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PA ARCHIVES
RESEARCH Article
Concerning James DeFrance, John DeFrance, John Henry DeFrance and Hawkins Boone Submitted by Wayne
DeFrance Lawton, October 2005
Written by Col. John B. Trussel,
Carlisle, PA for
Col.(Ret.) Rudolph DeFrance, Carlisle, PA. (Transcribed for this page by Charles T.
DeFrance )
On March 17, 1777, the Pennsylvania state
government adopted a Militia Act. Under this Act, all white males
between ages 18 and 53 who were capable of bearing arms (only ministers
of the gospel, masters and faculties of colleges, purchased-that is,
indentured-servants, and certain elected officials being exempt) where
to be enrolled in the militia. Each geographical area inhabited
by fifty to one hundred men (typically, a township) was to form aninfantry company, with the companies of each county being formed into numbered battalions at the rate of eight companies per battalion. Officers and non-commissioned officers were elected. The prescribed life of the Act was three years. As this service was mandatory, it clearly is misleading to speak of anyone "joining" the militia. There was nothing voluntary about it. Within each company, all men were distributed (by lot) into eight numbered classes. All companies were to conduct ten days of training, spread throughout a year's time. When militia was needed for active service, the state authorities would order up the numbers of a particular numbered class or classes from a specified county or counties for a maximum of sixty days. Any county's class which had been called up could not be called for another tour until all the other classes of that county had completed tours. When the members of a class were called to active duty, they were formed into provisional companies (called "marching companies") for the duration of their active-duty tour, and these companies were grouped into provisional battalions, which were numbered. Thus, a man assigned to the 7th Lancaster County Militia Battalion who was allocated to the third class would, if called up, serve his active-duty tour as a member of the 3d [provisional] Battalion, Lancaster County Militia. (NB: The term provisional, shown above in brackets, was not used; no distinction is made in the published archives between a training battalion and a provisional, active-duty battalion. However, the only way that a militiaman would be able to serve in an active-duty battalion that had the same number as his training battalion would be for his class number to be the same as his training battalion number.) Aside from reassignment from one training company or battalion to another due to changing the location of his residence, there are two more complications concerning a militiaman's unit assignments to be mentioned. One is that an individual who was called for active duty could hire a substitute to take his place. Hence, a man might have one tour in one unit as a substitute and another tour in a different unit as a result of being called up himself. The other is that in 1780, when the 1777 Act expired, a new (essentially identical) Act was passed; but because the battalions in any given county were numbered to correspond to the relative seniority of their commanders, and because the new Act brought numerous changes among the more senior officers, most of the battalions were redesignated, gaining different numbers from what they had had previously. The same thing happened again in 1783. Turning to what we know of James DeFrance, he was a private, assigned to the second class, in Capt. Robert McKee's [training] Company of the 3d [training] Battalion of Lancaster County Militia, under Col. Alexander Lowrey, or Lowry, as battalion commander. His name is shown on the muster roll for that company dated August 24, 1778 [Note1] and on another muster roll dated April 19, 1779 [Note2]. Manifestly, he had been in the militia since the spring of 1777, for he had a tour of active duty from July 18 through September 22, 1777, serving (apparently on an acting or temporary basis only) as a sergeant in the "marching" (provisional) company of Lancaster County Militia commanded by Capt. Joseph Work, as his mane is shown on Captain Work's list of men in his company, who were drawn from the second, third, and fourth classes of the 3d [training] Battalion of Lancaster County Militia [Note3]. Starting as early as the spring of 1777, Pennsylvania militia units had begun to be called up: Washington, with no way of knowing whether Howe's troops in New York would go up the Hudson to meet Burgoyne coming south or, instead, would exploit the Royal Navy's control of the sea to go south and then strike up through Pennsylvania, was edgy, and kept asking for militia to be mobilized so that he would not have to wait for a call-up after an invasion actually began. The maximum allowable tour of sixty days active duty for militia, however, imposed a considerable turn-over as the summer progressed. In any cast, James DeFrance was one of the militiamen called into active duty from Lancaster County on July 18, 1777. By the time the British sailed up the Chesapeake to land at Elkton, Md. (with Philadelphia as their objective), almost 3,000 Pennsylvania militia in thirteen battalions were on duty with Washington's army; they were organized into a "division" of two brigades, with the division commander being Maj. Gen. John Armstrong. Three of the thirteen battalions were from Lancaster County. The militia division was present at the Battle of Brandywine Creek, and all of the action took place in the center and right flank of the line). When the American defense collapsed, Armstrong withdrew his division to Chester, which became the rallying point for the retreating Americans [Note4]. James DeFrance's active-duty tour ended on September 22, however, so he would not have been on duty for the Battle of Germantown (October 4, 1777) or subsequent operations during the 1777 campaign. Parenthetically, despite the statement in the DeFrance Family History, James must have been born at least a year or so before 1761, as he would have been only 16 years old at the time of his first militia active-duty tour in 1777. The minimum age for obligatory militia service was 18; he could conceivably have been a volunteer, although it seems unlikely that a militia company (with members ranging in age from 18 to 53) would have chosen a 16-year-old-no matter how gun ho-to be a sergeant even in an acting capacity. James DeFrance was again on active duty from August 11 to October 11, 1779, this time as a private in the provisional company of Lancaster County Militia commanded by Capt. John Caldwell, on duty at Northumberland, Pa [Note5]. This tour stemmed from the fact that, from mid-1778 on (the time of the "Wyoming Massacre"), Indian and Tory forces had started raiding intensively along the frontier areas of Northampton and Northumberland counties (as these then existed). To counter this, a major offensive ("the Sullivan Expedition") was launched in July, 1779, with Maj. Gen. John Sullivan leading a massive force of Continentals from Wilkes-Barre into the Finger Lakes region of New York to lay waste the Indian towns and crops. Militia was called up to guard the frontier areas while this offensive was in progress. For this purpose, enough Lancaster County militiamen were called up to form a skeleton battalion [Note6]. Due to the 1780 reorganization mentioned in the introductory explanation, the 3d Battalion of Lancaster County Militia was redesignated as the 7th Battalion. The company (from Derry Township) formerly commanded by Capt. Robert McKee at this point came under Capt. Abraham Scott. This company, apparently as an entire unit, was ordered to active duty, serving from June 26 to August 25, 1781 as guards for prisoners of war held at Lancaster [Note7]. In the (again, apparently temporary) rank of sergeant, James DeFrance was on duty with this company during the period cited [Note8]. One May 15, 1782, Captain Scott submitted a list of the men subject to militia membership in the same encompassed by his (2d) Company (Derry Township) of the 7th Battalion, Lancaster county Militia. James DeFrance is listed as a private in the second class [Note9]. However, on a corresponding list dated May 5, 1782, Capt. David McQueen includes James DeFrance as a private in the fourth class of McQueen's (4th) Company (Londonderry Township) of the 7th Battalion [Note10]. For a number of reasons, I am sure that Capt. McQueen made an administrative error, and that James DeFrance was improperly listed in McQueen's company. For on thing, Derry Township is immediately north of Londonderry Township; if James DeFrance lived just north of the boundary line, it is possible that Captain McQueen could have been confused concerning which of the townships it was in which James lived. More conclusively, while James DeFrance is never again listed as a member of McQueen's company, his name does appear twice more in later muster rolls of Capt. Abraham Scott's company: that is, on a list also for the year 1782 but dated November, 26, 1782 [Note11], and on one for the year 1783 (dated only "Spring, 1783") [Note12]. In this connection, the DeFrance Family History states on page 18 that James DeFrance mush have lived in Donegal Township in 1782, as he paid taxes there that year as a "freeman." This is distinct from being taxed as a landholder; apparently, he worked in Donegal Township, but remained assigned to a Derry Township militia company, which implies that this "permanent" residence was in Derry Township. This also may explain his assignment (which, as stated above, I believe to have been an error soon corrected) to a Londonderry Township militia company. Donegal Township, as then constituted, was immediately southeast of Londonderry Township; all the area comprising Donegal Township at that time remained in Lancaster County when Dauphin County was formed, where as Derry and Londonderry townships when to Dauphin County. The only other reference to James DeFrance's military service shows him on a list (dated February 2, 1795) of officers elected in the Northumberland County Militia. He is shown as a lieutenant of light infantry (probably this means a rifle company as distinct form one armed with muskets)in the county's 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment. Also listed (as an ensign-1, second lieutenant-of light infantry in the same Battalion) is Charles DeFrance [Note13]. As for John DeFrance (older brother of James), the military records are much more scarce. He is shown as having one tour of active duty-the same as his brother James-at Northumberland, Pa. from July 11 to October 11, 1779, serving with James in the "marching" company of Lancaster County Militia commanded by Capt. John Caldwell [Note14], and is shown as being assigned to the eight class, but there is no record of his "home" company or battalion at this time. (Incidentally, the DeFrance Family History, page 9, is in error on two counts in identifying this man with John Henry DeFrance-actually, the father of John and James-and in saying that he served with the Northumberland County Militia; actually, he was in the Lancaster County Militia detachment on duty at the town of Northumberland.) I have found only two other references to his military service. He is included, in the eight class, in a list of the militiamen of the 6th Company (Capt. William Willson)(Donegal Township) of the 7th Battalion, Lancaster County Militia, for the year 1782, dated April 11, 1782 [Note15]. He is also included in a similar list for the year 1783 (dated April 15, 1783). This time, while still in the eighth class, he is in the 1st Company (Capt. James Anderson) of the 4th Battalion (Lt. Col. Ludwick Myer) [Note16]. Clearly, this does not reflect a transfer for him, because in 1783 the militia reorganization brought the redesignation of the former 7th Battalion as the 4th Battalion. Also, Anderson's Company, like Willson's was from Donegal Township. Robert, John and Allison DeFrance, sons of James DeFrance, had active duty as militiamen during the War of 1812. A record of men who served in Capt. James Cochran's company of riflemen in the 1th Battalion (commanded by Major James Hall) of the 17th Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia from August 10 through September 2, 1812 includes Robert as a sergeant and John and Allison as privates. For the twenty-three days in question, Robert was paid $6.13 and John and Allison each received $3.83 1/3. [Note17] They continued on duty through October 12, 1812, but form September 3 onward Captain Cochran's company was attached to the 135th Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia, commanded by Lt. Col. Andrew Christy. For this service, Robert was paid $10.66 2/3 and John and Allison were paid $6.66 1/2 each. [Note18] Considering the dates involved and the area of the state where they lived, it is probable that the DeFrance brothers were among the 2,000 militiamen assembled at Meadville, Pa. at this time. By early October most of these men had moved to Buffalo, N.Y., to join a force intended to cross the Niagara River and invade Canada. The plan was eventually abandoned (on December 1), by which time Captain Cochran's company had returned home. Records show the three DeFrance brothers again on active duty, this time at Erie, Pa., from July 23 through August 6, 1813. This time they belonged to a rifle company commanded by Lt. Henry Heath, in the 137th Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia commanded by Major Jehiel Terril. This record lists Robert "DeFrance" (sergeant), who was paid $6 for 15 days' service; John DeFrance (private) and "Alison" DeFrance (private), each drawing $5 for the 15 days. [Note19]The purpose of this tour was to help man the earthworks defending Erie, where Oliver Hazard Perry was building the fleet with which, on September 10, 1813, he defeated the British naval forces in the Battle of Lake Erie. The one remaining record pertains to "Alexander" (presumably Allison) DeFrance, who was paid $13 for serving from January 1 through February 8, 1814 as a private in Capt. James Cochran's company of the 137th Pennsylvania Militia, commanded by Lt. Col. David Nelson [Note20]. Presumably, this service involved maintaining security, as I have found no record of active operations involving Pennsylvania militia during this period. Allison DeFrance's War of 1812 service is further documented by the record of the payment of a pension to his widow, the latest showing a disbursement to her as late as August 25, 1880 [Note21]. Regarding Hawkins Boone, the biographies of Daniel Boone available to me do not mention Hawkins. Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania states that Hawkins was a cousin of Daniel, but this is not very helpful. Fort Freeland was located about 4-1/2 miles up Warrior Run from the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, eighteen miles north of Northumberland, Pa. It consisted of a large, two-story log house surrounded by a palisade about twelve feet high and enclosing an area of half an acre. It had been built in the autumn of 1778 by Jacob Freeland. Because of the threat of Indian attack, thirteen families spent the winter of 1778-1779 in the fort. On July 21, 1779, at about 9 A.M., Indians attacked a group of men from the fort working in a nearby cornfield. Three of the whites were killed, three others were captured, and one escaped. The situation remained quiet until the early morning of July 29, when Jacob Freeland was shot as he walked out through the fort's gates. In short order the fort was surrounded by a force (largely Indians but with some Tories) led by a Tory officer, a Captain McDonald. For defense, the fort had only 23 men, and ammunition was very limited. About 9 A.M., therefore, the fort surrendered, the terms being that all able-bodied men were to become prisoners of war but that the women, children, and old men would be allowed to go free; and that the fort would be left for the enemy to loot. At about noon, the non-combatants left, to begin walking to Northumberland, which they reached that night. One woman was a cripple, so Captain McDonald gave her a captured horse on which to make her escape. Also, a 16-year-old boy escaped by dressing as a girl [Note22]. After the surrender but before the evacuation, a party of about thirty Americans led by Capt. Hawkins Boone and Capt. Samuel Dougherty arrived, unaware that the enemy was in the area. As they crossed Warrior Run they were taken under fire and thirteen of them, including Boone and Dougherty, were killed, the remainder escaping. After the inhabitants had left, the fort was looted and burned [Note23]. It has been speculated that McDonald's objective was actually Fort Augusta, at Sunberry, Pa., where he hoped to interdict the movement of supplies up the Susquehanna's North Branch for General Sullivan's build-up at Wilkes-Barre, and that the stumbled across Fort Freeland by mistake, thereby tipping his hand and losing his advantage of surprise. If so, he was too late in any event, for Sullivan actually started his advance on July 31. It seems more likely that if McDonald had any strategic objective, it was mearly to create as much insecurity in the area as he could in the hope of diverting Sullivan from his primary goal. Foot Notes ----- 1. Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Vol. VII, Page 202. 2. Ibid., VII, 207. 3. Ibid., VII, 332. 4. See Samuel Stelle Smith, The Battle of Brandywine (Monmouth Beach, N.J. - Philip Freneau Press, 1976), in particular pages 31-32. 5. This information is not in the published Pennsylvania Archives, but is contained in the Military Accounts, Records of the Comptroller General or Auditor General, in the Pennsylvania State Archives. 6. William P. Clarke, Official History of the Militia and the National Guard of the state of Pennsylvania from the Earliest Period of Record to the Present Time (Philadelphia, 1909), Vol. I, Pages 114-115. 7. Ibid., I, 113. 8. Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Vol. VII, Page 694. 9. Ibid., VII, 754. 10. Ibid., VII, 760. 11. Ibid., VII, 747. 12 Ibid., VII, 772. 13. Pennsylvania Archives, Sixth Series, Vol. IV, Page 503. 14. Military Accounts, Records of the Comptroller General or Auditor General, Pennsylvania State Archives. 15. Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Vol. VII, Page.766. 16. Ibid., VII, 443. 17. Pennsylvania Archives, Sisth Series, Vol. IX, Page 715. 18. Ibid., IX, 716. 19. Ibid., X, 157. 20. Ibid., X, 39. 21. Ibid., IX, 332, 430, 527. 22. Could this episode be the actual origin of the tradition that John Henry DeFrance escaped from France dressed in girl's clothing? 23. Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg, 1916), Vol. I, Pages 381-384. |