Thanks - - - Bill M Jay Kimmel wrote: > The following was posted on the Lancaster County PA RootsWeb Mailing List > Server. The poster has has been transcribing journals from 1776 > previously published. Material posted for earlier in the year of 1776 > can be found at - > > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > > Enter PALANCAS as the Name of the List > > Now read on and consider the meaning of Christmas over the years to > some of our Kimmel ancestors. > > Jay Kimmel > - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - -- > > Subject: > [PALANCAS-L] Dec 25 and 26 Lanc. Diary Entry > Resent-Date: > Wed, 22 Dec 1999 05:08:24 -0800 (PST) > Resent-From: > PALANCAS-L@rootsweb.com > Date: > Wed, 22 Dec 1999 05:08:22 -0800 (PST) > From: > S Hafner <shaf41@yahoo.com> > To: > PALANCAS-L@rootsweb.com > > I keep forgetting to ask also: At one time, someone > was talking about not including all of the message > when replying as some people have to pay depending on > the amount or size of their emails??? Is this correct > or did I imagine this? I can if enough of you would > prefer, post all of the diary entries on my page > rather than email them??? Just let me know what the > most of you would prefer. This way too, they'd be > there if you ever want to go back to them. Whatever > way is best for all of you is okay with me. Sue > December 26th entry really tore at my heart! Such a > sad and terrible thing for anyone to go through! > > December 25, Wednesday (1776) > Christmas Day. Henry Bennet and Elizabeth Thomson > married today at > St. James Church in Lancaster. (49) > > Peter Vetter, son of Gottleib Vetter died today. > According to the Burial Book of the Moravian > Church, he was born May 16, 1771. (50) See also > Appendix. > > Appendix for December 25, 1776 > GENERAL WASHINGTON TO ROBERT MORRIS. > Head-Quarters, 25th December, 1776. > DEAR SIR: I have your obliging favours of the 21st and > 23d. The blankets are come to hand; but I would not > have any of the other goods sent on till you hear > again from me. > I agree with you that it is in vain to ruminate upon, > or even reflect upon, the authors or causes of our > present misfortunes. We should rather exert ourselves, > and look forward with hopes, that some lucky chance > may yet turn up in our favour. Bad as our prospects > are, I should not have the least doubt of success in > the end did not the late treachery and defection of > those who stood foremost in the Opposition while > fortune smiled upon us make me fearful that many more > will follow their example, who, by using their > influence with some and working upon the fears of > others, may extend the circle so as to take in whole > Towns, Counties, nay Provinces. Of this, we have a > recent instance in Jersey; and I wish many parts of > Pennsylvania may not be ready to receive the yoke. > The security of the Continental ships-of-war in > Delaware is certainly a capital object, and yet to > draft the many hands necessary to fit them out, from > the Militia, might be dangerous just now. Perhaps, in > a little time hence, their places may be supplied with > country Militia, and then, if the exigency of affairs > requires it, they certainly ought to be spared. > I will just hint to you a proposition that was made, > or rather talked of, a few days ago, by the officers > of two New-England regiments, whose time of service > will expire on the 1st January. They are, most of > them, watermen, and they said their men would > willingly go on board the frigates and navigate them > round to any of the ports of New-England, if it was > thought they would be safer there than in Delaware. > You may think of this, and let me hear from you on the > subject if the proposition pleases you. > Lieutenant Boger, of the Navy, is already gone in; and > I have made a demand of Lieutenant Josiah in exchange, > but I have not heard whether Lord Howe accedes to it. > I will procure the release of Doctor Hodge as soon as > it can be done without injuring others by giving him > the preference, as I have always made it a rule to > demand those first who have been longest in captivity. > I will take the same steps in regard to Mr. Jones, > commander of the sloop taken by the Andrew Doria. > I shall take the earliest opportunity of sending in > your letter to General Lee, with the bill drawn upon > Major Small. > >From an intercepted letter from a person in the > secrets of the enemy, I find their > intentions are to cross the Delaware as soon as the > ice is sufficiently strong. I mention this that you > may take the necessary steps for the security of such > publick and private property as ought not to fall into > their hands should they make > themselves master of Philadelphia, of which they do > not seem to entertain the least doubt. > I hope the next Christmas will prove happier than the > present to you, and to, dear sir, your sincere friend > and humble servant, Go.Washington > > P.S. I would just ask whether you think Christeen a > safe place for our stores? Do you not think they would > be safer at Lancaster, or somewhere more inland? > Robert Morris, Esq. > 1420 Series 5, Vol. 3 > > 2nd December 25 Appendix > GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GENERAL PUTNAM > Camp, above Trenton-Falls, December 25th, 1776. > DEAR SIR: I am glad to hear by your son that you are > getting better again. If I had not been well convinced > before of the enemy's intention of possessing > themselves of Philadelphia so soon as the frost will > form ice hard enough to transport them and their > artillery across the Delaware, I have an intercepted > letter which puts the matter beyond a doubt. If, > therefore, the citizens of Philadelphia have any > regard for the town, not a moment's time is to be lost > in putting it in the best posture of defence possible; > but lest this should not be done, I would have the > publick stores of every kind that can be, removed, > except such as may be necessary for immediate use, and > except provisions. I think the stores should go > towards Lancaster instead of Christeen bridge, unless > they can be water borne (at this time to the bridge) > and readily transported from thence into the country. > Should not this be the case, may they not easily be > seized at Christeen? I think they may; but this matter > should be inquired into. > I am sorry Colonel Griffin has left the Jerseys. Some > active officer of influence ought, in my opinion, to > repair there, to inspirit the people and keep the > Militia from disbanding, and, if possible, to > encourage them to assemble. > Let me know the exact state and strength of the > Militia with you, that I may know how to govern > myself; also of the expectation you have of more > coming in. > I am, dear Sir, yours, &c., GO. WASHINGTON. > > December 26, Thursday > The Battle of Trenton was fought today. Thomas Davis > and Mary Haggan were married at St. James Church. (51) > > Rev. Cuthbertson wrote: "Rode 5 miles home by John > Maeben's- Great Snow. . ." (52) > > Colonel James Crawford's Fifth Battalion was ordered > back to Lancaster today. Christopher Marshall wrote to > Peter Miller at Ephrata: "Philadelphia, December 26th, > 1776. To Peter Miller at Ephrata pr favor of Adam > Kimmel-Respected Friend, Thou may think of the old > proverb, 'out of sight, out of mind,' but this has not > been my case of which I think thou will be convinced > when I have informed thee of the painful Exercises I > am and have been engaged in from the 5th inst. that is > at the request of the Council of Safety, I accepted to > call on some of my fellow citizens as many as I > thought convenient to assist me in taking care of the > distressed and sick soldiers as they come into town, > provide for them such necessaries as could be procured > & convenient for them in their unhappy grevious > condition of which no idea thou can form will come up > to their Distresses and was occasioned wholly through > the Cruel and most barbarous severity inflicted on > them whilst Prisoners under General Howe . . . of > which some Hundreds are already dead & other's dying > daily . . . They say that for the first 4 days no > subsistance of any kind was allowed them, shut up in > Nasty filthy places and yet in such numbers yet it was > a wonder that any escaped an affection, when supplyed > it was with short allowance of extremely bad bread > and, raw picketed pork-this from their appearance is > not exaggerated . . . skins covered with filth and > lice covering a parcel of bones- with scarcely raggs > sufficient to hid their nakedness . . . we are daily > employed in order . . . to mitigate their sufferings . > . . by the help of good nourishment and Physick > properly applyed . . . give my kind respects unto all > inquiring friends, I remain thy ready friend to serve > when capable. > (signed) Christopher Marshall. (53) > > Source: Lancaster Diary 1776 > Compiled by Walter F. Ayars III > for the Greater Lancaster Chapter Of > The Lancaster Bicentennial Committe, 1976 > This diary is made up of Excerpts from diaries, > day books, journals, newspapers, and court records > of the daily life in Lancaster County in the year > 1776.