illustrious revolutionary patriot of Maryland, was among the first in America to assist the cause of his country against the oppressions of Great Britain, and was early in life honored with the most important and arduous trusts which his countrymen could confer. He was the son of Thomas Johnson and Dorcas Sedgwick, and was born in Calvert County, on the 4th of November, 1732, but for the last forty years of his life was a resident of Frederick County. Having received the rudiments of a common school education at an early age, he was sent to Annapolis to write in the provincial court office. In a short time, he commenced the study of law under the auspices of Mr. Bordley, and after being admitted to the bar he soon arose to the first professional rank in the province. On the commencement of the troubles with Great Britain, he, with others, stepped forward to oppose the unjust demand of the mother country, and never swerved from the path that led to independence. He was a member of the first congress; was a member of every important committee; distinguished for his patriotic speeches, and nominated George Washington to be commander-in-chief of all the armies of the United Colonies. During the month of July, 1776, he was absent from congress, and until the 9th of November following, was serving in the Convention which formed the first constitution of the State. Shortly after the adjournment of congress he was appointed a brigadier-general of the Frederick County militia, which afterwards formed a large part of General Washington's army in the Jerseys. Whilst engaged in the field he was elected, as before stated, the first republican Governor of Maryland, and immediately repaired to Annapolis. He filled the office of that eventful time with a diligence, integrity, and patriotic ability, that have not been excelled by any of his successors. After his gubernatorial term expired he removed to Frederick Town, which he often represented in the House of Delegates, and shortly after his re-eligibility to the Governor's chair he was re-elected, which honor he declined as well as many others that were afterwards tendered him. He was among the most conspicuous advocates in the convention which adopted the constitution of the United States, matching successfully the transcendent talents of Martin, the Chases and Mercer. Upon the decease of Mr. Harrison, chief judge of the General Court, Mr. Johnson was appointed to fill the vacancy, which office he held until he was appointed one of the associate judges of the Supreme Court of the United States. The feeble state of his health obliged him to resign in 1793. On the formation of Washington's cabinet he was invited to accept the position of Secretary of State, but declined. He, however, accepted the appointment of commissioner of the city of Washington, with Dr. Steuart and Mr. Daniel Carroll, in conjunction with whom he laid off the plan and fixed on the sites of the capitol, president's house, and other public buildings. After this, Mr. Johnson lived retired in the bosom of his family, and died at "Rose Hill," the seat of his son-in-law, Mr. John Grahame, in Frederick County, on the 26th of October, 1819. It is said that when John Adams was asked why so many southern men occupied leading positions and possessed great influence.

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in the Revolution, he replied that, "if it had not been for such men as Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Chase and Thomas Johnson, there never would have been any revolution."

He married, on the 16th of February, 1766, Ann Jennings, the only daughter of Thomas Jennings, of Annapolis, who died August 26th, 1759, leaving five children. On the 14th of February, 1777, the legislature elected Charles Carroll, Sr., Josiah Polk, Jr., John Rogers, Edward Lloyd and John Contee,' as its first executive council.

On Friday, the 21st of March, Thomas Johnson, Jr., was inaugurated at the State House (then usually called "Stadt House,") in Annapolis, in the presence of a great concourse of people, the several branches of government, the civil authorities of the City of Annapolis, the military, and many strangers, the first republican governor of the new State of Maryland. Although the perils of a great war then environed the infant State, whose position peruliarly exposed her to invasion, though she had already borne, and knew she would be called on still to bear her full share-perhaps more than her full share-of the toils, the dangers and the sufferings of the conflict; though the outlook was dark and growing darker, the people of Maryland never wavered in the confidence with which they clung to the cause of liberty; and this installation of a governor, not appointed by the proprietary nor the crown, but elected by the representatives of the people, marking as it did the opening of a new era, was the occasion of rejoicings springing from a deeper source than the mere triumph of a party or the gratification of a popular desire.

The annals of the time report that the procession began at the Assembly House and proceeded in the following order: The high sheriff, the president of the senate, senators, the governor, council, sergeant-at-arms bearing the mace, the speaker of the house of delegates, delegates, mayor of the city and recorder, aldermen, common council, military officers, visiting strangers, citizens.

Silence being commanded, the high sheriff then proclaimed that Thomas Johnson, Jr., was the elected Governor of the State of Maryland. Three volleys were then fired by the soldiery, who were paraded in front of the State House, followed by a salute of thirteen cannon-one for each of the United States after which the procession returned, the governor and his council taking positions immediately after the high sheriff, the rest of the cortège being in the same order as before.

All then repaired to the coffee-house, where an entertainment was provided, at which the following toasts were drunk: 1. Perpetual union and friendship between the States of America. 2. The freedom and independence of the American States. 3. The prosperity of Maryland. 4. The congress. 5. General Washington and the American army. 6. The American navy. 7. The arts and sciences. 8. Agriculture. 9. Trade and navigation. 10. The friends of liberty throughout the world. 11. The memory of the brave

1 Owing to the smallpox prevailing in Annapolis at the time, he declined to serve.

patriots who have fallen in the cause of America. 12. General Lee and our friends in captivity. 13. Wisdom and unanimity in the councils of America, and undaunted courage in her forces to execute her measures. The whole concluded with a brilliant ball and illumination in the evening.1

Thus was the first formal evidence of the change in Maryland from provincial dependence to the independence of a sovereign State inaugurated. And thus was established the State government of Maryland. From this period the history of the State assumes a double aspect, because of its distinct yet not inconsistent capacities, as an independent State, and as a member of the United States under the old confederation and present union.

The Council of Safety, the provincial government, was dissolved on the 22d of March, and thus ended an administration of the most exemplary character. Its authority, it is true, had no limit but discretion, yet its mandates were characterized by justice and moderation. Chancellor Hanson, in his introductory to the journals of the Constitutional Convention of 1776, embodied in his publication of the laws of Maryland from 1763 to 1784, pays the following lively and just tribute to the character of the provincial government as administered by the convention through the Council of Safety:

"Such an administration, the immediate offspring of necessity, might have been reasonably expected to be subversive of that liberty which it was intended to secure. But in the course of more than two years, during which it was cheerfully submitted to by all, except the advocates for British usurpation, although many occasions occurred in which an intemperate zeal transported men beyond the just bounds of moderation, not a single person fell a victim to the oppression of this irregular government. The truth is, that during the whole memorable interval, between the fall of the old and the institution of the new form of government, there appeared to exist amongst us such a fund of public virtue as has scarcely a parallel in the annals of the world.”

1 During the firing of the cannon, one of the soldiers getting in front of one just as it was fired, was unfortunately killed.

CHAPTER XXIII.

WHEN Congress adjourned to Baltimore, the general feeling was one of despondency, and the disaster which had overtaken the army cast a heavy cloud over the cause. In the midst of every discouragement, the army dwindled away, the public credit impaired, and the bills of congress almost worthless, a succession of defeats to dampen the public confidence in the ability of the commander-in-chief to cope with the enemy-General Howe issued a proclamation offering pardon to all rebels who should lay down their This was eagerly accepted by great numbers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, who saw no hope of success, and thought that thus they would at least obtain protection from a brutal soldiery, who perpetrated the most shocking outrages upon the unresisting inhabitants.

arms.

In the midst of this crisis, the greatest commotion prevailed in Maryland, where the people were zealously preparing for an invasion, and hastening troops and supplies to sustain the commander-in-chief. His situation at this time was most critical. His troops were reduced to a mere handful, and it was uncertain whether he would receive any reinforcements. Disappointed in his hopes from New Jersey, where the spirit of disaffection was prevalent, he could not tell what reliance could be placed on Pennsylvania and Maryland. In the latter State, he was not disappointed: so soon as intelligence was received of his retreat through the Jerseys, every preparation was made to sustain him. Congress despatched Colonel Ewing, of the Maryland flyingcamp, on the 9th of December, to the Maryland Council of Safety, with the news of the disasters which had overtaken the army; and immediately the militia of Cecil, Baltimore, Harford and Frederick Counties, were put in motion for the seat of war. There being a great deficiency of arms in the State, the urgency of the situation induced great numbers to march without them, hoping to be supplied in Philadelphia. To encourage and hasten the raising of these new levies, Washington, with the approval of congress, ordered General Smallwood to proceed immediately to Maryland.'

On the 1st of December, the term of enlistment of General Beall's Maryland brigade of the flying-camp expired, and owing to the unpopularity of their

1 On the 31st of December, Congress "Resolved, That General Smallwood be directed to exert his utmost endeavors, and give the necessary orders and instructions to expedite the raising the levies in the State of Maryland; and that it be earnestly recommended to the Legislature and

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Council of Safety, the several committees of observation, the civil, military and militia officers of said State, and every friend of liberty and the United States, to give General Smallwood every assistance in their power."

commanding officer, and the condition to which they were reduced, General Washington was compelled to discharge the greater portion in the face of the enemy. Some few remained as volunteers, and many re-enlisted after their return to the State. Major Gist's (formerly Smallwood's) regiment, however, the seven independent companies and the two artillery companies, with the Maryland part of the rifle and German regiments-four companies in each— making a total of 2,280 men, all re-enlisted for three years, on the Continental plan. And for immediate service, Captain James Nicholson, of the naval force, in the Chesapeake, gathered about twenty small bay craft, and brought all the public stores, sick, prisoners, etc., from the head of Elk River to Baltimore. They had previously been sent to the former place, at the request of Washington, upon the adjournment of congress from Philadelphia. After performing this service he was ordered, with Captain Cook, of the ship Defence, and seventy-six of his crew, to join the American army at Philadelphia, where they arrived "in high spirits, and very desirous of engaging the enemy."

Washington's army was now reduced to less than three thousand men, composed of Virginians, Marylanders, Pennsylvanians and a part of Colonel Ward's regiment, from Connecticut. He was sensible of the necessity of some immediate favorable turn in his military operations, not only to save the city of Philadelphia, but to rouse the spirit of the people, and to secure an army for the succeeding campaign. He therefore boldly resolved, even with this small force, to attempt to surprise a body of Hessians, under Colonels Rahl, Lossberg and Knyphausen, encamped at Trenton.

After the capture of General Lee, the command of his army devolved on General Sullivan, who marched with it as soon as possible, to join Washington. They arrived in camp in miserable plight, and destitute of almost everything, on the 20th of December. On the same day, Gen. Gates, with the remnants of four regiments, arrived from Ticonderoga, having been relieved at that place by the retirement of General Carleton into Canada for winterquarters. Smallwood's regiment, now under the command of Major O. H. Williams, having been reduced to one hundred and sixty effective men, was attached to Lord Stirling's brigade in Sullivan's division. With these troops and the remnants of his army, amounting together to about twenty-five hundred men, Washington, on Christmas night, 1776, crossed the Delaware at McKonkey's Ferry, (now Taylorsville), nine miles above Trenton. Early next morning the troops with twenty pieces of artillery, after suffering great hardships on their march, and perilously crossing the Delaware. amid masses of floating ice, landed on the opposite shore. Here Major Wilkinson, of Maryland, says he traced their march by the blood from the

1 General James Wilkinson was born near Benedict, St. Mary's county, in 1757, and studied at the Medical School of Philadelphia in 1773, and after the battle of Bunkers Hill, repaired to the American camp at Cambridge, Massachu

setts. In March, 1776, Washington made him a captain in Reed's (New Hampshire) regiment, in which he served under Arnold in the Northern army. In July, 1776, he was appointed brigadier-major, and in December was sent by