History of the Donegal Township Riflemen

As Researched by Larry G. Gorecki

The Donegal Township Riflemen of Lancaster County Pennsylvania was organized under the command of Colonel Alexander Lowery as part of his 3rd battalion. This was in the year of 1776, along with the organization of several other companies from Donegal, Rapho and Mount Joy Townships.

Immediate command of the company of riflemen was under that of Captain Robert Craig. He lived along the Conoy Creek located in the township of Donegal. Other rifle company officers were 2nd Lieutenant Zachariah Moore and Ensign Walter Bell.

On a summer Sunday in 1777 a messenger arrived at the Donegal Presbyterian Church with the news that the British were marching north. The Reverend McFarquhar halted the sermon and the entire congregation poured outside and gathered around a sturdy oak tree just beyond the front door of the church. Known as the Witness Tree, all present pledged to fight against King George to the end, as God was their witness.

It was quite possible that some of the members of Captain Craig’s Company were part of the congregation that day. All of the men were sent home to make ready for the journey to meet up with the rest of Washington’s Army. At that time all of the Pennsylvania militia companies were under the command of General John Armstrong.

Needing the main army to defend Philadelphia from Howe’s redcoats the Pennsylvania companies gathered along Brandywine Creek. General George Washington and his subordinate generals examined the terrain closely and decided the best place for the British forces to cross the Brandywine was at Chadd’s Ford. Washington began to place his troops for a fight. However, remembering how his Pennsylvania militia performed the year before at Long Island, Washington put the militia companies elsewhere. Pyle’s Ford located about two miles south of Chadd’s Ford was chosen. General Armstrong’s militia companies numbered about 1,000 men strong.

The British under Howe turned north and did an end run at Washington’s troops, those under Generals Sullivan and Sterling. The Hessian General, Wilhelm Knyphausen, commanding redcoat troops came under heavy fire from Proctor’s cannons and the gunfire of Maxwell and General Wayne. General Knyphausen and his troop still managed to advance and push across Chadd’s Ford.

General Wayne witnessed British artillery crossing Chadd’s Ford along with more British troops coming from the North. Soon a message came of the defeat of Sullivan’s forces. Outnumbered, Wayne withdrew his forces toward the town of Chester. General Armstrong’s militia forces were also given the order to retreat, having never engaged in the battle. This indicates that the Donegal Township Riflemen’s first battle was not a battle at all. Our company retreated with the other Pennsylvania militia companies to the town of Chester to rejoin the main army.

At the battle of Germantown later in September, the riflemen under General Armstrong moved southeast along the Manatawny Road. The main objective was to cross the Wissahickon Creek to enter the British left rear flank. Washington did not think much resistance would come from the British left flank. Hessian General Wilhelm Knyphausen placed two battalions of Jaeger riflemen to guard his left flank. The Pennsylvania riflemen fired upon the Jaeger riflemen killing some of them. Documents indicate that Armstrong also had a small cannon along firing is occasionally, preoccupying the Hessians on Howe’s left. After confusion in the fog and American troops firing on each other, Washington’s forces were again forced to retreat. Orders from Washington came for Armstrong to move his troops to the rear back, up the Manatawny Road. The Battle of Germantown was over. The Americans had 1,073 either wounded, killed or missing. However, the men of Washington’s army were still hard core men determined to keep fighting, later at Whitemarsh and to struggle with cold and hunger at the winter camp at Valley Forge.

Many companies of the Lancaster militia wintered at Valley Forge and among them were riflemen from Donegal Township. That winter under the command of Baron Von Steuben "Drillmaster", the true birth of the American army can about. In the past the troops from the different colonies formed, marched and fought separate from each other as their commanders’ dictated. After Valley Forge that no longer took place. Now the units would move and fight as one army.

In the months and years to come, men would go home at the end of their tour of duty. Many were wounded and sent home. Many too died. Some re-enlisted and slowly but surely the riflemen were beginning to disappear. General Wayne along with General Washington felt that rifles were too slow to reload and the lack of a way to attach a bayonet made them poor weapons in the field.