The York County Committee to the Pennsylvania
Committee of Safety
Text printed in Samuel Hazard et al., eds., Pennsylvania Archives (2nd
series; 19 vols., Harrisburg, Pa., 1879-93), XIV, 539-40.
<In committee, York, September 14, 1775: We return you the
number of associators whose names we have received, 3,349; there
are others whose names we do not know. We cannot list precisely
the nonassociators, but will do so as soon as possible. Those of
them whose names we have, like the associators known to us, “are
chiefly taxable.”
We enclose the proceedings of the committee and officers
of the county militia companies. The divisions or battalions were
formed, and the seniority of each was set, by unanimous vote
according to the date when the majority of its companies associated.
We, who are members of one or another battalion, are aware
that fixing seniority by lot would create confusion and injure the
cause, and therefore hope that commissions will be granted according
to the regulations adopted. The convenience of the county
and the men was considered in forming the battalions, which as
you will see from the enclosed papers are of unequal numbers but
none of less than five hundred. The first three are large enough for
regiments, but give them whatever name you think proper. We
send you the names of the officers to be commissioned according
to seniority, as agreed in their battalions. Although one battalion
has but five companies, each is large enough to act as a grand
division until it can be divided according to the men’s wishes; the
field officers, when commissioned, will be of great help, and attention
must be paid to the townships of each battalion.
Those appointed officers the people generally find acceptable.
Captain James Dill and his company officers and some others, we
are told, are dissatisfied with Matthew Dill as colonel of the fifth
battalion, and have written to you about a new election. The
Colonel was chosen fairly, without dispute, and a second election
would merely encourage faction, “which we happily avoided in
this county”.
We enclose the names of officers of minutemen, those in the
county who are prepared to be the first called into service. Determining
their order of call by lot would be inexpedient, because
the companies vary in their discipline, length of training, and
active complements; and the lot might fall on those upon which
the community cannot rely. Minutemen should therefore be chosen
on an individual basis.
“There are nearly 100 persons associated in Germany Township,
but as there is some little confusion concerning their offices, we
shall defer sending their names for some time.” Addressed to
Franklin and the committee and signed with seventeen names
“and others”.>
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