BURNING THEIR BOATS Ch: 10

BURNING THEIR BOATS Ch: 10

Chapter 10

BURNING THEIR BOATS

Lord Cornwallis, the general in charge of the British forces in most of the campaigns against the colonists in the War of American Independence, called Mecklenburg County, in North Carolina, “the hornets’ nest of the Revolution.” His observation would appear to be. firmly based. It was in the same province that armed resistance had been first offered by the Presbyterian’s at the Alamance River in May, 1771. The same defiant spirit prevailed in the early months of 1775, when in various parts of Mecklenburg County, meetings were held to find out what the people felt regarding the crisis that faced them, and to see if they would follow strong leaders in any actions proposed. The people’s response was so enthusiastic that the organisers decided to act. They set to work through the officers of the Mecklenburg Militia under

Colonel Thomas Polk, one of the ancestors of James Knox Polk, who was the eleventh President of the U.S.A. Colonel Polk afterwards instructed all the Company captains to assemble the men under their command, so that two delegates from each company could be chosen to attend a General Meeting at Charlotte on 19th May, 1775. This was done. and the delegates met as arranged. Just before the meeting
began, news arrived of the American lives lost at Lexington. This had an electrifying effect on those assembled. The Resolutions drawn up by Dr. Ephraim Brevard, of Ulster Huguenot stock, were immediately and enthusiastically adopted. Briefly, it was resolved’ -

(1) that only enemies of America would support the Acts introduced by the British Government,

(2) that all political bonds with the “Mother Country” be dissolved,

(3) that they absolve themselves from all allegiance to the British Crown, and

(4) that they declare themselves a free and independent people, a sovereign and self-governing people under God.

It was further decided that the Mecklenburg Resolutions be sent to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia and laid before that body as proposals for their action. There has been controversy as to whether these Resolutions were actually received by the Congress, but be that as it may, it takes away nothing from those who first declared for Independence in those critical days in America. The historical
Mecklenburg Meeting of May, 1775, has been immortalised in the following lines:

“Manhattan and Plymouth and Jamestown.
Can boast of their heritage true,
But Mecklenburg’s fame is immortal,
When we number the stars in the Blue.
The Scotch-Irish Puritan fathers
First drafted the words of the free,
.And the speech of Virginia’s Henry
Is the crown of our liberty’s plea.”

Among the eminent leaders in the Continental Congress which met from 1774 till 1783, those of Ulster Scottish stock played a leading part.

There were the Livingstons of New York (descendants of the first Presbyterian minister of Killinchy, County Down), John Sullivan of New Hampshire, John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. Thomas McKean of Delaware, President of Congress in 1781, Patrick Henry of Virginia, John Hancock of Massachusetts, President of Congress from 1775 till 1777, the Rutledges of South Carolina, and many others. For the
drawing up of the official Declaration of Independence for the Congress of July 1776, John Adams and Robert R. Livingston were members of the five-men team elected for this purpose. When it was prepared. it was headed.

“In Congress July 4. 1776, A Declaration by the representatives of the United States of America in General Congress assembled”

The wording in parts does bear a resemblance to the Mecklenburg Resolutions:-

“That these united Colonies are. and of right. ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from allallegiance to the British Crown; that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is. and ought to be totally dissolved,”

It seems most fitting. one might say inevitable. that in the production of this document. the most important in America’s history. men of Ulster Scottish stock should have a leading and memorable role. It was written out in the hand of Charles Thompson from Maghera, in County Londonderry. He was secretary not only to the Congress, but to the team who drew up the document. He sent it to John Dunlap who
came from Strabane, in County Tyrone for printing. It was first read in public by another Ulsterman. Colonel John Nixon. John Dunlap emigrated to Arnerica as a young man after learning his trade as a printer in Grays printing shop in Strabane his building is still well preserved. more or less in its original form. Dunlap founded the
“Pennsylvania Packet”, published daily after 1783. Previously he had served as an officer in the 1 st Troop of Philadelphia Cavalry, which acted as bodyguard to Washington at the battles of Trenton and Princeton.

The story of Charles Thomson is also well worthy of mention. even in those heroic days. A brother of his had emigrated to America previously and Charles with his father and two brothers followed. His father died on the boat journey over, and was buried at sea, but the three newly arrived immigrants were looked after by their elder brother. Charles made great progress after receiving a very good education from another Ulsterman Dr. Francis Allison at New London College. He studied hard and became a very efficient President, or Headmaster, at Friends’ Academy at Newcastle, in Delaware. There he had many outstanding students. He was much interested in politics. but made honesty the corner stone of all his dealing with people. The Delaware Indians, whose interests he safeguarded, called him the “Man of Truth.” In the challenging Pre-Revolutionary days he dedicated himself to the cause of independence, so that it was no surprise to find his appointment as Permanent Secretary to the Continental Congress unanimously approved. His patriotism was such that for some time he would not accept the salary for this responsible post, and did not do so until he found it was so exacting of his time.

There can have been few more demanding and influential positions in America in those critical days, and the fact that he occupied it till 1789, years after the attainment of independence, is further proof of the national esteem in which he was held. He was very closely connected with recording the progressive steps towards the final wording of the Declaration of Independence, and it was his whole-hearted urging of its acceptance in full Congress that persuaded many doubters. Charles Thomson, it was, too, who in 1782 designed the Great Seal of the United States – an eagle holding arrows and a branch. So the skilled workmanship of this distinguished Ulster Scot has been seen for two hundred years and more on all official Govemmental documents where the sanction of the United States of America is registered. We wonder was he being mindful of his forebearers who had made the initial historic trip aboard the Eagles Wing when he came up with the design.

There can have been few colonists more enthusiastic for the Revolutionary cause than John Nixon. In every way he was able, he devoted himself towards the attainment of its success. His Ulster grandparents had settled in the Philadelphia area about the beginning of the 18th century and had worked hard and prospered so well that John, as a teenager, inherited his father’s shipping business at the docks of that thriving port. When the more severe duties imposed by Britain on the imports into America began to rouse resentment and opposition among the colonists, young Nixon became an active member in the Revolutionary associations called “the Safety Committee” and the “Associates of Philadelphia,” The former had the more peaceful purpose of trying to nullify the effects of the excessive taxes by getting business people not to import British goods; but the “Associates” built up branches of militia that could take part physically in the fighting when necessary. John Nixon later became Lt. Colonel of the 3rd Battalion of the “Philadelphia Associates.”

They, at first, kept up public morale by patrolling the port and taking up strategic positions when danger became more threatening. Later most of this unit were more actively involved when they become part of the Pennsylvania Militia Regiment with John Nixon as their commander. They served at the battles of Princeton and Trenton, and later, in other theatres supported Washington’s forces. On the 8th July, 1776 the historical Declaration of Independence was read in public by Colonel John Nixon at Philadelphia, the first time its contents were made known to the people generally. The finances of the struggling colonists had sunk into a very unsettled and unsatisfactory state as the war went on, and it was the former Philadelphia business man who stablized the currency in the vital area around the important port. He contributed a large sum of money towards organizing the Bank of Philadelphia. Indeed, it was largely through his efforts that the bank was established. It was vital for the maintaining of military supplies for the colonial army.

The phrases at the end of the famous Declaration of Independence should serve as a reminder to all in the U.S.A. of the debt they owe to those Ulster Scots who played such vital parts towards the setting up of their Free and Independent States. They should see in the signatures representatives of the thousands of that race who contributed so much towards the establishing of their freedom and progress. The phrases:- “Signed by Order, and on behalf of the Congress JOHN HANCOCK, PRESIDENT Attest. Charles Thompson, Secretary.

These were to be the only signatures on that historical document for many days, that of the President of Congress, whose ancestors came from County Down in Northern Ireland, who signed it large that George the Third would be able to recognise the signature, and that of the “Man of Truth” from Maghera. Among the others who signed it later at least eight were of Ulster stock, William Whipple, whose parents came to Maine from the Red Hand Province in 1730; Robert Paine, whose grandfather came from Dungannon; Matthew Thornton, whose people were from Ulster also, and landed in New Drry in 1718; Thomas Nelson, his parents. came from Strabane; Thomas McKean, whose grandfather was a Londonderry man; George Taylor, his father was an Ulster minister; Edward Rutledge, his people settled from Ulster into South Carolina, and of which colony he, himself, became Governor; Philip Livingston,representative from New York, where his grandfather, the son of the Killinchy clergyman, had landed in 1674; and possibly also John and Samuel Adams representing Massachusetts. . There were several rousing speeches made at the fateful Congress meeting at which the Declaration was presented. It was the document by which representatives of the thirteen colonies would effectively “burn their boats.”

Dr. John Witherspoon, one of the delegates for New Jersey, made one of the most challenging of the orations.. He was the President of the Scotch lrish Princeton University (grown from the Log College of William Tennent) and, as the only clergyman in that Assembly was virtually the delegate for all the Presbyterian ministers in America. He was of the same basic stock as most of those pastors, but had not come to the colonies by way of Ulster. His words on that occasion convinced
many who hesitated of the need for concerted and immediate action:- “To hesitate at this moment is to consent to your own slavery. That noble instrument upon your table should be subscribed by every pen in this house. He that will not respond to it’s accents and strain every nerve to carry into effect its provisions is not worthy the name of freeman. Whatever I may have of property or reputation is staked on the issue of this contest, and, although, these gray hairs may soon descend into the sepulchre, I would infinitely rather that they descend hither by the hand of the executioner than desert, at this crisis, the sacred cause of my country.”

Another representative, Patrick Henry’s, great skill as an orator was probably inspired by the brillant sermons of .Rev. Samuel Davis, the Ulster-Scottish minister, who led the great spiritual arousing called the Great Awakening in America. He expressed the same sentiments as Doctor Witherspoon in a very brief, but poignant sentence, which was to be afterwards seen on the caps of many a soldier at Cowpen’s and at King’s Mountain:-

“GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH.”