AREA HISTORY:  Heidelberg Township, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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AN HISTORIC SPOT – Page 695

On the hillside west of Menges’ Mills, is an historic spot.  Here on the night 
of May 26, 1781, the distinguished Revolutionary hero, Gen. Anthony Wayne, 
encamped with about 1,000 men.  They left York at 9 A.M.  He and his soldiers 
had become famous for their daring bravery in several hard fought battles, 
especially at Stony Point, Brandywine and Paoli.  The campaigns in the north had 
virtually ended, and he, according to the direction of Washington, was ordered 
southward to join Lafayette’s army in Virginia.  The commander, as was his 
custom, rested for the night in camp with his men.  Shortly after sunrise they 
took up their march through Hanover, and encamped for the next night near 
Littlestown.  They passed through Taneytown and halted upon the banks of Pipe 
Creek, where they encamped on the night of the 28th of May, and on the following 
night on the south bank of the Monocacy River.  At this point they remained one 
day, May 30, and washed and cleaned their arms, and at 7 P.M. were reviewed by 
their commanding general.  They passed through Frederick at 8 A.M.  At this 
place there were a number of British officers kept as prisoners of war who were 
privileged to take a view of Gen. Wayne and his men.  They crossed the Potomac 
at Noland’s Ferry, where they halted for the artillery and baggage to cross.  
The troops crossed in the evening and halted one mile from the ferry and lay 
without tents, it raining the chief part of the night.  Crossing at this place 
four men were drowned; one of the scows sank.  One of the lost was a sergeant.  
The average distance of their daily march was about fifteen miles.

Near the south branch of the Rappahannock, on June 10, after a march that day of 
twenty-three miles they joined the army of Gen. LaFayette.  That day they were 
cheered by meeting a body of 1,800 Virginia militia who were marching to the 
front.  October 19 of that year this patriotic band were present as a part of 
LaFayette’s command, at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Va.  Capt. 
McClellan, of York County, who was with Wayne, in his diary says of the 
surrender:  “The British marched out and grounded their army in front of our 
lines.  Our whole army drew up for them to march through, the French army on 
their right and the American army on their left, with the start and stripes 
floating in the gentle breeze.”

There is some significance in the event of Gen. Wayne and his patriot band 
crossing York County on the southern march.  It occurred near the last of the 
great struggle for freedom, and they soon after took part in the culminating 
event of the war, the siege and surrender of Yorktown and the capture of the 
British army.

When the reader recalls to memory the fact that Gen. Kilpatrick just eighty-two 
years later, almost to the day, encamped on nearly the same spot crossed, the 
western portion of York County, and soon thereafter engaged in the great and 
decisive conflict at Gettysburg, the coincidence is somewhat striking.  The 
commanders of these armies were similar in nature and temperament.  Both had won 
victories with the same military strategy, and both were bold, daring, intrepid 
and impetuous officers.  They both died when comparatively young men under 
similar circumstances and from similar causes.