Battles of Piscataway and Germantown
While Daniel was convalescing with the Quaker family near Philadelphia, George Michael continued his military tour with Capt. William Morgan’s Company and fought in the engagement against the British in March 1777 at Piscataway. “Our company had voluntarily entered the service for three months. All but three or four of them stayed three or four more days over that time, as Gen. Washington, by a messenger to the company had requested us to stay eight days longer and as the captain was then absent I spoke to the company pressing them upon their honor not to leave us before the morning of the fourth day, which most of them complied with. In that three month’s tour we were stationed near at the enemy’s quarters, and kept them from pillaging and foraging as far as we were able. In New Jersey in the winter of ’77 early in March had a short though sharp conflict with the enemy which was then called the battle of Piscataway under the command of Col. Thurston, (I think Charles Thurston) where we were overpowered by vastly superior numbers prepared for us with cavalry, infantry and artillery.”[i]
At the conclusion of his three-month tour with Capt. William Morgan’s Company, George Michael returned to the Quaker home where Daniel was being cared for and helped him walk home to Shepherdstown. The boy was dangerously ill and his mother and George Michael, no doubt, nursed him to the best of their abilities. Hearing of the defeat of Washington at Brandywine in September of 1777, George Michael could no longer resist the appeal to arms. The following is from George Michael’s sworn statement of 1836:[ii] We [George Michael Bedinger and Benoni Swearingen] “… went to the American army about 16 miles from Germantown and entered the company commanded by Captain Joseph Swearingen, in the 12th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Col James Wood, being in General Scott’s Brigade, and General Adam Steven’s Division. We remained in service six weeks when we were honorably discharged. General Wood said in our discharge that we, Benoni Swearingen and myself, had distinguished ourselves in the most brave and extraordinary manner on the day of the Battle of Germantown on the 4th of October. In the morning before the battle the Adjutant General addressed us thus: ‘Gentlemen Volunteers, you now have an opportunity to distinguish yourselves, you are not confined to any particular platoon or corps.’ These words were to the best of my recollection, or words to that effect. When our company began the engagement, Benoni Swearingen and I immediately advanced with such speed that we soon left our advancing army behind us. Prepared to defend ourselves with our rifles and our swords, we got between the fire of the contending armies, and it was believed by those who saw us advance that we would both be certainly killed, but through fog, smoke, and the mercies of God, we both escaped unhurt (the morning had been very foggy and smoky).”
“Before we left the army to return home we were both told we could have appointments in the regiment, but our mothers were widows, and as I had one brother who was a prisoner at Fort Washington, had just gotten home and whose life was despaired of, I returned home with my worthy companion and well-tried friend, Benoni Swearingen, to Shepherdstown." No other important engagement took place that season between Washington’s army and the British. [iii]
George Michael was always mindful of the dreaded situation of his brother Henry imprisoned in New York. During this time, George Michael “… by labor, loans, and by selling property left to him by his father, procures money from time to time and finds means to convey it to the Commissary of prisons in his brother’s behalf."
“Before we left the army to return home we were both told we could have appointments in the regiment, but our mothers were widows, and as I had one brother who was a prisoner at Fort Washington, had just gotten home and whose life was despaired of, I returned home with my worthy companion and well-tried friend, Benoni Swearingen, to Shepherdstown." No other important engagement took place that season between Washington’s army and the British. [iii]
George Michael was always mindful of the dreaded situation of his brother Henry imprisoned in New York. During this time, George Michael “… by labor, loans, and by selling property left to him by his father, procures money from time to time and finds means to convey it to the Commissary of prisons in his brother’s behalf."
Valley Forge
Gen. Washington and his army went into camp at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778. No doubt the Berkeley County Virginians under Col. Wood shared the privations of that most trying winter.” During the hardships that winter, George Michael Bedinger, provided what aid and comfort he could by taking wagon loads of winter clothing, blankets and other supplies to Washington’s troops at Valley Forge. |
[i] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p.,
p.177.
[ii] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p., pp.185-186.
[iii] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p., p. 186.
Continued: Go to War on the Frontier
p.177.
[ii] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p., pp.185-186.
[iii] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p., p. 186.
Continued: Go to War on the Frontier