The Property of A Descendant of General JOHN PETER MUHLENBERG (1746-1807)
MUHLENBERG, JOHN PETER GABRIEL, Major General, Continental Army. Autograph manuscript signed ("Major General P. Muhlenberg 1784") comprising a journal of his overland trip to "the falls of the Ohio" (Louisville, Ky.), 22 February 25 June 1784. 8vo, 56 pages, 180 x 117 mm. (7 1/8 x 0 5/8 in.), in a blank book of 100 pages, bound in original limp sheep attached by two large metal staples at spine, paper endleaves. Fine condition.
Details
MUHLENBERG, JOHN PETER GABRIEL, Major General, Continental Army. Autograph manuscript signed ("Major General P. Muhlenberg 1784") comprising a journal of his overland trip to "the falls of the Ohio" (Louisville, Ky.), 22 February 25 June 1784. 8vo, 56 pages, 180 x 117 mm. (7 1/8 x 0 5/8 in.), in a blank book of 100 pages, bound in original limp sheep attached by two large metal staples at spine, paper endleaves. Fine condition.
MUHLENBERG'S 1784 NORTHWEST TERRITORY EXPEDITION TO LOUISVILLE: "A GUARD HOUSE, A JAIL, AND SEVEN HUTTS BESIDE THE FORD"
An early and entirely unpublished first-hand account of a trip over the Alleghenys to the frontier lands of the Ohio River Valley just after the end of the Revolution, when the region was about to be opened for large-scale settlement. The difficult journey had an official purpose, as Muhlenberg explains: 22 February: "[I]...set out...on my intended Journey to the Falls of Ohio, as one of the Superintendants appointed by the Assembly of Virginia to locate the Lands intended for the Officers & Soldiers of the Virginia Line, on Continental establishment..." 1 March: "...found the cold very severe, and the roads almost impassable as the snow was better than two Feet deep...I was compelled to break new Roads thru' the Woods..." At Carlisle, he was joined by Capt. Paske, "which gave me much pleasure, as my journey without a Companion would have been, not only disagreeable but dangerous"; he is amused that "even here, two men can not drink half a Gill of Whiskey, without discussing a point in politics." From Fort Pitt, once the ice breaks up, they proceed down the Ohio by boat, but are at risk from Indian attack when beached for a night on a sandspit. They reach Fort Wheeling, "built by the Governor of Virginia in 1774, and which had during the late war been several times attacked by the Indians and a detachment of British from Detroit," which is "the last settled place we shall come to untill we reach the Falls." Buffalo, bear and other game are taken, while the party remains vigilant in case of Indian attack. On 8 April they reach the Miami River (site of Cincinnati) and Muhlenberg, impressed by the richness of the land, predicts that "in time this will be the first & most valuable settlement in North America," though "at present it is inhabited by Wild Beasts Only." While hunting, two members of the party are lost in the thick woods, perhaps captured by Indians; their fate is "a lesson to Young Hunters & poor Woods men," Muhlenberg concludes.
The Falls of the Ohio (present-day Louisville, Ky.), are reached on 11 April: "...here we found Col. [George Rogers] Clarke," guns were fired from Fort Nelson in salute, and "three Shawnee Indians were introduced to us." Muhlenberg confers with the Indians about a proposed treaty of peace and the natives are presented with gifts. Louisville, Muhlenberg notes, "consists of a Guard House - a Jail - and seven Hutts beside the Ford" but the modest settlement "promises fair to become a place of great importance." The General writes to Baron Von Steuben and Governor Patrick Henry, "stating the difficulties which at present seem likely to retard our further proceeding," especially the lack of a military escort for the surveying parties who are fearful due to the frequent attacks by Indians. Most of April is devoted to laying out the bounty lands, but various sidetrips are described. Muhlenberg begins his return journey on 7 May, recounting reports of new Indian depredations in the area, and finally returns to Philadelphia on 26 June. A page at the end of his journal tabulates the distances of each leg of his trip from Fort Pitt.
MUHLENBERG'S 1784 NORTHWEST TERRITORY EXPEDITION TO LOUISVILLE: "A GUARD HOUSE, A JAIL, AND SEVEN HUTTS BESIDE THE FORD"
An early and entirely unpublished first-hand account of a trip over the Alleghenys to the frontier lands of the Ohio River Valley just after the end of the Revolution, when the region was about to be opened for large-scale settlement. The difficult journey had an official purpose, as Muhlenberg explains: 22 February: "[I]...set out...on my intended Journey to the Falls of Ohio, as one of the Superintendants appointed by the Assembly of Virginia to locate the Lands intended for the Officers & Soldiers of the Virginia Line, on Continental establishment..." 1 March: "...found the cold very severe, and the roads almost impassable as the snow was better than two Feet deep...I was compelled to break new Roads thru' the Woods..." At Carlisle, he was joined by Capt. Paske, "which gave me much pleasure, as my journey without a Companion would have been, not only disagreeable but dangerous"; he is amused that "even here, two men can not drink half a Gill of Whiskey, without discussing a point in politics." From Fort Pitt, once the ice breaks up, they proceed down the Ohio by boat, but are at risk from Indian attack when beached for a night on a sandspit. They reach Fort Wheeling, "built by the Governor of Virginia in 1774, and which had during the late war been several times attacked by the Indians and a detachment of British from Detroit," which is "the last settled place we shall come to untill we reach the Falls." Buffalo, bear and other game are taken, while the party remains vigilant in case of Indian attack. On 8 April they reach the Miami River (site of Cincinnati) and Muhlenberg, impressed by the richness of the land, predicts that "in time this will be the first & most valuable settlement in North America," though "at present it is inhabited by Wild Beasts Only." While hunting, two members of the party are lost in the thick woods, perhaps captured by Indians; their fate is "a lesson to Young Hunters & poor Woods men," Muhlenberg concludes.
The Falls of the Ohio (present-day Louisville, Ky.), are reached on 11 April: "...here we found Col. [George Rogers] Clarke," guns were fired from Fort Nelson in salute, and "three Shawnee Indians were introduced to us." Muhlenberg confers with the Indians about a proposed treaty of peace and the natives are presented with gifts. Louisville, Muhlenberg notes, "consists of a Guard House - a Jail - and seven Hutts beside the Ford" but the modest settlement "promises fair to become a place of great importance." The General writes to Baron Von Steuben and Governor Patrick Henry, "stating the difficulties which at present seem likely to retard our further proceeding," especially the lack of a military escort for the surveying parties who are fearful due to the frequent attacks by Indians. Most of April is devoted to laying out the bounty lands, but various sidetrips are described. Muhlenberg begins his return journey on 7 May, recounting reports of new Indian depredations in the area, and finally returns to Philadelphia on 26 June. A page at the end of his journal tabulates the distances of each leg of his trip from Fort Pitt.