and a little to the 
 northward of Ocracock, about three o'clock in the afternoon, 
 ran her on shore. The first thing they did was to let out the 
 prisoners, the next the young captain did, was to get his 
 
CHAKLES BIDDLB. 139 
 
 chest, in which he had concealed a sum of money, on shore. 
 In this he was assisted by the inhabitants who had come 
 down to the beach when thej'^ saw the sloop chased on shore. 
 The privateer stood very near the land, intending probably 
 to board the sloop. She fired a number of shot, one of which 
 went through my nephew's chest as he and another person 
 were carrying it up the beach. This was all the mischief 
 their firing did. In the night it came on to blow hard, and 
 in the morning the sea ran so high that they could not board 
 the sloop, and before night she went to pieces. Being loaded 
 with sugar they saved none of her cargo. What little of the 
 stores and rigging that were saved my nephew sold to the peo- 
 ple that assisted him, and who had behaved exceedingly well. 
 He got to l^Tewbern, and having remitted to his owners the pro- 
 ceeds of what he had saved, came to me at Eeaufort. I was 
 very glad to have it in my power to do anything for the son 
 of such a brother, particularly for him who had sailed with 
 me, and whom I knew to be a very good youth. To get him 
 the command I took a concern in a fine schooner that had 
 made a voyage in company with me when I went to St. 
 Thomas in the Eclipse. Upon my going up to Newbern to 
 take my seat in the Legislature, I left him to fit her out. 
 Some of those who had been in her before, telling him the 
 foremast was too small, he had a new one made. This was 
 put in green from the wood, and was much too large. The 
 size I did not know until she sailed, or she should not have 
 gone out with it. I went to Beaufort when she was near 
 ready, and was there when she sailed, bound to St. Eustatia. 
 It was a fine pleasant morning, {he wind fair and moderate. 
 The crew were all sober men, belonging to the town, all of 
 whom had been with me, either in the Cornelia or Eclipse. 
 They went from before my door in high spirits, expecting to 
 be back in a few weeks, but none of them ever returned. I 
 suppose that all of them perished that night in the Gulf 
 Stream, for although the wind was fair, it blew hard in the 
 night. The wind continued fair for several days after they 
 sailed, and we concluded they would have a fine passage. 
 While their friends and relations were rejoicing at the con- 
 
140 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 tinuance of the fair weather, they, I suppose, were all buried 
 in the deep. 
 
 About a month after the sailing of this schooner, another 
 son of my brother James (William) came to my house. He 
 was a very different lad from his brother — he was stout, 
 active, and strong. He valued himself upon his strength, and 
 being of a fiery temper, I found he had been in a good many 
 scrapes. The war having prevented my brother from settling 
 him to any business, he had contracted an acquaintance with 
 some young officers, with whom he had been guilty of an im- 
 prudent act, which his father threatening to punish him for, 
 he set off from Reading with some young Carolina officers, 
 and came with them to JSTewbern, and from thence to me at 
 Beaufort. He very ingenuously confessed to me that he had 
 behaved improperly, and was much affected when I spoke to 
 him about leaving his parents in the manner he had done, 
 when he must have been well assured, had he requested it, 
 they would have consented to his coming to me, and fur- 
 nished him with everything necessary for his journey, and as 
 there was nothing dishonorable in his conduct, would soon 
 have forgiven him. The officers with whom he had travelled 
 were anxious he should have joined their regiment, and had 
 he wished it, I would have endeavored to have procured him 
 an ensigncy, but he preferred the sea, which I thought much 
 the best for him ; for 'in any country I considered the army 
 as a poor employment, and in no country worse than ours. 
 Had our army been in want of officers, I should, from regard 
 to my country, have advised him to have gone into it, but 
 we were in want of privates." William sang remarkably well, 
 which I believe was one cause of his getting into bad habits. 
 I have known several very promising young men ruined by 
 their singing well. Their company will always be courted, 
 and if not very careful of themselves, they will become dis- 
 sipated and worthless. 
 
 Having at this time a concern in a sloop nearly ready to 
 sail, commanded by Capt. Hunter, who was married in, and 
 belonged to, Philadelphia, William wished to go in her, and 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 141 
 
 knowing Hunter to be a very sober, careful man, and a good 
 seaman, I consented. They were bound to Curasao, and were 
 to go from thence to Philadelphia, where I expected to meet 
 her. But nothing was ever heard of the vessel or crew after 
 she sailed from Beaufort. 
 
 The very slight manner in which our small vessels were 
 built at that time, particularly in the Southern States, occa- 
 sioned the loss of many lives. Many of the vessels that were 
 sent to sea were not sufficiently secured to sail with safety in 
 a river. 
 
 Before the sessions ended, Mrs. Biddle went to her Aunt 
 Smith's, on Swift Creek, about four miles from Newbern, to 
 spend some days with her. "While she was there, Mr. Smith 
 sent every evening a servant with a horse, to the ferry on 
 Weuse River, to wait for me. One evening before we landed, 
 it began to thunder, and a gust coming on, the servant not 
 perceiving me in the ferry-boat, and supposing, as it was late, 
 I would not cross that night, set off with the horse. As he 
 was in sight when we landed, I ran after him about a mile, 
 when the rain coming on, he galloped otf as fast as he could. 
 Finding it to no purpose to continue the chase, I gave it ever, 
 and walked towards the plantation. The running had put 
 me in a great heat and profuse perspiration, but the heavy 
 rain soon cooled me. When aboiit a mile and a half from 
 Mr. Smith's, there is a path that takes off to it, and shortens 
 the distance considerably. This path I took, and continued 
 on it for some time, but before I could reach the gate, it came 
 on very dark, with repeated and heavy claps of thunder, and 
 the rain fell in torrents. After wandering about a considera- 
 ble time, finding myself groping about to no purpose, I sat 
 down under a large tree, laying my hanger down at a dis- 
 tance, fearing it would attract the lightning. In this disa- 
 greeable situation I remained from half past eight until near 
 three in the morning, when the rain ceasing, and the moon, 
 which had risen a little before, shining out, I got up and look- 
 ing round me, perceived the gate that led to Mr. Smith's 
 house close by me, the branches of the tree I had been sitting 
 under all night spreading over it. Sitting with my back to 
 
142 AITTOBIOGRAPHT OF 
 
 the gate prevented my seeing it when it Hghtened. The 
 gate was not a hundred yards from the house. During the 
 night the old proverb was brought to my mind, that " the 
 farthest way round was the shortest way home," and I made 
 up my mind to be very cautious of taking short cuts. Had 
 I continued in the great road, I should have got to the house 
 before nine o'clock, with only a wet skin ; which, if a person 
 is well rubljed and dried, I believe to be as wholesome, or per- 
 haps more so, than any other cold bath. An old friend of 
 mine, who is a remarkably healthy man, will frequently put 
 on old clothes, and walk in the rain until he gets wet to the 
 skin. I have known him M'alk in his yard when it rained 
 hard, without his hat, from which he thought he received 
 great benefit. 
 
 Being naturally active (so much so that it was a remark 
 of my friends, that they could never get me to sit for half an 
 hour), sitting so long as we did in the Legislature was a most 
 disagreeable thing to me, and what made it much more so 
 than it otherwise would have been, was the frequent disputes 
 between the members from the western and those from the 
 eastern parts of the State. This I believe to be the case in 
 all the States in the Union. Those from the westward look 
 upon the people in any of the commercial towns, as little bet- 
 ter than swindlers ; while those of the east consider the 
 western members as a pack of savages. In their debates, in- 
 stead of using the language of persuasion, which should al- 
 ways be done in a Legislature, they were continually abusing 
 each other. A stranger hearing the debates would never have 
 supposed they were sent there to serve the State. Before we 
 adjourned, we agreed to emit a very large sum of paper money ; 
 and so much of it was in circulation before I left Newbern that 
 I was obliged to give two dollars of this money for one Conti- 
 nental dollar. Every person of reflection must at this time 
 have been convinced that the paper money would cease pass- 
 ing very soon. A good old Tory, that lived near l^eAvbern, 
 and whom T frequently jested about his attachment to 
 England, a country he had never seen, and knew very little 
 about, told me, when we adjourned, that this was the best 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 143 
 
 time he ever knew, for he could get a dollar for an English 
 half-penny. I never felt the least angry with any of these 
 people for their attachment to Great Britain ; on political 
 subjects every man has a right to enjoy his own opinion, and 
 provided he does no mischief, should not be disturbed. A 
 number of people at this time, afraid of being drafted in the 
 militia, pretended to be Quakers, and joined the Meeting. 
 As this was likely to be attended with serious consequences, 
 we were obliged to put a stop to it, by suffering none to be 
 excused that did not belong to the Meeting before the war. 
 Several about Beaufort had been received into the Meeting 
 that were the most profligate fellows in the country. In 
 Virginia, I believe, the Quakers were not excused from militia 
 duty, and even in Philadelphia I have seen some of them 
 dragged up with the troops ; but it answered no good pur- 
 pose, for nothing that could be done to them would make 
 them learn the manual exercise, much more make them fight. 
 It is very cruel to force such men to the field. 
 
 At this time several of my old friends and acquaintances 
 passed through Newbern on their way to join the army in 
 South Carolina, among others Major John Stewart (who was 
 known in the army by the appellation of Crazy Jack Stewart) 
 and Major Lucas. Stewart was a native of Maryland, son 
 of a respectable ship builder on West River, who had spared 
 no expense in his education. He was in Smallwood's Battal- 
 lion at Elizabethtown when I was there in Dickinson's Regi- 
 ment. It was here we became first acquainted. He after- 
 wards distinguished himself at the Battle of Long Island 
 and at the storming of Stony Point.* He told me that at the 
 attack of this place they were directed where to enter by the 
 fire of the British, and that if the British had not fired a 
 shot the fort would never have been taken. He was a stout, 
 handsome man. A tailor who lived at this time in ifewbern 
 had given great offence to many of the inhabitants by his inso- 
 lent behavior. As he was a strong man he thought he could say 
 
 * Stewart led the forlorn hope at the taking of Stony Point, and received 
 a medal from Congress for conspicuous gallantry on that occasion. 
 
144 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 anything with inipunity. Stewart sent his servant to this 
 man with some cloth to make a coat. The tailor, who had 
 before measured him, sent word there was not enough. 
 Stewart sent the servant back to inform him that he had a 
 coat made in Philadelphia with less. The tailor told him to 
 tell Major Stewart he did not believe him, I was dining 
 with Stewart when the servant delivered this insolent mes- 
 sage. " Go back, William," says Stewart, with great calm- 
 ness, '' and tell him as soon as I have dined I will call and 
 horsewhip him." After dinner, taking a horsewhip in his 
 hand, he walked down, perfectly cool, to the tailor's, and, 
 hauling him out of the house, with one hand held him, and 
 with the other whipped him until he roared like a bull, to 
 the great diversion of a number of people that his cries had 
 assembled, not one of whom ofiered to interfere. After he 
 had tired himself, he left the poor tailor, advising him in 
 future to behave with more complaisance to the officers of 
 the army, a piece of advice I believe he took care to observe. 
 He intended to have sued Stewart, but, as some of his 
 acquaintances told him if he took out a writ against Stewart, 
 he would certainly shoot him, he thought it best to drop it. 
 I admired Stewart much. When speaking he had more the 
 air and manner of an Indian'warrior* than any person I ever 
 
 * I have ever had a favorable opinion of the Indians. They are accused 
 of cruelty, but I have been told by many of the commissioners that were 
 employed to treat with them, that when accused of any act of cruelty, they 
 would tell of some act of cruelty committed by the whites that occasioned it. 
 Mr. _]VlcClay, one of the commissioners, told me that when he mentioned to 
 one of the chiefs his cruelty in burning Col. Crawford, "Why, yes," the 
 chief said, " that was very cruel ; but," continued he, "a party of these 
 people came to the town where I lived, when all the men were away hunt- 
 ing, they drove my wife and nine children into my house and burnt them. 
 This was cruel too " Would not the mildest Christian torture wretches 
 guilty of such a crime ? I believe in this business Col. Crawford was not 
 concerned. My brother Edward, who had been a considerable time among 
 the Indians, had a very good opinion of them. When they promise you 
 their protection the}- will suffer any death to prevent your being injured. 
 My brother, when in the army, was sent on an expedition with an Indian 
 warrior. He was dressed and painted as an Indian. They were one day 
 in danger of falling into the hands of the enemy. The chief told him, with 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 145 
 
 met with. His speeches at this tmie were made to induce 
 the people here to assist their brethren of South Carolina. 
 This young man (he was not more than twenty-live years of 
 age), after being in all the considerable actions fought this 
 war in America, in a frolic in South Carolina rode down a 
 hill that it was thought impossible he could have done, with- 
 out killing both himself and his horse, without receiving 
 the least injury. On the day after, he was riding slowly on a 
 level piece of ground and good road, when his horse stumbled 
 and he fell with such violence that he fractured his skull 
 and died instantly. He often told me he hoped never to 
 live to be an old man. 
 
 Although very anxious to be in Pennsylvania, to see my 
 relations and friends there, particularly my mother, who 
 wrote in the most pressing manner for me to visit her, I 
 thought it would be improper to go without taking my chance 
 of being drafted in the militia ordered out to join the Con- 
 tinental army. I therefore went to Beaufort and drew with 
 the captains of Col. Bell's regiment, determined, if the lot 
 fell on me, to go wherever we should be ordered. Our names 
 were all put in a hat, and the first drawn were to march with 
 the men drafted from the regiment. Fortunately my name 
 was not among the first drawn, and now having nothing to 
 prevent my setting off', I took leave of my friends at Beau- 
 fort, and about the last of May left it for ISTewbern. Mrs. 
 Biddle and myself were in a chair. Our child we left in the 
 care of its grandmother. We had two servants, one of whom 
 rode in a good chair, the other upon a good saddle horse, so 
 that we could change occasionally, and this is a very good 
 way of travelling. If we had been in a carriage we should 
 have been plagued crossing the creeks, where the bridges are 
 frequently carried away. About a mile from the town, hear- 
 ing a noise behind, I looked round and found it was made 
 
 every token of regard, " not to be the least uneasy about being tortured, for 
 the moment you are taken, I will tomahawk you." — AtrxHOR's note. 
 
 Colonel Crawford, who commanded in the unfortunate expedition to San- 
 dusky, in 1782, was made a prisoner, and after being cruelly tortured was 
 burnt at the stake. 
 10 
 
146 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 by a little sif3ter of Mrs. Biddle, about eight years of age, 
 who was crying and running after us. She was almost 
 fainting when she came up. She declared she could not part 
 with her sister, it would be the death of her to take her from 
 her sister. As we intended to stay a few days at her Aunt 
 Smith's, I thought it best to take her with us, and indeed 
 we could not do otherwise. We took her in the chair, and 
 sent a servant back to inform her mother. At IS'ewbern, 
 among others, I called on Governor Ifash to take leave of him. 
 When I was going away he put into my hands a paper which 
 he said would probably be of some service to me on my 
 journey. This I found was a certificate, which is now by me. 
 The following is a copy of it : — 
 
 State of JSTorth Carolina, ss. 
 
 I do hereby certify to all whom it may concern that the 
 bearer hereof, Charles, Biddle, Esquire, hath upon all occasions 
 during the present war distinguished himself for his bravery 
 and attachment to the cause of America ; and having occasion 
 to go to Philadelphia, I do by these presents recommend him 
 to the notice and protection of the citizens of the United 
 States. Given under my hand and private seal at Ifewbern, 
 this 31st day of May, Anno Domini 1780. 
 
 A. 'Nash. 
 
 This was saying too much, and what I did not expect from 
 Governor ITash, as we had not been on very good terms after 
 the trial of the Eclipse prize cause. 
 
 On the first of June, 1780, we left Newbern for Pennsylva- 
 nia, intending to return in five or six months ; however, we 
 have not yet, June, 1802, made up our minds when we shall 
 return. We went from I:Tewbern to Col. Smith's, Mrs. Bid- 
 die's uncle. The third of June we left his hospitable house, 
 and the next day went to Col. Blount's, father of Mr. William 
 Blount,* who made so much noise afterwards, when he was 
 
 * William Blount became Governor of the territory south of the Ohio in 
 1790. In 1796, he was elected U. S. Senator for Tennessee, and in 1797 
 was impeached by the House of Representatives on a charge that he was im- 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 147 
 
 a Senator of the United States. This son, with several others, 
 was then at home celebrating the marriage of a relation of 
 theirs with Mr. Richard Blackledge, who had been with me 
 in the Cornelia, and cruising with me for the New York pri- 
 vateer. His sister, Mrs. Jones, Major Stewart, and Lucas, 
 were also here. At this time no family were more respecta- 
 ble than Col. Blount's, and I believe Mr. William Blount 
 would never have acted in the manner he did, if he had not 
 been very much distressed and embarrassed in consequence of 
 his land speculations. He had married a very amiable 
 woman, who was at this time with him. Stewart rendered 
 the same service to many of the neighbors here, as he had 
 before done to the citizens of N^ewbern with the tailor. A 
 man who kept a ferry in the neighborhood behaved very 
 rudely to almost every person that had occasion to cross. He 
 was hated by every one who lived near him. Unfortunately 
 for himself, he offended Stewart, who, as the ferryman was a 
 militia officer, sent him a challenge by Lucas, and on his re- 
 fusing to accept it, he gave him a severe beating. We spent 
 two days here very agreeably in dancing and riding about 
 the country. The third day we intended to set off", but there 
 fell a very heavy rain that detained us two days longer, all 
 the small bridges being carried away. From Stewart I re- 
 ceived letters of introduction to his friends in Virginia and 
 Maryland, and by all those we could call on we were treated 
 with great hospitality. At Petersburg we met the Baron de 
 Kalb, going to the southward. Here the certificate from 
 Governor Nash was of service to me, for they were pressing 
 horses for the army, and I believe if it had not been for the 
 certificate, I should have had one of my servants dismounted. 
 Meeting here with Mr. Bowie, an old acquaintance of mine 
 from Philadelphia, he introduced me to Col. Banister, who 
 
 plicated in a plot to surrender a part of Louisiana to tlie British. The Sen- 
 ate, however, decided that he was not liable to impeachment. " By these 
 proceedings against him," says Hildreth, " Blount's popularity in Tennessee 
 had been rather increased than otherwise, and nothing but his sudden death 
 prevented his being elected Governor." 
 
148 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 invited us to dine with him. Baron de Kalb* was one of the 
 guests. The Baron was a tall, raw-boned man of about fifty. 
 He was a military looking man, and had a fine body of men 
 with him. In the evening we left Col. Banister's and pro- 
 ceeded on our journey very rapidly. Two days before we ar- 
 rived at Baltimore, we overtook Mr. Wiley Jones and his 
 wife. He was a member of the Assembly during the time I 
 was, had been lately chosen a member of Congress, and was 
 on his way to Philadelphia to take his seat. In point of tal- 
 ents he was one of the first men in America, but, like most 
 Southern gentlemen, was too fond of horse racing and cards to 
 attend much to business. 
 
 When we arrived at Baltimore, I went to Mrs. Lux's. 
 Her son had married a daughter of my brother Edward. 
 Both the elder and younger Mrs. Lux were very amiable 
 women, and from them we had the kindest reception. The 
 elder Mrs. Lux was a very religious lady, every morning and 
 evening she had all the family assembled to prayers. This 
 sometimes occasioned her son George a good deal of vexation. 
 He was'very fond of backgammon. When playing, and de- 
 sired by his mother to have the family assembled, if they did 
 not hurry in he would get into a violent rage, and bawl out, 
 "You black devils, whj don't you make haste to prayers." 
 When they were all in the room (the old lady would not let 
 him begin if one was absent) he would read over the prayers 
 as fast as he possibly could, and the instant he was done, 
 would hurry back to his game. We staid a week to refresh 
 ourselves and our horses, and then set ofl:" by the way of York 
 and Lancaster for Reading. It is a saying of the people of 
 
 * When this officer and the Marquis la Fayette first landed at Cieorge- 
 town, I was there with Col. Morgan, on our way to Charleston. Morgan, 
 hearing that two French officers (for the Baron, although a German, was 
 called then a Frenchman) had just arrived, requested me, as I spoke a little 
 French, to go with him, and speak to them ; but I had seen and heard so 
 much of the French officers who came over to enter into the American ser- 
 vice, that I had conceived a very unfavorable opinion of them, and told him 
 I supposed they were only barbers or tailors, and would not go with him. 
 They were, however, both officers of great merit.— Author's note. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 149 
 
 Maryland that in travelling from Pennsylvania to the south- 
 ward, the first countryman's house you stop at where the 
 landlord behaves with politeness to you, you may be assured 
 you are out of Pennsylvania. On the other hand, the Penn- 
 sylvania's say, that in going from Maryland to Pennsylva- 
 nia, the first farm you come to where j'ou see a good barn, 
 the fences all up, and in good order, you may be certain you 
 are out of Maryland. The fact is, in Pennsylvania, the peo- 
 ple are generally industrious and seldom take notice of 
 strangers. In Maryland, they are very hospitable, but indo- 
 lent. Upon our arrival at Reading it was with infinite pleas- 
 ure I found my mother and the rest of the family well. 
 
150 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 I CONTINUED in Reading the remainder of the summer. In 
 the fall I went with Mrs. Biddle to Philadelphia, and would 
 have gone thence to North Carolina, but as it gave my mother 
 much pain whenever our journey was mentioned, I gave it up, 
 and after remaining in Philadelphia all the fall, returned in 
 the winter to Reading, where we had at this time very good 
 society. Besides the inhabitants, Col. Butler's* Regiment 
 was quartered here, most of the officers of which were very 
 worthy men. Lieutenant-Colonel Mentzger, who commanded 
 in the absence of Butler (who was from Reading most of the 
 winter), was one of the very few foreign officers that were 
 valuable to us. He had been a Prussian officer, came here 
 very young, and was of great service, being a well-informed, 
 attentive officer. There was a Captain Bowenf in the regi- 
 ment, an excellent officer, but he had a failing that occasioned 
 
 * Colonel, afterward General Riehard Butler, one of the most distinguished 
 Pennsylvania officers of the Revolutionary army, and the eldest of five 
 brothers designated by Washington as "the five Butlers, a gallant band of 
 patriot brothers." General Butler was in continuous service throughout the 
 whole war, part of the time as lieutenant-colonel of Morgan's famous rifle 
 regiment. He distinguished himself especially at Saratoga and Monmouth, 
 and led one of the two storming parties at the taking of Stony Point. He 
 was present with his regiment in the operation on James River, and at the 
 capture of Cornwallis. He was appointed second in command under St. 
 Clair in his expedition against the Indians in 1791, and was killed in the 
 disastrous fight on the Miami River on the 4th November of that year. 
 
 A great granddaughter of General Butler, Miss Eliza Irwin Butler, of 
 Pittsburgh, married, in 1877, Nicholas Biddle, a great-grandson of Charles 
 Biddle. 
 
 f Now settled in Charleston, as a printer, 1804. — Author's note. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 151 
 
 some disturbances. He often took oftence when none was 
 intended ; he fought a duel with the major of the regiment, 
 who declared to me he could not conceive, at the time he 
 went out, in what way he had given offence to Bowen, who 
 did not mention it in his challenge, and the major would not 
 inquire. They fired a shot, and Bowen had one of the buttons 
 shot off his coat ; after which, the seconds knowing them both 
 to be very brave men, persuaded them to talk over the matter, 
 when it appeared the major was walking with some girls the 
 night before, and they burst out laughing just after Bowen 
 passed them. Upon explaining the cause of their laughter, 
 it seems it was occasioned by the major telling them of his 
 and Bowen's being at a dance the evening before, and the 
 blind fiddler breaking one of his strings, the landlady took a 
 candle and held it for him while he was fitting a new string. 
 The mentioning the story, which the seconds had not heard 
 before, set them laughing, and they all returned in good 
 humor. Bowen was a seaman before he entered the army, 
 and had a particular regard for me, and paid more attention 
 to what I said than to any other person, by which means I 
 had it frequently in my power to prevent his quarrelling. 
 He was appointed Town Major, and one evening, soon after, 
 I was playing backgammon with him, when Capt. Bower, 
 who belonged to the regiment, came in, and addressing him- 
 self to Bowen, said, "I hope you are very well, major." 
 Bowen immediately started up, " Don't major me, sir! ISTone 
 of your majors! You know I am not a major, sir! "What do 
 you mean, sir?" Bower, who was and is a gallant ofiacer, did 
 not know how to behave ; he, however, declared he did not 
 intend any offence. Bowen begged me to walk into the next 
 room with him, and then inquired if I thought he ought not 
 to challenge Bower. I told him in ray opinion a man that 
 would not fight on some occasions was not fit to live, nor 
 was a man fit to live who was always quarrelling. I took 
 him into Bower, and made them shake hands. Bowen's 
 warm temper was of service to the regiment in one respect ; 
 it occasioned all the officers to behave with great politeness 
 to each other. 
 
152 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 01' 
 
 In February, 1781, Mrs. Birldle was delivered, at the house 
 of my brother James, of a son, three days after which the 
 house took fire, and she and the child had nearly perished. It 
 was discovered just at daylight. I then lodged at the house 
 of a female friend, who, living in a lonely part of the town, 
 was afraid of -robbers, and begged me to sleep at her house 
 during the time Mrs. Biddle was confined. I was soon 
 awakened by the cry of fire. Without waiting to dress 
 myself, I ran to Mrs. Biddle, and taking her in my arms 
 carried her out of the house to my friend Dr. Potts. There 
 was at this time a deep snow on the ground, and it was ex- 
 cessively cold ; however, neither mother nor child received 
 any injury. We stayed at Dr. Potts's three or four weeks. 
 I then rented a house, and not being of a disposition to remain 
 idle, I went to Philadelphia, and purchased a quantity of wine, 
 upon which I made a handsome profit. I continued doing 
 business in this way until the fall of the year, when being 
 anxious to make a voyage I engaged to go from Philadelphia 
 in a Letter of Marque brig, called the Active, to St. Thomas. 
 We had eight four pounders ; the crew consisted of ten men 
 and four boys, besides the two mates and myself, with Dr. 
 Valentine Standley, a passenger. We left the Capes in com- 
 pany with a large fleet the 15th of November, 1781. 
 
 My old shipmate. Captain Decatur,* went out in company 
 with us in a privateer of twenty guns called The Royal Lewis. 
 The night we left the Capes it blew hard from the north- 
 east. The brig made so much water going upon a wind 
 that we could hardly keep her free. About 10 P. M. I hailed 
 Decatur, who kept near us, and told him we must keep away 
 to the southward. He said he had an account the day before 
 he left Philadelphia of two British frigates being cruising 
 off the Capes of Virginia. I answered that I must bear 
 away or the brig would founder, and accordingly I bore 
 away. Decatur kept his wind a few minutes, and then 
 followed us. At daylight we made the two frigates right 
 
 * Father of the gallant young man who burnt the Philadelphia at Tripoli. 
 
 — AUTHOK'8 KOTE. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 153 
 
 ahead, not more than two miles off. They immediately gave 
 chase. Decatur hauled his wind. I stood in shore, deter- 
 mined to run ashore sooner than be taken. Decatur was 
 taken about 12 o'clock. We made our escape. 
 
 Standley, whom I have mentioned above, was a handsome 
 young man, a very good surgeon, and of a respectable family. 
 His mother now (June, 1802) lives near me. He unfortu- 
 nately' fell into bad company, and, when he sailed with me, 
 was addicted to gaming and drinking, either of which soon 
 brings a young man to ruin. Had he behaved well he would 
 have been a valuable man ; he was a surgeon on board one 
 of the galleys at the time the Hessians under Count Donop 
 made the attack upon the fort at Red Bank, and after the 
 battle was appointed to attend the wounded. He declared 
 whenever he was called to a Hessian wounded in, the leg or 
 arm, whether necessary or not, he immediately amputated 
 it, to prevent their doing any more mischief Although at 
 the commencement of the war I was much prejudiced against 
 these people, yet when I knew many of them, and considered 
 they were a set of poor wretches, obliged to go wherever 
 they were ordered by their prince, my opinion respecting 
 them was much changed. Many of them captured with 
 Burgoyne were at Reading, and were very useful to the 
 farmers in the neighborhood, who hired them and found they 
 were hard-working, industrious fellows. I know several 
 who have become men of property and behaved well ; one of 
 them, J. A. Lewis, has been with me eleven years, and was 
 in the office several years before it was held by me. He has 
 a wife and five children, lives in a good house of his own, and 
 is a very useful, industrious man. He was at the battle of 
 Long Island, and at all the principal actions fought in Amer- 
 ica. He says, when he first came to America, he and all the 
 Hessians firmly believed that if they were taken by the 
 Americans, they would be roasted and eaten. Had the Hes- 
 sians been ever so bad, the conduct of Standley would have 
 been inexcusable. His own account disgusted me so much 
 against him, that I would not suffer him, after he had men- 
 tioned this affair, to eat in the cabin. We had a good pas- 
 
154 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 sage, and fell in with nothing until we made St. Thomas, 
 when we saw off the harbor a brig, which we found was a 
 British cruiser. It was early in the morning when we first 
 discovered her ; she was beating up, and we were going before 
 the wind. Finding as she drew near that w'e could have no 
 chance by fighting her, I determined to go into St. Johns, if 
 we could get there. We were both becalmed oft' the west 
 end of the island, and we got out oars, and rowed for the har- 
 bor. They got out their boats and towed their vessel to cut 
 us off". I had been in this harbor with the Eclipse, and knew 
 they had a single fort. They got within gvinshot of us seve- 
 ral times, and would have taken us, if they had not been too 
 eager. When within shot, they pulled around to give us a 
 broadside, by which means we got a considerable way ahead. 
 They did this without doing us any injury whatever. Had 
 they continued rowing without firing a shot, they would 
 have been alongside before we could have reached the harbor. 
 They kept firing (and many of their shot reached the shore), 
 until I hailed the fort to know why they did not fire. They 
 then fired a shot which struck the water under her boltsprit. 
 She then hauled ofi^. We learned afterwards that she was a 
 King's Brig. The master of her deserved to be broken for 
 not taking us. My crew behaved very well, except one man 
 whom I thought before this day, was afraid of nothing. He, 
 however, endeavored to get down the fore scuttle. Whenever 
 the brig pulled round to fire, my crew gave them three cheers, 
 and were anxious to return the fire, but I knew if we broke 
 off" any of the men from the oars, we must be taken, and 
 therefore would not suffer it. I went from St. Johns the 
 same day in my boat to St. Thomas. Mr. Mitchell, an old 
 friend, settled here, told me to be careful of the Governor ; if 
 he knew it was me who had insulted their fort he.did not 
 know what would be the consequence. I found here my 
 friend Falvey. He was in 7)artnership with a Thomas Reilly, 
 under the firm of Falvey and Reilly. I sold my cargo, which 
 consisted of flour and tobacco, to Mr. Lisle, a native of Phila- 
 delphia, who was married and settled in Tortola. Mr. 
 Mitchell was his surety. After delivering the cargo, he was 
 
CHAKLBS BIDDLE. 155 
 
 to have returned and paid me in four days. He was gone 
 ten. I was very uneasy, and Mitchell more so, fearing he 
 would not return. However, he came the tenth day, and 
 paid me honestly. He had been detained collecting the 
 money, which was in new half Johannes, which I at first 
 thought he had been coining at Tortola. I purchased some rum 
 at St. Johns, and having procured what dry goods I wanted, 
 sailed from St. Johns the 13th of December. JuSt before 
 we sailed, Standley applied to me to take him back, bu.t he had 
 behaved ill on the passage out, and during the time we were 
 at St. Thomas, and as I thought he would plague his good 
 mother in Philadelphia, I would not take him. There were 
 several privateers off the harbor; however we escaped them all. 
 Two or three days after we left" St. Johns, a fever broke out 
 amongst the crew. For several days after they were taken, 
 they grew^ worse, and more were taken down with the disorder. 
 They complained of violent pains in their heads, and they 
 were frequently delirious, so that we were obliged to confine 
 them to prevent their jumping overboard. Upon inquiry of 
 the second mate (the chief mate, Mr. Lecroft, was at his own 
 request discharged at St. Thomas) what could be the cause 
 of their disorder, he informed me that the people had filled 
 the casks with water from a pond at the back of the fort, and 
 -perhaps it was owing to that. Upon questioning one of those 
 employed in getting the water, he acknowledged, that finding 
 it difficult to get to the watering place, they had filled the 
 casks out of the pond, and that one of the inhabitants told 
 them not to fill the casks with that water, for it would kill 
 them. Knowing how very unwholesome bad water is, I had 
 no doubt but the fever was occasioned by the water, but we 
 had now none other to use. I was determined, if we had any 
 heavy rains, to start the water we had, and fill our casks 
 with rain water. The fifth day after we were out, we buried 
 one of the crew, and had six so ill that they could not come 
 upon deck. I had the sick removed forward, and everything 
 made as comfortable for them as possible. We had a fine 
 wind from the time of leaving St. Johns, and I was -in hopes 
 the cold weather we now had would abate the fever, but it 
 
156 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 had not that effect, probably owing to all the crew being in- 
 fected with the disease before this time. The sixth day the 
 stoutest and heartiest man we had on board, Leonard May, a 
 young man born in Philadelphia, whose parents now live 
 here, was taken unwell. As it was cold and rainy when he 
 complained to me of being sick, I desired him to go below, 
 but not to go forward among the sick. However, he found 
 the place they were in, the warmest in the vessel, and went 
 there. The next morning we found him dead ; he appeared 
 as if he had been strangled. I was much concerned for the 
 loss of this young man, for he was a very good seaman, and 
 did whatever he was ordered with cheerfulness. He was tell- 
 ing the second mate the day before he was taken unwell 
 that he wished the sick would all make a general will and 
 leave him their heir. 
 
 The eighth day after leaving St. Johns, about one o'clock 
 in the morning, the wind shifted from the southeast to 
 northwest, and blew hard. At daylight we saw a large 
 ship to windward of us, lying to under her foresail. She so 
 soon made sail after us that I was convinced she was a man- 
 of-war. I therefore immediately bore away to the south- 
 •ward. At this time there was not a man belonging to the 
 vessel, but the second mate and myself, but were sick or had 
 died. We were then by our reckoning about twenty-five 
 leagues from the Capes of Delaware. We had three passen- 
 gers on board, and with their assistance made sail. At 
 eleven o'clock, the weather being more moderate, we got up 
 our topgallant yards and set the topgallant sails. At noon, 
 while taking an observation, the chase fired a shot over us. 
 I then hove our guns overboard. We were now going ten 
 knots, and there was so little difference in our sailing that it 
 was three o'clock before she got so near as to oblige us to 
 strike. Being then within pistol-shot, and with no possi- 
 bility of escaping, I hove to. They fired one of their fore- 
 castle guns after we had hove to, when they were close along- 
 side. The shot went over the quarter-deck, just above our 
 heads. I was glad to see them fire the first shot, and was 
 in hopes they would have luffed up, and given us a broadside 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 157 
 
 as the brig had done, but they only fired from their forecastle. 
 During the chase, as it was a fine day, I had several of the 
 poor fellows who were sick helped upon the quarterdeck, 
 and dressed in some uniform coats I had on board, of red 
 and blue, in hopes they would take me for a British vessel, 
 and leave off" the chase. Some of the oflicers told me after- 
 wards that they did take us for an English packet, and, had 
 they seen any other vessel, would have given up the chase. 
 We found the ship that captured us was the Chatham of 
 fifty guns, commanded by Andrew S. Douglass. She had 
 chased a vessel the day before to the westward, which occa- 
 sioned their being so near the land. We were all taken on 
 board the man-of-war except four, who were too ill to be 
 removed. A circumstance that happened a few days after 
 we were taken, gave me a very unfavorable opinion of this 
 Captain Douglass. The sick belonging to the brig complain- 
 ing to me of their being badly accommodated, I wrote a note 
 to him. His servant told the person I sent it by, that Cap- 
 tain Douglass* had ordered him never to take a letter to him 
 from any of the prisoners. I suppose this great man thought 
 it beneath his dignity to attend to an unfortunate prisoner. 
 Upon speaking to the second lieutenant he had everything 
 that could be of service to the poor fellows done for them. 
 I found the cooper of the Chatham (Merit Brown) was a 
 man that had made several voyages with me. He was a 
 native of Philadelphia, and married there. He was a smart, 
 active fellow, and told me he had be^n impressed, but 1 
 believe he got drunk and entered. He was, or pretended to 
 be, very anxious to get home. Thej' had also Abraham 
 Wilbank, one of our Delaware pilots, who was a refugee, 
 and left Philadelphia with the British. Two days after we 
 were taken we had a hard gale of wind from the northeast. 
 About one o'clock A. M., finding the ship to labor very much, 
 and the pumps constantly going, I went upon deck with 
 
 * I have seen a letter in the Naval Chronicle, from Captain Douglass, to 
 his uncle, Captain Hammond, wherein he says, " no man in his senses, well 
 out of active service, would wish to come in again, for it is made up of envy, 
 hatred, and malice." — Author's note. 
 
158 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Mr. Potts, one of the passengers taken with me. The ship 
 was lying hove to, there were but few men upon deck, and I 
 saw no officers but the sailing master, who was an American, 
 one or two midshipmen, and the pilot. I gave it as my 
 opinion to the sailing-master that the ship would lay to much 
 easier if the mizzen staysail was set. He said no canvas 
 would hold in such a gale. I told him I had, been lying to 
 on the coast with canvas set when it blew harder. He made 
 me no answer, probably thinking it impertinent in me to 
 give my advice. I soon went below with Potts, telling him 
 as we went down that we were in danger every moment of a 
 sea breaking on board, and, as the ship was old and crazy, 
 it would send us to Davy Jones's locker. I had not been off 
 the deck but a few minutes before the master had the mizzen 
 staysail set, when the ship lay to much safer and easier. 
 The officers then belonging to the ship were men less quali- 
 fied than any I had ever sailed with. I doubt whether there 
 was a ship in the British !N"avy that had officers so little 
 experienced. It is customary for officers in the British Wavy 
 to undergo an examination before they receive their commis- 
 sions ; how these men did I cannot tell, but possibly they 
 may have received their commissions while in America, 
 without having undergone an examination. The officers of 
 the British !N"avy that I have sailed with, or met with, were 
 generally the best of seamen ; and brave, generous, and 
 humane. I received so much kindness from Cadogan, Cote, 
 Harvey, and others, that I never see a British naval officer 
 without wishing it may be in my power to serve him. The 
 officers of this ship, except the captain, were worthy men, 
 and perhaps I should have had a better opinion of him had 
 I known him better. He talked at one time of going into 
 Delaware Bay, and anchoring in the Road. Had he done so 
 some of the prisoners whom I consulted were determined, 
 if we should have an easterly wind while there, to cut her 
 cables if possible, and let her drift ashore. She was so old 
 and crazy that if she took the ground there, she would never 
 have got off. But Douglass thought afterwards he had 
 better not go into the Road. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 159 
 
 "We cruised on the coast until the first of January, 1782, 
 when we stood for Sandy Hook with a fair wind. Two days 
 before, we buried John Shute, a fine lad that was taken with 
 me. A cousin of his, of the same name, was left- on boai'd 
 the brig. He was so bad the day before we were taken, that 
 we were obliged to confine him to prevent his jumping over- 
 board. It gave me great pain to use the violence we were 
 obliged to use to this valuable young man, who had been an 
 ofiicer in the American army. He went to sea, expecting 
 through the interest of his friends to do better than he could 
 do by staying in the army. When we were tying him I was 
 much aftected with his calling out, " Oh ! Captain Biddle ! 
 my dear Captain Biddle! will you stand by and see me 
 treated in this vile manner?" Finding his entreaties could 
 do nothing, he swore I should fight him as soon as we landed. 
 Poor fellow! it was his fate never to reach the shore. 
 
 The 3d of January we anchored off Sandy Hook. Captain 
 Douglass, who was married a short time before to an American 
 lady, went up to New York in the cutter. About nine o'clock 
 at night, while I was in the ward-room with the lieutenants 
 and officers of marines, who were playing cards, one of the 
 midshipmen came in as pale as death and cried out the ship 
 was on fire. All hands were immediately called, and orders 
 were given to heave water down the fore-hatchway, where a 
 great quantity of smoke came up, and under this hatchway 
 the poor American prisoners, to the number of sixty or seventy 
 were grated down, and all the water thrown down went on 
 them, without doing any service whatever. I never saw a 
 man so much alarmed as the first lieutenant, Dalby, was. 
 He was in a situation that any one must have felt very sen- 
 sibly ; but he appeared perfectly incapable of giving directions 
 what to do. I begged he would give orders for the American 
 prisoners to be let out of confineinent, that they might have 
 a chance for saving their lives, but he was too much confused 
 to attend to me. The unfortunate prisoners were earnestly 
 praying to be let out, but they prayed in vain. As the water 
 was smooth and not very deep I told him he had better let 
 the prisoners up, point some of the twenty-four pounders 
 
160 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 down her hold and sink her ; there would then be no danger 
 of our lives. He would perhaps have paid some regard to 
 my request and advice, but it was now reported that the 
 Americans had set the ship on fij-e ; and I believe Dalby 
 thought the improbable tale true, and therefore paid no re- 
 gard to what I said, but looked on ine with a suspicious eye. 
 The second lieutenant, whose name, I believe, was Lyons, was 
 asleep when the alarm was first given. As soon as he was 
 awakened, and could recollect himself, he went immediately 
 down into the boatswain's store-room, adjoining the magazine, 
 where the fire originated. In the mean time, as I thought 
 it very probable the ship would blow up, five or six of us 
 got a large spar, and as soon as the exertions to put the fire 
 out were given over, or we thought they could not succeed, 
 we determined to heave the spar overboard, and jump after 
 it. We should have had but little . chance of saving our 
 lives, as the wind was at northwest, and very cold, but it 
 was the best method in our situation we could take. There 
 was a ship of twenty guns lying about a mile from us, and a 
 merchantman near her, and I was much surprised that signals 
 of distress were not fired from the Chatham. They would 
 probably have come nearer to us ; at any rate they would 
 have been ready in case of an explosion to pick up some of 
 the men that might survive her blowing up ; but Dalby 
 knew not what to do, and the second lieutenant was below. 
 It was about half an hour from the time of the first alarm 
 until it was all out. The ship would, I believe, have blown 
 up if it had not been for the second lieutenant. The crew 
 was an excellent one, but where the commanding officer is 
 confused little can be expected from the crew. There was 
 no order among them until Lyons came on deck, he soon 
 restored order, and they passed the water to him as regularly 
 as they could have done on shore. After the fire was over, 
 and the officers again assembled in the wardroom, Dalby 
 candidly confessed he was very much alarmed, which he 
 imputed to what he had suftered formerly by a fire. This 
 fire was occasioned by one of the boatswain's mates going 
 into the storeroom, and snuffing his candle there. He was 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 161 
 
 soon put in irons. I was once before this time on fire at sea ; 
 it was when going from Jamaica to the Bay of Honduras. 
 The mate had been boiling tar over the fire, when it boiled 
 over, and we had nearly lost the vessel before it was put out. 
 When the noise brought me upon deck the mate, instead of 
 endeavoring to put the fire out, was going to get out the 
 boat. I said so much to him for this, and for his boiling 
 the tar without my knowledge, that when we arrived at the 
 Bay he ran away. 
 
 The day after the fire, the cutter returning from New 
 York, we made sail to go up. We took the ground going 
 up, and I expected the old ship would have beaten her 
 bottom out, which, as there was no danger of our lives, was 
 what I should not have been displeased at. We, however, 
 got safe ofi:', and the next day anchored in the East River 
 opposite ISTew York. We had been at an anchor but a short 
 time before I was told a gentleman wished to see me. Going 
 immediately up, I found it was William Austin, an old, 
 intimate friend, who had been in the tent with me when out 
 in Cowperthwait's Quaker Company. As soon as he saw 
 me he exclaimed, " My unfortunate Prince,* how are you ?" 
 and, shaking me very cordially by the hand, expressed great 
 satisfaction at seeing me, and obtaining leave for me to go 
 on shore with him. He took me to his lodging ; and, being 
 a good-tempered, friendly fellow, he did everything in his 
 power to serve me. I went with him to Mr. Shoemaker's,f 
 who had formerly been Mayor of the city of Philadelphia. 
 He behaved very kind, and oflEered me any assistance in his 
 power. I was much pleased with a circumstance he men- 
 tioned to me, which was, that he had advanced large sums 
 
 * When we were out in Cowperthwait's Company he had named all in 
 the tent from one of Shakspeare's plays. Me he had called Harry, Prince 
 of Wales ; he was called Pistol. Upon his calling me Prince the officers 
 of the Chatham all stared at me, not knowing who I could be. — Ahthok's 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 t Mr. Samuel Shoemaker, Mayor of Philadelphia 1769-71, who adhered 
 to the Royal cause. His kindness to American prisoners is mentioned by 
 Sabine (American Loyalist), and is confirmed by the above statement. 
 11 
 
162 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 on loan to the Americans who had been brought in prisoners, 
 particularly to those belonging to Philadelphia, all of whom , 
 except one, had remitted what they had borrowed, and this 
 one had died going home. 
 
 The day after my being on shore I obtained leave to go 
 on board the Jersey Prison Ship to see the remainder of my 
 unfortunate crew. Much has been said about the cruel treat- 
 ment the Americans received on board this ship. From 
 what I saw and heard from prisoners whose veracity could 
 not be doubted, they were certainly treated with great inhu- 
 manity. When I first went on board the remains of two 
 of the prisoners were lying on the gratings, — they had died 
 the evening before. Upon inquiring of a young lad that 
 had been with me, of the name of Eckert (son of Col. 
 Eckert, of Berks County), the reason of these not being 
 buried, he said they were waiting until they had a boat-load. 
 He may have possibly been misinformed. It was at this 
 time reported, and generally believed, among the Americans, 
 that the prisoners were poisoned. I believe it was only by 
 their having unwholesome provisions, and cooked in coppers 
 not cleaned, that they were poisoned. It was greatly to the 
 honor of the American character, that, notwithstanding 
 they were in want of everything to make their situation 
 comfortable, and every method was tried to induce them, 
 there was hardly an instance of a native American entering 
 on board their ships. I never heard of any but Merit Brown, 
 cooper of the Chatham ; nor am I certain he he did so of his 
 own will. Had the prisoners in New York been treated 
 with the same indulgence that those who were taken by 
 General Carleton at Quebec were, few would have entered 
 into the American service after their return home. His 
 kindness had a great effect upon the officers, most of whom 
 resigned as soon as they returned to their families. All my 
 crew died except the second mate, now Captain Art, who, 
 with great difficulty, I got exchanged with me. The brig 
 never arrived, nor was she heard of after we left her, so that 
 I have no doubt she foundered in the gale of wind we had 
 two days after we were taken. She was injured by carrying 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 163 
 
 sail the day of our capture. All the sixteen men and boys 
 that went with me from Philadelphia were very hearty 
 when we sailed, — the eldest of the men was not more than 
 twenty-five years of age. It was melancholy to reflect that 
 none of them ever returned to their relations or friends, 
 
 After my return from visiting the Jersey, I observed two 
 Hessian officers looking at me very attentively, one of whom 
 at last exclaimed, in broken English, " J3y G-ot, it ish Cap- 
 tain Bittle," and, advancing, expressed great pleasure at 
 seeing me. I found the one who spoke was Captain Baum, 
 and his companion another officer, who with him had been 
 a prisoner in Reading the year before, and had been lately 
 exchanged. They begged me to go to their quarters, which 
 I did, and was treated with great kindness by these gentle- 
 men. During the time the Hessians were in Reading the 
 conduct of one of the privates occasioned a good deal of 
 laughter, although it was on a melancholy occasion. A 
 Hessian officer of rank, whose name I do not recollect, was 
 fishing in the Schuylkill, in a canoe, when he fell out. A 
 servant on the shore, instead, it was said, of alarming the 
 people at a house near, ran to inform the commanding officer, 
 and before he came down the officer was drowned. Had the 
 fellow called the people of the house the officer could have 
 been easily saved, for the water was not deep. They saw 
 the body at the bottom, and hauled it up, but it was too 
 late ; they tried in vain to restore him to life. 
 
 I waited on the Honorable Major Wallop, who had been a 
 prisoner in Reading. By this gentleman I had sent into JS'ew 
 York two bills of exchange for twenty pounds sterling each, 
 one drawn by Lieutenant Batus, on Coxe and Meir, the other 
 by Lieutenant Wilmot, on Ross and Gray, London. These 
 bills, Mr. Wallop told me, were not paid, but as a great favor 
 he advanced me ten pounds on account of them. I after- 
 wards found this Mr. Wallop had sent the bills to England 
 by Captain Dillon of the Mercury Packet, who received the 
 money for the bills, and gave orders to Mr. Vanhorn, his 
 agent, to pay Wallop, and Mr. Vanhorn sent me Wallop's 
 receipt for the money. This money of mine advanced by 
 
164 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 my brother from motives of humanity (abstracted from 
 every interested view) to those British officers in captivity, 
 when every other source failed them, was lost ; for, although 
 I frequently wrote to this Major Wallop (who is brother 
 
 to Lord [Earl of Portsmouth], he has never answered 
 
 my letter. By the advice of a friend I also wrote to Sir 
 George Young, Secretary at War, who never thought proper 
 to answer my letter, which he should have done, for the 
 case was not a common one, and I was justified in my appli- 
 cation to him. If he had any regard to the honor of his 
 country he would not have let me have been a loser when 
 he could have obliged Wallop to pay me ; if he had been 
 a gentleman he would have written me an answer. 
 
 After being a few days at New York, I was sent on my 
 parole to Flat Bush, where at this time there were a good 
 many American prisoners. We spent our time as agreeably 
 as people in our situation could do. The Dutchmen here, at 
 this time, began to think the British army would not be 
 long in New York, and therefore treated the prisoners with 
 great attention. They declared privately they wished Gene- 
 ral Washington success, and one night, late, our landlord 
 and some of his friends returned home from New York, 
 waked us all up, and begged we would drink something 
 with them. I believe some of the guards had affronted 
 them, for they were very noisy, abused the British Army, 
 and repeatedly drank success to General Washington, declar- 
 ing if he was to come on Long Island they would immedi- 
 ately join him. In the morning, when sober, and our land- 
 lord was informed by his wife of what he had said, he was 
 a good deal alarmed for fear we should mention something 
 of what had passed, and that some of the British officers 
 would hear of it. He, therefore, begged us, for God's sake, 
 not to mention what had passed the night before, and con- 
 sidering himself in our power, as in fact he was, he would 
 have done anything we requested him to do. As we con- 
 sidered these people a set of mercenary creatures, who cared 
 for neither Americans nor British, but who would do any- 
 thing for money, we were determined to plague them. We 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 165 
 
 one day got a friend to come down from ITew York, who 
 pretended he was sent by the commissary, Sproat, who, he 
 said, had been informed that our landlord, and some others, 
 had spoken disrespectfully of the British Government, and 
 that he was ajithorized to offer liberty and a hundred guineas 
 reward to any of the prisoners who would inform against 
 them. Potts, my passenger, immediately after he heard 
 him, called him to one side, and our landlord, who was 
 present, supposing it was to relate what had passed, slipped 
 out of the room, and, if I- had not followed him, would 
 have fled from the island. 'Eo poor wretch going to the 
 gallows suffered more than this man. It was with great 
 difficulty I could persuade him we were in jest. It had one 
 good effect, I never saw our landlord drunk afterwards. 
 Before this he frequently drank too much apple toddy, a 
 drink at that time very common on the island. 
 
 I went at one time as far as Jamaica to see Mr. John Potts, 
 brother to Mr. Potts taken with me. Mr. John Potts was 
 one of those unfortunate men who being attached to the 
 British cause had left Philadelphia with them. It was at 
 this gentleman's table I first heard of any complaint against 
 General Washington. A British officer dining with us, 
 talking of the general, said he knew an instance of his acting 
 very improperly. I told him that having never heard any 
 complaints against him, I should be glad to know in what 
 manner he had behaved improperly. -He said that after the 
 surrender of York, a number of the British, American, and 
 French officers were invited to dine with Count de Pocham- 
 beau, and that General Washington kept them waiting an 
 hour, and when he came made no apology. I told him it 
 gave me pleasure to find it was nothing worse he had done, 
 but as General Washington was allowed to be a well-bred 
 gentleman, he possibly was mistaken about his not making 
 an apology. During all the time of my being a prisoner I 
 never heard the name of General Washington mentioned but 
 with respect, except by this officer, and he had nothing to 
 say but what I have mentioned. 
 
 After remaining about three weeks at Flat Bush, I was 
 
166 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 exchanged. Taking leave of my landlord, who was very 
 attentive, I went to New York, and after taking leave of 
 some gentlemen who had hehaved very kindly and friendly 
 to me, I embarked with a number of other prisoners, for 
 Elizabethtown. On the passage we were detained all night 
 by the deputy commissioner of prisoners, Robert Lenox, 
 going on shore with two ladies. I was much exasperated, 
 but some of the prisoners were much more so, and when they 
 returned on board I was obliged to interfere to prevent their 
 being very roughly treated. They deserved to be punished, 
 for at that season of the year our situation was dangerous ; 
 but I could not stand by and see women who appeared 
 respectable abused without taking their part. They were 
 very thankful for my speaking in their favor, and supposing 
 from it that I would serve them further, wished me when we 
 got to Elizabethtown Point, to claim a few things they had 
 in the boat; but this I refused, not thinking myself justified. 
 At Elizabethtown five of us hired a light wagon to carry us 
 to Philadelphia. At this time there was a set of fellows who 
 undertook to examine the baggage of every person from New 
 Yoi-k for what were called " run goods." It might have been 
 proper to do it on the lines where people made it a business 
 to go in and purchase goods, but to search an unfortunate 
 prisoner, who, with the small pittance he had saved from the 
 wreck of his fortune, had purchased a piece of linen, or some 
 such trifle, it was abominable. These wretches robbed many 
 prisoners of what the British had left them. There were two 
 wagons of us set off at the same time ; I was in the hinder- 
 most. When we came near the tavern at Woodbridge I 
 heard a very stout man that was walking the piazza, say in a 
 
 loud voice, " I'll be d d if any man shall search Capt. 
 
 Biddle's baggage." Looking at him, I found it was Ezekiel 
 Eurman, an old friend that served his time to a merchant in 
 Philadelphia. With Eurman I had been acquainted when 
 boys, and in our boyish expeditions he always headed us. 
 (It was not General E. Eurman, him I did not know.) 
 Although I had nothing that could be taken, I was very glad 
 to see Eurman, and to find him the same honest fellow he 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 167 
 
 had ever been. Some j>f those in the wagon ahead of us had 
 told him I was in the wagon coming up, and he waited to » 
 see me. If the people here had any intention of searching 
 us they could not have done it. Furman was as brave as he 
 was stout, and he had several friends, and none in the wagon 
 would have suffered a search without resistance. I was very 
 sorry to hear from Furman that he had been unfortunate, 
 and much more so to hear since that his misfortunes had 
 made him intemperate. He married a Miss Wikoff, of a 
 respectable family. Taking leave of this good fellow, we 
 arrived safe in Philadelphia.* 
 
 Being extremely anxious to get home, after waiting upon 
 the owners of the brig, I borrowed a phaeton and horses from 
 my friend Hepburn, and early in the morning of the 31st of 
 January, set off for Reading, intending to get there that night. 
 When I reached Perkiomen Creek, twenty-five miles from 
 the city, the rains and melting of the snow had raised it so 
 much that they told me it was impossible to cross. Being 
 determined to try, I drove into the creek expecting to swim 
 the horses over, but finding, that owing to the rapidity of the 
 stream, it was necessary to enter the creek higher up, I put 
 back and entered some distance above, expecting to reach the 
 
 * In August this year (1812) I went to Long Branch. At Edentown, 
 near the Branch, I heard that my old friend Captain Furman lived there 
 (the person who was at Woodbridge and swore none of my baggage should 
 be searched when I came a prisoner from New York). When he came to 
 the tavern I knew him immediately, although it was upwards of thirty-one 
 years since we had met. He did not know me, but when I told him who it 
 was that was conversing with him, he was greatly rejoiced to see me. 
 Agreeably to his promise he came the next day to the Branch. He is a 
 very hale, hearty man, and rode down on a race horse, which he mounted 
 and managed with great ease. He has a large, respectable family. Upon 
 some disgust he joined the British army, and being taken in arms would 
 have suffered an ignominous death but for his relation General Furman, and 
 some other powerful friends. He told me that after the war he lived near 
 Frankford, and a report of some of his friends, that he could beat any man in 
 America, had occasioned him many severe battles. It appeared to me that 
 few men now could beat him. He has a small pension from the British Gov- 
 ernment, to whichi government he is warmly attached, and has as much hatred 
 to the French as any man in America. — Author's note. 
 
168 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 shore abreast of the tavern. This I .should have done had 
 both the horses swam, but before they were half over one of 
 them turned on his side, and they both would have been 
 drowned if two men had not come off in a canoe, and assisted 
 in keeping their heads above water. We got back with dif- 
 ficulty, rinding it would be impossible to get over this way, 
 I took the horses out, and getting two canoes, with great 
 labor carried over the phaeton. By the time it was over I 
 was almost perished with cold and fatigue, being up to the 
 waist in water when swimming the horses. After procuring 
 some clothes of the landlord, and refreshing myself, I hired 
 a pair of horses and sat off with an intention of sleeping in 
 E-eading, but they were a pair of steady yfngon horses that 
 paid no regard- to my impatience. Beating or cursing them, 
 with all my exertions I did not get to Pottsgrove until after 
 night. Pottsgrove is thirty-seven miles from Philadelphia ; 
 Reading, fifty-five miles. Early the next morning I reached 
 home, and found Mrs. Biddle, William, and all my friends well. 
 
 A few days after my return I was seized with the same 
 kind of fever that proved so fatal to the unfortunate crew of 
 the brig, and it brought me to the brink of the grave. 
 Nothing but good nursing and having everything necessary 
 to stop the progress of the disorder prevented me going into 
 it. When at the worst, and little hopes were entertained of 
 me, a profuse perspiration broke out on me, and recollecting 
 what Smollet mentions in his novel of Roderick Random,* 
 I covered myself up in blankets, which brought on so pro- 
 fuse a sweat, that yxij shirt and bed-clothes were as wet as if 
 they had been just taken out of the river. I felt myself 
 better immediately after, and in a few days was perfectly well. 
 
 In April I went with Mrs. Biddle to Philadelphia, on a 
 visit to our friends. While there Mr. John Ross and Mr. 
 Lecan, of the house of Lecan & Mallet, called on me to 
 know if I would' take the command of a large ship they 
 had fitting out at Baltimore, intended for Cape Fran5ois, 
 
 * Reading Roderick Random first gave me an inclination for the sea. — 
 Author's kotk. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 169 
 
 and from thence up the Mediterranean. As I had at this 
 time acquired some property, and had suffered a good d^al 
 the last voyage, I did not intend going to sea soon ; however, 
 as they offered me the consignment of the cargo, I agreed 
 to go, provided the mate they sent out with me, or some 
 person sent out on purpose, should take the command of the 
 ship after she was loaded, and ready to sail from the Capes. 
 This they agreed to. As the vessel wanted a good deal done, 
 and the owners were anxious for vaj going down, I set off 
 immediately for Baltimore. I found the ship was a very 
 large, flat vessel, built by the British to attack a battery. 
 She had twelve eighteen pounders on her gun deck, and six- 
 teen nine and six pounders on her upper deck, forecastle, and 
 quarter deck. She was, when in the British service, called 
 the Sandwich, had been scuttled, and sunk by the British 
 at York just before Cornwallis surrendered, afterwards 
 raised, and purchased by Mr. Ross, Lecan & Mallet, and 
 some other gentlemen. They proposed she should carry all 
 her guns, and one hundred and twenty or thirty men. After 
 making out a list of everything she would want for the 
 voyage, and seeing her in some forwardness, as the owners 
 were not now in a hurry to send her to sea, I went the 
 middle of May to Reading to see my family. Here I staid 
 until the first of June, when Mr. Ross wrote me that the 
 owners wished the ship out as soon as possible. The second 
 of June I proceeded to Baltimore, and used every exertion 
 in my power to get the ship soon manned, and ready for sea. 
 At this time it was very difficult to get men for any ship, 
 much more so for the Friendship, as it was known she sailed 
 very heavy. "When we entered a man, we were obliged to 
 send him immediately on board, and keep him there, so that 
 before I had my complement of men, the sailors and people 
 at the Point called her the prison ship. However, by the 
 20th of June I had all vaj crew on board, and waited with 
 great impatience for orders to sail, which I expected every 
 hour, when, instead of orders to sail, the owners wrote me 
 that two ships commanded by Curwin and Earl, that had 
 sailed but a few days before from Baltimore, were taken. 
 
170 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 and that the coast was so full of cruisers they concluded it 
 best not to send the ship out, and ordered me to discharge 
 the crew. This, after the trouble I had, was a disagreeable 
 business. However, as there was no remedy, I discharged 
 them all, and had proceeded about fourteen miles on my way 
 home when an express came down from the owners to Balti- 
 more, who, finding me gone, came after me ; they desired 
 me, if I had not discharged the crew, not to do it, as they 
 were determined to send the ship out as soon as possible ; 
 that if the crew were already discharged, to get another as 
 soon as I could. This was a very mortifying thing to me , 
 and I would gladly have quitted the ship, and would have 
 done it had she been in Philadelphia, but as I thought my 
 leaving her at this time would be injurious to the owners, 
 who, although capricious, had behaved well to me, I returned 
 immediately, and opened a rendezvous at Fell's Point, and 
 there was one also opened at Philadelphia, so that in about 
 three weeks I again had the ship manned. Several seafaring 
 men, and one carpenter living at the Point, frequented the 
 rendezvous to dance and drink every evening ; some of them, 
 when half drunk, signed the articles without any intention 
 of going in the ship. The night before we sailed I went 
 with a party of marines, and took all these people on board. 
 The next morning the carpenter's wife, who, by attempting 
 to drive the marines out of the house, had got some blood 
 on her clothes, came like a fury to my lodgings, and was 
 very abusive, calling me every vile name she could think of. 
 ISTo fishwoman that I ever heard could equal her. After 
 hearing her for some time, without taking any notice of her, 
 I called up the boat's crew, and ordered them to take her 
 down to the wharf, and duck her ; I had, however, no inten- 
 tion of letting them do it. The moment they took hold of 
 her she fell on her knees, and was as submissive as she had 
 before been insolent. Upon her telling me they had children, 
 I sent the boat off for her husband and two others, who had 
 families. The rest, being single men, I kept. Taking these 
 married men on board was of service to them ; it prevented 
 their going to taverns and getting drunk. Several officers 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB'. 171 
 
 who had been in the American army, and who were left 
 out of service, came down to go with me as volunteers. I 
 represented to them that they could receive no adv|,ntage as 
 volunteers on board such a ship ; however, as they wished 
 to go, and the owners had no objection, I agreed to take 
 them. Among these was a Captain Wilson, who, I believe, 
 belonged to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He had been a very 
 promising offier, but, being intemperate, had become almost 
 useless. Understanding his character from my friend Colonel 
 Craig, who gave him a letter to me, I told him the first time 
 he was the least intoxicated he should go on shore. Finding 
 him drunk a few days after, as soon as he was sober I called 
 him into the cabin, and represented the ruin he was bringing 
 on himself and the disgrace it was to his family. He left 
 me, much affected, and going to his cot, was seized with a 
 fever which soon carried him off. Although the death of a 
 drunken man is scarcely to be lamented, I felt concern for 
 this young man, who was gentlemanly in his behavior, and 
 who, had he taken care of himself, would have been an honor 
 to his country. There came down also a Dr. Draper,* a little 
 Irishman, who had been in the army. He was recommended 
 by a relation of mine, to go as surgeon of the ship. He was an 
 exceedingly good companion, but I had soon an opportunity 
 of knowing that, as a surgeon, he was a very ignorant one. 
 There were at this time in Baltimore two very hospitable 
 merchants, who entertained a great many strangers. They 
 were Mr. Hugh Young, a native of Ireland, and Mr. William 
 Hammond, a native of Baltimore. These gentlemen often 
 had large parties to dine with them, and it was very difficult 
 to get from either of them sober. Draper was often with 
 
 * Soon after the peace poor Draper went out surgeon of a ship from 
 New York to China. Upon the passage liome, after they had received a 
 pilot on board, he heard a piece of news that affected him very much ; and 
 while standing up for the town with a fair wind, and every person on board 
 but himself in high spirits, as they generally are when coming off' a long 
 voyage, he went forward, and jumped overboard and drowned himself. I 
 found afterwards that he had acted very imprudently before he sailed from 
 New York. — Author's note. 
 
172 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 them ; he told me he loved those men, they always gave him 
 cool wine, and enough of it. As they were concerned in a 
 ship going out with and consigned to me, I was obliged to 
 be with them sometimes, but I always took care to have some 
 one to call for me soon after dinner upon pressing business. 
 Capt. Charles Craig,* brother to Col. Craig, was to come 
 down and go with me as captain of marines. As he did not 
 arrive at the time appointed, I gave the command of them to 
 Capt. Whitehead, who had been a lieutenant and adjutant 
 to one of our regiments. 
 
 Just before we sailed the celebrated Count de Benyowskyf 
 
 * Captain Craig was a very brave, excellent officer. He commanded a 
 troop of horse on the lines when the British were in Philadelphia. General 
 Washington, and every person who knew him, was fond of him. He left 
 the army at the request of Marks Bird, of Reading, and married his 
 daughter. After the marriage, he wanted Craig to retract something he 
 had said about him. This Craig did not think, as a man of honor, he 
 could do. On his refusing, Bird did everything in his power to injure him. 
 Craig declared several times to me, before I left Reading, that Bird had 
 used him so ill he had a great mind to shoot him. Having spent all his 
 money, and being bred to no business, he thought if he was gone Bird 
 would take home his wife and infant child. He therefore determined to 
 put an end to his own existence. He told his servant boy, who had been 
 with him in the army, and had no idea of disputing any orders he gave him, 
 to stay in the entry, and if any person came for him to tell them he was 
 lying down. As there was a person asleep in the room where his pistols 
 were, he pulled off his shoes for fear of waking him ; he put the pistols 
 between two pillows, for fear he should be met in the entry, and going into 
 his own room, he lay down on his bed and shot himself through the> head 
 just at the moment his brother, Col. Craig, put his foot into the house. I 
 never knew a more amiable man than Capt. Craig. I received the account 
 of his death just before we sailed. It is said to be a cowardly act, but I 
 have been acquainted with four persons, who had all been officers, that shot 
 themselves. They were Capts. Craig, Pry, Lockwood (of the British navy), 
 and Lieut. Morgan. They were all men of undoubted courage. It is, 
 however, a shocking act, and nothing can justify it. — Author's note. 
 
 t The life of Count Benyowsky was one of extraordinary adventure. 
 Born in Hungary in 1741, he died in 1786. His father was general of 
 cavalry in the Imperial Service, and he himself served in the Seven Years' 
 War. After visiting Holland and England, he engaged as colonel of cavalry 
 in the Polish Service, and, being captured, was banished to Kamsehatka. 
 Escaping thence (carrying with him the Governor's daughter), he reached 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 173 
 
 came to Baltimore to go out with me. He brought letters to me 
 from Mr. Holker, who was one of the owners of the ship. He 
 had with him three foreign ofiBcers, and as I thought they all 
 would be of service in case of our coming to action, which 
 they promised they would, I took them. We sailed from 
 Baltimore the 15th of July, 1782, having on board one hun- 
 dred and thirty men and boys. My orders were to proceed 
 from Baltimore to York in Virginia, and there put myself 
 under convoy of the Sybil French frigate. When we arrived 
 at York, I went on board the Sybil taking with me Count 
 Benyowsky and a French officer that had been in our army. 
 I told the captain of the frigate that as we were in a strong 
 armed ship I expected, if we took any prizes during the 
 passage, we should have a proportional part of them. He 
 declared in presence of the gentlemen I took with me and of 
 some of his own officers, that I should. It was the first of 
 August before we went out of the Capes. In going from 
 York, owing to the misconduct of the captain, who thought 
 he knew the channel better than the pilot, the Sybil took the 
 ground, and had like to have beat her bottom out, which 
 after our arrival at the Cape and their cheating us of our 
 share o# prize money I wished she had done. There were 
 near thirty sail under convoy of the Sybil and my ship. The 
 night after we left the Capes we fell in with two ships which 
 we at first took to be British cruisers. All hands were called 
 to quarters and every preparation made to engage. Count 
 Benyowsky I stationed at the colors, the officers who came 
 
 Formosa and Macao, and, proceeding to France, was placed at the head of 
 a projected colony in Madagascar. He arrived at Madagascar in 1774, and 
 met with promise of success, but being discountenanced by the French 
 Government, he returned to Europe, and again engaged in the Imperial 
 Service.- He distinguished himself in the battle of Habelshwerdt in 1778. 
 StiU faithful to his Madagascar subjects, he visited England and America 
 in search of assistance ; he was kindly received in this country, especially 
 in Baltimore. In 1785 he again reached Madagascar, and in the following 
 year was mortally wounded in an encounter with French troops sent from 
 the Isle of France. His memoirs, originally written in French, have been 
 published since his death in many languages. 
 
174 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 with him, among the marines. The Count appeared pleased 
 with his station, and drawing a monstrous sword, he swore 
 nohody should haul down the colors without my orders. He 
 appeared very cheerful, saying " Hah, Captain ! presently a 
 fine battle." I believe he was perfectly brave. The ships 
 proved to be Americans bound home. 
 
 I believe there never was a vessel sailed worse than the 
 Friendship. When we had a pleasant breeze and every sail 
 set, some of the convoy would play round us under their fore- 
 sails. The Sybil could at any time go ahead of us with the 
 foretop-sail upon the cap. I do not believe there was a day 
 while we were out that I could not have swam round her. 
 However, as we had plenty of stores, an agreeable company, 
 excellent accommodations, and were well fitted to fight, we 
 passed our time very pleasantly. The officers wished to play 
 cards, but this I would not suffer. It never should be suf- 
 fered on board an armed ship. 
 
 During the passage we took two prizes; one was a ship 
 from St. Augustine with naval stores and skins, bound to 
 London, the other a sloop from Barbadoes bound to New 
 York with rum. The day we crossed the tropic several of 
 the crew were ducked, and we had the usual diversions that 
 take place on those occasions. After one of the marines, 
 whose name was Clagget, a native of Maryland, had been 
 ducked, he came aft and told me he had not only been ducked 
 but treated very indecently by some of the forecastle men, 
 and wished to know if he could not have satisfaction. In- 
 quiring into what they had done, I found he had been very 
 ill-used, and as he was a stout, active fellow, I asked him if 
 he was willing to fight any of those who had behaved ill to 
 him. He replied, yes, he would fight them all, one after 
 another, and it was what he wanted. Upon this I made him 
 go forward and challenge any one of them. Immediately 
 one Jim E,yers, who had learned to box in Dublin, stepped 
 forward, and stripping himself, said he was ready for him. 
 Clagget was much the stouter man, and was as soon ready. 
 In order to give them room I made them come aft on the 
 quarter-deck. Eyers at first took the advantage of the rise 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 175 
 
 of the quarter-deck, but after the first fall I made them take 
 it in turn. The second fall Clagget put his thumb out ot 
 joint ; however, he was so powerful that he broke down all 
 E-yer's guards, and closing with him, gave him two or three 
 suchfallsthat I thought he would have broken his ribs. He was 
 obliged to give out, declaring Clagget too strong for him. I 
 made Clagget challenge the rest of the forecastle men to fight 
 him ; this, several were ready in a moment to do, but I was de- 
 termined there should be no more fighting ; indeed, I thought 
 it wrong to suffer this, and would not have done it, but ex- 
 pected it would prevent in future any abuse of the seamen to 
 the marines, of which they were frequently complaining. 
 After this affair I never heard of any complaint. The Sybil, 
 when the battle first began, was a good way to x^indward ot 
 us, and seeing so many of the crew on the quarter-deck, they 
 supposed there was a mutiny, and bore down and hailed us. 
 It must have been a strange sight to a crew of Frenchmen. 
 In fact I was very much ashamed they had seen it. 
 
 Count Benyowsky had frequently abused Congress and the 
 Board of War, which, as he always behaved with great 
 politeness to me, I did not say anything to him about, although 
 it was disagreeable to me to hear him. But two days before 
 we arrived at the Cape, after dinner, when he was a little 
 heated with wine, he spoke disrespectfully of General Wash- 
 ington. This was what I could not hear witViout taking 
 notice of. I told him there were a great many foreign 
 scoundrels went to the army under General Washington, and 
 when the general found them ignorant and good for nothing 
 he sent them away, and they then abused him : that if he said 
 another disrespectful word of the general, I would put him 
 out of the cabin. He turned pale with rage ; he said I was 
 now on board my own vessel, as soon as I arrived at the Cape 
 he would make me answerable for insulting him. I told him 
 if he ever spoke disrespectfully of General Washington in 
 my presence, be it where it would, I would insult him. 
 
 We arrived at the Cape Prangois after a passage of thirty- 
 five days, which with the winds we had would have been 
 made in a fast sailing vessel in one-third of the time. I 
 
176 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 found at the Cape a great number of neutral vessels, and the 
 price of flour had fallen from forty to seven or eight dollars 
 a barrel. Upon examining mine, I found that from the 
 length of time it had been on board it had got full of weevils. 
 This was a very disagreeable circtimstance, but I never let 
 anything of this kind make me unhappy. A man when he 
 finds himself in difficulties should never give way to them, 
 and make himself miserable by thinking he could have 
 avoided them, but should act with firmness and do everything 
 he can for the best. My orders were after selling the cargo, 
 to load the ship and send her to Europe, neither of which 
 could be done. All the proceeds of the cargo would not have 
 paid the crew their wages, and those who wanted to ship 
 would prefer a neutral ship to ours; and I found during the 
 voyage that the ship was not only a heavy sailer, but that 
 her stern post was loose, and that she was otherwise unfit for 
 a voyage to Europe in the winter season. Being ordered in 
 case of any difficulties to advise with Mr. Gaultier, a respect- 
 able French merchant, upon what was best to be done, I 
 stated to him the situation of the ship and cargo, and told 
 him Mr. Robert Smith (son of Mr. William Smith, at present 
 a merchant in Baltimore) had oflEered me fifty thousand dol- 
 lars for the ship and cargo, to keep the crew, and pay them 
 all the wages then due, and all the expenses the ship had 
 been at since her arrival. He advised me by all means to 
 take his oflfer. I therefore agreed with Mr. Smith, who had 
 a contract with Count Galvez, the Spanish General, to supply 
 the Spanish army with flour, and wanted the ship to go to 
 the Havannah. This was a good sale for me, and probably 
 not a bad purchase for Mr. Smith. I understood that by his 
 contract he was to receive twenty dollars for every barrel of 
 flour wanted for the use of the army. Mr. Smith was a great 
 favorite with the Count ; indeed, it was said by some wicked 
 fellows at the Cape, that he was concerned with Mr. Smith, 
 and received one-half the profits. 
 
 Count Benyowsky left the ship without speaking to me. 
 As he was in my debt for some stores purchased for him by 
 my steward, I called on him at his quarters. I expected a 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 177 
 
 very cool reception, and indeed felt some uneasiness for fear 
 he should remind me of what had passed on board the 
 Friendship, but I was agreeably disappointed, for he received 
 me in a very friendly manner, paid me immediately, and 
 offered to go with me to G-overnor Bellecombe, who, he said, 
 was his intimate friend, and would oblige him in anything. 
 I thanked him for his friendly offer ; there was nothing the 
 Governor could do for me without it was to give me a per- 
 mission to sail for the Havannah (I had not then sold to 
 Mr. Smith), which, as the embargo was just laid on all the 
 vessels in the harbor, I did not expect he would grant. He 
 said he would try that, and dressing himself went with me 
 to the Governor, who treated him with great respect, and 
 when the Count mentioned that he was under obligations to 
 me, the Governor granted me permission to sail. This, if I 
 had not afterwards sold to Mr. Smith, would have been of 
 great importance to me. The Count, I believe, was much 
 gratified at my seeing the interest he had with the Governor. 
 It appeared from what passed that they had served together 
 in the East Indies. During the passage he had frequently 
 mentioned his serving in India as a brigadier-general, and of 
 his being concerned in a great many adventures. From his 
 account he was engaged with General Count Pulaski in aid- 
 ing to carry oft' Stanislaus Poniatowski,* King of Poland, and 
 he told many anecdotes of what passed on that occasion. At 
 first I paid great attention to him, but when I found he would 
 indulge himself in saying anything at all I would not listen 
 to him. Knowing him to assert many things respecting the. 
 American army that were not true, I paid little regard to 
 what he said. He was no doubt a brave man, probably a 
 good partisan ofiicer, but from his conversation with Capt. 
 Whitehead, our captain of marines, who was an excellent 
 officer, about manoeuvres of an army, he did not suppose the 
 general had much military knowledge. He was a few years 
 
 * If this statement is correctly reported, Benyowsky must have drawn 
 a very long bow indeed. King Stanislaus was seized and carried off' on 3d 
 Sept. 1771, when the Count was in Formosa. See his Memoirs. 
 12 
 
178 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OF 
 
 afterwards killed at Madagascar. The Count, when with me, 
 said he was forty years of age, he appeared much older. He 
 was about five feet eight inches in height, clumsily made, 
 a sallow complexion, a determined, ferocious countenance. I 
 never saw him smile, and suppose he never laughed in his 
 life. He was very diiferent from Dr. Franklin, who laughed 
 heartily at any moment. 
 
 At the trial of the two prizes taken during our passage, I 
 put in my claim to an equal share, and appealed to the cap- 
 tain of the frigate whether he had not agreed to my having 
 it. He answered that he had agreed to it. The judge re- 
 questing to see my orders, after reading them, told me that 
 I was directed to proceed to York, and go from thence under 
 convoy of the Sybil, and that by the laws of France no convoy 
 was entitled to a share of any prize, and therefore I could 
 receive none, that the captain of the frigate could not alter 
 the laws of France. I used every argument in my power to 
 try to convince the judge that there was a great difference 
 between my ship and a French Letter of Marque, but all I 
 said had no effect. If my owners had made use of the word 
 " company" instead of " convoy," they said I would have 
 been entitled to a share, but had this word been in I have no 
 doubt but what they would have found out something to 
 have cheated us of our share. I was sorry afterwards that I 
 did not write to Dr. Franklin, then Minister at the Court of 
 France. The crew of the Friendship were much enraged 
 when they understood the decision of the court. They would 
 have been guilty of some act of violence, if they had not 
 been restrained, and were continually cursing the whole 
 French nation. 
 
 About ten days after our arrival, the Friendship sailed for 
 the Havannah. The following morning Mr. Smith requested 
 I would breakfast with him, and he would pay me. While 
 we were at breakfast, he received a letter which, after read- 
 ing, he handed to me, saying at the same time, " such a le1> 
 ter would take away some people's appetite." On reading 
 the letter, I found it gave an account of the loss of the Friend- 
 ship. The day she went out they discovered a sail a consider- 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 179 
 
 able distance in the offing, standing for them. They were 
 then not more than three or four miles from the land, which 
 they immediately stood for. The vessel in chase came up so 
 fast, that by the time the Friendship struck the ground, the 
 enemy was within gunshot, and fired at them. However, 
 they did them no injury. The vessel was lost, but the cargo 
 and most of the stores were saved. "We understood after- 
 wards that the ship that drove the Friendship on shore was 
 the London man-of-war, Mr. Smith paid me in dollars, 
 which I had carried to the treasury, and received government 
 bills for them, which I remitted to the owners. 
 
 There were at this time continual quarrels between the 
 French and Spanish officers and the soldiers. They appeared 
 to hate each other most cordially. I dined frequently at the 
 mess of some Spanish officers with Mr. Smith, and I never 
 saw a French officer at the table. I believe they very seldom 
 associated together. The Spanish officers often told Mr. 
 Smith and myself that they were much more afraid of the 
 Americans disturbing them in their possessions in America 
 than ever they had been of the British, and I believe they 
 all would have been glad we had not been independent of 
 Great Britain. 
 
 After the Friendship sailed, I purchased a brig built in 
 Philadelphia, called the St. Patrick. When I purchased her, 
 she was under Danish colors. Of this brig Mr. Smith took 
 one-half, I held a quarter, and Mr. Ceromo held the other 
 quarter. Not being able to get a commission as an American, 
 in order to arm her, I was obliged to get a French commis- 
 sion as a letter of marque. This there was no difficulty in 
 obtaining. "We sent on board eight iron and six wooden 
 guns, and loaded her with molasses and rum for Baltimore. 
 At this time there was a large fleet in the harbor ready to 
 sail for France, and a week before they sailed an embargo 
 was laid on all the American vessels. I thought this very 
 unjust, and particularly hard upon some that had been ready 
 for some time, and had waited on purpose to go with the 
 fleet ; I therefore requested a meeting of all the American 
 masters, in order to get them to agree to a memorial to the 
 
180 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Governor. We drew one up, and requested the interpreter 
 to translate it, and go with us to present it. After reading 
 it, he said if he was to go to the Governor with such a naemo- 
 rial, he should be afraid . the Governor would have him 
 thrown out of the window. We, however, got it translated, 
 and as I understood a little French, I agreed to hand it to 
 the Governor. Captain Darby and some others were ap- 
 pointed to go with me. Being anxious about the business, I 
 walked fast and was soon a good way ahead of my company, 
 when Darby, who commanded a ship belonging to Baltimore, 
 called after me, " Biddle ! the captains won't go." Looking 
 round I found there was only one with him. When he came 
 up, he said those who had gone back had been talking with 
 the interpreter, and they were apprehensive the Governor 
 would give them a disagreeable reception, and therefore 
 would not go. I told him if he was apprehensive, he had 
 better go back with them, but I would go, if no one went 
 with me. He swore he was no way uneasy ; the Governor, 
 let him do his worst, could only hang him, and that he did not 
 regard. When I handed the Governor the memorial, he read 
 it, and then addressing us with great politeness, said he had 
 nothing to do with the embargo, that it was a business of 
 the admiral's. As the admiral was at the other end of the 
 room, I begged the Governor would have the goodness to speak 
 to him ; upon which he called him and gave him the memo- 
 rial. After reading it he said he thought the embargo neces- 
 sary for fear some of the Americans should be taken and give 
 information to the British respecting the fleet. Upon my 
 observing we were all in fast-sailing vessels, and not so liable 
 to be taken as the French merchant ships, he said he under- 
 stood all our vessels were not commanded by Americans, and 
 they might run to leeward and inform the British. I told 
 him that could be easily prevented by our keeping close to 
 the men of war ; he, however, thought there would be some 
 risk, and would not consent to our going with the fleet, but 
 seeing we were much discontented with our being detained, 
 he and the Governor both assured us the embargo should be 
 taken off in two or three days after the fleet sailed, and the 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 181 
 
 admiral said he would send us a frigate to convoy us clear 
 of the Keys. "With this assurance we left them. 
 
 Whitehead^ who came out captain of marines with me in 
 the Friendship, and left her in order to continue with me, 
 was about this time arrested by his tailor, an English rene- 
 gade, who had deserted from the British army, and found 
 his way here. They had some dispute about the account 
 before the arrest. "Whitehead had told him he must be a 
 worthless scoufidrel to desert his country. He declared to 
 me he had paid the account, that, as it was but a trifle, he 
 would pay it again, but he could not think of being imposed 
 upon by such a rascal. Taking a respectable old merchant, 
 Mr. Mernier, with me, I went to the judge, and told him 
 Mr. "Whitehead had been an officer in the American army, 
 that I knew him to be a young man of strict honor that 
 would not say he had paid the tailor without he had really 
 done it. The judge, who knew the tailor to be a bad fellow, 
 immediately ordered him out of the house ; and thus the 
 business was ended. I thought this an excellent way of set- 
 tling a law suit, and if we could always rely upon having an 
 upright judge it would be a much better way than leaving it 
 to an ignorant or partial jury. A friend of mine, Mr. CoUin- 
 son Read, that had a cause to try in N"orthampton County, 
 told me that upon hearing the evidence, he found he could 
 say nothing in favor of his client, he therefore just observed 
 to the jury, that the cause was so plain he would give them 
 no trouble. "When the jury returned he was much surprised 
 to find they brought in a verdict in favor of his client, and 
 as he went out of court the foreman took him to one side, 
 saying, " Mr. Read, I know the verdict should have been in 
 favor of the plaintiff, but you did my son a great favor, and 
 so I was determined to be your friend, and therefore per- 
 suaded the jury to give a verdict for your client." 
 
 Mr. Mernier, whom I have mentioned, was a very worthy 
 man, who had been settled many years at the Cape. I had 
 letters to him from an old friend, and he insisted upon my 
 staying at his house. "We frequently disputed about the 
 liberties enjoyed by the people of France and America. He 
 
182 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 had been in America, and said we had too much liberty, that 
 there was not so much respect paid to gentlemen of rank as 
 there should be. The lower orders of people .behaved as if 
 they were on a footing with them. He allowed it was a 
 very fine country, but thought the government not by any 
 means so good as theirs, that the French had as much liberty 
 as they ought to have. I told him that in America perhaps 
 there was not that respect paid to the officers of government 
 there should be, but that in France they certainly wanted 
 much reformation ; a poor man hardly ever knew what it 
 was to have a good meal, nor could he call anything his own. 
 He replied, it was no matter, they were contented. He, how- 
 ever, soon altered his opinion. G-overnor Bellecombe one 
 day sent an order for him to be taken to the fort, where he 
 had this good man, who was near seventy years of age, con- 
 fined for a week without any of his family or friends being 
 permitted to see him ; and the only reason given for it was, 
 that he, who was an officer (I believe in the militia), had 
 come upon the parade without pulling off his hat to the 
 Governor. This was the reason expressed, but the true reason, 
 Mr. Mernier said, was that the Governor wanted to borrow 
 some money of him, which he knew the- Governor would 
 never repay, and he had, therefore, refused him. Poor 
 Mernier never said anything to me after this of our having 
 too much liberty in America. He said he would, and I 
 afterwards understood he did, send a memorial to the King, 
 complaining of the conduct of this Governor, who received 
 a reprimand for his usage of Mr. Mernier. The behavior 
 of this Governor Bellecombe, so different from that of the 
 judge, convinced me that it was dangerous ti-usting a man 
 with too much power, for the Governor was generally 
 esteemed a good man. 
 
 The embargo was taken off in three or four days, but the 
 frigates did not return. Darby and myself determined to 
 sail together, and, should we fall in with any cruiser, to stand 
 by each other. He was in a ship of eighteen guns and 
 seventy-five men. I had in the brig, including passengers, 
 forty men. I had also as passengers two French women, a 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 183 
 
 mother and daughter, going to see some relations in Balti- 
 more. The daughter was a sprightly, hrown girl of sixteen ; 
 the mother a swarthy dame, about forty. We sailed from 
 the Cape the 25th of September, 1782. I was mortified 
 when we got out to find that the brig did not sail well, and 
 that she was very crank. We had good weather until we 
 struck soundings a few leagues to the southward of Cape 
 Henry, when the wind shifting to the southeast it became 
 cloudy, and looked as if it was going to blow hard. About 
 ten o'clock, the moon breaking out, we saw two sail, a ship 
 and a brig, standing after us. At twelve o'clock they were 
 still after us, although they were not much nearer than at 
 ten o'clock. At one o'clock we had a squall which did not 
 clear away until near two o'clock, when we discovered the 
 two sail had neared us very much. Darby and myself were 
 not a cable's length from each other, and both prepared for 
 action. We neither of us had been off the deck from the 
 time we first discovered the two sail. At two o'clock Darby 
 hailed me : " Biddle, do you see these pirates are coming up 
 with us?" I replied that I did, and that we had better 
 heave to and engage them, or oblige them to sheer off; which 
 he agreeing to, we immediately hauled up our foresail and 
 hove to, arid Darby did the same. We were determined to 
 have the first broadside if we could ; however, as soon as 
 they perceived we were lying to to engage them , they hauled 
 off upon a wind, and we soon lost sight of them. As soon 
 as we hove to I had the two female passengers, who were a 
 good deal alarmed, taken into the cockpit, and, as the old 
 one had been very troublesome, kept them there a consider- 
 able time after we bore away, which we did as soon as the 
 two sail were out of sight. Before daylight we anchored in 
 Hampton Roads. The next day a flag of truce came in, who 
 had been boarded by the two vessels which chased us. They 
 were a ship and brig, privateers from New York ; the ship 
 commanded by a Captain Hazard, an old acquaintance of 
 mine ; however, I was glad we did not at this time renew 
 our acquaintance. He was a native of Rhode Island, one of 
 the stoutest and best tempered men I ever knew, but no 
 
184 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 seaman. Considering himself ill-used in not being exchanged 
 when he thought he should have been, he joined the British, 
 and was very troublesome on the coast. They, fortunately 
 for us, took Darby's ship for a French frigate that was said 
 to be on the coast. 
 
 After obtaining some refreshments we proceeded to Balti- 
 more, where we arrived the 8th of October. A French 
 corvette lying at this time at Baltimore, seeing us under 
 French colors, sent her boat on board. They were much sur- 
 prised to find there was not one on board could speak a word 
 of French, for I had just before gone with the two French 
 women on shore. The ladies went to their relations, and 
 soon after the younger had the good fortune to attract the 
 
 notice of Mr. , the French Consul, who, a few days 
 
 after our arrival, married her. Dining at Grant's with a 
 large company, a person called to me and told me my pas- 
 senger was going to be married. I inquired to whom, when 
 he informed me to the French Consul. I said it was very 
 well ; had it been to an American I should have forbidden 
 the banns. One of the consul's friends called on me the next 
 day to know what was my meaning. I told him it was 
 spoken in jest; that, however, he was at libertj^ to put any 
 meaning he pleased on what was said. She was a lively girl, 
 who, when it was cold, would put on any of my clothes, 
 dance on the quarter-deck in them, and perform some other 
 monkey tricks which I suppose she thought there was no 
 impropriety in. Custom reconciles most things. 
 
 My French ladies disgusted all the other passengers, as 
 well as myself, the first night they came on board. We 
 supped on the quarter-deck, and after supper they squatted 
 down before us and wet the quarter-deck. This I had heard 
 and read of as being common, but I had never seen it before. 
 The most common street-walker with us would not have 
 done thus. 
 
 As soon as the brig was ready for sea I sent her out under 
 the command of one Atchison, who had come in as my mate. 
 Being convinced we should soon have peace, I sold my share 
 of the brig to Mr. Smith at the rate of six thousand 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 185 
 
 pounds (six months after she would not have sold for as 
 many hundred), and set off for Reading, being very impatient 
 to see my family. Mrs. Lux wishing to see her mother, we 
 sat off together. "When we arrived at Reading we had the 
 satisfaction to find our friends all well. In the month of 
 February, 1783, Mrs. Biddle was delivered of a son, whom I 
 called James, after my brother. 
 
 In the spring of 1783, while calling in the coffee-house, 
 Captain Budden called me out. He told me that Crathorne* 
 who had behaved so ill in Jamaica, was just arrived from 
 Providence, and that his vessel was lying at Market Street 
 wharf. As I considered this man the occasion of my long 
 confinement, and of the death of many an American, I was 
 anxious to see him. Groing immediately with Budden on 
 board his vessel, we searched every part of her without find- 
 ing him. I stayed in town four or five days, during which 
 time diligent search was made for him, but without effect. 
 Had he been found I was determined to cut his ears off", for 
 which purpose I had borrowed a penknife at the coffee-house. 
 Many years after he died miserably in the bettering-house. 
 
 Going to Philadelphia soon after, I agreed with a relation, 
 Mr. Clement Biddle, and with Mr. James Collins, to go to 
 ITew York, and there charter two or three British vessels for 
 the West Indies. I obtained permission from the Supreme 
 Executive Council, and went to New York. At this time 
 !N"ew York was crowded with Americans from all parts of 
 the continent, who went in to speculate, or to see their friends. 
 A story was told at this time of a New England man, who 
 occasioned a good deal of laughter. He had some dispute 
 about his permission, when the British officer refused to let 
 him enter. " Well, I vow," says the Yankee, " you are very 
 bold, considering you are a conquered people." 
 
 New York'was at this time a very disagreeable place to 
 me. Many unfortunate Americans who had joined the 
 British army were now extremely anxious to return to their 
 former places of residence, among others, my unfortunate 
 
 * See pages 93, 94. 
 
186 AtJTOBIOGEAPHY OF 
 
 brother John. He had been in the British service before the 
 war, and remained attached to them. I felt much pain for 
 these unhappy people, for whom the British Government, 
 to their honor be it said, provided generously. 
 
 I chartered a ship and a snow by the month, to proceed to 
 Philadelphia, and there load for the West Indies. As I had 
 a good deal of unsettled business in Hispaniola, I was deter- 
 mined to go out myself and settle it. The ship and snow* 
 were sent to Cape Frangois. I took my passage in a small 
 French schooner commanded by Capt. Le Faure, an old 
 acquaintance of mine, bound to Port au Prince. A short 
 time before we sailed I had an account of the death of Mr. 
 Robert Smith at Cape Fran9ois. He had purchased a mulatto 
 girl, who lived with him, and imprudently informed her of 
 some provision he had made for her at his death. Although 
 there was no proof, it was strongly suspected she hurried him 
 out of the world. He was an amiable young man, and I 
 believe left a handsome fortune, but having no person about 
 him to take care of the property, the family recovered little 
 or nothing. 
 
 We sailed from Philadelphia in June, 1783. There were 
 besides myself, two or three French gentlemen, and Mayer 
 Polonois, a poor Jew, passengers. I do not mean poor as to 
 money, for probably he had more than any other person on 
 board, but unfortunately Le Faure took a dislike to the man, 
 and treated him very roiiighly. One day at dinner, the Jew 
 saying something disrespectful of the French army, Le Faure 
 started up in a rage, threw the Jew's plate, with his silver 
 fork, and all that was on the plate, into the sea, and, if I had 
 not interfered, I believe he would have thrown the Jew in 
 after them. He never after this would permit the Jew to 
 dine in the cabin. Except the disputes with this poor devil, 
 we had an agreeable time. As I had some business to settle 
 with Messrs. Musculas & Rondineau at the Mole St. Nicolas, 
 Le Faure who was very friendly to me, put in there and 
 
 * Perhaps it may be as well to explain that the " snow" was a two-masted 
 vessel rigged very nearly like a brig. The term is obsolete. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 187 
 
 waited a day for me. He afterwards landed me atTieogane, 
 where I also had some business for a friend. After landing 
 me he proceeded to Port au Prince. I stayed two days at 
 Leogane, which if it was not sickly would be an agreeable 
 place. From here I went to Port au Prince by land, where 
 I found that most of my former friends, Mr, Pasquer, Mr. 
 Peyrobe, and others, were dead. Barfere, the interpreter, was 
 still here, and in business, and gave me a very friendly re- 
 ception. Bar^re was a native of Bayonne, but had lived 
 for some years in -Boston, where he married. He had one 
 son, who at this time was in France. 
 
 Polonois called on me to consult me about suing Le Faure. 
 I should have advised against it, even if LeFaure had been 
 a man I had no regard for, knowing, as he had mentioned 
 the French navy and army with disrespect, and spoken very 
 favorably of the British, he would be treated as badly by the 
 court as Polonois was by the captain. .He was, however, 
 persuaded to bring a suit. He wrote me afterwards that he 
 wished he had taken my advice, for the suit went against 
 him, and Le Faure in turn sued him for his passage and stores 
 and recovered ; although in consequence of his loading the 
 vessel Polonois was to have had his passage free. 
 
 After settling my business at Port au Prince, I was deter- 
 mined to go by land to the Cape. This was an undertaking 
 my friends at Port au Prince as well as those at Leogane and 
 the Mole advised me against, but as I was anxious to get to 
 the Cape, and knew it was very uncertain when I could get 
 there by water, they could not alter my intention. They 
 represented it as a journey, at that season of the year, very 
 disagreeable and dangerous. I took letters from Barfere for 
 several persons on the road, and had letters from other gen- 
 tlemen. The first place I stopped at, after leaving Port au 
 Prince, was St. Marks, where I was again advised to give up 
 my journey by land. They represented the country as very 
 unhealthy, and liable at that season of the year to be over- 
 flowed ; but having made up my mind before I left Port au 
 Prince, nothing they could say made any impression on me. 
 From St. Marks Bar^re's friend sent me in his carriage k few 
 
188 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 miles, ancl I was sent in carriages or on horseback from one 
 plantation to another, until I reached the Cape. The journey, 
 on account of the excessive heat, was very disagreeable, but 
 not so bad as it had been represented. The planters to tvhom 
 I had letters behaved with great politeness and attention. 
 My speaking a little French was of much advantage, and a 
 packet from the Chevalier de la Luzerne to the Grovernor 
 was of service to me. Some of those who saw the packet 
 oftered to send it to the Governor with more expedition than 
 I could take it, but I represented it to be of too much conse- 
 quence to be trusted to any person they could send. My 
 having the packet was owing to my requesting my friend, 
 Gen. MiflB.in, to procure a letter of introduction from the 
 Chevalier to the Governor. At the Cape the letter was of 
 service. A person going to any distant place, but particularly 
 to a foreign country, should carry letters of introduction, if 
 he can procure them. They are sometimes of great service ; 
 if you have no occasion for them, they give but little trouble. 
 I found at the Cape the ship discharging her cargo. After 
 settling my business here, and providing a cargo for the ship, 
 I took my passage in a brig bound to Wilmington. We left 
 Cape Frangois the 13th of August, 1783, and without any- 
 thing material happening, we arrived off Cape Henlopen 
 the 27th. It was night when the pilot boat came alongside. 
 I inquired what news. Instead of answering the question 
 he desired to know who it was speaking to him. I told 
 him Captain Biddle. "Captain Biddle !" he exclaimed, " I 
 never hear that name without being greatly affected." 
 When he came on board he told me my voice was so much 
 like that of my brother ISTicholas, that he was quite astonished 
 when I hailed him, and, if he had not been certain of his loss, 
 he should have supposed it was him who was speaking ; that 
 he had been a master's mate on board the Randolph, and 
 was put on board a prize the day before her loss. He spoke 
 of my brother as one for whom he would have sacrificed his 
 life. The 29th of August I landed at Wilmington, and 
 went up the same day in the stage to Philadelphia, and the 
 next to Reading, where I found my family all well. 
 
CHARLES EIDDLB. 189 
 
 Mr. James Collins, with whom I was acquainted while a 
 prisoner in JSTew York, had come from there, and settled in 
 Philadelphia. During my absence he married Lydia Biddle, 
 daughter of my brother James. He was a genteel man, of 
 a good family, and was strongly recommended to my brother 
 as a very worthy, man by Mr. John Maxfield ]S"esbit, and 
 several other respectable Irish gentlemen of Philadelphia. 
 Mr. Collins entered into partnership with Captain Thomas 
 Truxtun, under the firm of Collins & Truxtun. They opened 
 a large dry goods store, which they wished me to join them 
 in, but I was always averse to entering into any partnership. 
 Without you can place the utmost confidence in the honor, 
 integrity, and prudence of your partner, your mind must be 
 always uneasy, for it is in the power of a partner to ruin 
 you. It was very fortunate for me that I did not join in 
 this partnership. Being just before the close of the war 
 that they commenced business, they set up a ship to carry 
 twenty guns, and sent for a large quantity of goods. At the 
 peace these goods fell considerably, and the ship, which cost 
 them nearly sixteen thousand pounds, sold, I believe, for four 
 thousand, so that they were soon obliged to stop payment, 
 and, but for the honorable conduct of Captain Truxtun, 
 several of their friends, as well as myself, would have been 
 considerable losers by endorsing their notes. Collins not 
 having the means of doing anything for his creditors, took 
 the benefit of the Bankrupt Law ; but Truxtun would not 
 do this. He went commander of a ship to India, declaring 
 that not one of the endorsers should be a loser by him, and 
 he was as good as his word, paying the endorsers every 
 farthing due from the house. Such conduct will always 
 make a man esteemed and respected, and every one will 
 endeavor to push him forward in the world.* The practice 
 
 * Commodore Truxtun, after seeing much service during the war of the 
 Revolution in command of different armed vessels, was, on the re-organiza- 
 tion of the navy, in 1794, commissioned as the fifth captain on the list. 
 Whilst in command of the Constellation he captured the French frigate 
 L' Insurgente, and in February, 1800, off' Guadaloupe, he had a fierce 
 and bloody night engagement, lasting five hours, with the French frigate 
 
190 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 of endorsing notes was little understood here at this time. 
 Many persons would endorse notes for a thousand pounds 
 for a friend or acquaintance, who would not trust them to 
 the amount of five pounds in money, supposing the endors- 
 ing a note to be a mere matter of form ; however, the matter 
 of form proved a matter of substance to many who Were 
 ruined by it. The directors of the Bank of North America, 
 at this time the only bank in America (without probably 
 intending to do wrong) , did a great deal of mischief. If a 
 note was refused being discounted, they would tell the man 
 who offered the note, go and get such a one, naming some 
 friend or acquaintance, to endorse your note, and it shall be 
 done. By this means many a worthy man was ruined. 
 
 This fall I received a letter from my old friend Capt. Thos. 
 Allen, who wrote me he was just leaving North Carolina for 
 Philadelphia in a fine new ship, to fit her completely, and 
 charter her. He expressed great satisfaction at the pleasure 
 he should have in seeing me, and a wish that we should be 
 settled in the same place ; and that when he saw me he would 
 endeavor to persuade me to return to North Carolina, but 
 that if he could not, it was probable he should remove his 
 family to Philadelphia. I was in daily expectation of seeing 
 him, when we had an account of his loss, the ship having 
 overset in a heavy squall. A schooner that was about a mile 
 
 La Vengeance. The two ships were of equal force. The contest ended by 
 the French ship sheering off', and finally escaping, owing only to the loss of 
 the Constellation's mainmast. 
 
 Truxtun was an excellent seaman and an officer of the highest spirit and 
 courage. In 1802 he left the service, owing, as he always maintained, to 
 a misconstruction put upon his letter giving up the command of a squadron 
 to which he was appointed. The Secretary of the Kavy insisted (very 
 strangely, considering Truxtun' s high reputation) that the letter was a resig- 
 nation from the navy. This view prevailed, to Truxtun' s great indignation. 
 The Commodore was a good hater, and denounced the Secretary to the day 
 of his death ; in fact, was anxious to hold that gentleman personally responsi- 
 ble, after the fashion of the day. 
 
 He was subsequently elected High Sheriff of Philadelphia, and died uni- 
 versally respected in 1822. He is worthily represented in the navy at this 
 day by Captain William T. Truxtun, distinguished in the war of 1861-5. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 191 
 
 to leeward of her, saw her overset and founder, without 
 being able to afford them any assistance. The whole crew 
 perished. It was with great pain I heard of the loss of this 
 worthy man, for whom I had the affection of a brother. 
 
 I employed myself during the fall and winter in keeping a 
 sm'all store of goods with which I made as much as main- 
 tained my family, but intending to enter more largely into 
 business I thought Philadelphia would answer me better than 
 Reading, and therefore intended in the spring to move 
 there, but some of my friends in Berks wishing me to remain 
 in Reading until the fall, when there was to be an election 
 for a member of the Supreme Executive Council, which they 
 wanted me to be elected to, and as I knew my being a mem- 
 ber of Council would not prevent my entering into business, 
 I agreed to wait until the fall. I had two powerful German 
 competitors : Beltzer Gehr, one of them, had for several years 
 been a member of the Legislature, and also colonel of a 
 militia regiment ; the other was the sheriff" of the county, 
 P. Kreemer, whose time as sheriff' expired at the election. 
 The Germans are generally a very honest, industrious people, 
 and if treated with kindness, and you render them any ser- 
 vices, no people are more grateful. This I have had many 
 instances of. If they find any of their neighbors proud and 
 haughty, they will do anything to injure them. There was 
 one descendant of a German, Nicholas Rossious, who went to 
 school with me when I was a small boy, and with whom I 
 had had many severe battles. He was a warm, active, and 
 influential man at the election, and used every means in 
 his power to serve me. I had also another descendant of a 
 German my friend on the ground, Henry Wertz, who had 
 sailed with me. He came to the wharf just as I was putting 
 off in the Charming ISTancy, and inquired if there were 
 oranges where we were, going. I told him, " Yes ! plenty," 
 " Will you take me ?" " Yes, jump on board." He did so, 
 and made the voyage with me. I afterwards found the lad 
 had left his father's wagon and horses in town, and gone off' 
 without his knowledge. He came to me some time- after we 
 had been at home and begged I would write to his father, and 
 
192 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 inform him that he had been to sea with me; for, he said, 
 notwithstanding he carried him a bag of oranges his father 
 would not believe he had been at sea, but supposed he had 
 remained in Philadelphia. At the time of the election he 
 went to the cour1>house, where the election was held, swore 
 he knew Captain Biddle, that he had " been to sea mid him, 
 and fought mid him many times." During the time this 
 honest fellow was with me we had not a gun on board. 
 Several other Germans were active for me at the time of the 
 election, which shows they are not so much devoted to their 
 countrymen as has been said. As a sheriff" was to be elected, 
 and there were several candidates, we had a large election. I 
 had more votes than both my competitors. The result was 
 not known until late at night, when some of my friends, who 
 had been sitting up, came to inform me of it. With difficulty 
 I persuaded them, particularly Col. Lutz, a very stout man, 
 from parading about town with a drum and fife.* 
 
 I was a good deal affected, a short time before I left Read- 
 ing, at the fate of a young man who lived near me, of the 
 name of Welsh. He had entered the American army at the 
 commencement of the war, and served during the whole of 
 it. For the first two or three years, being a boy, he was em- 
 ployed as a waiter to Major Scull, a cousin of mine. At the 
 peace, he married and settled at Reading, near which town 
 he was born. Coming home one evening he overtook a lame 
 countrywoman carrying a large bundle. Welsh, who was a 
 good tempered fellow, told her he would carry it for her. 
 She thanked him, and gave it to him. At this time I be- 
 lieve he had no intention of committing a robbery, but find- 
 ing there was a handkerchief with nine dollars in thq bundle, 
 
 *-This elention was in October, 1784, John Dickinson being then Presi- 
 dent, and General James Irvine, Vice-President of the Council. By the 
 Pennsylvania Constitution of 1 776, the executive power was vestefl in a " Su- 
 preme Executive Council," consisting of members who were elected (but not 
 on a general ticket) by the counties. The members of the Assembly and 
 the members of the Council met together once a year, to choose from the 
 Councillors, by joint ballot, a President and a Vice-President. This system 
 continued until the adoption of the Constitution of 1790. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 193 
 
 just before they entered the town he, unobserved by her, took 
 them out, and gave her the bundle, "When she got to her 
 lodging, she missed the dollars; and from the description 
 she gave of "Welsh, he was suspected and taken up. "When 
 before a magistrate, he immediately acknowledged he had 
 taken the money, but said he only did it to frighten her, and 
 intended to have called and given it to her, and he returned 
 every dollar. The magistrate sent him to gaol. At his 
 trial, several officers with whom he had served, happened to 
 be in Reading, all of whom appeared in court, and gave him 
 an exceedingly good character. He had able counsel as- 
 signed him, who endeavored to persuade the jury it was only 
 a breach of trust. The charge, however, from Chief Justice 
 McKean, was against him, and the jury brought him in 
 guilty, and he was executed. I doubt whether in England 
 a man would have suffered death for such an offence, but 
 the war was just over, and it was expected that many of the 
 soldiers would infest the roads ; otherwise, I believe poor 
 Welsh would not have suffered. To the honor of the Ameri- 
 can army, I believe this was the only soldier tried for rob- 
 bery. I saw "Welsh several times after sentence was passed 
 on him. He was perfectly resigned to his fate. He said the 
 day before he overtook the woman, from whom he had taken 
 the money, that he had been obliged to sell a sickle to buy a 
 fowl for his wife who was sick ; that he was willing to 
 work, and did work whenever he could get any to do, but it 
 was not in his power to maintain a sick wife and himself. I 
 asked him why he had not informed me, or some other gen- 
 tleman in Reading, of his distress. He replied, that as he 
 was a hearty young man, he could not bear the thought of 
 begging assistance, that death was less terrible to him. It 
 would have given pleasure to many in Reading, besides my- 
 self, to have relieved the poor fellow. The morning^he died, 
 I went to see him, and foimd he was out of his dungeon. He 
 was a very handsome young man, clean, and neatly dressed, 
 and ready to proceed. His wife and several of his friends 
 were with him, but there was hot one in the room but what 
 was much more affected than "Welsh, who was perfectly com- 
 13 
 
194 AUTOBIOGEAPHT OF 
 
 posed, and behaved with great propriety. The minister who 
 was to attend him went in with me, and was much 
 shocked at seeing that the executioner (a Hessian) had his 
 face blacked, and declared he should not go in that condi- 
 tion. Welsh told the minister that the man's being blacked 
 could not possibly do any injury, and probably would pre- 
 vent his being ill-used by some of his comrades, and there- 
 fore begged he would let him go as he was. He requested 
 to walk to the gallows, which was more than a mile from 
 the gaol. Being Chief Burgess* of the borough, I attended, 
 and rode near the prisoner, who marched with great firmness. 
 There was an immense crowd ,f the people for fifteen or 
 twenty miles around having brought their children to see 
 the execution, thinking it would have a good effect. I 
 should suppose it would rather be an injury to them. The 
 hill near the gallows was covered with men, women, and 
 children. When we drew near, Welsh looked towards the 
 hill, and said to me, "Mr. Biddle, that is a grand sight, but I 
 shall soon see a much more glorious one." He continued to 
 the last moment to behave with the same firmness. A poor 
 wretch was executed with him, for house-breaking ; but he 
 appeared stupid, and said nothing from the time he was 
 brought out of the dungeon. 
 
 I left Reading the 20th of October, 1784, for Philadelphia, 
 where I had rented and furnished a house. Several of my 
 friends rode w;ith me to Pottsgrove. I was now entering 
 into a scene of life very diflfereut from what I had been ac- 
 customed to, or expected. At the time I took my seat, the 
 celebrated John Dickinson was President of the Supreme 
 Executive Council, and General James Irvine was Vice-Presi- 
 
 * I was electeiChief Burgess while in Philadelphia, and contrary to my 
 wish or ei^pectation. Had Welsh been brought before me, after hearing the 
 parties, and giving the woman her money, I should have dismissed him. — 
 Author's note. 
 
 t It was said an old woman walked near seventy miles to see this execu- 
 tion. Being fatigued with her walk, a little before the execution she fell 
 asleep and did not wake until it was over, when she cried most bitterly. — 
 Adthor's note. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 195 
 
 dent, both of whom I knew, but had no acquaintance with 
 either of them. Mr. Dickinson was an intimate friend of my 
 brother James, who gave me letters to him, and he received 
 me in a very friendly manner. Gen. Irvine had served with 
 my brother Edward, for whose loss he expressed the greatest 
 regret. I found Council nearly divided between what were 
 then called Republicans and Constitutionalists. Prom the 
 knowledge the Republicans had of my brothers James and 
 Edward, they expected I would join their party, but coming 
 from the county of Berks, most of the inhabitants of which 
 were Constitutionalists, it was expected I would vote with 
 them. But I went into Council with a firm resolution not 
 to suffer any party views to influence my conduct, and this I 
 adhered to. 
 
 The winter after my election there were a number of appli- 
 cants for the office of Prothonotary for the county of Dauphin, 
 a county just before erected. Among the applicants were 
 Col. Atlee and Capt. Graydon. They were the only two who 
 had any chance of succeeding ; both had served with reputa- 
 tion in the American army, and they both were of the 
 Republican party, who just at that time had a majority in 
 Council. Capt. Graydon and myself had a dispute just before 
 I left Reading, and nothing but the interference of our friends 
 prevented our fighting. At the time he came down to make 
 his application we did not speak, but he brought me a letter 
 from my brother James, who wrote me that I could not 
 render him a more acceptable piece of service than assisting 
 Capt. Graydon to obtain the office. This letter from a brother 
 so dear to me, determined me to use all my interest for Capt. 
 Graydon. I introduced him to the President and all the 
 members of Council in town, with none of whom was he 
 before acquainted. "When I introduced him to Mr. Dickin- 
 son he desired, when the election should come on, that I 
 would remind him of Capt. Graydon. Col. Meason, one of 
 the members, mentioned something like it. Both these 
 gentlemen were the intimate and warm friends of Col. Atlee, 
 who the year before had been with them in Council. .A few 
 days after this the Republican party, having a majority, 
 
196 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 determined to bring on the election. I was much displeased ; 
 however they had a majority, and there was no preventing 
 them. There were at this time thirteen members, seven 
 Republicans, five Constitutionalists, and myself. The five 
 Constitutionalists had promised me they would vote for Capt. 
 Gray don ; and in fact I knew they would vote for any one 
 set up in opposition to the one proposed by the Republicans. 
 "When the election came on Col. Atlee was in the committee 
 room, having been brought there by his friends, who enter- 
 tained no doubt of his succeeding. The custom then in 
 Council was to set up the candidates, one after the other, and 
 whoever had the greatest number of votes (if a majority 
 of the members present) was the ofiicer. We drew who 
 should be first voted for. The ticket was either yes, or a 
 blank. It happened Atlee was the first voted for ; he had 
 seven votes. When Graydon was voted for I went up to the 
 President, and telling him he had requested me to remind 
 him of Capt. Graydon, said I must therefore beg he would 
 oblige me by putting in a vote for him, and gave him a ticket, 
 which I saw him put in the hat. I then went to Col. Meason 
 and desired he would do the same, which he did. By this 
 means Capt. Graydon had eight votes. The President and 
 Meason were almost 'distracted when they found Graydon 
 had a majority. They both thought when they gave us their 
 votes for Graydon that it would gratify me and be of no 
 injury to Atlee. After musing for some time Mr. Dickinson 
 said he did not think any appointment good without the 
 approbation of the President. I told him if he did think so, 
 he was the only member who did. Before I left Council I 
 sent for Graydon, had his sureties approved of, and his com- 
 mission made out and signed by the Vice-President. When I 
 afterwards saw Col. Atlee he told me he did not blame me 
 the least, but said he lamented that a brother of Edward Bid- 
 die, whom he loved and esteemed more than any other man 
 that ever lived, should have opposed him. But he never 
 forgave Mr. Dickinson. Indeed it was unpardonable in him. 
 Mr. Dickinson is a very worthy good man, but frequently 
 was persuaded to do what he knew he ought not to do. This 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 197 
 
 affair was reported at the time much against Mr. Dickinson ; 
 it was said I forced him to vote for Graydon, but it happened 
 just as I have related it.* 
 
 In October, 1785, the time of the President, Mr. Dickin- 
 son, and the Vice-President, General Irvine, expired. It 
 was, therefore, necessary an election should be held among 
 the members of Council to chose a Vice-President until the 
 meeting of the Legislature. I was unanimously elected, f 
 and thus, for a short time, was the Chief Magistrate of Penn- 
 sylvania. It is not from vanity that this is mentioned, but 
 as an uncommon circumstance that a man brought up to the 
 sea, and who, from the misfortune of his father, was left 
 
 * Of this election, Graydon himself gives the following account: — 
 "In the year 1785, I had the good fortune, through the warm exertions 
 of an influential friend, to obtain an appointment to the prothonotaryship of 
 the Dauphin County Court. By a combination of circumstances working 
 together to my advantage, I obtained, contrary to expectation, the suffrage 
 of the Supreme Executive Council, of which Mr. Dickinson was then Presi- 
 dent. The Republican party possessed a majority in the Council, and 
 Colonel AtleC; who belonged to it, was designated for the office. He was 
 conspicuous as a party man, and, if I mistake not, at the time a member of 
 the Legislature ; and on the score of services and character no one had better 
 
 claims." " To keep out Atlee, the Constitutionalists were 
 
 disposed to give their votes to any one of his competitors. Of course, I had 
 all their strength ; and by adding to it two or three Republican votes, I ac- 
 quired a greater number than any in nomination. As the mode was to vote 
 for the candidates individually, there was no physical, or perhaps, moral im- 
 pediment, to each of them receiving the vote of every member. A promise 
 to one was not broken by also voting for another, unless it was exclusively 
 made. The President had, probably, given a promise to Colonel Atlee, as 
 well as myself; and considering me, perhaps, as too weak to endanger his 
 success, thought he might safely gratify my friend, who pinned him to the 
 vote, which, on coming to the box, he seemed half inclined to withhold." 
 . . . . " Mr. Dickinson, for his want of decision, as it was called, was 
 bitterly inveighed against by his party ; and the next day at the coffee-house 
 when receiving the congratulations of some of my acquaintances, Mr. Michael 
 Morgan O'Brien, who chanced to be present, and to whom I was then in- 
 troduced, asserted it as a fact, that the President had suffered his hand to be 
 seized and crammed into the box with a ticket for me ; ' but no matter' 
 said he, "you are a clever fellow I am told, and I am glad that you have 
 got the office.' " — Graydon, page 309. 
 t October 10, 1785. 
 
198 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 without a fortune, should so early in life be raised to such a 
 station. 
 
 In Septemher, this year, Dr. Franklin arrived from France. 
 He was received with great joy by his fellow citizens. All 
 the officers of goverjiment, and the different societies in the 
 city, waited upon him, and congratulated him upon his arri- 
 val. In October he was elected a member of the Executive 
 Council for the city. A few days after the election, October 
 17, 1785, 1 waited on him, and went with him to the meet- 
 ing of Council at the State House. Thinking there was an 
 impropriety in my sitting as President of the Board when 
 the Doctor was a member, I proposed, at the meeting next 
 before the one when he came to the Board, to elect him 
 President, which was agreed to, and he was accordingly 
 chosen. 
 
 The Doctor, being at this time very much troubled with 
 the stone, seldom attended Council ; nothing, however, of 
 ^ny consequence was done at the Board without consulting 
 him ; and I called on him almost every day to see if he had 
 anything to propose. 
 
 "When the election for President and Vice-President came 
 on in the Legislature, some of the leading members of the 
 Republican party, not having found me their thorough-paced 
 devotee, had a meeting for the purpose of preventing my 
 being re-elected, but finding themselves too weak, declined 
 the attempt. Dr. Franklin was elected President, and I was 
 elected Vice-President, almost unanimously.* I believe 
 there were only two votes but what were for me, and but 
 one that was not for the Doctor. My friend, General Mifflin, 
 who was then Speaker of the House, and who counted the 
 votes, was much mortified Avhen he found the election was 
 not unanimous, particularly on account of Dr. Franklin. 
 He was rising to say something on the subject, but sitting 
 near him, and judging his intention, I stopped him. I 
 walked with the Doctor to the old Court House, where we 
 were proclaimed; from thence we went back to the State 
 
 * October 29, 1785. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 199 
 
 House, where we had to wait until the members of the 
 Council, and the House of Representatives congratulated us 
 upon our election. It was a severe business for the Doctor, 
 who told me that day the stone gave hira uncommon pain. 
 He, however, was very cheerful, and, in fact, I hardly ever 
 knew him otherwise. The streets were much crowded from 
 many people in the city having never seen the Doctor. As 
 we passed the door where Baron Steuben stood, he pulled 
 off his hat, which the Doctor thought was very improper to 
 a person walking in a procession. I believe the remark was 
 occasioned by his feeling some pain in taking his arm from 
 mine to pijU off his hat. He was very much rejoiced when 
 he reached his own house. 
 
 In the spring of 1786 a young woman was condemned at 
 Chester for the murder of her bastard children. Her name 
 was Elizabeth Wilson, and she was of a respectable family in 
 Chester County. Her brother, William Wilson, came with 
 a petition to Council for a respite. He was a sensible young 
 man, and of a very good character. He declared, when he 
 handed me the petition, that he would not have interested 
 himself for her, if he thought her guilty of the murder ; that 
 when she was first condemned he believed she was, and there- 
 fore would not go near her ; but he was now convinced she 
 was innocent, and he had no doubt but that the story she told 
 
 him was true. She said one D , Sheriff of Sussex County, 
 
 'New Jersey, visited her when she lived in Philadelphia, that 
 under a promise of marriage he seduced her, and was the 
 father of the twins for the murder of whom she was con- 
 demned ; that when the children were six weeks old he came 
 to see her at the house she boarded at in Chester County, per- 
 suaded her to take a walk with him, saying he intended to put 
 the children out to nurse ; that when they got into the woods, 
 he took them from her and laying them on the ground, the in- 
 human monster put his feet on their breasts, and crushed 
 them to death. He then threatened to murder her if ever 
 she mentioned a word about what he had done, bid her go 
 home, and tell the people she lodged with that he had taken 
 the children to Jersey to nurse, which the dread she was 
 
200 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 under of his murdering her, made her comply with ; that she 
 would, at the expense of her life, hav-e endeavored to save the 
 children, but that she had no suspicion of his diabolical in- 
 tention until it was too late to save them. The bodies of the 
 children were found a few days afterwards by some dogs, 
 which led to the discovery of the murder. Council immedi- 
 ately upon the petition being read, agreed to a respite for 
 thirty days, and young Wilson set off the same day for Jersey. 
 He there found the Sheriff, who declared he never knew his 
 sister, and said he had not been in Philadelphia for two years. 
 Wilson after making some inquiries, rode back to his sister, 
 and getting further information from her, went again into 
 
 Jersey. He found a person who could prove D had been in 
 
 Philadelphia and lodged in the house with her, and was in 
 expectation of obtaining further proof against him, when he 
 was taken sick in Jersey. Finding the time draw near, sick 
 as he was, he set off' for home in order to get a further respite. 
 It was late in the morning when he reached Chester, when to 
 his great surprise he was told that the time granted her was 
 out that day (he thought it was not until the next) and that the 
 Sheriff' was preparing for her execution. He was very unwell, 
 having suffered much both in body and mind ; he, however, 
 galloped to Philadelphia as fast as it was possible, and unfor- 
 tunately went to the President's where, notwithstanding all 
 his entreaties, it was some time before he could get to see him, 
 and when he did, he staid endeavoring to persuade the Doctor 
 to give him a line to the Sheriff, which the Doctor, thinking 
 it improper, refused, and directed him to me. I was just 
 leaving the Council chamber when he came, all the members 
 but myself having gone. I immediately wrote,. " Do not ex- 
 ecute Wilson until you hear further from Council," and di- 
 rected it to the Sheriff. I well knew the Board intended to 
 grant a further respite, but had it been a doubt with me, I 
 should have written to defer the execution, for putting it off 
 a day could be of no consequence. Wilson setoff the instant 
 I gave him the paper, carrying it in his hand. He rode down 
 in an hour and a quarter, a distance of fifteen miles, and the 
 road at that time excessively bad. His sister had been turned 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 201 
 
 oft' about ten minutes. "What a dreadful sight for an affec- 
 tionate brother! They immediately cut her down, but 
 although every means were used they could not restore her 
 to life. She persisted in the same storj' to the last moment 
 of her life, which she resigned with great fortitude, being 
 perfectly calm and composed. The only thing she seemed to 
 regret was the trouble she had given her poor, sick brother, 
 and the pain he must suffer on her account. Just before the 
 cart drove away she looked attentively towards Philadelphia 
 to see if her brother was in sight. For my own part, I firmly 
 believed her innocent, for to me it appeared highly improb- 
 able that a mother, after suckling her children for six weeks, 
 could murder them. The next day when Council met, and 
 we heard of the execution, it gave uneasiness to many of the 
 members, all of whom were against her being executed, at 
 least until her brother had had full time to make his inquiries, 
 and I am sure, if he had not been successful, there was a large 
 majority would have been for pardoning her. It is strange, 
 considering the chances this unfortunate girl had, that her 
 life was not saved. It was extraordinary that none of the 
 members of Council, the Secretary, nor his deputy, should 
 have recollected that the time granted was expired ; that her- 
 self, the clergyman who attended her, nor none of her family 
 or friends, should have applied before, or that the Sheriff, 
 who was a very good man, should not have called or sent to 
 Council before he executed her, and lastly that her brother, 
 who knew Council were sitting at the State House, should 
 pass them, and go to the President. Had he stopped at the 
 State House, she would have been saved. He supposed, if 
 he stopped at Council, there would be some time taken up in 
 debate, and that the President would immediately have given 
 him a letter to the Sheriff. I understood afterwards that 
 he soon followed his sister to her grave.* 
 
 * A full detail of the unhappy event will be found in a tract entitled, ' ' A 
 Faithful Narrative of Elizabeth Wilson, who was executed at Chester, 
 January 3, 1 786, charged with the murder of her twin infants. Philadel- 
 phia: Printed for the purchaser, 1807." 8vo. pp. 23. A rude wood-cut 
 of the final scene ornaments the title page ; a troop of light horse surrounds 
 
2Q2 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Perhaps the punishment of death is too great for an un- 
 married woman who destroys her child. The}' are generally 
 led to it from a fear of being exposed. It is, to be sure, a 
 shocking crime. If confinement for life, or for a term of 
 years, at the discretion of the court, was the punishment, 
 more would be convicted, and it would tend to put a stop to 
 the crime. "While death is the punishment, a jury will sel- 
 dom find a verdict against them. If death is the punishment 
 of the mother, what punishment is too severe for the villain 
 who seduces, and afterwards abandons the wretched mother. 
 
 I never was present but at one trial for this crime. It was 
 at Reading. The daughter of a wealthy farmer was tried for 
 the murder of her child. My brother James was employed 
 aster counsel. It appeared perfectly clear from the evidence, 
 that she hove the child into the Schuylkill soon after it was 
 born ; but there was one circumstance which had great in- 
 fiuence with the jury, and made them doubt the evidence 
 that was given against her. It was, that when the constable 
 broke open her trunk, after she was confined, he found a 
 quantity of ready made clothes for an infant. This induced 
 the jury to believe she did not destroy her child, or made 
 them doubt it, and they acquitted her. 
 
 Council were nearly equal at this time, with respect to par- 
 ties. The Republican members were : Messrs. Seville, Hill, 
 Muhlenberg, Ross, Willing, Boyd, and Elliott. The Consti- 
 tutionalists were: Messrs. McLene, Whitehill, Smilie, Find- 
 ley, Watts, Smith, Dean, Hoge, and Martin. The distinction 
 was, that the Republicans wanted an alteration in the Consti- 
 tution. They wished to have a House of Representatives 
 
 the gibbet ; and hard by is an open coffin and the corpse of her children. 
 The wretch for whose crimes she suffered called himself Joseph Deshong, 
 and first met her at the Cross- Keys tavern, in Chesnut Street, Philadelphia, 
 where she then lodged. The murder was committed in East Bradford Town- 
 ship, Chester County. Her trial came off on the 17th October, 1785, before 
 Judge Atlee ; the respite did not reach the ground till twenty-three minutes 
 after she was turned off. There is no doubt that the poor girl was innocent. 
 A copy of this rare pamphlet was in the possession of the late Mr. Winthrop 
 Sargent. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 203 
 
 and a Senate. The otlier party thought no alteration neces- 
 sary. My brother Edward, when living, was at the head of 
 the Republican party. Much could be said on both sides. 
 If a single branch sometimes does wrong, they are (where 
 there are two branches) often retarded in their business, and 
 sometimes prevented from doing right. I believe, however, 
 that, upon the whole, it is better to have two branches. 
 
 "We had frequent and violent disputes between these mem- 
 bers upon political subjects, but they were of little conse- 
 quence then, and can be of none now. The best informed 
 man of either party, and the readiest at business, was Mr. 
 Hoge, but he was so diffident a man, that if we had a full 
 Council, he could never rise to make a motion, or even to 
 second one. He was a worthy, valuable man. McLene, 
 Whitehill, Smilie, and Findley are all sensible men; they 
 would not be the least embarrassed in speaking before any 
 assembly whatever. Smilie and -Findley are natives of Ire- 
 land, the former was brought up a house carpenter ; the lat- 
 ter a weaver. They are both men of talents, and if they had 
 received a good education would have made a figure in any 
 legislative body. McLene and Whitehill are Pennsylvanians. 
 These four had been leading members of the State Legislature. 
 They are all now, May, 1803, living. Whitehill is one of 
 the Associate Judges for Lancaster County. He, as well as 
 Smilie and Findley, were elected to Congress. McLene has 
 retired from public business. 
 
 When I first took my seat in Council, not having been 
 acquainted with any people from the Western country, I 
 thought from their conversation that McLene, Boyd, Smith, 
 and Whitehill were Irishmen. It was some time after I 
 had been in Council, that I found they were not. Talking 
 one day with Smith (who had as much of the brogue and 
 look of an Irishman, as any one that ever came from Tippe- 
 rary) about being at sea, he told me he never was at sea in 
 his life. "And how, my honey," says Dean, who was sitting 
 by me, and who also thought him from Ireland, " did you 
 get to Philadelphia?" "Why I rode here." "And, arrah, 
 honey ! did you ride here all the way from Ireland ? I never 
 
204 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 heafd of a bridge between tbe two countries." " Devil a bit 
 of me," says Smitb, " was ever out of Pennsylvania." And 
 this I found was true, and that McLean, Whitehall, and 
 Boyd were all born in Pennsylvania. People who live in an 
 Irish settlement, or who are much with the Irish, generally 
 afl'ectthe brogue. When I sailed from Philadelphia, in the 
 ship Lark, my second mate and most of the crew were Irish- 
 men ; on my return, I had as much of it as any of the crew. 
 Landing at ISTewcastle, while dining with several gentlemen 
 from Philadelphia, one of them asked me if I was not born in 
 Philadelphia. Upon my answering in the affirmative, a man 
 who was sitting in a corner of the room, started up and ex- 
 claimed in a great rage, " By J , I hate a fellow that de- 
 nies his country." I felt angry at first, but looking at the 
 man, and seeing he was old and feeble, I was disarmed of all 
 resentment, and could not refrain from laughing heartily, in 
 which I was joined by all the company, except the old man, 
 who was much displeased with our mirth. He looked at me 
 with rage and contempt. However, I soon pleased him by 
 speaking favorably of the Irish, and drinking prosperity to 
 Ireland, we became good friends. 
 
 John Boyd, one of our Senators, commanded a company 
 on the frontiers, and was an excellent partisan officer. During 
 the war he was wounded and taken prisoner by the Indians. 
 Having killed a number of them before he was taken, they 
 were determined to burn him. For this purpose he was 
 stripped naked and tied to a stake, and expected every 
 moment to suffer death, when he was released by the inter- 
 cession of one of the squaws who had had her husband killed 
 in the engagement with Boyd. His life was probably saved 
 in consequence of his being a stout, well-made man. 
 
 Dean was from Bucks County. It was said he obtained a 
 seat in Council by telling some of the men who make them- 
 selves busy at elections, that he would get them appointed 
 officers.* He had been an officer, and a braver never went 
 
 * A gentleman who was unpopular in Berks County, got into the Legis- 
 lature by laying boots, hats, and clothes, with some of the leading men at 
 the election, that he would not be elected. — Author's note. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 205 
 
 into a 'field of battle. He is a man of a great deal of humor, 
 and has many good qualities, but is too fond of taverns and 
 keeping improper company. While in Council he had a dis- 
 pute with a Dr. Linn, who said Dean had promised him his 
 vote for some office, and afterwards voted against him. This 
 by an officious friend was told Dean, who swore he would 
 get a cowskin and whip him until he drove all the molasses* 
 he had in him out. The Doctor hearing of this, challenged 
 Dean. The first notice I had of the affair was Dean's calling 
 on me for my pistols. Upon hearing what the dispute was 
 about, I told him it was a foolish thing to fight about, and it 
 should be made up. He told me it was in vain to preach to 
 him, for fight him he would. They accordingly went into Jer- 
 sey in the morning. By agreement they were to stand at the 
 distance of ten paces from each other, and fire at the word of 
 command, " make ready, present, fire." This they did the 
 first time at the same instant, without effect. The second 
 time, at the word " present," the Doctor fired. The ball 
 would have killed Dean, having struck him on the groin, if 
 it had not been that he had on a pair of leather breeches, 
 with a thick band. It just penetrated the band, and made a 
 black mark in his groin. Dean supposed himself to be mor- 
 tally wounded, and although naturally cool as brave, being 
 extremely exasperated, he fired, and then threw his pistol at 
 the Doctor, both which missing, he went up, and before the 
 seconds could prevent him, knocked the Doctor down with 
 his fist. Captain Symonds, the friend of the Doctor, declared 
 he had behaved shamefully, and refused to cross the river in 
 the boat with him. I believe, however, what the Doctor 
 said was true, that the pistol went off by accident. He 
 acknowledged Dean had never made him any promise. 
 
 About this time an Indian of the name of Mamachtaguin 
 was tried, condemned, and executed for the murder of John 
 Smith and Benjamin Jones. This poor fellow could not be 
 persuaded to plead not guilty. Notwithstanding all his 
 counsel could say, he persisted in declaring he had killed the 
 
 * The Doctor was a native of New England. — Author's note. 
 
206 AUT0BI06KAPHT OP 
 
 men, that it was rum made him do it. I believe the Indians 
 who do not associate with the whites seldom or never tell 
 an untruth. A short time before the execution of this Indian 
 a wretch of the name of John McDonald was executed. It 
 appeared that he was left to take care of the houge of one 
 Krayman, a farmer of Bucks County. The evening Kray- 
 man left home, the villain got into the chamber of Mrs. 
 Krayman, and attempted to get into her bed. Finding she 
 resisted him the inhuman monster murdered her with a 
 hatchet he had taken upstairs with him. He then killed her 
 infant son, set fire to the house, and made off. Upon appli- 
 cation to Council a proclamation was issued, offering a reward 
 for apprehending him. He was a remarkable man, being not 
 more than five feet four inches high, and very stoutly made. 
 A few days after the proclamation was out, going down 
 Market Street, I saw a man sitting upon one of the stalls 
 who appeared to answer exactly the description given of 
 McDonald. I immediately went up to him, and putting some 
 questions to him, I had no doubt in my own mind, but that 
 he was the man who had committed the murder. I obliged 
 him to stay at a friend's house until I sent for the description 
 given of McDonald by the unfortunate husband. He answered 
 the description as to size, age, country, and in every other 
 particular, except his hair, which was of a different color. 
 The fellow was so much confused when examined, and so 
 rejoiced at getting clear, that I strongly suspected he too had 
 been guilty of some crime, for which he was afraid he should 
 be confined. The real McDonald died game, as it is called by 
 such wretches, that is, like a hardened villain. A gentleman 
 present when he was led pinioned and put in the cart for exe- 
 cution, observed he believed he had seen him before, wheeling 
 oysters about the streets of Philadelphia. " Yes," says he, 
 " you may have seen me before, wheeling oysters, and if you 
 will wait until Jack Ketch has done with me, I'll turn round, 
 that you may see me behind and know me better at our next 
 meeting." 
 
 For many years there had been disputes between the States 
 of Pennsylvania and Connecticut respecting their boundaries. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 207 
 
 and a good many people lost their lives in consequence of those 
 disputes. Commissioners were appointed by Congress in 
 pursuance of an Article of the Confederation, who sat at Tren- 
 ton, in 1782, and after a long hearing gave a decree in favor of 
 Pennsylvania. In order to give the citizens of Pennsylvania 
 quiet possession of their lands, the Legislature passed an act 
 for raising two companies of infantry. The command of 
 these men was given to Col. James Moore. Shortly before 
 the time for which they were enlisted expired, they marched 
 ■ a number of the Connecticut families (said by Col. Moore to 
 be very turbulent) out of the settlement, and a few were sent 
 to Easton gaol.* These people complained of being treated 
 with great barbarity. Prom my knowledge of Col. Moore I 
 do not believe he would have suffered them to be treated with 
 cruelty. When the troops were disbanded, the Connecticut 
 people returned to their former habitations, and fresh dis- 
 turbances soon ensued. Upon complaint being made to the 
 Executive Council, some militia were ordered out from Berks 
 and Northampton. Gen. John Armstrong,t the Secretary to 
 Council, was appointed to command them. After remaining 
 some time in the county, finding the settlersfled as he advanced, 
 and that he could not bring them to action, he entered into a 
 treaty with them and they delivered up their arms. 
 
 In September, 1786, a new county was erected called 
 Luzerne, in which county most of the lands in dispute lay. 
 Colonel Pickering, since Secretary of State, applied to be 
 Prothonotary of the county, and was appointed. It was 
 expected, as he was a native of N^ew England, and a man of 
 great respectability, that he would be able to keep the settle- 
 ment quiet, and that those who held under Pennsylvania 
 would have peaceable possession of their lands ; this, how- 
 ever, was not the case. The Connecticut people drove off" 
 the commissioner sent by the Executive of the State to 
 
 * At the trial of one of these people at Easton, he said he was in a tavern 
 at Wilkes-Barre, when Capt. Ball, who commanded one of the companies 
 under Moore, came in and called out, "Where is that damned rascal, S. 
 Y ?" "And I immediately answered and said, here am I." — Author's 
 
 NOTE. 
 
 t Afterwards Secretary of War under President Madison. 
 
208 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 endeavor to settle their disputes, and soon after obliged him 
 to leave the settlement, treating him with every mark of 
 indignity. About this time John Franklin, who was con- 
 sidered the principal leader in all these disturbances, wrote 
 to Council that if he could appear before the Board in safety, 
 he would come down and state the injustice that was done 
 to the Connecticut settlers by the commissioner and others 
 sent amongst them. Council were surprised at receiving 
 this letter ; however, it was immediately agreed he should 
 have a pass to come down and be heard. One was accord-, 
 ingly sent him, and in a few days he came to town. He 
 took up his lodgings opposite the State House, and sent word 
 he was in town, and wished to know when he should wait 
 upon Council. He was immediately informed the Board 
 were ready to hear him. He soon appeared. He was a very 
 stout man, then in the prime of life, being about forty-five 
 years of age (he is now, 1804, a member of the Legislature 
 for Luzerne), and had the look of a soldier. He was accom- 
 panied by John Jenkins, another leading man among the 
 Connecticut settlers. He said he had come down to answer 
 &ny charges that could be made against the Connecticut 
 settlers, and expected he could convince the Board they had 
 been treated with injustice and cruelty. As Dr. Franklin 
 was not present, I told him he had requested a pass to come 
 and inform the Board of their reasons for being dissatisfied 
 with the treatment they had received from the Pennsylva- 
 niaus ; that we would now hear him, and, if they had any 
 real complaints, endeavor to redress them. He said he 
 expected first to hear the complaints against them ; however, 
 he was ready to state theirs. He took up the business from 
 the Decree of Trenton, and gave a particular account of 
 every material transaction that happened in the settlement 
 from that time. He said Colonel Moore and his troops had 
 behaved exceedingly ill to the Connecticut claimants, but 
 General Armstrong* had behaved much worse, that finding 
 
 * Gen. Armstrong, as Secretary, was present during the time Franklin 
 was speaking. It was with some difficulty I could prevent him from inter- 
 rupting him. He told me afterward there was some truth in what he had 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 209 
 
 he could do nothing with the militia he had with him, he 
 offered the settlers, that if they would deliver up their arms, 
 they should all be suffered to return to their homes, and not 
 be molested in any way whatever, and should have a fair 
 and candid hearing, and if they had any real cause of com- 
 plaint, they should be redressed; that being extremely 
 anxious to return home, and live quiet and peaceable with 
 their families, they agreed, and did surrender their arms. 
 Immediately after they had delivered up their arms they were 
 ordered into an old barn where there was no floor, and, 
 although it was covered with mud and filth, they were 
 obliged to lie down in it, and the sentinels had orders to fire 
 on any one that attempted to raise his head. Some of those 
 confined in this manner were old men, one of them upwards 
 of seventy years of age. A number of them were after- 
 wards marched to Easton gaol. He related many other cir- 
 cumstances of ill treatment they had received. Council 
 informed him they would take the matter into consideration, 
 and desired him and Jenkins to retire. Franklin, finding 
 little encouragement, soon left the city. He was afterwards 
 a very active man against the Pennsylvania landholders. 
 
 In this year there were two men executed in Franklin 
 County, and although there were never any that deserved the 
 gallows more than these men, there were petitions signed by 
 most of the people in the county for a pardon. One of them 
 was an old man, Josiah Eamage. He had been married to 
 the woman he murdered seven and thirty years. Upon some 
 dispute with her, he beat her in a shocking manner, hove 
 
 said, but he had mentioned several things that were false. Armstrong 
 wrote the anonymous letter addressed to the officers and soldiers at the con- 
 clusion of the war. He showed me others that he had written, which were 
 not published. Armstrong has very superior talents, but they are almost 
 useless, he is so extremely indolent. Smilie, speaking in the House of 
 Representatives of his expedition into Luzerne, compared him to Verres. 
 The next morning, when I went to the State House, I found Armstrong 
 walking before the door of the room in which the Representatives sat. In- 
 quiring what he was doing there, he told me he was waiting to see Smilie. 
 I presuaded him away, and afterwards had the affair made up. He by na 
 means deserved a comparison with Verres. — Author's note. 
 14 
 
210 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 her on the floor, and while she lay there senseless, he got 
 upon a table, and jumped upon her breast, which put a period 
 to her life. The other, John Hanna, was a young man who 
 had been from Ireland six months. He was beating a boy 
 about thirteen years of age, when the father of the boy came 
 up, took him away, and gave Hanna a kick. Hanna went 
 to the place where he had been working, got an iron bar 
 with which he had been at work, and while the father of the 
 boy was standing at his own door, he came behind him 
 and struck him on the head with the bar, which instantly 
 killed him. Soon after their condemnation, it was debated 
 at the Board whether a warrant should issue for their exe- 
 cution. Dr. Franklin not being in Council, the question was 
 put by me. There were then eight members present; of 
 these, Gen. Muhlenberg and Mr. George Eoss, of Lancaster, 
 would never vote for the execution of any criminal. Two 
 other members joined them, so that it remained with me to 
 say whether they should be executed or not. Thinking it 
 would be an act of injustice to let such wretches loose upon 
 society, I should have voted without hesitation for their exe- 
 cution, but a motion for postponement was made and carried. 
 A warrant soon after issued for their execution. An 
 acquaintance of mine told me some time afterwards, that he 
 had them buried in his orchard ; that before this he had his 
 orchard frequently robbed, but no robbery was committed 
 after he had these sentinels. 
 
 It is an easy matter to get a petition signed for a pardon, 
 or an office. Many people do not like to refuse, and will put 
 their names to a petition, although they know it is improper. 
 A sheriff of my acquaintance, who was frequently called on 
 to sign a recommendation to the Governor, by people who 
 had served him at his election, and whom he could not refuse, 
 waited on the Governor, and told him the circumstance, beg- 
 ging he would pay no regard to any recommendation he 
 should sign ; that if he wished to promote the interest of any 
 of those he recommended, he would write a personal applica- 
 tion. I called once on a friend of mine, who signed a petition 
 to Council in favor of a person of bad character, who wanted 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 211 
 
 to be a notary public, and asked him how he could put hie 
 name to a petition in favor of such a rascal. Laughing, he 
 declared he had signed it in such a manner that he thought 
 no person could have supposed it to be him who had signed it. 
 
 At this time there was an application from my old friend 
 and schoolmate, Mr. Mathias Aspden, who had gone oiF with 
 the British, for a pardon. It gave me great pleasure to have 
 an opportunity of serving this worthy man. I sent him a 
 pardon, January 19, 1786, and he soon came to Philadelphia. 
 After he had been here a short time, he called on a gentle- 
 man of the law to know if, by the treaty of peace, he was 
 secure from arrest. The gentleman not knowing, and Mr. 
 Aspden not telling him, that he had a pardon from the Execu- 
 tive Council, told him that he did not think he was. As 
 soon as he got this opinion, without seeing any of his friends, 
 he immediately set off for New York, and embarked on 
 board a packet, then ready to sail for England, where he now 
 is, 1804. As he had ever been my friend, I was much con- 
 cerned at his unfortunate situation. Just after the peace, he 
 had written me an affectionate letter, inquiring how the war 
 had left me, and offering his services, and sent me a coffee- 
 pot to keep in remembrance of him. He lives very retired 
 in London. 
 
 I had at this time an opportunity of serving another of my 
 old friends, Mr. P. Bond. Mrs. Bond, his mother, applied 
 to me to present a petition to Council, to obtain a pardon for 
 her son. Some intimate friends of the family were then in 
 Council, but they did not choose to interfere, as it was then 
 thought unpopular. As that was never a consideration with 
 me when my friends wanted my services, I presented the 
 petition, and the pardon was immediately granted and sent to 
 him. Soon after Mr. Bond came out as British Consul. 
 
 At the election in October, 1786, the Republican party be- 
 ing strengthened, fresh opposition to my being elected Vice- 
 President was encouraged by most of them, and much pains 
 and caballing exerted to carry their point. But a few of the 
 most independent, considering it as a most unwarrantable 
 attack, and the Constitutional party, although I had remained 
 
212 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 as unconnected with the one as the other, generously giving 
 their suflrages in my support, the design failed. The Repub- 
 licans had agreed upon Gen. Muhlenberg as their candidate, 
 expecting, as he was descended from a German family, he 
 would have the votes of all the Germans in the House. In 
 this, however, they were mistaken. I believe there was not 
 a German in either Council or House of Representatives that 
 did not vote for me. The evening before the election, the Con- 
 stitutionalists had a meeting, and agreed to have their tickets 
 printed, and a sprig of laurel on them. By this means I 
 found that several of the Republican party, who declared 
 they had voted for me, could not have done so. One member 
 from Berks County was particularly anxious that I should 
 believe he voted for me, and called on me to assure me that 
 he had. As I appeared to doubt it, and told him it was of 
 no consequence whether he had or not, he asked me if I did 
 not suppose he had. I told him there were but few of the 
 Republicans who did vote for me, and my opinion was that 
 he had not. And this was the opinion in Berks, for he never 
 was again elected. He never was popular in the county, and 
 obtained a seat in the Legislature by betting with some of 
 the most active men that busy themselves at election that he 
 would not be in the Assembly. Having a dispute with the 
 same person when I was put up in the county for Councillor, 
 he declared to my brother James that he was as much my 
 friend as any man in the county, and would do anything in 
 his power to serve me. I desired my brother never to men- 
 tion it to any other person, for if it was known that C 
 
 was my friend, it would injui'e me with the good people of 
 Berks. 
 
 One of the principal complaints against me by the Repub- 
 lican party was procuring the appointment of Mr. Tench 
 Coxe as one of the commercial commissioners, and much was 
 said against his political conduct, but he was chosen by the 
 merchants of the city one of their committee, as he was 
 known to be well qualified for this business. The fact was 
 he had offended the directors of the Bank of l^orth America 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 213 
 
 (then the only bank on the continent), and they and their 
 friends made a great clamor against him.* 
 
 The 17th of March, 1787, 1 dined at the City Tavern with 
 the " Friendly Sons of St. Patrick." Returning home in the 
 evening, I stepped into a hole and sprained my ankle so badly 
 that for several days I could not go out of the house, and 
 when I did, was obliged to use crutches. A Good Friday, in 
 coming from Council, I was stopped on the State House steps 
 by some person who had business at the Board of Property, 
 where I was then going. Turning from him, in a hurry to 
 be gone, I put my crutch on the edge of the step, when it 
 slipped off, and I fell with great violence. My right leg was 
 drawn up so that the first part that struck the pavement was 
 my knee, the pan of which was split, and the leg much 
 injured. I was carried immediately over to Ifapal's, a small 
 tavern opposite the State House, and surgeons sent for. My 
 own opinion was, that it would be necessary to amputate my 
 leg. I was therefore very anxious to get home. I had Dr. 
 Franklin's sedan chair brought, and was placed in it before 
 any surgeon came. This was the most uneasy way I could 
 have been carried home, for I was obliged to let my leg hang 
 down, by which means, during the whole of the way (which 
 was upwards of a mile, as I then lived in the Northern 
 Liberties) I suffered the most excruciating pain. I should 
 have suffered much less had I been carried by persons used 
 to a sedan chair, but the men who attended Dr. Franklin 
 not 'being present, my friends were obliged to get some invalid 
 soldiers who then did duty at the State House. Their lame- 
 ness made these poor fellows give me more pain than they 
 
 * Mr. Tench Coxe, the great-grandSon of Dr. Daniel Coxe, of London 
 (the proprietor of the Government of West Jersey), was the first and ablest 
 politico-economical writer of this country. He was a member of the An- 
 napolis Federal Convention, which led to the formation of our present Con- 
 stitution, a member of the Continental Congress, and Assistant Secretary 
 of the Treasury under Alexander Hamilton. The prodigious expansion of 
 the cotton culture in this country is more due to the early and persistent 
 exertions of Mr. Coxe than to those of any other man in America. See 
 Simpson's Eminent Philadelphians. 
 
214 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 otherwise would have done. I should have been carried 
 home on a sofa, or in a cot. I sent one of my friends home 
 to prepare Mrs. Biddle for my reception. Drs. Kuhn, Jones, 
 and Hutchinson soon attended. The latter was the family 
 physician, and to his skill and care I impute my recovery 
 without the loss of my leg. My small clothes were cut off, 
 and I was informed by the surgeons that I must keep my leg 
 perfectly still, otherwise I should never have the use of it, as 
 the least motion would prevent the pan from knitting. 
 Although I had enough to make me feel uneasy at my situa- 
 tion, having a large family dependent on my exertions, yet 
 as I always considered it a duty to submit with fortitude to 
 everything unavoidable, I sustained the accident without re- 
 pining, and never suffered myself to be depressed by it. 
 
 The day after the accident I wrote a letter to Council re- 
 signing my office of Vice-President, and sent it to one of the 
 members. He would not deliver it, but called upon me and 
 begged I would not think of resigning, as the members would 
 with pleasure call on me when anything particular was to be 
 done. If he had not mentioned this I should have resigned. 
 It would have been extremely disagreeable to me to have 
 held any appointment the duties of which I could not perform. 
 
 About a week after the accident, one of my seafaring 
 acquaintances called on me a good deal intoxicated. I lay 
 down stairs and it happened there was no person in the room 
 when he entered. He came staggering up to the bedside, 
 telling me he was very sorry for me, but, says he, " Messmate, 
 you must not mind it ; and as your leg must be cut oft' 
 sooner or later, why let them chop it off at once." I was 
 under great apprehension he would have fallen on my leg. 
 As I could not stir, and had nothing within my reach to keep 
 him off, I was thrown into a profuse sweat. Fortunately a 
 servant soon came in and took him out. I should not have 
 regarded what this man said about chopping off my leg, but I 
 supposed he had heard the surgeons mention that it would be 
 necessary. The next day when Dr. Jones attended, I requested 
 he would candidly inform me whether he thought there 
 would be a necessity of amputating tcij leg. He told me 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 215 
 
 nothing of that kind was to be apprehended. Dr. Hutchin- 
 son coming in soon after, I put the same question to him and 
 received the same answer. This greatly relieved me, for as 
 my leg was uncommonly swelled, I thought it probable I 
 should lose it. I then inquired of the doctors what would 
 be the quickest method to bring a perspiration on one in my 
 situation. After they had mentioned what they thought 
 would be the soonest, I informed them of the visit from Mr. 
 
 , his behavior, and the effect it had on me. They 
 
 laughed, and acknowledged that was a way they had never 
 thought of. 
 
 As Dr. Franklin was unwell the Executive Council attended 
 at my house, and, as I could write, the business of the 
 Council went on as usual. I lay for three weeks without 
 moving my leg from the position it was placed -in, and 
 nothing but the declaration of the doctors, that it was 
 absolutely necessary I should be moved, and their rousing 
 me by inquiring if I was afraid to move, induced me to 
 consent to it. A bed and bedstead were put at the end of 
 the one I was in, and they shoved me gently from one bed 
 to the other. Although it gave me little or no pain, the 
 being stirred after lying so long in one position was extremely 
 disagreeable. When I was so far recovered as to sit up, and 
 it was ascertained 1 should have the use of my leg, among 
 others I had the honor of a visit from Mr. Gardoqui, the 
 Spanish Charge d' Affaires, who told me, " If your consti- 
 tution was not a very good one, and, let me add, your dis- 
 position also, you would never have recovered the use of 
 your leg." I believe he was right so far as regarded my 
 constitution, whatever he may have been as to my disposi- 
 tion. The evening of the day the accident happened they 
 gave me laudanum, which was the first I had ever taken. 
 Instead of composing it made me very restless. I refused 
 to take any afterwards. 
 
 The nineteenth of May, this year, an application was made 
 by Mr. Otto, Charge d' Affaires for France, for delivering 
 up de Brassines, charged with malversation in his office. He 
 was delivered up to be sent to France. 
 
216 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 It was the 31st of May before I left my house to attend 
 Council, nor should then have done it, but that there was 
 some business to come before the Board relating to a ship 
 belonging to Messrs. Thomas & John Clifford and Mr. Richard 
 Wells, seized for smuggling, and Dr. Franklin wished me to 
 be present. It was said by the owners that the goods 
 smuggled were the property of the officers of the ship, and 
 taken on shore entirely unknown to them. This was pro- 
 bably the case ; she was, however, condemned and sold. 
 The comptroller, Nicholson, and the collector, Dr. Phile, 
 gave offence to many of the citizens by putting on board 
 the ship a guard of Invalids, instead of employing the civil 
 officers. These old soldiers, being accustomed to an implicit 
 obedience to their officers, and being told they must not let 
 any one come on board, threatened to drive their bayonets 
 into the captain and owners if they attempted to come on 
 board. It was in vain their telling them they only wanted 
 to go into the cabin where one of them could go with them.* 
 The guard was removed by Council. It was at the request 
 of Dr. Franklin that I attended, and he was in Council 
 himself. I went in a carriage into which they were obliged 
 to lift me, and to walk the horses. I had in the carriage 
 with me Captain William Craig, brother to my late unfortu- 
 nate friend, Charles Craig. He was a very stout young man, 
 and could carry me with ease in his arms. Poor William 
 soon after fell a sacrifice to his intemperance. He was the 
 person who sat up with me the first night after I had broken 
 my knee. When we were in the carriage, he told me that 
 I started in the night in such a manner, and talked so wildly, 
 that he was very much afraid I should not live to see day- 
 light. Poor fellow ! I have lived to see him buried. I 
 imputed my starting and talking to the laudanum they had 
 
 * About this time some prisoners attempted to make their escape, and 
 these invalids were sent for to suppress them, which they soon did with their 
 bayonets. When they returned, they swore that if the disturbance had 
 been among the debtors they would not have used their bayonets. I believe 
 few of these honest fellows knew, and none of them cared, whether they 
 were debtors or criminals, until after they returned. — Author's note. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 217 
 
 given to compose me. After this day I generally attended 
 Council, being in a few days so well as to go with crutches, 
 which I continued to use for a considerablfe time. Returning 
 the latter end of June from the Board on my crutches, I 
 met Dr. Jones, who had not seen me for some time. He 
 expressed his surprise at my still being on crutches, and 
 declared he would take them from me in the street, if he 
 could do it. He told me to use myself a little while without 
 them, and I should find there was no occasion for them. At 
 first leaving them off I was like a child learning to walk, 
 catching at anything near me. I was soon able to go with 
 a stick ; my knee gave me no pain, but was weak, as it still 
 is, and ever must be to the end of the chapter. E"o person 
 could tell, six months after the accident, by my walking, 
 that I had ever received any injury. 
 
 This year, 1787, the Convention for forming a Federal 
 Constitution met in Philadelphia; I was acquainted with most 
 of the members. Some of the best informed told me, they 
 did not believe a single member was perfectly satisfied with 
 the Constitution, but they believed it was the best they could 
 ever agree upon, and that it was infinitely better to have 
 such a one than to break up without fixing on some form of 
 government, which I believe at one time it was expected they 
 would have done. For my own part I have no doubt it is 
 the best in the world, and as perfect as any human form of 
 government can be. We had in the Convention many of the 
 best and wisest men in this or any other country. 
 
 There were some disturbances this year in the Legislature 
 about calling a Convention for the ratification of the Federal 
 Constitution. A motion was made for that purpose the 28th 
 of September. After some debate the further consideration 
 was postponed until the next day. The following day nine- 
 teen members opposed to the measure staid from the House, 
 by which means a quorum could not be made. The reason 
 they gave for staying away, was that the business did not 
 come regularly before them. The Sergeant at Arms was 
 sent for them. "When he returned he informed the Speaker 
 and other members present, that he had seen the absent mem- 
 
218 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 bers at the house of Alexander Boyd, that he informed them 
 he was directed by the Speaker and other members to request 
 their attendance. Mr. Robert Whitehill, one of the leading 
 members, replied that there was no house, that they had not 
 made up their minds, and therefore would not attend. The 
 day after (the 29th) those members not attending, the Ser- 
 geant at Arms and clerk were sent after them. They saw 
 most of the members, but they refused to attend. It is men- 
 tioned in the Journals of the House that Mr. McCalmont and 
 Mr. Miley appeared, by which means a quorum was made. 
 The fact is, some gentlemen went to Boyd's, where most of 
 the absent members lodged, and there found McCalmont and 
 Miley, and finding they could not persuade them, forced 
 them to the House, by which means they had a quorum, and 
 the resolution calling a Convention was adopted.* Upon 
 a memorial being presented to Council from the members 
 
 * This well-known incident occasioned a serio-comic debate in the As- 
 sembly. 
 
 "The Speaker left the chair, and in a few minutes Mr. James McCal- 
 mont and Mr. James Miley entered the House. The Speaker resumed the 
 chair, and the roll was called. 
 
 "Mr. McCalmont informed the House that he had been forcibly brought 
 into the Assembly room contrary to his wishes, this morning, by a number 
 of the citizens whom he did not know, and that, therefore, he begged he 
 might be dismissed the House." 
 
 After some discussion : — 
 
 " Mr. McCalmont : ' I desire that the rules may be read, and I will agree 
 to stand by the rules of the -House.' 
 
 "The rules were read accordingly, and it appeared that every member 
 who did not answer on calling the roll, should pay two shillings and sixpence, 
 or, if there was not a quorum without him, five shillings. 
 
 "Mr. McCalmont then rose from his place, and, putting his hand in his 
 pocket, took out some loose silver, and said, ' Well, sir, here is your five 
 shillings ; so let me go.' " 
 
 This proffer being refused, the discussion was resumed. After a time : 
 
 "Mr. McCalmont now rose and made towards the door. Mr. Fitz- 
 simmons addressed him, but so as not to be heard — and the gallery called 
 out stop him, there being a number of citizens at the door he went toward." 
 
 The two unwilling legislators being thus forced to remain, the Assembly 
 was able to order a Convention to consider the proposed Federal Constitu- 
 tion, and immediately adjourned sine die. See Lloyd's Reports. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 219 
 
 who had been dragged before the House, complaining of the 
 conduct of those who had forced them there, and requesting 
 they should be prosecuted, an order was given to the Attor- 
 ney G-eneral to issue writs against them. Some of the gen- 
 tlemen ordered to be prosecuted were my intimate friends, 
 and they expected that I would not vote for this measure, 
 but would oppose it. Although it was a very disagreeable busi- 
 ness to me, I conceived it to be my duty, and therefore voted 
 for it. I dined in company with one of them the day the res. 
 olution passed Council ; he was displeased at first, but was 
 soon satisfied it was right. Some of my friends who knew 
 how I should vote, wished me to stay from the Board that day, 
 but I despised this way of getting off doing what, although 
 disagreeable, it was my duty to do. 
 
 The dragging McCalmont and Miley to the House, and 
 somd gross insults offered in the Ifovember following to the 
 members at Boyd's, who were most of them those who had 
 left the Legislature in September, was one principal reason 
 of the removal of the seat of government from Philadelphia 
 (although it happened long after), many of the country mem- 
 bers declaring they could not speak their sentiments, or give 
 their votes freely without risking their being insulted. 
 From this time until they effected their purpose, they were 
 continually attempting to remove from the city. Unfortu- 
 nately, many of the principal people in the city looked upon 
 and treated the Western members with great contempt. It 
 was therefore natural for them to resent such treatment; they 
 considered the inhabitants of the city as their enemies, who 
 only wanted an opportunity to injure them, and were deter- 
 mined to do it without regarding the consequences to the 
 State or themselves. A little more attention being paid to 
 them by the citizens of Philadelphia would, I believe, have 
 prevented their removing the seat of government, which was 
 attended with a great expense to the State, and of no advan- 
 tage whatever either to the members of the Legislature or 
 any others, except to the tavern-keepers and those who kept 
 boarding-houses in Lancaster ; indeed, I believe to most of 
 the members it was a disadvantage, for during the winter in 
 
220 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the city, they could transact business for themselves and their 
 neighbors, which they could not, by any means, do as well 
 in Lancaster. The Western members were certainly to blame 
 to let their resentment get the better of their judgment. I 
 believe now, 1804, with a little management they could be 
 brought back to the city, and if they were, it would be long 
 before they would again leave it. 
 
CHARLES BIDDIE. 221 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The disturbances at Wyoming still continuing, and com- 
 plaints being continually made to Council by the Pennsylvania 
 landholders, who had occasion to go into the county, the 
 Board thought it would be necessary to send some- militia 
 from Berks and ISTorthampton ounties. They therefore sent 
 for Capt. Craig,* the county lieutenant of Northampton, to 
 consult with him as to the number of militia necessary to be 
 seut on the expedition. When Craig came to town, he gave 
 it as his opinion that if John Franklin was taken, the other 
 insurgents would soon be quiet, for that he was the man who 
 occasioned all the disturbances. After mentioning our inten- 
 tion of sending out the militia, he said he would rather have 
 a few old Continental officers than all the militia of Berks 
 and ^Northampton, for it was only necessary to take Franklin, 
 and if Council would allow him to take eight or ten of his 
 friends, he would bring Franklin to Philadelphia, or never 
 return. Council agreeing to let him have his own way, he 
 chose seven officers who had served with him, three of whom 
 I knew, Stevenson, Brady, and Erb, and more determined 
 fellows ■ never went upon any desperate enterprise. They 
 were going to take from the midst of his friends a very stout, 
 active man, as fearless as any of themselves. Although Craig 
 and his companions were anxious to go, it was against my 
 inclination they went, as I thought it highly probable they 
 would all be sacrificed. Franklin has told me since that it 
 
 * John Craig, a very mild, worthy man, cousin of Col. Craig, and, like 
 him, an intelligent, active, gallant ofHcer. He served all the war in Moy- 
 lan's Regiment of Horse. — Author's note. 
 
222 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 was owing to the chapter of accidents that they were not. 
 They went to Wilkes-Barre under pretence of purchasing 
 land from the Connecticut claimants, for whom they pre- 
 tended a great regard. Watching their opportunity when 
 Franklin was alone in a tavern they attacked him. He 
 called out that the Pennemites* were murdering him, but he 
 was not heard. They got him down, and with great diffi- 
 culty tied his hands behind his back, and gagged him. They 
 had prepared themselves with a rope and gag before they 
 took hold of him. He fought with great desperation, and 
 there was not one of them that did not feel the weight of his 
 arm. He hurt Stevenson so much that he would have shot 
 him through the head if Craig had not prevented him. They 
 got him at last on horseback, tied his feet under the horse's 
 belly, and set off before his friends could assemble and arm 
 themselves. They rode thirty-eight miles before they halted ; 
 they were closely pursued, and if they had halted sooner it is 
 probable they would have been overtaken and killed, for they 
 were all well armed and would not have surrendered. Craig 
 ' appeared before Council about ten days after he set off; he 
 sent the doorkeeper in for me, and informed me when I went 
 to him, that he had brought Franklin to town. Council 
 ordered him to gaol, and, as it was apprehended he would 
 endeavor to make his escape, he was ordered in irons. Craig 
 and his companions had three hundred pounds given them. 
 They were entitled to much more ; however, with that sum 
 they were perfectly satisfied. 
 
 The bringing away Franklin did not settle the disturbances. 
 The commissioners sent there by Council agreeable to an " Act 
 for ascertaining and confirming to certain persons, called Con- 
 necticut claimants, the lands by them claimed within the 
 county of Luzerne, and for other purposes therein mentioned," 
 which act was much in their favor and against the Pennsyl- 
 vania claimants, by whom it was complained of very much, 
 were obliged to leave the county. Council recommended it 
 
 * Those who held under Pennsylvania were called Pennemites. — 
 Author's notk. 
 
CHARLES EIBDLB. 223 
 
 in their message to the Legislature to raise a number of men 
 to be stationed in the county, which in their opinion was the 
 only way to keep these turbulent people quiet. The passing 
 this act, called the Quieting Act, was very improper, as it 
 encouraged these people in their opposition. After it had been 
 j)assed, the repealing of it gave them just cause of complaint. 
 When a public act is passed, if the repealing is injurious to 
 any individuals, it should not be done without their consent. 
 Instead of repealing the act, the Legislature should have 
 paid the Pennsylvania claimants for their land, and this in 
 the end, I believe, would have been the cheapest way of set- 
 tling this business. The public, no more than an individual, 
 should ever break a contract because it is injurious to keep it. 
 
 About this time a society was formed in the city for Political 
 Inquiries, of which Dr. Franklin was chosen President. I 
 was elected a member. "We had one gentleman in the party, 
 who, by his writings and incessant talking, disturbed us very 
 much. He often reminded me of a story Dr. Franklin used 
 to tell of two French bishops, who were incessant talkers. 
 They happened to meet at a friend's, when one of them began 
 a story. He spoke for a long time, the other eagerly watch- 
 ing an opportunity to speak, when one of the company told 
 him he had better walk away with him, for he would not be 
 able to slip in a word. Yes, I will, answered the impatient 
 bishop, " for he will soon be obliged to spit, and then it will 
 be my turn." If our member had not been a very worthy 
 man I should have told him the story. The society was not 
 well attended, and never met after the death of Dr. Franklin. 
 
 A resolution of Council passed this summer, that eight 
 days after the election of President and Vice-President there 
 should be an election for Secretary to Council. There had 
 been none from the time General Armstrong was first elected. 
 The resolution was brought forward and adopted by those 
 opposed to him. It was, however, very proper that those 
 who sat at the Board should have a choice in their Secretary. 
 Armstrong, supposing he would not be chosen, intimated to 
 ihe that he had some thoughts of resigning ; that as soon as 
 he had made up his mind about it he would inform me. 
 
224 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 This he soon after did, when I applied to my friends in 
 Council for the appointment. One man at the Board had a 
 relative whom he wished to be the Secretary, and he made all 
 the interest he could for him. When the election came on,* 
 Dr. Franklin, although at that time very much troubled with 
 the stone, went to Council, and there voted, and used his 
 interest for me. I should have been elected even had he not 
 attended. His doing so was a strong mark of his friendship ; 
 to his family and friends he always expressed a great regard 
 for me, and I never had any reason to doubt him. Calling 
 on him a few days after my appointment, to see if he had 
 any commands, he told me that the evening before he had 
 received an anonymous letter recommending in very strong 
 terms a friend of ours for an office just vacant, that although 
 the hand was disguised he was pretty certain the person 
 recommended had written the letter himself, and begged me 
 to stay until he came, which he expected would be in a few 
 
 minutes. Accordingly, soon after Mr. R came in. 
 
 When seated, and we had talked of the news of the day, etc., 
 the Doctor took the letter from his pocket, and read it to 
 himself. He then handed it to me, and inquired if I knew 
 the handwriting. I gave a glance at the person with us 
 when the Doctor began to read, and saw that he was greatly 
 confused ; but when the Doctor handed me the letter, he 
 turned very pale, and was so much agitated that I was afraid 
 he would have fallen from his chair. As soon as he recovered 
 himself a little, he pretended to recollect some business that 
 required his immediate attendance, and very abruptly left 
 us. After he was gone the Doctor laughed very heartily, 
 in which I could not help joining, although I pitied the man 
 very much. He did not for a long time after this call on the 
 Doctor, and when he did never mentioned anything about 
 the office which he was by no means qualified to fill. From 
 the letter one would suppose he was qualified and deserved 
 any office in the government. I should not have suspected 
 
 * October 23d, 1787. 
 
CHAKLES BIDDLE, 225 
 
 him to have written the letter, but from his conduct there 
 could be no doubt that he did. 
 
 In October, this year, my time having expired as a member 
 of the Executive Council,* I was elected a member of the 
 Legislature for Berks County. My good old friend Colonel 
 Lutz was very busy at the election, threatening what he 
 would do if he saw a ticket that had not my name on it. 
 Henry Wertz was also busy there, as he had been when I 
 was elected into the Supreme Executive Council. It was he 
 who declared on that occasion that he had "often fought 
 mid me," when we had not a gun on board at the time he 
 sailed with me. The member for the county, who it was 
 supposed voted against me as Vice-President, could not get 
 a vote. I resigned from the Legislature without taking m^'- 
 seat, being well assured that I should be elected Secretary 
 to Council, and I could not hold that office and be a member 
 of the Legislature. 
 
 The 4th of July, 1788, was celebrated in a manner highly 
 gratifying to all the inhabitants of the city. There was a 
 grand Federal procession in which all classes of citizens 
 joined. In front there were twelve axemen, dressed in white 
 frocks ; second, the First City Troop ; third, the Cap of Lib- 
 erty, carried by John Nixon, Esquire ; fourth, four pieces of 
 artillery, with the company of artillery men ; fifth, Thomas 
 Eitzsimmons, Esquire, carrying a white flag emblematical of 
 the French alliance ; sixth. Light Infantry ; seventh, George 
 
 * In Council, 
 
 Philadelphia, Tuesday, October 9th, 1787. 
 On motion, 
 
 Resolved, That the thanks of this Board be presented to the Hon- 
 orable Charles Biddle, Esquire, our late worthy Vice-President, for the in- 
 tegrity, diligence, and ability with which he has discharged the various 
 duties of that important office. 
 Extract from the Minutes. 
 
 James Trimble, 
 
 for John Armstrong, Sec'y. 
 Honorable Charles Biddle, Esquire, 
 Late Vice-President of the 
 
 Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, 
 15 
 
226 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Clymer, Esquire, with a flag emblematical of the definitive 
 treaty of peace ; eighth, Colonel Shee, carrying a flag with 
 the words, "Washington the Friend of his Country," in sil- 
 ver letters; ninth, the Second City Troop; tenth, Eichard 
 Bache, as a herald proclaiming a " New Era ;" eleventh. 
 General Muhlenberg carrying a blue flag with " Seventeenth 
 of September, 1787," in silver letters ; twelfth, a band of ex- 
 cellent music ; thirteenth, the Constitution, the judges* in 
 their robes seated in a car ; fourteenth. Light Infantry ; fif- 
 teenth, ten gentlemen, representing those States that had 
 ratified the Constitution ; sixteenth. Col. William William in 
 armor ; seventeenth. Light Horse, from Montgomery ; eigh- 
 teenth, representatives of foreign States in a car with their 
 flags ; nineteenth, judge, register, and marshal of the admi- 
 ralty ; twentieth, wardens of the port ; twenty-first, ofl&cers 
 of the customs ; twenty-second, Peter Baynton as a citizen, 
 and J. Melcher as an Indian chief, expressing their brotherly 
 love ; twenty-third, troop of dragoons, from Berks County ; 
 twenty-fourth. Federal edifice drawn by ten white horses, 
 followed by about five hundred architects and house-carpen- 
 ters ; twenty-fifth, Cincinnati and militia officers ; twenty- 
 sixth, infantry; twenty-seventh, agricultural society; twenty- 
 eighth, farmers with two ploughs; thirtieth, infantry; 
 thirty-first. Marine Society; thirty-second, Federal ship, 
 formerly the barge of the Serapis, fitted up remarkably 
 well and rigged as a ship, commanded by Captain Green 
 (my passenger from the bay of Honduras) well manned, had 
 all her sails set, and was worked as if at sea. ITothing 
 in the procession gave so much delight to the spectators as 
 this ship. Canvass was nailed round her to conceal the 
 wheels and machinery. Then followed the pilots of the 
 port with their boat, boatbuilders, sailmakers, shipjoiners, 
 ropemakers, shipchandlcrs, merchants and traders, light in- 
 fantry, other trades and professions, their places determined 
 
 * The car was so very high that I did not think the Judges altogether 
 safe. They had to go up a ladder to get into it. I thought they cut a very 
 awkward figure going up the ladder. It reminded many of the spectators, 
 as well as myself, of seeing men go up a ladder who never came down. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 227 
 
 by lot. Cordwainers, eoaclipainters, cabinet and chairmakers, 
 brickmakers, bouse, ship, and sign painters, porters, clock 
 and watcbmakers, weavers, bricklayers, tailors, instrument 
 makers, turners, Windsor chairmakers and spinning wheel- 
 makers, carvers and gilders, coopers, planemakers, whip and 
 canemakers ; forty-eighth, blacksmiths, whitesmiths, and 
 nailers, coachmakers ; fiftieth, potters ; fifty-first, hatters ; 
 fifty-second, wheelwrights ; fifty-third, tinplate workers ; 
 fifty-fourth, skinmen, breechesmakers, and glovers; fifty-fifth, 
 tallow chandlers ; fifty-sixth, victuallers ; fifty-seventh, 
 printers, bookbinders, and stationers; fifty-eighth, saddlers; 
 fifty-ninth, stonecutters ; sixtieth, bread and biscuit bakers ; 
 sixty-first, gunsmiths ; sixty-second, coppersmiths ; sixty- 
 third, goldsmiths, silversmiths, and jewellers ; sixty-fourth, 
 distillers, tobacconists; sixty^ sixth, brass founders; sixty- 
 seventh, stocking manufacturers, tanners and curriers, uphol- 
 sterers, sugar refiners ; seventy-first, brewers ; seventy-second, 
 perukemakers and barber surgeons ; seventy- third, engravers ; 
 seventy-fourth, plasterers ; seventy-fifth, brushmakers ; sev- 
 enty-sixth, staymakers ; seventy-seventh. Light Infantry ; 
 seventy-eighth, civil and military' officers of Congress ; sev- 
 enty-ninth, Supreme Executive Cout;cil ; eightieth, justices 
 of the Court of Common Pleas, and the magistrates ; eighty- 
 first, sheriff and coroner ; eighty-second, board of wardens, 
 city treasury clerks, constables, etc., a band of music, watch- 
 men, street commissioners ; eighty-foui»th, gentlemen of the 
 bar; eighty-fifth, clergy; eighty-sixth, physicians; eighty- 
 seventh, students of the University ; eighty-eighth, County 
 Troop, brought up the rear. 
 
 After going through the city, they proceeded to Bush Hill, 
 where there was an excellent cold collation provided. Judge 
 Wilson delivered an oration, but owing to some mistake, the 
 cannon began firing just as he began to speak, so that no one 
 could understand anything he said. It was, however, after- 
 wards printed and much admired. The scene from Bush 
 Hill was truly magnificent. I never saw on any occasion so 
 much satisfaction expressed on every countenance as there was 
 on this day. No accident happened, and the utmost harmony 
 
228 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 prevailed during the whole day, which was a remarkably 
 fine one. All the professions and trades cafrried emblemati- 
 cal flags, and many of the tradesmen were at work while the 
 procession was proceeding on. The whole business of the 
 day is fully described by Judge Hopkinson, chairman of the 
 committee of arrangements, who was well calculated for such 
 an undertaking. 
 
 In July, 1788, Colonel Eleazer Oswald was brought before 
 the Supreme Court for a contempt of court in publishing a 
 piece in his paper against Andrew Brown at a time a suit 
 was pending in court between him and Brown. Upon his 
 refusing to answer interrogatories he was sentenced to one 
 month's imprisonment, and a fine of ten pounds. The fine 
 was remitted by Council, but he sufi'ered the imprisonment. 
 When the Legislature met he applied to them to impeach 
 the judges, and had there been a majority'- of Constitutional- 
 ists in the House, they certainly would have been impeached, 
 for it ever has, and always will be, the case that the party in 
 power will bend a little to one of their own party, and Oswald 
 at that time was considered a Constitutionalist, although 
 some time before he had been violent against them. In his 
 memorial to the House he mentions that, " Judge Thorpe, in 
 Edward the Third's time, was hanged for sufiering the Court 
 of Justice to be perverted; in Richard the Second's tim6 
 eleven of the Judges were condemned to death, and, although 
 only two were executed, all the others were forever banished 
 as unworthy to enjoy the benefit of that law which they had 
 so perfidiously and basely betrayed, and as an example to 
 future judges, and forever to make their ears to tingle." I 
 have no doubt but that Oswald would have been very glad 
 to have seen our judges hanged, especially the Chief Justice* 
 for whom he entertained an implacable hatred. I was in 
 court when he received his sentence, which he heard with 
 great composure. A number of people followed him, who 
 as soon as they got out of court gave three cheers, and did 
 the same when he went into gaol, looking on him as unjustly 
 
 * Chief Justice McKean. 
 
OHAELBS BIDDLE. 229 
 
 sentenced. The resolutions offered by the parties then in 
 the House will show, their opinions on this business. Octo- 
 ber 3, 1788, the following resolution was 6ffered by Mr. 
 Clymer, and seconded by Mr. Peters. 
 
 " Resolved^ That this House having in a committee of the 
 whole, gone into a full examination of the charges exhibited 
 by Eleazer Oswald, of arbitrary and oppressive proceedings in 
 the Justices of the Supreme Court, against the said E. 
 Oswald, are of opinion that the charges are unsupported by 
 the testimony adduced, and consequently, that there is no just 
 cause for impeaching the said Justices," which was carried 
 in the affirmative. 
 
 It was then moved by Mr. Findley and seconded by Mr. 
 Kennedy, to postpone the above, in order to introduce the 
 following, viz: — 
 
 " Whereas, the Constitution of this Commonwealth has ex- 
 pressly secured to every citizen the right of trial by jury in 
 criminal prosecutions ; therefore usages, however ancient, or 
 from whatever quarter they may have been introduced, cannot 
 supersede this positive right. 
 
 " Although the Courts of Justice, for their own defence 
 and the protection of the course of justice, must necessarily 
 possess the power of compelling obedience to their authority, 
 as well as peace, order, and decency in their presence, yet this 
 is no more than that right of repelling force by force, neces- 
 sary for the existence and usefulness of the Courts of Justice, 
 which is analogous to that right of self-defence which every 
 man naturally enjoys ; yet, nevertheless, such freedom of 
 writing or speaking, as is only calculated to disparage the 
 persons of the Judges, or to influence the causes depending 
 before the courts, and not read or uttered in the presence of 
 the said courts, although punishable by indictment, ought 
 not to be turned into contempt, by construction or implica- 
 tion, at the discretion of the Judges ; therefore 
 
 '■'■Resolved, That the proceedings of the Supreme Court 
 against Colonel E. Oswald, in punishing by fine and im- 
 prisonment at their discretion, for a constructive or implied 
 contempt, not committed in the presence of the Court, nor 
 
280 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 against any officer or order, thereof, but for writing and pub- 
 lishing improperly or indecently, respecting a cause depend- 
 ing before the* Supreme Court, and respecting some of the 
 Judges of the said Court, was an unconstitutional exercise of 
 judicial power, and sets an alarming precedent of the most 
 dangerous consequence to the citizens of this Commonwealth. 
 
 " And whereas. Though the Constitution of the Common- 
 wealth declares the printing presses be open for the examina- 
 tion of every department of government, yet the Legislature 
 hath hitherto neglected to define the nature of contempts, or 
 direct the nature or extent of their punishment, consequently 
 the Justices have been left to act under the influence of 
 arbitrary and illegal usages ; therefore 
 
 " Resolved, That it he specially recommended to the ensuing 
 General Assembly to define the nature and extent of con- 
 tempt, and direct their punishments." 
 
 This was lost, and the first resolution carried, which ended 
 the business with the Legislature. Many gentlemen of the 
 bar think the Legislature could not pass an act to " define 
 the nature and extent of contempt," but I am of a different 
 opinion. If the court have a right to confine a man a month 
 for a contempt of court, they may for any length of time. 
 The party who were so much in favor of the Chief Justice at 
 this time, a few years afterwards, when he was elected Grov- 
 ernor, would have gone any length to have punished him, as 
 would the others to have supported him.* 
 
 Oswald was much pitied, especially by all the old Whigs, 
 on account of his former services. He had been a colonel in 
 the Continental army, and distinguished himself for his 
 bravery on several occasions, for which he had the thanks of 
 G-eneral "Washington. When the war broke out in France, 
 he went there and served in their artillery. He was in the 
 battle of Jemappes and some other engagements. He, how- 
 ever, soon got tired of this service, and returned home. The 
 French had not at that time the discipline he thought neces- 
 
 * An act for defining and limiting the power of judges in commitments 
 for contempt of court is now (1883) pending in the British Parliament. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 231 
 
 sary. He told me that the soldiers, to show how much liberty 
 they enjoyed, or how little they cared for their officers, when 
 ordered " to the right face," would face to the left. This 
 was in the beginning of their Revolution. I suppose they 
 learned to behave better afterwards, for certainly no troops 
 fought better than they did. , 
 
 There was at this time in the city of Philadelphia a society 
 that called themselves the " Adopted Sons of Pennsylvania," 
 among whom were some valuable " adopted sons." Oswald 
 was much opposed to this society, and thinking such a society 
 unnecessary and improper, he every day ridiculed them in his 
 paper. One of the members whom he had personally in- 
 sulted (Mr. Matthew Carey, a worthy man) challenged him. 
 Oswald was always ready upon these occasions ; he accepted 
 the challenge, and they fought in Jersey. Mr. Carey was 
 .shot through the thigh, and was a long time before he re- 
 covered. Oswald would have had to fight some others of the 
 society, if Captain Rice and some of his old brother officers 
 had not declared he should not, that the next member of the 
 society that wanted to fight should take one of them, and 
 after some contention they agreed to let Rice, who was 
 Oswald's most particular friend, be the first that offered. 
 Rice was much such a man as Oswald. The society was soon 
 after broken up. 
 
 The people of Luzerne, not contented with dj-iving from 
 the county the commissioners sent by the Executive Council, 
 obliged Col. Pickering, the prothonotary of the county, to 
 leave it. They treated him with great indignity. It was sup- 
 posed when he was appointed, that as he was a native of New 
 England and a man of great respectability, he would be able 
 to keep those people quiet, and this he supposed himself he 
 could do ; but they regarded no person that opposed their 
 designs. A Capt. William Ross, a young man of the county, 
 distinguished himself in favor of government. He was 
 wounded in apprehending some of the insurgents. Upon a 
 representation of his good conduct to the Legislature, they 
 gave him five hundred dollars, and Council made him a pre- 
 sent of a sword. 
 
232 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Tn the montli of September this year, Levi and Abraham 
 Doan, two young men of Bucks County, were taken prisoners, 
 and brought before the Supreme Court, then sitting in Phila- 
 delphia. Being outlawed, it was only necessary to identify 
 them, to sentence them to death. As they were well known 
 in Bucks County this was done, and they received their 
 sentence. The ease of these young men was exceedingly 
 hard. When very young, their fathers were very ill-treated 
 by some violent committee-men in the county, on account of 
 their attachment to the British Government. The father of 
 Abraham Doan had his plantation confiscated and sold, and 
 these lads were threatened, if they did not voluntarily enter 
 into the American army, they should be pressed. In con- 
 sequence of this they went off and joined the British. It 
 was said they afterwards committed depredations in the 
 neighborhood of where they were born, and it is probably 
 true. If the treatment of their parents did not justify them, 
 it certainly was some excuse for their conduct. At the con- 
 clusion of the peace they returned to the county, as they said, 
 to see their friends and relations ; but one of them, it was 
 generally thought, came back on account of a very handsome 
 girl he was fond of before he went to the British, and his 
 cousin would not leave him. They were concealed a con- 
 siderable time by their friends ; it at length, however, became 
 known that they were in the county, when several who were, 
 or conceived themselves injured by them, endeavored to have 
 them apprehended ; but as they were very stout, active, 
 resolute men, and went always well armed, those who were 
 in pursuit of them, were afraid openly to attack them. 
 Probably there hardly lived a more active man than the 
 younger, Abraham. If he was seen by persons on horseback 
 in pursuit of him, and he on foot, he would run like a deer, 
 and no fence could stop him a moment. He went over any 
 fence without putting a hand on it. They were both tall, 
 handsome men. A considerable time after their return into 
 the State, they were taken by surprise in Chester County, by 
 some young men who were out hunting, who from their 
 appearance in the woods armed, and from their endeavors to 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 233 
 
 conceal themselves, suspected them of having some bad in- 
 tentions, and insisted on their going before a magistrate. 
 They made no resistance, hoping as they were not known, 
 that they would be immediately dismissed ; in this, however, 
 they were greatly mistaken. They were carried before Col. 
 Hannum, who committed them to gaol. Had they not at- 
 tempted to conceal themselves, they would not have been 
 apprehended, for they told a very plausible story of their 
 being I^ew Jerseymen on the way to the westward tp take up 
 land.* After they were condemned, and a time was fixed 
 for their execution, the father of Abraham, several female 
 relations and friends, and some influential gentlemen, waited 
 on Council to solicit a pardon for them, or if that could not 
 be obtained, a reprieve. The latter was readily granted. 
 
 Hearing much of these men, and wishing to communicate 
 intelligence which I knew would give great pleasure to these 
 unfortunate men and their friends, I went to gaol to inform 
 them that Council had granted a reprieve for one month. I 
 wished also to prepare them for the worst that might happen. 
 "When I went into the room they were surrounded by their 
 relations and friends, among whom were several females, two 
 of them very handsome girls that had lived with them in the 
 woods. It was to no purpose I told them that the prisoners 
 were only reprieved for a month, and that it was proba- 
 ble they would not be pardoned. When they found they 
 were reprieved, they gave way to the most extravagant joy ; 
 
 * Had they applied to Thomas Ross, Esq., a gentleman of the Bar, who 
 then lived at Chester (and was present when they were brought before Col. 
 Hannum), within a day or two of their commitment, he would have had 
 them liberated ; but owing to some mistake they did not apply in time, and 
 they were detained until, some people coming to Chester from Bucks County, 
 they were known. As there was no reward offered for apprehending them, 
 the people who took them were no ways anxious about their being kept in 
 prison. Mr. Ross, who was their counsel when they were brought before 
 the Court, has since told me that he lamented they had not applied in time 
 to him, for he knew the family had been hardly used. He was born near 
 where these young men were, and knew them well before they went off, but 
 did not recollect them when they were brought before Col. Hannum. — 
 Author's note 
 
234 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 they all concluded that through the intercession of friends, 
 they should be pardoned. This, I told them, they must not 
 expect, although I had very little doubt myself but what a 
 pardon would be granted. I always thought it wrong to 
 grant a reprieve for any length of time, without granting a 
 pardon ; it is like putting a man to death in cold blood. 
 Before the month expired the Legislature met, when they 
 petitioned for a pardon, and if that could not be obtained, for 
 a trial by jury. The Legislature were inclined to pass a bill 
 in their favor, and appointed a committee consisting of Mr. 
 Lewis, Mr. Fitzsimmons, and Mr. Rittenhouse, to confer with 
 the Supreme Executive Council on the subject of their peti- 
 tion. This, I believe, was what proved fatal to these young 
 men. Several of the members of Council thought the Legis- 
 lature had no business to interfere, as the power of pardoning, 
 by the Constitution, was given to Council. They refused to 
 pardon, or to extend the time fixed for their execution. It 
 was in vain the members of the Legislature and the minority 
 in Council urged the peculiar situation of these unfortunate 
 men ; the majority were jealous of the interference of the Leg- 
 islature, and it was carried by a very small majority that 
 they should suffer. Going to Council the day after the con- 
 ference, I met them going in a cart to the gallows, followed 
 by their relations and friends. It was a very affecting sight. 
 They died with great firmness. 
 
 After the election in October, 1788, there was a majority in 
 Council of Republicans, and they were determined on making 
 a change in some of the officers of Government. Among 
 others, they intended to take the office of Prothonotary of 
 the Court of Common Pleas from J. B. Smith, Esq. The can- 
 didates proposed by the party were James Wilson, Esq., and 
 my brother James.* "When Mr. Smith found he should be 
 
 * During the time I was Vice-President, Judge Bryan's time expired 
 (the Judges being then elected for seven years), and my brother James was 
 proposed to be elected in his room. Several of my Republican friends 
 spoke to me, to endeavor to get him elected ; and although he was as dear 
 to me as it was possible for one brother to be to another, for he had been 
 more than a father to me, I could not think of using any interest I had 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 235 
 
 displaced, he sent for me ; he told me, he would for many 
 reasons prefer my brother being appointed to the office to 
 Mr. Wilson, and he had some thoughts of resigning, and asked 
 my opinion. I told him it was a subject he had better con- 
 sult some of his other friends upon, as my brother was sup- 
 posed to be a candidate I was not a proper person to consult. 
 This he said he would do, and desired me to call on him at 
 eight o'clock in the evening. At that hour I called, when 
 his son told me his father had just stepped out, that probably 
 he would soon return, and invited me in ; I went, expecting 
 he would return in a short time. The night was cold, and 
 there was a good fire, by which I sat down, and taking up a 
 book read until the watchman cried " past eleven o'clock," 
 when finding Mr. Smith did not make his appearance I went 
 home. The next day meeting Dr. Hutchinson he laughed 
 very heartily, and told me he had never been in such a dis- 
 agreeable situation as he had been the evening before, that 
 Mr. Smith had requested another friend and himself to call 
 on him to consult about his resigning, that they were with 
 him at the time I knocked at the door, that not having fin- 
 ished their consultation, they did not wish to see me, and 
 just before I entered the parlor they opened a door that led 
 to the cellar, on the front step of which they stood during the 
 whole of the time of my being in the house. Hutchinson said 
 he was half crazy, having a particular engagement that even- 
 ing at a relation of Mrs. Hutchinson's, who was to wait for 
 him. They would have come out of their hiding place, but 
 that they expected every minute I would go. I told him it 
 was fortunate for them that their situation was not known 
 to me, or they should have cooled themselves much longer. 
 It was ridiculous for them to go there, for if I had found 
 them together, Mr. Smith could have told me they had not 
 yet finished their business, and I should have gone off and 
 left them. After the consultation Mr. Smith concluded to 
 resign, which he did the next day, and my brother was elected. 
 
 ap;ainst Mr. Bryan, with whom no fault could be found, and whose friends 
 had always interested themselves to serve me. — Author's note. 
 
236 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Mr. Smith is a worthy man, and nothing but the violence of 
 party would have occasioned his being attacked. I sent off 
 a servant express for my brother, who knew nothing of my 
 intention to propose him as a candidate until the servant 
 arrived at Reading, which was late at night. The next even- 
 ing he came to town and took possession of his of&ce, which 
 he was well qualified to fill, having had it before the Revo- 
 lution. As it was his wish to have this office, nothing could 
 give me more pleasure than procuring it for him. Every one 
 who knew this excellent man loved and esteemed him.* 
 
 There was a petition this year to the Legislature from 
 William Moore, Esq. (before the Revolution an eminent mer- 
 chant, afterwards Vice-President of the Supreme Executive 
 Council), stating that Continental money was paid him when 
 much depreciated for goods imported before the war, that he 
 had offered in payment certificates in which he had invested 
 the Continental money he received for the goods, but the 
 British agents had refused to take them. The agents acted 
 very properly in refusing to take the certificates. It was 
 
 * James Biddle, eldest brother of Charles Biddle, was born February 18, 
 1731, and studied law with John Ross, then considered at the head of the 
 Philadelphia Bar, whose executor he afterwards became. He practised in 
 Berks, Lancaster, and Northampton counties, residing in Reading until 
 about 1760, when he removed to Philadelphia, on being appointed Deputy 
 Prothonotary. Later he was made Deputy Judge in Admiralty, under the 
 Royal Government, Mr. Jared IngersoU being the Judge. In December, 
 1776, he removed to Reading, and continued the practice of the law until 
 1788, when he was made Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of 
 Philadelphia. In 1791 he was appointed P,;-esident Judge of the First 
 Judicial District of Pennsylvania, which office he retained until his death, 
 in 1797. He was buried in the grounds of Christ Church, of which church 
 he was a vestryman in 1776, and present at a vestry meeting on 4th July, 
 of that year, when it was resolved to " omit those petitions in the Liturgy 
 wherein the King of Great Britain is prayed for." 
 
 John Dickinson writes, July 7, 1797 : — 
 
 "I sincerely sympathize with you all on the death of thy excellent 
 brother. I had known him for upwards of forty years, and to know him as 
 I did was to love him. I have always greatly esteemed your family ; and 
 their welfare will always give pleasure to thy truly affectionate friend, 
 
 John Dickinson." 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 237 
 
 c.ertain]y a great hardship upon Mr. Moore and others in 
 sinnlar situations, but it Avould have been very unjust to 
 oblige the British merchants to take less than was actually 
 due them. In cases of this kind, the Government should 
 have made up any loss the merchant sustained. Many per- 
 sons took advantage of the Tender Acts, as they were called, 
 by paying off their bonds and mortgages when the money 
 was good for little or nothing. There were, however, a great 
 many who would not do this, but paid their debts honestly 
 in specie. In Virginia, I have been informed, the Tender 
 Act was much worse than in any other State, for there, it 
 was said, owing to the great quantity of State money they 
 made, it was much worse than the Continental money ; so 
 much so, that with a Continental dollar you could purchase 
 forty State dollars, and thus with one Continental dollar pay 
 a specie debt of forty dollars, and as sixty Continental dollars 
 could be had for a silver dollar, you could pay a debt of two 
 thousand four hundred dollars with one Spanish dollar. 
 What a temptation to a thief! I heard of a great many 
 people losing by the Continental money, but knew of but few. 
 General ISTeville, who served wjth me in Council, sold the 
 estate he lived on, in 1775, for twelve thousand pounds Vir- 
 ginia currency, which was paid by agreement in Continental 
 money. At that time it had not depreciated. He went soon 
 after to join the army, when he locked the money up care- 
 fully in his desk, and never touched it until the war was 
 ended, when it was good for nothing. I never lost anything 
 but once by the Continental money, and then I did not blame 
 the gentleman who paid me, Mr. John Stanley, of ifewbern. 
 He purchased a quantity of rum upon a long credit, to be 
 paid in whatever money should then be a legal tender. We 
 used to laugh about our bargain, he telling me he considered 
 the rum as a' present, and I, that he would have to pay me 
 in specie. When the time he was to pay came round, I called 
 on him for the money, upon which he sent a bell-man round 
 the town, sold a hogshead of rum at vendue, and paid me 
 with less than one-half of what it sold for. At this some of 
 my friends found fault with him, but I never did, for it was 
 
238 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 a fair bargain between us. Had I given him another year's 
 credit, he would have had to pay me in specie, which I am 
 sure he would have done without hesitation. 
 
 Some who were knowing enough to invest their Continen- 
 tal money in certificates, made their fortunes by it. For my 
 own part, I never could see why those certificates should be 
 redeemed any more than the Continental bills. Congress had 
 pledged themselves as much for the redemption of the one 
 as of the other. A considerable sum in certificates was sent 
 from Charleston, belonging to the estate of my brother ]!!Tich- 
 olas, which my brother James (who knew as little about 
 money matters as any man in the world, and none cared less 
 about money) gave to a knowing friend for Continental bills. 
 For some time after the commencement of the war I did not 
 expect our paper would depreciate much, but when I saw it 
 sent from Philadelphia by wagon loads I expected it would 
 soon be of little value. We had in Pennsylvania, State 
 Island* money, so-called because the island was to be sold to 
 redeem it. This, however, soon depreciated to eight for one 
 specie dollar. At this time Mr. William Bingham was in 
 Reading ; speaking to him of this money, he advised me to buy 
 up some of it, but I expected it would go as the Continental 
 money did, and therefore did not do it. I believe Mr. Bing- 
 ham purchased a large amount of it. Soon after you could 
 not get a dollar of it for a specie dollar, for it carried interest, 
 and there was not enough of it issued to pay for the island, 
 which was sold in lots, and purchasers were obliged to pay in 
 their bills or in specie, so that the holders received principal 
 and interest. 
 
 In February, 1789, going one evening to my brother's to 
 see some friends from Reading, the pavement being slippery 
 I was walking in the middle of the street, when, stepping to 
 
 * "In 1780 the State of Pennsylvania emitted £100,000 for support of 
 the army, and to provide a fund for their redemption the Executive was 
 empowered to sell certain properties in the city of Philadelphia as well as 
 Province Island, in the township of Kingsessing."- — Philips, Paper Currency 
 of the American Colonies. Province Island was at the mouth of the Schuyl- 
 kill, along the western shore. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 239 
 
 one side to avoid a sleigh that was driving furiously along, 
 I fell, and again injured my knee so much that I could not 
 get up, nor get out of the way of the horses, who had nearly 
 released me from all my pain, for they passed close to my 
 head. As the sleigh did not stop, I supposed the people in 
 it did not see me. Some persons on the pavement soon came 
 to my assistance, and carried me to my brother's house, near 
 which the accident happened. ISTot a minute before, a sleigh 
 went by with an acquaintance of mine (Mr. Matthew Irvin) 
 in it, who wanted me very much to get in with him, but 
 being near my brother's I would not detain him. When 
 Dr. Hutchinson came and examined my knee, he said it was 
 very much injured, and that it would be a considerable time 
 before I could leave the house. Fortunately for me, in this 
 as well as every other misfortune that befell me, my spirits 
 were not much affected. When an accident happens to a 
 man it is well for him to console himself by thinking it 
 might have been worse. William Melvin, a sailor who was 
 with me several voyages, was engaged to go to the West 
 Indies. Shortly before the ship sailed he fell from the main 
 yard and broke his leg, which prevented his going in her. 
 The ship was supposed to be lost in a hurricane, as she was 
 never heard of after she sailed. Will often told me how 
 fortunate, it was he broke his leg. If a person can bring 
 himself to think thus, it will greatly tend to alleviate mis- 
 fortunes to which we are all liable. I could on this occasion 
 have consoled myself by thinking I might have had my 
 scull fractured by the horses in the sleigh. A piece called 
 " Resignation to Providence," I believe written by Goldsmith, 
 has given me much relief when I have lost a relation or 
 friend, or met with any misfortune. 
 
 It was some weeks before Dr. Hutchinson would permit 
 me to be removed. The manner in which I was carried 
 home was a way proposed by myself. Late at night my 
 friends put me in a cot, and eight of them carried me home 
 on their shoulders. It was some time before I could walk 
 with crutches. Although the second fall occasioned me a 
 long confinement, I believe it was of service to me by placing 
 
240 AUTOBIOGRAPHT OF 
 
 the knee better than it was before ; for all my friends 
 observed that I walked much better after than before the 
 last accident. 
 
 At this time much was said for and against our State Con- 
 stitution. We thgn had a Legislature consisting of a single 
 branch. There is no doubt but such a Legislature will some- 
 times pass improper acts, but at the same time it must be 
 admitted they will at times be prevented by a second House 
 from passing what is necessary and propter. For my own 
 part, I thought at the time, as the Council of Censors was 
 soon to meet, there was no necessity for calling a Convention ; 
 however, it was a matter I was no ways anxious about. In 
 the debate on this subject a resolution was offered to the 
 eftect that the Convention should publish their amendments 
 and alterations for the consideration of the people, and 
 adjourn at least four months previous to a confirmation. 
 The yeas and nays being called, there was but one nay, and 
 that was a friend of hiine, William Lewis, Esquire, and he 
 entered his protest. In it he says that although it was his 
 wish that the Convention should adjourn for the purposes 
 mentioned in the resolution, the Legislature had no right to 
 interfere. 
 
 On May 9, 1789, my mother died of a fever, in the eighty- 
 first year of her age. She retained her senses to the last, and 
 was perfectly resigned, as I believe those who live to her age 
 generally are. All her misfortunes, and she had her share, 
 she bore with uncommon fortitude, never repining. I believe 
 a more cheerful, better woman never lived. Shg had ten chil- 
 dren, five of whom died before her. Although the death of 
 a parent at her time of life is seldom much to be regretted, 
 I was sensibly affected at her loss ; for whenever I met with 
 anything that made me- uneasy, her conversation always con- 
 soled me. It has given me much pleasure since her death to 
 think she never made a request I did not comply with. I 
 was always happy to carry her any agreeable intelligence, or 
 to do anything to please her. It must always give pleasure 
 to a child, after the death of a parent, to reflect that he has 
 been a comfort to her ; and nothing, I should suppose, would 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 241 
 
 give a person more pain than knowing they had not done 
 their duty to a parent, even if that parent had not behaved 
 as it ought to have done. About four years before the 
 death of my mother, in coming down a. dark pair of stairs, 
 she stepped on something lying on the stairs, fell, and broke 
 her thigh. I was apprehensive she never would have got 
 well, but she soon perfectly recovered. At the time of the 
 accident, nor afterwards, did she ever complain. When Gene- 
 ral Washington passed through the city on his way to l^ew 
 York, after he was first chosen President of the United 
 States, as he was to pass my door, I brought her from my 
 brother's to my house to see him. Every person in the city 
 was anxious to see this great and good man. The road and 
 streets were crowded and so dusty there was no telling the 
 color of his clothes. It must have been a most fatiguing day 
 to him. My mother appeared to enjoy the procession as much 
 as any of those with her. Among her papers I found the 
 following : " In the year 1756 I lost my dear husband, and 
 was left without any fortune, with six children to provide 
 for, the youngest not five years old. I was enabled through 
 the mercy of God to keep them together with me, and give 
 them schooling. When my eldest son, James,* and my 
 fourth son, Edward, were, by their industry and care, enabled 
 to assist me, and their brothers and sisters, they performed it 
 with a cheerfulness which showed the goodness of their 
 hearts, and made their mother, in the language of Scripture, 
 sing for joy. When my third son, John, had it in his power, 
 he performed his duty with the same goodness. My fifth 
 son, Charles, followed the example of his brothers, and at his 
 expense I am now supported. My sixth son, Nicholas, has 
 done all for me in his power, and more than I could expect. 
 My seventh son, Thomas, studied with Dr. Thomas Bond, 
 took a degree at the college, went to Georgetown, South Car- 
 olina, and there settled, and is getting into good practice. 
 So that, although I have had many difiiculties, I am a happy 
 
 * My second brother died an infant. 
 16 
 
242 AUT0BI06KAPHY OP 
 
 mother, and my soul is rejoicing in the Almighty, who has 
 blessed me in my children,— 1775." 
 
 She has added on the same : " In the year 1761 I lost my 
 honored father, l^icholas Scull. In the year 1765 I lost my 
 daughter, Abigail. In the year 1776 I left Philadelphia for 
 fear of the British army. In the year 1777 my son John 
 was an exile in ISew York. In the year 1778 my son Nicho- 
 las was lost in the Randolph. In the year 1779 my son 
 Edward died at Baltimore. And now, my Heavenly 
 Father ! I submit with resignation to thy holy will, and be- 
 seech thee in thy mercy to grant the affliction which thou 
 hast permitted to fall on me raay purify my soul and prepare 
 me for that day and hour which is swiftly approaching."* 
 
 Hearing this summer that Mrs. Catherine Lux, wife of 
 George Lux, a daughter of my brother Edward, was in bad 
 health at Baltimore, and thinking it probable her native air 
 would be of service to her, I went down and brought her up 
 to my house. For some time I flattered myself she was get- 
 ting well, and frequently told her what really was my opinion, 
 that she was not so bad as she supposed herself. She used to 
 smile, but made no reply. After she had been with us a few 
 weeks, she sent for me early one morning. When I went 
 into her room, she took up a bowl that was near her and 
 desired me to look in it. I found it was nearly filled with 
 clear blood. She very calmly said, " This has just come from 
 my stomach, and I sent for you, my dear uncle, to let you see 
 you are mistaken in your opinion about my health." Seeing 
 
 * The following appeared in the Pennsylvania Gazette, May 20, 1789: — 
 "On Saturday, the 9th inst. , departed this life after a short illness, in the 
 80th year of her age, Mrs. Mary Biddle, of this city. The following Monday 
 her remains were carried from her son's house, James Biddle, Esquire, in 
 Chestnut Street, to Whitemarsh Township, attended by her friends and 
 relatives, and there interred in the family burying ground. 
 
 ' ' She was affectionate — ardently affectionate — liberal and benevolent in her 
 sentiments, cheerful and gay in her disposition and temper, sociable and 
 agreeable in her conversation and company, averse to dissimulation of every 
 species ; added to all, she possessed the advantage of a clear and intelligent 
 understanding, and was favored with an uninterrupted enjoyment of health, 
 till she reached a period of life in which years are truly venerable." 
 
CHARLES BIDDLK. 243 
 
 me extremely affected, she begged me not to be uneasy about 
 her, that she was perfectly easy herself, that death had no 
 terrors for her, that all her prospects of happiness in this 
 world were gone, and that she looked forward with pleasure 
 for the hour she was to be united to her father, mother, sister, 
 child, and her other relations and friends who had already 
 left this world. Finding I was speechless with grief, she 
 took my hand, which she pressed to her bosom, and said every- 
 thing she could think of to console me. It was a long time 
 before I was composed enough to leave this dear, unfortunate 
 girl, who a short time before was one of the liveliest and 
 most entertaining of her sex. Her husband was at this time 
 at my house. Sometimes I pitied him, at other times his 
 conduct was such that it was with difficulty I could keep my 
 hands off him. She departed this life about a month after 
 the bleeding I have mentioned, in the twenty-sixth year ot 
 her age, retaining her composure and her senses to the last 
 moment of her life. A few days before the death of Mrs. 
 Lux I lost a beloved little daughter, about fifteen months old. 
 
 The 17th of April, 1790, Dr. Benjamin Franklin departed 
 this life, aged eighty-four years and three months. For the 
 last five years of his life I was very often with him, haying 
 been two years Vice-President when he was President of 
 Council. The last year he was ■ President I was Secretary, 
 and from that time until he died very intimate in ^e family. 
 The Doctor was certainly a man of great abilities, but I 
 believe not a great political character. He at times made 
 inquiries of me respecting the Constitution of Pennsylvania, 
 that convinced me he had little knowledge of it whatever he 
 might once have had. He was agreeable and entertaining to 
 the day of his death, always cheerful, and had some amusing 
 anecdote to relate. When he brought forward any thing in 
 Council that he wanted carried, he always began by relating 
 some anecdote applicable to the business. 
 
 It was not long before he left Europe I believe that he felt 
 the stone. When he was troubled with it in Council he 
 often mentioned to me that those who lived out the days of 
 life must expect to suffer, that most of his present friends 
 
244 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 were the sons or grandsons of his former companions, that 
 my grandfather, ]S"icho]as Scull, Surveyor-General of Penn- 
 sylvania, was one of his most intimate friends. He was 
 justly beloved and esteemed by all who knew him ; notwith- 
 standing his age his death was sincerely regretted by me. 
 When it was mentioned in Council, the members of the 
 Board, out of respect to his character, agreed to carry his 
 corpse to the grave. This was mentioned to the family, who 
 were much pleased with the ofter. A difference, however, 
 between two of the members of the Board prevented it. The 
 Doctor often mentioned it as his opinion that we were the 
 happiest people in the world. He used to say the reason 
 why we had not so many old people as in Europe in propor- 
 tion to our numbers, was that sixty or seventy years back 
 there were but few born in the couMry. He thought no 
 people in the world lived to a greater age than the Americans, 
 or enjoyed better health. 
 
 In October, 1790, came on the election for Governor, the 
 first under the new State Constitution. General St. Clair was 
 the Republican candidate, and General Mifflin, the Constitu- 
 tionalist, for although General Mifflin, a short time before, 
 had been considered a staunch Republican, he had by some 
 means given offence. Indeed it is a very difficult matter for 
 any one in a public situation to act in such a manner as to 
 please aZZiiis party, but it must, however, be acknowledged 
 that General Mifflin was not remarkable for his prudence. At 
 the head of the Republican party were Robert Morris, 
 Frederick A. Muhlenberg, Col. Miles, and some other gentle- 
 men, who published an address to the Republican electors, 
 recommending General St. Clair. Great exertions were made 
 by both parties. The Republicans were unfortunate in their 
 choosing General St. Clair, who although a worthy man, was 
 but little known in the State. Indeed I do not believe any 
 man they could have set up would have carried the election 
 against Mifflin, who had all the Constitutionalists in his 
 favor, and a good many personal friends among the Repub- 
 licans, yet if they had set up Miles or Muhlenberg they would 
 have had a much better chance of succeeding. The Repub- 
 
'cHARLES BIDDLB. 245 
 
 licans, since called the Federal party, have always been the 
 most wealthy, and generally the most respectable of our in 
 habitants, but they never make those exertions that are made 
 by .the opposite party, especially on the election ground, the 
 most important place for exertions to be made. Having a 
 strong personal attachment for General Mifflin, I did every- 
 thing in my power before the day of election, by writing to 
 my friends in the different counties, to promote his interest, 
 and on the day of election I was upon the ground from the 
 time the poll opened until it was closed. He was chosen by 
 a very large majority. 
 
 As the powers of the Supreme Executive Council expired 
 with the old Constitution my office of course became extinct ; 
 however, from the warm friendship that General Mifflin had 
 ever expressed for me (having frequently declared there was 
 no man in the world he loved and esteemed half so much) 
 I had not the least doubt he would offer me the office of 
 Secretary to the Commonwealth, an office that many of the 
 members who formed the Constitution thought unnecessary. 
 And I believe there would not have been such an office in 
 the Constitution if it had not been for some of my friends 
 in the Convention. It .was thought by many that it would 
 be better to give the Governor a Private Secretary. This 
 was my own opinion, and what I recommended, but those 
 spoken to by me knew I would not accept the office of 
 Private Secretary, and wished me in office. Some thought 
 it of little consequence whether there was a Secretary to the 
 Commonwealth or Private Secretary, but my friends and 
 myself were mistaken in General Mifflin. He wished to 
 appoint A. J. Dallas, Esquire, a gentleman of the Bar, to 
 whom he was attached, and from whom he perhaps expected 
 services that I could or would not perform. I do not 
 mean by this any reflection on Mr. Dallas, for I never knew 
 anything improper in his condjact in any way whatever. I 
 blamed the Governor because he had not been candid, and 
 spoken to me on the subject. This he told me some tinie 
 afterwards he wished to do, but was afraid from the warmth 
 of my temper that I should say something to affront him, 
 
246 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 and that he would make any sacrifices rather than have a 
 difference with me. He at last sent three or four gentlemen 
 of the Legislature, our mutual friends, to speak to me. The 
 moment they spoke to me on the business they came about 
 I told them if the Governor thought my consent necessary 
 to the appointment of a Secretary, as they appeared to think, 
 he was at liberty to do as he pleased, that I cared nothing 
 about the office, and despised him ; and made use of some 
 other harsh expressions. However, I was softened, and my 
 resentment subdued a good deal, when they told me he was 
 very unwell and wished to see me. I did not call on him, 
 but a few days afterwards he came to see me. He was much 
 affected, and said he was under obligations to me he never 
 could forget, and that there was nothing he would not do to 
 serve me. After this visit we parted on better terms than 
 we were before. His mind appeared to be relieved. This 
 difference with General Mifflin occasioned me at the time a 
 good deal of uneasiness. It was, however, fortunate for me 
 that it happened, for he was at that time frequently embar- 
 rassed for money, of which he was exti'avagant and thought- 
 less. On these occasions he always applied to me. "When 
 this coolness happened I insisted on a settlement, and the 
 balance due being paid me. It is probable, had we remained 
 on good terms, that we should never have had a settlement, 
 certainly I should not have been paid. As I now kept 
 myself at a distance from him he could not ask me for the 
 loan of any money, or indeed to render him any services. 
 At this time my intention was to give up all thought of any 
 office, and take a voyage to sea. From the number of friends 
 I had amongst the inhabitants I knew it would be easy for 
 me to get the command of a good ship, and the consignment 
 of her cargo. This I certainly should have done in the 
 spring of 1791, although it was extremely disagreeable to 
 Mrs. Biddle and the rest ot my family, if it had not been 
 for the death of Judge Bryan, of the Supreme Court, who 
 died suddenly the beginning of this year. The day after his 
 death the Governor sent to request me to call on him, and 
 when I went, to my great surprise, he told me he had 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 247 
 
 appointed Edward Shippen, Esquire, who was Chief Justice 
 of the Court of Common Pleas, in the room of Judge Bryan. 
 As the Governor had declared to all my friends and written 
 me that he would give me the first vacant place that should 
 happen, I expected he would have appointed my brother 
 James to the office held by Judge Bryan, and given me the 
 Prothonotary's office.* I told him rather bluntly what my 
 expectation was, and left the house immediately. He came 
 to the door and called me back ; he was very much agitated, 
 and I was convinced he was sorry he had been so precipitate. 
 He said his wish was that my brother James should be 
 Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and I should have the 
 office of Prothonotary. I told him he must know the office 
 Mr. Shippen held was worth very little, and my brother 
 should not, with my consent, accept it. With this I left 
 him, neither of us well pleased. Indeed I felt much dis- 
 satisfied with him, and now would have preferred going to 
 sea to any office he could give me. Soon after we had parted 
 the Governor called on my brother, and this best of men 
 agreed to the arrangement he wished to make. I insisted, 
 however, upon my brother receiving the emoluments of the 
 Prothonotary's office until a further provision was made for 
 the office he was to have, which was soon after done. The 
 office of Prothonotary was not much with the heavy tax on 
 it. My friends in the Legislature had the tax taken off; it 
 amounted to between four and five hundred pounds per 
 annum. The Governor told me some time after- sending me 
 the commission that he would have appointed my brother 
 one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, but he thought it 
 would be of advantage to me for him to preside in the 
 
 * In a letter before me, dated January 17, 1791, among other things he 
 says: "I shall be solicitous to evince my zeal for your honor and interest; 
 and as it cannot be long before I shall have it in my power to serve the pub- 
 lic, and gratify myself, by inviting you to some station at least as respect- 
 able and beneficial as the office of Secretary, I fondly trust that the present 
 explanation will effectually prevent any interruption of the harmony that has 
 hitherto distinguished our intimacy, or any diminution of our reciprocal 
 esteem and the good opinion which we have entertained of each other." 
 
248 AUTOBIOGKAPHT OP 
 
 Common Pleas. Indeed if it had not been for my brother 
 I never would have undertaken to do the duties of an office 
 1 was so totally unacquainted with. With his assistance I 
 soon acquired a knowledge of the business. The Governor 
 sent with the commission the following letter : — 
 
 My Dear Sir: It gives me sincere pleasure to enclose a 
 commission, appointing you to succeed your brother, as Pro- 
 thonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia 
 County. 
 
 I am, with sincere regard. 
 
 Your friend, 
 Thos. Mifflin. 
 
 Philada., 1st Feb'y, 1791. 
 Charlks Bibdle, Esq. 
 
 Although after this we visited each other, and the Gover- 
 nor never had any large party without inviting me, and did 
 everything in his power to keep up our former intimacy, I 
 did not feel that attachment to him I before had. I believe 
 when a man knov)S he has not been treated well, nothing 
 done afterwards will eft'ect a perfect reconciliation. Some 
 years afterwards when General Mifflin got into difficulties, 
 I made every exertion in my power to serve him, and did 
 serve him essentially. 
 
 Mrs. Potts, an intimate friend of Mrs. Biddle, being ad- 
 vised by her physician to go to the seashore with a sick 
 child, and Mrs. Biddle wishing to take our children there, I 
 went to take care of them. We left the city in June, 1792, 
 in a small shallop, commanded by a drunken fellow who had 
 no person with him belonging to the shallop but his son, a 
 lad about sixteen years of age. The first night we anchored 
 near Marcus Hook. The night was so dark that a brig 
 bound up passed so near that we could have jumped on 
 board of her. As the heat below had obliged Mrs. Potts and 
 Mrs. Biddle to be on deck, they saw the danger they had 
 been in, and were very much terrified. Had the brig ran foul of 
 us, it is highly probable we should have foundered. Instead 
 of anchoring in the channel, we should have gone close in 
 shore. This I mentioned to the skipper when he came to, 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 249 
 
 but he said there was no danger, and I did not apprehend 
 there was much.' Owing to head winds, calms, and a drunken 
 skipper, we were three days before we reached Cape May. 
 At this time the accommodations at the Cape were bad. The 
 shore is good to bathe, some think better than Long Branch. 
 I, however, do not think so. Thje surf at the Branch is 
 higher, but I never heard of any accident there. As to the 
 sharks that are seen there, they are very different from those 
 in the West Indies. I believe no more danger is to be appre- 
 hended from them than from a sturgeon. 
 
 We had been but a few days at the Cape when the revenue 
 cutter anchored off there. Mr. Dulaney, the collector of the 
 customs, Mr. John N^esbit, and General Robinson were on 
 board. As my business required my being in town, I ac- 
 cepted a pressing invitation given me by these gentlemen to 
 go up with them, and to return in a carriage for Mrs. Biddle 
 and the children. In going up the bay, upon the appearance 
 of a squall, I told Captain Montgomery, who commanded the 
 cutter, that he had better shorten sail, for I was sure it would 
 blow very heavy. However, he did not apprehend any dan- 
 ger, and thought it unnecessary to take in any of his sails. As 
 it approached I was convinced it would blow hard, and ad- 
 vised him, as he was not well, to go below and leave the com- 
 mand to me. As soon as he was in the cabin, I took in all 
 sail as fast as possible, intending to come to anchor, but be- 
 fore we could let go the anchors, the squall took us, and with- 
 out any sail set we had nearly overset. In order to bring her 
 up, we let go both anchors, and as the cables were not 
 clinched to the mast, owing to the ignorance of the crew, 
 they had nearly run out end for end. This tornado did a 
 great deal of mischief at the wharves in Philadelphia and 
 elsewhere. The gentlemen on board mentioned afterwards 
 that it was happy for them they had persuaded me to come 
 up with them. 
 
 Shortly after, I sat off for Cape May in a carriage. I took 
 with me my son William, then about eleven years of age. 
 At three o'clock in the afternoon of the day we left town, we 
 came to a fork in the road where I was at a loss which way to 
 
250 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 take. However, as there was no house near, and the day ex- 
 cessively hot, it would not do to wait. I took the one that 
 appeared to be the most frequented. We had not gone far be- 
 fore we came across a tree that had been blown down across 
 the road. To get the carriage over this tree myself and ser- 
 vant worked very hard for half an hour. About a mile from 
 this place we came to a house. The people here told us the 
 road we were going led to a mill ; that at the forks we should 
 have taken the other road. This was grievous news to us, 
 who, as well as the horses, were almost dead with fatigue. 
 However, there was no remedy, we were obliged to 'again 
 encounter the tree, and what was worse, found it would be 
 impossible to get to the stage we intended to lodge at. We 
 were therefore forced to stop at a miserable log house, 
 where they were obliged to have a smoke at each door to 
 prevent their being tormented with the raosquitos. The 
 poor people furnished us with a bed upstairs, which I believe 
 was the only one they had. The heat of the weather, and 
 the smoke that was made in the room to keep out the mos- 
 quitos rendered it a shocking place. In the middle of the 
 night I was awakened by "William. I jumped out of bed and 
 found he was almost suffocated. Taking him in my arms to 
 a Avindow, the fresh air soon revived him. Finding it in 
 vain to try to sleep we both dressed ourselves and went be- 
 low, where we remained the rest of the night. IsTo person 
 unacquainted with these insects can form an idea what a tor- 
 ment they are to jieople not used to them and not provided 
 with means to keep them off. They are worse on this road 
 than at any place I ever was at. Probably it may be better 
 when the country is cleared of wood. The next night we 
 got within a few miles of Hughes, the house where the fam- 
 ily staid, and early the morning after reached there. Find- 
 ing Mrs. Biddle anxious to be at home, and a pilot boat go- 
 ing up two days after, I took one of the boys with me in 
 her, and Mrs. Biddle and the family set oft" at the same time 
 in the carriage. Having a fair wind, we were soon up. Mrs. 
 Biddle suffered as much coming up in the carriage as we did 
 going down. They missed the road, and if it had not been 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 251 
 
 for a man accidentally meeting them, they would have had 
 to remain all night in the woods. 
 
 In April, 1793, we had an account of Mr. Genet, the French 
 Eepublican Minister, at Charleston. His motive for landing 
 at Charleston and travelling by land thence to Philadelphia, 
 must have been to find out whether the Americans were 
 inclined to join the French in the war in which they were 
 then engaged, and to endeavor to make them believe that 
 the Republic of France was fighting for the liberties of man- 
 kind against the despots of Europe. He was very cordially 
 received at Charleston, and at every place he stopped at on 
 the road. At Philadelphia, a town meeting was called to 
 congratulate him on his arrival amongst us. Curiosity took 
 me to the State House, without knowing who had called the 
 meeting, or what the intentions were of those who had called 
 it. As soon as I got there. Dr. Hutchinson, Mr. Sergeant, and 
 others, who had proposed the meeting, requested me to take 
 the chair. I would have declined it, but that some of my 
 friends were anxious that I should not do so, thinking, as they 
 afterwards told me, that by being in the chair I should pre- 
 vent some violent measures being adopted ; and it is probable 
 my being in the chair was in this respect of some service. It was 
 agreed to present an addi'ess to Mr. Genet ; and David Ritten- 
 house, J. D. Sergeant, Esq., Dr. Hutchinson, A. J. Dallas, Peter 
 S. Duponceau, Esq., and myself were appointed to draft one. 
 The meeting then adjourned until the next afternoon. In 
 the morning the Committee met at my house, each having 
 an address drawn up, from which we made out one. In the 
 afternoon there were so many met at the State House, that 
 we were obliged to adjourn to the yard, where, as chairman, 
 I read the address. Like all addresses brought forward in 
 this manner, it was highly approved, and a committee con- 
 sisting of about fifty, besides those who drafted the address, 
 appointed to deliver it to the Minister, who had taken up his 
 quarters at the City Tavei'n in Second Street. We proceeded 
 from the State House on our way there, attended by a great 
 concourse of people. As we were going, Hutchinson, who 
 was fat enough to act the character of Falstaft" without stutt- 
 
J52 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 ng, sent several messages to me, to beg I would not go so 
 'ast ; however, thinking such exercise of service to him, eveiy 
 ime he sent to me, I mended my pace, so that he was almost 
 exhausted when he got into the house. Mr. Genet spoke 
 ;olerably good English. lie was in high spirits, and gave 
 is a most cordial reception. He told us how much gratified 
 le was, and how pleasmg it would be to the citizens of 
 Trance to hear what a friendly reception he had met with 
 rom their brethren of America, and that he would answer 
 )ur address the next day. When we were coming away the 
 )eople assen;ibled in the streets gave three cheers, and dis- 
 )ersed without doing any mischief, although some were much 
 nclined to have a frolic. 
 
 Shortly after this, there was formed in the city a Democratic 
 society,* of which David Rittenhouse, Esq., was chosen Presi- 
 lent, and myself one of the Vice-Presidents. As I had never 
 ittended the meetings of those who proposed forming such a 
 ociety, and as, when it was mentioned to me by Dr. Hutch- 
 nson who was one of the principal promoters of it, I told him 
 ny opinion was that it would do more harm than good, I 
 vas much surprised at finding my name among the list of 
 )fficers, which I did not know until it was published in the 
 lewspapers ; nor then until some of my friends, the morning 
 t was published, told me they were sorry to see my name as 
 m officer of such a society. Others thought I could be of 
 lervice by moderating some of the most violent of the party 
 vho were inclined to do anything that would involve us in a 
 var with Great Britain. Mr. Eittenhouse, I believe, never 
 ittended any meetings. Both our names were set down by 
 3r. Hutchinson, who wished us to belong to the society. As 
 nost of my friends were Federalists, and some of them vio- 
 ent ones, I was sorry the Doctor had proposed me as a mem- 
 Der. However, as I knew he did not do it with any intention 
 )f giving me pain, I freely forgave him. 
 
 The first of June a dinner was given to Mr. Genet at 
 teller's Hotel. It was attended by men of all parties, for at 
 
 * This was the first Democratic Society formed in the United States. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 253 
 
 that time many who detested the proceedings of the French, 
 did not wish to see them subdued, not knowing what would 
 be the consequence to this country. At this entertainment I 
 was appointed President, and Doctor Hutchinson Vice-Presi- 
 dent. On one side of me was Governor Mifilin, on the other 
 Mr. Genet. Many toasts were given expreesive of our love 
 for our sister Republic. The bonnet rouge was passed from 
 head to head round the table, and many patriotic songs, made 
 to celebrate the day, were sung, some of them truly ridicu- 
 lous ; they served, however, to increase our mirth. The 
 Marseilles Hymn was sung by Mr. Genet, and we had several 
 other French songs. The day ended without any disturbance.* 
 I was much pleased soon after this, at hearing the Marseilles 
 Hymn sung on board the frigate Ambuscade. Her yards were 
 manned, and every person on board joined with the utmost 
 enthusiasm. I believe there never was a more animating 
 song composed. An American lady (Mrs. Montgomery, 
 sistef to the wife of Governor McKean) was at Bordeaux 
 when some troops marched from there singing this hymn. 
 She told me she could hardly refrain from taking a musket 
 and joining them. Mr. Genet is a handsome, agreeable man, 
 but, like most of his countrymen, of a hasty disposition. He 
 frequently wrote and said what he afterwards severely re- 
 pented. Being invited to dine the 4th of July with the 
 Society of Cincinnati, he returned a very polite answer, but 
 mentioned he could not sit down at table with the Count de 
 Noailles. As the Count was a member of the society, such 
 an objection gave great oifence to many of the members, who 
 were determined if Mr. Genet remained in the country he 
 should never again be invited. A few years before he would 
 have thought it a great honor to be at a table with the Count, 
 such an honor as he never had an idea of. I suppose as 
 Ambassador from the French Republic, he thought it an 
 official duty to make the objection. 
 
 * This banquet created a great sensation throughout the country. An ac- 
 count of it is given in Westcott's valuable history of Philadelphia. See, also, 
 Hilldreth, vol. iv. Mr. Peter S. Duponceau -wrote a. French Ode for the 
 occasion, which was sung by the company. 
 
254 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 In Ju]y I went to Long Branch, and lodged at Col. Green's 
 with a number of my Federal friends, who npon my first 
 arriving at the shore, congratulated me on my having the 
 honor of being elected Vice-President of the Democratic 
 Society; however, finding it was a subject I did not like, they 
 soon dropped it. I left the shore before daylight on the day 
 the action took place between the Ambuscade and Boston. 
 Had I known of the Ambuscade's going out to attack the 
 Boston, J should certainly have waited to have seen the action, 
 which with glasses could be plainly seen from the shore. 
 The contest was unequal, the French frigate being much 
 superior to the British. The gallant commander of the Bos- 
 ton, Captain Courtney, fell in the action. The Ambuscade 
 received so much damage that it was a long time before she 
 could be repaired ; so that if it had not been for the loss of 
 Courtney the action was favorable to the British, for this 
 French frigate had done much injury to their trade, and 
 would have done much more but for this battle. 
 
 A few days after I returned from the seashore, Mrs. Jones 
 and Judge Jones (most valuable friends who lived in Mont- 
 gomery County) with Mrs. Biddle and myself, went to the 
 Yellow Springs.* Returning from there we first heard there 
 Avas a fever in Philadelphia, that occasioned great alarm 
 among the inhabitants.- Among other deaths, that of Mr. 
 Peter Aston was mentioned. He was an old acquaintance of 
 mine, whom I had sworn as a juryman the day before we left 
 
 * Once before I was at those springs. A friend of the family had received 
 an express from there, informing him his wife lay at the point of death. He 
 applied to my mother to let me go with him, as he was going in his chair, 
 and was obliged to set off in the night, and could not see well enough to 
 drive. As I was not more than thirteen years of age, my mother was not 
 inclined to let me go ; however, I was eager for the journey, and got her 
 consent. Our friend was a remarkably cheerful man, and sang most of the 
 night. When we arrived his wife was much better, at which he expressed 
 great pleasure, and appealed to mo how much he had suffered on our way 
 upon account of his wife's indisposition. My real opinion was that he would 
 have been much better pleased to hear that she had moved off. He should 
 have given me my lesson before he made the appeal, for from my answer 
 the good lady thought he had not suffered much. — Author's note. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 255 
 
 town, when he was very hearty and cheerful. After the* 
 jury had delivered their verdict he came to me, and begged 
 I would not so often put him on the jury list ; little think- 
 ing, poor fellow, how soon he should leave us. Upon hearing 
 of the fever I left Mrs. Biddle under the care of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Jones, and set out for town, being very uneasy about the 
 family. On my way I met a number of people moving out, 
 all of whom gave a melancholy account of the ravages of the 
 disorder. I had promised Mrs. Biddle to send the children 
 out to her, and to be out soon myself, but such was her uneasi- 
 ness that the next morning after my coming to town, although 
 it rained excessively hard, she came home. My office being 
 in my house, and people coming to it from the infected parts 
 of the- city, made it dangerous to the family, whom I was 
 determined to send immediately out. Mr. Wm. Larduer, 
 who had the year before married a sister of Mrs. Biddle, 
 having a pleasant seat on the Delaware, and giving us a 
 pressing invitation, we sent the children there, Mrs. Biddle 
 declaring she would not leave the city without me. It was 
 in vain I pointed out the necessity of my staying, she was 
 deaf to everything. Although almost afraid to let him come 
 into my house, I sent for Dr. Hutchinson, to advise with him 
 about removing. Before Mrs. Biddle he just mentioned that 
 there was a dangerous fever in town, and that we had best 
 leave it, but when I went to the door with him, he told me 
 he had never seen anything so alarming, and desired me to 
 get Mrs. Biddle out of town immediately', and to go myself 
 as soon as I could. He said, that as a physician he thought 
 it his duty to remain, and let the disorder be ever so bad he 
 would not leave town. I walked a little way down the street 
 with him. At parting he gave me his hand, and said it was 
 doubtful whether he should see me again. I laughed at hira, 
 little expecting this would be the last time we should ever 
 meet. It was some days before I could arrange matters so as 
 to leave the city, before which this worthy man was taken 
 with the disorder, and died in a few days. He was a very 
 able physician, and one of the best of men. A student of 
 his, who staid with him, said he went to all the poor people, 
 
256 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 who sent for him. Visiting one of them, who was a poor 
 old woman, he caught the infection. This student was with 
 him, and said when the Doctor opened the door of the sick 
 woman's room, there was such a stench came from it, that 
 he ran out of the house. The Doctor went in, opened the 
 windows, and sat some time in the room. That night he was 
 taken with the fever which proved fatal to him. His death 
 increased the alarm very much, and occasioned many to leave 
 the city. He had a great deal of practice, and was esteemed 
 and respected by men of all parties that knew him.* 
 
 It is not easy to describe the consternation of the inhabi- 
 tants at this time ; the streets were almost deserted. I have 
 stood at my door at noon, and looking up and down the 
 street for some time, could not see one person in it. Being 
 myself used to see people in fever in the West Indies, par- 
 ticularly at Port au Prince, I did not feel that uneasiness 
 many of my friends did. I thought then, and still- think, 
 that a person who had been long in the West Indies was not 
 as liable to take the fever as those who had never been there, 
 and therefore should not have thought of leaving the city 
 but for my family. John Vannost, Esq., a, gentleman of the 
 Bar, who had lived with me from the time I was first appointed 
 to the office of Prothonotary, agreed to stay in the house, 
 which I committed to his care, and went to Mr. Lardner's, 
 ■who did everything in his power to make our situation agree- 
 able. A faithful black boy, born in the family, stayed with 
 Mr. Vannost. The boy should have left town with me, but 
 he preferred remaining, and it was the general opinion at 
 that time that the blacks did not take the fever. This boy 
 
 * Dr. James Hutchinson was born in Bucks County in 1752, and served 
 during the Revolution as Surgeon in the Continental Army, and Surgeon- 
 General of Pennsylvania. He was one of the first trustees of the University 
 of Pennsylvania, and Professor of Chemistry in that Institution up to the time 
 of his death. He took a warm interest in the politics of the State, and was 
 an active member of the then rising Bemocratic party. Eminent as a prac- 
 titioner, he fell a victim to his noble efforts in behalf of the humbler class of 
 his fellow citizens in September, 1793. His first wife, who died without 
 issue, was Lydia Biddle, first cousin of Charles Biddle, and sister of Col. 
 Clement Biddle. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 257 
 
 used to meet me three times a week about a mile from town. 
 I would have ridden into town, but this could not be done 
 without giving great uneasiness to my own family as well as 
 Mr. Lardner's, and it would have been very ungenerous to do 
 anything that would give pain to a family who behaved so 
 kindly. 
 
 Dr. Hutchinson died the sixth or seventh of September. 
 A few days after, when it was thought almost certain death 
 for any person to go to Bush Hill (the place where all those 
 with the yellow fever were carried). Captain Stephen Girard 
 and Mr. Peter Helm offered their services to attend there. 
 Captain Girard was a Frenchman, married and settled in 
 Philadelphia many years ; Peter Helm, a native of the city. 
 Both of them I knew well. With Girard I had long been a 
 manager of the Marine Society, and Mr. Helm lived in my 
 neighborhood. Their services should ever be remembered 
 with gratitude by the inhabitants of Philadelphia. Mr. Helm 
 told me after the fever was over that when he went out to 
 Bush Hill he never expected to return. The generous and 
 benevolent Girard was at the time, and I believe has been 
 ever since, of opinion that the fever was not contagious. He 
 therefore did not apprehend so much personal danger as Mr. 
 Helm. Too much praise cannot be given them. There were 
 many others who behaved with great firmness and benevo- 
 lence. Some who were thought to be afraid of nothing were 
 much terrified at this disorder ; among others an old friend of 
 mine, Commodore Barry, an oflacer of distinguished bravery, 
 retired to his country seat, and would suflfer no person from 
 the city to come near his house. Captain Sharp, a member 
 of the Cincinnati, who had served in the artillery all the 
 Revolutionary War, was a man of undoubted courage. In 
 the beginning of the fever, his wife complained one night of 
 being unwell. Concluding she had the fever, he immediately 
 jumped out of bed, and shut himself up in another room. 
 He was frightened into a fever, and died in a day or two. 
 His wife was soon well. Mr. J. A. Lewis, whom I have 
 formerly mentioned, a very honest, faithful clerk of mine, was 
 a Hessian who came to America with General Knyphausen, 
 17 
 
258 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 and was in all the principal actions fought during the war. 
 At the peace he stayed in America, married a worthy woman, 
 hy whom at this time lie had several children. Mr. Vannost 
 having informed me that Lewis was very much terrified at 
 staying in town, I told him if he wished to leave town, as 
 there was very little busniess in the office, he was at liberty 
 to go whenever he pleased, and I advised him to go, telling 
 him his wages should go on the same as if he stayed. 
 Willing, however, to make something at night by writing, 
 he said he was very much obliged to me, but he would re- 
 main in town. However, a few days after I had spoken to 
 him he wrote me a note informing me that in going home 
 the evening before he had seen twelve corpuses going to be 
 buried, which had terrified him so much that he had hired a 
 carriage and was just going into the country. No man, I 
 believe, in battle would behave with more courage than Lewis. 
 There were many other instances of men of great bravery 
 who were as much or more terrified than those I have men- 
 tioned, and some who were generally thought to be so timid 
 that they would have fled as soon as there was any danger, 
 stayed in town and distinguished themselves by their courage 
 and benevolence. Melancholy instances have been mentioned 
 of people deserting their relations and friends, and no doubt 
 some, driven by fear, left those whom they ought never to 
 have left. I, however, knew of no instance where it was 
 done, and believe it was seldom the case. 
 
 Some very sorrowful, and some ludicrous scenes happened 
 during the fever. A friend of mine, who had moved into 
 the country early in the disorder, being much afraid of 
 taking the fever, was very cautious of any person coming 
 out of the city. Riding one day in his chair, he overtook 
 a gentleman walking towards town, and invited him to ride 
 with him, which the gentleman accepted. My friend, find- 
 ing him a very agreeable, intelligent man, when he got near 
 his own house, pressed the stranger very much to go in, and 
 dine with him. He excused himself, saying he had just 
 been out to see a sick friend. This alarmed my acquaintance. 
 " And where were you going in such a hurry ?" " To Bush 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 259 
 
 Hill." "The devil you were! I hope you have not been 
 there lately ?" " Oh yes ! I am Dr. Devoze, one of the physi- 
 cians who attend the hospital." A highwayman with a 
 pistol pointed at him would not have frightened him half 
 as much. He soon got rid of the Doctor, and never after- 
 wards invited a stranger to ride with him. 
 
 It was generally supposed, and it was my opinion, that 
 the fever was brought to Philadelphia by the unfortunate 
 people who were obliged to leave Hispaniola.* Very few 
 of those people, or the black people, took the fever. 
 
 What added greatly to the distress of those unhappy 
 persons who took the fever was the difference of opinion 
 among our most eminent physicians respecting the proper 
 treatment of it. What one recommended another would 
 condemn, so that all confidence in them was lost. I believe 
 that in general too much medicine was given. I was 
 I'eminded at this time of an anecdote I had often heard Dr. 
 Franklin tell respecting a malignant fever that was in Bar- 
 badoes, which swept oif great numbers of the inhabitants. 
 At last they were out of medicine, and it was expected they 
 would all die. It happened, however, otherwise ; for after 
 the medicine was gone every person that had the disease 
 recovered. I believe bleeding, keeping the body open, and 
 the patient cool and clean, was the best method of curing 
 the disease. I had determined, if taken with the disorder, 
 to take very little or no medicine. The great quantity, if 
 the patient recovered from the fever, ruined the constitution. 
 
 On the return day of the court, in September, my bi'other. 
 Judge Biddle, went into the city to open and adjourn the 
 
 * Mr. Henry Sickel and myself were appointed to collect money in the 
 ward we lived in for those distressed people, which disgusted me against 
 raising money in this way. One gentleman, Mr. Samuel Blodget, gave us 
 a check for two hundred dollars. One of his neighbors, a much richer 
 man, with a good deal of persuasion, gave us four. To avoid giving offence 
 we went into every house. Many people gave us cheerfully, more than 
 they could afford. To some of them I would much rather have given than 
 have taken anytliing. Others, who were rich, would give nothing. — 
 Author's note. 
 
260 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 court. I intended to have gone with him, but he requested 
 me not to go, and, as Mr. Vannost was there, and little, if 
 any, business to be done, I remained out of town. Before 
 he went he made his will, which, without mentioning at the 
 time what it was, he left with me. At court there were 
 only five gentlemen of the Bar : Jonathan D. Sergeant, Jacob 
 Bankson, J. E,. Howell, John Todd, and Charles ]S"eatly. 
 Mr. Sergeant was a man of large fortune and great worth ; 
 he staid in town from motives of benevolence. Messrs. 
 Howell and Todd were worthy men. I believe they remained 
 in the city in expectation of being employed in writing 
 wills. For this purpose they went to any persons that sent 
 for them. They died shortly after the meeting of the court, 
 and I believe took the fever from persons whose wills they 
 drew. Mr. Todd told my brother when the court adjourned 
 they had best leave the Court House as soon as possible, as 
 the committee appointed for conveying persons with the 
 fever to Bush Hill sat there. 
 
 I believe, that giving an emetic early in the disorder, mod- 
 erate bleeding, keeping the body open, and the patient cool 
 and clean, with good nursing, was the means of saving many 
 who had the fever. The great quantity of mercury that was 
 given by some of the physicians, if they recovered the patient 
 from the fever, ruined the constitution. Although four thou- 
 sand died of this fever, there were not a great many of the 
 old inhabitants. They were mostly foreigners. Having 
 lived long in the city, and being Prothonotary, occasioned 
 my knowing most of the citizens. There were not more than 
 eighty whom I knew, and many of these were natives of 
 Europe. During the whole time of the fever, the markets were 
 well supplied, and I believe none of the country people took 
 the fever, except a very few who imprudently went to see 
 their sick friends or, from curiosity, to improper places. I 
 mention imprudently going to see their sick friends, because 
 they could render them no assistance. 
 
 In If ovember, the fever was so far abated that the citizens 
 flocked to town as fast as they had before left it. People 
 who had little or no acquaintance with each other before they 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 261 
 
 left the city, appeared rejoiced at seeing each other. The 
 loss was soon forgotten in the joy of getting back to the city. 
 In the year 1794, the excise had occasioned so much dis- 
 turbance in the Western country, that it was thought neces- 
 sary to send commissioners there to endeavor to bring the 
 people to a sense of their duty. They had driven off Major 
 Lenox, the Federal Marshal, who had been up serving pro- 
 cesses against the delinquent distillers, and burned the house 
 of General ISTeville, who was inspector of the district. At the 
 attack on it. Major McFarlane, who commanded the insur- 
 gents, was killed. After this they declared they would 
 oppose any force brought against them. Governor Mifllin 
 spoke to me about going as one of the commissioners on the 
 part of the State ; however, I knew there were others better 
 acquainted with the people of the Western country, and who 
 would probably have more influence than I should. Chief Jus- 
 tice McKean and General Irvine were the two who went on 
 the part of the State ; Mr. Bradford, Attorney-General of the 
 United States, James Ross, one of the Senators of the United 
 States, for Pennsylvania, and Jasper Yeates, one of the Judges 
 of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, wept on the part of 
 the Federal Government. I wrote a letter to the printer at 
 Pittsburg, informing him that I had ever been a friend and 
 advocate for the people of the Western country, but that the 
 opposition they had given to the laws of their country had 
 been such that every man who valued the peace and happi- 
 ness of the country must lend his aid to bring them to jus- 
 tice. After his return, Mr. Bradford told me that Mr. Scull 
 had shown him the letter, that he had it published, and that 
 it had a good effect. If a longer time had been given the 
 commissioners, I have no doubt but that the people would 
 have submitted peaceably. However, as they did not sub- 
 mit within the time limited, it was thought necessary to send 
 an armed force into the country. The two principal promo- 
 ters of the disturbances were David Bradford, a lawyer, a 
 native of Maryland, and John Marshall, who had been sheriff' 
 of Washington County, and formerly in the Legislature. 
 They were anxious for the repeal of the Excise Law (as I be- 
 
262 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 lieve a majority of the State was) and encouraged the people 
 to oppose it, hut had no intention of carrying matters to such 
 lengths as they had gone. But you cannot say to such peo- 
 ple as they had to deal with, a hardy, warlike race, thus far 
 you may go, but no further. It was not in their power to 
 govern those who acted under them. After several meetings 
 were had about this business, it is probable if Marshall or 
 Bradford had advised moderate measures they would in- 
 stantly have lost their influence, been insulted and abused, 
 and perhaps shot. It unfortunately happened that in gene- 
 ral, men of prudence and influence avoided these meetings, 
 and left the most violent to do as they pleased. Smilie, Find- 
 ley, and Grallatin* were much blamed. I do not, however, 
 believe they deserved any censure, but on the contrary, that 
 they did everything in their power to prevent the people from 
 acts of violence. It is possible that their being suspected of 
 fomenting the disturbances, made them more anxious to put 
 a stop to them than they otherwise would have been. 
 
 Much complaint was made by the prisoners of the treat- 
 ment they received from General White, who commanded 
 the party that brought them to Philadelphia. They said, 
 when they were first arrested, he had them confined in a 
 damp cellar, tied back to back, and kept there from Thurs- 
 day night until Sunday morning with hardly any victuals 
 or drink. Certainly, none of them deserved such treatment, 
 and some of them were brave fellows who had served 
 with reputation during the Revolution, and were afterwards 
 proved to be innocent of the crimes laid to their charge. 
 When they reached the ferry at Schuylkill they were ordered 
 to put a piece of paper in their hats, with which they were 
 paraded down Market Street. It was pretended that this 
 was done to distinguish them from their guards, but their 
 dress was suflicient to make them known, without this dis- 
 
 * I was well acquainted with these gentlemen. The two former I have 
 mentioned before as members of the Supreme Executive Council. Mr. 
 Gallatin is allowed by his enemies to be a man of superior talents. They 
 were all of the same political party. — Author's note. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 263 
 
 graceful badge. I believe no complaint was made by the 
 prisoners of any officer but General White. 
 
 Hugh H. Brackenridge, in order to justify himself from 
 charges made against him, published "Incidents of the In- 
 surrection in the Western Parts of Pennsylvania." It appears 
 from Mr. Brackenridge's own account that he acted a double 
 part, which he thought his situation at that time not only 
 justified but rendered meritorious. There is no doubt but 
 that personal motives, more than public justice, actuated 
 some of his enemies. In one part of his book he says, " At 
 Parkinson's Ferry I fell in with Benjamin Parkinson carry- 
 ing down a board, with an intention to fix it upon one of the 
 liberty poles. I read the inscription ; it was : — 
 
 " ' Equal taxation, and no excise. 
 
 No asylum for traitors and cowards.' 
 
 " Thought I, there are two of us, then, that ought to be 
 away ; for you are a coward, and I am a traitor, for I do not 
 mean to go to war ; and if you do, you will not fight." In 
 another part he mentions his being consulted by one Fergus 
 Ferguson, collier, who was taken up as an insurgent. " I 
 was of opinion that as his employment and residence were 
 subterraneous, he could plead the not belonging to the sur- 
 face of the earth ; or, if in strictness this would not bar the 
 jurisdiction of the court, it would at least have weight with 
 the Executive, to direct the Attorney-General to enter a nolle 
 prosequi, inasmuch as he had been under ground through 
 the summer, and had not heard of the insurrection until it 
 was over." Mr. Brackenridge is now, 1805, one of the Judges 
 of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Major Lenox, the Marshal, who went up to serve the writs, 
 is a native of ISTorth Britain, a very worthy, good fellow. 
 He was a captain in the American service, and was taken 
 prisoner at Fort Washington. 
 
 About the middle of April, 1796, in riding out to dine, I 
 felt in the upper part of my back something like a small 
 boil. In the evening it gave me some pain ; however, I went 
 to bed without saying anything about it, expecting it would 
 
264 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 soon be well. In the night the pain increased and made me 
 very restless, and it was painful all the next day, but not so 
 much so as to prevent my going to court and attending to 
 other business. Being much fatigued when I went to bed, I 
 slept soundly until near daylight, when I was awakened with 
 a most excruciating pain which made me jump out of bed 
 and order a light. Mrs. Biddle looked at the supposed boil, 
 and thought if it was opened with a lancet, that it would 
 immediately relieve me. I sent for Mr. "Wolf, who dressed 
 me, and who was a good bleeder, and ordered the servant to 
 tell him to bring a lancet. He came just at daylight, when 
 going to the window I pulled off my shirt and desired that 
 he would immediately open the boil. He told me it had a 
 very strange appearance, that it looked purple and green^ and 
 that he did not think it was in a proper state to be opened. 
 He begged me to send for the doctor — he went himself — and 
 Dr. Wistar, understanding from Mr. Wolf that he had left 
 me in great pain, came immediately. Upon looking at the 
 supposed boil he told me it must not be opened, that it would 
 confine me some time, and directed a poultice of bread and 
 milk to be immediately made, and applied to it. He gave 
 me some drops in which I believe there was laudanum. The 
 next day he told me it was an anthrax, and must be cut out. 
 I lay with my back poulticed for near three weeks before it 
 was supposed to be fit to cut. Previous to this he advised 
 calling in Dr. Kuhn, who attended every day with Dr. Wistar. 
 After this Dr. Wistar told me that he should not have occa- 
 sion to use the knife again. He was, however, mistaken, for 
 in a few days he and Dr. Kuhn having examined my back, 
 informed me that it would facilitate the cure if I was asain 
 cut, and Dr. Wistar was proceeding to say something about 
 a person who had fallen a sacrifice to his obstinacy, when Dr. 
 Kuhn stopped him. Dr. Wistar said he would perform the 
 Operation that day, or put it oft" some days. I told him if he 
 thought it necessary I would prefer his doing it immediately. 
 He went home, brought his students with him and his in- 
 struments, and began. This was the longest in performing 
 and most severe of any of the operations he had performed. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 265 
 
 The sweat ran down my hollow cheeks, and my shirt was as 
 wet as if it had been in the river. I did not, however, utter 
 a complaint. The Doctor was pleased to say that he never 
 saw any one bear cutting so well. Soon after this I began to 
 mend, and in a few days was well enough to ride out. The 
 second or third time of my going out I had the curiosity to 
 go into a neighbor's and get weighed. My long confinement 
 had reduced me from one hundred and eighty to one hundred 
 and thirty-four pounds weight. A sore mouth, such as young 
 children have, I had after the anthrax was cut out, and for 
 which the doctors gave me a great deal of vitriol. To this I 
 imputed the loss of several of my teeth, "which loosened and 
 came out without any pain. Standing one day at the 
 door waiting for the carriage, to go riding, being so weak 
 that I was obliged to be supported by a servant. Captain 
 Welsh, an old acquaintance, came up to me and exclaimed, 
 "My God! is this Captain Biddle?" I shook him by the 
 hand, and told him it was the remains of Captain Biddle, 
 whom he formerly knew in the Bay of Honduras. " And is 
 it possible," he again exclaimed, " that such a beautiful young 
 man as you then were should be so much altered." His ex- 
 clamation about my beauty, wreck as I was, made me laugh. 
 There must have been a great alteration from the time my 
 honest friend had seen me in the Bay ; then I was florid, 
 young, strong, and active, with an excellent set of teeth. He 
 now saw me pale and weak, with the loss of some of my fore- 
 teeth, and reduced to a skeleton. ISTotwithstanding my 
 wretched appearance, my spirits were good, nor were they 
 depressed during my confinement, which probably occasioned 
 my recovery. A few days after my first leaving the house, 
 an intimate friend called to see me. When I informed him 
 of my being better and expecting soon to leave the room, he 
 expressed much satisfaction, saying he had understood from 
 the doctors, one or the other of whom he saw every day, 
 that they had very little hopes of my recovery. Such per- 
 sons should never be permitted to come into a sick-room with- 
 out being cautioned as to what they may say. They depress 
 the spirits, by which means they may injure a sick person 
 
266 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 materially. At one time I was of opinion myself that my 
 disorder would prove fatal to me, in consequence of whicli I 
 made my will, wrote a letter to Governor Mifilin requesting, 
 should I not survive my complaint, that he would appoint 
 some friend to my office who would collect the fees that 
 would be due my family, and made every other preparation 
 in my power for my departure. Although very few people 
 had more to make life desirable than myself, being in good 
 circumstances, happy in my family and friends, yet knowing 
 the uncertainty of life, I prepared to suffer with fortitude, a 
 removal from this world, which, however, I never found so 
 bad as many people have represented it. In fact, I believe 
 very few have had less reason to complain of the world than 
 myself, having my full share of the pleasures and comforts of 
 life. During my confinement Dr. Wistar would frequently 
 agree to let me have meat or butter, but Dr. Kuhn would 
 never consent to any indulgence whatever. After riding out 
 for some time my brother James purchased a fine green turtle 
 for me which I had ever been very fond of, but when it was 
 mentioned to Dr. Kuhn he requested me not to taste it. I 
 was very weak for a long time, and in the fall had some 
 apprehensions of being confined again. It, however, went 
 oft", and I have felt nothing of it up to this present year, 1805. 
 There being some bank troubles about this time, it was 
 said that Governor Mifilin had overdrawn on the bank for a 
 considerable amount. He was so much aff'ected by the report 
 that he took to his bed, and sent to request me to call on 
 him. Having some particular business to attend to, I did 
 not wait on him that day. The next morning he sent Col. 
 Febiger, the Treasurer, 'who told me the Governor was very 
 anxious to see me. When I went^ he was much affected, 
 saying he was afraid I had left him, and would not call to 
 see him. I soon eased his mind. What occasioned the 
 report was that his relation, John Mifilin, who was Cashier, 
 and on whom he entirely depended to keep his bank account, 
 had let some notes lent the Governor by Chief Justice 
 McKean and the Surveyor-General, Brodhead, lie over when 
 they should and would have been renewed had these gentle- 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 267 
 
 men been applied to. In money matters few men were more 
 careless than Governor Mifflin. If lie had what he wanted 
 for to-day, he thought not of to-morrow. If he had a sum 
 by him that he knew he would be called upon for the next 
 day, he could not refuse it to any of his friends who called 
 to borrow. By this unfortunate weakness he was continually 
 kept in want. 
 
 In the year 1797 I met with an irreparable loss in the 
 death of my brother James. He went from town the 
 thirteenth of June to hold a court at Norristown, and 
 returned home in the evening. I called at night to see him. 
 His daughter told me he was well, but complained of being 
 very much fatigued, and had gone to bed. In the night he 
 was taken extremely ill, and in two days we lost him. A 
 better man I believe never lived. To me he had ever been 
 the most affectionate brother. No father could have taken 
 more care of me than he did. Hardly anything could have 
 been so severe a blow to nie as this loss. He was remark- 
 ably cheerful and good-tempered. I hardly ever remember 
 seeing him out of temper. He was careless of his health, 
 and in money affairs very few men more so. I believe no 
 man ever lived more beloved than my brother James. Two 
 years before his death he went to Long Branch with an old 
 schoolmate, Mr. Tench Francis. The day after they got 
 down they stripped to go into bathe. Just as they were 
 going in Mr. Francis stopped my brother, and said to him, 
 " James, are you sick ?" " Ko." " Do you think bathing 
 will make you feel better?" "It cannot, for I never M'as 
 better in my life." " As that is the case," says Mr. Francis, 
 " let us put on our clothes, for I am of your opinion, that, 
 being perfectly well, .we cannot be better by bathing."' 
 Accordingly they dressed themselves, and did not go into 
 the sea all the time they were at the shore. 
 
 The loss of my brother having confined me a good deal to 
 the house, I thought it would be of service to take a journey, 
 and being advised by a friend who had been at Ballstown 
 Springs, and who intended going there again, to take a 
 jaunt there, I left town the first of August, taking my son 
 
268 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 William with me. We got to Paulus Hook that evening, 
 and intended to stay there all night, but finding the mosqui- 
 tos very troublesome we crossed over to New York, where 
 we arrived before ten o'clock. I do not think riding this 
 distance in one day that a person feels more, perhaps not so 
 much, fatigue as going forty or fifty miles in the same time ; 
 at any rate it is so with me. We were some days in New 
 York before we could get a passage to Albany. During our 
 stay at New York we passed our time very agreeably among 
 the hospitable inhabitants, to several of whom I had letters 
 of introduction. I intended before we left the city to have 
 called upon Mr. William Seton,. avery respectable merchant, 
 who, I had some reason to think, was the same Mr. Seton 
 who behaved so friendly to me when at St. Lucar ' in the 
 year 1763, but the continual engagements I was under made 
 me conclude to postpone my visit to him until my return 
 from Ballstown. 
 
 We embarked on board one of the Albany sloops, and 
 were tolerably well accommodated. I do not think this the 
 best way to go from New York to Albany. The most agree- 
 able, and often the most expeditious way, I believe is to go 
 to Poughkeepsie by water, and then to take the land stage. 
 We arrived at Albany two days after a great fire that 
 destroyed a considerable part of the town. We were received 
 and entertained very hospitably by the gentlemen to whom 
 we had letters, particularly by Judge Taylor, who did every- 
 thing in his power to make the place agreeable. There is 
 nothing remarkable in Albany except it is the great number 
 of stages. You can be accommodated with one here for 
 almost any part of the continent. After remaining a few 
 da,js here we went to Ballstown, distant from hence about 
 thirty-seven miles, and a tolerably good road. Ballstown, 
 is surrounded by hills. I do not think it is an agreeable 
 place, at least it was not so during the time of my being 
 there. The houses were too much crowded for an invalid to 
 receive much benefit. This may be remedied by building 
 more houses, but you cannot bring the springs from the low 
 ground, and there is no pleasant place to ride or walk to. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 269 
 
 "We one day made up a party to spend a day at Saratoga 
 Springs. At the tavern there we had a most execrable 
 dinner ; the victuals were bad, and the cooking worse. An 
 old acquaintance of mine, Col. Willet, of 'New York, who 
 was one of the party, during the time we were dining kept 
 praising the dinner, declaring he had never seen such a one 
 before (this we all believed to be true), and said we ought to 
 come often there to dinner. The landlord, who thought 
 him serious, said he should be always glad to see him, and 
 very gravely assured him that he should have as good a 
 dinner whenever he came, provided he would give him notice 
 of his coming. From what was mentioned to me while at 
 Ballstown, I believe the waters are very good in some dis- 
 orders, particularly in the gravel. A very respectable gentle- 
 man, James Reed, of Philadelphia, whose veracity could 
 not be doubted, told me that before he came to the Springs 
 he was so much afiiicted with the gravel that his life was a 
 burthen to him ; that by drinking the waters, which he did 
 in great quantities, he was perfectly cured. It was eight 
 years before I saw him there that he first visited the Springs, 
 and he had no return of his complaint. He came this season 
 to accompany a friend. 
 
 The most agreeable place to spend some days in the summer 
 that I know is Long Branch. There you have good living, a 
 line country to ride or walk in, a number of vessels constantly 
 in sight, and generally good society. I have heard Major 
 Lenox, who has been at most of the watering places in 
 England, say there is none in that country so pleasant as 
 Long Branch. If Major Lenox had any partiality, it would 
 be in favor of England. 
 
 After being a week at Ballstown, we heard that the yellow 
 fever had broken out in Philadelphia. As soon as it was 
 confirmed to me by a letter from Mrs. Biddle, I set off imme- 
 diately in the stage for Albany, where I arrived in the even- 
 ing, and set off the next day for New York. Had it not 
 been for the fever in Philadelphia, I should have stopped a 
 day or two with my old friend. Gen. Armstrong, who lived 
 a small distance from the road, but the reports of the fever 
 
270 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 being very bad, induced me to go on without stopping. The 
 I'oad over the Highlands w^as at this time very bad. IsTear 
 Tarrytown we were shown the tree under which the militia 
 guard were playing cards when the unfortunate Major Andre 
 was passing. If he had not been off his guard at the time, 
 or had he pushed on when they challenged him, it is proba- 
 ble he would have escaped, an event few Americans would 
 have lamented, although the conduct of Paulding, Williams, 
 and Van "Wert, who apprehended him, was highly merito- 
 rious, and they well deserved the reward given them. For 
 my own part, I sincerely wished he had escaped. 
 
 It was late in the night when we reached New York. 
 The next morning I waited on Col. Burr, and requested he 
 would go with me to Mr. Seton's. When we called, one of 
 his sons told us that he had been taken very ill the day be- 
 fore, that the doctor who attended him was afraid it was 
 something of a paralytic stroke. I now regretted exceedingly 
 my not calling on him on my way to Albany. I left a note 
 with Mr. McCormick for Mr. Seton, requesting to know if 
 he was the same gentleman whom I had known at Mr. David 
 Ferrier's, at St. Lucar. Mr. McCormick, who was soon after 
 in Philadelphia, informed me that Mr. Seton was the same 
 person I supposed him to be, that he remembered me per- 
 fectly well, and lamented very much his not seeing me, and 
 was very angry that they did not bring me into his room. 
 He told Mr. McCormick that he had such a strong impres- 
 sion of the little fellow (as he called me) that he was sure he 
 would immediately know me. In this I suppose he would 
 have been mistaken, for thirty-four years will make some alte- 
 ration in most men, and as I was a boy when Mr. Seton knew 
 me, it is not probable he would have remembered me. 
 
 Having staid in town the morning to see Mr. Seton, in the 
 afternoon I crossed the river and set off in the stage for Phila- 
 delphia. At this time there was no difficulty in getting a 
 passage there. Most of the inhabitants who could do so, 
 were leaving the city, and very few going in. The dismal 
 accounts we heard on the road made me very impatient to 
 get there. We stopped at Mr. Lardner's, about ten miles 
 
CHARLES BIDBLE, 271 
 
 from the city, and there I found Mrs. Biddle and some of the 
 children, all well. I intended to ride int<j the city myself 
 the next day, but Mrs. Biddle, when she found she could not 
 persuade me to stay out, would go in with me. Just before 
 we got to the door, two boys were going along the street, and 
 one by accident pushed the other against the horses, which 
 knocked him over, and I believe hurt him much. His compan- 
 ion helped him up, and was leading him down the street, when 
 I got out of the carriage and was following them in order to 
 bring him into the house, but Mr. Lewis, my clerk, ran after 
 me and begged me to return, for a few doors below a person 
 had just died of the fever. The city at this time presented a 
 most melancholy appearance. We only staid to take out 
 some articles of clothing of which we were in want, and to 
 give directions to Mr. Lewis and a servant, who preferred re- 
 maining in town to leaving it (for I would not at this time 
 even request a servant to stay). We crossed the bridge at 
 Schuylkill, and went that evening to my friend. Judge 
 Jones's, who, as well as Mr. Lardner, had sent his carriage 
 down as soon as he heard of the fever being in town, to bring 
 the family out to his house. Mr. Jones had before done that, 
 when many people in the country were afraid to see any per- 
 son from the city, and Mr. Lardner would have done the 
 same. Such friends are invaluable. My clerk, Mr. Lewis, 
 declared he was not the least afraid of staying in town. The 
 black girl, however, told us he was very much alarmed, and 
 she expected he would not stay long. It appeared that she 
 was right, for a few days afterwards he begged me to get 
 him a place in Germantown, which I immediately did. 
 There was very little doing at the oflBce, and it was contrary 
 to my inclination that he ^taid in town. I had informed 
 him that go when he would, his salary should be continued. 
 We passed our time between Mr. Jones's and Mr. Lardner's 
 until the latter end of October, when the fever abating we 
 moved into town. If it had not been for what we felt for 
 the sufferings of those in the city we should have had an 
 agreeable time of it, for it was remarkably healthy in the 
 vicinity of the city, and the weather very fine. Those from 
 
272 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the city, who could afford it, and the people in the country 
 generally, subscribed liberally for the distressed persons in 
 the city. We had some little alarm after M^e moved into 
 town, one of our neighbors having died the day after we got 
 in. The cold weather, however, soon set in, and our fears 
 were over. 
 
 In 1798 the yellow fever again visited us, and all my family 
 except Mrs. Biddle, who would not leave the town without 
 me, staid at my friend Jones's. Soon after, when the fever 
 got to be very bad, I was obliged to go with her to Mr. 
 Jones's. What hurried us from town was a woman who came 
 into the office for a deed. As she looked pale and sickly, I 
 desired her to sit down, inquired if she would take anything, 
 and what part of the town she lived in, and if she was unwell. 
 She replied no, she was only fatigued, that her husband was 
 at the hospital, and she had been attending him. " And 
 what is the matter with your husband ?" " Why, the doc- 
 tors say he has the yellow fever." Although alarmed my- 
 self, I could not refrain from laughing at two men who hap- 
 pened to be in the office on business, and who ran out as fast 
 as they could, not waiting to get their papers. When they 
 were gone I told the woman it was of no consequence to her 
 to have the deed at present, that after being at the hospital 
 she should not be running about town, and to go immediately 
 and take care of her husband, and see that he wanted for 
 nothing that she could do to restore him to health. She ap- 
 peared sensible that she was wrong in leaving him, and went 
 olf. When she was gone my honest clerk, Lewis, exclaimed, 
 " There, Mr. Biddle, now I will be bound she has given it to 
 us. We have got it." I felt uncomfortable, but told him 
 not to be afraid ; as we neither of us had touched her, there 
 was no danger of her giving us any disorder. If there was 
 danger we escaped it. 
 
 The fourth of August this year there was an attempt made 
 to rob the Bank of Pennsylvania, but the villains were 
 frightened before they had done any mischief. After this 
 the two porters belonging to the bank were armed, and 
 ordered to sleep in the bank. The last of August Nath'l 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 273 
 
 Potter, one of the porters, died of the yellow fever. At 
 this time no person in whom confidence could be placed 
 would sleep there, so that Thomas Cunningham, the other 
 porter, remained alone in the bank. The second of Sep- 
 tember, early in the morning, Mr. Annesley, the runner, went 
 to the bank about some business, when to his great surprise 
 he found the back door and the cash vault open. He called 
 Cunningham, who either was, or pretended to be, asleep. 
 When he came down he expressed as much surprise as 
 Annesley, declaring he had never heard the least noise. The 
 runner went to Mr. Smith, the cashier, who lived a short diS' 
 tance from town, and informed him of the discovery he had 
 made. Mr. Smith sent for the president, who immediately 
 came to town. Upon their going to the bank they found 
 that the locks must have been opened by false keys, as the 
 wards were not the least injured. The money taken in gold 
 and notes amounted to something more than one hundred 
 and sixty thousand dollars. Everything was done by the 
 officers of the bank and the directors that was possible to 
 discover the villains who committed the robbery. Several 
 persons were taken up in the city on suspicion, among others 
 Patrick Lyon, a smith, who had been employed about the 
 locks. Lyon had gone off a short time before the robbery to 
 Cape Henlopen. When he heard that he was suspected of 
 Ijeing concerned in the robbery he came up to town and 
 delivered himself up, notwithstanding which many of the 
 directors believed that no other person could have picked 
 the locks but Lyon, who is certainly very remarkable for his 
 skill in the business. However, his coming to town made 
 me suppose him innocent. He was for a long time confined 
 in gaol. 
 
 After some time one Isaac Davis, a house carpenter, who 
 had been employed doing some jobs about the bank, was 
 observed to alter his mode of living. He left off work, pre- 
 tending he had made a great deal of money by an adventure 
 he made to some of the West India Islands. He next set up 
 his carriage and lodged a considerable sum in the Bank of 
 Pennsylvania. It was also found he had deposited money in 
 18 
 
274 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the Banks of the United States and S"orth America. When 
 this was ascertained by the cashier little doubt was enter- 
 tained of Davis being the robber. The cashier, without ex- 
 citing any suspicion in Davis, got him to his house ; the presi- 
 dent was there. By threats and promises of a pardon he 
 acknowledged his guilt, and declared that no person was 
 concerned with him but Thomas Cunningham, the porter, 
 who was taken ill with the fever and died in a few days. 
 Davis delivered up all that he said he had, which, upon 
 counting, was found to be something more than one hundred 
 thousand dollars. They then took Davis before Robert 
 Wharton, the Mayor, when he made a further confession. 
 He said that the day Cunningham was taken ill, he sent for 
 him and delivered him the remainder of the money in his 
 possession. The president and cashier then went to Davis's 
 house where they obtained what he had, which together with 
 what was before received, amounted to within three thou- 
 sand dollars of what had been stolen. His horses and car- 
 riage were also taken. Davis appears to have remembered 
 the old saying, "honor among thieves," for he expressed 
 much more unwillingness to give up what he called Cunning- 
 ham's share than his own part of the booty. 
 
 At first no suspicion whatever was entertained of Davis or 
 Cunningham, and if Davis had behaved with prudence his 
 villainy might have remained a secret forever. 
 
 Davis and Cunningham were both born in Chester County. 
 Cunningham Was recommended by a number of respectable 
 people to the directors of the bank, and probably if he had 
 never been in it, would have supported the character of an 
 honest man. It is my opinion, as well as that of others, that 
 a young man from the country is not so proper to be employed 
 in a hank, as they are more strongly tempted to commit a rob- 
 bery than those who have been in the habit of seeing much 
 money. Judge Peters says all the great and strange people 
 we have in Pennsylvania are from Chester County. He kept 
 a list of all he knew ; at the head of it was Governor McKean ; 
 the next was Mrs. Ginnes, a very celebrated young woman that 
 was with our army most of the war, and who behaved well in 
 
CHAKLBS BIBDLB. 275 
 
 her care and attention to our sick and wounded officers. She 
 had a trial in our court a few years since, and while there a 
 person was speaking. She inquired of a man near her who 
 he was. She was answered, " One of the gentlemen of the 
 Bar." "Oh, no!" says she, "that cannot he, for I know all 
 the gentlemen of the Bar." 
 
 Purchasers of property being often plagued about old 
 judgments that were in my office for which there was no 
 limitation as to the time of their being a lien upon land, I 
 applied this year, 1798, to the Legislature, and procured an 
 act declaring that no judgment should be a lien upon land 
 for more than five years, unless revived by scire facias. This 
 act was the occasion of my losing a great many costs, for 
 many people never paid until there was a search, and judg- 
 ments found against them. However, I considered the law 
 of great public benefit, and therefore did not regard any loss 
 that would accrue to me from it, and, as public officers or 
 their sureties (or if dead their heirs or executors) were liable 
 to a suit at any length of time, I had it inserted in the act 
 that the suit should be brought within seven years from the 
 time in which the-cause of action should have happened. I 
 knew the heirs of a security upon an administrator's bond 
 paid a great number of years after he had been dead, when 
 had he or the person for whom he had been surety been living, 
 it is probable they could have satisfied the parties that 
 brought the suit that there was no cause of action. 
 
 I was determined this year, 1799, to purchase a place 
 within a short distance of town, that if we were obliged on 
 account of yellow fever to leave it, we should not have occa- 
 sion to trouble our friends. Ten acres of land with a small 
 house being for sale in February, by the sherifi", situated in 
 Islington Lane,* which is a little more than three miles from 
 town, I purchased it. 
 
 The infamous and menacing conduct of the French at 
 
 * Islington Lane still retains its name, running from Eidge Avenue, near 
 Twenty-sixth Street, past Glenwood Cemetery and Odd Fellows' Cemetery 
 to the Lamb Tavern Koad. What was once "three miles from town" is 
 now twelve miles inside of the northeastern limit of the city. 
 
276 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 this time to our Ambassador had aroused the resentment of 
 our country against them. Before this time their horrid 
 cruelty to many of their own best citizens, particularly to a 
 number of excellent females, had occasioned a general disgust 
 to them. It was suggested that it would be well for those 
 excused by age from militia duty to associate to co-operate 
 with the militia. This was mentioned to me by an old friend 
 of mine, who appeared very anxious that something should 
 be done by the old citizens. He was one who had been in 
 Mr. Wilson's house when it was attacked, and said he was 
 afraid from the number of foreigners that something of the 
 kind would again happen. Approving of the idea, I did 
 everything in my power to promote it. We had several 
 large meetings at Dunwoody's tavern, and I was very much 
 pleased to see such a number of hardy, jovial veterans as we 
 mustered, many of whom, and some were upwards of seventy, 
 were fit for almost any military duty, and would have fought 
 as well as any men in the world had they been called into 
 action. We had the following articles of association drawn 
 up, and unanimously agreed to. 
 
 "To preserve our country from insult, outrage, and dis- 
 honor, to preserve her from a foreign yoke, and to maintain 
 Qur freedom and independence, the Congress and Executive 
 of the United States are adopting the most vigorous and 
 energetic measures, the Grovernor of our State has issued a 
 proclamation for enrolling, organizing, and equipping the 
 great body of the militia, our sOns have already associated in 
 arms ; at so awful a crisis. We, the subscribers, citizens of 
 the United States, and inhabitants of the city and liberties 
 of Philadelphia, above the age prescribed by law for the per- 
 formance of militia duty, holding ourselves indispensably 
 obliged to contribute to the public safety to the utmost of 
 our ability, do agree, 
 
 " First, That we will, as early as possible, provide ourselves 
 each with a good musket, bayonet, cartridge box, and twenty- 
 four charges of powder and ball, and keep the same in good 
 order at our respective houses, or such other place as may be 
 hereafter agreed upon. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 277 
 
 " Second, That when any company have associated together 
 in sufficient number we will proceed to chose one suitable 
 person as captain, one lieutenant, and one second lieutenant, 
 by ballot or otherwise, as shall be agreed upon ; and such 
 other officers as may be found expedient. 
 
 " Third, That when the companies are completed the officers 
 shall apply to the Executive for such commissions as it may 
 be deemed pro;Per to grant them, and make a tender of this 
 association for the defence of the city and liberties, and sup- 
 port of the civil authority. . 
 
 " Fourth. That if the militia and volunteers of the city 
 and liberties of Philadelphia be drafted or ordered to actual 
 service at a distance from home, we will make diligent 
 inquiry, in our respective wards or townships, into the state 
 of their families, and administer to their comfort and relief 
 in the best manner in our power." 
 
 Mr. Richard ITorth and myself went about in the ward we 
 lived in, ISTorth Ward. It was requested that I would sign 
 it first, which I did. Those in the ward that signed were, 
 
 Charles Biddle, Peter Cross, 
 
 John Capp, Joseph Donnaldson, 
 
 Jacob Miller, David Sickel, 
 
 John Fretwell, Tt. Matlack, 
 
 William Bell, John Kebler, 
 
 Mich'l Gunklb, Christopher Byerlt, 
 
 John Spoonbr, Richard Rundle, 
 
 John Evarhart, Sr., John Stbinmetz, 
 
 Jacob Eckfeldt, Bbnj. Severn, 
 
 John Perot, Joseph Horsfall, 
 
 Gervas Hall, John A. Lewis, 
 
 Martin Summers, The Rev. Doctor Smith 
 
 Michael Albright, signed in this way : 
 
 Christian Kouch, Wm. Smith, D.D., wishes 
 
 John Little, to associate with his old friends 
 
 Charles Souder, Sr., in any character, lay, clerical, 
 
 or mixed, as they may think he 
 
 can be useful. 
 
278 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 We talked of forming a troop. If we had we should most of 
 us have been like the old City Troop, very few of whom after 
 the war could mount without going to a fence or horseblock. 
 The fever breaking out soon after prevented our getting 
 organized. At the last meeting advertised at Dunwoody's 
 the fever was so bad in town that no one attended but my- 
 self My old friend, who first spoke to me on the business, 
 reminded me of what I had heard in the bfeginning of our 
 Revolution of a ITew England colonel. The colonel was met 
 going from his regiment when it was engaged. The person 
 that met him inquired where he was going. He said he had 
 " set them at it, and, as the Major understood fighting better 
 than he did, he thought it best to come away." So my old 
 friend set us at the business, and then left us, for he never 
 attended after the first meeting. Mr. Levi Ilollingsworth, a 
 very public spirited merchant, was on this occasion extremely 
 active, as he always was when anything that he thought 
 would be of service to his country was to be done. 
 
 It was in the month of February this year that my friend 
 Commodore Truxtun captured the French frigate Insurgent. 
 When it is considered that he had not an officer on board but 
 young lads, who, as well as most of the crew, had never seen 
 a gun fired in anger before, this must be considered as a very 
 gallant action. His manoeuvering so as to lose but few men 
 showed his skill as well as courage. After the capture he 
 wrote me an account of it, and informed me that he had ap- 
 pointed Mr. Henry Bainbridge, who married his eldest daugh- 
 ter, agent for himself and crew. As I considered Mr. Bain- 
 bridge a very good young man, this appointment gave me 
 pleasure; it was not long, however, after this before Mr. 
 Bainbridge called upon me to inform me of his being very 
 much embarrassed, and that he found he could not meet 
 his engagements. I advised him to immediately stop pay- 
 ment, which is what every man should do when he finds 
 himself in such a situation. He told me afterwards, that 
 some months before he had found this must happen, in con- 
 sequence of which he had called upon a respectable merchant 
 on whom Commodore Truxtun had given him a credit, 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 279 
 
 to consult what he had best do, and that he had advised him 
 to go on as long as he could, perhaps something would turn 
 up. This advice he unfortunately pursued until he called on 
 me, when he had very little left, having lost a great deal on 
 notes he sold. Although I considered Mr. Bainbridge as a 
 good young man, I knew he was not prudent, and therefore 
 thought it a duty in me as the friend of Commodore Truxtun 
 to inform him of Mr. Bainbridge's situation. I therefore 
 wrote immediately to the Commodore, who was by this time 
 arrived at ITorfolk. The letter I showed to Mr. Bainbridge. 
 The Commodore wrote me by return of the post to beg I 
 would take upon myself the agency. Although I did not 
 wish to have anything to do with it, my friendship for the 
 Commodore would not perniit me to refuse it. 
 
 Commodore Truxtun set up Mr. Bainbridge in the grocery 
 business, and put into his hands ten thousand dollars, besides 
 giving him a credit for near three thousand dollars more. 
 It would have been better for both had he only given him 
 one thousand dollars. Mr. Bainbridge is sober and indus- 
 trious, but having so much money in his hands, he entered 
 into foolish speculations that he would not have thought of 
 had his funds been more limited. Putting too much money 
 into the hands of young men frequently occasions their ruin. 
 
 On settlement for the prize money, I found that nineteen 
 out of twenty had sold their shares for a mere trifle, some for 
 not more than ten dollars ; the shares for the Insurgent 
 amounted to one hundred and six dollars and eigVity cents 
 each. This perhaps could in some measure be remedied, if 
 the agent was not allowed to pay the crew on power of attor- 
 ney, without some proof of the seamen not being defrauded. 
 
 During the fever while at my place in the country, a man 
 came there who said his name was Wm. Williamson, that 
 he had been a marine on board the Constellation, that in 
 coming from Georgetown, Maryland, where he lived, he 
 had lost his prize ticket and did not know what to do, that 
 he was in great distress, not having a farthing, and begged 
 me to let him have'his prize money. I asked him respecting 
 the officers of the ship, all of whose names he knew, and men- 
 
280 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 tioned several circumstances relating to the capture. I asked 
 him whom he knew in Maryland or Virginia. He said Gen- 
 eral "Washington knew him very well, and he could get any 
 security to return the money I gave him. Having not the 
 least doubt from the plausible manner in which he spoke 
 that what he told me was true, I gave him what money was 
 in the house, and after he had his dinner he went oif, saying 
 he would go back to Maryland. A few days after, happen- 
 ing to be in town, he called again, just after one of the officers 
 of the Constellation went out. At this time he over-acted 
 his part. He said he came to town to see a friend and was 
 taken sick, and then had a fever. I told him if that was the 
 case to go immediately away, and come when the fever was 
 over. He wanted to get something, but I obliged him to go 
 away. Had he not said he was sick, he would have got more 
 money. A few days after a man called with a power of 
 attorney, from a woman who had taken out letters of admin- 
 istration on the estate of Williamson. I mentioned to this 
 man the circumstance of Williamson being at my house. He 
 appeared surprised, said he would write to the woman who 
 had sent him the letters of administration. Shortly after, to 
 my great surprise, another man came and said he was the 
 Williamson who had been in the Constellation, but had lost 
 his ticket. I told him of the man who had been with me 
 and received part of the money, and of the letters of adminis- 
 tration. He knew very well the woman who took out the 
 letters of administration. He said it was reported he was 
 dead, and he supposed she believed it. The man he could 
 give no account of, but thought it was some fellow who had 
 heard him complain of the loss of his ticket. This man looked 
 like an honest country lad. He said he was a blacksmith by 
 trade, and as the fever was nearly over he would get work 
 in town, that he did not want anything until he brought 
 some of the officers who knew him. He accordingly went to 
 work, informing me where he could be found. Soon after 
 one of the officers being in town, I sent for the blacksmith, 
 who was the true Williamson, and he ha'd found his ticket, 
 which on his producing I paid him his prize money. The 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 281 
 
 fellow that came to my house I could never find. It is prob- 
 able he left the State. 
 
 My house in Islington Lane being too small, I had to build 
 an addition to it. The building went on slowly until the be- 
 ginning of August, when we had a report of the yellow fever 
 being in town. This induced us to hurry the carpenters. It 
 was, however, the last day of the month before we could any 
 how be accommodated, and then it was very badly, for we 
 had but one room below to sit in, one above, and a garret for 
 the family to sleep in ; no outside doors hung, and the wind 
 coming in from all quarters. However, being all in good 
 health and spirits, we made out tolerably well, and as we 
 had ten or a dozen carpenters at work, we were every day 
 getting better. When we first moved out, my neighbor, Mr. 
 Moylan, very politely offered me an empty house of his near 
 ours ;, we, however, concluded it was better to stay where we 
 were. While we were in this situation, I heard some per- 
 son at the gate inquiring for me ; it was my old friend. Com- 
 modore Truxtun, who was on his way to visit General Wash- 
 ington, who had written to him, requesting he would pay 
 him a visit. He had left the stage at Frankford, and hired 
 a carriage to call on me. As it rained very hard, I could 
 not think of his leaving me that day, and we prepared a 
 berth for him in our room below. He staid with us three or 
 four' days, when I took him as far on his way as General 
 Robinson's, on N^aaman's Creek, from whence he went in the 
 stage as far as Mount Vernon. Shortly before this, Commo- 
 dore Truxtun thinking himself injured by the President 
 ranking Commodore Talbot above him, had resigned his com- 
 mission in the navy. By the appointments General Wash- 
 ington made, Talbot ranked higher than Truxtun, but there 
 were only three frigates fitted out, which were commanded 
 by Barry, S^icholson, and Truxtun, and their commissions 
 were numbered one, two, three, and Talbot not going into 
 the service' for a long time afterwards, Truxtun thought Tal- 
 bot should not rank above him ; and I believe he was right. 
 Had it been determined by a board of officers, neither could 
 have complained. President Adams, I believe, seldom con- 
 
282 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 suited any one ; he determined the rank against Truxtun, 
 who immediately sent in his commission. I am sure Mr. 
 Adams did what he thought was right, for he knew Truxtun 
 well, and had a great regard for him. 
 
 Knowing it would be a loss to the navy for ' Truxtun to 
 leave it, I went with General Wilkinson up to Trenton to 
 speak to Mr. Stoddert, the Secretary of the N"avy, about get- 
 ting him again into the service. Mr. Stoddert made some 
 difficulty on account of the other captains, who he thought 
 would resign. I told him it was not probable they would, 
 that although most of them were very brave men, as a naval 
 officer none of them were equal to Truxtun. Wilkinson and 
 myself after some time persuaded the Secretary to send Trux- 
 tun his commission, and it was understood that Talbot and 
 he were not to be on the same station. 
 
 At this time our Ministers or Commissioners, Messrs. 
 Ellsworth and Davis, were here preparing to embark for 
 France. Mr. Hamilton, and some others, were at Trenton, 
 who, with Messrs. Pickering and Wolcot, were endeavoring 
 to prevent their being sent.* However, the President 
 thought it right they should go, and nothing could move him 
 to change his opinion. For vaj own part, I thought then, 
 and still think, it was the best thing we could do. It was 
 certainly our business to be at peace with France if it could 
 be done without submitting to improper terms. Taking this 
 method, could not, in Mr. Adams, proceed from want of 
 spirit, for none possessed more firmness than he did. Besides, 
 he had promised he would send ministers out when it was 
 assured they would be well received, and those assurances 
 were given. 
 
 This fall Chief Justice McKean was elected G-overnor in 
 the room of Governor Mifflin. I wrote to him for a renewal 
 of my commission as Prothonotary. I believe it was some 
 time before he made up his mind on the subject, for my com- 
 mission did not come down until long after the other officers 
 
 * This refers to the well-known intrigue to rule the administration of 
 President Adams by the disaffected faction in the Federal party. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 283 
 
 in the city -had received theirs. I knew he was very much 
 provoked at some severe pieces written against him by my 
 nephew, Mr. Marks John Biddle. However, G-overnor McKeau 
 and myself had always been upon good terms, and I had a 
 high esteem for him, believing him to be a very honest man, 
 although a very violent one who had no command of his 
 temper, but spoke whatever he thought upon all occasions. 
 General Craig and Mr. Graydon, for whom I had formerly 
 procured the office of Prothonotary, dined with me soon 
 after the election. Mr. Graydon had shortly before married 
 the daughter of Charles Pettit, whose son, Mr. Andrew 
 Pettit, was married to the daughter of Governor McKean. 
 On account of this alliance, and Graydon's merit and talents, 
 it was thought he would have a great deal of influence with 
 the Governor, which Craig begged he would use for a friend 
 • of his, whom he wished kept in office ; but, to the surprise 
 of most people, Graydon was one of the first removed from 
 office. This led me to believe there was some truth in the 
 report about town, that before the election there was an 
 agreement between the Governor and some who had agreed 
 to support him, what officers should be removed. After the 
 removal of Graydon, and considering the violent pieces of 
 my nephew, Mr. Marks John Biddle, and the knowledge the 
 Governor had of my intimacy with Mr. Ross, his rival candi- 
 date for the office of Governor, it would not have surprised 
 me if some person had been appointed to the office held by me. 
 My friend Governor Mifflin was obliged to leave town 
 soon after the election in consequence of a process taken out 
 against him by one of his relatives. He sent to inform me 
 of his situation, and to request me to come out to see him. 
 He was then at his place at the Falls of Schuylkill. I imme- 
 diately went, and found him in bed. At seeing me he was 
 very much affected, and I was not a little so myself seeing 
 him so different from what he was a short time before sur- 
 rounded by his friends or rather his acquaintances, and in 
 high spirits, as he was elected a member of the Legislature, 
 who were to meet soon at Lancaster. I thought it best he 
 should go there, and advised him to it. " But what, my 
 
284 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 dear friend, shall I do when the sessions are over?" "That 
 must be thought of afterwards, when we meet at Lancaster, 
 which will be shortly." He went there the next day. 
 Shortly after he had gone to Lancaster, Mr. Anthony Morris 
 (formerly Speaker of the Senate) called on me. He told me 
 he was very sorry to hear I had blamed him on account of 
 the writ taken out against the Governor, that he had nothing 
 to do with it. I told him he was misinformed, that I had 
 spoken very freely of those who took out the writ, as it could 
 answer no good purpose, but never supposed he had anything 
 to do with it. This was the last time I ever saw Governor 
 Mifflin. He died during the session. His situation preyed 
 upon his spirits and rendered his life a burthen to him. 
 General Mifflin was below the middle size, and very well 
 formed; his countenance open, cheerful, and agreeable. 
 Coming to see me one day he put a young lady and her 
 mother from the country, who happened to be in the house, 
 to the blush. After looking attentively at the girl, he said 
 to her, " any one could tell you to be a Biddle." Had he 
 known the mother was present he would not on any account 
 have said it, but he really supposed the girl to be my daughter, 
 and thought there was a strong family likeness. He was a 
 kind, benevolent man. 
 
 On the 14th of December, 1799, died General Washington. 
 The loss of this great and good man was most deeply lamented. 
 Grief was pictured in every countenance when we had a 
 certain account of his death. I had seen him during the war 
 at my brother Edward's, and in camp. "When he was in the 
 Convention I dined several times in company with him, and 
 had the honor of his company to dine with me. When he 
 was elected President of the United States, he lived during 
 the whole of the time that he was in Philadelphia nearly 
 opposite to me. At that time I saw him almost daily. I 
 frequently attended his levees to introduce some friend or 
 acquaintance, and called sometimes with Governor Mifflin. 
 The General always behaved politely to the Governor, but it 
 appeared to me that he had not forgotten the Governor's 
 opposition to him during the Revolutionary war. He was a 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 285 
 
 most elegant figure of a man, with so much dignity of 
 manners, that no person whatever could take any improper 
 liherties with him. I have heard Mr. Eohert Morris, who 
 was as intimate with him as any man in America, say that 
 he was the only man in whose presence he felt any awe. You 
 would seldom see a frown or a smile on his counl^nance, his air 
 was serious and refl.ecting, yet I have seen him in the theatre 
 laugh heartily. Dr. Forrest, who laughs a great deal, 
 desired me, one night at the theatre, to look at General 
 Washington. " See how he laughs, by the Lord he must be 
 a gentleman." The General was in the next box, and I 
 believe heard him.* He was much more cheerful when he 
 was retiring from the oiBce of President than I had ever seen 
 him before. Commodore Barry, Major Jackson, and myself 
 were appointed a committee of the Society of the Cincinnati to 
 wait upon him with a copy of an address, and to know when 
 it would be convenient to him for the society to wait upon 
 him. He received us with great good humor, and laughing, 
 told us that he had heard Governor Morris (I believe of JSTew 
 Jersey) say that when he knew gentlemen were going to call 
 on him with an address, he sent to beg they would bring an 
 answer. If this were done to him, he observed that it would 
 
 * Anecdotes of Washington, however homely or trivial, are sure to be 
 interesting. Perhaps this may excuse the record here of what has no other 
 connection with the text. Within the memory of the present writer, an 
 aged Philadelphia mechanic being asked if he remembered General Wash- 
 ington replied, " General Washington ! oh yes, I remember General Wash- 
 ington well; T once see General Washington kick a fellow down stairs." 
 He proceeded to relate that he and a fellow journeyman were once sent to 
 the President's house to do a job of painting or glazing. Arriving early, 
 they were admitted by a servant-maid who led the way up stairs. Whilst 
 ascending the stairs his companion attempted some liberties with the girl, 
 who gave a loud shriek as they reached the second story. Immediately the 
 General sallied forth from the front room, half dressed and half shaved, and 
 demanded the cause of the disturbance. Hearing the girl's story, he rushed 
 at the man in a rage and started him down stairs with a violent kick from 
 behind; at the same time he cried out, " I will have no woman insulted in 
 my house," and called for Colonel ]>ear to put the rascal out the front door. 
 
 The language of the narrator was more graphic, if less decorous, than in 
 the above repetition. 
 
286 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 save him a great deal of trouble. He was in Philadelphia a 
 short time before he died, and I thought he never looked 
 better than he did at that time. He enjoyed remarkable 
 health, hardly ever having been confined by sickness. Thes 
 loss of no man was ever more severely felt by his countrymen 
 than General, Washington. He was called the American 
 Eabius, but Fabius was not equal to George Washington. 
 He suiFered Tarentum to be pillaged when it was traitorously 
 delivered to him, and his opposition and jealousy of Scipio 
 rendered the Roman unequal to the American hero. 
 
 The visit of Commodore Truxtun in the fall was a very 
 unfortunate one to my family. Two of my sons, James* and 
 Edward, hearing so much about the navy, took an inclination 
 to enter the service, and although I would not recommend it 
 to them it was not disagreeable to me, for if they found it 
 disagreeable to remain in the navy they would be qualifying 
 themselves to command ships in the merchant service. As 
 to Edward I did not wish him to follow the sea. Although 
 but little more than sixteen years of age he was one of the 
 best mathematicians in the country. I thought a short cruise 
 would be of service to him. I applied to Mr. Stoddert, then 
 Secretary of the !N"avy, and on the 14th day of February, 1800, 
 he sent them both warrants as midshipmen. As they were 
 to join the frigate President, then fitting out at JSTew York 
 for Commodore Truxtun, it was not until July following that 
 they were wanted on board the ship. The 5th of July, 1800, 
 I set oif with them for JS'ew York. It now gives me the 
 most painful sensations to think of this journey, which was 
 the most disagreeable I ever made. A thousand melancholy 
 reflections filled my mind, and a hundred times I secretly 
 wished some accident would happen to put a stop to it. We, 
 however, reached 'New York without any accident the 7th of 
 July. My mind at this time was so uneasy that it would 
 have given me pleasure to have heard the ship was burned or 
 sunk. The day we arrived was excessively hot, and the 
 place we lodged at was a tavern near the water-side, and was 
 
 * Afterwards Commodore James Biddle, U. S. Navy. See note E. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 287 
 
 dirty and disagreeable. Soon after our being at the tavern 
 Colonel Burr called with a servant to take our baggage and 
 insisted on our going to his house. This was a very agree- 
 able change to us, and his accomplished daughter (since 
 married to Mr. Alston) did everything as well as her father, 
 to make the place agreeable. We had every day during my 
 stay some gentlemen to dine, among others. General Hamil- 
 ton. At this time he and Colonel Burr appeared to be on good 
 terms. The General invited Mr. Burr and myself to dine 
 with him, but my short stay prevented me. I remained with 
 the boys three days, and then left them to the care of Col. 
 Burr and Commodore Truxtun. Just before leaving New 
 York I sent a note to Commodore Truxtun, of which the fol- 
 lowing is a copy : — 
 
 New York, July 9, 1800. 
 Dear Sir : James and Edward, whom I have left with you, 
 have ever behaved in such a manner as to gain the love and 
 esteem of all their relatives and friends. They have a good 
 education, and you, I suppose, will make them good officers. 
 They know the advantage of being- with you, and are in- 
 formed that nothing will gratify me so much as meeting 
 your approbation, nothing give me more pain than their not 
 doing it. The heart of their mother has been torn with 
 anguish at parting with them, and I feel everything that a 
 parent, who would sacrifice his life for their happiness, can 
 feel. The distress of their mother has affected them both ; 
 however, this they will soon get over. I shall only add that 
 your care of them will be the greatest favor you can possibly 
 confer on me, and will ever be remembered as the highest 
 mark of your friendship. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 Charles Biddle. 
 
 Commodore Truxtun. 
 
 Commodore Truxtun in his answer assured me in the 
 strongest terms that he would do everything. 
 
 I left New York very early in the morning. Both the 
 boys came with me to the wharf. It is impossible to describe 
 
288 ATJTOBIOGEAPHY OF 
 
 what I felt at taking leave of them. My eyes were not re- 
 moved from them, as they stood on the wharf, until out of 
 sight, and theirs were j&xed on the boat. I had engaged to 
 visit them at Amboy, as soon as the ship dropped down to 
 the watering place. Accordingly when Commodore Truxtun 
 wrote me that the ship was there, I set off with Mrs. Biddle for 
 Amboy, about the eighth of August. When near Commodore 
 Truxtun's we saw them walking the piazza; their tender 
 mother was ready to jump out of the carriage as soon as she 
 had a sight of them. The next day we crossed Staten Island 
 to the watering place, a distance of about eighteen miles, and 
 went on board the frigate. We found everything in excel- 
 lent order, and their mother was more reconciled to their go- 
 ing than she was before she saw how well they were accom- 
 modated. Tom,* a faithful black who had been born and 
 brought up in the family, agreed to enter on board the frig- 
 ate and go with them. As we knew he would be a faithful 
 servant, his going was a great consolation to their mother 
 and myself. We arrived on Wednesday and staid with them 
 until the Monday following. The parting between Mrs. Bid- 
 die and the boys was an affecting scene ; to me a very pain- 
 ful one. They did not leave Sandy Hook until the begin- 
 ning of September. Shortly after they sailed, we had some 
 severe gales of wind. These gales reminded me of what I 
 had somewhere read : — 
 
 " The winds howl with peculiar horror to him whose off- 
 spring is on the waves ; the beating tempest of a winter's 
 evening is painfully alarming to that parent whose social 
 hearth seems forsaken through the absence of one that is at 
 sea." 
 
 At this time parties were very busy about the election of 
 President and Vice-President; and as usual on these occasions 
 much abuse was published against the candidates. Believ- 
 ing it of little consequence to the country, whether Mr. 
 Adams or Mr. Jefferson was President, I gave myself no 
 
 * The same servant that staid in town at our house during the yellow 
 fever of 1793. — Author's kote. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 289 
 
 trouble about the election. Iwas indifferent as to Colonel Burr 
 being elected Vice-President, for it was my opinion that it 
 would be better for him to remain at the Bar, where he was 
 making a fortune, than to be Vice-President of the United 
 States. This, I believe, he afterwards thought himself. 
 From the great exertions made by the partisans of Mr. Jeffer- 
 son and Mr. Burr, I had little doubt of their succeeding. A 
 number of my friends were as anxious about this election as 
 if everything they had in the world depended on it, when in 
 fact it was of as little importance to them which of the can- 
 didates succeeded, as it was to an inhabitant of Africa. 
 
 Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Buit having an equal number of 
 votes, the Federal party thinking of two evils they would 
 choose the least, did everything in their power to have Mr. 
 Burr President. Some people blamed Mr. James Bayard, of 
 Delaware, for not behaving with that iirmness he ought to 
 have done. Mr. Bayard is a respectable man, and no doubt 
 did what he thought right. It was said Mr. Burr intrigued 
 to get appointed President. If he did, he managed badly, 
 for he should have gone to Washington, where he certainly 
 could, if he wished it, have been elected. It was owing to 
 the chapter of accidents that he had not more votes from the 
 electors than Mr. Jefferson. Colonel F. Nichols, who informed 
 me he was spoken to by some members of the Legislature tp 
 be one of the Federal electors for Pennsylvania, was by acci- 
 dent prevented from being at Lancaster, by which means 
 another person was chosen in his room. Colonel Nichols has 
 told me often since, that knowing the Federal party could 
 not carry their man, he was determined to give a vote for 
 Colonel Burr, under whom he had served, and for whom he had 
 a great esteem. He lamented that he did not ride up and 
 get his friend Coleman to give a vote for Colonel Burr. 
 
 Mr. Coleman, who was one of the electors, has frequently 
 told me he intended to vote for Colonel Burr, and was with diffi- 
 culty persuaded from it, and Colonel Robinson, of Delaware, 
 who was an excellent officer of the Pennsylvania line, informed 
 me that when he was spoken to to be one of the electors, 
 (which he had always been) he informed his friends he should 
 
 19 
 
290 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 vote for Burr, wlio was one of the officers of the Revolution. 
 One of the electors who came in as they were voting told 
 Mr. Coleman that he intended to vote for Colonel Burr, and 
 wished to speak to him, but had not an opportunity. Cole- 
 man was sorry he did not, as he would have advised him to 
 vote for Burr. 
 
 In October, while in court, Mr. Kitchen, keeper of the City 
 Tavern, called me out, and informed me that he had j ust received 
 an account of Commodore Truxtun's safe arrival in the West 
 Indies. On account of the violent gales we had for some days 
 after he sailed, this intelligence gave me great pleasure, and 
 knowing how pleasing it would be to their mother, I imme- 
 diately went to our place to inform her. A few days after- 
 wards we had letters from James and Edward, who were 
 pleased with theirshipand commander ; and Commodore Trux- 
 tun wrote me he was^much pleased with their conduct since they 
 had been with him, and that he had no doubt of their being 
 an honor to their country. They wrote afterwards by seve- 
 ral opportunities. 
 
 In December I received a letter from Edward, giving an 
 account of St. Kitts, and mentioning how much he was 
 pleased with his situation and with his commander, and that 
 he and James were very hearty. A day or two after, as I 
 was dressing to go out, one of my clerks came from the office, 
 and told me a gentleman wanted to speak to me. When I 
 went into the office it surprised me to find it was Mr. Thomas 
 Biddle, a cousin of mine, who wanted me. I was laughing 
 at him for being so ceremonious, when I was stopped by per- 
 ceiving that something extraordinary was the matter with 
 him. He inquired in a faltering voice if I had heard any- 
 thing from the President. Surprised at the question, I said 
 I had not expected to hear from him, having no business with 
 him. During this time it never entered my head that he 
 alluded to the frigate President, but had supposed it to be 
 Mr. Adams. He then put a letter into my hands. It was 
 from Mr. Blake, one of the midshipmen belonging to the 
 frigate, to Mr. Tilghman, giving an account of the death of 
 Edward! Of Edward! so dear to his friends. Of Edward! 
 
CHARLES BIDDIiE, 291 
 
 SO beloved by his parents and family. An affectionate parent, 
 who has unexpectedly an account of the loss of a most excel- 
 lent son whose life was infinitely dearer to him than his own, 
 may form some idea of what I felt on this occasion. None 
 but such can know the inexpressible anguish this fatal letter 
 gave me. I cannot at this time think of it without being 
 greatly, very greatly affected. I put the letter in my pocket, 
 and went up stairs with an intention of sending for some of 
 Mrs. Biddle's female friends to break the dreadful intelli- 
 gence to her, but my clerk, Lewis, coming into the parlor 
 to speak to me, and seeing Mrs. Biddle reading, had no 
 doubt but it was the letter that contained the melancholy 
 news. He said, with a countenance expressive of great 
 concern, how very sorry he was for the loss of — . He had 
 proceeded thus far when she looked wildly at him, and ex- 
 claimed, " What loss ? What do you mean ?" Perceiving she 
 was not acquainted with what had happened, and frightened 
 at the terror he had occasioned, he would not utter a word. 
 Finding he was gone without answering her, she immediately 
 thought of James and Edward, and screamed, " Oh, Mr. 
 Biddle! Mr. Biddle! What is the matter? What is the 
 matter?" I ran immediately down stairs ; she was now 
 frantic with terror. I carried her up stairs, and did every- 
 thing in my power in vain to soothe her. I sent for some of 
 her female friends in town, and expresses to her sister Mrs. 
 Lardner, and her very dear friend, Mrs. Jones. It was a long 
 time before we could get her any way composed ; her screams 
 even now seem to strike my ear, and never shall I forget this 
 melancholy scene. Her friends came round her, and at last, 
 being quite exhausted, she was put to bed. Mrs. Jones set 
 off for town as soon as she received the note I sent her. 
 l^ever shall I forget the looks of this amiable woman when 
 she entered the house. It was a long time before she could 
 utter more than, " Oh, Mr. Biddle ! What a loss we have sus- 
 tained!" Being a lady of great fortitude I got her soon 
 composed enough to see her unfortunate friend, l^o person 
 could console her so well as Mrs. Jones, who was a native of 
 North Carolina, and intimate with Mrs. Biddle from her 
 
292 ■ AUTOBIOGEAPHTOF 
 
 infancy. Mrs. Jones was very fond of all our children, par- 
 ticularly Edward, who had the year before, when she was un- 
 well, attended her to the seashore, and she felt the affection 
 of a parent for him. She staid with us a week, and during 
 this time Mr. Thompson, chaplain to the frigate President, 
 who brought the fatal letter, arrived in Philadelphia. 
 Although extremely anxious, I dreaded to see him, for I was 
 under great apprehension for James, who had not written by 
 Thompson, nor had Commodore Truxtun. He afterwards 
 told me that he felt too much distressed to write. Mr. 
 Thompson relieved us about James, who was on shore when 
 he left the ship, which he had done suddenly and unexpect- 
 edly. He assured me that James, although greatly distressed, 
 was in good health. He informed me that he did not appre- 
 hend Edward to be in the least danger until the morning he 
 died, nor should he then, but when he went to his cot, he 
 found Tom, who lay under it, in tears. Tom told Thompson 
 softly that he was much afraid his master Edward was very 
 ill. Thompson went up and finding Edward awake, inquired 
 how he was. He answered that he was better. He then 
 said, " Edward, do you know me ?" The dear youth ap- 
 peared irritated, and replied, " Know you, Thompson ? To 
 be sure I do. Why do you ask such a question ?" These 
 were the last words he ever spoke. In half an hour after 
 this a person came to the mess to inform them that he was 
 no more. What must have been the feeling of my dear 
 James at this time ? I should have felt ray loss much more 
 if it had not been for the situation of Mrs. Biddle, which 
 obliged me to make exertions that nothing else would have 
 done. 
 
 One of the officers of the frigate wrote to his friend a letter, 
 which was published in Relfs paper, .giving an account of 
 our dear Edward's loss. He writes : — 
 
 " From Brown's paper of Dec. 30th, 1800. Extract of a letter 
 from a gentleman on board the frigate President, to Mr. Peter 
 Delamar, Professor of Mathematics in the Philadelphia Acad- 
 emy, dated St. Pierre, Nov. 20th, 1800. 
 
 " On the 14th inst., to windward of Deseada, at 8 o'clock, 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 293 
 
 we had the misfortune of losing your friend and pupil, Mr. 
 Edward Biddle, midshipman, aged sixteen years, who died 
 of a fever after a few days' illness, universally lamented. To 
 form an estimate of the merit of this accomplished youth, 
 would be, with a good disposition to unite all those rare 
 qualities of the head and heart, which, when properly blended 
 and matured,, constitute the philosopher and the hero. 
 ^N^ature, which had so highly gifted his mind, had been 
 equally profuse in forming his person, which was at once 
 elegant and interesting, his stature near six feet, and his limbs 
 finely proportioned. In a word, he was one of those figures 
 from which we might draw a Hercules or an Adonis. 
 
 " ' As into air the purer spirits flow 
 
 And sep'rate from their kindred dregs below, 
 So flew his soul to its congenial place.' 
 
 " To the foregoing extract it may be added that Mr. Bid- 
 die's education was liberal and finished ; but he principally 
 excelled in an extensive knowledge of the mathematics, for 
 which his penetrating genius and solid judgment seemed 
 particularly fitted." 
 
 So great was his acquaintance with this abstruse and diffi- 
 cult science, that at the age of fifteen, when he quitted school 
 there was not a teacher in this city who could yield the least 
 assistance, and perhaps he- was the only person of that age, 
 the celebrated Clarant excepted, who ever made himself 
 complete master of Sir Isaac ISTewton's Principia without the 
 help of a tutor. Read, oh youth ! and emulate. 
 
 Our friend Mrs. Jones came to town in February to spend 
 a few days with us. I was much shocked at seeing her so 
 much altered. I believe her grief for the loss of Edward, 
 and the melancholy that she saw preying upon the spirits of 
 her friend, brought back a complaint in her stomach which 
 it was thought had been entirely removed. Soon after her 
 return home she was confined to her bed, from whence she 
 never rose. She lingered until the first of April, when this 
 best of women departed this world. To lose such a friend, 
 and such a son as Edward, in a few months was almost too 
 much for Mrs. Biddle, and it affected me greatly. 
 
294 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 My friend Judge Jones intending to go to the Warm Springs 
 in Virginia, and being anxious I should accompany him, we 
 set off from his house, about twelve miles from Philadelphia, 
 on a Sunday, the latter end of July, and the next Sunday, in 
 the evening, arrived at the Warm Springs, a distance of near 
 three hundred and forty miles, part of it a very rough road. 
 We travelled in a light Jersey wagon that I purchased for the 
 purpose, and we had a pair of very stout horses belonging to 
 Mr. Jones. Perhaps two better horses could not be found in 
 any country, and I believe we could not have travelled the 
 distance in the same time in any other carriage than one of 
 these Jersey wagons. Two of the days that we were on the 
 road it rained very hard. We went through Lancaster, York, 
 Hagerstown, Martinsburg, Winchester, and Staunton. The 
 road from Winchester to Staunton is good, and the country 
 is excellent. The accommodation on the road is generally good. 
 The tavern at Martinsburg was one of the best I ever was in, 
 indeed there are few gentlemen's houses in which one could 
 be better entertained. I understood that the landlord, Mr. 
 Gather, had been a man of fortune, but that some unfortunate 
 affair had occasioned his keeping tavern. He had the manners 
 and appearance of a gentleman. When we reached the Springs 
 we fortunately had some of the Philadelphia papers, printed 
 the day before we set off; otherwise, some of the good people 
 at the Springs would have thought we were mistaken as to 
 the time when we left Philadelphia. 
 
 The Warm Spring is most delightful to swini in. It is a 
 large body of water, perfectly clear, and just warm enough to 
 be agreeable. I never was in so charming a bath. It is pal- 
 lisaded round ; you enter by a small door into a room where 
 you undress. The entertainment, when we were there, was 
 very bad, for which reason we staid there but one day, when 
 we went to the Hot Springs, which are five miles from the 
 Warm Springs. Here there was a very good tavern. This 
 Hot Spring is very extraordinary. My friend went in every 
 day, expecting it would be of service to his gouty complaints, 
 and he told me that it was. We met here with Colonel Washing- 
 ton who behaved so gallantly in South Carolina. I remember 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 295 
 
 it was a saying during the Eevolution, when speaking of Col- 
 onels Lee and "Washington, that Lee would never attack the 
 British but when he had an advantage, that Washington 
 would whenever he had an opportunity. They were both 
 excellent officers. 
 
 Colonel Washington was going to Philadelphia. He advised 
 me to go to the Sweet Springs, saying that it was very pleasant 
 there, and it was worth taking the ride if it were only to see 
 Major Jack Willis, one of the biggest men in the world. 
 Having nothing to do at the Hot Springs, I went there, about 
 forty miles further up the country, over a rough and hilly 
 toad. One mile on this side the Sweet Springs are the Red 
 Springs, the waters of which are much the same as the Sweet 
 Springs. It is a pleasant, healthy country, and if it were not 
 for the number of gamblers who always frequent this place 
 it would be very agreeable. I think this place and the coun- 
 try round it preferable to Ballstown Springs. If the water 
 be not, the ride to either must be of service to almost any 
 invalid. 
 
 I saw here the celebrated Major Willis. He was by very 
 far the largest man I had ever seen. It was mentioned by 
 some who knew him when an officer in the army, that he 
 was then a slender, genteel man. The year before I saw him, 
 he had been on board a British man-of-war in Hampton Roads, 
 and he astonished all the crew. As they were not permitted 
 to go on the quarter-deck, they manned the tops, shrouds, and 
 yards to get a sight of him. He was very active for one of 
 his size. 
 
 After staying two weeks at the S'^eet Springs, I returned 
 to the Hot Springs, and with much pleasure found my friend 
 Jones ready to return to Philadelphia. Having no gout nor 
 any other disorder, I did not go into the Hot Springs, but, 
 one evening, sat over it, and washed my feet. The water is 
 warmer than you could wish for that purpose; in a few 
 minutes my shirt was almost as wet with my perspiration as 
 if I had gone into it. 
 
 We left the Hot Springs on a Wednesday, and the next 
 Wednesday dined at Mr. Jones's. Notwithstanding we drove 
 
296 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 near fifty miles the last day to dinner, the horses came home 
 so fresh that when near Mr. Jones's there was hardly any 
 keeping them in. I never saw so good a pair. In the after- 
 noon I got one of Mr. Jones's horses and rode home. 
 
 Wishing to leave the house in which I had long lived, in 
 Market Street, which brought to the recollection of the 
 family our dear, lost Edward, I rented a house in Chestnut 
 Street, and the owner dying soon after, I purchased it.* It is 
 of advantage to most people to leave a house after they have 
 lost a relation or friend very dear to them. 
 
 One evening in May, 1802, a letter was thrown into the 
 entry of my house, directed to me under the signature of 
 " Charles Belmont." It was written in capital letters, so that 
 it was not easy to find out the author. The writer begins by 
 saying: "You are rich, I am at present poor. You must 
 deposit in the post-office three hundred dollars directed to 
 me. It shall be returned in three months with honor. If 
 you neglect doing it, your son Nicholas, or one of your daugh- 
 ters, shall be stabbed. This you may depend upon shall 
 surely be done, if what I have requested is not complied with ; 
 and what then will be your reflections when your son or 
 daughter is brought home dead ?" He said a great deal more 
 to induce me to do what he requested. From some parts of 
 the letter I was convinced that, whoever the author was, he 
 had frequently been in company with me. Unfortunately I 
 was out when the letter was thrown into the house, and Mrs. 
 Biddle received it. Upon my return home I found her 
 greatly agitated, and with difficulty could compose her. If 
 it had not been on hen account, I should not have felt the 
 least uneasiness whatever, being convinced that a person in- 
 tending to murder would never mention it. The next day, 
 agreeably to his directions, I put a letter in the post-office, 
 not, however, with bank notes, but with some pieces of news- 
 
 * This house stood on the present site of No. 431, the office of the Penn- 
 sylvania Company for Insurances on Lives and Granting Annuities. The 
 old number was 159. Charles Biddle's house in Market Street, from which 
 he removed, was No. 243. The President resided at No. 190 Market Street. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 297 
 
 paper ; and desired Colonel Patton, the postmaster, to inform 
 his clerks that they should be handsomely rewarded if they 
 would apprehend the person who called for the letter. After 
 waiting two weeks, and no person calling for it, I mentioned 
 the circumstances to several of my friends and acquaintances. 
 A few days after I received another letter from the same 
 Belmont, saying I must certainly take him for a fool to sup- 
 pose he would so soon have called for the letter, that he knew 
 the directions given to Patten's clerks, that if I had waited 
 a month without saying anything he should have called and 
 been taken, and his being taken would have made more noise 
 in Philadelphia than anything that ever happened in it before. 
 I strongly suspected an unfortunate foreigner to be the author 
 of these letters, and never afterwards met him without 
 endeavoring to discover something to justify my suspicions. 
 I let him know it would give me pleasure to render him any 
 services in my power. He expressed himself as very grate- 
 ful, but always declared he wanted for nothing. I sometimes 
 thought he supposed himself suspected as the author of the 
 letters, for he knew of them. If the gentleman had requested 
 a loan of the sum mentioned, or more, I would have lent it to 
 him, even if T had been certain it would never have been 
 returned, for he was much to be pitied, having been driven 
 from his country where he had lived in affluence. He was 
 at this time much altered from what he had been ; from being 
 cheerful and easy, he was dull and melancholy. He soon 
 after left America, and not long after left the world. Some- 
 time afterwards, mentioning the affair to one of my neighbors, 
 he told me he had received such a letter, and being alarmed 
 for his family had sent the money as directed. 
 
 We had in December of this year a very curious trial in 
 the Court of Common Pleas, between Dr. Glenn and Captain 
 James King. Captain King was riding in a chair with his 
 daughter and another young girl, when between Germantown 
 and Frankford by carelessness he overset the chair. The 
 girls were very little hurt, but it was thought King's legs 
 were both broken. He was carried into a house near by, and 
 surgeons were immediately sent for. The first that came 
 
298 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 was Dr. G-lenn, who being a young man, would do nothing 
 more than make preparation for amputation, until some more 
 experienced surgeon came. Dr. Shippen soon afterwards 
 made his appearance. He immediately declared it would be 
 necessary to amputate both legs. King swore they should 
 take off but one. Dr. Shippen,. who is a very eminent sur- 
 geon, tried to persuade him of the necessity of taking both 
 off; telling him it was probable that his life depended on it ; 
 but King was obstinate and declared, let the consequence be 
 what it would, they should take off but one. They then 
 took off his right leg, and set the left as well as they could, 
 and Glenn living near attended him constantly. King's 
 pleas for not paying Q-lenn's bill were, that it was in the first 
 place exorbitant, and that he came merely to get an insight 
 into his business. He wrote his attorney that " Shippen and 
 Glenn were ignorant of their business, that they made a 
 mistake by taking off his left leg, that was not broken, 
 instead of his right that was broken in two places. To prove 
 this he had the bones of the leg and foot that were taken off 
 ready to be seen by any person that chose to examine them." 
 His letter was not allowed to be read. As Dr. Glenn was 
 proved to be a regular bred surgeon, a man of very good 
 character, to have constantly attended King during his con- 
 finement, and his bill to be reasonable, the jury gave a verdict 
 in his favor without going out of court. Dr. Wistar, who 
 was also called on (King said if he had been so fortunate as 
 to have had Dr. Wistar at first he would not have lost the 
 leg Shippen took oft"), told me that although the right leg was 
 not broken, the flesh was torn in such a manner that it was 
 absolutely necessary to take it off. King, in his letter, which 
 Mr. Hallowell showed me, gave a humorous account of his 
 doctors ; he wrote as he spoke, like an ol"d sailor. 
 
 This year, December, 1802, 1 purchased the house the family 
 now reside in. I took the house of Mr. John Field, merchant, 
 who had married Miss Williams, daughter of Mr. Daniel 
 Williams, who built it. I gave to Mr. Field eleven hundred 
 dollars for two years. There was some expectation at the 
 time the house was leased to me, that it would be sold to pay 
 
OHAELES BIDDLE. 299 
 
 a debt of Mr. Williams. I therefore made Mr. Field give 
 me security that he would keep me in peaceable possession of 
 the house for the term he had leased it, which as he did not, 
 I recovered five hundred dollars of his surety. When he 
 found the house would be sold, he called to beg I would not 
 interfere with his wife. However, before the sale she died, 
 which released me from my promise, and I purchased it for 
 nine thousand one hundred dollars. It would have been 
 struck off to me for seven thousand five hundred dollars, at 
 which price it stood a considerable time, but a friend of mine 
 came in and ran it up to the price I gave. He declared he 
 did not know he was bidding against me. This was not 
 probable, as I stood near the sheriff and bid loud. However, 
 the house was cheap at the price it sold for, and it was not 
 my wish to get it for less. I had made up my mind to go 
 much higher for it. 
 
 My son James sailed this year up the Mediterranean with 
 Commodore Murray. They cruised off Tripoli for some time , 
 and had nearly captured a number of their gunboats, having 
 got within gunshot of the rear, and were getting fast up with 
 them, when the pilot declared, if they did not haul off imme- 
 diately, they would lose the ship. They fired at some troops 
 drawn up on the beach, and set them scampering. James 
 and some of the other young officers blamed Commodore 
 Murray for not standing in longer, but Murray was certainly 
 right. In his situation it would have been wrong to run any 
 risk of losing his ship. Soon after James returned, he was 
 ordered on board the frigate Philadelphia, commanded by 
 Captain Bainbridge. They sailed from Philadelphia in 
 July, 1803. The last of October following, she chased one 
 of the Tripolitan cruisers close in shore, and in hauling off, 
 when they supposed themselves entirely out of danger, they 
 struck upon a reef of rocks. Although Captain Bainbridge 
 is a valuable officer, it appears from the deposition of Lieu- 
 tenant Porter that they first endeavored to force her over the 
 shoal, which was certainly wrong. I do suppose if a small 
 anchor had been carried out (they had no boat to carry out 
 one of their bowers) with two cubbs bent to it, and they had 
 
300 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 hove upon them as they lightened her forvvaxd, it is probable 
 she would have been got off. It is not, however, easy to say 
 what could have been done by a person not on board. 
 When Captain Bainbridge found the ship was inevitably 
 lost, he sent Lieutenant Porter and James in the barge to in- 
 form the Turks that they had surrendered. Just as James 
 was going into the boat he put into his boots four half eagles. 
 When they were boarded by the galleys they stripped him of 
 his coat, waistcoat, etc., but left his boots, by which he saved 
 his money. They were taken immediately on shore in the 
 barge, and upon landing they were surrounded by a mob 
 that he expected would have massacred them before they 
 reached the palace. The loss of this ship to such an enemy 
 gave great uneasiness to those related or connected with the 
 prisoners. To my family it was a severe blow ; we had, 
 however, the day after we heard of the capture, a letter from 
 one of the young officers, giving an account of their being all 
 well and that they were well treated. When we first had 
 an account of the loss of the ship (which was four months 
 after the accident happened, by a vessel that arrived at 
 Liverpool from Malta, and published an account of it in one 
 of the English papers), I intended to fit out a fast-sailing 
 vessel, taking in a cargo for Leghorn or Malta, and after land- 
 ing it, to go off Tripoli in order to assist in procuring the 
 liberation of the prisoners, at any rate to get James liberated ; 
 and this I should certainly have done .but for a letter I re- 
 ceived from Mr. Jefferson in answer to one written him by 
 Captain Gamble, J. Douglass, Esq., and myself, each of whom 
 had a son among the prisoners. 
 
 It was a matter of regret to me afterwards, that I had not 
 gone on this expedition, as it is probable I should have per- 
 suaded Commodore Preble to have concluded a peace with 
 the Bey ; for he has since told me, it was his opinion that 
 peace should Be made, and he would have done it if Captain 
 Chauncey had arrived a few hours later than he did. And 
 he would have done it after his arrival, if Chauncey had not 
 told him it was expected in America he would be able to 
 make peace and get the prisoners without paying anything. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 301 
 
 In this he was certainly mistaken, nothing of the kind was 
 expected, it could have been made on very honorable terms, 
 and if it had been done at that time, it would have left a 
 strong impression in favor of the Americans; they would 
 have said, if those people with so small a force can bring the 
 Bey of Tripoli to such terms, what cannot they do with a 
 fleet of frigates ? At any rate, it is probable had I gone I 
 should have prevailed on the Commodore against sending in 
 the fireship, or whatever she was called, commanded by 
 Somers, whom I had known from the time of his being a 
 small boy. It has always appeared to me that those gallant 
 and valuable young officers, Somers, Wadsworth, and Israel, 
 were foolishly sacrificed. This vessel, if sent in at all, should 
 never have gone without being convoyed by the galleys, or 
 some way have been contrived to have got them off. As 
 they went it was almost going to certain destruction. I have 
 been told, and have no doubt of the fact, that she was in no 
 way fitted for such an enterprise. 
 
302 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 The 12tli of July, 1804, while we were at breakfast, my 
 neighbor, Mr. "William Bell, called and told me it was re- 
 ported about town that General Hamilton had the day before 
 killed Colonel Burr in a duel. Persecuted as I knew Colonel 
 Burr had been, I felt distressed. Soon after another gentle- 
 man came and said the report was that Burr had killed 
 Hamilton. This proved to be the fact. Judge Peters, an 
 intimate friend of Hamilton's, was talking of him and Burr 
 when Mr. Bell came in. He was mentioning that' Hamilton 
 had said to him some short time before, that they were not 
 as bad as we were in their political disputes ; that in New 
 York, although they differed in politics, they never carried 
 party matters so far as to lot it interfere with their social 
 parties, and mentioned himself and Colonel Burr, who always 
 behaved with courtesy to each other. It is impossible to 
 conceive the noise that this duel made in New York ; there 
 was as much or more lamentation as when General Washing- 
 ton died. What occasioned much more noise than other- 
 wise would have been madS, were the violent pieces for some 
 time before published against Colonel Burr in the American 
 Citizen. The editor of this paper, who had done everything 
 in his power to set Burr and Hamilton to fighting, affected the 
 most violent grief at the death of Hamilton. 
 
 Having an acquaintance and some business with Mr. Pen- 
 dleton, the second of General Hamilton, I ■^rote to him the 
 day after we heard of the duel to know if everything was 
 fair and proper on the part of Colonel Burr. He answered me 
 by the return of the post, and his letter I now have, that the 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 303 
 
 only thing the seconds differed about was, which fired first. 
 Certainly it was of no consequence which first fired. It was 
 said Burr had practised for some days before the duel in 
 firing at a mark ; but this was not true, he had no occasion 
 to practise, for perhaps there was hardly ever a man could 
 fire so true, and no man possessed more coolness or courage. 
 Judge Burke, who was his second when he fought Church, 
 told me that there was not the least alteration in his behavior 
 on the ground from what there would have been had they 
 met on friendly terms. He said that when he loaded Colonel 
 Burr's pistols, by- mistake he put a wad with the ball, and 
 was hammering to get it down, when Burr called to him, and 
 told him not to mind it, if he missed him then he would hit 
 him the next shot. However, after the first fire Mr. Church 
 made an apology. I think General Hamilton would have 
 done so had he fortunately been missed.* 
 
 It will be perceived by the correspondence between Gene- 
 ral Hamilton and Colonel Burr that there was an evasion in 
 General Hamilton's first letter of what he at last virtually 
 confessed. General Hamilton was certainly a man of very 
 superior talents to most men, and I sincerely lamented his 
 death, but as an old military man Colonel Burr could not have 
 acted otherwise than he did. I never knew Colonel Burr speak 
 ill of any man, and he had a right to expect a different treat- 
 ment from what he experienced. Commodore Truxtun dined 
 in company with Hamilton and Burr the week before the 
 duel ; he has since told me he had not the most distant idea 
 of there being any difference between them. 
 
 When I found what a disturbance there was in New York 
 about this unhappy affair, I wrote to Colonel Burr, and re- 
 quested he would come and stay with me. He came in two or 
 three days. Here there was a great clamor about the duel, 
 and several of my friends were angry at me for having him 
 at my house ; and some people, it was said, came from New 
 York with an intention of taking him. In consequence of 
 
 * This duel took place Sept. 2, 1799, and is described in Parton's Life ot 
 Burr, p. 240. 
 
304 AUTOBIOGKAPHT OF 
 
 this report (my family being at my house in the country 
 where I used to go every evening) I staid with him several 
 nights. He would not have been easily taken. 
 
 I received a letter, of which the following is a copy, from 
 Mr. Van ]Sress, the second of Colonel Burr: — 
 
 Dear Sir : I shall answer without hesitation the interrog- 
 atories you have put to me, as I conceive it my duty to com- 
 municate with freedom the circumstances that attended the 
 interview between Colonel Burr and General Hamilton. After 
 the necessary preparations had been made, ^^'hich j'ou will 
 find detailed in the printed statement of the seconds, the 
 parties took their places ; General Hamilton raised his pistol as 
 if to try it, and again lowering it, said, "I beg pardon for 
 delaying you, but the direction of the light sometimes renders 
 glasses necessary." He then drew forth his spectacles and put 
 them on. The gentleman whose duty it was to give the word, 
 then asked the parties whether they were prepared, which 
 being answered in the atSrmative, the word " present" was 
 then given, on which both parties presented. The pistol of 
 General Hamilton was first discharged, and Colonel Burr fired 
 immediately after. On this point I have the misfortune to 
 difter from the friend of General Hamilton, and without 
 doubting the sincerity of his opinion, I can safely declare 
 that I \\'as never more firmly convinced of any fact that came 
 under my observation. On the discharge of General Hamil- 
 ton's pistol, I observed a slight motion in the person of Colonel 
 Burr, -which gave me the idea that he was struck. On this 
 point I conversed with Colonel Burr, when Ave returned, who 
 ascribed the motion of his body to a small stone under his 
 foot, and added, the smoke of General Hamilton's pistol for a 
 moment obscured his sight. 
 
 When General Hamilton fell. Colonel Burr advanced 
 towards him, but I immediately urged the importance of his 
 repairing to the barge. He complied with my request, and 
 in a few minutes I followed him. "When I arrived at the 
 boat Colonel Burr was just stepping from it. He said to me, 
 "I must go and speak to him," I replied it would be obvi- 
 ously improper, as General Hamilton was surrounded by the 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 305 
 
 surgeons and bargemen, by whom he ought not to be seen, 
 but that if he would remain I would go and see the General, 
 which I did, and on my return to the^ boat ordered the barge- 
 men to proceed immediately to the city, which was done. 
 
 Thus, sir, I have related to you such circumstances respect- 
 ing the late unfortunate interview between Colonel Burr and 
 General Hamilton, as have not hitherto been published. It is 
 but justice to add that Colonel Burr so far from exhibiting any 
 degree of levity on the occasion to which I have alluded, or 
 expressing any satisfaction at the result of the meeting, his 
 whole conduct while I was with him was expressive of regret 
 and concern. 
 
 Yours, etc. etc. 
 
 W. P. Van ISTess.* 
 
 Had General Hamilton in his answer to the first note sent 
 by Colonel Burr mentioned what he afterwards did, viz,, that 
 he did liot intend any reflection on the private oharacter of 
 Colonel Burr, everything would have been settled,, hut he 
 himself threw down the gauntlet. Colonel Burr told me a 
 short time before the duel, when he was in Philadelphia on 
 his way to New York from Washington, that he was deter- 
 mined to call out the first man of any respectability concerned 
 in the infamous publications concerning him. He had no 
 idea then of having to call on General Hamilton, 
 
 Burr was much blamed for challenging Hamilton. If in 
 this he acted as a sinner, Hamilton did not act as a saint in 
 accepting it. General Hamilton in giving an account of 
 Major Andre, very justly observes, " That a man of real merit 
 is never seen in so favorable a light as through the medium 
 of adversity. The clouds that surround him are so many 
 shades that set off" his good qualities. Misfortune cuts down 
 little vanities that in prosperous times serve as so many spots 
 in his virtues, and gives a tone of humanity that makes his 
 worth more amiable. His spectators who enjoy a happier 
 lot, are less prone to detract from it through envy ; and are 
 much disposed by compassion to give the credit he deserves, 
 
 * See note F. 
 20 
 
306 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 and perhaps even to magnify it." This was the case as to 
 General Hamilton. 
 
 In July, 1804, my friend General Armstrong was appointed 
 Ambassador to France. Wishing to get my son Nicholas 
 with him, as his secretary, I spoke to him and he agreed to 
 take him. Nicholas left us the last of July.* 
 
 The following letter was sent open to me to be forwarded 
 to Governor Bloomfield. General Smith and Giles were 
 afterwards among the most violent of Colonel Burr's enemies. 
 
 Washington, Nov. 24, 1804. 
 
 Sii~ : We whose names are written at the end of this letter. 
 Senators of the United States, have seen with much sensi- 
 bility and concern a prosecution instituted, and as far as we 
 are informed, still continued in one of the Courts of New 
 Jersey, upon a charge of murder against the Vice-President 
 of the United States and President of the Senate. Our feel- 
 ings have been still further excited by information that 
 attempts are now making to demand the person of the Presi- 
 dent of the Senate to answer the alleged offence, as a fugitive 
 from justice. We understand the real offence charged to 
 have been committed by him, is causing the death of the late 
 General Hamilton in a duel, every circumstance attending 
 which was marked with all the etiquette and fairness usually 
 observed amongst gentlemen upon similar occasions. 
 
 Whilst we wish to avoid every expression which might 
 give any sanction or approbation whatever to the custom of 
 duelling, or call in question the policy of the -laws of New 
 Jersey which makes no discrimination between a death thus 
 produced, and that by a common murder with premeditated 
 malice and without the survivor exposing his own life to an 
 equal hazard, yet we cannot help observing that there exists 
 a great difference in the two cases in the opinion and usages 
 of most civilized nations, of the people of the United States, 
 and particularly of that part of the United States where the 
 offence in the present instance is said to have been committed. 
 In support of this we beg leave to call your Excellency's at- 
 
 * See note G. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 307 
 
 tention to two cases of a similar nature which have occurred 
 in the same county within a few years past, and others hear- 
 ing near resemblance to these might also be cited. The first, 
 the case of Mr. Livingston and Mr. Jones ; the other, the 
 case of Mr. Eaker and the younger Mr. Hamilton. We are 
 informed that no judicial proceedings were had in either of 
 these cases, and that shortly after the unfortunate fate of Mr. 
 Jones, Mr. Livingston was promoted to one of the highest 
 judicial offices in the State of New York, in which we be- 
 lieve he continues with advantage to his country and honor 
 to himself; and we believe Mr. Eaker also shortly after the 
 untimely fate of young Mr. Hamilton, received some judicial 
 appointment. These cases demonstrate not only that the 
 same rules of judicial proceedings have not been applied to 
 different persons in similar situations. But the general 
 understanding of society discriminates widely between this 
 offence and the case of a common murder ; so much so, that in 
 the cases referred to, instead of the survivor receiving the 
 reprobation attached by society to common murderers, the 
 offences have been deemed no obstacle to judicial preferment. 
 Not can we help remarking in the present case, that although 
 we are advised that the laws of Kew Jersey make no differ- 
 ence between the offences of principal and second in the event 
 of a death by a duel, and although the seconds are as well 
 and generally known as the surviving principal, yet as far as 
 we are informed no judicial proceedings have been had 
 against either of them. Whilst, therefore, we are willing to 
 rely implicitly upon the ultimate justice of the Courts of 
 New Jersey, we are constrained to express our regret that the 
 same rule should be so unequally applied to different indi- 
 viduals in similar circumstances, and particularly that this 
 inequality should be directed against the President of the 
 Senate whilst engaged in the discharge of official duties ; nor 
 can we avoid intimating the unpleasant embarrassment of the 
 Senate if the attempt meditated of demanding his person 
 whilst thus engaged should be prosecuted. 
 
 Under such circumstances it would, in our judgment, be 
 conducive to the public interests, and particularly gratifying 
 
308 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 to our feelings that the prosecution should be discontinued, 
 thereby to facilitate the public business by relieving the 
 President of the Senate from the peculiar embarrassments of 
 his present situation, and the Senate from the distressing 
 imputation thrown on it, by holding up its President to the 
 world as a common murderer. Avoiding the expression of 
 any opinion in every other respect whatever, it is but justice 
 to the President of the Senate to add, that in that character 
 he has at all times, as far as our observations have extended, 
 acted with dignity, ability, and impartiality, and has thus 
 been instrumental in promoting the public business. In this 
 delicate state of things we confide in your Excellency's firm- 
 ness a-nd patriotism to take this subject into consideration, 
 and to adopt such measures therein as may be consistent with 
 right, and the laws and usages of New Jersey. 
 
 Be pleased, sir, to accept assurances of our high considera- 
 tion, etc. etc. 
 
 (Signed) Thos. Sumter, 
 
 Robert "Wright, 
 "Wm. B. Giles, 
 "Wm. Locke, 
 Stephen E. Bradlt, 
 Geo. Logan, 
 t. worthington, 
 S'l Smith, 
 James Jackson, 
 Jos. Anderson, 
 John Smith. 
 
 To His Excellency, Gov. Bloomfield. 
 
 Governor Bloomfield was the intimate friend of Colonel 
 Burr, and had been from the time they were boys. He fre- 
 quently expressed to myself and others the utmost esteem 
 and regard for Burr ; but he would not issue a nolle prosequi, 
 saying he did not think the Constitution of New Jersey gave 
 him the power of doing it. But I believe the real cause was 
 the fear of injurying his populai'ity ; and the same reason 
 induced him to oppose the friends of Colonel Burr from 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 309 
 
 applying to the Legislature for a law in his favor. The Grov-, 
 ernor is a worthy man, but he is too much influenced by his 
 wish to keep well with all parties. This is hardly possible 
 to do ; almost every man who attempts it is called a trimmer, 
 and often loses his consequence with all parties. 
 
 Hamilton and Burr were about the same age ; both small, 
 well-made men. They were considered in the army as very 
 valuable officers, and had they been of the same political 
 party would have been very good friends. If Greneral Hamil- 
 ton had not opposed Colonel Burr I have very little doubt 
 but he would have been elected Governor of N^ew York, and 
 if he had it would have been a fortunate circumstance for 
 the country, as well as themselves and their families. 
 
 In this unfortunate affair Mr. Rufus King was blamed, I 
 think deservedly, for not endeavoring to*prevent this fatal 
 duel. He is the moderate, judicious friend General Hamil- 
 ton alludes to in the paper inclosed in his will. 
 
 Mr. Van Ness told me that the morning of the duel, when 
 he went to Colonel Burr, he found him in a very sound sleep. 
 He was obliged to hurry on his clothes to be ready at the 
 time appointed for the meeting. 
 
 In April, 1803, I lost a worthy old friend. Dr. Enoch 
 Edwards. He was as entertaining a man as I ever knew, 
 and although seldom well, was always in good spirits and 
 cheerful. He, as well as his brother, Major Evan Edwards, 
 served during our Revolutionary war with great reputation. 
 He was the thinnest man I ever knew, had a spitting of blood 
 for upwards of thirty years, was cadaverous, and had a 
 very bad cough. He used to tell a great many stories about 
 himself. He said that he had the advantage of all his 
 friends, they all changed, but he never could look worse: 
 He said he went on business to a farmer in Montgomery 
 County. The man was not at home, the wife asked his 
 name. He told her he was Dr. Edwards. " Dr. Edwards !" 
 says the woman, " why my husband said you were the thinnest 
 and ugliest man he had ever seen. I don't think you are so 
 very ugly." The husband coming up soon after, the Doctor 
 laughing, told him what his wife had said ; at Avhich he was 
 
310 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 much confused. He went to England in 1793. Part of his 
 business was to sell some land for Mr. Nicholson, who told him 
 he should he careful not to let the people who wanted to pur- 
 chase the land know he was born on it. Some years before 
 he died, walking down Market Street, he received an acci- 
 dental stroke in the breast from a porter, who was hauling a 
 cask out of a cellar. The stroke would have done no injury 
 to a person in health, but it almost killed the Doctor. He 
 went home that evening, and in the night was taken very ill, 
 and early in the morning sent for me. T immediately went 
 up to his farm, which was in Byberry, about thirteen miles 
 from town. He informed me that he was very ill and desi- 
 rous of making his will, which he did. In the night, Mrs. 
 Edwards was sitting on one side of the bed, and myself on 
 the other, expecting from the pain he was in that he would 
 hardly live out the night, when rousing himself up and smil- 
 ing, " Ifow," says he, " I have been thinking for some time, 
 that if Mrs. Biddle goes off" (she was then every day expect- 
 ing to be confined) "and I should go, as probably will be the 
 case, you two would be married in six months." He, how- 
 ever, lived many years afterwards, making a voyage to 
 England, and after that to France, whence, at Paris, he wrote 
 me that he had a severe fit of sickness. Erom what was told 
 him by his French acquaintance, a person would suppose that 
 all Paris was alarmed and inconsolable about him. He spoke 
 highly of their politeness and attention to him. It appears 
 incredible that these people should be guilty of crimes dis- 
 graceful to human nature. It has often been mentioned that 
 Mr. Monroe encouraged Thomas Paine to write the infamous 
 letter he sent to General Washington. The Doctor often told 
 me that Monroe sent him to Paris and did everything in his 
 power to prevent his sending or publishing the letter. Paine 
 told him that anything Mr. Monroe wrote, it was of no conse- 
 quence whether it was suppressed or not, but what he wrote 
 was for posterity. Paine as a writer was certainly eminent, 
 but in every other respect he was and is truly contemptible. 
 He took great care during our Revolutionary war to keep 
 out of danger. In 1793 the Doctor and several of my friends 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 311 
 
 who were displeased with Governor Mifflin, wanted me very 
 much to let them run me for the office of Governor in oppo- 
 sition to him ; but independent of its being a very troublesome 
 office, I had a sincere friendship for Mifflin. 
 
 Being anxious to get Commodore Truxtun again in the 
 navy, I wrote a letter in 1805, to Mr. Dallas, the intimate 
 friend of Mr. Secretary Smith, saying that I was very certain 
 the Commodore had no intention whatever of resigning his 
 commission when he resigned the command of the Mediter- 
 ranean squadron, and that I understood the Secretary, after 
 the appointment of Morris, said he hoped Commodore Trux- 
 tun wotild not resign. Mr. Dallas inclosed my letter to the 
 Secretary, which brought on a correspondence between Trux- 
 tun and the Secretary. The Secretary wanted some proof 
 that he had no intention of resigning, and the Commodore ap- 
 plied to Captain Dale and myself. I mentioned what he had 
 written me at the time ; and Dale, what he had said to him.* 
 
 The Secretary gave Truxtun reason to suppose he wished 
 him in the navy again, and that it was very probable he 
 would soon be called into service. If he wished him in ser- 
 vice, he took a very improper method to obtain it, for he 
 wrote to all the captains in the navy to give their opinions 
 
 * Copies of the letters between Commodore Dale and myself. 
 
 Philadelphia, Sept. 7, 1805. • 
 Dear Sir: — When you arrived at Norfolk from the Mediterranean did 
 you understand from Commodore Truxtun that, when he gave up the com- 
 mand of the squadron to Morris, he had resigned his commission in the navy, 
 or have you at any time since heard him say he had resigned ? 
 
 Your most obedient servant, 
 Commodore Dale. C. B. 
 
 Answer. 
 
 Philadelphia, Sep. 7. 
 
 Dear Sir : — In answer to your inquiries of me, respecting what I heard 
 when I arrived at Norfolk from the Mediterranean about Commodore Trux. 
 tun's resigning, I can with confidence say that I did not understand so at that 
 time ; arid from that time to the present I have heard Commodore Truxtun 
 say he did not resign his commission. 
 
 I am yours respectfully, 
 
 C. BiDDLE, Esq. RiCHAED DaLE. 
 
312 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 whether Commodore Truxtun ought to be again in the navy 
 and hold the rank he had before he left the Chesapeake. 
 This, as was to be expected, ended in their all, except Com- 
 modore Murray, being against his holding the rank he form- 
 erly had. Truxtun thought the calling upon the captains in 
 the navy in this way, a very improper mode of proceeding, 
 and I believe few would think otherwise. Truxtun wrote to 
 the Secretary that he had acted like a base hypocrite, that he 
 was a coward and scoundrel. I suppose the Secretary thought 
 it would be foolish in him to fight every officer that con- 
 ceived himself injured. 
 
 In September, 1805, to the infinite joy of the family, James 
 returned from Tripoli.* He was in perfect health, for his 
 usage was much better than we could expect from such an 
 enemy. He was but a short time home before he was ordered 
 to take charge of Gunboat ITo. 1, then lying at Charleston. 
 If it had not been perfectly agreeable to him he should not 
 have gone, but should have resigned. As he was, however, 
 anxious to go, I would not oppose it. He was appointed 
 lieutenant, and had rank from May, 1804. 
 
 The latter end of January, 1806, I went with my friend 
 John Dunlap to Lancaster. The business that carried me 
 there was that my commission as Prothonotary had not been 
 renewed, although all the other officers of the government in 
 the city had received theirs, and I knew not whether Gov- 
 ernor McKean intended to renew mine. I was received by 
 the Governor with great kindness, and he ordered my com- 
 mission to be made out and given to me immediately, it 
 having been neglected by mistake. During the time we were 
 there Mr. Dunlap and myself gave a dinner to the Governor, 
 the Speakers of both Houses, and some of the members. 
 This dinner reminded me afterwards of what I had heard of 
 a Dutch merchant who had a turtle sent him as a present. 
 He said he hoped no person would send him another, for he gave 
 a dinner to a large party which cost him a considerable sum, 
 
 * The officers and crew of the Philadelphia were held prisoners at Tripoli 
 from October, 1803, until June, 1805. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 313 
 
 and he had disobliged many of his friends by not inviting 
 them. Some of our acquaintances in both Houses were dis- 
 pleased at not being of the party, and this with their hatred 
 of the Governor* I believe was the occasion of a law being 
 passed soon after, that the Prothonotaries of the County 
 courts should annually pay into the treasury all the fees they 
 received exceeding fifteen hundred dollars. As this would 
 make my office of no value, I returned to Lancaster, and pro- 
 cured an alteration in the law ; but it was not such a one as 
 it should have been. The law is obviously unjust, for in some 
 of the county offices it had no effect at all. The true way of 
 making it bear equally was to have laid a tax upon writs. I 
 have reason to believe that this dinner was the occasion of 
 this law. At this time I cared very little about the office, 
 in fact I only wanted it put into the hands of some person 
 who would collect and pay the fees due me. 
 
 During this summer Mr. Burr was frequently in Phila- 
 delphia, and my family being in the country, he was often 
 with me. The latter part of it he spent chiefly at Morris- 
 ville.f His daughter, Mrs. Alston from G-eorgetown, was 
 there with her son. General Moreau lived there, and he and 
 Colonel Burr, I understood, were often together; as military 
 men this was natural. From this place Colonel Burr wrote 
 to me that he had some business of importance to communi- 
 cate to me, and that he would soon be in town. A few days 
 afterwards he called, and after conversing on different sub- 
 jects, he told me that a number of gentlemen of the first 
 respectability in every part of the Union wished him to form 
 a settlement on the Mississippi of military men ; that the 
 Spaniards he knew were ripe for a revolt, and it would make 
 the fortunes of all those concerned in revolutionizing that 
 country. I told him that such a plan, if carried into effect, 
 would probably involve us in a war with Spain, and I would 
 
 * The Governor at this time spoke with the utmost contempt of the majority 
 of the Legislature, calling them geese, ignoramuses, clodhoppers, rascals, 
 and scoundrels. They certainly were not very enlightened men, nor was 
 the Governor the mildest of men. — Author's note. 
 
 t Opposite to Trenton. 
 
314 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 therefore have nothing to do with it. He said whether we 
 invaded the country or not, we should have a war with Spain. 
 I mentioned Miranda's expedition as one that should have 
 never been countenanced by any person in this country. He 
 said Miranda was a fool, totally unqualified for such an ex- 
 pedition. Finding I would not listen t.o his plans, and that 
 no arguments he could use would have any weight with me, 
 he expressed great regret. After a silence for some time, he 
 said he never was more at a loss than he was to know whether 
 he should communicate this business to Commodore Truxtun. 
 I told him, of that he was the best judge, and then left him. 
 He afterwards went to see the Commodore- and opened him- 
 self much more fully to him than he had to me. I was sorry 
 afterwards, on his account, that I had not let him proceed, 
 and heard the whole of his plan. It is probable an imme- 
 diate stop would have been put to it, which would have been 
 fortunate for him. He told me he would not do anything 
 that could injure his country. I believed then he thought so, 
 and at this time, 1813, have not changed my opinion. He 
 would have collected a number of military men round him 
 near the lines, formed a barrier between us and the Spaniards 
 which would have prevented their ever disturbing us. From 
 the intimacy between Colonel Burr and myself, many people 
 believed me perfectly acquainted with his intentions, but I 
 have related everything known by me respecting this (to 
 Colonel Burr) unfortunate business. Colonel Burr soon after 
 this went into the "Western country. 
 
 In December, this year, a servant boy named Virgil, born 
 in the family in IN'orth Carolina, had been out late for several 
 nights. One night, after the family were in bed, he opened 
 the cellar-door and went to a dance, and did not return until 
 after daylight. Being determined to put a stop to such 
 practices, the next evening I took him in the garret, and 
 locked him up, telling him that in the morning he should 
 have a new cowskin worn out on his back. In the morninff, 
 to my very great surprise, I found he had contrived to get 
 the room door opened, and had moved off. I immediately 
 sent off to Jfew York, and had advertisements put up on the 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 315 
 
 road, offering a reward of forty dollars and a pardon if he 
 would return, but could hear nothing of him. On the first 
 of January, about twelve o'clock at night, I took two con- 
 stables with me, and we searched every house in the lower 
 part of the city and in Southwark that we could hear of 
 there being any dance at. We disturbed some parties of 
 whites, blacks, and mulattoes all dancing together, but could 
 hear nothing of Virgil. He was a very handsome black, 
 and a most excellent servant until he got into bad company, 
 which kept him out at night. Had I punished him in the 
 evening instead of locking him up he never would have 
 thought of running away. Soon after he left us Mr. Bennet, 
 who keeps a tavern at Long Branch, and who knew him well, 
 saw him in JSTew York. He told Mr. Bennet that he was there 
 with me. As we never heard of him since, it is probable he 
 went to sea, and was lost. 
 
 In the month of February, this year, 1807, I received a 
 letter from the unfortunate Colonel Burr, informing me that 
 notwithstanding the grand jury had acquitted him he was 
 apprehended, and was on his way to Washington under a 
 guard. He requested me to inform his friends of his situa- 
 tion ; that he could write nothing but what was to be seen 
 by the officer who commanded the escort.* I sent a copy of 
 
 * Copy of Col. Burr's Letter. 
 
 "Fort Stoddeut, 22(i Feby, 1809. 
 
 ^^D'r Sir : — I was arrested a few days since by a party of the United States 
 troops near this place an^ am now moving towards the city of Washington 
 under military escort. This proceeding is the more extraordinary as the 
 grand jury summoned for the purpose, before the Supreme Court in Adams 
 County (Natchez), the day before my departure from that place, acquitted 
 me in the completest manner of all unlawful practices or designs. The re- 
 port of this grand jury also censured the conduct of government in some 
 particulars concerning me, and for this reason I am told that the printers have 
 not thought it discreet to publish that report entire. The pretence of mj' 
 having forfeited a recognizance, though sanctioned by the proclamation of 
 Governor Williams, is utterly false. The details of the prosecutions against 
 me cannot now be given — they are beyond all example and in defiance of 
 
316 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 \ 
 
 his letter to Colonel John Swartwout, who, as well as his 
 brother, I knew were his warm friends, and who would do 
 everything in their power to serve him. One of the brothers, 
 Mr. Samuel Swartwout, a brave, generous young man, was 
 with him at Richmond, and challenged General Wilkinson 
 after the trial. I also sent a copy of the letter to Mr. Van 
 Ness, his second in the unfortunate duel with Colonel Hamil- 
 ton. During the trial Colonel Burr was very anxious for 
 my being at Richmond. He said that although I could not 
 be a witness, my being with him would be of importance to 
 him ; but, as my own opinion was dift'erent, I concluded not 
 to go. For a great number of years no three men were more 
 intimate friends than Wilkinson, Burr, and Truxtun. At 
 this time Truxtun would not speak to Wilkinson, and was not 
 upon good terms with Burr. Wilkinson and Burr were 
 bitter enemies. I was intimate with them all, and nothing 
 in this unpleasant business interrupted the harmony that had 
 always subsisted between us. They all wrote to me from 
 Richmond. Truxtun abused Wilkinson as having acted the 
 part of a base hypocrite ; and Wilkinson wrote of him in 
 such a manner that they would have fought had they seen 
 each other's letters. Truxtun told me that Wilkinson, in his 
 dispatches (cipher letter) from New Orleans, had mentioned 
 him and myself as being concerned with Burr. He was 
 much disappointed when I told him if it was so it gave me 
 no concern whatever. I, however, wrote to Wilkinson to 
 know if it was true. He declared upon his honor that it 
 was a most infamous falsehood, and wished to know who had 
 informed me. I wrote him that this was not necessary, as 
 his denying it satisfied ^e it was not true. At the time of 
 
 all law. Please to communicate this to my friends in New York. What 
 I write must be inspected by the officer of the guard." 
 
 The following is an extract from the finding of the grand jury : — 
 " The grand jury of the Mississippi Territory, on a due investigation of 
 the evidence brought before them, are of opinion that Aaron Burr has not 
 been guilty of any crime or misdemeanor against the laws of the United 
 States or of this Territory, or giuen any just cause of alarm' or inquietude 
 to the good people of the same." 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 317 
 
 Colonel Burr's being in the Western country my old friend 
 Truxtun and myself had several conversations about the 
 intended expedition. He would sometimes get ofiended at 
 what passed between us, and would not come to my house 
 for several weeks. Meeting him one morning he told me he 
 had not closed his eyes all night. " What ailed you ?" 
 " Did you not see in the Aurora of yesterday the mention 
 that 'a distinguished' American commander was concerned 
 with Burr ' ?" " Yes, I saw that in the Aurora, but why 
 should that give any uneasiness? "Why, because the per- 
 son alluded to must be me." " And are you concerned with 
 Colonel Burr?" "You know I am not." "Then why 
 uneasy at anything said in the papers about this 'distin- 
 guished commander' ?" " Let me ask you, my friend, if 
 you would not be hurt at such a publication ?" " Not in 
 the least. I should not have the vanity to suppose it was 
 intended for me." He was highly oftended at some part of 
 what was sazd, and for a month did not speak to me. 
 
 After the trial of Colonel Burr, Wilkinson was in Balti- 
 more, and for something H * had done he challenged him. 
 
 H (as Randolph had done before) refused to fight him, 
 
 saying that he must acquit himself of the charges that were 
 against him, before he would put himself upon a footing with 
 him. Wilkinson told me, that as soon as he reached Balti- 
 more he should challenge H , that if he was to meet him 
 
 in the street he did not believe he could command himself so 
 much as to refrain from attacking him. When Truxtun 
 
 heard of H refusing to fight Wilkinson, he called on me. ' 
 
 " Well, you see H would not accept of Wilkinson's chal- 1 
 
 lenge." I told him a poltroon always found some excuse for 
 not fighting. " Why, you do not think me a coward, and I 
 would not accept a challenge from him." I told him my 
 opinion was, that until a man was found guilty of a dishon- 
 orable action, and held a commission in the army, he was 
 upon a footing with any gentleman. Something more passed 
 upon this occasion, for which he again did not speak to me for 
 several weeks. 
 
 * Possibly General Hampton. 
 
318 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Although Colonel Burr always spoke of giving freedom to 
 the people of New Spain with enthusiasm, I have no doubt 
 he would have given up his expedition if he could have pro- 
 cured any appointment that would have made him indepen- 
 dent. My reason for thinking so is that on the resignation 
 of Judge Shippen he requested me to speak to Governor 
 McKean, and endeavor to get him appointed in his room. 
 This, as Colonel Burr then stood , I thought would be improper, 
 and told him so. However, I spoke to the Governor's son, 
 Joseph B. McKean, who being of the same opinion as myself, 
 the Governor was not spoken to on the subject. 
 
 Nor do I believe Wilkinson was ever concerned or knew 
 what Colonel Burr intended until Mr. Swartwout informed 
 him. I do know that some of Colonel Burr's friends in 'Sew 
 York were very anxious to know how Wilkinson would 
 receive him ; but I thought then, and shall ever think, that 
 from the long intimacy and friendship he always professed 
 for Colonel Burr, that he should have informed him of the 
 consequence of his proceeding upon his expedition. If he 
 had done this Burr would have desisted, and it would all 
 have died awa}'. This I told Wilkinson when he came here, 
 but he seemed to think it 'was necessary for him to act as he 
 did. It was always a mystery to me how it happened that 
 General Dayton was not tried, as well as Colonel Burr. It 
 was generally believed that he was concerned in all his 
 schemes, whatever they were. It was thought by many that 
 Dayton would keep out of the way, but he was too much of a 
 soldier for that. It is to be lamented that such men should 
 be thought of being tried as traitors to their country. Bun- 
 was always of opinion that Bonaparte would give us some 
 trouble in IsTew Orleans, and wanted, long before this time, 
 to take measures that would put it out of his power to do us 
 any injury ; but Mr. Jefferson either was afraid of Bonaparte, 
 or had a better opinion of him than he deserved.* 
 
 The latter end of June we had an account of the attack of 
 the Leopard upon the Chesapeake. Although many people 
 blamed the Government for not delivering up the men claimed 
 
 * For some letters relating to this period see note F. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 319 
 
 by Captain Douglass, every American felt indignant at the 
 manner in which the attack was made. In Philadelphia we 
 had, on the first of July, a town meeting. Matthew Lawler, 
 the Mayor, was in the chair. We entered into a resolution 
 to support the General Government in every measure they 
 should adopt to avenge the insult offered to our flag, and 
 pledged ourselves to make any sacrifices and encounter every 
 hazard. Several other resolutions were entered into. As the 
 inhabitants of Norfolk and its vicinity had behaved well, I 
 offered a resolution thanking them for their gallant and manly 
 conduct. This was unanimously agreed to. We then 
 appointed a committee consisting of Mr. Lawler, Charles 
 Biddle, Paul Cox, David Lenox, Thomas Forrest, Richard 
 Dale, Walter Franklin, George Clymer, Michael Lieb, Thomas 
 Leiper, Francis Gurney, James Engle, Joseph Hopkinson, 
 George Bartram, Edward Tilghman, M. Bright — nine Demo- 
 crats and seven Federalists. The afternoon of the day we 
 were appointed, a number of people collected on board an 
 English brig called the Fox, lying at Pine Street wharf It 
 was reported that she was loaded with provisions and M'ater 
 for the fleet in the Chesapeake. Upon hearing of it I went 
 immediately down to the wharf, and found there was a great 
 number of people on board very busy in unbending her sails 
 and unrigging her. Some other gentlemen of the Committee 
 coming on the wharf, we sent and procured a company of 
 militia, commanded by Captain Wharton, to come down. 
 He soon restored order on board the brig. On the wharf the 
 people seemed very much disposed for a riot. One of the 
 crew of the Fox hearing a person damning the British for a 
 set of cowardly rascals, for attacking the Chesapeake in the 
 manner they had done, swore they were cowardly rascals that 
 called them so ; that he was an Englishman, and he would 
 fight any damned Yankee in the country. He was pulling 
 off his jacket to pi'epare for battle, and several fellows were 
 gathering round to seize him, when I went up to him, and 
 with some difliculty got him out of the crowd and persuaded 
 him to go to his lodging. He was a short, well-built young 
 man, whose name I was afterwards sorry I did not ask him. 
 
320 ATJTOBIOGKAPHT OF 
 
 JSTelson could not have behaved with more intrepidity than 
 this brave fellow, who was perfectly sober. 
 
 Eeturning from the theatre the night after the town-meet- 
 ing, with two ladies, when near Mr. Bond's (the British Con- 
 sul) house, there were two large stones thrown from across 
 the street at it. They struck the door and rebounded very 
 near us. I immediately crossed the street, when the fellows 
 ran away. After seeing the ladies home, I went to Mr. 
 Bond's and staid with him until it was late. Mr. Bond did 
 not apprehend any danger, but he felt very indignant at the 
 insult offered to him ; and the family were much alarmed. 
 Although Mr. Bond had gone from Philadelphia with the 
 British (at the time of the Revolution), he deserved no insult 
 from the inhabitants, for while in England and in Philadel- 
 phia he took every opportunity of serving his countrymen. 
 When my son James went out with Commodore Bainbridge, 
 he gave him letters to some gf the British officers in the fleet 
 up the Mediterranean, and to Sir Alexander Ball, Governor 
 of Malta. This gallant officer behaved with great kindness 
 to James, and after his capture by the Tripolitans, sent him 
 porter, cheese, and other articles he wanted. I wrote to 
 thank Governor Ball and pay him for what he so genftrously 
 supplied James with, and nothing would have gratified me 
 more than an opportunity of convincing him how much I 
 considered myself obliged to him.* 
 
 * Letter from Sir Alexander Ball. 
 
 Malta, 2oth June, 1805. 
 
 Sir : — I beg leave to offer you my sincere congratulations on your son's 
 release from Tripolitan slavery, and particularly on liis having obtained it 
 by a peace the most honorable for the United States. I am glad to find his 
 health has not suffered by his exile, and with respect to his mind, it is pro- 
 ble he v?ill he will be a better and happier man by the adversity he has ex- 
 perienced. 
 
 I did not answer your letter acquainting me with your wish to purchase 
 your son's redemption, because I saw the necessity of abstaining from an 
 act that might raise the demands of the Bashaw and hurt the American 
 cause. I was persuaded from your character that on this I should be antici- 
 pating your patriotic spirit, more especially as I foresaw and predicted that 
 
CHAELES BIDDLE. 321 
 
 One of the ladies returning from the theatre with me when 
 stones were thrown at Mr. Bond's house, was Mrs. Ashley, 
 an English lady, who was very much alarmed, for I believe 
 that she thought the stones were intended for her. Late 
 that night a set of vagabonds went before Mr. Ashley's door 
 and played the Rogue's March. Mr. Ashley, a very respec- 
 table English merchant, thought they were complimenting 
 him, and was going down to order them wine, when one of 
 the servants told him the tune they were playing. 
 
 In September this year, the ship Argo, from 'New Orleans, 
 bound to Philadelphia, struck a rock upon the Bahama Bank, 
 and bilged. The crew and passengers took to their boats. 
 The small boat was driven into the Gulf Stream, where they 
 fell in with the ship Comet, Captain Dixey, on board of 
 which was the Hon. Daniel Clarke,* the owner, who being in- 
 formed of the disaster, determined to cruise for the crew of 
 the long boat, which they did for four days, when they were 
 discovered on the Great Isaac Rock and taken on board the 
 Comet. Mr. Clarke had property in the Comet to the' amount 
 of one hundred thousand dollars, which was jeopardized by 
 his deviation. Mr. Wharton, who was on board the Argo 
 when she was wrecked, having mentioned the generous and 
 humane conduct of Mr. Clarke in a company where Mr. 
 Henry Pratt, some others, and myself were spending the 
 evening, we thought a public dinner ought to be given him, 
 and Mr. Pratt agreed to call upon me,in the morning, which 
 he did. When we were near the house at which Mr. Clarke 
 lodged, Pratt stopped. " Biddle," said he, " we are going to 
 invite Mr. Clarke to a dinner in the name of the citizens of 
 Philadelphia, are we not ?" " Yes." " And how do you 
 know whether we can get subscribers." " That,, I do not 
 
 a persevering blockade only would soon terminate the war to the honor of 
 the United States. I beg you to command my services when they can be 
 useful. I have the honor to be, with much esteem, 
 
 Your most faithful and obedi^at sesrant^ 
 Chas. Biddle, Esq. Alex. J. Ball. 
 
 * The Mr. Clarke who was afterwards so promiaeat la the controversy 
 growing out of Burr's expedition. 
 21 
 
 \ 
 
322 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 know, but if we cannot get subscribers, we can get a com- 
 pany, and you are rich and can pay for the dinner. If you 
 do not choose that, I will pay one-half, for he deserves and 
 must have a public dinner." We agreed to make up any 
 deficiency, and went on to Mr. Clarke's lodging. He told us 
 he had done nothing but what any other man would have 
 done ; that, however, he could not refuse the honor done 
 him, and would dine with us on any day we should agree 
 upon. We appointed the 30th. of October, when we gave 
 him a splendid dinner. We had Messrs. Jefferson and Bray 
 from the theatre, and some others of the company that sang 
 remarkably well. Most of the toasts were made by Major 
 Jackson, who was often called upon on these occasions. The 
 first was made by my son William : — 
 
 " Our distinguished guest ; the wreath of honor belongs to 
 him who saves his fellow men." 
 
 Mr. Clarke at this time had no difference with Wilkinson. 
 He complained that both Burr and Wilkinson gave him a 
 good deal of trouble about their affairs. A few days after 
 the dinner given him, he went to Washington to attend 
 Congress, of which he was a member. He had been there 
 but a short time before he joined Randolph in everything he 
 did to ruin Wilkinson. Mr. Clarke was friendly to Burr, 
 and perhaps Wilkinson's conduct to that most unfortunate of 
 men had some influence on Mr. Clarke. A transaction that 
 Wilkinson would have been much gratified to hear, and 
 which would probably have been of great service to him, 
 came to my knowledge at this time, but as it was communi- 
 cated in confidence I could not mention it. Wilkinson 
 wrote me respecting his dispute with Clarke, and wanted to 
 know if I could give him any information of what passed 
 between Burr and him in Philadelphia. What I did know 
 could not be communicated; I therefore did not answer him. 
 
 Colonel Burr at this time kept himself concealed in a French 
 boarding house. When I used to call of an evening to see 
 him, he was generally alone with little light in his room. 
 He was very pale and dejected ; how different from what he 
 had heen a short time before when few persons in the city 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 323 
 
 were not gratified at seeing hira at their tables, where he was 
 always one of the most lively and entertaining of the com- 
 pany. It would not have surprised me on going there to 
 have found he had ended his sufferings with a pistol. If 
 ever man could be justified in committing such an act it was 
 Colonel Burr. To have found he had could hardly have 
 given me more pain than I have sometimes felt on seeing him 
 in this melancholy situation. Groing one night to see him 
 with a friend from E'ew York, we mistook the house, and as 
 it was not customary to knock, we went upstairs and opened 
 the door that we supposed to be his, when to our surprise' we 
 found ourselves in the bed-chamber of some ladies. We 
 effected a retreat without any ill consequences. 
 
 While in the city this time Mr. Burr was taken by the 
 sheriff at the suit of Mr. Wilkins, of Pittsburgh. Mr. Burr de- 
 clared that he owed Wilkins nothing, that he (Wilkins) had 
 not complied with his contract. Late at night he was brought 
 to my house, and the sheriff waited a considerable time with 
 him and Mr. Pollock for me to come home. Mr. Pollock is 
 a highly respectable gentleman, intimate in my family, a re- 
 lation and friend of Colonel Burr, and a man of large fortune. 
 It was very distressing to all my family to know that these 
 gentlemen were in my office with the sheriff's officer. Colonel 
 Burr was perfectly composed; at this time scarcely anything 
 could disturb him. At length one of my neighbors was sent 
 for, Mr. liollowell, a gentleman of the Bar, who came imme- 
 diately and pledged himself to be answerable for Mr. Burr's 
 appearance in the morning. In the morning Mr. Pollock 
 was accepted as the bail. Owing to some mistake of the 
 plaintiff's attorney Mr. Pollock was discharged from the bail. 
 Having suffered severely by being bail, I had made up my 
 mind never to be security for any person whatever, but in 
 this case I could not have seen Mr. Burr carried from my 
 house to gaol. I would lend any money I had cheerfully, 
 but not endorse a note, or run any risk of involving myself 
 or family. 
 
 Early in the year 1808, I was consulted by my friend 
 
324 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 Judge Jones about his son Richard's leaving the navy.* He 
 was at this time only a midshipman, commanding a gunboat 
 at IsTew York. As there was no prospect of a war, and he 
 was about getting married, I advised him to leave the service. 
 Our administration was unfriendly to a navy, and, in fact, to 
 commerce. 
 
 Having had much plague as executor to the estate of Mrs. 
 Brodhead. (before she married General Brodhead, the widow 
 of Samuel Mifflin, Esq.) I did not intend ever acting again, 
 but within a few years past three of my old friends died 
 leaving me their executors. Dr. Enoch Edwards, whom I 
 formerly mentioned. General Jacob Morgan, and Joseph 
 Donaldson, Esq., a respectable merchant. General Morgan 
 was a friend of mine from my first going to sea. At one 
 time he rendered me a very important service, by calling on 
 me, and preventing my doing what I should ever after have 
 regretted. He was Major to Dickinson's regiment, to whom 
 the Quaker Light Infantry was attached. The General had 
 been an officer in the Provincial service. He was a brave, 
 active, intelligent officer, in whom the regiment had the utmost 
 confidence. He was with us when the regiment was at 
 Elizabethtown Point, and at the water side when we embarked 
 on the expedition I have mentioned. One of the men who 
 was to have gone with us was, or pretended to be, taken 
 suddenly so ill just before we embarked that he could not go 
 with us. Major Morgan would have gone in his room, but 
 we all thought he was of too much importance in camp to 
 leave it, and there were enough privates glad, to go. The 
 sick person is now, 1813, living and hearty. He had much 
 better have insisted upon going, even if he had died in the 
 boat, for whether he was really sick or not, he was suspected 
 of being shy, and treated with some degree of contempt. As 
 
 * Young Mr. Jones had been a prisoner at. Tripoli with James Biddle, 
 afterwards Commodore Biddle, son of Charles Biddle. There were with 
 them several other Philadelphians — James Renshaw, Benj. Franklin Reed, 
 and Bernard Henry. The last named was father of the present Mr. Morton 
 P. Henry of the Philadelphia Bar. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 325 
 
 executor to the estate of General Morgan I had but little 
 trouble. 
 
 I used frequently early in the morning this summer to take 
 two or three of the boys with me in a chair near the Upper 
 Ferry on the Schuylkill to learn them to swim. One morning 
 after bathing and dressing myself I walked on, leaving the 
 children, when they were dressed, to follow me in the chair. 
 It was but little after sunrise. In crossing the common I saw 
 three shabby looking fellows coming towards me. After 
 consulting together, one, who was lame, walked to a fence at 
 some distance ; the other two who had bludgeons in their 
 hands came directly towards me. I looked anxiously round 
 the common to see if there was any person to call on, but 
 none was to be seen but these vagabonds. I had in my hand 
 a cane that had the appearance of a sword cane. As they 
 drew near I stopped, and holding the cane in a position as if 
 going to draw they very civilly inquired the time of day. 
 Telling them I had no watch they passed me, when the fellow 
 at the fence halloed out, " You damned cowardly rascals ! you 
 are afraid of one man." They then walked up to him. By 
 this time, although I did not quicken my pace, supposing if 
 I had done so they wOuld think me afraid and chase me, I 
 was much pleased at reaching Market Street. If I had then 
 met any person to have joined me I would have pursued them, 
 and if we could not have caught them all we would have 
 got the lame fellow. I went after them when the boys over- 
 took me with the chair, but they were not to be found. 
 ITothing prevented my being robbed and perhaps murdered, 
 but my having a cane which they supposed was a sword cane. 
 
 This year Mr. McKean's time expired as Governor of the 
 State.- Many of my friends thought I would obtain more 
 votes than any other Federal candidate, and therefore wished 
 me to be set up. For my own part I had no wish to be 
 Governor of the State had it been in my power ; it would 
 have obliged me to live out of the city a great part of the 
 year, which I did not wish. Mr. James Ross, of Pittsburgh, 
 was fixed upon. He had been the candidate opposed to Gov- 
 ernor McKean. As usual with men set up for public office 
 
326 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 the}^ had many stories to tell against Mr. Ross, that he was a 
 land-jobber, a miser, and what was against him with some 
 people, he was a lawyer. The Democrats, for what reason 
 no one could tell, took up Simon Snyder ; they had many 
 among them better qualified. The only reason I ever heard 
 assigned for his being taken up was, that he was a German, 
 and that they wanted a German Governor (the descendants 
 from all other countries born in America call themselves 
 Americans, and why these people should call themselves 
 Germans I never could learn). The Germans are a very use- 
 ful, good class of citizens, but I remember when a boy, when 
 the Germans were much more numerous in the city than they 
 now are it was a great disgrace to a boy to have it said a 
 Dutch boy beat you, even if he was much older and stouter. 
 It is to be hoped the distinction will be dropped, and every 
 man born in the country will be proud of calling himself an 
 American. Mr. Snyder was elected, and such a Governor no 
 State could produce. I do not believe him a bad man, although 
 much has been said against him ; but he has nothing to re- 
 commend him to that station. Since his election to this time, 
 now 1813, he has never been in the city. 
 
 When the Legislature met, Mr. Dorsey of the Senate wrote 
 to beg I 'would come up to Lancaster, and speak to the Gov- 
 ernor about renewing my commission. He said the Gover- 
 nor spoke of me in the most favorable terms. I informed 
 him it would be inconvenient and, in my opinion, useless, to 
 see Mr. Snyder. He then wished me to send up one of my 
 sons, but as this was equally disagreeable, it was declined. 
 The Governor in appointing a person in my room as Pro- 
 thonotary, gave as a reason that there ought to be frequent 
 changes in a Eepublican government, that although no fault 
 whatever could be found with me, I had held the office for 
 many years. Long before this, I wished to resign the office, 
 but as there were fees due to me to a large amount, I wished 
 to have a successor who would collect them for me, and not 
 keep them himself. The tax on the office had made it of lit- 
 tle value. The first notice I had of my removal, was seeing 
 a notice in the Democratic Press, that Frederick Wolbert 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 327 
 
 was appointed Prothonotary for the county of Philadelphia. 
 The next day Mr. Wolbert called upon me. He declared he 
 never made any application for the office, how much he re- 
 spected and esteemed me, and that he would agree to any 
 arrangement I pleased to make. As he was a man who I 
 thought would take some pains to collect my fees, his ap- 
 pointment was not disagreeable to me ; but no man that is in 
 embarrassed circumstances should be appointed to an office 
 where he is to receive public money. Mr. Wolbert was soon 
 obliged to resign, or was dismissed for not settling his 
 accounts. The last ten months that I was in office, I 
 paid in over three thousand dollars, as will be seen by the 
 treasury accounts. 
 
 It was early in this year that Mr. Sloan, of Jersey, made a 
 motion for a removal of the seat of government from Wash- 
 ington to Philadelphia, and it had nearly carried. I was 
 always of opinion that Trenton would have been a much 
 better place than either Washington or Philadelphia. It is 
 situated between Philadelphia and ISTew York, in a fine, 
 pleasant, healthj' country. Washington, notwithstanding all 
 that can be said in favor of it, I believe would never have 
 been thought of for the seat of government, but for the good 
 and great man it is called after. Madame Pechon, wife of 
 Mr. Pechon, Charge d' Affaires of France, told me that when 
 she first went to Washington, it was late in the night, the 
 roads excessively bad, and very dark before they got there. 
 Some time before they reached the tavern, she called to the 
 coachman, " How long before you get to Washington ?" 
 " Why, madame," says the fellow, " you have been in Wash- 
 ington this hour." She had not seen a house. 
 
 In the beginning of December of this year, in walking 
 from the Coffee House, the conversation turned upon the 
 advantage it would be to the country, if we could get an 
 office established for the insurance of lives, granting annui- 
 ties, reversions, etc. We met the next day and agreed to 
 call a meeting of some of our friends and acquaintances, 
 which we did that evening. Messrs. Paul Beck, Edward 
 Burd, S. Meeker, W. Gaw, A. Denman, M. Levy, David 
 
328 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Lewis, Robert Wain, E. Kane, Henry Pratt, William Poyn- 
 tell, and myself agreed to be managers. We opened a sub- 
 scription a few days afterwards for a capital of half a million 
 of dollars. As the citizens had confidence in the managers, 
 it was filled immediately, and a much larger sum could have 
 been obtained. Such a number came forward to subscribe 
 that we were obliged to limit the number of shares each per- 
 son should have. It was with difficulty we could keep the 
 crowd off. We sent two gentlemen up to Lancaster to get 
 an act of incorporation. The Legislature would have passed 
 the act we wanted, but another company being formed, the 
 members of the Legislature supposed it would be very profit- 
 able, and postponed the bill until the next session. As we 
 only wanted to see such a company formed, and as the others 
 applied, we gave ourselves no further concern about the bill. 
 One of the gentlemen who went up said that during the 
 debate on the bill, one of the German members spoke against 
 it. " Mr. Speaker, I am against dis bill, and I will tell you 
 for what. If you bass dis bill, old McKean* will get his life 
 insured, and so we shall never get rid of him." This was 
 not to be got over. At the next session the bill of the other 
 company was lost by a small majority. The session after- 
 wards, they obtained an act but with many alterations made 
 by persons totally unacquainted with the business. 
 
 In May, 1810, Mrs. Spaight, the widow of Governor 
 Spaight, who came from North Carolina the summer of 
 1809, sent for me to consult with me about her children, two 
 sons and a daughter. When I waited upon her she com- 
 plained of a cold and a slight pain in her breast ; she spoke 
 cheerfully, and I did not suppose her by any means danger- 
 ously ill. After some conversation about the children, I left 
 her. Two days after, the person she lodged with sent me 
 word she was dead. She was a most amiable woman, and a 
 few years before her death one of the most lovely of her sex ; 
 but from the time of the death of the Governor until her 
 own she was very seldom out of her room, and she kept her 
 
 * Then Governor of the State. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 329 
 
 children constantly with her, never letting them go outside 
 of the door. Had she lived a few years longer, she would 
 have destroyed their constitutions. "When they were left to 
 my care, I had them taken out every day when the weather 
 would permit it, and sent a few miles from the city in a 
 healthy part of the country, and they are now fine, hearty 
 children. Their father. Governor Spaight, was killed in a 
 duel by John Stanley, Esq., since that time a member of Con- 
 gress. The Governor, as well as myself, were intimate with 
 the father of Mr. Stanley, and had often been at the house 
 together when the son was a child. The duel was occasioned 
 by some good-natured friends carrying tales from one to the 
 other. The duel would have terminated without injury to 
 either party, but for a scoundrel that was second to the Gov- 
 ernor. They fought on the Common, near Newbern, and 
 great numbers of the inhabitants were looking on. Some of 
 them would have interfered, but this rascal of a second swore 
 he would shoot any man who attempted to do so. They 
 fired five shots before Mr. Stanley's took eftect. The Gover- 
 nor some years b^ore this fatal duel had been extremely ill, 
 so much so that he was reduced to a skeleton, and as helpless 
 as a child of a month old. The first physicians on the con- 
 tinent were consulted, but they could do nothing for him, and 
 gave him up as incurable. Some person recommended him 
 to apply to Mrs. Bran, a woman well known at that time in 
 the city, as is her daughter Patty now (1813). Mrs. Bran 
 made a perfect cure of him, and for some years before his 
 death he was as hearty a man as any in the world. He was 
 broken out in sores all over his face, all his limbs and body, 
 so that from being a handsome, he was a most miserable 
 object. I believe it was with malt tea she made the cure. 
 
 A short time before the election this year a committee of 
 the City Conference called on me to know if I would consent 
 to be run as State Senator. They were pleased to say they 
 could carry me, and that they did not know any other Feder- 
 alist they could get elected. I told them there were other 
 gentlemen who would command as many, and perhaps more 
 votes than myself, and, if elected, it would be disagreeable to 
 
330 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 me to ajDend the winter at Lancaster; I must, therefore, 
 request they would place some other person on the ticket. 
 Groing soon afterwards a journey in the country, I was sur- 
 prised upon my return to find m.j name on the ticket to be 
 run as Senator. Mrs. Biddle advised my sending to the 
 Committee to request they would put some other person on 
 the ticket in my room, but, as I had no expectation what- 
 ever of being elected, I declined it. To my surprise the 
 ticket was carried by some hundreds. My son Nicholas was 
 at the same time elected a member of the House of Repre- 
 sentatives. Mr. B and some of my Democratic acquain- 
 tances said it was they who occasioned my being elected. I 
 thought that its being known that I was opposed to the 
 Mechanics and Commercial banks, then applying for charters, 
 would have prevented my election. Enos Clark, an honest 
 Irish tenant of mine, called on me the morning of the elec- 
 tion in much distress. He said just as he was putting in his 
 ticket, one of his friends called to him to come down ; that 
 he put in the ticket and came to him, when he said : " Clark, 
 do you know what you have been doing ?" " Yes, to be sure, 
 
 I have been putting in the ticket that D. S gave me, and 
 
 he, you know, is one of us." "Damn you; do you know 
 you have been voting against your landlord, who has been 
 so kind, and so good to your family ?" " I hope it is not so, 
 Mr. Biddle, for I would not do that for all the world." I 
 comforted this good fellow by assuring him that on this 
 occasion I did not want his vote. 
 
 At the opening of the session I went to Lancaster with 
 Mr. Barclay, of the Senate, and Messrs. Morgan and McEuen, 
 of the House of Representatives. We agreed to lodge at 
 Slough's,* who we knew kept an excellent house, and we 
 
 * When Judge Jones and myself were going to the Virginia Springs, just 
 before we reached Lancaster we overtook Mr. Edward Badger, a, young 
 lawyer of Philadelphia. He was talking to a countryman. When he joined 
 us at the tavern he told us he had a curious conversation with the farmer, 
 who inquired where he intended to put up in Lancaster. Badger told him 
 he did not know, he was a stranger. Well, says the farmer, come with me to 
 Adam AVeaver's, he keeps a very good house. Badger told him he heard Mr. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 331 
 
 could not possibly have been better accommodated than at 
 this house. Mr. Slough had been a captain in the army 
 under General St. Clair, and was shot through the body at 
 the time the General was defeated by the Indians. IS'otwith- 
 standing this he was remarkably strong and active, and very 
 attentive to his guests. 
 
 The most important business that was before the Legisla- 
 ture this session was the application of the Trustees of the 
 Bank of the United States for a charter. This they did after 
 Congress had refused to renew their charter. Although I 
 had some doubt whether giving them a charter would not be 
 a disadvantage to the Bank of Pennsylvania, of which I was, 
 and had been ever since it was first instituted, a director, I 
 thought it would be of advantage to the State, and, therefore, 
 voted, and used what interest I had for it. My son in the 
 House of Representatives made a speech in favor of it that 
 was much admired. But there was a majority of both 
 Houses who were informed that the shares were held by 
 foreigners, and who thought the shares should be held by our 
 own citizens. The refusing to grant the charter I considered 
 as a loss to the State of the sum the trustees woxild have 
 given, which was six hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Girard 
 bought the banking house, which he has opened on his own 
 account. Our Government acted a shameful part in selling 
 out the shares belonging to the United States at an advance 
 of forty-five per cent, shortly before the charter expired, and 
 then refusing to renew it. 
 
 One evening during this session, Mr. Barclay, Senator from 
 the county of Philadelphia, sent over to Slough's to request 
 I would come to the House immediately, as the question was 
 about being taken on a bill he was very anxious should pass. 
 I went over with the doorkeeper, and took with me Mr. 
 Brady, a "member of the Senate, who happened to be at 
 
 Slough kept a very good house. " Oh yes, be sure, Slough he keeps a good 
 house, but that won't do for you and me, for none but gentlemen go there." 
 Badger had on a short jacket, which he declared he would never ride in 
 again. — Author's note. 
 
332 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Slough's. When we went into the Senate I offered a new 
 section to the hill, which Mr. Barclay opposing, Brady and 
 myself voted against his hill. Had he not sent for us he 
 would have carried his hill. 
 
 At the end of this session I intended to resign my seat, 
 but some of my friends, having business in the Legislature, 
 begged me to serve the next session, bufit was with much 
 reluctance that I consented. My son Nicholas being engaged 
 to be married, refused standing a candidate for the House of 
 Representatives. In October he was happily married.* 
 Charles had married a few years before equally to my sat- 
 isfaction. f 
 
 At the anniversary meeting of the Cincinnati this year, 
 1811, 1 offered the following resolution, which was unani- 
 mously adopted : — 
 
 Resolved, That a committee of this society be appointed to 
 prepare a plan for raising by subscription such a sum of money 
 as they shall deem sufficient for erecting a monument to the 
 memory of the late Father of his Country, General G-eorge 
 Washington. Thatthe plan, when prepared, shall be submitted 
 to the standing committee, and when approved hj them, shall 
 
 be carried into effect. That ■ be a committee for the 
 
 above purpose. 
 
 The blank was afterwards filled up with the names of Major 
 Lenox, Judge Peters, Major Jackson, Mr. Biddle, and Mr. 
 Binney. 
 
 The committee agreed to the following address and plan : — 
 
 To the People of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Friends, Countrymen, and Fellow-citizens. 
 
 Under a deep and heartfelt impression of its propriety, and 
 as the most grateful subject that could engage their atten- 
 tion, the preceding resolution was unanimously adopted by 
 the Pennsylvania State Society of the Cincinnati. As a por- 
 tion of the surviving military associates of the immortal 
 
 * To Miss Jane M. Craig, daughter of Mr. John Craig, 
 •f To Miss Ann H. Stokes, daughter of Mr. James Stokes. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 333 
 
 Washington, they believed they should render an acceptable 
 service to their fellow-citizens by becoming the organs of 
 their wish to consecrate the memory of the patriot, hero, and 
 statesman, who was not only the boast and delight of our 
 nation, but an object of veneration to all mankind. 
 
 As the committee appointed to carry the resolution of the 
 society into effect, it is our pleasing duty at this time to 
 address you, and as no argument could be adduced to increase 
 the influence which expands every American heart with grati- 
 tude, love, and reverence for the great Father of our Country, 
 we beg leave to submit to your consideration the annexed 
 plan for erecting a monument to perpetuate the remembrance 
 of his glorious achievements, and to transmit to posterity the 
 grateful expression of a people's love. 
 
 (Signed) David Lenox, 
 
 Richard Peters, 
 William Jackson, 
 Charles Biddle, 
 Horace Binney. 
 
 Plan. 
 
 First. In order to make the proposed monument a peculiar 
 testimony of the veneration in which our immortal patriot is 
 held by the citizens of the Commonwealth, it is the intention 
 of the Cincinnati not to solicit contributions from persons 
 who do not reside in Pennsylvania, but to make application 
 to citizens of this State as particularly as possible, and to 
 give to every one an opportunity within his own county of 
 offering his donation to persons acting under the appoint- 
 ment of the society ; with this view books will be sent to two 
 or more persons in each organized county in the State with a 
 request that they will receive subscriptions for the object. 
 Similar books will be committed with a like request to several 
 of the citizens of Philadelphia, and after the books are 
 closed, which will be on the fifth of July, 1812, they will be 
 deposited among the archives of the society, as a perpetual 
 memorial of such of the citizens of this State as had virtue 
 to honor the illustrious character of General Washington, 
 
334 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 and gratitude to consecrate a portion of their means to this 
 lasting commemoration of his services. 
 
 Second. Subscribers under twenty dollars will pay their 
 subscriptions at the time they are made ; 'for, or above that 
 sura, they may pay it when it is made, or when they shall 
 afterwards be called upon for that purpose. 
 
 Third. All moneys received will be forwarded or handed 
 over to Charles Biddle, Esq., Treasurer of the Cincinnati of 
 Pennsylvania, and by him be deposited in one of the banks of 
 the city of Philadelphia, subject only to the draft of a 
 majority of the committee. 
 
 Fourth. As soon as the books are closed and the amount 
 of subscriptions ascertained, the committee will proceed with 
 the utmost promptitude to carry the resolution into efiect. 
 The splendor of the monument must depend essentially upon 
 the extent of the subscriptions. But the committee have no 
 doubt that neither the afi'ection nor the pride of Pennsyl- 
 vania will be satisfied with any memorial which shall not be 
 worthy, in some small degree, of the hero it is to commemorate. 
 
 When the books were ready Majors Lenox and Jackson, 
 and myself went to every ward in the city, and engaged eight 
 gentlemen in each ward to go round their wards and obtain 
 subscriptions. "We also procured twenty-four gentlemen in 
 Southwark, and as many in the !N"orthern Liberties for the 
 collection in their districts, and we forwarded books to the 
 several counties in the State. In order to prevent it being 
 considered a party affair we chose gentlemen of each party to 
 collect subscriptions. To forward the business my son 
 Nicholas delivered an oration, which was much admired.* 
 
 At the commencement of the session I attended the Legis- 
 lature at Lancaster. The trustees of the Bank of the United 
 States again endeavored to procure a charter from the State, 
 but in vain ; the real or pretended fear of British influence 
 prevented anything being done. Had the charter been granted, 
 it would have been of great advantage in improving the State, 
 
 * The monument is at this time (1883) being cast in Germany, and is to 
 be placed in Fairmount Park. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 335 
 
 and it would have prevented the Legislature from chartering 
 such a number of banks as they have since done. 
 
 Some violent resolutions were brought forward by Mr. 
 Gemmil in the Senate, and adopted by both Houses of the 
 Legislature. The Federalists wanted to have France, who 
 in my opinion behaved much worse than the British, included 
 in the resolutions, but they could not. I believe these resolu- 
 tions occasioned the war, as our Senators at Washington 
 would not have voted for it but for them. Mr. Gemmil, who 
 introduced them into the Senate, was a clergyman from 
 ■ Chester County, a man of talents and highly respectable, but 
 a most bitter enemy to the British Government. I believe 
 he imbibed these prejudices from some renegade Englishmen, 
 who spoke of their administration as the most corrupt upon 
 earth. I always found those wretches more violent against 
 their country than any American. 
 
 At the end of the session when I returned to the city, it 
 was the general opinion we should not have a war. T, how- 
 ever, thought otherwise, for it was pretty certain if we did 
 not, that the present administration would be turned out. 
 Mr. Madison, I believe, did not wish for war, but he wanted 
 firmness to oppose such men as Giles, "Williams, Clay, and a 
 few others, who supposed they could soon bring Great Britain 
 to their own terms. Mr. Porter, a member of Congress from 
 the neighborhood of Canada, declared we had nothing to do 
 but send a few men there and erect a standard, and the whole 
 country would join us. The probability of a war induced 
 my son Thomas to solicit me to permit him to join the army. 
 This I reluctantly consented to, and he obtained a captain's 
 commission in Colonel Pike's regiment. Colonel Izard soon 
 after wishing him in his regiment, and Thomas consenting, 
 he was transferred from the infantry to the artillery. As 
 soon as war was declared my son John told me he must go in 
 the army. I was much more averse to his going than to his 
 brother Thomas, as his temper was too warm, and I knew he 
 frequently took offence when none was intended. He ap- 
 peared, however, so unhappy that I was obliged 'to consent, 
 and his brother Nicholas writing to Mr. Monroe, he had a 
 
836 AUTOBIOfiRAPHY OF 
 
 commission sent him of second lieutenant in the Third Regi- 
 ment of Artillery, commanded by Colonel McComb. James 
 not being attached to any ship, went to 'New York to offer 
 his services as a volunteer with Commodore Rodgers. He, 
 however, notwithstanding his utmost exertions, and no per- 
 son could have made more, did not arrive in New York until 
 Rodgers had got to Sandy Hook. He hired a boat but could 
 not get on board. 
 
 In the unprepared state of our country I was much opposed 
 to the war, and I was of opinion that although we had cause 
 of complaint against Great Britain we had much more against 
 France. 
 
 As parties ran high I expected we should have some dis- 
 turbances, and therefore wished to see the citizens above the 
 age of forty-five associated in order to preserve the peace of 
 the city. I had spoken to some gentlemen on this subject, 
 when I observed in one of the Democratic papers a meeting 
 called at Oellers's tavern, next door to me. As the notice 
 was general for all those above the age prescribed for mili- 
 tary duty, I went there. The room was full ; all of them 
 were our warmest Democrats. Among them were Messrs. 
 Matlack, Barker, Mayor of the city, Leiper, Patterson, Smily, 
 Brown, etc. As I was well acquainted with these citizens 
 they all expressed themselves glad to see me. Soon after my 
 entrance it was proposed having the meeting organized. I 
 was unanimously called to the chair, and George A. Baker, 
 Esq., appointed Secretary. As soon as I mentioned that we 
 were ready for business, and requested whoever had given 
 the notice to come forward with his plan for an association, 
 immediately a little, dark-looking foreigner came forward, 
 and, with much ceremony, handed me a paper which he 
 begged should be read. It began : — 
 
 " Whereas, our beloved country being involved in a war 
 with the most cruel enemy upon earth, and, whereas, we have 
 a great many traitors among us, Therefore Resolved." Here 
 followed a number of violent resolutions against what he 
 called the friends of Great Britain. It provoked me- to hear 
 a fellow lately come among us talk of our " beloved country." 
 
CHARLES BIDl)LE. 337 
 
 After reading them myself I put them in my pocket, telling 
 him, with a look of contempt, that it was not the intention 
 pf the meeting to enter into such resolutions, but for the 
 purpose of associating to preserve the peace of the city, or 
 defending it in case of attack. He appeared much mortified, 
 but retired without saying anything. If I had not been at 
 the meeting it is probable these resolutions would have been 
 carried unanimously. This man's name was Puglia ; I believe 
 he belonged to the Board of Health. After some time it was 
 observed that a meeting to form an association was to be 
 held at the Indian King in a few days, and we adjourned to 
 meet there. Before this meeting took place I prepared some 
 resolutions which I knew could, by my speaking to a few of the 
 members, be easily carried. "We met at the Indian King on 
 the first of July ; there were present a great many respectable 
 citizens of both parties, and there were some that did no 
 credit to the party they belonged to ; amongst these was Mr. 
 Puglia. At this meeting I was called to the chair, which 
 as soon as I had taken Mr. Huston, a stout man, whom 
 Puglia had offended at Oellers's, came up to me, and asked 
 me if I would allow him to kick Puglia out of the room. 
 It was with some difficulty I could persuade him to let him 
 alone, that he was not worth his notice. We passed the 
 following resolutions unanimously: — 
 
 Resolved, That in the present interesting situation of our 
 country it is the duty of every man to contribute by all the 
 means in his power to promote the public welfare ; that an 
 association of the citizens of Philadelphia, the M'orthern 
 Liberties, and Southwark, above the age prescribed by law 
 for the performance of militia duty, to aid the civil authority 
 in the preservation of domestic order and tranquillity, and 
 for the defence of the City and Liberties in the absence of the 
 younger citizens, would be highly expedient. 
 
 Resolved, That the members of this meeting hereby agree 
 to form an association for said purpose, and that the follow- 
 ing persons be a committee to prepare a plan for organizing 
 this Association, viz., Charles Biddle, Chairman ; for the City, 
 John Miller, Alex. Cook, George A. Baker, John Barker, 
 22 
 
338 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP 
 
 Wm. "Wray, Paul Beck, B. McMahon, E.. Patterson, "Wm. 
 Smiley, Conrad Hance, Levi Hollingsworth, J. E. Smith, Cap- 
 tain "Wm. Jones, and John Douglass. We also appointed 
 seven from the JSTorthern Liberties, and as many from South- 
 wark. We passed other resolutions that when the Com- 
 mittee were ready to report they should call a meeting at the 
 State House. After several meetings we agreed upon a plan, 
 and met at the State House to carry it into efiect ; but before 
 we held this meeting there were several violent publications 
 by the Society of American Republicans reprobating the war, 
 and abusing the administration. This gave great offence to 
 some of the Democrats, and we were not by any means as 
 sociable as before. One of the Democrats proposed we should 
 call ourselves " The Friends of Government ;" one of the 
 Federalists that we should be called " Supporters of the Law." 
 For my own part I thought it of little consequence. We at 
 last broke up without doing anything. 
 
 One evening in August hearing there was a mob in Dock 
 Street going to tar and feather an Englishman for saying 
 something against the Americans, I went there with Mr. 
 Keppele, the Mayor. We found a great concourse of people, 
 most of whom were for punishing the poor devil, particularly 
 a man of the name of Alcorn, who said the fellow was an 
 Orangeman. I inquired of the man what he had said or done. 
 He declared that he had said nothing ; that the man who 
 occasioned his being taken up was a ladies' shoemaker, and 
 that they had a dispute as to which was the best workman. 
 Finding he was in liquor, we thought it best to lodge him in 
 gaol and bind over Alcorn to keep the peace. The binding 
 over this man, it is probable, put an end to any further dis- 
 turbance during the summer. We had in the city at this 
 time a number of vagabonds who would have been pleased to 
 see the same proceedings here that had disgraced Baltimore 
 the year before. 
 
 Expecting there would he some disturbance at the election, 
 I advised Mr. Keppele, the Mayor, to hire a few men to assist 
 the constables in keeping the peace. This he did. On the 
 day of the election Alcorn marched up at the head of a pack 
 
CHARLES BIDBLB. 339 
 
 of shoemakers. The Mayor met him, and there had like to 
 have been a serious scuffle. Alcorn and his gang passed on, 
 and- after voting dispersed. In the evening seeing a number 
 of people going into the Court House, vs^here I knew Mr. 
 Keppele then was, and apprehending some disturbance, I 
 went over. When within the door, seeing Captain Sprogel and 
 a few others who could be depended on, I desired they would 
 prevent any more from entering ; this with great difficulty 
 they did. About nine o'clock the crowd about the door 
 had increased very much, and they were very clamorous. 
 One man whose name was Reynolds, who from his size was 
 called Big Ben, was let into the room where the Mayor, Mr. 
 Wharton, and a few others of us were assembled. He told 
 us that he was as desirous to have the election conducted in 
 a peaceable manner as any man in the city, that if the Mayor 
 and Mr. Wharton would go home he would pledge himself 
 that the people at the door should disperse, and no injury be 
 done ; but if they did not go home he believed both their 
 houses would be pulled down, and then addressing me, he 
 said, "And the people are very much displeased with you, 
 Mr. Biddle, for they think the Mayor is directed altogether by 
 you." I told him that as to what the people, as he called the 
 mob at the door, thought, it was a matter of perfect indiiFerence 
 to me ; and inquired if the people at the door, without Mr. 
 Keppele and Mr. Wharton going home, could not be dispersed. 
 He said he believed not. " And what do you intend to do ?" 
 " To stand by the people." " What, whether they are right 
 or wrong ?" He answered, yes. I then gave it as my opinion 
 that it would be both dangerous and disgraceful for the Mayor 
 to go home, or any of those with him, and requested Reynolds 
 to retire, which he immediately did. I now thought of poor 
 Lingan murdered at Baltimore.* Mr. Wharton told me after- 
 wards that he was also thinking of the massacre at Baltimore, 
 and he thought it probable if the villains at the door broke 
 
 * In the political riots in Baltimore, in 1812, General Lingan was killed, 
 and General Lee, Light Horse Harry Lee of the Revolution, was crippled 
 for life. 
 
340 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 in, we should be treated as bad as those in gaol were at that 
 place. At this time Captain Morrel came to me and said, 
 " Mr. Biddle, only give the word, and Captain Ross, Cadwal- 
 ader, and some others of the Light Horse are ready, and will 
 be here in a few minutes and disperse these fellows. I was 
 much pleased to hear this, but wishing to prevent the eftu- 
 sion of blood, and believing we could keep the door from be- 
 ing forced, I thought it best for them to remain ready to act. 
 I was sorry afterwards we had not directed the horse to gallop 
 to the door, and halt before it, to see the rascals run. We all 
 went quietly home about eleven o'clock. The Democrats 
 carried the election by a large majority, which I believe was 
 in a great measure owing to the Federalists leaving the 
 ground at an early hour, and this has frequently occasioned 
 the loss of the election. 
 
 The President of the United States this year appointed me 
 one of the Commissioners for signing the Treasury ITotes. 
 When Mr. Smith, the Cashier of the Bank of Pennsylvania, 
 mentioned this to me, I told him there must be some mistake. 
 He, however, answered me that it was so. This was a busi- 
 ness I did not want to have anything to do with ; however, 
 having three sons in the service, I thought the refusing to 
 sign the notes would appear as if I was unfriendly to the ad- 
 ministration. This induced me to sign them. Before sign- 
 ing them, I did not suppose I could have written my name 
 so often in a day. Some days I signed fourteen hundred ; and 
 one day eighteen hundred. 
 
 At the time I was preparing to set off for the Legislature I 
 was informed that there was a memorial sent to the Speaker 
 of the Senate, requesting that an inquiry should be made 
 whether my signing these notes did not vacate my seat as a 
 Senator. Upon conversing with some of my friends on this 
 subject, I found they differed in opinion. Mr. Ingersoll, the 
 Attornej'-General, when I first spoke to him, laughed at it ; 
 but he afterwards thought it was such an appointment as did 
 vacate the seat. His altering his opinion it was thought by 
 some gentlemen M'as owing to his conversing with his son 
 Charles about it. As Charles was a Democrat, perhaps he 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 341 
 
 was consulted before the memorial was signed. I do not mean 
 any reflection on Mr. Ingersoll, who is a worthy and highly 
 respectable man. I waited in the city until the Legislature 
 adjourned for the holidays. An influential member told a 
 friend of mine that it was not worth while for me to go up, 
 for he knew there was a large majority in the Senate who 
 considered signing the notes as vacating the seat, and 
 who would vote accordingly ; and that he was very sorry it 
 was so. ISTotwithstanding this, the wishes of my family, and 
 my not caring how the Senate should vote, I considered it 
 my duty to go up to prevent this being brought into a prece- 
 dent. I therefore sat off one of the coldest days we had in 
 January. When we reached Downingtown a gentleman 
 from Harrisburg handed me a letter from Mr. Lane, the^ 
 Speaker of the Senate, informing me that the Committee had 
 reported the seat vacated. If otwithstanding this I was de- 
 termined to proceed. When the sleigh was about a mile from 
 Downingtown, Mr. 'Morgan, a friend of mine, going to put on 
 his gloves, found he had left them at the tavern. I laughed 
 at him, and observed he must be a very thoughtless fellow to 
 leave his gloves such an extra cold day. As my ears at this 
 time felt very cold I went to put my great coat round them, 
 when I found it was also left at the tavern.. Upon my arrival 
 at Harrisburg I went immediately to the Senate and soon 
 found my seat would not be considered as vacated, a large 
 majority coming round me and expressing their satisfaction 
 at my appearance amongst them. The report of the Com- 
 mittee was taken up a few days after my being in the Senate. 
 On this occasion Mr.Gemmil made a speech that affected the 
 audience very much. After expressing his opinion very fully 
 upon my right to retain the seat, he spoke, of my family, 
 mentioned my three sons then in the service, of Edward 
 whom I had lost with Commodore Truxtun, of my brother 
 lost in the Randolph, and something flattering of me. Mr. 
 Beale, who was in the chair, was a considerable time before 
 he could speak. After some time Mr. Weaver answered Mr. 
 Gemmil. He declared there was no member of the Senate 
 had a higher opinion or greater esteem and respect than he 
 
342 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 had for Mr. Biddle, but that he was sworn to support the Con- 
 stitution, and he believed the appointment given to me by the 
 President vacated my seat. The question was then taken and 
 decided against the report. When the Speaker resumed the 
 chair the yeas and nays were called for on adopting the re- 
 port of the Committee of the Whole, and were as follows : 
 Yeas, Messrs. Baird, Barclay, Beale, Brady, Burnside, Erwin, 
 Qemmil, Graham, Gross, Hamilton, Laird, Lowrie, iN'ewbold, 
 Roe, Rehm, Ralston, Watson, Wilson, Lane, Speaker — twenty, 
 The N"ays were Messrs. Bender, Gilliland, McFarland, Shoe- 
 maker, Smith, Stroman, Weaver, Worrel — eight. So it was 
 determined that the seat was not vacated. The eight who 
 voted against the vote of the Committee all came up to me 
 after the question was taken and expressed their satisfaction 
 at the report being adopted, and except one I believe they 
 really were so. 
 
 I lodged this session at Harrisburg with my old friend. 
 Captain Graydon, a gentleman who has published his 
 memoirs, in which he has mentioned an afiair that happened 
 at the commencement of our Revolutionary war : we went 
 out to fire at a mark, and my ball striking a child at a great 
 distance. He also mentions the assistance I gave him in get- 
 ting him appointed Prothonotary for Dauphin County. 
 
 This session the Legislature voted a sword to my son 
 James, for his gallant conduct on board the Wasp when she 
 captured the Frolic. 
 
 Towards the close of the session, I was anxious to have 
 some provision made for the defence of the Delaware, and 
 
 for this purpose read a bill in the Senate granting ■ 
 
 dollars for the defence of the bay and river Delaware. The 
 blank for a small sum would have been readily filled, but 
 when I moved to fill the blank with a hundred thous^d 
 dollars, most of the members thought it too high and voted 
 against it. They would have given ten thousand dollars, but 
 I thought it was not worth while to take so small a sum, and 
 therefore had the bill postponed. 
 
 Soon after my return to the city, the Secretary of the Navy 
 wrote to my son James to know if he would take command 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 343 
 
 of the flotilla fitting out for the defence of the Delaware. 
 James accepted the command with pleasure. This made me 
 more anxious than I was before to have a sufficient force to 
 meet any attack the British should make. A few who were 
 as desirous as myself to have something done, had two or 
 three meetings without being able to effect anything. After 
 the brutal conduct of the British at Havre de Grace, about 
 twenty of us met at the Coffee House and subscribed one 
 hundred dollars each. At this meeting it was the opinion 
 of Mr. Daniel W". Coxe and some others, that if I would take 
 the chair we could have committees appointed in each ward 
 and the Districts, and we could have a sufficient sum collected 
 to build what barges we should want, and some galleys that 
 would answer our purposes much better. than Mr. Jefferson's 
 gun boats, which were not by any means equal to those we 
 had during the Revolutionary war. I took the chair, and 
 Mr. John Sergeant acted as secretary. At this meeting, 
 which was held the 6th of May, 1813, the following gentle- 
 men were appointed a committee to assist the officers of gov- 
 ernment in building barges, and manning the flotilla, viz : 
 Charles Biddle, Henry Pratt, Daniel W. Coxe, Henry Hawk- 
 ins, Charles McCallister, Robert Wain, Chandler Price, James 
 Josiah, Richard Dale, David Lenox, "William McFadden, 
 John Connolly, Thomas W. Francis, Manuel Eyre, and Dan- 
 iel Smith. Major Lenox and Mr. Smith never met the com- 
 mittee'. We had committees appointed in each ward and 
 district, and had a handsome sum collected, but we found 
 that many of our richest citizens gave little or nothing. We 
 therefore presented a memorial to our City Councils, and 
 with some difficulty got them to agree to give us thirty 
 thousand dollars, upon which we determined to return the 
 money we had collected from our generous fellow citizens, 
 many of whom had paid more than they could afford. We 
 built six large barges, much superior to any the British had, 
 and' a schooner. We procured some seamen from Jfew York. 
 The barges and schooner went down the river about the mid- 
 dle of June. As these would protect the inhabitants near 
 the shore from the British barges, they had now no pretence 
 
344 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 for supplying them with anything ; before we could give 
 them this protection, we had no right to complain of their 
 connection with the enemy. After the barges got down, we 
 heard no more of the British burning our craft coming up 
 with wood and lumber. 
 
 About this time the Secretary of War, Armstrong, wrote 
 General Bloomfield, that if the city would advance sixteen 
 or twenty thousand dollars, he would build a fort at the Pea 
 Patch. I had some time before mentioned to General Bloom- 
 field the importaHce of having a strong fort at this place, 
 believing it would forever prevent the British from making 
 an attack upon Philadelphia, and would be a protection to 
 I^ew Castle and Wilmington. The Secretary mentioned 
 further, that if we wOuld get a cession of the soil and juris- 
 diction, he would return the money advanced. , I thought 
 this of so much importance, that I agreed to go with General 
 Bloomfield to Dover, where the Legislature was in session. 
 To them we applied, and with the assistance of Mr. George 
 Read, we got a law passed giving the United States the soil 
 and jurisdiction. The expectation of a peace prevented any- 
 thing further being done. The Committee got the Secretary 
 of the Navy to take the barges, schooner, etc., on account 
 of the United States, so that the city was at very little ex- 
 pense and had the shallops coming up from the bay effectually 
 protected from the enemy. 
 
 The Legislature meeting the first Tuesday in December, I 
 sat off on Monday the 6th, and arrived there the next day. 
 In crossing the Swatara we were very near being overset in 
 the middle of the creek, and if we had, some of us must have 
 perished, as it was very cold, the creek high, and the stage 
 full, with the curtains all fastened down. We soon, however, 
 tore the curtains loose. Expecting we should have to swim 
 I stripped my clothes off. A boat coming to our assistance 
 we got safely on shore. At this time they were building a 
 bridge which was so far finished that we passed over it on 
 our return to the city at Christmas. 
 
 At this session we passed a law for establishing a number 
 of banks, which the members from most of the counties were 
 
CHARLES BIBDLB. 345 
 
 anxious to have. I thought that in some of the counties 
 banks would he useful, and would liave voted for them ; hut 
 this bill I thought would be injurious, and therefore voted 
 against it. By an agreement among the members they carried 
 it by a large majority. " Do you vote for the bank in my 
 county, and I will vote for yours ;" and this, although they 
 must have known the bill would be against the interest of 
 the State, by lessening the value of their stock in the other 
 banks they had so much of their money invested in. The 
 Governor, with great firmness, did everything in his power to 
 prevent the bill from passing, but he could not do it. He 
 returned the bill to the House of Representatives, where it 
 originated, with his reasons for not signing it, but they had 
 a majority of more than two-thirds, and soon passed it. In 
 the Senate it had nearly been lost. Mr. Gemmil was sick in 
 Harrisburg, and we tried to get him out, but he was too 
 unwell to leave his room. His vote would have destroyed 
 the bill. 
 
 Upon my arrival at Harrisburg after the holidays, I found 
 my old acquaintance General St. Clair. He had applied to 
 several members of the Senate from the Western counties, in 
 one of which he resided, to present a petition praying for an 
 alteration in a law passed in his favor. But the General was 
 unpopular in those counties ever since his defeat by the In- 
 dians, and he could get none of the members to present his 
 petition. When this was told to me I called on him, received 
 his petition, and presented it, and upon my application to the 
 Committee, got them to report a bill in his favor. Some of 
 his friends and myself had a good deal of difficulty in getting 
 the bill passed the House of Representatives. It was, how- 
 ever, done, and the General went home in high spirits. He 
 had served his country faithfully in the field, and as Speaker 
 of the House of Representatives of the United States, but was 
 now so much reduced as to live in a miserable hut on the 
 Allegheny, where, it is said, he sold whisky and entertained 
 foot travellers with lodging. He was now upwards of eighty 
 years of age. 
 
 James O'Hara, an old Revolutionary soldier who had been 
 
346 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 applying in vain to Congress for a pension, begged me to try 
 if he could not be put on the State pension list, but as he 
 belonged to Hazen's regiment there was some doubt about his 
 being entitled to anything from the State of Pennsylvania. 
 I presented his petition and had it referred to a committee 
 who reported a bill in his favor. Upon reading the bill a 
 second time, I mentioned that I had known O'Hara for a 
 great number of years, that he was a quiet orderly man, and 
 was old and infirm. Mr. Barclay, who sat near me, said in a 
 low voice, " O'lTara lives near me in the IsTorthern Liberties. 
 He is a noisy vagabond." Mr. "Watson, a member from Lan- 
 caster, got up immediately, and observed, "There must be 
 some mistake about this O'Hara. The gentleman from the 
 city says he is a quiet, orderly man. The gentleman from 
 the county, who lives in the Northern Liberties near one 
 James O'Hara, says he is a noisy, worthless vagabond. They 
 cannot mean the same man. We had better postpone the 
 bill generally." While Mr. Watson was speaking. General 
 Baird, who was anxious that O'Hara should get the pension, 
 came round to me, and begged me to have the bill postponed 
 for the present, until we could speak to Watson. I told him 
 to make himself easy, as Watson should soon be satisfied. 
 When he sat down I told the House that Mr. Barclay and 
 myself did mean the same person ; that O'Hara differed from 
 us in politics ; that I never heard him noisy except when 
 ringing his bell, which was often the case, as he was crier to 
 the constable's vendue ; or at the time of an election, when 
 he made a good deal of noise by huzzaing for Jefferson, or 
 Madison, or Snyder, or some of the party. When he saw me 
 he would change his note, and huzza for Greneral Washing- 
 ton ; but at all other times he was a quiet, orderly man. Mr. 
 Barclay saying he seldom saw him but at the time of elec- 
 tions, and that he could not doubt anything I said about 
 him, the bill passed immediately. 
 
 At the end of the session I returned with much pleasure to 
 the city, being determined never to suffer my name to be put 
 up as a candidate for any office that could occasion my going 
 to Harrisburg ; not that I had any complaint to make of the 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 347 
 
 place, for it is a handsome village, and will, I have no doubt, 
 in time be an important place. But it was very disagreeable 
 for me to leave my family for so long a time as it was neces- 
 sary for me to be from home. During the four years I served 
 in the Senate in Lancaster and Harrisburg, I never was absent 
 at any meeting of the Senate when I was at the seat of gov- 
 ernment, whicli was nearly all the time the House sat. If 
 they met two or three times in the twenty-four hours, I 
 always attended, which I do not believe any other but my- 
 self did. 
 
 It was about the last of March when I returned home. 
 My son Thomas was then about marching for Canada with a 
 very fine company, and John was soon afterwards ordered to 
 join his regiment on Long Island. 
 
 The latter end of June Mrs. Biddle, our two daughters, 
 and myself set off for ISTew London. We lodged the first 
 night at Bristol, the second at Brunswick, and arrived the 
 next day by twelve o'clock at New York. I had heard much 
 said in favor of the steamboat plying between 'Hew York 
 and Paulus Hook, but I did not expect to find it such an 
 excellent mode of conveyance across the river as we found it 
 to be. Having several times crossed in the ferry-boats I was 
 sensible of the great advantage of the steamboat. It is much 
 better than a bridge, for you are as safe, and you enjoy a fine 
 prospect while crossing. 
 
 During our stay we lodged in Broad Street at the house 
 of Mrs. Wilkinson, an amiable lady, whose situation in the 
 early part of her life had given her reason to believe she 
 should never be under the necessity of keeping a boarding- 
 house. 
 
 I was acquainted with some of the most respectable people 
 in New York, and had letters of introduction to Grovernor 
 Tompkins, Mr. Clinton, the Mayor, and many others ; but 
 the first person I inquired for, and went to see, was my unfor- 
 tunate friend. Colonel Burr. He lived in a small house in 
 Wall Street. He was much aftected at seeing me, and I was 
 not a little so at seeing him. , How different was his situation 
 when I was at New York in 1800 ! He was then surrounded 
 
348 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 by a number of persons who called themselves his friends, 
 and who were with him to concert measures for procuring 
 his election as Vice-President, and was on good terms with 
 General Hamilton and most of the leading Federalists. I 
 know no man whose prospects at that time Avere more flat- 
 tering than those of Colonel Burr. I had been informed 
 that he was very much altered, that he appeared much older 
 than he was, and his spirits broken by his misfortunes. The 
 scenes he had gone through were enough to break down any 
 man. He, however, did not appear to me or my family much 
 altered. He called several times at my lodgings to see me, 
 and was at times as cheerful as usual, but the loss of his 
 amiable daughter, Mrs. Alston, and his grandson had weaned 
 him from the world, and it was a matter of perfect indiffer- 
 ence to him when he left it. I was sorry to .find that some 
 of his old friends did not visit him. Men that are unfortu- 
 nate are often neglected. 
 
 "We left IS'ew York on Saturday, the 2d of July. We 
 were informed that if we attempted to travel the next day. 
 we should be-fined and stopped at the first town we came to. 
 Being determined to travel we rode on to Fairfield, breakr 
 fasted, and proceeded. When within four miles of New 
 Haven a man on horseback rode up to the carriage, and, in a 
 loud voice, demanded the occasion of our travelling on that 
 day. Mrs. Biddle being unwell, and having her great coat 
 on, I told him we had a sick lady in the carriage. He bowed , 
 said travelling on that day was contrary to law, and rode oft' 
 without saying anything more. We proceeded to l^ew 
 Haven without any further interruption, and stopped at 
 Ogden's, one of the best houses of entertainment on the con- 
 tinent. The next day being the 4th of July we were awak- 
 ened by the firing of cannon. Our landlord, who was much 
 opposed to the war, did not like this rejoicing. After break- 
 fast we proceeded on our journey ; we stopped at G-uilford, 
 and intended to dine there, but we found the tavern full of 
 people, and nothing to be had without waiting a considerable 
 time. An oration was to be delivered by a Mr. Tod at twelve 
 o'clock, which we had some thoughts of staying to hear, but 
 
CHAELBS BIDDLB. 349 
 
 were apprehensive of being detained too long. The militia 
 made a handsome appearance, but their music was more 
 adapted to a country tavern than to a company of soldiers. 
 It consisted of fiddles and some wind instruments. The tune 
 they marched to must have been excellent, for it set us all a 
 laughing. The citizens, who marched in the rear of the 
 militia, were well clothed and very orderly. We proceeded 
 that evening to Pratt's at Saybury. This is a good house, 
 but not equal to Ogden's. 
 
 In the morning we crossed the ferry, which was such a one 
 as I had never seen before. The flat our carriage was put in 
 was towed across the river by a sail-boat lashed alongside of 
 her. We had a fair wind, and, as it blew fresh, we soon 
 crossed. In a calm or head wind it must be a very tedious 
 matter. Tbree miles from ISTew London we met James and 
 his purser in a gig.* James got into the carriage, and Mr. 
 Zantzinger and myself drove off in the gig to bespeak dinner. 
 After having dined we went in the Hornet's gig up the river. 
 Being late we passed the U. S. Ships Macedonian and Hornet 
 without going on board, and landed about half a mile from Nor- 
 wich, at a most delightful place that James had taken for us. 
 After remaining a week at this place, during which time we 
 frequently went on board the Hornet, which was well manned 
 
 * The Hornet, Captain Biddle, with the Macedonian and United States, 
 all under command of Commodore Decatur, were at this time blockaded 
 by a large British force. The officers were, of course, greatly chagrined 
 that they were prevented from seeking fresh laurels on the ocean, but that 
 they managed to keep up their spirits may appear from the following inci- 
 dent. Alderman Binns, of Philadelphia, was deputed to present to Captains 
 Decatur and Biddle the swords which had been voted by the Legislature of 
 Pennsylvania. Decatur, not being a ready writer, was quite uneasy as to 
 the set reply which he ought to make, and showed to Biddle the result of his 
 cogitations, asking his opinion of it. The speech was approved, perhaps 
 with amendments. When the time came for the formal presentation, the 
 junior officer of the two, according to rule, was to make the first reply to 
 Binns's oration. To Decatur's dismay, Biddle responded by repeating, 
 word for word, the speech which had been submitted for his criticism, and 
 which a quick memory had enabled him to retain. The joke gave no offence, 
 and all went ofi" in great good humor. 
 
350 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 and in excellent order, we proceeded by Hartford for ISew 
 York. "While at New York I went with General Williams* 
 to visit Castle Williams and the other fortifications in the 
 harbor. In viewing the castle I unfortunately mentioned 
 that in ray opinion the embrasures were not of sufficient 
 width. My good friend Williams took up so much time to 
 convince me of my mistake that we were detained until the 
 middle of an excessively hot day. 
 
 A day or two after this I received a letter informing me of 
 the death of my much lamented friend and relation, Colonel 
 Clement Biddle, one of the best of men.f Oeneral Washing- 
 ton, with whom he corresponded until the General died, 
 always expressed the highest esteem and regard for him. 
 We set oft" a day or two afterwards, and reached Philadel- 
 phia in two days, being just three weeks on our journey. 
 
 At this time the enemy were in the Chesapeake, robbing 
 and plundering the defenceless inhabitants. In August they 
 destroyed Washington. Had an able officer commapded there 
 this would not have happened. General Winder, who com- 
 manded, was much esteemed, but he had very little expe- 
 rience, and had too many to advise with, and unfortunately 
 an opinion prevailed that the British would never attempt 
 to make an attack upon Washington. Mr. Secretary Jones 
 has been much blamed for burning the vessels in the navy 
 yards. He expected the British would burn them, to prevent 
 which he had them burned himself ; in doing this he was 
 certainly wrong. He was accused of cowardice, but I have 
 reason to believe him to be a brave man. It is much easier 
 to find out after an aftair of this kind has happened what 
 should have been done than before. 
 
 The burning of the capitol roused the people everywhere. 
 In Philadelphia a meeting of the city and adjoining districts, 
 agreeably to public notice, convened the 26th of August in 
 the State House yard. There was a very large and respect- 
 able meeting. Thomas McKean was appointed President, 
 and Joseph Reed, Secretary. Messrs. J. Ingersoll, C. Biddle, 
 
 * General Jonathan Williams. f See note H. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 351 
 
 J. Sergeant, John Goodman, "Robt. McMullen, T. Leiper, and 
 John Barker were appointed to consider what measures were 
 necessary for protection and defence. They reported the 
 following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted : — 
 
 Resolved, That Charles Biddle, Thomas Leiper, Thomas 
 Cadwalader, James Steele, George Latimer, John Barker, 
 Henry Hawkins, Liberty Brown, Charles Ross,'Manuel Eyre, 
 John Connolly, Condy Raguet, William McFaden, John 
 Sergeant, John Geyer, and Joseph Reed, for the city of Phila^ 
 delphia ; and Jon. Williams, John Goodman, Dan. Groves, 
 John Barclay, John Ifaglee, Thomas Snyder, I. W. Norris, 
 Michael Leib, Jacob Huff, and James Whitehead, for the 
 Northern Liberties ; and James Josiah, R. McMullen, Jos. 
 Thompson, E. Ferguson, Jas. Ronaldson, P. Minken, R. Pal- 
 mer, P. Peltz, for South wark, etc., be a committee for organ- 
 izing the citizens of Philadelphia and the districts for defence, 
 with power to appoint committees under them; to corres- 
 pond with the governments of the Union and the State; to 
 receive the offers of service from our fellow-citizens in other 
 parts of the State and Union ; to make arrangements for 
 supplies of arms, ammunition, and provisions, places of ren- 
 dezvous, and signal of alarm ; and to do all such matters as 
 may be necessary for the purpose of defence. 
 
 Besolved, That the committee be authorized to make such 
 applications as they may deem necessary for the purpose of 
 procuring an adequate disbursement of the funds provided 
 by the Commonwealth for military purposes. 
 
 Resolved, That the committee be authorized to call upon 
 the City Councils, and upon the corporations in the Northern 
 and Southern Districts in the name of the citizens, to make 
 such appropriations as may be necessary for the purposes 
 aforesaid. 
 
 Resolved, That the committee be authorized and requested 
 to make provision for the families of such of the drafted 
 militia and volunteers, as during their absence in service may 
 be in want of assistance. 
 
 (Signed) Thomas McKean, 
 
 Chairman. 
 
 Jos. Reed, Secfy. 
 
352 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 The next day twenty-seven of the committee met, and 
 chose me as their chairman, and J. Goodman, secretary. 
 Two of the committee, Messrs. Barclay and Norris, never 
 attended, and several of them but seldom. The city and 
 districts put into our hands four hundred and twenty-five 
 thousand dollars, and manjr of the citizens subscribed hand- 
 somely for the relief of the volunteers and militia, but many 
 of our richest citizens gave nothing. "We appointed different 
 committees, and did everything that we possibly could to 
 put the city in a state of defence. All the best young men 
 in the city and districts turned out cheerfully, and were pro- 
 vided in the best manner we could. Our Governor for the 
 first time since his election visited the city, but his presence 
 was of no service. The day of the election he was grossly 
 insulted. This I was very sorry for, believing him to be an 
 inoffensive man. 
 
 The account of the death of General Ross* was received 
 in the city with much satisfaction. It is to be lamented that 
 such a man should have fallen in such a cause. It is said 
 that two lads had straggled from the camp, and seeing some 
 British officers standing under 4 tree, they concealed them- 
 selves among some bushes, and advanced towards them. 
 When getting near, one of them observed to the other, " That 
 man," pointing to General Ross, " is a general." " Why do 
 you think so ?" " Because all the ofiicers, as they come up, 
 salute him ; and I will have a crack at him." He fired and 
 killed him. 
 
 IsTovember 10, 1815. Walking with Mrs. Biddle this 
 afternoon, we were stopped by a man I did not recollect to 
 have ever seen before. After looking very earnestly, he very 
 civilly inquired if my name was Biddle. Having answered 
 him, " Captain Biddle, I presume." " Yes." " My name, 
 sir, is Gilbert, I am a potter." It struck me immediately he 
 was the son of the man Captain Graydon or myself had hit 
 when practising with our pistols in 1776 ; or that perhaps, 
 he was the person. I told him if he had anything to say to 
 
 * In the attack on Baltimore. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLB. 353 
 
 me, to call at ray house. He made a low bow, and said he 
 would. 
 
 The year I moved to Philadelphia from Reading, I became 
 a member of a club that once a week dined, and spent the 
 evening at each other's houses. The club consistecl. of twenty. 
 The following gentlemen were natives of Ireland : Stephen, 
 John, and Jasper Moylan, brothers ; John and Alexander 
 IsTesbit, General Walter Stewart, Commodore John Barry, 
 James Collins, George Campbell, Sharpe Dulany, Matthew 
 Mease, and afterwards Michael Morgan O'Brien. They were 
 all of them very respectable, and most of them rich. They 
 have all of them long since retired from this (I hope) to a 
 better world. The rest of the club were Americans, three 
 of whom with myself are still here, July, 1816. Our Irish 
 members generally remained longer at the table and drank 
 more than the others, except one American; this was Major 
 Moore, who was in the service all the war, and was an excel- 
 lent officer. He would drink and eat, I believe, more than 
 any two of the club ; and this, it is probable, was the occasion 
 of his soon following our Irish friends. The Irish are gene- 
 rally generoiis and brave. You will seldom find among them 
 a miser or a coward ; but they are thoughtless and extrava- 
 gant. Most of the friendly, good fellows I have mentioned 
 left their families in distressed circumstances. 
 
 The 8th of August I set off with Mrs. Biddle and my 
 daughters for Schooley's Mountain. When we reached 
 Mitchell's Bridge, which is thirty-five miles from the city, 
 three laborers he had employed building a house broke oif 
 from work and set off on foot for Philadelphia to see the un- 
 fortunate R. Smith, condemned for the murder of Captain 
 Carson, executed. After being a few days at Schooley's 
 Mountain we went to Sussex Court House, and from thence 
 to Easton. We intended to have gone from Easton to see 
 my friend General Craig, but upon inquiry, I found he was 
 in Easton. I requested a gentleman who was going there, 
 to look for him, and to tell him a person at the tavern wanted 
 to see him, and told him not to mention my name. The 
 General was very much surprised at seeing me. He held me 
 23 
 
354 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 in his arms for some minutes, and it was some time after 
 before he could speak. He was so much agitated that I was 
 sorry I had surprised him. He reminded me that it was 
 just seventeen years since he left my house in the city, from 
 which time we had not seen each other. This brave and 
 generous man, who never could be provoked to strike a man 
 he had a regard for, could not now, although seventy-four 
 years of age, keep his hands off a fellow who he thought be- 
 haved like a rascal, and he was then attending the court for 
 committing an assault upon a fellow who lived in his neigh- 
 borhood.* There are few men at this time he could not 
 beat, there are none from whom he would suffer an insult. 
 Generals Craig and "Wilkinson I was intimate with before 
 the Revolution, as also Captain A. Graydon, who was a cap- 
 tain in the service when Fort Washington was taken, with 
 Commodore Truxtun and Colonel Burr during the Revolu- 
 tion. All these are at this time, September, .1816, hale, 
 hearty men ; they have all been unfortunate. The sufferings 
 of General "Wilkinson and Colonel Burr are well known. 
 
 A few weeks before the general election this year I thought 
 it would be of great service to my friend Truxtun, if he 
 could do so, to reside upon his farm in Jersey in the summer, 
 and in the winter in the city, and to be Deputy Sheriff. 
 Having very little to do, and his estate not being productive, 
 I thought he wanted some employment, and this office would 
 employ him, and he could make more by it than would main- 
 tain his family. At this time the Deputy Sheriff', Elliot, 
 who was a very good officer, had been agreed upon by the 
 Federal conferees to be run as Sheriff". When I mentioned 
 Truxtun they all agreed he deserved the office, but that he 
 was a Jerseyman, and could not be commissioned if he had 
 
 * General Thomas Craig, a Kevolutionary officer of great merit, entered 
 the service as captain in 1776, and was in the Canada campaign. He was 
 afterwards colonel of the Third Pennsylvania Regiment, and was present at 
 the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth, and at Valley 
 Forge. After the war, in 1783, he was lieutenant of Northampton County. 
 In the next year he was Associate Judge in Montgomery County, but 
 shortly returned to Northampton and died in 1832, aged 92 years. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 355 
 
 a majority of votes, that it was too late to think of him, 
 and that by running him we should get in a Democrat for 
 a Sheriff. My opinion being otherwise I went with him all 
 over the county, and, some other of his friends and myself 
 using our exertions, we got him elected by a very large 
 majority. Owing to the sureties being obliged to give a 
 judgment bond we had much difficulty in procuring persons 
 who would join in his bond. I offered Mr. Conrad Wile five 
 hundred dollars to sign it, but although he wished to serve 
 me he was afraid it would injure him in his business. We, 
 however, afterwards obtained sureties without paying any- 
 thing, twelve men of large property engaging the sureties 
 should suffer no loss. Thinking Truxtun would have some 
 difficulty at Harrisburg, I went there with him. Our ride 
 to Harrisburg was a very disagreeable one ; we left the city 
 in the rain about 8 o'clock in the morning, and at seven the 
 next morning were at Harrisburg, having stopped only about 
 two hours in the night at Elizabethtown. At Middletown 
 the landlord told us we would probably be overset, but that 
 it would only be in the mud. When we arrived at Harris- 
 burg we found there was a memorial against the election. 
 In it they said they could prove Truxtun was a citizen of 
 Jersey, etc. We, however, procured the, commission. If 
 Truxtun had not been run we should have had a Democrat 
 for our Sheriff. 
 
 In October, 1817, 1 was foreman of the grand jury for the 
 District Court of the United States. Among other present- 
 ments there was one against Jacques Tardy for murder. It 
 appeared that this man, who was called Dr. Tardy, took 
 passage in a schooner at Boston bound to Philadelphia, com- 
 manded by Captain iN'orton, who related that Tardy was on 
 the wharf every day while the schooner was loading. He 
 had with him^a servant man, and requested a passage for a 
 poor fellow, who he said, had been shipwrecked, and wanted 
 to get to his friends in Philadelphia. The morning after 
 they sailed Captain Norton observed something white on the 
 sugar. Upon inquiring of the steward what it could be, he 
 said he did not know what it was, but believed it was flour. 
 
356 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OP 
 
 l^orton, although he had no suspicion of its heing poison, 
 threw it overboard. The next morning after breakfast the 
 crew and a German passenger were taken with a violent vom- 
 iting. Norton inquired of the doctor what could be the mat- 
 ter with them. He told him they were poisoned, but he 
 would soon cure them. He gave to each a teaspoonful of 
 sweet oil. Iforton not finding himself relieved, spoke to the 
 doctor who told him he must take some laudanum. iSTorton 
 told him laudanum had always a bad efi'ect upon him, and 
 he and the crew refused to take any. The German had taken 
 some before E^orton refused to take it. About twelve o'clock 
 Tardy came to IsTorton and told him the German was dead 
 and he should be buried immediately. Norton told him they 
 must keep him until the next morning. The doctor said if 
 his body was kept it would infect all the crew. He then 
 with his servant and the sailor passenger hove the remains 
 of the poor German overboard. The captain and crew re- 
 mained sick for some days, but they recovered and arrived 
 safe. The doctor. told Norton that the German, just before 
 he died, told him that for his care and attention he should 
 have everything he had on board. Upon this Norton let him 
 take everything he had out of the vessel. A few days after 
 this the doctor met a young man named Jones, whom he had 
 formerly known in South Carolina. Upon inquiring of Jones 
 what he was doing, he told him he had a wife and two chil- 
 dren, was out of employment, and did not know what to do. 
 Tardy told him he would do something for him, and desired 
 him to call upon him the next day. "When he called the doc- 
 tor took him into a private room, and after telling him he 
 must be secret as to what he was going to communicate, he 
 told him he had taken his passage with Captain Harrison for 
 Charleston, that when they should be at sea he intended to 
 poison the captain and crew and take the vessel to some of 
 the West India islands, sell the cargo and divide the proceeds ; 
 that he understood navigation well, and could take the ves- 
 sel into any port. He said he had been used ill by the Amer- 
 icans, and would be revenged. Jcfnes was shocked at what 
 this man proposed. He agreed to go to Captain Harrison 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 357 
 
 and engage his passage. He went to Captain Harrison and 
 inquired if a Dr. Tardy had engaged a passage for himself 
 and servant. Harrison replied that he had, and also wanted 
 a passage for another person. Jones then related what had 
 passed between the doctor and himself. They then went be- 
 fore the Mayor, and made oath to what they knew respecting 
 the doctor ; upon which a bill was found against him for the 
 murder of the German. Before this he was tried for a mis- 
 demeanor in attempting to poison Captain N'orton and his 
 crew, and sentenced to hard labor for seven years. There 
 was not a man upon the grand or traverse jury, but what be- 
 lieved Tardy murdered the G-erman. The charge of Judge 
 "Washington saved him. The grand jury, among others, put 
 the following questions : Did Tardy understand navigation ? 
 He answered that he did, he had been an old privateersman. 
 Did he know you had a valuable cargo on board ? He did, 
 for he was on the wharf every day while the vessel was load- 
 ing. Nothing of this was mentioned before the traverse j ury. 
 Judge Washington in his charge said, " What object could- 
 this man have in destroying the crew ? He knew nothing 
 of navigation ; nor does it appear that he knew of her having 
 a valuable cargo on board." What the Judge said about his 
 not understanding navigation saved this wretch from the 
 gallows. 
 
 January 1st, 1818. I feel perfectly well, but my sight is 
 not as good as it has been. I can, however, write as well as 
 ever. I never have used spectacles. 
 
 May the 12th. I went to the Court of Oyer and Terminer 
 to get an old friend from serving on the grand jury. Upon 
 my representation the Court excused him. I remained in 
 court until the grand jury was called, when finding me Judge 
 Rush called upon me and requested I would serve. Having 
 no excuse, I served, and was .appointed foreman. 
 
 June 1st. T feel perfectly well, but I know this is frequently 
 the case with men at my time of life, just before leaving the 
 world ; and this is infinitely better than a lingering illness. 
 
 I was elected to the Cincinnati in 1789. In 1785, when 
 
358 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
 
 Dr. Franklin was elected President of the State of Pennsyl- 
 vania, and I was elected Vice-President, we had a procession 
 of all the members of the Legislature, public officers, etc., 
 that went from the State House in Chestnut Street to the 
 Market House in Second Street, where the Doctor was pro- 
 claimed President, and myself Vice-President. There was 
 assembled an immense concourse of people in order to see the 
 Doctor, and among others who were in the street was Baron 
 Steuben. The Baron was to us a very valuable officer in dis- 
 ciplining our army. He was about fifty-five years of age, five 
 feet five inches high, and stout made. He was in the crowd 
 to see the procession, and pulled off his hat to the Doctor as 
 he passed. Dr. Franklin hurt himself in taking off his hat, 
 and remarked to me that it was very wrong to pull ofl" your 
 hat to any gentleman in a procession. Mr. Wolf, who was in 
 the family of Steuben, speaks very highly of him as an officer, 
 but thought him an unprincipled man. The Doctor was very 
 glad when the procession was over, but made no complaints 
 at the march we had. 
 
 In walking to the bank two or three months since with 
 my friend Mr. Haga,* he observed to me, " You have such an 
 iron constitution that no weather whatever seems to affect 
 you." I believe few men ever regarded the weather less than 
 I did, and unless it rained or snowed, however cold, I never 
 wore a great coat, and would not then had I not thought it 
 improper in a person of my age to be seen without one. Mr. 
 Haga and myself were elected directors of the Bank of Penn- 
 sylvania in the year 1793. He was frequently confined with 
 the gout. 
 
 May 10, 1819. I have now no complaint whatever, except 
 a weakness in one of my eyes. I, however, can write now 
 without spectacles. 
 
 I spent five weeks this summer at Schooley's Mountain. 
 This I believe to be a very healthy spot, and if there was a good 
 
 * Mr. Godfrey Haga, who resided in the house known as the "Gothic 
 Mansion," Chestnut Street above Twelfth. 
 
CHARLES BIDDLE. 359 
 
 house, or houses, it would be a pleasant place. Mr. Heath, 
 the proprietor, is a worthy man, but he has not capital enough 
 to put it in good order. 
 
 On Monday the 26th of October this year, I went to Bor- 
 dentown.to see the improvements made by Joseph Bonaparte, 
 the late King of Spain. The place he resides at I frequently 
 visited in the year 1777. Mr. J. Douglass, a friend of 
 mine, then lived there. The place was much improved, 
 but in my opinion it could have been made much better for 
 less than one-half the $150,000, which Mr. Hopkinson in- 
 formed me it cost the Count Survilliers, the title he has now 
 taken. The Count is a very affable, unassuming man. I 
 understand he does not expect any particular attention paid 
 to him, but he is pleased when it is tendered. 
 
 Charles Biddle died April 4, 1821, at his residence No. 310 Chest- 
 nut Street (now 1108), to which he had removed in the year 1818. 
 He was buried in Christ Church burying ground, Fifth and Arch 
 streets, in his own family vault. His three sons, William Shepard, 
 James, and Charles, and his daughter, Mrs. Ann Hopkinson, are 
 also buried there. His son Nicholas lies with his wife's family in St. 
 Peter's Churchyard. Edward was buried at sea, John at Detroit, 
 Major Thomas Biddle at St. Louis, and Richard at Pittsburgh. His 
 daughter, Mrs. Mary Biddle, was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 NOTE A. (Page 1.) 
 
 William Biddle, one of the early Proprietors of West Jersey, having 
 served, it is believed, as an officer in the Parliamentary Army during the 
 civil war, whilst still a young man had joined the Society of Friends. 
 Shortly after the Restoration in 1660, the Quakers were subjected to violent 
 persecution under pretence that the}' were aiding and abetting the schemes 
 of the "Fifth Monarchy" men. In the "Abstract of Sufferings of Quakersi 
 London, 1738," vol. iii. p. 269, is a "List of Persons Imprisoned by Mayor 
 Brown," 337 in number. William Biddle is upon this list, which was of 
 date 1660-61. 
 
 In Best's Sufferings of Quakers, vol. i. p. 366, under the year 1660, we 
 find ' ' In the months called December, January, and February he sent thith er 
 [to Newgate] Two Hundred and Eighty persons whose names are distin- 
 guished in the Index hereto annexed." Amongst those so "distinguished" 
 are William Biddle, Thomas Biddle, and Esther Biddle.* 
 
 It seems probable, therefore, that he was born about A. D. 1630, or a few 
 years prior thereto. From the minutes of Friends' meeting in Bishopsgate 
 Street, London, it appears that he married Sarah Kemp, 12th month, 1665 
 (February, 1666), and that the names and dates of births of their children 
 were as follows : — 
 
 Elizabeth, born 4th mo. 25, 1668, died in childhood. 
 
 William, born 10th mo. 4, 1669. 
 
 John, born 10th mo. 27, 1670, died in childhood. 
 
 Joseph, born 12th mo. 6, 1672, died in childhood, 
 
 Sarah, born 10th mo. 2, 1678. 
 
 At page 24 of a very rare pamphlet, f a copy of which is in the Library of 
 
 * Esther or Hester Biddle was one of the most zealous of the early Friends, 
 both as writer and preacher. Quite a number of her Tracts are to be found in 
 the Bodleian Library — "Something in Short unto the Sons and Daughters of 
 Men as I was Moved by the Lord;" "Wo to the Town of Cambridge;" "The 
 Trump^ of the Lord Sounded forthe unto these Three Nations, etc." Dixon, in 
 his " Life of Penn," says : " Hester Biddle forced her way into the presence of 
 the grand monarch of Versailles, and commanded him in the name of God to 
 sheathe his destroying Sword." His reference is, " Gerard Croese, 468." 
 
 t "An Abstract or Abbreviation of Some Few of the Many (Later and Former) 
 Testimonys from the Inhabitants of New Jersey and other Eminent Persons who 
 
362 NOTES. 
 
 Mrs. Brown Carter, Providence, Rhode Island, is given "An Abstract of a 
 Ijetter from Daniel Wills to William Biddle (then living in Bishopsgate St., 
 London) who, with his wife and family, is this present 5th month, 1681, 
 with several servants, gone for New Jersey." This letter, dated 6th of 11th 
 month, 1679-80 (February 6, 1680), somewhat abbreviated, and with some 
 changes in phraseology, is copied into Smith's History of New Jersey, p. 
 115, with a note appended, giving the time of removal as " the summer of 
 1681." 
 
 In the "Records of Friends' Meeting at Burlington," begun in 1678, the 
 name of William Biddle appears as a witness of the marriage of Thomas 
 Barton and Ann Boiirton, "the 8th day of the 4th month, 1681" (June 8, 
 1681). 
 
 This would indicate a removal at an earlier date than that given above. 
 
 In Hotten's List qf Emigrants to America, p. 446, is found : " Barbados, 
 Anno, 1680," "List of inhabitants in and about the Town of St. Michael's, 
 Barbadoes," in which is the entry of "Wm. Biddle and Wife, Two Chil- 
 dren, 1 Hired servant, 3 Slaves." 
 
 It is possible, but not probable, that this is the same person who came in 
 the next year to New Jersey, since many of the early settlers of the Middle 
 Colonies came hither, as we know, after a brief sojourn at some of the West 
 India Islands.* In Philadelphia there was a Barbadoes Company before 
 1700, and the Barbadoes House stood at the N. W. corner of Second and 
 Chestnut streets. 
 
 In a tract, printed at Philadelphia in 1699, by the pugnacious Governor 
 Jennings,-|- "Truth Rescued, etc.," he says in reference to Billing, with 
 whom he was now at daggers drawn (if we may so speak of quarrelsome 
 Friends) : — 
 
 "It was his intent suddalnly to come and settle the affair to thset hearts 
 content of all concerned ; and to back all this, a Ship was then newly 
 arrived in which were Passengers, Willimn Biddle, Elias Farr, and Ben- 
 jamin Scott, with divers others, but these I mention as of most note, and 
 intimate with Billing, who declared," etc. 
 
 The context, however, does not fix the exact date, nor has it been found 
 possible to ascertain it with greater precision. Smith, in his History of New 
 Jersey (p. 109) includes William Biddle in a list of persons "who arrived 
 at Burlington about this time [1678], and a few years afterwards." 
 
 have wrote particularly concerning That Place." Loudon, Printed by Thomas 
 Milborn in the year 1681. 
 
 * In 1681, " Many families [in Barbadoes] unable to endure the rigor of his 
 [Governor Dutlin's] administration abandoned the country and sought elsewhere 
 an asylum from the persecution which they suffered at home."— Poyer's History, 
 p. 116. 
 
 f Eepnnted in fac-simile in 1881 by Mr. Brinton Coxe, himself a descendant 
 of Dr. Daniel Coxe, of London, Governor of West New Jersey in 1687, and at 
 that time the largest proprietor. 
 
NOTES. 363 
 
 It has been mentioned above, that William Biddle, before coming to 
 America, was residing in London. The family, however, which is identical 
 with that of Biddulph, was originally seated in Staffordshire, whence different 
 branches spread into Warwickshire and Gloucestershire. From the latter 
 county came the famous Socinian divine, John Biddle, usually called "the 
 father of English Unitarianism." 
 
 Recent researches of Mr. John Biddle-Cope, now resident in England, 
 lead to the belief that William Biddle was himself born in Staffordshire, 
 and removed to London, at the same time with several others of the Bid- 
 dulph family, to engage in trade. Some authorities as to the name of Biddle 
 will be found at the end of this note. 
 
 He was accompanied to America by his two surviving children, William 
 and Sarah, eleven and two years of age respectively. More than five years 
 prior to his embarkation William Biddle had, undoubtedly, along with many 
 other Friends, seriously considered this important step, and in contemplation 
 of it had made three purchases of proprietary interests in the province of 
 West Jersey. His total purchases of those interests were as follows: — 
 
 1. January 23, 1676. From William Penn, Gawen Lawrie, Nicholas 
 Lucas, and Edward Byllinge — one-half share. 
 
 2. April 1, 1677. From Thomas Hutchinson and Joseph Helmsley — 
 one-fourth share. 
 
 3. October 29, 1678. From Nicholas Bill — one-sixth share. 
 
 4. August 8, 1684. From Joseph Helmsley — one-fourth share. 
 
 5. August 21, 1684. From Samuel Clay — one-sixth share. 
 
 6. May 20, 1686. From Thomas Hutchinson — one-fourth share. 
 
 7. November 10, 1691. Prom executors of Anna Salters, widow, de- 
 ceased, less first dividend — one-sixth share. 
 
 By these purchases William Biddle became entitled to 42,916| acres of 
 the province. The deeds for the above purchases, and a transcript of his 
 land account, are in the possession of his descendants. 
 
 As one of the proprietors his name is affixed to ' ' The Concessions and 
 Agreements of the Proprietors, Freeholders, and Inhabitants," etc. (See 
 Appendix, "Smith's History, N. J.," page 521 and 539.) 
 
 Shortly after his arrival in West Jersey he selected a spot for his residence 
 on the bank of the Delaware, at what is now known as Kinkora, about 
 midway between Burlington and Bordentown, where he took up 500 acres 
 on the mainland, and 278 acres, the area of an adjacent island, which still 
 bears the name of Biddle's Island. To this homestead, or as he styled it 
 "Plantation," he gave the name of " Mount Hope." It may not be amiss 
 to state that his much esteemed friend William Penn, under erroneous im- 
 pressions as to Tiparian rights, laid claim to a part of this island. He writes 
 to Logan: "Tho' the channel goes between that [the island] and Penns- 
 bury, yet it always belonged to the Indians of our tribe that lived at Sepassin, 
 now Pennsbury. Move in it as most prudent or advisable." — Penn and 
 Logan Correspondence, vi. p. 294. 
 
364 NOTES. 
 
 Their respective claims were submitted to the adjudication of a committee, 
 duly appointed according to the "discipline" or rules for the government of 
 the Society of Friends, and by that committee the title of the island was 
 declared to be vested in Biddle. 
 
 That he was esteemed by his fellow citizens a man of honorable principles 
 and sound judgment may be inferred from his repeated appointment to public 
 offices requiring such qualifications. He became a member of the Governor's 
 Council, of the General Assembly of the Province, of the Board of Com- 
 missioners for Laying out Land, and of the Council of the Proprietors of 
 West Jersey. These appointments were as follows : — 
 
 The Assembly of West Jersey, in the year 168i!, elected him one of the 
 ten members of the Council, one of the Justices of the Peace for Burlington 
 County, and one of the ten Commissioners for Laying out Land (Smith's 
 History, New Jersey, p. 152). Again, on the 15th day of the 3d mo., 
 168-3, the Assembly re-elected him one of the Council, and one of the Com- 
 missioners for Laying out Lands. The duties of the members of Council 
 are stated as follows : — 
 
 " The engagement and promise of the Council elected by the Assembly. 
 We, underwritten, being elected and chosen by the general free assembly 
 members of council, to advise and assist the governor in managing the affairs 
 of the government, do solemnly promise, every one for himself, that we will 
 give our diligent attendance from time to time,, and liim advise and assist to 
 the best of our slsiill and knowledge, according to the laws, commissions, and 
 constitution of this province ; and do further promise not to reveal or dis- 
 close any secret of Council, or any business therein transacted, to the pre- 
 judice of the public" (Smith's History, New Jersey, pp. 164-165). 
 
 At a meeting of the proprietors of West Jei-sey, held the 14th day 12th 
 mo., called February, 1687, it was decided to appoint eleven of their number 
 "Commissioners and Trustees" to conduct the business of said proprietors. 
 At this meeting he was appointed one of the Board, called the council of the 
 proprietors who were to hold office until "the tenth day of the second month, 
 A. D. 1688" (Smith's History, New Jersey, pp. 199-201). He was re- 
 elected a member of this body for the ensuing year {Smith's History, pp. 
 203-204), and probably for many years thereafter, as in the years 1706 and 
 17Q7, he was president thereof (Smith's History, pp. 285-288). And, to 
 end the list, we find that when the proprietors of East and West Jersey 
 surrendered to Queen Anne their rights of governing these provinces, and 
 ]jord Cornbury, having been appointed Governor of New Jersey, convened 
 the General Assembly at Perth Amboy, on the 10th of November, 1703, 
 William Biddle was elected one of the ten representatives of the western 
 division in this Assembly (Smith's History, New Jersey, p. ^76). 
 
 That he was equally respected as a member of the religious society of 
 Friends would appear from the fact that for ' ' a considerable time' 'one of 
 their meetings for worship, on the first day of the week (Sunday), was held 
 at his residence, where also "Burlington Quarterly Meeting was held from 
 
NOTES. 365 
 
 1682 to 1711" (Smith's Manuscript History of Pennsylvania," chapter 20, 
 in Library of Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; Hazard's Register, vol. 
 vii. pp. 101, 102).* 
 
 Sarah, wife of William Biddle, died on the 27th day of 2d mo., 1709, 
 O. S., in the 75th year of her age, and he departed this life in the early 
 part of the year 1712, N. S., at a very advanced age. 
 
 The following facts relative to his last will, which is on file in the ofHce of 
 the Secretary of State of New Jersey, at Trenton, are interesting. It was 
 executed June 23, 1711, proved at Burlington, March 3, 1712, and approved 
 and sealed by his excellency. Colonel Hunter, and the probate seal, the 24th 
 March, 1711, O. S. (April 5, 1712, N. S.). 
 
 By it the following bequests were made : — 
 
 His plantation of Mount Hope, containing 500 acres, and the island, 
 known as Biddle' s Island, containing 278 acres, to his son William and 
 Lydia the wife of his son, during their lives, and the life of the survivor, 
 and then to their son William, his heirs and assigns forever. 
 
 To his cousin, Thomas Biddle, 500 acres of land. 
 
 To Thomas, Sarah, and Eachael Biddle, children of his said cousin, 
 Thomas Biddle, each a small legacy in money. 
 
 To his aforesaid grandson, William Biddle, £75. 
 
 To each of his four granddaughters, Elizabeth, Sarah, Penelope, and 
 Lydia Biddle, £37 10s. 
 
 To his grandson, Joseph Biddle, 500 acres of land and £37 10s. 
 
 To his grandson, John Biddle, 500 acres of land and £37 10s. 
 
 To each of his executors, Samuel Bunting and John Wills, £7 10s. 
 
 To William Plumstead, son of Clement Plumstead, of Philadelphia [by 
 his second wife], £7 10s. 
 
 To his cousin, Dorothy Sherwin, 100 acres of land. 
 
 To William Satterthwait, 100 acres of land. 
 
 ' ' And lastly, all the rest and residue of my estate, both real and personal, 
 of what kind or quality soever and wheresoever, I give, devise, and bequeath 
 unto my said son, William Biddle, and to his executors and assigns forever." 
 
 Of the five children of William and Sarah Biddle, it has been already 
 stated, two only survived to accompany their parents, in the year 1681, from 
 England to America, namely, William 2d, and Sarah. Of William 2d, but 
 little is known by his descendants, now surviving. He married, about 1695, 
 Lydia Wardell, of Shrewsbury, N. J., a member of the Society of Friends, 
 a great-granddaughter of Thomas Wardell, and a granddaughter of Eliakira 
 Wardell, t French Huguenots, who settled in New England, much earlier in 
 
 * Smith's IKstory of New Jersey, being without an index, the following refer- 
 ences are given to William Biddle and his s&n William : pp. 95, 109, 115, 153, 164, 
 165, 200, 203, 204, 376, 285, 286, 538, 554. 
 
 f For an Impartial account of the persecution of Eliakim Wardell and his wife 
 (nie Perkins), see page 102 of a remarkably able work, recently published, enti- 
 
366 NOTES. 
 
 the 1 7th century. The minutes and records of Shrewsbury Monthly Meet- 
 ing, for some years prior and subsequent to her marriage, were for a long 
 time mislaid, and consequently the precise date thereof has not been ascer- 
 tained. 
 
 On the 2d day of November, 1703, William Biddle, Jr., John Wills, and 
 John Eeading were appointed by the Council of Proprietors of West Jersey, 
 Commissioners to "go up to the Indians above the Falls, and particularly 
 to Caponockous, in order to have the tract of land lately purchased of the 
 Indians marked forth, and get them to sign a deed for the same," etc. 
 (Smith's History, New Jersey, note, p. 95). 
 
 Having, on the death of his father, in the early part of the year 1712, 
 inherited an ample fortune, he continued during the remainder of his life, 
 at least thirty years, to reside at Mount Hope. 
 
 His landed property was largely increased after his father's death, his 
 share of what was called the " Lotting Purchase" amounting to 12,905 acres. 
 This, was a large tract of land purchased from the Indians above the Falls 
 of the Delaware, and allotted among such of the West Jersey proprietors 
 as had contributed money to make the purchase. 
 
 Sarah, daughter of William and Sarah Biddle, was, on the 21st of October, 
 1695, O. S., married at the residence of her father, to William Ilighton, of 
 Philadelphia, and as he was not a Friend the marriage ceremony was per- 
 formed in the presence of three justices of the peace. Out of regard, pro- 
 bably to the feelings of her parents, the Friends did not "disown" her. 
 Her husband having died very soon after their marriage, she returned from 
 Philadelphia to Mount Hope, and resided with her parents, having no issue. 
 
 On 1st mo. (March) 14, 1703-4, O. S., she was again married, by Friends' 
 ceremony, at the residence of her father, to Clement Plurastead, of Phila- 
 delphia, who, subsequently, in the years 1723, 1736, and 1741, held the 
 office of Mayor of the city. The guests at the wedding were the first families 
 in Philadelphia and New Jersey : Governors Samuel Jennings and William 
 Penn, Jr., Robert Monposson, Francis Davenport, Joseph Kirkbride, James 
 Sansom, John Wills, and Samuel Carpenter and William Hall, of Salenj 
 County. The only issue of this marriage was a son named William, who 
 died when a few months old. On the 17th of the 6th mo., 1705, Sarah 
 Plumstead died leaving no issue, and consequently all the descendants of 
 William Biddle, first, and Sarah his wife, now surviving, are descendants 
 of their son, William 2d. 
 
 William 2d, leaving no will, it is presumed that his estate was divided 
 amongst his children under the intestate laws of the Province. He probably 
 died about the year 1743, aged 73. He had by his wife Lydia seven 
 
 tied "The Quaker Invasion of Massachusetts," by Kichard P. Hallowell, Boston, 
 1883. 
 
 "The first child born at this place [Shewsbury] was Elizabeth, daughter of 
 Eliakim Wardell, afterwards wife of John Wills, in 1667."— Smith's MS. Hist, 
 of Fenna. , chapter xx. 
 
NOTES. 367 
 
 children, namely, William, Elizabeth, Sarah, Penelope (m. Whitehead), 
 Joseph, and John; the last named being born in 1707. 
 
 Joseph Biddle, second son of William (2d) and Lydia, his wife, married 
 (1st) Lydia Howard, and was the only one of the three brothers who 
 remained in New Jersey. His children were Mary (m. Shinn), Arney, 
 Joseph. By a second marriage, he left issue, William (died young) and 
 Sarah (m. 1st Monroe, and 2d Joseph Harker). 
 
 It is believed that no descendants of Joseph bearing the name of Biddle 
 now remain in New Jersey, but that there are a number who are descended 
 from Thomas Biddle, cousin of William (1st), and mentioned by the latter 
 in his will. 
 
 From Arney Biddle, son of Joseph, there are many descendants of the 
 name in Ohio and other northwestern States, and one, the Rev. Arney 
 Biddle (Presbyterian), now resides at Cabin Hill, Delaware County, in the 
 State of New York. 
 
 William Biddle, the eldest son, and John Biddle, the youngest son of 
 William Biddle (2d) and his wife Lydia Wardell, both removed to Phila- 
 delphia between 1720 and 1730, and were the progenitors of the great 
 number of the name in that city.* 
 
 William Biddle (3d) married Mary Scull, April 3, 1730, d. 1756, and 
 had issue : — 
 
 James, b. Feb. 18, 1731. 
 
 Nicholas, b. 1733, died in infancy. 
 
 Lydia, b. 1734. 
 
 John, b. 1736. 
 
 Edward, b. 1738. 
 
 Charles, b. 1745. 
 
 Abigail, b. 1747, died young. 
 
 Mary b. 1749, died unmarried. 
 
 Nicholas, b. 1 750. 
 
 Thomas, b. 1752. 
 
 I. James, eldest son of William Biddle (3d) and Mary Scull, his wife 
 (see page 236), born 1731, m., June 30, 1753, Frances Marks, and had issue: 
 Thirteen children, of whom eight died under ten years of age ; the others 
 were — 
 
 * It is Relieved that still another Biddle came early to Philadelphia, whose 
 descendants cannot now be traced. Some of the same name were in New England 
 as early as 1639 ; " the name being sometimes spelled Biddell or Beadle." — See 
 Savage's Dictionary. 
 
 At a much later period, about 1760, there came to Delaware three brothers, 
 Mark, Lulse, and John Biddle, whose elder brother Matthew remained in England. 
 These were of the Gloucestershire branch of the family, still living near Wotton- 
 under-Edge. 
 
368 NOTES. 
 
 (1) Joseph, lost at sea, page 139. 
 
 (2) William, lost at sea, page 141. 
 
 (3) Marks John, b. 1765, d. 1849. 
 
 (4) Lydia, m. James Collins. 
 
 (5) Elizabeth, m. George Eckert. 
 
 Marks John Biddle commenced the practice of law in Berks County about 
 1788, and at once entered upon a large business which he retained until 
 advanced in years. In 1817 he was irt the State Senate, and was appointed 
 by Governor Heister Prothonotary of Berks County. His life was marked 
 by a lofty sense of professional and private honor, and he was up to its close 
 in the enjoyment of the highest respect and affection of the people of Read- 
 ing. He m. Jane Dundas (niece of Sir Ralph Dundas, Major-General in 
 the British Army, and a cousin of Sir Ralph Abercrombie) in 1793, and had 
 issue: — 
 
 1. James Dundas m. Frances Wood (1815), and d. 1822. Issue: Marks 
 John and James Dundas. Marks John Biddle m. Isabella Hamilton, and 
 their son, John C. Mercer Biddle, b. 1856, is, by right of descent, the legal 
 representative of the William Biddle who first came to New Jersey. 
 
 2. Hannah D. m. Jonathan D. Good, and 2d Abraham Addams, and 
 died 1859. Had issue by 1st marriage — John, Thomas. 
 
 3. Frances Dundas m. Joseph E. Priestley [grandson of the famous Dr. 
 Priestley], and d. 1878. Had issue: Joseph (m. Hannah Taggart), Eliza 
 (m. Thos. Lyons), Marks J. B. (m. Mary Taggart), Fanny (m. Henry 
 Toulman), Jane (m. Conyers Button). 
 
 4. Lydia m. David F. Gordon, of Reading [Judge of Common Pleas, 
 Berks County], and d. 1848. Had issue: James B., d. s. p., Elizabeth F., 
 Jane Dundas (m. J. Brinton White), Clara. 
 
 5. Elizabeth Eckert m. Edward Anderson, and d. 1876. Issue: Alex- 
 ander (m. Anise Hull), J. Lesley (m. Hester Agnes Carroll), Marks Biddle. 
 
 6. Jane, d. unm. 1849. 
 
 7. Ann, d. unm. 1882. 
 
 Lydia, daughter of James Biddle and Prances Marks, m. James Collins. 
 Issue: Frances m. Saml. Wood. Issue: Marks John, d. young, and Lydia 
 M. (m. 1st Pawling, 2d Osborne, and left issue), Jane B. m. Robt. Frazer 
 (issue, Robert and Fanny B., m. Herbert Welsh). 
 
 Elizabeth, daughter of James Biddle and Frances Marks, m. Geo. Ecjtert. 
 No issue. 
 
 II. Lydia, daughter of William Biddle (3d), m., December 3, 1752, 
 Captain William McFunn, who had been an officer of the British Navy, and 
 held high office in Antigua. He d. in 1767 or 1768. Issue: — 
 
 (1) William Biddle McFunn, who changed his name to Wm. McFunn 
 Biddle, m. (1797) Lydia Spencer, dau. of the Rev. Elihu Spencer. He d. 
 in 1809. Mrs. Biddle removed to Carlisle in 1827, and d. in 1858, aged 92 
 years. Her children were : — 
 
NOTES. 369 
 
 1. Lydia Spencer m. Samuel Baird, and had issue : William M., Samuel, 
 Spencer F. [now at the head of the Smithsonian Institution], Rebecca P., 
 Lydia Spencer, Mary D. [married Major Henry J. Biddle, who died July, 
 1862, of wounds received in the seven days' battle before Richmond], 
 Thomas. 
 
 2. Valeria, dau. of Wm. M. Biddle, m. Charles B. Penrose [a descendant 
 of John Biddle and Mary Owen], and had issue : William McFunn, Richard 
 Alexander FuUerton [Professor in the Medical Department of the University 
 of Pennsylvania], Sarah C. [married William S. Blight], Clement Biddle 
 [Judge of Orphans' Court, Philadelphia], Lydia, Charles B. 
 
 3. William M., son of Wm. M. Biddle, m. .Julia Montgomery, and had 
 issue : Lydia Spencer, Thomas M., Edward M., Mary M., William McFunn, 
 Julia M. 
 
 4. Mary E. D., dau. of Wm. M. Biddle and his wife Lydia Spencer, m. 
 Major Blaney, U. S. Army, and had issue: Valeria Biddle, Catharine M., 
 William Biddle, Lydia Spencer. 
 
 5. Edward Biddle, son of Wm. M. Biddle, m. Julia A. Watts, and had 
 issue: Uavid W., Lydia Spencer, Charles Penrose, Frederick W., Edward 
 W., Wm. McFunn. 
 
 (2) Mary Biddle,* dau. of Captain Wm. McFunn and his wife Lydia 
 Biddle, m. (1773) CoUinson Read, and had issue: — 
 
 1. James, Major U. S. Army, d. s. p. 
 
 2. Thomas, unm. 
 
 3. Edward, unm. 
 
 4. Charles, purser, U. S. N., killed in mutiny, d. unm. 
 
 5. George, unm. 
 
 6. Susan, m. Thog. Collins, of Pittsburgh, 4 children. 
 
 7. Sarah, m. General William Gates, U. S. Army (d. 1865), 6 children. 
 
 8. William M., U. S. Army, 4 children. 
 
 9. Lydia, d. unm. 
 
 10. Maria, m. John Dennis, of New Brunswick, N. J., 5 children. 
 
 III. John, second son (omitting from the enumeration an infant, dec'd) 
 of William Biddle (3d), m. Mrs. Sophia Boone. He was Deputy Quarter 
 Master in the Provincial Army in General Forbes's Campaign against Port 
 Du Quesne. At the time of the Revolution he held office as Collector of 
 Excise of Berks County, and, though opposed to the measures of the govern- 
 ment, was, like many prominent Whigs of the day, not in favor of separation 
 from the mother country. In 1778 his property was confiscated, and he was 
 banished to New York, whence he proceeded to Nova Scotia, where he 
 remained until the time of his death. His family, after the war, returned 
 
 * For this Information we are indebted to the " Provincial Councillors of Penn- 
 sylvania," recently published by Mr. Charles P. Keith, a work of immense 
 research and remarkable accuracy. 
 24 
 
370 NOTES. 
 
 to Pennsylvania, and resided at Reading and Greensburg. His children 
 were: — 
 
 (1) Edward, m. at Mackinac, Mich. Issue : Sophia, John m. Ashman, 
 Sarah m. Durfee. 
 
 (2) James, resided in Pittsburgh, m. McNichol. Issue: two children. 
 
 (3) Sophia m. Michl. P. Cassily, of Cincinnati, and had issue: Ann (m. 
 Pr. V. Marshall, one dau., Sophia), Mary (m. Wm. A. Adams, four chil- 
 dren), Henrietta (im. B. B. Whitman, ten children), Edward (m. Hunt, 
 
 one child), Charles (m. Lee), William. 
 
 (4) Lydia m. Mr. DeFord. No issue. 
 
 (5) Sally m. Andrew Boggs. Issue: two children (one of whom, Biddle 
 Boggs, still living). 
 
 (6) Mary, d. unm. 
 
 IV. Edward Biddle, third son of William Biddle (3d), see page 75, and 
 Note C, m. (1761) Elizabeth, dau. of Rev. Mr. Ross, and had issue:— 
 
 (1) Catharine m. George Lux, of Baltimore, and had two children, both 
 dying in infancy. 
 
 (2) !)i.bigail m. Dr. Fall, of Md., d. s. p. 
 
 V. Charles Biddle, son of William Biddle (3d) and Mary Scull, 
 Author of this Memoir, b. 1745, d. 1821, m. (1778) Hannah Shepard, and 
 had issue: — 
 
 (1) William Shepard, b. 1781, d. 1835, m. Circe Deronceray; 2d 
 Elizabeth B. Keating (n6e Hopkinson) . No issue. 
 
 (2) James, b. 1783, Commodore U. S. Navy. See Note E; d. unm. 1848. 
 
 (3) Edward, Midshipman U. S. Navy, d. November 14, 1800, on board 
 the frigate President, off the Island of Deseada, West Indies. 
 
 (4) Nicholas, b. 1786, d. 1844. See Note D; m. Jane M., dau. of John 
 Craig. Issue : — 
 
 1. Edward m. Jane J. Craig, n4e Sarmiento. Issue: Edith (m. Van 
 Rensselaer), Frances, Agnes (m. Ward), Edward (m. Emily Drexel), 
 Mildred. 
 
 2. Charles John, member of the bar, entered the U. S. Volunteer Army at 
 the time of the Mexican War as Captain of Voltigeurs, breveted Major for 
 gallantry at the storming of Chapultepec, City of Mexico. In 1861, Colonel 
 of 42d Pennsylvania Regiment, until he took his seat as member of 37th 
 Congress in December of that year. Died 1873. m. Emma Mather. Issue: 
 Emma (m. Thos. E. Dixon), Charles, John Craig, Ad^le, Dillon, Alexander 
 Mercer, Catharine. 
 
 3. Craig, member of the bar, member of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, 
 aid-de-camp of Gen. Patterson in his Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, 
 military aid to Governor Curtin, of Pennsylvania, 1861 and 1862, and now 
 Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia ; m. Mary C. Rockhill 
 (d. 1852). Issue: Mary, d. in infancy. 
 

 NOTES. 371 
 
 4. Meta Craig m. James S. Biddle. Issue : Jane Craig, Nicholas (m. 
 Eliza I. Butler), Meta Craig. 
 
 5. Adfele. 
 
 6. Jane. 
 
 (5) Charles Biddle, b. 1787, engaged in business in Philadelphia until 
 1826, admitted to the bar, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1827. In 1835, being a 
 warm personal and political friend of General Jackson, was sent by him jis 
 commissioner to report upon routes for trade across Central America and the 
 Isthmus of Panama. In 1836, at Bogoti, he obtained a concession of the 
 right to navigate the Cruces River, and to construct a railroad or a maca- 
 damized road to Panama ; also the exclusive right to steam navigation on 
 the Magdalena River. Died 1836. m. Ann H. Stokes (1808). Issue: — 
 
 1. Sarah m. Major Jno. S. Lytle, U. S. Army. Issue: Eliza L. (m. 
 Robert Campbell ; children, Sally, Helen). 
 
 2. Charles, d. in infancy. 
 
 3. Mary m. Peter Vandervoort, of New York. Issue : Anna, Charles, 
 Mary, Catharine, Theodore, Elizabeth, Meta, Gertrude. 
 
 4. Ann, m. Saml. Leonard. Issue: Catharine (m. Edw. S. Harlan), 
 James p>- (m. Catharine Pepper), Rosalie. 
 
 5. Catharine C. 
 
 6. James S., entered U. S. Navy, 1833 ; resigned 1856. m. Meta Craig 
 Biddle (1846). Issue: Jane Craig, Nicholas (m. Eliza I. Butler), Meta 
 Craig. 
 
 7. Hannah S. 
 
 8. Elizabeth -N. 
 
 (6) Thomas, b. 1790, entered the army in 1812, served with distinction 
 as Captain in Colonel Pike's Regiment on the Canada frontier. He was 
 afterwards transferred to the artillery, and was twice wounded at the battle 
 of Lundy's Lane, and again in the defence of Fort Erie, being breveted 
 Major for the latter service. General Winfield Scott always referred to 
 Captain Biddle's coliduct in action under him with affectionate enthusiasm 
 (see his Autobiography). In 1820 he accepted an appointment as Pay- 
 master, and was stationed at St. Louis. In 1831 he fell in a duel with Mr. 
 Spencer Pettis, member of Congress, in a quarrel arising out of a violent 
 political contest. He m. Ann, dau. of John MuUanphy, and died without 
 issue. See Simpson's Eminent Philadelphians. 
 
 (7) John, b. 1 792, d. 1 859, also entered the army in 1812 with his brother 
 Thomas, and served in the same operations, being also promoted to major. 
 Resigning after the war, he settled in Detroit, was a delegate in Congress in 
 1829-31, and President of the Convention which formed the first Constitu- 
 tion for the State of Michigan, m. Eliza Bradish. Issue: — 
 
 1. Thomas, d. s. p. 
 
 2. Margaretta m. General Andrew Porter, U. S. Army. Issue : Biddle 
 Porter m. Elizabeth M. Rush. 
 
372 NOTES. 
 
 3. William S. m. Susan Ogden. Issue : Susan, Eliza, John, Stratford, 
 Margaret, Andrew, William, Annie. 
 
 4. James m. Margt. Terry. Issue : Louisa and Catharine. 
 
 5. Edward J. m. Frances Davidson. Issue : Beatrice, Nicholas, Con- 
 stance, Violet, Guy. 
 
 (8) Richard, b. 1796, d. 1847; an eminent member of the Pittsburgh Bar, 
 member of Congress 1837-41 , author of ' ' Life of Sebastian Cabot. " m. Ann 
 Anderson, of Pittsburgh. Issue: — 
 
 1. Richard. 
 
 2. Grace m. Rev. Hall Mcllvaine (issue: Annie, Grace, Edith). 
 
 (9) Mary, d. 1854, m. John G. Biddle (who d. 1826). Issue:— 
 1. Anne E. Biddle. 
 
 (10) Ann, b. 1800, m. Francis Hopkinson, and d. 1863. Issue: — 
 
 1. Hamilton, d. unm. 
 
 2. Thomas. 
 
 3. Charles, d. unm. 
 
 4. Ann m. Rev. Edw. A. Foggo, D D. 
 
 5. Emily m. Alden Scovell, of Camden, N". J. (issue: Emily, Florence, 
 Alden C). 
 
 "VI. Nicholas, fifth son of William Biddle and Mary Scull, b. 1750, 
 killed on board frigate Randolph, 1778, unmarried. See page 109 and Note 
 D, also Simpson's Philadelphians. 
 
 VII. Thomas, youngest son of Wm. Biddle and Mary. Scull, b. 1752, 
 became doctor of medicine, and died, February, 1775, at Georgetown, South 
 Carolina, unmarried. 
 
 John, the youngest son of William Biddle (2d) — refer back to pages 366-7 
 — was born in 1707, and March 3, 1736, m,, by Friends' ceremony, Sarah 
 Owen ; among the witnesses were Nicholas and Abigail Scull, William (3d) 
 and Mary Biddle, and Mrs. Penelope Whitehead (sister of the groom). 
 Issue : — 
 
 1. Owen, b. 1738. 
 
 2. Clement, b. 1740. 
 
 3. Sarah. 4. Ann. 5. Lydia. 
 
 I. Owen Biddle [see Note H] b. 1738, m. Sarah Parke, and had 
 issue: — 
 
 (1) Jane. 
 
 (2) John m. Elizabeth Canby, and had issue : Samuel, Sarah, Margaret, 
 Jacob (m. Hopkins, onedau.), James C. (m. Sally Drinker. Issue: Eliza'th 
 m. Rev. Mr. Halsey, Henry D., Hetty D., Mary D.), Frances (m. Thos. 
 C. Garrett. Issue : Eliz'th, Rebecca, Frances, Philip C, John B., Martha, 
 Hetty B.), William (m. Eliz'th C. Garrett. Issue : John W., Samuel), 
 Edward C, President of Westmoreland Coal Company (m. Hetty H. Foster. 
 
NOTES. 373 
 
 Issue: Hetty F., William F.), Rebecca (m. Alfred Cope. Issue: James 
 B.), John, President of Locust Mt. Coal Company (m. Mary B. Foster. 
 Issue; Hetty B., John, d. young, Mary, Elizabeth). 
 
 (3) Rebecca m. Peter Thompson, 4 children. 
 
 (4) Sarah. 
 
 (5) TacyB. 
 
 (6) Owen m. Eliz'th Rowan, 4 children. 
 
 (7) Thomas B. 
 
 (8) Robert B. 
 
 (9) Clement m. Mary Canby. Issue : — 
 
 Martha. 
 
 Robert m. Anna M. Miller. Issue: Charles M. (m. Hannah 
 Mcllvaine), Henry C. (m Anna Mcllvaine), Hannah M. (m. J. C. 
 W. Frishmuth), Elizabeth (m. Frishmuth), Martha C. 
 
 William Canby m. Rachel M. Miller Issue: Clement M. (m. 
 Lydia Cooper), Frances Canby (m. Clement A. Griscom), Helen 
 (m. George B. Thomas), Mary (m. Howard Wood), Hannah N. (m. 
 Charles Williams). 
 
 Henry, d. young. 
 
 Clement m. 1st Susan T. Walton. Issue: William W. (m. Mary 
 Taggart), m. 2d Susan W. Cadwallader. Issue : Canby, d. young, 
 Francis C. (m Sara:h Pennock), Anne. 
 
 (10) Anne m. John Tatum. 
 
 II. Clement Biddle,* son of John Biddle and Sarah Owen [See Note 
 H], b. 1740, m. 1st Mary Richardson, 2d Rebecca Cornell. Issue, by 
 second wife only : — 
 
 (1) Francis, d. in infancy. 
 
 (2) Thomas, b. 1776, d. 1857, the eminent banker, founder of the house 
 of Thomas A. Biddle & Company, m. Christine Williams. Issue : — 
 
 1. Clement, d. unm. 
 
 2. Thomas Alexander m. Julia Cox. Issue : John, Henry W. m. Jesse 
 Turner, Anna m. Andrew A. Blair, Alfred, Wm. Lyman, Francis, Julia 
 m. Arthur Biddle. 
 
 3. Henry J., Adjutant-General of Penna. Reserve, d. July, 1862, of 
 wounds received in the seven daj's' battle before Richmond, m. Mary D. 
 Baird (descendant of Wm. Biddle (3d) and Mary Scull), and had issue •. 
 Jonathan W., Lydia M. (m. Moncure Robinson, Jr.), Spencer F. B., 
 Christine, Henry J. 
 
 4. Alexander, Lieutenant-Colonel of 121st Pennsylvania Regiment in war 
 of 1861-5, and specially distinguished at Gettysburg, President of Board of 
 City Trusts, m. Julia W. Rush. Issue: Alexander W. (m. McKennan), 
 Henry R., Julia, James W., Louis A., Mariamne, Lynford. 
 
 * A full statement of the descendants of Clement Biddle, prepared by Mr. 
 Walter L. C. Biddle, has recently been printed in Bougher's Kepository. 
 
374 NOTES. 
 
 5. Jonathan Williams, d. 1856, m. Emily Meigs. Issue: Christine (ra. 
 Richard M. Cadwalader), Charles M., Williams, Mary, Thomas, Emily W. 
 ,(3) George Washington, d. 1812, at Macao, China. 
 
 (4) Mary, eldest daughter of Clement Biddle, m. General Thomas Cad- 
 walader. Issue: — 
 
 1. John, Judge of U. S. District Court, d. 1879, m. 1st Mary Binney. 
 Issue: Mary B. (m. Wm. Henry Eawle), Elizabeth B. (m. Geo. H. Hare), 
 and m. 2d Henrietta M. Mcllvaine, n4e Bancker. Issue: Sarah B., Frances, 
 Thomas, Charles E., John (m. Mary Helen Fisher), Ann (m. Rev. H. J. 
 Rowland), George. 
 
 2. George, Major-General in the Mexican War, and in the war of 1861-5, 
 d. 1879, m. Frances Mease. 
 
 3. Thomas. 
 
 4. Henry, U. S. Navy, d. 1844. 
 
 5. William. 
 
 (5) Rebecca C, daughter of Clement Biddle, d. 1870, m. Dr. Nathaniel 
 Chapman. Issue: — 
 
 1. Emily C, m. Jno. M. Gordon. Issue: Chapman, John M., Susan 
 F., Emily, Rebecca C. 
 
 2. John Biddle, m. Mary Randolph, of Virginia. Issue : Gabriella m. 
 the Marquis de Podestad Fornari, and Emily m. Prince Joseph Pignatelli 
 DeAragon. 
 
 3. George W., Lieutenant U. S. Navy, d. 1853, m. Emily Markoe. 
 Issue: Mary R. m. John B. Thayer, Elizabeth C. m. Wm. D. Winsor, 
 Henry C. m. Hannah Megargee, Rebecca m. Jas. D. Winsor, George, d. 
 in infancy. 
 
 (6) Clement Cornell Biddle, son of Clement Biddle, d. 1855 ; entered 
 the navy 1799, resigned 1804, commanded Penn. Regt. Light Infantry 
 (volunteers) in 1812-14, the principal founder and for many years Presi- 
 dent of Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, writer on political economy, 
 m. Mary S. Barclay. Issue: — 
 
 1. John B., Professor of Materia Medica, Jefferson College, m. Caroline 
 Phillips. Issue : Anna C. m. C. S. Phillips, Harriet m. DeGrasse Fox, 
 William P., Lieutenant U. S. Marines, Clement, Surgeon U. S. Navy, 
 Elizabeth R. m. Samuel M. Miller, M.D., Caroline. 
 
 2. George Washington, eminent member of the Bar of Philadelphia, m. 
 Maria McMurtrie. Issue : George m. Mary H. Rodgers, of New York, 
 Algernon Sydney m. Frances Robinson, Arthur m. Julia, dau. of Thomas 
 A. Biddle. 
 
 3. Chapman, d. 1880, member of the Bar of Philadelphia, commanded 
 the 121st Pennsylvania Regiment in the war of 1861-5, was present at the 
 battle of Fredericksburg, and greatly distinguished on the first day of Gettys- 
 burg, where he commanded a brigade and was wounded, m. Mary L. 
 Cochran, of New York. Issue: Mary C, Clement C, d. young, Walter 
 L. C. m. Pauline Davis Carter. 
 
NOTES. 375 
 
 (7) Ann, d. in infancy. 
 
 (8) Lydia H., d. young. 
 
 (9) Sarah T., d. young. 
 
 (10) Ann W., dau. of Clement Biddle, d. 1878, m. Thomas Dunlap. 
 Issue : Sally, Juliana, Lydia, Mary, Rebecca, Nannie m. George M. 
 Conarroe, Thomas m. Margaret A. Levis. 
 
 (11) John G., son of Clement Biddle, banker with his brother Thomas 
 Biddle, d. 1826, m. Mary Biddle (dau. of Charles Biddle, writer of this 
 work) . Issue : Ann Eliza. 
 
 (12) James Cornell, son of Clement Biddle, d. 1838, a member of the 
 Bar of Philadelphia, m. Sarah C. Keppele. Issue : — 
 
 1. Thomas, U. S. Minister to Ecuador, d. at Guyaquil, 1875, m. Sarah F. 
 White. Issue: Caldwell K,, Harrison W., Sarah, James C, Elizabeth C, 
 
 2. Caldwell K., d. 1862, m. Elizabeth Meade, n4e Eicketts. 
 
 3. Catharine K. m. William P. Tatham. 
 
 4. Rebecca, d. unra. 
 
 5. James C. m. Gertrude G. Meredith. Issue: Catharine M., Sarah C. 
 
 (13) Edward E., son of Clement Biddle, removed to New York. Mar- 
 ried. Issue: Edward R., James (Major U. S. Army). 
 
 HI. Sarah Biddlts, dau. of John Biddle and Sarah Owen (refer to y^ \^^ 
 
 page 372), m. 1st James Penrose, 2d John Shaw, 3d Rudolph Tellier. By %-'m^ ul.^ 5 
 first marriage left issue : — -^ <- [ i 
 
 Clement Biddle Penrose m. Anna Howard Bingham, -i v , - , . ^ , „ , 
 
 IV. Ann, dau. of John Biddle and Sarah Owen (page 372) m. General 
 James Wilkinson, U. S. Army. Issue: John, James, and J. B. Itt 
 
 v. Lydia, dau. of John Biddle and Sarah Owen (page 372), m. Dr. 
 James Hutchinson, and died without issue.* 
 
 * The genealogical matter inserted in this note has been put together as pro- 
 bably of some interest to the members of the family, and with this view alone. 
 It would have required much time and labor to have made it complete, but it is 
 believed that what is here recorded is accurate, and will enable those who may 
 be so disposed to pursue the subject On the next page is a table brought down 
 to the 3d or ith in descent from William Biddle (1st) . 
 

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NOTES. 377 
 
 It. has been said above that the names Biddulph and Biddle are identical. 
 Macaulay, in writing of William Penn, refers to a loose habit of spelling 
 names as "characteristic of the age." In fact, even the monosyllabic sur- 
 name of the founder of Pennsylvania is spelled by Pepys in three diiferent 
 ways : Pen, Penn, Penne. 
 
 A stronger illustration may be found in the Lives of the Lindsays, vol. ii. 
 p. 412, where eighty-eight ways of spelling Lindsay are exhibited, all of 
 them taken from documentary title papers of the same family in regular 
 descent. 
 
 In Lower's Patronymica Brittanica, at pp. xxix. and xxx. the author 
 gives a full account of the sources of English surnames and remarks : ' ' The 
 most valuable of these documents are the two folio volumes known as the 
 "Rotull Hundredorum" or Hundred Rolls of the date of 1273," etc. At 
 page 26, he gives: — 
 
 "Biddle 1. A modification of Biddulph. 
 
 2. Ang-Sax, a beadle, messenger, herald or proclaimer. Biddle, 
 without a prefix, is found in the Rotuli Hundredorum. 
 
 Biddulph. — A parish in Co. Stafford, very anciently possessed by the 
 family who descended from Ricardus Forestarius, a great Domesday Tenant. 
 — Erdeswick's Staffordshire." 
 
 In Keith Johnson's Royal Atlas, recent edition, the index gives the name 
 "Biddle or Biddulph," referring to the town about eight miles from New 
 Castle-under-Lyne. In Domesday Book, which was finished A. D. 1086, 
 this town is entered as Bidolf. Freeman briefly describes Domesday Book 
 as intended "to repori who had held tjie land in the time of King Edward, 
 and who held it then." — Norman Conquest. 
 
 In Shaw's History of Staffordshire, vol. i. p. 352, is the "Pedigree of 
 Biddulph, of Elmhurst." It begins at "48 Edward 3d," and runs in du-ect 
 descent to — 
 
 Simon Byddell, buried in 1579. 
 His son Simon Biddulph, died 1596. 
 His son Simon Biddle, died 1632. 
 His son Michael Biddulph, died 1657. 
 
 In the same pedigree occurs the spelling Bedulph. 
 
 The Michael Biddulph who died in 1657 is given, in the pedigree, ten sons. 
 The names of four only are set forth, and Mr. Biddle-Cope is confident that 
 the William Biddle who came to New Jersey was one of the "Six other 
 sons" who are there mentioned. 
 
 In the Harleian MSS., No. 2043 Br. Mus., is an interesting account of 
 the siege of Lichfield Close by the Roundheads, during which Lord Brooke 
 was killed. We find there : — 
 
 "Lord Brooke .... had a great desire to march on foot to see 
 what execution was made against the gates or wall. And out of Mr. Michael 
 Biddle's (alias Biddulph's) house, a little below the Market house, his lord- 
 ship came forth in a plush cassock, ' ' etc. 
 
378 NOTES. 
 
 In Brewer's Description of Warwickshire, under Birdingbury, p. 93, he 
 says: "By this lady the estate was conveyed in 1687 to Symon Biddulph, 
 Esq. The family of Biddulph were originally seated in Staffordshire, and 
 took their names from the village of Biddulph in that county 'of which,' 
 says Dr. Thomas, 'they have been lords since the conquest.' " 
 
 In Nightingale's Staffordshire, published in 1813, p. 1071, he says: "But 
 these people of Biddulph, or as they call it Biddle, seem to be a totally dif- 
 ferent race," etc. 
 
 The colloquial usage is the same at the present day, as confirmed by the 
 personal observation of Mr. Biddle-Cope ; namely, that by the country 
 people the two final letters of Biddulph are not sounded, and the word is 
 commonly pronounced as if written Biddle. 
 
 It would be easy to extend this line of remark, but this may sufiice. 
 
 NOTE B. (Page 1.) 
 
 Nicholas Scull, the Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania, was the eldest of 
 the six sons of Nicholas Scull, who emigrated to America (it is supposed 
 from the county of Cork, Ireland) from the port of Bristol, in England, in 
 the ship Bristol Merchant, John Stephens, commander, landing at Chester 
 on the 10th of ninth month, 1685. The first progenitor of the family in 
 England was a Norman, Sir John Scull, who was one of the twelve knights 
 mentioned in "Bernard Burke's Landed Gentry," etc., and in Theophilus 
 Jones's "History of Brecknockshire," who accompanied the renowned 
 warrior Bernard Newmarch into North Wales, and who, in course of time, 
 conquered the country. The family spread into the adjoining counties of 
 England ; and at some early period — probably in the reign of Henry II. — 
 some of them might have accompanied the Welsh Baron, the Earl of Pem- 
 broke (Strongbow), into Ireland, and have- given the name to the large 
 parish and town of Scull, in the southwestern part of the county of Cork. 
 When William Penn, as a young man, visited his father's estates in that 
 county, some of the members of the Scull family doubtless fell und^r his 
 religious influence, and were induced to accompany Major Jasper Farmer to 
 America. Major Farmer was of the same county, and came over in the 
 same ship with the father of the subject of this notice. 
 
 Nicholas Scull was born near Philadelphia, in the year 1687, and, in all 
 probability, was an apprentice of Thomas Holmes, the first acting Surveyor- 
 General. He married Abigail Heap in 1708, who was a relation of his part- 
 ner. He was a friend of Franklin, who mentions him in his ' ' Autobio- 
 graphy" as a member of the "Junto," formerly called the " Leather- Apron 
 Club." He says : " We also had as a member, Nicholas Scull — afterward 
 the Surveyor-General — who loved books, and who sometimes made verses." 
 There were thirty-eight members, but it was afterward increased to fifty. 
 
NOTES. 379 
 
 Franklin proposed the formation of a library, and that each one should pay 
 forty shillings, and subscribe ten shillings more annually for fifty years. At 
 their debating club, the members of the "Junto" had previously brou'ght 
 their books to the room, and left them there as common stock. Robert 
 Grace, one of the most active members, allowed them the use of a chamber 
 in his house in Pewter-Platter Alley, for their meetings. The library was 
 organized in 1731, and in 1739-'40, a room in the State House was appro- 
 priated for the reception of the books. In 1742 it was incorporated as 
 "The Library Company of Philadelphia." The share of Nicholas Scull 
 was numbered "thirty-two," and was dated March 29, 1732. It was for- 
 feited in May, 1770, was renewed in March, 1857, and is now held by Mr. 
 Edward Lawrence Scull. The late Thomas I. Wharton, Esq., in an inter- 
 esting article on the early literature of Philadelphia, written in 1825, says : — 
 
 "In 1727, Franklin instituted a club of mutual improvement, which was 
 named the ' Junto, ' and which continued nearly forty years without its nature 
 and objects being publicly known, though ' the chief measures of Philadel- 
 phia,' it is said, 'received their first form here.' The 'Junto' is described 
 by its distinguished founder as ' the best school of philosophy, morality, and 
 politics, that then existed in the province.' And it appears to have exerted 
 a powerful influence on the fortunes of some of its members, and probably con- 
 tributed in no small degree to foster that literary taste and philosophical spirit 
 which have been the honorable distinction of this city. They met every 
 Friday evening, and each member paid a penny a night, to recompense the 
 landlord for fire and light. Economy was one of their characteristic virtues. 
 Terrapin and whiskey were unknown to their frugal and temperate delibera- 
 tions. A copy of the set of twenty-four rules and questions to be asked at 
 each meeting, to draw the members out, formed in the time of Dr. Franklin, 
 and probably written by him, is still in existence. They show in a very 
 strong light the importance, while they display the machinery of the insti- 
 tution." 
 
 While still a very young man, Nicholas Scull was actively engaged in 
 surveying the wild and uncultivated parts of the province of Pennsylvania, 
 and thus acquired a knowledge of the Indian dialects, several of which he 
 spoke with fluency. He was, in consequence, frequently called upon to act 
 as one of the interpreters between the Indian chiefs (some of whom where 
 his friends) and the agents of Penn, and he was present at many councils 
 and treaty ratifications with the Delaware and Conestoga tribes. The 
 earliest occasion recorded on which he acted as interpreter was at a council 
 held in Philadelphia, April 18, 1728, when, after all business was transacted, 
 it was " ordered that three matchcoats be given to James Letort (an Indian 
 trader) and John Scull, to be by them delivered to AUummapus, Mr. Mon- 
 tour, and Manawkyhickon, etc." 
 
 In one of the publications of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, it is 
 stated that on the 22d of June, 1726, Governor Gordon arrived in the pro- 
 vince with a commission from Springett Penn, the grandson and heir of 
 
380 NOTES. 
 
 William Penn. Some trouble having arisen " by reason of some rude in- 
 sults from a few strange Indians, who ranged among the inhabitants of the 
 province, and some anxiety existing among those who relied on the continu- 
 ance of the protection and friendship exhibited toward them during the life 
 of William Penn, Governor Gordon appointed a council to be held with them 
 at Conestoga, to which place he repaired in person." The council was held 
 at the Indian town above named on the 26th of May, 1728, and concluded 
 on the 27th. There were present four chiefs of the Conestoga tribe, three 
 of the Delaware Indians on the Brandywine, five of the Gawanese, and three 
 chiefs of the Shawanese tribes. Shakawtawlin, or Sam, interpreter from 
 the English into the Delaware ; Captain Civility, from the Delaware into 
 the Shawanese and Mingoe (alias Conestogoe) ; Pomapechtoe, from the 
 Delaware into the Gawanese language ; and Nicholas Scull, John Scull (his 
 brother), and Peter Bizallion acted as assistant interpreters. Conciliatory 
 speeches were addressed to them by the Governor, and presents of strowd 
 matchcoats, duffells, blantets, shirts, gunpowder, lead flints, and knives, 
 were delivered. One of the Conestoga chiefs replied (which was rendered 
 into English by John Scull on the second day of the council) ; then belts of 
 wampum of eight rows, and wampum of four strings were presented to the 
 Governor as a pledge of amity, and after rum, bread, tobacco, and pipes, 
 were delivered to them, and particular presents of a strowd matchcoat and 
 a shirt to Captain Civility, and the same to Sam, and one shirt to Poma- 
 pecktya, and the Governor taking each of the chiefs by the hand, the coun- 
 cil terminated, and the Indians departed for their homes. 
 
 In the year 1730 Nicholas Scull, accompanied by his apprentice, John 
 Lukens, was sent by the Provincial Government into what is now Northamp- 
 ton County, around the Delaware Water Gap, to report upon the occupation 
 of certain lands by the Hollanders, who had tilled their soil unmolested, and 
 which extended for forty miles on both sides of the river. Here they had 
 dwelt in a little secluded Ai-cadia for nearly one hundred years, quite un- 
 known to the outside world. The venerable Samuel Preston wrote in 1828, 
 concerning this very curious fact, as follows : — 
 
 "In 1787 the writer went on his first surveying tour into Northampton 
 County. He was deputy under John Lukens, Surveyor-General, and re- 
 ceived from him, by way of instruction, the following narrative respecting 
 the settlement of Meenesink, on the Delaware River, above the Kittatinny, 
 or Blue Mountains ; that the settlement was formed a long time before it 
 was known to the Government of Philadelphia ; that when the Government 
 was informed of the said settlement, they passed a law in 1729, that any 
 such purchases of the Indians should be void, and the purchasers indicted 
 for forcible entry and detainer, according to the laws of England; that in 
 1730 they appointed an agent to go and investigate the facts ; that the agent 
 so appointed was the famous surveyor, Nicholas Scull ; and that he, John 
 Lukens, was then N. Scull's apprentice to carry the chain and learn survey- 
 ing ; that he accompanied N. Scull, as they both understood and could talk 
 
NOTES, 381 
 
 Indian. They hired Indian guides and had a fatiguing journey, there being 
 then no white inhabitants in the upper part of Bucks or Northampton County; 
 they had a very great difficulty to lead their horses through the Water Gap 
 to Meeneslnk Flats, which were all settled with Hollanders. With several 
 they could only be understood in Indian. At the venerable Samuel Dupuis's 
 they found great hospitality and plenty of the necessaries of life. John 
 Lukens said the first thing that struck his admiration was a grove of apple 
 trees, of size far beyond any near Philadelphia. And further, that as 
 Nicholas Scull and himself examined the banks, they were fully of opinion 
 that all these flats had at some former age been a deep lake, before the river 
 broke through the mountain, and that the best interpretation they could 
 make of Meenesink was, "the water is gone ; " that Sam Dupuis told them 
 that when the rivers were frozen he had a good road to Esopus from the 
 mine-holes, on the mine road, some one hundred miles, and that he took his 
 wheat and cider there for salt and necessaries, and did not appear to have 
 any knowledge or idea where the river ran, where Philadelphia market was, 
 or of their being in the government of Pennsylvania. They were of opinion 
 that the first settlements of Hollanders in Meenesink were many years older 
 than William Penn's charter; and, as Samuel Dupuis had treated them so 
 well, they concluded to make a survey of his claim, in order to befriend him 
 if necessary. When they began to survey the Indians gathered around. An 
 old Indian laid his hand on Nicholas Scull's shoulder and said : " Put up iron 
 string. Go home." That they then quit and returned. ' 
 
 Before the death of William Penn, a grant of land had been made to him 
 by the Delaware Indians for a certain consideration. He was to have as 
 much land as a man could walk over in a day or a day and a half. There 
 are conflicting statements as to the time ; but the latter is believed to be 
 correct. Why the terms of the grant had never been carried out before has 
 not, as far as known, been explained. However, in September, 1737, it 
 was decided by the Governor and Council to claim the execution of the 
 stipulations of the grant, and agents were appointed to carry it out. They 
 accordingly proceeded to Bucks County, and the distance was walked over 
 by James Yeates and Edward Marshall, who had been selected for the 
 occasion by the Governor and Council. Nicholas Scull and the Surveyor 
 General of Bucks County, Benjamin Eastburn, and others were present, 
 besides the Indians. "Lady Jenks," as she was called, was also present. 
 Thomas Penn, the Governor, was represented as a man of a cold and formal 
 deportment. 
 
 "But, it would seem, however, he was sufficiently susceptible of softer 
 and warmer emotions, he having, it was said, brought with him to this 
 country, as an occasional companion, a person of much show and display 
 called ' Lady Jenks,' who passed her time ' remote from the city,' in the then 
 wilds of Bucks County ; but her beauty, accomplishments, and expert horse- 
 manship made her soon of notoriety enough to make every woman, old and 
 young, in the country her chronicle. They say she rode with him at fox- 
 
382 NOTES. 
 
 huntings, and at the famous 'Indian walk,' in men's clothes (meaning, 
 without doubt, tEeir simple conceptions of the masculine appearance of her 
 riding-habit array), garbed like a man in a petticoat." 
 
 * This "great walk," as it was caUed, was from that time until after the 
 Revolution a very sore subject with the Delaware Indians of that locality, 
 and was for many years, in Bucks County, the occasion of much discussion 
 and angry animadversion against the Provincial Government. Dr. John 
 Watson, the father of the annalist, sided very warmly with the "poor 
 Indians," for whom he was always a strenuous advocate. He alleges that 
 they were cheated out of their lands by the Provincial Government, and 
 wrote a circumstantial narrative, which was deposited in the library of the 
 Philosophical Society of Philadelphia. It is entitled " A Narrative, by 
 John Watson, of the Indian Walk, being a Purchase of Land made of the 
 Indians in Pennsylvania^" 1756. This, the writer regrets, he has never had 
 the opportunity of perusing ; but it appears that it is asserted in it that ' ' the 
 Government publicly advertised a fee of £5 for the greatest walker for one 
 day, and procured Marshall, who ran over four times as much ground as the 
 Indians expected." Dr. Watson argues and supposes that all the country 
 northwest of Wrightstown meeting-house was taken from the Delawares 
 without compensation. His son, in his "Annals," says: — 
 
 " Complaints were made about the year 1755, '56, by Tedenscung, at the 
 head of the Delaware Indians, that they had been cheated in their lands, 
 bought on one-and-a-half day's walk along the Neshamina and forks of the 
 Delaware, back forty-seven miles (N. Scull says fifty-five statute miles) to 
 the mountains ; and I have seen the whole repelled in a long manuscript 
 report to Governor Dennie by the Committee of Council, in which the 
 history of all the Indian treaties is given, and wherein they declare that 
 till that time (1757) the Penn Proprietaries had more than fulfilled all their 
 obligations by treaties, etc., paying for some purchases, to diiferent and sub- 
 sequent nations, over and over again. The paper contained much reasoning 
 and argument to justify the then Penns." 
 
 Incorporated in the above report or defence was the following, from 
 Nicholas Scull, Surveyor-General — 
 
 "Who came into Council, and acquainted the Governor that in September, 
 1737, he was present at running the line of the Indian purchase of the lands 
 in the forks of the Delaware, with respect to which the Proprietaries were, 
 as he was informed, publicly charged with defrauding the Indians ; that he 
 had, put down in writing what he had remembered about it, and requested 
 that he might be examined thereto, which being done he signed the paper, 
 and his affirmation was ordered to be entered as follows : — 
 
 "Nicholas Scull, of the city of Philadelphia, surveyor, on his solemn 
 aflarmation according to law, saith, that he was present when James Yeates 
 and Edward Marshall, together with some Indians, walked one day and a 
 half back in the woods, pursuant to a grant of land made by the Delaware 
 Indians to the Hon. the late Proprietary, William Penn, deceased; that 
 
NOTES. 383 
 
 the said day-and-a-lialf s walk was begun at a place near Wrightstown, in 
 the county of Bucks, some time in September, 1737, and continued from 
 the place aforesaid to some distance beyoiid the Kittatinny mountains ; that 
 he believes the whole distance walked not to be more than fifty-five statute 
 miles ; that Benjamin Eastburn, Surveyor General, Timothy Smith, Sheriff 
 of said county of Bucks, and he, this affirmant, attended at the said day- 
 and-a-half's walk from the beginning until the same was ended ; that he well 
 remembers that particular care was taken not to exceed the time of one day 
 and a half, or eighteen hours ; that he, this affirmant, then thought, and 
 still thinks the said walk to be fairly performed, and believes that the said 
 walkers did not run or go out of a walk at any time, nor does he remember 
 that those Indians who were present made any complaint of unfair practice ; 
 that Benjamin Eastburn and this affirmant, with some others, lodged the 
 night after the said walk was completed at an Indian town called Poakopoh- 
 kunk, where there were many of the Delawares, among whom he well 
 remembers there was one called Captain Harrison, a noted man among the 
 'Indians ; and this affirmant further saith, that he does not remember that the 
 said Captain Harrison, or any other of the Indians, made any complaint, or 
 showed the least uneasiness at anything that was done relating to the said 
 day-and-a-half's walk ; and he verily believes that if any complaint had 
 been made, or uneasiness shown by the Indians concerning said walk, he 
 must have heard and remembered it. 
 
 Nich's Scull. 
 
 Affirmed in Council, 25th January, 1757. 
 
 Wm. Denny." 
 
 Compared with the recent pedestrian feats of Weston and others fifty-five 
 statute miles in one-day-and-a^half s walking, even through the woods, does 
 not seem to be a very great achievement. But it is quite certain the Indians 
 thought differently about the distance gone over, for the authority above 
 quoted says : — 
 
 ' ' The Indians always cherished a spirit of revenge against Marshall, and a 
 party of warriors once came from their settlement at Wyoming to seek his 
 life. He was from home, but his wife was made prisoner, and his children 
 escaped by an Indian thoughtlessly throwing his matchcoat over a bee-hive, 
 which caused the party to be so attacked and stung that they went off with- 
 out the children. The mother, being pregnant, could not keep up with the 
 party, and her bones and remains were found six months afterward on the 
 Broad Mountain. 
 
 "In the Revolutionary war the Indian warriors again returned from west 
 of the Ohio into Tinicum or Noxamixon Township, still aiming at Marshall's 
 life, and he again escaped by being from home. They then went back 
 through New Jersey. This they told themselves after the peace. When 
 Edward Marshall, who performed the extraordinary Indian walk, became 
 offended with his reward, he cursed Penn and his ' half- wife' to their faces." 
 
384 NOTES. 
 
 Kicholas Scull was elected Sheriff of Philadelphia in the years 1744, '45, 
 and '46. Jn the " Annals" it is mentioned that it is known that the first 
 person who ever had the boldness to publish himself as a candidate for 
 Sheriff, and to laud his own merits, occurred in the person of Mordecai Lloyd, 
 in the year 1744, begging the good people for their votes by his publications 
 in English and German. At the same time Nicholas Scull, an opposing 
 candidate, resorted to the same measure, and apologized for ' ' the new 
 mode" as imposed upon him by the practice of others. 
 
 On the 10th of June, 1748, he succeeded William Parsons as Surveyor- 
 General. On the 21st of October, 1758, a grand council was held with the 
 Indians at Easton (where his two sons, Nicholas and Jasper, lived), where 
 the members of the Pennsylvania Council received a message from Mr. 
 Conrad Weiser, "that the chiefs of the United Nations were met in council 
 with their nephews, the Delawares, at the house of Nicholas Scull, and that 
 the Delawares had something to say to their uncles," etc., etc. This was 
 the last time, probably, that he acted as interpreter. 
 
 In 1752 an English surveyor appeared in the province, and made some 
 adverse criticisms upon the pi-actice of his profession, which called forth 
 the following letter from the Surveyor-General, Nicholas Scull, to K. Peters : 
 
 Philadelphia, March 17, 1753. 
 Sir: — I have perused Mr. Jack's letter, and think his method of finding 
 the meridian, the tangent line, and running the circumference of the circle 
 to be good, as well as plain and easier to be conceived. His opinion also of 
 the insufficiency of the needle in running of long lines is doubtless very 
 just. But I must own myself at a loss to understand him when he says 
 that there is nothing at all in the objection that a line run with stakes will 
 be an arch of a great circle, and not a parallel of latitude, or east and west 
 line. For my part, I must confess that I always understood an east and 
 west line and a parallel of latitude to mean the same thing, and I conceive 
 nothing more evident than that a great circle cannot be a parallel of latitude. 
 If so, then a line run with stakes cannot be an east and west line. How- 
 ever, as I am convinced by Mr. Jack's letter that he is far superior to me 
 in mathematical learning, I shall at present submit to his better judgment ; but 
 lest some people on this side the water should think him mistaken on this 
 point, I think it my duty to advise the having it settled at home before the 
 lines between the provinces are begun. I am your assured friend, 
 
 Nicholas Scull. 
 To EicHAKD Peteks, Esq. 
 
 N. B. — I forgot to observe above that we have no such instrument as 
 Mr. Jack mentions. 
 
 There are still extant, in good preservation, a number of admirably exe- 
 cuted maps of Philadelphia, and views of the river front of the city, of an 
 early date, from the office of the Surveyor General, bearing his own imprint 
 
NOTES. 385 
 
 and that of Scull & Heap. He died in the year 1761-'62, in Philadelphia, 
 and was buried in the old family ground near Scheetz's mill, at Whitemarsh. 
 His tombstone was standing forty years ago, but has since disappeared. The 
 headstone of his wife still remained two or three years ago. On it was the 
 following inscription, written by him: — 
 
 To the memory of Abigail, the wife of Nicholas Scull, 
 
 who departed this life the 2Xst of May, 1753, aged 
 
 sixty-five years. 
 
 " The ashes of the tender wife lie here — 
 The tender mother and the friend sincere : 
 Her mind each female ornament possessed. 
 And virtue reigned triumphant in her breast." 
 
 Another interment was made in the ground, near the above, early in the 
 present century, that was attended by an aged aunt of Mr. Samuel J. Chris- 
 tian's. It was of Lydia, the daughter of Mrs. Mary Scull Biddle, who 
 married Captain McFunn, of the Royal Navy, and Governor of the Island 
 of Antigua, whose only son — William Biddle McFunn — took the surname 
 of Biddle, in conformity with the wish of his uncle Edward, who left him a 
 large estate. He married Lydia Spencer.- His grandfather — William 
 Biddle — was the son of the William Biddle who emigrated in tjie time of 
 William Penn from England to West Jersey. Mrs. Mary Biddle inherited 
 from her father his poetic faculty — for she too "loved books, and sometimes 
 made verses." Many of these have been preserved in the family, but I 
 am not aware of any of them ever having appeared in print. The follow- 
 ing impromptu, from her pen, was written July 20th, 1788, and was 
 addressed to her niece, Sally Tellier, who was about to embark for England, 
 on her way to Berne, Switzerland : — . 
 
 " While you to distant climes prepare to go, 
 I too must travel, but I travel slow. 
 Near eighty years since first I saw the light. 
 And now approaches near the expected night. 
 Tou different nations, various scenes, wiil meet ; 
 See rocks and precipices beneath your feet ; 
 Mountains whose summits seem to reach the skies, 
 With pastoral cottages beneath them rise ; 
 While I a foreign country must explore. 
 From whose lone banks and desolated shore 
 No traveller returns to tell us where 
 This country lies, or who inhabits there. 
 Ah, no 1 My fancy paints its verdant plains. 
 Delightful groves, and clear, transparent streams ; 
 Its bowers of bliss — for Peace herself is there, 
 And from her presence flies that harpy. Care. 
 Love, faith, and joy divine the soul employ, 
 And raptures such as saints enthroned enjoy I 
 25 
 
386 NOTES. 
 
 This is the country I have striyen to gain — 
 Through life's long pilgrimage my constant aim. 
 Sweet, cheering Hope attends me on my way, 
 And leaves me not, I trust, on that important day. 
 May you, my dear relation, friendship meet. 
 And every good, in Berne's delightful seat. 
 Blest in a husband and an only son. 
 My prayers you'll have until my course is run. 
 
 "God bless you ! 
 
 " From your affectionate aunt, 
 
 " Mary Biddle." 
 
 The old burial-ground of the " Scull family" — mentioned in a recent 
 chapter of Wescott's " History of Philadelphia" — formed part of " Spring- 
 field Manor," an estate of four hundred acres that was purchased by Nicho- 
 las Scull in 1688, and laid out on December 24, 1692. 
 
 John Lukens was a native of Horsham, and succeeded to the Surveyor- 
 Generalship on the death of Nicholas Scull, in December, 1768. John 
 Biddle was also an apprentice with John Lukens under Nicholas Scull, 
 and married, in 1736, Sarah Owen, daughter of Owen Owen. James, the 
 youngest son of the Surveyor, married twice, and had five sons and three 
 daughters. His oldest son, Peter, was born December, 1753, and was bred a 
 lawyer, but entered the Continental army as major. He was aide-de-camp to 
 General Washington at the battle of White Plains. He was an accomplished 
 and gallant officer, and was one of three candidates for the office of Secre- 
 tary of the Board of War. Washington indorsed his claims before a com- 
 mittee of Congress bj' saying : " Gentlemen, Major Scull is a young man, 
 but an old officer." He was a friend and connection by marriage with 
 Alexander Graydon, the author of "The Memoirs," etc., and is several 
 times mentioned in that work. His commission as major of a regiment of 
 foot commanded by Colonel John Patton is dated January 11th, 1777. He 
 was also Secretary of the Board of War July 17th, 1779. His name is ap- 
 pended to the commission granted by Congress to Henry Savage, gentleman, 
 to be second lieutenant in Colonel Crane's regiment of artillery. His health 
 failing, he was ordered abroad by his physician, and sailed from Chester for 
 France, October 20th, 1779, in the frigate Confederacy, but he died at sea, 
 as certified to by Nathan Dorsey, surgeon of the ship, December 4th, 1779. 
 The late Andrew Graydon, of Harrisburg, had in his possession in 1850 
 Major Scull's papers. There were letters referring to his illness, his will, 
 an inventory of his books, clothing, etc., and some note-books. His will is 
 dated November 23d, 1779. To his friend. Dr. Potts, he bequeathed the 
 thanks of a dying man ; to his friend, Alexander Graydon, his pocket-pistols ; 
 to Geo. Lux the sword given to him by his honored father-in-law, and his 
 friend and protector, Edward Biddle ; to Colonel Morgan Conner his green- 
 
NOTES. 387 
 
 hilted hanger; and to Colonel Patten, of Philadelphia, his silver buckles. 
 His executors were his mother (his father's second wife), Susannah, and his 
 friends James Biddle and Alexander Grajdon. 
 
 A tragical occurrence is thus related in the Gentleman' s Magazine: — 
 " Philadelphia.— On Wednesday, August 27th, 1760, Mr. Robert Scull, of 
 this place, with some company, was playing at billiards, whe'n Mr. Bruleman, 
 lately an officer in the Royal American regiment, was present, who without 
 the least provocation levelled a loaded gun he had with him, and shot Mr. 
 Scull through the body as he was going to strike his ball ; for which he 
 was afterward tried, and on the 8th of October executed. Bruleman was by 
 trade a silversmith, which business he left and went into the army, where he 
 was an officer in the royal American Regiment, but was discharged on being 
 detected in counterfeiting or uttering counterfeit money. He then returned 
 to Philadelphia ; and, growing insupportable to himself, and yet being un- 
 willing to put an end to his own life, he determined upon the commission of 
 some crime for which he might get hanged by the law. Having formed 
 this design, he loaded his gun with a brace of balls and asked his landlord 
 to go a-shooting with him — intending to murder him before he returned. 
 But his landlord, not choosing to go, escaped the danger. He then went 
 out and met Dr. Cadwalader, who spoke to him so politely that it quite 
 turned him from his purpose against him. He then went to a public house, 
 where he drank some liquor ; and hearing people at play at billiards in a 
 room above stairs, he went up to them, and was talkative, facetious, and 
 seemingly good humored. After some time he called to the landlord, and 
 desired him to hang up the gun. Mr. Scull, who was at play, having struck 
 his antagonist's ball into one of the pockets, Bruleman said to him : ' Sir, 
 you are a good marksman, and I will now show you a fine stroke.' He 
 immediately levelled his piece and took aim at Mr. Scull (who imagined 
 him in jest), and shot both the balls through his body. He then went up to 
 Mr. Scull (who did not expire nor lose his senses till a considerable time 
 after), and said to him: ' Sir, I had no malice or ill-will against you — for 
 I never saw you before ; but I was determined to kill somebody that I might 
 be hanged, and you happened to be the man ; and as you are a very likely 
 young man, I am sorry for your misfortune.' Mr. Scull had time to send 
 for his friends and to make his will. He forgave his murderer, and, if it 
 could be done, desired that he might be pardoned." 
 
 Of this unfortunate affair, Charles Biddle has left the following account, 
 which should have been inserted in its proper place. Robert Scull was his 
 cousin. 
 
 Sitting one evening at my mother's door with Captain 
 Eobert Scull, a cousin of my mother's, one Bruleman went 
 by. He was a genteel looking man. As he walked along 
 he had a cane in his hand, which he kept throwing up, and 
 
388 NOTES. 
 
 catching as it fell. Mr. Scull inquired what strange fellow 
 that was. I told him he was a jeweller, who lived with a 
 Mr. Milne, a few doors from us ; that he had been an officer 
 in the army, hut was dismissed the service on suspicion of 
 being concerned with some coiners ; that he appeared to be 
 an inoffensive man, but was supposed, since his dismissal, 
 to be a little deranged. Mr. Scull expressed himself a good 
 deal concerned for him. A day or two after this, Bruleman 
 went to the Schuylkill with a loaded gun with an intention 
 to shoot himself in the woods, but he said he could not do 
 it. He was then determined to shoot some person in order 
 that he might be executed. The first he met after he had 
 made up his mind was Dr. Cadwalader, who politely pulled 
 off his hat to him. This saved the Doctor. Another person 
 he met spoke to him in so kind a manner, that he could not 
 shoot him. One other he saw in the woods, but he said there 
 was no person that could be a witness against him. He then 
 went into the billiard room at the Centre Tavern, pulled off 
 his coat and hung it up. Captain Scull was then playing. 
 In passing by where the coat was, he accidentally threw it 
 down ; and immediately after, making a good stroke, Brule- 
 man took up his gun and presenting it at Captain Scull, say- 
 ing at the same time, " Sir, you have made a good stroke, I 
 will show you a better," and fired across the table. One of 
 the balls went through his body and lodged in the door. He 
 walked to the corner of the room, leaned upon his mace 
 which broke, and he fell. When the gentlemen in the room 
 went up to him, he said, " The villain has murdered me." 
 In the confusion, Bruleman could have got off, but this he 
 did not want. He requested one of the company to load his 
 piece and shoot him. He was carried to gaol, and soon after 
 tried and executed. He suffered with great fortitude, appear- 
 ing anxious to leave the world, saying no man should remain 
 in it who had lost his character. Captain Scull was in the 
 prime of life, and had just acquired an independent fortune. 
 
 See also Watson's Annals, vol. i. p. 560. 
 
NOTES. 389 
 
 Mr. Robert Scull was buried at the corner of Fifth and Arch streets. 
 He left a son, John, a minor, who wns sent to Carlisle to be educated — a 
 faithful slave, Caesar, attending him. John Biddle and John Lukens are 
 named in Mr. Scull's will as his brothers-in-law. 
 
 Nicholas Scull, the Surveyor-General, had nine children, viz. ; Mary 
 (born August 2, 1709, died, 1790, in Philadelphia), married William Biddle, 
 father of Charles Biddle; Nicholas, born October 26, 1711 ; Elizabeth, born 
 April 2, 1714; Edward, born October 26, 1716; Jasper, born December 3, 
 1718; John, born January 28, 1721 died March 21, 1769; Abigail, born 
 December 28, 1 724 ; Ann Scull, born November 13, 1727; and James, born 
 November 22, 1730. 
 
 Edward, John, Jasper, and James Scull, sons of Nicholas Scull (second), 
 removed to Reading, Pennsylvania, where some of their descendants still 
 reside. John Scull, a son of Jasper Scull, went to Pittsburgh in 1786, and 
 established the Pittsburgh Gazette, which was the first newspaper published 
 west of the Allegheny Mountains. This John Scull was the ancestor of the 
 branch of the family settled in Westmoreland County of this State. Nich- 
 olas Scull, the oldest son of the Surveyor-General, according to the records 
 of Christ Church, was married October 7, 1732, to Rebecca Thompson. 
 
 Descendants of James Scull (brother of Mrs. William Biddle) are living 
 in Florida, and the Rev. William Dundas Scull, a clergyman of the Episco- 
 pal Church, recently died in Alabama or Florida. 
 
 The wife of the late Alderman Peter Christian, of this city (sister of the 
 late William Biddle Scull), was a lineal descendant of Joseph Scull, sixth 
 son of Nicholas Scull (first), her father being Benjamin Franklin Scull, a 
 godson of Dr. Franklin. Two of her brothers settled in Arkansas (Pine 
 Bluff) about 1800 ; and one brother, Joseph, went to.Cuba about the same 
 time, all leaving numerous descendants. 
 
 For the information contained in this note, we are indebted to Mr. G. D. 
 I Scull, now residing at Rugby Lodge, Oxford, England. 
 
 NOTE C. (Page 75.) 
 
 Edward Biddle, brother of Charles Biddle, was born in 1738, and at the 
 age of sixteen entered the Provincial Army, the name of ' ' Ensign Biddle' ' 
 appearing under the head of " Provincial Officers — 1754," in Pennsylvania 
 Archives, 2d series, vol. 2, p. 557-8. He was again appointed in 1757 
 ensign in Colonel Burd's battalion of the Pennsylvania Regiment and pro- 
 moted to lieutenant in 1759. February 24, 1760, he was commissioned a 
 captain in Colonel Hugh Mercer's battalion. (Same vol., p. 607.) 
 
390 NOTES. 
 
 He served in the campaign of General Forbes in 1758, and was present 
 at the capture of Fort Du Quesne (now Pittsburgh) in November of that 
 year. It is believed that he was also at the capture of Fort Niagara the 
 following year by the celebrated Sir William Johnson. 
 
 He subsequently resigned from the army, receiving for his services a 
 grant of five thousand acres of land, and, after the usual course of study, 
 established himself as a lawyer in Reading, Berks County. 
 
 He represented that county in the Assembly of Pennsylvania from 1767 
 to 1775, and in October, 1774, was chosen Speaker, in place of Mr Galloway. 
 "Mr. Biddle," says Gordon, "had long represented Berks County, and 
 enjoyed the confidence of the House in an eminent degree, being placed 
 upon the most important committees,'and taking an active part in all current 
 business." 
 
 A meeting of the freeholders of the county of Berks was held at Reading, 
 July 2, 17 74, to consider the Boston Port Bill, at which Edward Biddle 
 presided. Resolutions of the most decided character were adopted and 
 "the thanks of the assembly were unanimously voted to the chairman for 
 the patriotic and spirited manner in which he pointed out the dangerous 
 situation of all the American colonies, occasioned by the unconstitutional 
 measures lately adopted by the British Parliament, expressing at the same 
 time loyalty to our sovereign, and the most warm and tender regard for the 
 liberties of America." 
 
 In July, 1774, he was elected, with seven others, to represent Pennsyl- 
 vania in the first Continental Congress. That body met on the 5th of Sep- 
 tember. Mr. Biddle was present during the whole of the session and took 
 a prominent position, being placed on important committees. 
 
 He was again elected a delegate to Congress in December, 1774, and in 
 November, 1775. He was also a member of the Provincial Convention, 
 held in Philadelphia, January 23 to 28, 1775. 
 
 It was about this time that he met with the accident mentioned in the 
 text, which permanently disabled him from taking any further active share 
 in public affairs. On the 15th of March, 1775, he resigned the Speakership 
 on account of ill health, and was unable to attend the Congress of that year. 
 We find him, however, chosen by the Assembly, June 30, 1775, together 
 with his brother James, and his cousin, Owen Biddle,* a member of the 
 Committee of Safety. 
 
 In 1778 he again became a member of the Assembly, and on the 20th of 
 November was chosen, with six others, a delegate in Congress for the ensu- 
 ing year. The next day, ' ' Mr. Biddle, one of the gentlemen chosen yester- 
 day to represent this State in Congress, informed the House that his state 
 of health, as well as his private affairs, could not, consistent with a regard 
 to either, permit him to accept the honor they had done him, and therefore 
 desired that he might have leave to resign, which was accordingly granted." 
 
 * See note H. 
 
NOTES. 391 
 
 On 5th February, 1779, he was appointed with three others upon a com- 
 mittee to bring in a "bill for the abolition of slavery within this State." 
 In March, 1779, the House proceeded to elect three delegates to Congress 
 in the room of Edward Biddle, Dr. Roberdeau, and William Clingan. His 
 last appearance in public life was in the Assembly in March, 1779 ; and on 
 the 5th of September of that year he died at Chatsworth, near Baltimore, 
 the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Lux. In St. Paul's churchyard, Balti- 
 more, upon a flat tombstone, is the following inscription : — 
 
 Under this Stone 
 
 are deposited the remains of 
 
 Edward Biddle, Esq., Counsellor at 
 
 Law, 
 
 Some time Speaker of the House of Assembly of 
 
 Pennsylvania, 
 
 And Delegate in the first and second 
 
 Congress. 
 
 He departed this life Sept. 5, 1779, 
 
 In the 41st year of his age. 
 
 General Wilkinson says in his Memoirs (vol. i. p. 330): "I took 
 Reading in my route, and passed some days in that place, where I had 
 several dear and respected friends, and among them Edward Biddle, Esq., 
 a man whose public and private virtues commanded respect, and excited' 
 admiration from all persons ; he was Speaker of the last Assembly of Penn- 
 sylvania under the Proprietary government, and in the dawn of the Revo- 
 lution devoted himself to the cause of his country, and successfully opposed 
 the overbearing influence of Joseph Galloway. Ardent, eloquent, and full 
 of zeal, by his exertions during several days and nights of obstinate, warm, 
 and animated discussion, in extreme sultry weather, he overheated himself, 
 and brought on an inflammatory rheumatism and surfeit, which radically 
 destroyed his health, and ultimately deprived Society of one of its greatest 
 ornaments, and his country of a statesman, a patriot, and a soldier: for he 
 had served several campaigns in the war of 1756, and if his health had been 
 spared would, no doubt, have occupied the second or third place in the 
 Revolutionary armies." 
 
 The notice of him which appeared at his death, written by Mr. James 
 Read, then a member of the Supreme Executive Council, has been inserted 
 at page 127. 
 
 In his forced retirement near the close of his life, when distressed by the 
 vexatious and conflicting proceedings of the different State authorities, he 
 is thus mentioned by Graydon, p.. 265 : — 
 
 " Mr. Edward Biddle, then in a declining state of health, and no longer 
 in Congress, apparently entertained sentiments not accordant with the 
 measures pursuing ; and, in the fervid style of elocution for which he was 
 
392 NOTES. 
 
 distinguished, he often exclaimed that he really knew not what to wish for. 
 ' The subjugation of my country,' he would say, ' I deprecate as a grievous 
 calamity, and yet sicken at the idea of thirteen unconnected, petty democ- 
 racies ; if we are to be independent, let us, in the name of God, at once 
 have an empire, and place Washington at the head of it.'" 
 
 In 1761 Edward Biddle married Elizabeth Ross, daughter of the Kev. 
 Mr. Ross, a clergyman of the Church of England, and brother of the dis- 
 tinguished George Ross. Two daughters were born of this marriage, 
 Catharine, married to George Lux, of Baltimore, and Abigail, married to 
 Dr. Falls, of Maryland. Neither of these left any descendants. 
 
 See Sketch of Edward Biddle, by Craig Biddle, in vol. i. of Pennsyl- 
 vania Magazine of History ; also Graydon's Memoirs. 
 
 The following extract from the Colonial Records, vol. iv., contains a 
 letter written by Edward Biddle, then a youth of seventeen, in the year 
 1755, when there was an alarm occasioned by an Indian incursion about 
 where the town of Womelsdorf now stands. 
 
 "A Letter from Mr. Edward Biddle at Reading to his Father in the City. 
 
 " M^ dearest Father: — I'm in so much horror and Confusion I scarce 
 know what I am writing. The Drum is beating to Arms and Bells ringing 
 & all the people under Arms. Within these two hours we have had differ- 
 ent tho' too uncertain Accts all corroborating each other, and this moment 
 is an Express arrived dispatch'd from Michael Reis' at Tulpehoccon, 18 
 miles above this Town, who left about 30 of their people engaged with about 
 an equal number of Indians at the s'd Reis'. This night we expect an attack, 
 truly alarming is our situation. The people exclaim against the Quakers, 
 & some are scarce restrained from burning the Houses of those few who are 
 in This Town. Oh my Country ! My bleeding Country ! I recommend 
 myself to the divine God of Armies. Give my dutiful Love to my dearest 
 Mother and my best love to Ijrother Jemmy. 
 
 I am, Honored Sir, Your most affectionate & obedient Son, 
 
 E. Biddle. 
 
 Sunday, 1 o'clock. I have rather lessened than exaggerated our Melan- 
 choly Account. 
 
 Copied from the original. 
 
 James Biddle." 
 
NOTES. 393 
 
 NOTE D. (Page 110.) 
 
 The first commission of Nicholas Biddle runs as follows : — 
 
 In Committee op Safety. 
 To Nicholas Biddle, Esquire. 
 
 We reposing especial trust and confidence in your Patriotism, Valour, con- 
 duct and Fidelity, Do by these Presents constitute and appoint you to be 
 Captain of the Provincial Armed Boat, called the Franklin fitted out for 
 the protection of the Province of Pennsylvania, and the Commerce of the 
 River Delaware, against all hostile Enterprizes, and for the defence of 
 American Liberty : you are therefore to take the said Boat into your charge, 
 and carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of Captain by doing and 
 performing all manner of things thereunto belonging. And we do strictly 
 charge and require all Officers, Soldiers and Mariners under your command 
 to be obedient to your orders, as Captain. And you are to observe and 
 follow such orders and directions from time to time, as you shall receive from 
 the Assembly or Provincial Convention, during their Sessions, or from this 
 or a future Committee of Safety for this Province, or from your Superior 
 Officer, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, pursuant to the trust 
 reposed in you ; this commission to continue in force until revoked by the 
 Assembly or Provincial Convention, or by this or any succeeding Committee 
 of Safety. 
 
 By order of the Committee. 
 
 B. Franklin, Presid't. 
 
 Philadelphia, August, 1st 1775. 
 Wmk. Govktt, Sec'ty. 
 
 Captain Blake, who commanded the Marines on board the Moultrie, thus 
 describes the engagement in which the Randolph was blown up : — 
 
 Dear Sir : — Agreeable to your request I would endeavor to recollect and 
 state what happened during the unfortunate cruise in which the Randolph 
 was blown up. I was ordered with a detachment of the 2nd South Caro- 
 lina Continental Regiment, to embai-k on board the General Moultrie, and 
 sailed in company with the Randolph and the Briggs Notre Dame, Fair 
 American and Polly, in the month of February, 1778. The object of this 
 Armament was understood to be an attack on the Carysford frigate, Perseus 
 twenty-gun ship, and Hinchenbrook brig of sixteen guns, who had for some 
 time annoyed the trade of this place, and so completely blockaded it that 
 very few vessels escaped them either bound in or out. Our little squadron 
 was sometime detained in Rebellion Roads, by contrary winds, and the want 
 of a full tide to carry the Randolph out ; her draft of water being eighteen 
 feet. The first chance that offered we proceeded to sea and were over the 
 
394 NOTES. 
 
 bar by eight o'clock in the morning, and after discharging the pilots stood 
 to the eastward without seeing any enemy. The next day we retook a dis- 
 masted ship from New England, which had been taken by a small ship from 
 St. Augustine, called the Lord George Germain, which having no cargo on 
 board, after taking out the people with six light guns and a few stores we 
 set her on fire. From this time nothing extraordinary happened till our 
 arrival in the West Indies when we cruised to the eastward and nearly in 
 the latitude of the Barbados and for several days had stopped and examined 
 a number of French and Dutch vessels. The only English vessel that we 
 saw, was a schooner from New York to Grenada, who mistook us for an 
 English squadron, and never discovered the mistake till he spoke the Polly 
 who took possession of her. 
 
 The day this capture was made I dined on board the Randolph, when, I 
 recollect, Capt. Biddle expressed himself to this effect: "We have been 
 cruising here for some time and have spoken a number of vessels who will no 
 doubt give information, and I should not be surprised if my old ship should 
 be sent alter us, but as to anything that mounts her guns on one deck, I 
 think myself a match for her." I don't recollect her name, but understood 
 her to be a 50 or 60 gunship which he had formerly served on board of, 
 and which was then supposed to be the only two-decker the British had in . 
 the West Indies. Two or perhaps three days after this, about 3 o'clock in 
 the afternoon a signal was made from the Randolph for a sail to windward 
 in consequence of which the squadron hauled on the wind, and stood for her. 
 It was near 4 o'clock before she could be seen from our quarterdeck when I 
 could plainly discover through a glass that she was a ship. About 6 o'clock 
 I again looked at her through the glass, and if I had not before satisfied my- 
 self of her being a ship I should without hesitation have declared her to be a 
 large sloop. At this time she had neared us so much that her topsails were 
 out of water and her topgallant sails being handed and she coming down 
 before the wind she had the appearance of a large sloop with only a square- 
 sail set. About 7 o'clock the Randolph, being to windward, hove to ; the 
 Moultrie being then about 150 yards astern and rather to leeward also hove 
 to, the Notre Dame rather astern and to leeward of us. I don't recollect the 
 situation of the other brigs. About 8 o'clock the British ship fired a shot 
 just ahead of us, and hailed asking what ship it was. The answer was, the 
 Polly. " Where are you from ?" Answer, from New York. She took no 
 further notice of us, but immediately hauled her wind and hailed the Ran- 
 dolph. At this time, and not before, we discovered her to be a two-decker. 
 One or two questions being asked and answers returned as she was ranging 
 up alongside of the Randolph, and had got on her weather quarter, I heard 
 Lieutenant Barnes very distinctly call out, "This is the Randolph," who 
 immediately begun the action. The British ship's stern being then clear of 
 the Randolph the Captain of the Moultrie gave orders to fire, and in conse- 
 quence of it' three broadsides were fired, the last of which I am satisfied must 
 have gone into the Randolph as the enemy had shot so much ahead as to 
 
NOTES. 395 
 
 bring her between us. I then mentioned with some warmth to our Capt. 
 that instead of assisting we were firing into the Randolph, in consequence of 
 which we immediately made sail to get ahead and engage her on the bow, 
 but before this could be effected the Randolph blew up. The Capt. then 
 came to me and said, " Capt. Blake, the Randolph is blown up, what can we 
 do?" I answered that it appeared to me, we ought now to consult our own 
 safety by getting away as fast as we could. The man at the wheel called out, 
 "It is impossible. Sir, to get off, the ship is now aboard of us," and asked 
 the Capt. if we should pull down the colors, who answered, "Yes, you may 
 do what you will." I told Capt. Sullivan it was of little consequence whether 
 the colors were up or not. I requested him to encourage the people to make 
 sail. He then went on the main deck for that purpose. Perceiving the 
 man at the wheel very much alarmed, he having repeated to mo that it was 
 impossible to get away, and that the enemy was then yawing to get her 
 broadside to bear which would rake us fore and aft, I mentioned to the Sail- 
 ing Master that unless he removed him we should probably be taken in a 
 few minutes, in consequence of which he kicked him from the wheel and 
 took it himself for some little time. 
 
 I am extremely sorry that I have mislaid Davis's statement which you 
 furnished me with as it may have brought something to my recollection 
 which I have forgot, but believe I have mentioned every material occurrence, 
 but not being a seaman it is possible I have not done it so correctly as I wish 
 but am persuaded nothing of consequence has escaped me. I think Davis 
 mentions that the Randolph spoke us and informed us that he knew the 
 enemy's ship, which is untrue. I was not off the quarter deck from the time 
 the signal was made until the unfortunate termination of the business, and 
 declare unequivocally that we never during that time spoke to each other. 
 
 I am with regard. Dear Sir, 
 
 * yours truly, 
 
 J. Blakk. 
 Charleston, 7th Oct. 1804. 
 
 To Thomas Hall, Esq. 
 
 The following verses by Freneau are typical of the style of eulogium then 
 prevalent in England and America on occasion of military or naval battles. 
 
 ON THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN NICHOLAS BIDDLE, 
 
 COMMANDEK OF THE RANDOLPH EKIGATE, 
 
 Blown up near EarliadoeR — 1778. 
 
 What distant thunders rend the sties. 
 What clouds of smoke in volumes rise, 
 
 What means this dreadful roar 1 
 Is from his base Vesuvius thrown. 
 Is sky-topt Atlas tumbled down, 
 
 Or Mtna's self no more ? 
 
396 NOTES. 
 
 Shock after shock torments my ear ; 
 And lo I two hostile ships appear, 
 
 Red lightnings round them glow : 
 The Tarmouth boasts of sixty-four, 
 The Randolph thirty-two — no more — 
 
 And will she fight this foe ? 
 
 The Randolph soon on Stygian streams 
 Shall coast along the land of dreams. 
 
 The islands of the dead ! 
 But fate, that parts them on the deep, 
 Shall save the Briton, still to weep 
 
 His ancient honours fled. 
 
 Say, who commands that dismal blaze. 
 Where yonder starry streamer plays ; 
 
 Does Mars with Jove engage ? 
 'Tia BiDDLE wings those angry flres, 
 BiDDLE, whose bosom Jove inspires 
 
 With more than mortal rage. 
 
 Tremendous flash ! — and hark, the ball 
 Drives through old Yarmouth, flames and all ; 
 
 Her bravest sons expire ; 
 Did Mars himself approach so nigh. 
 Even Mars, without disgrace, might fly 
 
 The Randolph's fiercer fire. 
 
 The Briton views his mangled crew, 
 " And shall we strike to thirty-two, 
 (Said Hector, stain'd with gore) 
 " Shall BHtain's flag to these descend ? 
 " Rise, and the glorious conflict end, 
 
 " Britons, I ask no more !" 
 
 • 
 
 He spoke — they charg'd their cannon round. 
 Again the vaulted heavens resound. 
 
 The Randolph bore it all, 
 Then flx'd her pointed cannons true — 
 Away the unwieldly vengeance flew ; 
 
 Britain, thy warriors fall. 
 
 The Yarmouth saw, with dire dismay. 
 Her wounded hull, shrouds shot away, 
 
 Her boldest heroes dead — , 
 
 She saw amidst her floating slain 
 . The conquering Randolph stem the main — 
 
 She saw, she turn'd, and fled ! 
 
 That hour, blest chief, had she been thine. 
 Dear Siddle, had the powers divine 
 
 Been kind as thou wert brave ; 
 But fate, who doom'd thee to expire, 
 Prepar'd an arrow tipt with fire. 
 
 And mark'd a wat'ry grave, 
 
NOTES. 397 
 
 And in that hour when conquest came 
 Wing'd at hie ship a pointed flame 
 
 That not even he could shun — 
 The conquest ceas'd, the Yarmouth fled, 
 The bursting Randolph ruin spread, 
 
 And lost what honour won. 
 
 NOTE E. (Page 286.) 
 
 James Biddle, son of Charles Biddle, was born on the 18th of February, 
 1783. He had made considerable progress in his studies, and acquired a 
 taste for literature, which he retained through life, when he left the Univer- 
 sity of Pennsylvania to enter the navy. He and his brother Edward sailed 
 as midshipmen in the President, under Commodore Truxtun, in September, 
 1800, for the West Indies. Edward Biddle, a youth of great promise, died 
 during the voyage. This event did not, however, abate the inclination for 
 the sea of his brother James. On the reduction of the navy, in 1801, he 
 was retained in the service. Early in 1802, he sailed in the Constellation, 
 under Commodore Murray, for the Mediterranean, on a cruise against the 
 Tripolitans. In 1803, he was transferred to the Philadelphia, Captain 
 Bainbridge. On the Slst October of that year, the ship struck upon a rock, 
 off the coast of Tripoli. After every effort to get her afloat had failed, and 
 all resistance to the enemy's gunboats had proved unavailing, Captain Bain- 
 bridge surrendered his ship, and, with his officers and crew, was subjected 
 to a close and rigorous confinement. The known barbarity of the Moors, 
 in their treatment of Christian captives, excited much apprehension for the 
 fate of the prisoners. The famiTy of young Biddle proposed, through Sir 
 Alexander Ball, the Governor of Malta, to effect his liberation by the pay- 
 ment of a ransom ; but he positively refused to take advantage of an arrange- 
 ment by which he alone would be benefited, and declared his resolution to 
 share the lot of his comrades. Their release was at last obtained through 
 negotiation, by the Government of the United States, after an imprisonment 
 of twenty months. From this time he was constantly in active service ; and 
 at the commencement of the war with Great Britain, he sailed from Phila- 
 delphia, in the capacity of first lieutenant of the sloop-of-war Wasp, Captain 
 Jacob Jones. On the 18th October, 1812, after receiving some damage 
 from a heavy gale, the Wasp fell in with six British merchantmen, two of 
 which mounted sixteen guns each, under convoy of the sloop-of-war Frolic, 
 Captain Whyngates. Captain Jones immediately determined to attack 
 them. The merchantmen sailed away, while the Frolic waited for the 
 Wasp, which bore down upon her on the larboard side. The Wasp com- 
 menced the action at about sixty yards distance, maintaining the weather- 
 gage. The English fired with more rapidity, the Americans with more 
 precision and efl'ect. Finally, Captain Jones ran his ship athwart the 
 
398 NOTES. 
 
 enemy's bow, so that the Frolic's jib-boom came in between his main and 
 mizzen rigging, and two of his guns entered the bow-ports of the Frolic, 
 and swept the whole length of her deck. After one broadside delivered in 
 this position, the conquest was completed by boarding. Lieutenant Biddle 
 led the boarders ; he and a seaman named Jack Lang were the first to gain 
 a footing upon the deck of the enemy. The conflict lasted just forty-three 
 minutes. In this action, there was almost a perfect equality of force, the 
 Frolic's armament slightly exceeding that of the Wasp. It is cited by Sir 
 Howard 'Douglass, in his treatise on gunnery — one of the highest British 
 authorities — as a remarkable instance of American superiority in that art; 
 an acknowledgment that is in strong contrast with the elaborate misrepre- 
 sentations by which some English contemporary writers endeavored to 
 palliate the reverses of their navy. One of the most dishonest of the works 
 composed with that object, and dignified with the name of History, it is, 
 perhaps, worth mentioning, was written by William James, who for some 
 time exercised the calling of "veterinary surgeon" in the city of Philadel- 
 phia ; but the mortality among his equine patients exposing him to imputa- 
 tions of malpractice, he returned to his native land, and devoted his skill to 
 the studied depreciation of the exploits of American commanders. There 
 is an exposure of some of his errors and misrepresentations in two articles, 
 from the pen of Fenimore Cooper, in the Democratic Review, vol. x., A. D. 
 1842; and the Edinburgh Review (vol. Ixxi., A. D. 1840) condemns his 
 
 " bitter and persevering antipathy to our transatlantic relations 
 
 Almost every original remark made upon them by the author bears traces 
 of the unworthy feeling we have mentioned." 
 
 Soon after the action between the Wasp and the Frolic, a British seventy- 
 four, the Poictiers, fell in with them, and Captain Jones was obliged to 
 surrender his ship, with her recent prize, a{id they were taken into Bermuda. 
 The officers, however, were soon liberated by exchange. Lieutenant Biddle 
 acquired great distinction by his conduct in this action. Among other honors 
 conferred on him by his fellow-citizens and public bodies, were a sword from 
 his native State, a medal from Congress, votes of thanks, etc. He was also 
 immediately promoted to the rank of master-commandant, and placed in 
 charge of a flotilla of gunboats, for the protection of the river Delaware, and 
 soon after transferred to the command of the Hornet sloop of war, which, 
 with the frigates United States and Macedonian, formed a squadron, under 
 Commodore Decatur. Soon after leaving New York, they were compelled, 
 by the presence of a superior British force, to put into the harbor of New 
 London, Connecticut, where they were closely blockaded. During this 
 period of inaction, what was considered as an overture from the British 
 officers, led to a negotiation for a "challenge fight." Commodore Decatur 
 sent Captain Biddle to Sir Thomas Hardy, the British commodore, to pro- 
 pose that the two American frigates should meet two of his ships of the same 
 class. It was found impossible, however, to obtain the assent of Sir Thomas 
 Hardy to this proposal. Captain Biddle did, however, succeed in adjusting 
 
NOTES. 399 
 
 the terms for a meeting between his own sloop of war, the Hornet, and the 
 sloop-of-war Loup Cervier. These terms, however, did not receive the 
 unqualified approval of Commodore Decatur, because they admitted, for 
 the Loup Cervier, the advantage of a picked crew from the other ships of 
 the British squadron. Captain Biddle instantly forwarded another proposal, 
 so varied as to obviate the objections of his superior officer ; but, without 
 returning any reply, the captain of the Loup Cervier put to sea, and did not 
 come bacii again to that station. Such maritime duels are not, however, to 
 be commended. The aim in public warfare should be to use advantages, 
 not to neutralize them, by voluntary stipulations. There must be incident, 
 too, to such encounters an unnecessary and desperate protraction, leading to 
 a useless waste of life, which does not attend ordinary conflicts. That the 
 usual obligations of duty are thought to be transcended, appears from the fact 
 that Captain Biddle, before closing the negotiation on his own behalf, had 
 deemed it proper to obtain the assent of his crew ; avowing that he con- 
 sidered the national honor to be so peculiarly involved in the result of such 
 a meeting, that in no possible extremity should his ship be surrendered. 
 This determination is characteristic not only of the individual, but also of 
 the transaction in which he was then engaged. 
 
 There being no prospect of an abandonment of the blockade, and an 
 escape from it being deemed impracticable, it was ordered by the United 
 States Government that the frigates should be hauled up the river and dis- 
 mantled ; the charge of them in this condition being assigned to Captain 
 Biddle, in the Hornet. To one of his enterprising character, nothing could 
 be more irksome than the sphere of inactivity to which he had now been 
 confined for nearly seventeen months. He feelingly compared it to his long 
 imprisonment in Tripoli ; and urgently and constantly solicited permission 
 to attempt a passage through the blockading squadron, expressing the most 
 sanguine expectation of success. At length, the permission was yielded to 
 his importunity. He instantly effected his purpose ; passing out unper- 
 ceived through the British squadron, on the night of the 18th November, 
 1814. 
 
 Being then ordered to join the East India squadron, he arrived the first 
 at the place of rendezvous, the island of Tristan D'Acunha, on the 23d 
 March, 1815. When about to cast anchor, a sail was descried to the south- 
 ward. Captain Biddle immediately stood off from the land, placed himself 
 upon the course of the other vessel, and waited for her. The stranger, a 
 British ship of war, manoeuvred very cautiously, and reserved her fire till 
 within musket-shot distance. The conflict was "short, sharp, and decisive." 
 Again it was the fortune of Biddle to demonstrate the superiority of American 
 gunnery. It was subsequently narrated, by the British first lieutenant, that 
 his captain, Dickinson, after about fifteen minutes' firing, said to him, "This 
 fellow hits us every time ; wd can't stand his fire ; we must run him aboard." 
 The attempt to board was, however, inefliectual. The Hornet's fire still 
 told fearfully upon her antagonist, and one of the British officers called out 
 
400 NOTES. 
 
 that they surrendered. Captain Biddle ceased his firing, and, standing on 
 the tafirail, asked, "Have you surrendered?" At this moment two of the 
 English marines fired at him from about twelve yards' distance. A ball 
 passed through his neck, and struck him down from the taffrail, but he 
 refused to go below, and gave the order to wear the ship round for another 
 broadside, when a general cry of surrender rose from the British ship, and 
 she struck her colors. She was the Penguin, a ship of the Hornet's class, 
 size, and metal ; and she had been carefully fitted out to cruise for the Young 
 Wasp, a vessel somewhat heavier than the Hornet. Only superior discipline 
 and skill could account for the fact that, in an action of twenty-two minutes, 
 the Penguin's mainmast was crippled, her foremast and bowsprit shot away, 
 and her hull so riddled that it was not thought advisable to send her to the 
 United States, and she was therefore scuttled. On the other hand, the 
 Hornet's principal damage was in the rigging, and, in a few hours, she was 
 again fit for service. The British historian. Sir Archibald Alison, thus 
 mentions the engagement: "On the 23d of March, long after peace had 
 been signed, the Hornet met the Penguin, and a furious conflict ensued, 
 both commanders being ignorant of the termination of hostilities. Both 
 vessels were of equal size and weight of metal, but the American had the 
 advantage in the number and composition of her crew ; and, after a despe- 
 rate conflict, in the course of which the brave Captain Dickinson was slain 
 in the very act of attempting to board, the British vessel surrendered, having 
 lost a third of her crew, killed and wounded."* 
 
 It was a curious coincidence that, as after the capture of the Frolic, Biddle 
 soon fell in with a British seventy-four, the Cornwallis, which immediately 
 gave chase to the Hornet. The pursuit was continued for three days. 
 Though Captain Biddle was still much debilitated by his wound, and his 
 first lieutenant (Conner) had been disabled in the late action, every exped- 
 ient that nautical skill could suggest was vigorously used to increase the 
 Hornet's speed; finally the anchors, boats, shot, guns, and every other 
 heavy article were thrown overboard. The gigantic pursuer several times 
 got near enough to open fire, but did not succeed in overtaking the Hornet. 
 Fenimore Cooper says, in his Naval History, " Captain Biddle gained nearly 
 as much reputation for the steadiness and skill with which he saved his ship 
 on this occasion as for the fine maniTer in which he had fought her a few 
 weeks earlier. In the promptitude with which he had continued his cruise, 
 after capturing a vessel of equal force, the nation traced the spirit of the 
 elder ofiicer of the same name and family, who had rendered himself so 
 conspicuous in the Revolution." 
 
 Captain Biddle put into San Salvador on the 9th of June, 1815, and there 
 heard that peace had been made with Great Britain. 
 
 On his return to the United States, he was promoted to the rank of Post 
 
 * Alison's History of Europe, chap. Ixxvl. 
 
NOTES. 401 
 
 Captain, and received the honors due to his gallantry from Congress, his 
 native State, and his fellow-citizens. 
 
 After the termination of the war he was constantly employed in the ordi- 
 nary routine of naval duty, which, though arduous and important, presents 
 few details of interest to the general reader. He, at three different periods, 
 held commands upon the coast of South America, and displayed gi-eat ability 
 and conduct in the complex relations which then existed between the United 
 States and Spain and her revolted colonies. One incident, which occurred 
 at Valparaiso, excited at the time considerable attention. The government 
 of the United States had not yet recognized the independence of Chili, and 
 therefore the authorities omitted to notice the offer of Captain Biddle to ex- 
 change the usual salutes on his arrival at Valparaiso in the Ontario. The 
 Chilian navy was under the command of Lord Cochrane, who had been dis- 
 missed from the British service after being convicted of fraud in a conspiracy 
 to affect the public funds. Captain Biddle was about weighing anchor, to 
 proceed on his voyage, when Lord Cochrane desired him to submit to a de- 
 tention in port until after the sailing of a secret expedition. For reasons 
 which he deejned sufficient, in view of the late omission to salute his flag. 
 Captain Biddle declined to accede to this request. Immediately two ships 
 of the Chilian navy slipped their cables, and took up a position to command 
 the mouth of the harbor. By all on board of the Ontario it was understood 
 as a menace. Biddle instantly cleared for action, and bore down upon the 
 ships placed in his way. They suffered him to pass between them, and pro- 
 ceed to sea without molestation. 
 
 Among special services rendered by him, we may enumerate that, in 
 1817, he took possession of Oregon Territory; in 1826, he signed a com- 
 mercial treaty with Turkey ; from 1838 to 1842, he held the post of Gover- 
 nor of the Naval Asylum, at Philadelphia; in 1845, while in command of a 
 squadron in the East Indies, he exchanged the ratifications of the first treaty 
 with China, and acted as United States Commissioner to that country ; he 
 also touched at Japan, and made an earnest effort to conciliate, by kindness 
 and forbearance, its singular and exclusive people. From Japan he sailed 
 to California, and took command of the United States naval force in the 
 Pacific Ocean, then engaged in prosecuting the war against Mexico. Im- 
 mediately on his arrival at this station, his nice appreciation of belligerent 
 rights was exhibited, by the revocation of a general blockade of the west 
 coast of Mexico, which had been declared by his predecessor, and the sub- 
 stitution of a blockade of special ports, maintained by the presence of a 
 competent force. It is in conformity with this practice that a European 
 congress has since abolished "paper-blockades," and adopted the American 
 principle upon this subject. 
 
 He reached home in the month of March, 1848, worn with the toils of 
 long and faithful service, and, on the 1st of October following, died at 
 Philadelphia, aged sixty-five years. He had never sought repose in ex- 
 26 
 
402 NOTES. 
 
 emption from duty, and, -with unremitting zeal, his whole life was devoted 
 to his country. 
 
 Commodore Biddle was a well-read scholar, thoroughly' conversant with 
 general literature, international and military law, the practice of courts-mar- 
 tial, and the usages of the naval service. No man was more exemplary in 
 all the private relations of life. He never married, and the affection of his 
 warm and generous nature was bestowed upon a large circle of relatives and 
 friends. His manners were marked by scrupulous refinement and delicacy. 
 He was slight in person, and it was by the force of an indomitable spirit 
 that he surmounted hardships and difficulties. His temperament was quick 
 and impulsive, but controlled by a strong sense of justice, and a careful re- 
 gard for the rights of others. Kigid in all the essentials of discipline, he 
 had none of the exacting spirit that vents itself in minute and harassing 
 attention to insignificant details. His character commanded the respect, 
 and won the affection of his officers and his crew. Few men have more 
 completely fulfilled the duties of their station in life ; and he may be with 
 truth cited as one of the best examples of the American naval officer. — 
 Simpson's Eminent PJiiladelpM&ns. . 
 
 NOTE F. (Pages 305 and 318.) . 
 
 In Davis's Life of Burr will be found a number of letters to and from 
 Charles Biddle. In a letter to his son-in-law Joseph Alston, written the day 
 before his duel with Hamiltoii, Burr says : — 
 
 " My very worthy friend, Charles Biddle of Philadelphia, has six or seven 
 sons, three of them grown up. With different characters, and various degrees 
 of intelligence, they will all be men of eminence and of influence. Call 
 to see the father as you pass through Philadelphia, and receive the sons 
 kindly." 
 
 The letters which are here given relating to the duel have never been in 
 print. The first, upon another subject, will serve to show Burr's high sense 
 of public duty. 
 
 With regard to the duel, Mr. Parton, the fairest of Burr's biographers, 
 says: "Gates, De Witt Clinton, Randolph, Benton, Clay, Jackson, De^ 
 catur, Arnold, Walpole, Pitt, Wellington, Canning, Peel, Grattan, Fox, 
 Sheridan, Jeffrey, Wilkes, D'Israeli, Lamartine, Thiers, and scores of less 
 famous names are found in Mr. Sabine's list of duelists.* In all that curious 
 catalogue there is not the name of ore politician who received provocation 
 so often repeated, so irritating, and so injurious as that which Aaron Burr 
 had received from Alexander Hamilton." 
 
 * Sabine's Notes on Duels and Duelling. 
 
NOTES. 403 
 
 In point of fact, there was among gentlemen at that day practically no 
 aversion to duelling, nor was General Hamilton himself ever known to be 
 opposed to the practice until he so declared in the few last days of his life. 
 He had acted as second to Colonel Laurens inhis duel with General Lee, and 
 had earnestly invited a challenge from Mr. Monroe in 1 797. In that dispute 
 Burr acted as the friend of Monroe, who, doubtless with his concurrence, 
 honorably declined being drawn into a duel. The outcry against Burr in 
 New York on this occasion was owing almost wholly to political hostility. 
 The Federalist hate of Burr was of course intensified by the result of the 
 duel, whilst the rage of the Cllntonian wing of the Democracy against the 
 man itho stood in no fear of their whole aristocratic array was perfectly 
 frantic. 
 
 The effect of General Hamilton's death in bringing discredit upon this 
 mode of settling disputes has been greatly exaggerated. Certainly, among 
 military, and we speak with confidence in saying, especially among naval 
 men, for at least thirty-five years after Burr's duel it would have been 
 deemed an act of poltroonery to refuse a challenge, unless the challenger by 
 some gross misconduct had clearly forfeited his right to be recognized as a 
 man of honor. 
 
 As late as the year 1838 a fatal duel between two members of Congress 
 was witnessed by half a dozen fellow members and at least one senator. 
 
 After Hamilton's death there was a curious difference of opinion between 
 the two seconds, as to whether Hamilton had fired at his adversary ; Mr. 
 Pendleton, his friend, asserting that he had not. Mr. Van Ness and Colonel 
 Burr were of the contrary opinion, and Burr's letter to Charles Biddle of 
 July 18th, one week after the duel, is important evidence. Hamilton, 
 strange to say, was under the impression — his mind probably affected already 
 by physical pain — that he had not fired at all. Some foolish friends after- 
 wards pretended to have discovered the precise twig of a tree high in 
 air, which had been severed by Hamilton's ball. Great stress, also, has 
 been laid upon his declaration before the duel that he did not intend to fire 
 at Burr. But he had a perfect right to change his intention at the last 
 moment, being under no pledge whatever to any one as to his course of con- 
 duct. This is what»actually occurred in 1826, in the famous duel between 
 Clay and Randolph, where the latter changed his mind on the ground and 
 fired one shot at Mr. Clay. 
 
 After Burr's duel he came to Charles Biddle's house in Philadelphia, and 
 was received and welcomed by one of the sons, then a youth, the rest of the 
 family being out of town. It is believed that he remained there until he 
 sailed for the South. 
 
 Washington, ISth Mar. 1803. 
 My Dear Sir i Your letter of the 1 3th. is rec'd this Evening. I left you 
 a Case and desired you to put into it one of the Medals. Again I beg you to 
 accept it. But what has become of all the Copper ones ? I should like a 
 great number of them — and the acct. not yet sent. 
 
404 NOTES. 
 
 It must not be mentioned abroad but between you & me I suspect Trux- 
 tun will not go out with the Squadj-on. It is more probable that you may 
 see him in Phila. in the course of a fortnight : I will write to the officer 
 who may succeed to the command (say Morris) recommending James. 
 
 The letter of Murrray which you enclosed to me was immediately put 
 into the hands of the Sec'y— and I hope will have the effect desired. You 
 need never have the least hesitation about writing to me in favor of any one 
 in whom (begun the wrong side of the sheet, but can't copy) you take an 
 interest. We understand each other so well that your recommendations 
 can never embarrass me, because if the thing you desire should, for some rea- 
 son unknown to you, be impracticable or inexpedient, I can frankly say so. 
 On the other hand I should be quite mortified if anything which you wished 
 should not be attended to merely because you had from motives of delicacy 
 refrained from writing to me. This must not be. 
 
 I have a long letter of four very closely written pages from Wilkinson. 
 Unfortunately for want of a document left at N. Y. I can't read one line of 
 it, nor even conjecture what it is about. It is dated in Feb. when I presume 
 he was well. 
 
 God bless you 
 
 A. Burr. 
 
 Ch. Biddle Esqr. 
 
 18 July, 1804. 
 My Dear Sir : Your letter of the 13th was particularly acceptable. It is 
 too well known that Gen'l H. had long indlalged himself in illiberal freedoms 
 with my character. He had a peculiar talent of saying things improper & 
 offensive in such a manner as could not well be taken hold of. On two dif- 
 ferent occasions however, having reason to apprehend that he had gone so 
 far as to afibrd me a fair occasion for calling on him, he anticipated me by 
 coming forward voluntarily and making apologies and concessions. From 
 delicacy to him and from a sincere desire for peace, I have never mentioned 
 these circumstances always hoping that the generosity of my conduct would 
 have had some influence on his. In this I have been constantly deceived, 
 and it became impossible that I could consistently with self-respect again 
 forbear. With regard to the immediate cause of the late event, I refer you to 
 the Morning Chronicle of the 1 7th iust. though in this, many circumstances 
 not favorable to H. are suppressed. The following incidents will show what 
 reliance may be placed on those declarations of H. which assert that he did 
 not mean to injure me &c. &c. (contemptible disclosures, if true,). When the 
 parties had taken their places, having their pistols in their hands, cocked, 
 Mr. P. who was to give the word, asked the gentlemen if they were ready : 
 " Stop," said Gen'l H., " in certain states of the light one requires glasses." 
 He then levelled his pistol in different directions to try the light. After this, 
 he put on his spectacles and repeated the same experiment several times ; he 
 kept on his spectacles and said he was ready. When the word " present" 
 was given, he took aim at his advei'sary & fired very promptly. The other 
 
NOTES. 405 
 
 fii-ed two Of three seconds after hira & the Gen'l instantly fell exclaiming 
 " I am a dead man." Both he &' Mr. P. while on the ground, appeared a 
 good deal agitated and not to be in a state of mind suitable for observing with 
 accuracy what passed. H. looked as if oppressed with the horrors of con- 
 scious guilt. It is the opinion of all considerate men here, that my only fault 
 has been in bearing so much & so long. 
 
 You will remark that all our intemperate and unprincipled Jacobins who 
 have been for years reviling H. as a disgrace to the country and a pest to 
 society are now the most vehement in his praise, and you will readily per- 
 ceive that their motive is, not respect to him, but malice to me. 
 
 The last hours of Genl. H. (I might include the day preceding the inter- 
 view) appear to have been devoted to malevolence and hypocrisy. All men 
 of honor must see with disgust the persecutions which are practised against 
 me. Among other unusual steps, a Coroner's Jury has been called and will 
 meet for ih& fourth time this evening. The object is to procure an inquest 
 of murder, which will probably be effected, although the transaction took 
 place in another State. Upon such an inquest a warrant may issue to appre- 
 hend me and if I should be taken, bail would probably be refused. The 
 friends of Genl. H. and even his enemies, who are still more my enemies, 
 are but too faithful executors of his malice. 
 
 Respectfully & affectionately Y'rs. 
 
 Ch. Biddle, Esqr. A. Bder. 
 
 18th July, 1804. 
 
 My Dear Sir : It is not yet determined how I shall dispose of myself for 
 the residue of the Summer, perhaps I may visit your city on my way, God 
 knows whither. In such case I may probably enough ask a room in your 
 house in town for two or three days. 
 
 A late event has so demolished all my projects that the Chariot Hanse 
 has made will be useless to me. You can judge what chance I should have 
 in our Courts on a trial for my life, though there is nothing clearer to a dis- 
 passionate lawyer than that the Courts of this State have nothing to do with 
 the death of Genl. H. 
 
 Your son Charles to whom I am indebted for a very civil letter about this 
 same Carriage, must call on Hanse & know by what means he has charged 
 more than 200 Dls. above the price agreed. " A chariot complete" I thought 
 included every thing usual. He now charges separately for Lamps, Cover, 
 &c. &c. Desire him to ask Mr. H. at what loss he will keep it. It is per- 
 haps unlucky that I have paid him in advance (I think) 175 Dls. I hope 
 he won't have the conscience to ask so much. I shall be within reach of the 
 Post office in N. York long enough to receive your answer to this. 
 
 I had written a letter to Armstrong concerning Nicholas, but kept it, not 
 knowing where to address him & expecting him dail)' in N. York. 
 
 Your most affec. friend & st. 
 
 A. B. 
 
 Do not let the enclosed letter go out of your hands. 
 Ch. Biddle, Esqr. 
 
406 NOTES. 
 
 Commodore Truxtun to Charles Biddle. 
 
 Extract. 
 
 Pekth Ambot, 19tli July, 180i. 
 Dear Sir : I lament the Death of Hamilton as much as I could the death 
 of a brother of equal talents and worth to human society, but I must at the 
 same time justify Burr, and will everywhere justify him on Hamilton's own 
 confession, inclosed with his will and addressed to his executors. " It is not 
 to be denied that my animadversions on the political principles, character, 
 and views of Col. Burr have been extremely severe, and on different occa- 
 sions, I in common with many others have made very unfavorable criticisms 
 on particular instances of the private conduct of this gentleman." If the 
 laws of honor in any case between man and man will justify the practice of 
 duelling (and there are some cases in which I think a devout Bishop would 
 almost countenance it*) surely the ground of Burr's correspondence with 
 Hamilton must be admitted as one of those cases, and if men and soldiers 
 once go to the field there ought to be no trifling, ■ and this I should be grati- 
 fied in having an opportunity of showing Robert Smith, (the apology for a 
 Secretary of the N^vy) but he shelters himself behind the embrasures of his 
 office where he will lie skulking until he is pop'd into another skulking place 
 still more secure — the seat of Judge Chase. 
 
 New Tohk, 26th July, 1804. 
 Dear Sir : There is the devil to pay in this city about the late duel, and 
 I am abused as being a friend of Col. Burr though I have ever been a sincere 
 friend to the deceased. I never knew a business of this kind so treated in 
 any part of the world, the inquest have not yet given in their verdict — they 
 remain as before 9-3 as I understand from good authority, at least as I think 
 good authority. I regret the event as much as any man can do of this 
 unfortunate duel, but as it cannot now be helped, as Hamilton cannot be 
 brought back — & as there is no doubt but the duel was a fair one according 
 to the laws in such cases — why this abominable persecution ? I detest and 
 despise it. Mr. Prevost is of opinion that it would be extremely wrong for 
 Col. Burr to venture in Jersey in the present state of things, and from what 
 I hear otherwise I am clearly of the same opiuion. Mr. P. thinks also that 
 if he goes to Carolina for two or three months it will be the best thing that he 
 can do, and by that time the public mind now much agitated will have sub- 
 sided or become quieted in a great degree. Your mention of any corres- 
 pondence between Col. Burr & myself and yourself can do neither him or us 
 any good ; it is best to be silent about it. Just do you & him write to me as 
 
 * The Commodore's views of the license allowable to the clergy were some- 
 times startling to his friends. 
 
NOTES. 407 
 
 usual at Amboy where I shall be to-morrow — being here on the subject of 
 
 employing in a speculation some money, for I am sick & tired of Idleness. 
 
 Show this to Col. Burr. 
 
 Your friend, 
 
 Thomas Truxtcn. 
 Charles Biddle, Esqr. 
 
 Commodore Truxtun to Charles Biddle. 
 Extract. 
 
 Perth Ambot, 11th Aug. 1804. 
 I cannot believe it is intended to give Burr any trouble, out of New York, 
 but of Mr. Jefferson's political Myrmidons in that State he can form a much 
 better opinion than I can, and of the object and intentions of the two fami- 
 lies* under mourning for General Hamilton outwardly and rejoicing inwardly. 
 God forgive me if I judge of any man wrongfully but the conduct of these 
 men past and present when contrasted looks like bare faced hypocrisy and 
 shows a duplicity which insults the common understanding of mankind. 
 
 St. Simons, 1st Sept. 180i. 
 
 My Dear Sir : It is now just a week since our arrival. The passage 
 from Newcastle to this Island was 13 days, but we were two days getting in. 
 The Capt. was civil and obliging. 
 
 On Tuesday the 4th. inst. I go to St. Mary's and thence to St. Augustine 
 if I can find a conveyance. Travelling in this region is done by water only. 
 My further projects are, to return to this place before the 20'th. then through 
 Savannah and Augusta to Columbia, Camden and Statesburg, at which 
 last place my daughter now is. I wish that you would immediately on 
 receipt of this address a letter to me at Statesburg, South Carolina. Tell 
 me what you may hear of the state of things in New York and enclose me 
 a few Newspapers. I propose to leave Statesburg on my return homeward 
 the first week in October ; you will therefore have no time to spare for 
 writing. 
 
 In this neighborhood I am overwhelmed with all sorts of attention and 
 kindness. Presents are daily sent of things which it is supposed I may want, 
 so that I live most luxuriously. 
 
 Your affectionate friend and serv't 
 
 A. Burr. 
 
 Chas. Biddle. 
 
 The following letters refer to the period when Colonel Burr was tried and 
 acquitted on charges of treason and of misdemeanor. In Wilkinson's letter 
 we have italicized what seems important. 
 
 * Probably meant for the Livingstones and Clintons. 
 
408 NOTES. 
 
 Washington, March 18th, '05. 
 
 My Dear Sir : I have just received your favour of the 13th, & hasten 
 to answer it. Nicholas is perfectly correct in his observations, on the effect 
 of Military standing in France, and I have every disposition to forward his 
 views, but the absence of the President from the Seat of Government, & 
 the extreme caution with which the Secretary of War proceeds in all things, 
 may render their accomplishment impracticable. I will however make the 
 attempt to-morrow & shall apprize you of the result the day after — if we 
 proceed at all it must be in the Corps du Genie, which by the bye is held 
 in first respectability in France & furnishes the richest uniform of our Service. 
 
 I thank you for your congratulations & shall be able to tell you more of 
 my Government 12 Months hence. In the mean time I can only say the 
 Country is a healthy one, §• that I shall he on the high road to Mexico. 
 
 Our friend Burr leaves this for Philadelphia to-morrow, from tohence he 
 proceeds Westward §• we may expect to find him in New Orleans in June. 
 llie President has thought -proper to appoint Dr. Brown, on the sole recom- 
 mendation of Mr. Burr, to the Secretaryship of the Territory of Louisi- 
 ana. 
 
 Commodore Preble, with whom I am charmed, will leave this to-morrow 
 & will carry you a Letter of Introduction. He is truly a Man formed to 
 Command & should be at the Head of our Navy. You will find him modest 
 yet collected, intelligent, correct & possessing manners the most agreeable. 
 My Ann's health is improving, & I hope the season will confirm it. She 
 and our Sons join me in affectionate regards to Mrs. B. thyself & Children. 
 Your Affectionate Friend & Servt. 
 
 Jas. Wilkinson. 
 
 Chas. Biddle, Esq. 
 
 Lexington, 37 Augt. '05. 
 
 My Dear Sir: Who would have thought that Naval Talents were in 
 such estimation at 600 miles from salt water? The enclosed I took from 
 the door of the hotel in Nashville (Tennessee). General Jackson who is 
 the owner of this celebrated quadruped, is one of the most distinguished 
 men in that State. He says that as the Commodore stands unrivalled at 
 sea, so is the horse Truxtun on land, and that if he should ever be beaten, 
 he will change his name. 
 
 I have been amusing myself here these eight days and think of going 
 hence to see Wilkinson. This would be the business of a month & would 
 keep me on this side the Mountains till after the middle of October. Of 
 my very long and interesting tour you shall have an account when we 
 meet. My health has been uniformly good, very good. 
 
 Most afi"ec'y Y'rs. 
 
 A. Bdkk. 
 
NOTES. 409 
 
 Richmond, 18th Ap. 1807. 
 
 Dear Sir : On the 13th inst. I received a letter from Commodore Truxtun 
 dated 30th March, to which he desires an answer by return of mail. It has 
 no postmark and I am totally ignorant of the channel through which it came. 
 
 The Commodore desires me to declare whether I wrote to Genl. W. that 
 he (Truxtun) had.gone on a Mission from me to Jamaica. 
 
 It is obvious that as well this letter as the reply which I might make to it 
 are intended for publication, and to this, at a proper time, there could be no 
 exception. It is admitted also that he has a right to make the enquiry and 
 to expect an answer. But as the deposition of Genl. Wilkinson is very soon 
 to be the subject of legal investigation, there would be a manifest impro- 
 priety in permitting any declarations or remarks to escape from me anterior 
 to that examination, and such conduct might expose me to very serious in- 
 convenience and injury in a matter which touches my honour. I have there- 
 fore to request that the Commodore will forbear to press his demand until 
 the termination of the business now depending in this city, and I pledge 
 myself to give him full satisfaction on the subject so soon as the trial shall 
 be concluded. As this event cannot be more than five or six weeks distant, 
 it is hoped that he will see the propriety of acquiescing in the delay. 
 
 It is with great hesitation that I ask you to communicate the preceding to 
 Commodore Truxtun ; but I presume that the peculiar circumstances in 
 which I am placed will excuse the freedom. To have written even thus 
 much directly to the Commodore, might, if made public, have defeated the 
 views with which the delay is desired & have exposed me to the evils sought 
 to be avoided, which will also apologize to him for this mode of communi- 
 cation. Yours Affectionately, 
 
 A. BURK. 
 
 Ch. Biddle, Esqr. 
 
 Commodore Truxtun to Charles Biddle. 
 
 (Extract.) 
 
 Richmond, Both May, 1807. 
 
 My Dear Sir : Richmond I am delighted with and from the Governour 
 down, throughout the Society of "Worthies," of all politics, I have been at 
 home and had welcome shown me in every house, most conspicuously. I 
 dine every day at 1-2 past 4, rise at 8 from dinner and am at an evening 
 party at 1-2 past 8, and in bed at 12 — up at 6 — go to Court at 10, adjourn at 
 3. This is very well you will say, but I wish the business that caused the 
 unpleasant errand, was over and persecution at an end. Burr sticks to it, 
 that he never wrote the cyphered letter,* or caused it to be written or men- 
 tioned my name, as it has been therein mentioned, but on the contrary, that 
 I declined his overtures at once, which is the fa«t & tho' I have not yet seen 
 him but in Court, he has done ample justice to me as I had early required, and 
 confirmed the message you delivered me from him in Phila. of his innocence 
 in not mentioning my name. 
 
 * What Col. Burr denied was the correctness of Wilkinson's version of the letter. 
 
410 NOTES. 
 
 Richmond, 35th June, 1807. 
 
 Dear Sir • I have postponed writing to you for some time as I have 
 nothing important to say, the newspapers having detailed everything here 
 that I know relating to the trial of Col. Burr, who is now in close prison, in 
 consequence of the Grand Jury having yesterday found and brought into 
 Court a True Bill against him for Treason and another True Bill for a Mis- 
 demeanour, and also the like bills against Mr. Blennerhasset. 
 
 The witnesses on the part of the United States were 51 in number, mostly 
 from the Westward and New Orleans, and it is said that there has been some 
 hard swearing, but of this I give report only. No witness on the part of 
 the accused has been yet examined and of course all opinion ought to be 
 suspended until we see their evidence before the Court and petit Jury, and 
 especially as I am told some of them are men of great respectability from 
 the Ohio and its neighbourhood, who speak loudly against Gen. Wilkinson. 
 
 The Cyphered Letter was not lost as had been mentioned at Washington, 
 but obtained from W. by the Grand Jury, and ft a very different thing, it 
 is said to his interpretation to the Government. It acknowledges receipt of 
 a letter from Col. Burr with postmark of 13th. of May. You recollect that 
 it was stated that the Cyphered Letter was written in July 1806. And I 
 am told it says " Our affairs are going on better than I could wish" or words 
 to that effect, and it states other matters in the plural number, but I trust 
 the public will see that letter at full length in proper time, when all will be 
 able to judge more correctly of its contents and the case. 
 
 The affair with the English and American National Ships off the Chesa- 
 peake, renders war inevitable or pusillanimity the order of the day. 
 
 Yours Sincerely, 
 
 Thomas Truxtun. 
 To Charles Biddle, Esq. 
 
 (Turn over.) 
 What is on this side is of a private nature. 
 
 The letter containing my papers may or may not have been opened at the 
 Post Office, but whether or not, my papers were all received and not detained, 
 and hence you were premature in writing to Patton. 
 
 I have not spoken to Wilkinson. I cannot countenance such conduct as 
 I have seen in his operations. But more of this hereafter. I will write 
 you fully on this subject in proper time or when more at leisure. 
 
 T. T. 
 
 P. S. Let my family want for nothing in my absence and write me of 
 them &c. &c. &c. I know not how long we will be detained here, there 
 will be various presentments to-day, after which, the Grand Jury close their 
 Session. 
 
 When you receive this, call on the Marquis and tell him that some wit- 
 nesses have been produced, as I understand, which have slandered him, but 
 what their evidence is, I know not — except that he had engaged to supply 
 
NOTES. 411 
 
 Burr with arms and money, as it is reported out of doors. Now as I am 
 of opinion that the Marquis had no sort of connection with Burr, but on the 
 contrary watched him, I am obliged to say here I am persuaded it is all a lie. 
 The Jamaica story and my name is proved a lie by the answers of the 
 Governor and Admiral from Jamaica to Wilkinson's letters. I demanded 
 in a letter to the Grand Jury these answers, knowing it was an infamous 
 invention, and it has turned out that W. had no data to go by but the 
 cyphered letter, and a vessel he says arrived at New Orleans and mentioned 
 it. What a tale ! And I know nothing of such infamous proceedings, I do 
 assure you. 
 
 T. T. 
 
 Philadelphia, 11th July, 1807. 
 Charles Biddle, Esquire. 
 
 Dear Sir : The letter you have received from General Wilkinson com- 
 plaining of my refusing to speak to him, and that he would have explained 
 to my satisfaction his conduct, as respected me, had I given him opportunity, 
 I am surprised was ever written. For how could W. attempt to explain to 
 my satisfaction his abominable conduct as respected me. 
 
 Without my going into the designs of Col. Burr, in which he declared to 
 me that Wilkinson was the projector, and told you he vs^ould never have 
 thought of such designs but for the importunities of Wilkinson — and with- 
 out even touching the subject of the cyphered letter which was decyphered 
 by Wilkinson (by a key established between them since 1801, as W. acknow- 
 ledged before the Grand Jury) and sent to the President of the United 
 States with false and infamous allusions to me. 
 
 I say, Sir, without my going into the subject of Mr. Burr's designs and 
 that letter and the circumstances connected with both, of which so much 
 may be most grievously said by me, let me call to your attention a very 
 offensive and additional fact. About five months after the foolish and ridicu- 
 lous cyphered letter was written, which Col. Burr solemnly denies to you 
 ever to have written — has denied also to General Lee — to me and to others, 
 and that he never caused to be written : and when from the intercourse 
 between New Orleans and Philada. it might on inquiry have bqen easily 
 ascertained — that I was not only at that time in this city — but had not been 
 out of the United States since the peace with France in 1801 : I say. Sir, 
 that notwithstanding these incontrovertible facts. General Wilkinson pre- 
 maturely dispatched a vessel (see copy of my letter to the Richmond Grand 
 Jury) from the former place at the nation's expense to Jamaica, warning 
 the Governor, Sir Eyre Coote, and Admiral Dacres against giving me any aid, 
 &c. &c. &c., in an expedition from thence to co-operate with Col. Burr (at 
 least such was the purport of the dispatch). 
 
 These high and honorable officers were astonished, as they well might be, 
 at such dispatches being directed to them, particularly from such a quarter, 
 and replied to Wilkinson accordingly that they had never before heard ot 
 such expedition. Now, Sir, let me ask of you whether this undertaking in 
 
412 NOTES. 
 
 General W to send an express of such a nature, of himself (and 
 
 unauthorized by the Executive of the U. S.), to a foreign Government and 
 Admiral on that occasion, was not only stretching his powers a great length 
 but was premature. And as it respected me, and the exposure of my name 
 to a distant Government and people, was it not cruel in the last degree — 
 more especially as Wilkinson has known me in the character and walks of a 
 man of honor for thirty years ? 
 
 But I will not stop here ; injury most poignantly felt forbids it. 
 
 After this act was done and could not be recalled, and after Wilkinson had 
 discovered that I had not left the United States on any sort of mission or 
 business whatever for years — and after he had received answers to his letters 
 from Sir Eyre Coote and Admiral Dacres — was it not due to me, was it not 
 due to a sense of justice and to common decency for him to have made some 
 explanation and apology, unasked by me, for this extraordinary conduct ? 
 Was it not due from a man with whom I have long been in habits of appa- 
 rent and sincere friendship, by his own expressions — and was it not due 
 from a man who had so often before and since this transaction expressed 
 such affection and esteem for me (and who once, as he told me himself, gave 
 an entertainment at Natchez in honor of my conduct) to have written me 
 then an explanatory letter? Ought I not to have expected it and looked 
 for it from this statement of facts — ought I not to have expected that Wil- 
 kinson, the boasted patriot and friend, would have hastened to have told me 
 from New Orleans, in the plain and honest language of friendship, that he 
 rejoiced to find he had (as respected me) been most egregiously mistaken or 
 deceived in prostrating my name? But no such thing — no sort of com- 
 punction for profaning Truxtun — but on the contrary a total silence and 
 indifference until he meets me at a large dinner party at Richmond, and 
 then advances under this load of aggression to me for the purpose of renew- 
 ing social intercourse and affects to be hurt because it is refused. But away, 
 Wilkinson ! while I tell you, the door is forever shut between us, until you 
 verify your good disposition toward me differently and convince me that you 
 are pure and unspotted in your accusations against Burr. As respects the 
 famous cyphered letter — there is assertion against assertion — Burr assured 
 me, yourself and many others, that he was not the author of that letter — 
 and Wilkinson says he is, as I am told. And as to the Jamaica project, 
 Swartwout declares and swears most bitterly at and against Wilkinson, and 
 that he never g^id to him a single syllable about me, or such project. And 
 how could he, for I never saw Mr. Swartwout to my knowledge until I saw 
 him at Kichmond, and in the first moment I declined Mr. Burr's proposal 
 to me, agreeable to my affidavit. But again, Dr. Bollman says that Wilkin- 
 son was the first man he ever heard make any mention of my going to 
 Jamaica and that it was at New Orleans he so heard it. Thus you see how 
 the account stands among them, and they may settle it in their own way ; I 
 have labored and done my part, and my duty to my honor and my family 
 by an inquiry, and by addressing a letter to Col. Burr on the subject, and 
 
NOTES. 413 
 
 receiving his flat denial in the affair, and by hearing evidence and conversa- 
 tions detailed. Nay I have yone farther — I requested Mr. Stoddert to have 
 from Dr. BoUman's own mouth, what I assert, which he did obtain, to sat- 
 isfy me, in consequence of my calling on him (BoUman) at Richmond, to 
 explain to me how this affair was. 
 
 As to Col. Burr — although he denied everything in which his name had 
 been mentioned as concerned me, yet I had no intercourse with him at Rich- 
 mond, until after I had given in my affidavit before the Grand Jury, and 
 after the bills of indictment were found against him fo be true bills. I then 
 felt compassion for his degraded situation and recollecting his former stand- 
 ing in society, and as he had previously denied ever having mentioned me, 
 as had been disgracefully stated, I called on him once at his desire and 
 received from him a letter for you (on the subject of money matters I sup- 
 pose) which I delivered you on my arrival from Richmond. I called at the 
 same house twice, to see Mr. Martin, who had visited me at Major Gibbon's 
 and thus I was thrice at the house Mr. Burr occupied at Richmond while I 
 was in that city. Let the rancorous and miserable and inhuman wretches, 
 that would insinuate otherwise, blush and be ashamed, for I disregard them 
 in this world, more than the dirt under my feet — as they will answer for 
 their misdeeds in the world to come. 
 
 I have been indijced to write this letter to justify myself, as to keeping 
 General Wilkinson aloof — and to convince you that 1 never saw an old friend 
 with a new face without a just cause.' 
 
 As to any dissatisfaction of Wilkinson, or anything he may say in conse- 
 quence of ray sense of his wrongs, I disregard it. The fact is, it is me that 
 feels cause of complaint — and have great cause — not him. And while I do 
 not desire to offend society by any improper conduct from reports that I 
 pass Wilkinson without a just cause, I shall take some pains to prevent any 
 sort of misrepresentation from any quarter in this affair — and this you may 
 inform him, when you exhibit this letter for his perusal. I am the guardian 
 of my own reputation, and will forever defend it at all hazards. And if I 
 know my country and my country justly knows me, as I trust it does (not- 
 withstanding a variety of evils I have experienced as well as Wilkinson's 
 late conduct, which has had a tendency to do me infinite injury — but from 
 my own vigilance and attention to do myself justice have defeated it), it 
 is all I desire, with a few select and sincere friends, to pass my unemployed 
 hours away. 
 
 I am not, my worthy friend Charles, anxious for very many associates — my 
 injured estate and large family forbid it — I only desire those I select to be 
 honorable and prove honorable in all situations in life^ — and I wish to know 
 no man that is not a real and true patriot and who does not in sincerity love 
 his country, next to his God, above all other things. 
 
 Having forever been unconnected with any sort of plot, I write as I feel, 
 and carry the flag of defiance at the main against my ungrateful enemies. 
 
 I do not hesitate to say that I am not bloody minded, it is incompatible 
 
414 NOTES. 
 
 ■with a true soldier to be so — hence I have charity, some charity for Burr in 
 his present situation, but as I have said to you before, I never can again 
 hold Mr. Burr in the estimation I once did or ever make a companion of 
 him — yet I am no savage or barbarian to let Burr feel m}- determination in 
 his present state, arid as to money he has no claim on me for any and I have 
 none for him. As to security (if he is cleared by a traverse Jury) in the 
 suits instituted against him at Richmond on his protested bills, I cannot be 
 be one of them, or guarantee any persons there who would. My time of life 
 and large family forbid my involving or hazarding for such an acquaintance 
 as Mr. Burr has been ; and recent conduct too puts it out of the question 
 with me — but you can do as you please. 
 
 1 find young Decatur — in his affidavit before the Grand Jury, detailing 
 Mr. Burr's overtures to him — says that in December, 1805, Col. Burr told 
 him that the Government were acquainted with his views and that General 
 Wilkinson had offered his services, &e., and that Wilkinson knew more about 
 the resources than he did. Now this differs from what Burr told me in some 
 i-espects, for Mr. Burr declared to me that the Executive was not privy. 
 But it seems that Decatur never gave the Government any information as to 
 the overtures of Mr. Burr to him, untill subpoenaed as a witness — though be- 
 fore the Grand Jury oath was made by Wilkinson that he was to go to New 
 Providence after a fleet and join me fr6m Jamaica. WJiat fabrications ! 
 
 Yours, 
 
 Thomas Tkuxtun. 
 
 At Burr's trial Commodore Truxtun testified, " I know nothing respect^ 
 ing any overt act or of any treasonable practice, design, or conversation of 
 Colonel Burr." 
 
 Being asked by Burr, " Did I ever speak of dismembering the Union by 
 separating the Western country or of seizing New Orleans ?" He replied, 
 " Never, and I have spoken it a thousand times." .... " I would have 
 got out of my bed at 12 o'clock at night, if my services were wanted against 
 England, France, or Spain, at any time." 
 
 Tlie following extract from a letter written several years after the so-called 
 conspiracy shows the later friendly relations of Truxtun and Burr. 
 
 Commodore Truxtun to Charles Biddle. 
 
 Wood Lawn, August 32, 1813. 
 You say Colonel Burr has much business in New York and doing well. 
 I am glad to hear it, and should rejoice to hear he had exposed that incom- 
 parable villain Jefferson, as I dare say he can do, and nothing should prevent 
 it after his sufferings. I say incomparable with the exception of Madison 
 
 and Bonaparte, and those of the .Junta If any friend is going to 
 
 New York enclose this to Colonel Burr as a mark of my esteem, and having 
 no opportunity to write him from here, or I would do so, though I have no 
 subject for a letter. 
 
NOTES. 415 
 
 NOTE G. (Page 306.) 
 
 Nicholas Biddle was born on the 8th of January, 1 786, at Philadelphia. 
 At the age of thirteen, he had completed the course of study at the Univer- 
 sity of Pennsylvania ; he then entered Princeton College, where he took his 
 degree in his fifteenth year, dividing the first honor with a competitor of 
 *]aturer years. Pie then studied the law in Philadelphia, for three years ; 
 but, being under the age for admission to the bar, he, in 1804, went to 
 Europe, as Secretary to General Armstrong, the United States Minister to 
 France. He was present at the coronation of the Emperor Napoleon, in 
 Paris. 
 
 At this time, the purchase of Louisiana and the indemnification for injuries 
 to American commerce were in progress, and young Biddle, at the age of 
 eighteen, managed the details with the veterans of the French bureau, in 
 whom his juvenile appearance and precocious ability excited much surprise. 
 Leaving the legation, he travelled through the greater part of the Continent 
 of Europe ; to his classical attainments, he there added a thorough mastery 
 of the modern languages, which he retained through life. Arriving in Eng- 
 land, he became Secretary to Mr. Monroe, then minister at London. An 
 anecdote is told of his delighting Monroe by the exhibition of a knowledge 
 of the modern Greek, when, in the company of the English scholars at Cam- 
 bridge, some philological question arose relating to the present dialect, with 
 which they were unacquainted. 
 
 On his return to America in 1807, he engaged in the practice of the law, 
 and devoted a portion of his time to literary pursuits. He became associated 
 with Joseph Dennie in the editorship of the Portfolio in 1811, and wrote 
 much for it at different times. His papers on the fine arts, biographical 
 sketches, and critical essays were written with great force and elegance, and 
 exhibit a discriminating taste. He also penned various literary trifles, and 
 wrote occasional verses, with the taste of the scholar and humorist. 
 
 When Lewis and Clark had returned from their explorations, their jour- 
 nals and memoranda were placed in the hands of Mr. Biddle, who prepared 
 from them, and the oral relation of Clark, the narrative of the expedition, 
 and induced Mr. Jefferson to pen the preliminary memoir of Lewis. It was 
 simply conducted through the press by Paul Allen, to whom the stipulated 
 compensation was liberally transferred, when the political engagements of 
 Mr. Biddle withdrew him from further attention to the work. 
 
 He was in the State Legislature in 1810, advocating a system of popular 
 education with views in advance of his times. It was not until 1836 that 
 the ideas broached by him were fully carried out by legislative enactment. 
 When the question of the renewal of the charter of the old United Stales 
 Bank was discussed in the session of 1811, he advocated the measure in a 
 speech, which was widely circulated at the time, and gained the distinguished 
 approval of Chief Justice Marshall. 
 
416 NOTES. 
 
 During the war with England, he was elected to the State Senate, and 
 gave a zealous and powerful support to the measures of the national admini- 
 stration for carrying on the contest. He and all of his brothers were now 
 engaged in the service of the country- — in the public councils, the navy, the 
 army, and the militia ; of whom Commodore James Biddle, Major Thomas 
 Biddle, and Major John Biddle gained particular military reputation. The 
 youngest of the brothers, Kichard Biddle, during the war a volunteer at 
 Camp Dupont, afterwards settled at Pittsburgh, and was for many years an 
 acknowledged leader of the bar of that cit)'. He also represented that dis- 
 trict in Congress, with great ability. He found leisure for some important 
 contributions to literature ; his memoir of Sebastian Cabot has been justly 
 characterized by an eminent critic as "one of the finest monuments of 
 American research." 
 
 After the capture of Washington, when an invasion of Pennsylvania was 
 expected, Nicholas Biddle, in the Senate, initiated the most vigorous mea- 
 sures for the defence of the State. 
 
 Towards.the close of the war, he replied to the address of the Hartford 
 Convention, by an elaborate report, which was adopted in the Pennsylvania 
 Legislature ; a state paper which attracted universal attention, and added 
 greatly to the reputation of its author. In the successive elections of ]818 
 and 1820, he received a large vote for Congress as the nominee of the Demo- 
 cratic party, but was defeated by the Federal candidates. 
 
 In 181 9 he became a Government Director of the Bank of the United 
 States, on the nomination of President Monroe, who, about the same time, 
 assigned to him, under a resolution of Congress, the work of collecting the 
 laws and regulations of foreign countries relative to commerce, moneys, 
 weights, and measures. These he arranged in an octavo volume, entitled 
 " The Commercial Digest." 
 
 In 1823, on the retirement of Mr. Langdon Cheves, Mr. Biddle was elected ■ 
 to the presidency of the Bank, and to the conduct of its affairs he thence- 
 forth devoted all his energies. For many years the institution was entirely 
 disconnected from politics, and furnished to the whole country equal ex- 
 changes and a sound and uniform currency, everywhere receivable, and im- 
 mediately convertible into specie. Beside the parent bank at Philadelphia, 
 twenty-five of its branches were established throughout the Union, and its 
 control was everywhere felt by the State banks. Whatever political objec- 
 tions may be urged against the existence of a national bank, the eminent 
 financial services which it rendered under Mr. Biddle's administration cannot 
 be denied, and that the loss of these services has not since been adequately 
 supplied, seems to be amply proved by the subsequent history of the Ameri- 
 can banking system. The following view of the subject was taken by the 
 Hon. Horace Binney, in a debate in the House of Representatives in the 
 year 1834 : " The Bank of the United States has performed her great offices . 
 to this people by the concurrence of two peculiarities which belong to her — 
 her structure, and her employment in the collection of the public revenue. 
 
NOTES. 417 
 
 No State banks, by any combination, can eflfect the required exclianges to 
 any considerable extent. No Bank of the United States, without the aid of 
 the public revenue, can etl'ect them to the extent which the necessities of 
 trade require. The structure of the Bank of the United States contributed 
 to this operation in a way which every one may comprehend. The whole 
 circulation of the United States is employed in effecting the exchange of the 
 crop and the merchandise of the country. It is employed in transporting 
 the crops to market, and merchandise to the places of its consumption. 
 
 "Now, a national bank, with branches spread over the whole Union, 
 knows, from experience and her means of observation, where the amount of 
 demand will rise and fall, and at what time these dealings will occur. She 
 knows, beforehand, where she may with safety diminish her resources, and 
 where she must enlarge them. Wherever her resources are placed for use, 
 it is the same thing to the bank — her profit is the same everywhere ; and 
 this ability to give them the position which the trade of the country requires, 
 is sustained by, and in a great degree dependent upon, her employment as 
 the depository of the public revenue. In this character the bank receives 
 the revenue, and holds it until the time of disbursement ; and the knowledge 
 which her accomplished President and the Board of Directors obtain through 
 their relations to the Treasury, and by intimate acquaintance with the fiscal 
 operations of the department, enables them to reconcile all the demands of 
 the Treasury, with all the demands of trade ; at the same time they preserve 
 the whole currency of the country in that due proportion to demand which 
 
 makes it, and which alone makes it sound and invariable 
 
 Sir, the project of the Secretary of the Treasury surprises me — it is the 
 clearly avowed design to bring, a second time, upon this land the curse of an 
 
 unregulated, uncontrolled State hank paper currency 
 
 I should regard that man as one of the greatest benefactors of his country, 
 who would devise, for the use of this people, some control over the paper 
 currency of the State banks, and relieve us from the perpetual recurrence of 
 constitutional doubts and party contention to which the career of a Bank of 
 the United States seems necessarily exposed. Control of some kind is 
 essential — it is indispensable ; there can be no property, or what is the same 
 thing, no security or uniformity to its value, without it." 
 
 President Jackson, at the commencement of his term of office, declared his 
 hostility to a renewal of the charter of the United States Bank. In his first 
 message, in 1829, he called the attention of Congress to the subject, declaring 
 "that it could not too soon be presentedto their deliberation." It was again 
 brought forward in his subsequent messages of 1830 and 1831. Our space 
 will not allow us to enter into the details of the political contest which en- 
 sued. Mr. Biddle was, by his official position, placed in antagonism with 
 his former political associates. In 1832, a bill for the re-charter of the 
 Bank passed both houses of Congress, but was vetoed by the President. 
 Notwithstanding the hostility of the Government, and of the dominant poli- 
 tical party, the Bank maintained its credit throughout the commercial world 
 27 
 
418 NOTES. 
 
 to the last moment of its existence. The charter expired by its limitation 
 on the 3d March, 1836 ; and here ends the history of the last "Bank of the 
 United States." Its name, however, was afterwards borne, with very dif- 
 ferent fortunes, by another institution. The stockholders of the late Bank 
 received from the Legislature of Pennsylvania a State charter, by an act 
 entitled " An Act to repeal the State tax, &c., and to charter a State bank, 
 to be called the United States Bank." There was at this time no man 
 living who enjoyed a higher reputation as a financier than Nicholas Biddle. 
 He was urgently solicited to accept the Presidency of the new bank. He 
 assented, and continued at its head until March, 1839, when he resigned, 
 and retired to a country-seat on the river Delaware, called ' ' Andalusia, ' ' 
 which his wife had inherited from her father. At the time of his resignation, 
 the stock of the bank was selling at one hundred and sixteen dollars a share, 
 with other indications of soundness and prosperity. Two years afterwards, 
 however, it stopped payment, assigned its assets, and was declared to be 
 insolvent. Whether this failure was attributable to causes incident to the 
 financial condition of the whole country, and the anomalous position of the 
 State Bank ; or to measures pursued subsequent to, or during the admini- 
 stration of Mr. Biddle, were questions vehemently discussed at the time, 
 and which cannot, now, be reviewed within the limits of this sketch. 
 
 The following succinct statement is from a biography of Mr. Biddle, by 
 an eminent citizen of Pennsylvania, published in the last edition (1854) of 
 the " National Portrait Gallery :" — 
 
 "The ' State bank,' called the 'United States Bank,' began and ended 
 its career in a period of general expansion, over-trading, and over-banking. 
 When the destruction of the Bank of the United States was decreed, it was 
 the system of State banks — not a specie currency — that was put forward as 
 the efficient substitute. To the State banks the public treasure was confided, 
 and they were made the subjects of continued favor and laudation from the 
 President in his messages, the Secretary of the Treasury in his reports, and 
 the party presses that echoed the sentiments of the party leaders. The 
 ' Globe, ' the official organ at Washington, teemed with appeals to the State 
 Legislatures to create more banks, and any tardiness in compliance was 
 charged — as everything, almost, was charged in those days — to the influence 
 of ' Biddle and the United States Bank.' ' The State banks,' said General 
 Jackson, ' are found fully adequate to the performance of all services re- 
 quired of the Bank of the United States, quite as promptly, and with the 
 same cheapness.' ' By the use of the State banks,' he repeats, in a subse- 
 quent message, ' it is ascertained that the moneys of the United States can 
 be collected and disbursed without loss or inconvenience, and that all the 
 wants of the community in relation to exchange and currency, are supplied 
 as well as they have ever been before.' 
 
 "Under such vigorous stimulus the number of banks was more than 
 doubled ; the amount of what was termed ' banking capital' more than 
 trebled; the notes of banks in circulation rose from 61,000,000 to 185,000,000 
 
NOTES. 419 
 
 of dollars ; loans and discounts were increased proportionally. The restrain- 
 ing influence once exercised by the Bank of the United States was scoffed 
 at as an odious and obsolete oppression ; and President Jackson, in an an- 
 nual message, congratulated the State banks on the extinction of their 
 former 'enemy.' State governments, too, caught the general contagion, 
 and issued bonds, contracted debts, and entered upon vast schemes of lavish 
 expenditure. In vain were warning voices raised. Daniel Webster declared 
 in the Senate, ' We are in danger of being overwhelmed with irredeemable 
 paper, mere paper, not representing gold and silver ; no, representing noth- 
 ing but broken promises, bad faith, bankrupt corporations, cheated creditors, 
 and a ruined people.' Henry Clay predicted that, ' There being no longer 
 any sentinel at the head of our banking establishment to warn them by its 
 information and operation of approaching danger, the local institutions, 
 already multiplied to an alarming extent, and almost daily multiplying, in 
 
 seasons of prosperity will make free and unrestrained emissions 
 
 Inordinate speculation will ensue, debts will be freely contracted, and the 
 explosion of the whole banking system will be the ultimate effect.' We re- 
 cur now to these events not in a captious spirit of censure, but in justice to 
 one upon whom it was afterwards sought to charge the consequences of a 
 system which he always combated, against which he openly protested — the 
 very opposite of that established and perfected by his fefforts, under which 
 the country so long enjoyed a sound and uniform currency, based upon and 
 always convertible into gold and silver. In the perilous condition of things 
 to which we have adverted, the United States Bank of Pennsylvania had 
 even more danger to encounter than other State institutions. Its unwieldy 
 capital was forced to seek investment in every part of the country, in stocks, 
 loans, bonds, and like securities, which, when the crash came, went down, 
 and carried the bank down with them. Whether its fate could have been 
 averted by Mr. Biddle, if he had continued in the direction of its affairs, we 
 do not undertake to decide. He had never been found unequal to any 
 crisis ; and his tact, and skill, and fertility in resources might have warded 
 off some of the blows that proved most fatal. That his efforts could have 
 availed in the later, as they had in the former trials of the bank, can neither 
 be certainly affirmed or denied. Speculation upon what might have hap- 
 pened, if events had been other than they were, is mostly very fruitless." 
 
 After Mr. Biddle's retirement from the bank, he delivered two addresses 
 before the Agricultural Society of Philadelphia County, of which he was the 
 President, and discussed some topics of public interest through the press ; 
 he earnestly advocated the resumption of payment of the State interest, and 
 the admission of Texas to the Union ; but his health was broken, and he 
 died on the 27th of February, 1844, of a disease of the heart, aged fifty- 
 eight years. He had married, in 1811, the daughter of John Craig, one of 
 the old merchants of Philadelphia, eminent for wealth, integrity, and public 
 spirit ; this lady, whose virtues insured the happiness of his domestic life, 
 survived him for some years. His character was marked by great energy 
 
420 NOTES. 
 
 and resolution. Mr. C. J. IngersoU, a political opponent on the bank ques- 
 tion, in his sketch of the late war, says : ' ' Nicholas Biddle was as iron- 
 nerved as his great antagonist, Andrew Jackson, loved his country not less, 
 and money as little." His manner was peculiarly attractive; it was not a 
 display of artificial graces, but the natural expression of a genial nature and 
 cultivated mind, and it had a powerful influence over those with whom he 
 was associated. In youth, the beauty of his person was remarkable, and 
 time dealt gently with it ; he was fond of exercise on foot and on horseback, 
 and though hospitable, his personal habits were simple and abstemious. He 
 was a leading member of many societies and public institutions for useful 
 and benevolent purposes, and his private charities and benefactions were as- 
 liberal as they were unostentatious. He was an ardent advocate of the im- 
 provement of his native State, and aided in the prosecution of the most im- 
 portant public enterprises. The Hon. Wm. F. Packer (now the Governor 
 of Pennsylvania), in a speech in the State Senate, advocating the connection 
 of Philadelphia with the Lakes, said: "This, sir, was the favorite project 
 of Nicholas Biddle, of your city ; and whatever may be said of him as a 
 politician or a financier, all agree that on questions of internal improvement 
 and commerce, he was one of the most sagacious and far-seeing statesmen in 
 this Union. His fault was, if fault it be, that he was twenty years in ad- 
 vance of the age in which he lived. Sir, his towering mind enabled him 
 afar off to 
 
 ' See the tope of distant thoughts, 
 
 Which men of common stature never saw.' 
 
 Had he lived and maintained the strong hold which he once had on the 
 afi^ections of Philadelphia, that city would long since have been placed, in 
 relation to the trade 1 have attempted to describe, where New York and 
 Boston now are." 
 
 His taste was formed upon the classic models with which his studies and 
 travels had rendered him familiar ; to it the city owes two of the finest 
 specimens of Grecian architecture — the United States Custom-House (form- 
 erly the United States Bank), and the Girard College — the plans for which 
 were adopted at his instance. He delivered many speeches and addresses, 
 and his style was remarkable for purity, terseness, and vigor. — Simpson's 
 Eminent Phitadelphians. 
 
 NOTE H. (Pages 350 and 390.) 
 
 Clement and Owen Biddle, sons of John Biddle and Sarah Owen, were 
 first cousins of Charles Biddle. Of Owen, the elder brother, the following 
 sketch is taken from the Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, vol. iii. 
 
 Owen Biddle, of the city of Philadelphia, a great-grandson of William 
 
NOTES. 421 
 
 Biddle, one of the proprietors of West Jersey, and for many years of the 
 Governor's Council of that Colony, was born in Philadelphia in the year 
 1737. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits, and with his brother, 
 Clement, signed the celebrated Non-importation Resolutions of October 25, 
 1765. He was a delegate to the Provincial Conference Jan. 23, 1775; 
 member of the Committee of Safety from June 30, 1775, to July 22, 1776, 
 and of the Council of Safety from July 24, 1776, to March 13, 1777 ; mem- 
 ber of the Board of War March 13, 1777 ; of the Constitutional Convention 
 of July 15, 1776, and, in June, 1777, Deputy Commissary of Forage. 
 His name appears in the list of Philadelphia merchants headed by Robert 
 Morris, who became personally bound for various sums, amounting in the 
 aggregate to over £260,000 sterling, for purchasing provisions for the army 
 at a time when there was great difficulty in procuring supplies. During the 
 occupancy of Philadelphia by the British, the enemy destroyed his residence, 
 (Peel Hall) which was on the site of the Girard College grounds. 
 
 He was an early and active member of the American Philosophical 
 Society, one of its curators from 1769 to 1772, and secretary from 1773 to 
 1 782, when he became one of the councillors, continuing as such until his 
 death. He was one of the committee of thirteen appointed by the Society 
 to observe the transit of Venus on 3d of June, 1769. These observations 
 were made with eminent success by three members of the committee, Mr. 
 Rittenhouse being stationed at Norristown, Dr. Ewing at Philadelphia, and 
 Mr. Biddle at Cape Henlopen. Mr. Biddle died at Philadelphia on the 10th 
 of March, 1799. His descendants have always taken a prominent part in 
 the benevolent and business enterprises of the metropolis. 
 
 Clement Biddle was bom in Philadelphia, May 10, 1740. Descended 
 from one of the early Quaker settlers and proprietaries of West Jersey, he 
 retained his connection with the Society of Friends until the commencement 
 of the War of Independence. 
 
 In early life he engaged in commercial pursuits in his native city. Not- 
 withstanding the discipline of the religious society in whose tenets he had 
 been educated, he united, in 1764, in forming a military corps for the pro- 
 tection of a party of friendly Indians, who had sought refuge in Philadelphia 
 from the fury of a lawless band, known as the Paxton Boys, who had re- 
 cently massacred some unoiFending Conestoga Indians, at Lancaster. These 
 banditti, powerful in numbers, had advanced to within five or six miles of 
 the city, threatening destruction to all who should oppose them, when the 
 vigor of the military preparations checked their further progress. Scarcely 
 had this local disturbance been quieted, when news was received of the re- 
 solution of the British House of Commons to impose certain stamp duties on 
 the colonies. The feeling engendered throughout the whole country by this 
 step, was nowhere deeper than in Philadelphia ; and the consummation of 
 the resolve of the Commons, by the passage of the Stamp Act, induced, in 
 
422 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 that city, the celebrated non-importation resolutions of October 25, 1765; 
 one of the most decided measures adopted during the early part of the 
 struggle with Great Britain, for the preservation of the civil rights of the 
 colonists. This agreement was subscribed by the principal merchants of the 
 city ; among them we find the names of Clement Biddle and his brother 
 Owen Biddle. The course subsequently pursued by the British Govern- 
 ment destroying all hope of a peaceful adjustment, Clement Biddle em- 
 barked early and zealously in the defence of the liberties of America, and 
 was greatly instrumental in forming the " Quaker" company of volunteers, 
 raised in Philadelphia in 1775, of which he was elected an officer, before the 
 corps joined the army. Congress having, in June, 1776, for the protection 
 of the middle colonies, directed the immediate establishment of a camp of 
 ten thousand men, to be furnished by Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Dela- 
 ware, on the 8th of July following, appointed Colonel Biddle the Deputy 
 Quartermaster-General for those forces, as well as for the militia of Penn- 
 sylvania and New Jersey, ordered to assemble at Trenton. At the close of 
 that year, Colonel Biddle took part in the battle of Trenton, and with an- 
 other officer, was selected by Washington to receive the swords of the Hes- 
 sian officers. He was also engaged in the stoutly-contested victory at Prince- 
 ton ; the battle at and retreat from the Brandywine ; the attack upon the 
 British forces at Germantown; and during the winter of 1777-8 shared the 
 privations of the American army at the memorable cantonment at Valley 
 Forge. There, as Commissary-General under Greene, he rendered import- 
 ant services in several critical junctures, when the disbanding of the army, 
 from want of the necessaries of life, seemed almost inevitable. Many letters 
 from General Washington, written at this period, and now in the possession 
 of Colonel Biddle's family, attest his activity in the commissariat depart- 
 ment, the urgency of the service he was engaged in, and the confidence re- 
 posed in him by the father of his country. He was again in action at the 
 battle of Monmouth. 
 
 After the war of the Revolution, he renewed, for a short time, his con- 
 nection with military life, by serving as Quartermaster-General of Pennsyl- 
 vania in the expedition, under Washington, to suppress the "Whiskey 
 Insurrection." 
 
 Colonel Biddle labored earnestly in the early political movements of the 
 patriot party of his State, advocating effectively the revolutionary State Con- 
 stitution of ] 776, in the framing of which his brother, Owen Biddle, shared, as 
 a member of the Convention. After the organization of the Federal Govern- 
 ment, under the Constitution of 1787, Colonel Biddle was appointed United 
 States Marshal for Pennsylvania. At a later period he engaged in business 
 as a notary public, and became well known in commercial circles for his 
 ability in adjusting marine losses. He preserved the friendship and enjoyed . 
 the intimacy of General Washington until the close of the life of that great 
 man, and maintained with him a familiar epistolary correspondence until 
 within a few weeks of the General's decease. 
 
NOTES. 423 
 
 Greene and Knox were also his warm personal friends and correspondents : 
 and when the former was selected for the command of the southern army, 
 one of his first preparations for the campaign, was an eifort to obtain the 
 services of Colonel Biddle as Quartermaster-General. By his marriage with 
 Miss Rebecca Cornell, he had a numerous family. His sons have occupied 
 prominent and honorable positions in their native city ; of his daughters, 
 one was married to General Thomas Cadwalader, another to Dr. Nathaniel 
 Chapman, and a third to Thomas Dunlap, Esq., of Philadelphia. 
 
 His distinguished and useful career ended on the 14th July, 1814, at 
 Philadelphia, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. — Simpson's Eminent 
 Philadelphians. 
 
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