George Campbell (abt. 1735 - 1810)

Born about 1735 in County Tyrone, Ireland

Died 25 Oct 1810 at about age 75 in Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

George Campbell was a native of Stewartstown the county of Tyrone Ireland where the family been long settled He was admitted to practise the Armagh assizes in 1751 and pursued the profession until 1765 when he emigrated to Philadelphia where he passed the remainder of his days At the time of the difficulties with Great Britain he took a warm interest in the question and was among the originators of the first City Troop in which he served until they obtained their discharge after the peace He continued the practice of law and was elected a member of the Legislature from the City and appointed in 1783 Register of Wills for the City and County of Philadelphia which he held by appointment of successive Governors until the year 1800 when from party feelings he was removed He died in the year 1810 at the age of 80 years enjoying the respect and esteem of all who knew him He was one of the subscribers to the old Pennsylvania Bank in 1780 to supply the army with provisions His son George Campbell Esq is a member of the Hibernian Society

p. 16 Re: John Donnaldson, George Campbell, William Tod served in campaign of ’76-‘77

These twenty six gentlemen were the only effective members they served in the campaigns in 1776 to the spring of 1777 were in the battles of Trenton and Princeton took a number of prisoners and returned home with the above honorable discharge from General Washington

DISCHARGE FROM GENERAL WASHINGTON

The Philadelphia Troop of Light Horse under the command of Capt Morris having performed their tour of duty are discharged for the present I take this opportunity of returning my most sincere thanks to the Captain and to the gentlemen who compose the Troop for the many essential services which they have rendered their country and to me personally during the course of this severe campaign Though composed of gentlemen of fortune they have shown a noble example of discipline and subordination and in several actions have shown a spirit and bravery which will ever do honor to them and will ever be gratefully remembered by me

George Washington

Head Quarters Morris Town

January 23d 1777

P. 1017 note 1: First City Troop is the modern name of a company organized in anticipation of hostilities breaking out between America and Great Britain by twenty-eight gentlemen of Philadelphia, on the 17th of November, 1774. They adopted the titleof the Light Horse of the City of Philadelphia. The original members were Abraham Markoe, Andrew Allen, Samuel Morris, James Mease, Thomas Leiper, William Hall, Samuel Penrose, Samuel Howell, James Hunter, James Budden, John Dunlap, John Mease, Robert Hare, William Pollard* Henry Hill, John Boyle, William Tod, John Mitchell, George Campbell, Samuel Caldwell, Levi Hollingsworth, Blair McClenachan, George Graff, Benjamin Randolph,Thomas Peters, George Fullerton, Andrew Caldwell, William West, Jr. These persons, equipped at their own expense, chose their own officers, and volunteered their services to the Continental Congress. The officers were as follows: Abraham Markoe, captain ; Andrew Allen, first lieutenant; Samuel Morris, second lieutenant and adjutant ; James Mease, cornet; Thomas Mease, first sergeant ; William Hall, second sergeant; Samuel Penrose, third sergeant and quartermaster; Samuel Howell, first corporal ; James Hunter, second corporal.

...

A detachment of the Troop was sent, in October, 1775, under command of Quartermaster Levi Hollingsworth, to Fort Ticonderoga with "a quantity of money for Gen. Schuyler." About the same time Private Samuel Caldwell, with a detachment, escorted a wagon with five hundred thousand dollars' worth of money for the use of the army in Massachusetts Bay. A detachment of the company served under Brig.-Gen. Hugh Mercer in New Jersey in August, 1776. The Troop was in service during the "operatioms in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which resulted in the battles of Trenton and Princeton in 1776 and 1777. They were discharged by Washington Jan. 23, 1777. The corps was in service again in September, 1779, and marched as far as Princeton. The members were under orders in June, 1780, and were employed frequently in escort duty and other service during the Revolutionary War. In the campaign of 1794 against the insurgents of the western counties of Pennsylvania, who had opposed the excise laws of the United States (commonly called the whiskey war), the Troop was in Service three months, and marched as far as Pittsburgh. In 1799 the Troop marched upon the Northampton expedition (the hot water war), and in 1810 there were six troops of horse in the city, and they formed a regiment of cavalry, of which Robert Wharton, who had been captain of the Troop, was elected colonel.

In 1814, during the war with Great Britain, the Troup was upon vidette duty in Delaware and Maryland, They stretched over from Mount Bull at Turkey Point, on Chesapeake Bay, thirteen miles below Elkton,over to the Delaware. It was their duty to transmit any important intelligence, upon which, the alarm being sent to Fort Mifflin and thearsenal, six signal guns were ordered to be fired in quick succession, and the drums of the city were to be beat to arms. Upon this, orders byBrig –Gen. Joseph Bloomfield, commanding the Fourth District, were thatthe militia should parade completely equipped for the field "right upon Chestnut extending southwardly on Broad Street." The company was in service from the 28th of August to the 12th of December, 1814. There were sixty-seven others and members engaged in that duty.

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