06/07/2026
Second Sunday After Pentecost
All Saints Lutheran Church - ELCA
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- All Saints Lutheran Church - ELCA
We, a diverse Christian family, faithful in word and sacrament, strive to share in God's unconditional love, through prayer, worship and outreach.
06/01/2026
Command in Virginia
The focus of the war turned south, and Muhlenberg was ordered there in the winter of 1780.
He assumed command of all the forces in the state of Virginia, but there were virtually no troops raised, and the state treasury was empty.
It was his duty to raise and prepare troops to reinforce other armies and resist British incursions into Virginia.
In October 1780, Muhlenberg went to meet a British landing with only eight hundred raw troops.
However, his advance was enough that the British fell back to Portsmouth and dug entrenchments.
Muhlenberg’s army was reinforced to five thousand men, and he surrounded the British positions.
He did not have heavy artillery, and his soldiers were inexperienced, so an attack was not practicable.
However, his movements were enough to foil the British plans, and they reembarked at the end of the month.
Washington wrote him frequently, giving him detailed instructions and urging him to the diligent and energetic performance of his duties.
There are no records of mistakes made to warrant this; it seems that Washington was making certain that his young subordinate understood his duties.
As the British increased their focus on Virginia, Maj. Gen. Baron von Steuben assumed command of the American forces in the state on December 1, 1780 and became Muhlenberg’s superior.
The men worked well together and continued their correspondence and friendship after the war.
In Virginia, Muhlenberg was not able to keep up the high standard of discipline he had maintained in his brigade of Continentals.
The government’s resources were far too scanty.
Often, his men were badly paid, fed, and clothed.
At one point, a regular regiment refused to march until their grievances were addressed, but Muhlenberg, with the aid of several other officers, was able to convince the men to withdraw their declaration and obey orders.
Many of the troops under Muhlenberg’s command were militia, notoriously undisciplined and unreliable.
There was not enough time in their short terms of service for the officers to turn them into disciplined soldiers.
These were difficult conditions for Muhlenberg to turn such recruits into an effective force, and it is to his credit that they performed as well as they did.
When von Steuben assumed command in Virginia, he did not complain of Muhlenberg’s conduct but instead asked the government for more supplies.
He blamed the problems on the conditions, not the commander.
Only one month after von Steuben assumed the command, Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold, then of the British army, landed at Portsmouth with two thousand men and began marching inland.
When Muhlenberg heard of these developments he was at home, but he took initiative and rallied a force of militia to resist the British raids.
After further maneuvers, Muhlenberg again cornered the British in Portsmouth.
He knew his undisciplined troops could not hope to capture the works built by Arnold’s regulars, but he planned to “coop up Arnold so close that he will be obliged to make an attempt to dislodge us.”
Muhlenberg was wise not to attempt an attack when he had only a slim chance of success, but he was diligent to keep up pressure on the British through constant skirmishing.
Washington saw an opportunity in Arnold’s position at Portsmouth and sent Marquis de Lafayette with 1,200 men to reinforce Muhlenberg and attack from the land, while the French fleet cut off a British escape by sea.
The plan was foiled when the French fleet was defeated by the British.
Muhlenberg planned to attack Portsmouth from the land, but before he moved, more ships arrived from New York bearing enough British reinforcements to make the plan impracticable.
Petersburg
At the end of March, Muhlenberg retreated under pressure from the British forces, acting in accordance with von Steuben’s orders.
On April 24 he fought the advancing British troops outside of Petersburg.
He had 1,000 militia against 2,500 British troops.
Von Steuben was in overall command of the battle, but it was Muhlenberg who made the dispositions.
Americans recorded that the militia held bravely for about twenty-five minutes and retreated “in perfect good Order.”
Muhlenberg himself wrote that the ground was contested inch by inch and that “the militia behaved with a spirit and resolution which would have done honour to veterans.
I am convinced that the enemy have suffered severely.”
The Americans lost sixty to seventy men, the British light infantry only eleven.
Not all reports spoke so highly of the American arms.
Lt. Col. Simcoe of the British army wrote, “The disposition of the enemy was not such as marked any ability in those who made it….
[There were] many positions which might have been taken by the enemy to better effect….”
What Simcoe may not have realized was that Americans recognized their inferiority, and their goal was not to stop the British forces.
They just wanted to delay the British so they would not roam freely through the countryside.
Von Steuben said in his report, “General Muhlenberg merits my particular acknowledgments for the good disposition which he made and the great gallantry with which he executed it.”
Although the British did not appreciate Muhlenberg’s position, he did just what his commander wanted.
Muhlenberg’s task to defend Virginia from invasion was made very difficult by the lack of troops.
Even when he had men available they were usually militia, untrained and inexperienced in combat.
Nonetheless, he responded with alacrity to British incursions.
He did his best to contain the British forces in their entrenchments and tempt them into battle on equal or favorable ground.
He was willing to advance boldly, yet not rashly.
His prudence never allowed him to make a frontal assault, and he did not have the equipment necessary for a regular siege.
Yorktown
As the campaign of 1781 moved forward, the united French and American armies under Washington and Rochambeau marched to Virginia to attack Cornwallis.
Muhlenberg assumed command of a brigade of Continentals.
On September 29, the United Allied armies arrived at Yorktown to begin a siege.
General Muhlenberg’s brigade led the American column, and the general made an impression on one soldier as “tall, strikingly handsome, and courtly.”
The Allied troops soon dug in, and Muhlenberg’s men were part of the rotation of “mounting the trenches.”
The climactic moment of the siege was the assault on Redoubts Number 9 and 10 on the night of October 14.
The Americans’ role was to assault No. 10 with several battalions, including one from Muhlenberg, all under the command of Maj. Alexander Hamilton.
The allied attack went off perfectly.
The troops moved out, undaunted by British fire, climbed over the obstructions set up by the British, and captured the redoubts.
After the battle, there was some debate as to whether Hamilton or Muhlenberg deserved the glory of the attack.
Henry Muhlenberg, in his biography of the general, stated that it was Peter Muhlenberg who was responsible for the assault and that Hamilton only wrote the report of the attack because Muhlenberg was wounded as he came over the redoubt’s parapet.
However, nowhere in the firsthand accounts of the battle is it hinted that Muhlenberg had command of the attack.
He remained in reserve with Lafayette, the division commander, and Moses Hazen, another brigade commander, waiting to see the outcome of the assault.
If a brigadier was in command of the attack it was Hazen, who had two battalions in the assault column instead of Muhlenberg’s one.
There is also no record of Muhlenberg being wounded. On October 23, four days after the British surrender, he wrote to Washington to request leave from the army on account of “a Constant & violent fever I have had for Ten days past,” which he said had “reduced me very much….”
It is possible that he received a wound which caused the fever, but he made no mention of it to Washington.
The most likely explanation is that any wound he received was very minor, and the fever was an unconnected ailment.
Thus, Hamilton wrote the report of the assault because he was the officer responsible for the attack, not as second in command because Muhlenberg was wounded.
Lafayette clearly stated Muhlenberg’s role in his report. He wrote, “The rest of the column under Gen. Muhlenberg and Hazen—advanced with admirable firmness and discipline.”
Lafayette also mentioned that the first unit to advance to support Hamilton’s column was Barber’s battalion, part of Muhlenberg’s brigade.
He said they “arrived at the moment they were getting over the works,” and “the colonel was slightly wounded.”
Henry Muhlenberg maintains this as proof that Peter Muhlenberg was in charge of the attack.
He said he was told by Maj. Isaac Hite, an aide to Peter Muhlenberg, that the general advanced at the head of this regiment to Hamilton’s support.
While this may be true, just because Muhlenberg reinforced Hamilton does not mean that he had command of the assault column.
Lafayette clearly gave the credit for that to Hamilton.
While Muhlenberg did not command this attack, perhaps the most famous of the war, he was given credit by Lafayette for his performance in a less glorious role.
The Siege of Yorktown was the last time that Peter Muhlenberg saw combat.
He remained in Virginia, recruiting and organizing troops to send to other armies.
On September 30, 1783, Congress promoted him to major-general and the army was disbanded that November.
Conclusion
Peter Muhlenberg was an able officer both on and off the battlefield and a valuable asset to the American high command.
He performed well whether he was training troops, dispelling mutinies, leading soldiers under fire, or relating with fellow officers.
In combat, he was brave, daring, and ambitious, looking for any weakness in the enemy to exploit, but not foolish enough to risk his men in a foolhardy attack.
He did have his faults, as at the Battle of Germantown, where he allowed his troops to press forward too quickly and become disorganized.
In camp, he oversaw the training for his men, which made them some of the best-disciplined in the service.
He did not achieve such good results when he led the militia, but he did his best with the limited supplies and time available.
As a young officer, he recognized what he did not know, joyfully submitted to Washington’s decisions, and developed a close relationship with him.
He worked well with other officers and formed many lasting friendships.
However, in one instance, he demonstrated too great a concern for his own honor and rank and was too reluctant to abandon his ambition for the good of the country.
Although Muhlenberg was of great service to the American cause and achieved some manner of fame in his own day (a county in Kentucky was named after him in 1798), few Americans today know of this great soldier.
He has been largely neglected by historians.
No biography has been written of him for over seventy-five years, and he is hardly mentioned even in books on the battles in which he fought.
He was a steady, faithful officer, but he never had the chance at a glorious feat of arms to go down to posterity.
As one historian wrote, “Outside his home state, he is not well known, but Muhlenberg was one of the many steady unsung heroes of the war.” He was one of a legion of firm, steady commanders who were indispensable in winning the fight for American independence.
Sorry about that inclusion, but I added it, in the hopes that it might further add to our Lutheran History in the colonies…
1800 We are a REPUBLIC
We have achieved NATIONHOOD
And
The church is planted!
In the 1800s (the nineteenth century), the church found itself traveling in various directions all at the same time.
At least one direction was toward greater geographical expansion.
Another was “the numbers game…” the concern about growing the church…savin’ as many as you can.
Another direction was toward more centralization of purpose and the uniting of resources.
Baby steps were called for…
Caution…
Stepping carefully into the future…
In no other country before or since has the Lutheran Church expanded into so much new territory or increased its numerical strength many times over, as in America.
As far as consolidation is concerned, in no other century were so MANY LUTHERAN SYNODS FORMED.
The nineteenth century was boomin’ big time.
WESTWARD HO
The whole movement of the young republic was to the WEST.
This was encouraged by the end of the INDIAN WARS, the construction of highways and canals, the generous government land policy, and a general frontier fever to explore new lands…
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Keep movin', movin', movin'
Though they're disapprovin'
Keep them dogies* movin'
Rawhide!
Don't try to understand 'em
Just rope and throw and brand 'em
Soon we'll be living high and wide.
My heart's calculatin'
My true love will be waitin'
Be waiting at the end of my ride.
Move 'em on, head 'em up
Head 'em up, move 'em on
Move 'em on, head 'em up
Rawhide!
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in
Ride 'em in, let 'em out
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in
Rawhide!
Rawhide!
(Written by Ned Washington, Performed by Frankie Laine)
If you knew this song, you are REALLY OLD!
“Frontier Fever” was a thing…and it was becoming a bigger thing with every passing day.
Countless Eastern Pennsylvanians went into the Western areas of the state, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
Ohio originated from the Iroquois word for “good river,” or “great river.” It was later translated by the French as “LA BELLE RIVIERE” the beautiful river.
So, we are talking about the land of the great-beautiful river…OHIO.
Indiana’s name means “land of the Indians.” On May 7th, 1800, the United States Congress passed legislation to divide the NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY into two areas named the WESTERN SECTION, the INDIAN TERRITORY.
Illinois was a million miles away. It is a native American word – “ILiniwok” – which translated meant “the best people.” It refers to the Confederation of ALGONQUIAN – speaking native Americans that inhabited the area.
People were curious.
They wanted to see and experience life in the West for themselves. There was also the idea of adventure…of the unknown…that was alluring and calling to some individuals.
The same exact thing was going on all along the Eastern Seaboard- from Maryland, from Virginia, from the Carolinas.
And as you might have guessed, there were large number of Lutherans among those daring pioneers…
As new settlements sprang up on the frontier, the call went out to the eastern cities for a spiritual ministry. People still needed to be baptized, married, and buried, as the case might be.
Sometimes “city pastors” took turns in ministering to the frontier…
City slickers…Hehehe 😉
When the frontier communities became too distant, this was impossible.
Remember, the ol’ MINISTERIUM OF PENNSYLVANIA?
The name meaning an “organization of ministers,” given to the first SYNOD…
They adopted a “mission program” of their own and began by sending “missionaries” out to the frontier towns and settlements each summer.
At the very same time, new waves of immigration sent new waves of pioneers westward.
The whole area seemed to be exploding almost overnight…kind of like an overnight sensation.
By 1825, there were 45,000 members of Lutheran congregations in America.
But there were also thousands and thousands of “other Lutherans” who never joined congregations but came to the NEW WORLD and the NEW REPUBLIC.
It became apparent that to “shepherd” the scattered and increasing number of Lutherans properly, the formation of NEW SYNODS would become necessary…especially if they were to “reach out” to others in need.
Muhlenberg’s son-in-law, JC KUNZE, founded the NEW YORK MINISTERIUM to organize churches in that territory.
The NORTH CAROLINA SYNOD was organized to have care and concern for the Carolinas, Tennessee and southern Viginia. It became the M***A of ALL SYNODS!
Things kept goin’ and goin’ and the church kept expandin’ and expandin’…
Part of the sprawling MINISTERIUM of PENNSYLVANIA decided to form its own Synod of OHIO and ADJACENT STATES.
Another section of the MINISTERIUM OF PENNSYLVANIA became the SYNOD of MARYLAND and VIRGINIA.
The NORTH CAROLINA SYNOD was the next to subdivided – one piece of it became the TENNESSEE SYNOD; another piece became the SOUTH CAROLINA SYNOD.
In rapid succession the WEST PENNSYLVANIA and the VIRGINIA SYNOD followed.
By 1830 there were already ten SYNODS.
Every SYNOD formation cut more ties of dependence with Europe.
The increasing number of SYNODS also anticipated the coming day when “geographical synods” would band together into some kind of larger organization.
Uh-Oh, HERE IT COMES…
Far sooner than many expected, that day arrived, the day when a major synod took root.
In 1817, following the three-hundredth anniversary of the Reformation (October 31, 1517-October 31st, 1817), the MYSTERIUM OF PENNSYLVANIA, which was the M***A SYNOD IN AMERICA (MSA-hehehe 😉)…well they proposed a FEDERATION OF SYNODS…
The need was there.
The need was felt.
IF, separate SYNODS kept multiplying, THEN, the church would be chopped up into dozens of independent bits.
In addition, few SYNODS were capable of doing all that needed to be done by themselves.
For example, how could any one of them afford to establish a SEMINARY with its limited resources?
Wouldn’t it be far better if they worked in unison, together for their own good?
Finally, or ultimately four synods…Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, and the Maryland & Virgina Synods agreed to unite with each other.
In the year 1820 they founded and formed the first GENERAL SYNOD.
WOW! That was a major step FORWARD…jes sayin’
The new GENERAL SYNOD did not wield a big club over its member synods.
It acted largely as an advisor and guide for cooperative work.
Immediately, it began a plan for a SEMINARY and to encourage member synods to send missionaries to the frontier settlements.
Its formation helped Lutheranism in America to keep its identity and to prepare for the greater challenges of the future.
However, the ink was hardly dry on the member signatures before the New York Synod WITHDREW from active membership for a period that lasted sixteen years.
Many congregations thought the idea of a General Synod was hopeless…and could not happen in reality.
Then the ministerium of Pennsylvania withdrew (Oh-No-say-it-ain’t-so!) primarily because of its rural congregations refused to cooperate, but somehow the infant GENERAL SYNOD managed to survive.
At I was afraid, I was petrified
Kept I never live you by my side
But then I so many thinking how you did me wrong
And I grew strong
And I how to get along
And so you're back
From space
I just in to find you here with that sad look upon your face
I have that lock, I have made you your key
If I'd for just one you'd be back to me
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Just turn now
'Cause you're anymore
Weren't you the one who to hurt me with goodbye
Do you I'd crumble
Did you I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive
I will survive, hey, hey
It took all I had not to fall apart
Kept hard to mend the of my heart
And I oh-so many just sorry for myself
I used to cry
But now I hold my head up high and you see me
Somebody new
I'm not that chained-up person and in love with you
And so you felt like in and just me to be free
Well, now I'm all my lovin' for who's me
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Just turn now
'Cause you're not anymore
Weren't you the one who to me with goodbye
Do you I'd crumble
Did you I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive
I will survive
Oh
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Just turn now
'Cause you're not anymore
Weren't you the one who to me with goodbye
Do you I'd crumble
Did you I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive
I will survive
I will survive
~Gloria Gaynor~
The building of a seminary, helped with the survival of the GENERAL SYNOD.
In 1826, the General Synod finally acted to establish the first LUTHERAN SEMINARY IN THE NEW WORLD at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
It took more than two centuries after the first Lutherans arrived at NEW AMSTERDAM for this decisive action.
Circumstances required it, for the only other SEMINARIES in America were non-Lutheran and could hardly be expected to train men for a strong Lutheran witness.
Gettysburg was chosen, rather than Philadelphia or New York, because the Synod of Pennsylvania and New York were not in the General Synod at the time.
Gettysburg was central to the member synods.
Dr. Samuel S Schmucker was its vigorous first president, and during the nearly forty years that he was in office, some five hundred pastors were educated.
Do not feel bad if you have not heard of the Augsburg Confession. You are in good company. Think of Confession, not in terms of the Creed’s of the church but rather in terms of a statement of belief about something. This was the LUTHERAN POSITION over and against the ROMAN CATHOLIC POSITION.
To be continued…
05/31/2026
Holy Trinity
05/28/2026
NORTHWEST PASSAGE OR BUST!
Munk's voyage of 1619–1620
On 9 May 1619, under the auspices of Christian IV, Munk set out with 65 men and two of His Royal Majesty's ships, the frigate (the unicorn) and the SLOOP, and the LAMPREY.
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
Sloopy lives in a very bad part of town (ooh-ooh-ooh)
And everybody, yeah, tries to put my Sloopy down (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Sloopy, I don't care what your daddy do (ooh-ooh-ooh)
'Cause you know, Sloopy, girl, I'm in love with you (ooh-ooh-ooh)
And so I say now
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
Sloopy wears a red dress, yeah, as old as the hills (ooh-ooh-ooh)
But when Sloopy wears that red dress, yeah
You know, it gives me the chills, oh-oh (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Sloopy, when I see you walkin', walkin' down the street (ooh-ooh-ooh)
I say, "Don't worry, Sloopy, girl, you belong to me" (ooh-ooh-ooh)
And so I say now
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
Give it to me, hey now
Sloopy, let your hair down, girl
Let it hang down on me (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Sloopy, let your hair down, girl
Let it hang down on me, yeah-yeah (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Come on, Sloopy (come on, come on)
Well, come on, Sloopy (come on, come on)
Well, come on, Sloopy (come on, come on)
Well, come on, Sloopy (come on, come on)
Well, it feels so good (come on, come on)
You know, it feels so good (come on, come on)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, Sloopy (come on, come on)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, yeah (come on, come on)
Aw!
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
Hang on, Sloopy, Sloopy, hang on
-THE McCOYS-
Both were outfitted under his own supervision.
His mission was to discover the Northwest Passage to the East Indies and China.
His crew included Rasmus Jensen, a priest who is now recognized to be the Lutheran cleric in Canada.
Munk penetrated as far north as 69°, found FROBISHER BAY.
In September 1619, he found the entrance to the HUDSON BAY and became the second European after THOMAS BUTTON to explore the western parts of the bay.
The settlement was not permanent, and only a handful survived the first winter up der, hey?
After the harsh winter, only a few survivors returned to Denmark.
But that is not quite the original 13 colonies, now is it?
So, let’s go to NEW YORK.
Start spreadin' the news…
I'm leavin' today
I want to be a part of it
New York, New York
These vagabond shoes
Are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it
New York, New York
I want to wake up
In a city that doesn't sleep
And find I'm king of the hill
Top of the heap
These little-town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there
I'll make it
Anywhere
It's up to you
New York, New York
New York, New York
I want to wake up in a city
That never sleeps
And find I'm A number one
Top of the list
King of the hill
A number one
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'm gonna make a brand new start of it
In old New York
And if I can make it there
I'm gonna make it anywhere
It's up to you
New York, New York
New York
-Frank Sinatra-
In 1623, three years after the PILGRIMS landed at PLYMOUTH ROCK, a band of forty families from the NETHERLANDS built the first LUTHERAN SETTLEMENT in the colonies at FORT ORANGE, New York, near present-day Albany.
Soon afterwards, in 1625, two hundred more persons of the LUTHERAN FAITH were brought over by the DUTCH WEST INDIA COMPANY to an island in the HUDSON RIVER, which they called New Amsterdam.
We know this island better as being MANHATTAN.
Since these Lutherans had enjoyed RELIGIOUS FREEDOM while they were living in HOLLAND, they assumed that they would have no problems living in what would be America.
However, that was not the case.
The DUTH WEST INDIA COMPANY recognized only the “REFORMED FAITH” in its colonies along the Hudson River.
Peg-legged Governor Peter Stuyvesant enforced this policy rigorously.
No one was allowed to worship in any other way, other than the REFORMED way of worship.
When Lutherans tried to hold “secret services” in their own homes, they were severely punished.
As the Lutheran colonists grew in number, they gained enough strength to appeal to their influential Lutheran friends in Holland for help.
Finally, thirty-four years after the first colony was started, the HOLLAND LUTHERANS were able to give real help.
PASTOR JOHN ERNST GUTWASSER came from Amsterdam to see what he could do.
The Lutheran Consistory (as it was known) in Amsterdam, ignoring the attitudes of the Dutch Reformed pastors in New Netherland to allow other religions to take hold in their territory, the consistory ordained the Rev. John Ernest Gutwasser and sent him to New Netherland in 1657 – much to the displeasure of the Reformed Congregation.
Their response was to request that he leave immediately.
IMMEDIATELY!
GO BACK HOME!
WE DON’T WANT YOU HERE!
Rev. Gutwasser would write to the Lutherans in Amsterdam, reporting to them that the authorities passed ordinances and established heavy fines against those holding private and public meetings, hoping to scare off the Lutherans.
Gutwasser was told he was forbidden to preach or conduct any services of worship.
Two years would pass before he finally relented and left.
When the English captured the territory in 1664, the way was paved for RELIGIOUS FREEDOM in New Netherland.
Articles of Capitulation were written providing that the “Dutch shall enjoy the liberty of their consciences in divine worship and church discipline” – exactly what the Dutch refused to offer the Lutherans.
The new English Governor assured the Lutherans that “They may have liberty to send for one or more pastors” and could “freely and publicly exercise their religion according to their conscience.”
It would take five years before REV. JACOB FABRITIUS would arrive in New York to lead the Lutherans in New Netherland.
Uh-oh!
You never know what you are going to get when you call a new pastor.
This is good.
This is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO timely.
JACOB FABRITIUS was the first pastor of the ALBANY LUTHERAN CHURCH.
“IF” he was indeed born in 1618, he would have been more than fifty years old when he came to New York in early 1669.
Fabritius was sent by the “Classis of Amsterdam” to serve the Lutherans living in the English colony of New York.
During his short tenure, he spent more time in New York than in Albany, although he did sign the deed for the Albany Lutheran church lot in 1670.
Fabritius married the widow of a New York tavernkeeper named Lucas Dirksen.
He reportedly dressed himself, his wife, and her five children all in red!
This and other eccentricities and excesses occasioned great concern among his parishioners, who petitioned for a more proper pastor lest they "perish again."
Fabritius was succeeded in 1671 by the Reverend BERNARD ARNZIUS.
He left New York for the Swedish Lutheran settlements on the Delaware River, where he served until he died in Philadelphia in 1693.
But allow me to return to the days and the times of Pastor Gutwasser…
When Pastor Gutwasser arrived, he stirred up a “hornet’s nest.”
The REFORMED PASTORS opposed him BITTERLY at every turn.
For two years, they successfully kept his hands tied and eventually forced the frustrated pastor back to the old country.
The Lutheran colonists had tried to bring in a student as their minister, but the Reformed clergy saw to it that he be shipped away as well.
REFORMED – 2
COLONISTS – 0
Not until 1664, when the English conquered the Dutch and took over their colonies along the Hudson, did the Lutheran settlers have the freedom to worship as they pleased.
The ENGLISH AUTHORITIES permitted them to call a pastor.
But once again, these earnest people were disappointed.
The NEW PASTOR proved to be ill-tempered and such a dictator that, after two years, he was forced to resign. That would have been Jacob Fabritius and the RED FAMILY.
NOW AT LAST THEIR FORTUNES TURNED!
Here comes Bernard…
Finally, a kind and thoughtful pastor came to the New York area.
For twenty years, BERNARD ARNZIUS labored faithfully to build up congregational life.
YAY! YAY! AND MORE YAY!
At his death in 1691, the New York congregation was made up of thirty families, and the Albany congregation of twelve families.
In the years that followed, other pastors came and went, but one man stood out among the rest---a young German, JUSTUS FALCKNER.
Pastor Falckner ministered for a score of years to these scattered congregations along a two-hundred-mile stretch of the Hudson River and in New Jersey.
He trained laymen in each congregation to take charge when he was away serving other congregations.
During these years, the Lutheran congregation slowly changed from DUTCH TO GERMAN.
Many new Lutherans were immigrating from Germany.
In one year, 1710, three thousand Germans, who were cruelly expelled from the PALATINATE region between France and Germany, settled in the HUDSON VALLEY.
Some pastors began shifting the language of the services to German, using Dutch only occasionally.
By the middle of the eighteenth century, strong German Lutheran congregations dotted the banks of the Hudson River in territory that no longer flew the flag of HOLLAND.
The point, of course, being, Lutheranism is established in the NEW WORLD COLONIES…obviously before statehood.
Ah, the Swedes…
Don’t forget the Swedes!
Further South, Swedish Lutherans were setting up a colony of their own.
IN 1638 (before you were born) 😉 they sailed into the Delaware River and chose a fine place to settle on the banks of the river where WILMINGTON now stands.
REORUS TORKILLUS, the first Lutheran pastor in the AMERICAN COLONIES, came to the SWEDISH colony eighteen years before GUTWASSER went to New Amsterdam.
When TORKILLUS died, JOHN CAMPANIUS became the pastor of the little settlement.
CAMPANIUS built the first LUTHERAN CHURCH in the colonies in 1646 on TINICUM ISLAND in the Delaware River (right below the present-day Philadelphia Airport.)
But he was not content to minister only to his SWEDISH CONGREGATION.
He began preaching and teaching among the local native tribes (the indigenous people of the area.)
He also translated Luther’s SMALL CATECHISM into their language; THE FIRST PROTESTANT WORK ever translated into the NATIVE AMERICAN TONGUE.
The bright prospects of New Sweden were dashed when GOVERNOR STUYVESANT of New Amsterdam suddenly took over the colony in a military coup.
Although the DUTCH ALLOWED the SWEDES to continue their Lutheran practice, connections with the mother church in SWEDEN were severed so that the colony received NO FINANCIAL SUPPORT and NO CHURCH SUPPLIES.
Many influential colonists returned heartbroken to their homeland.
Nine years later, the ENGLISH swept out the DUTCH, but appeals to the colonists for help from Lutheran centers in SWEDEN, HOLLAND, and ENGLAND proved fruitless.
At last, a traveler appealed to the KING OF SWEDEN.
His visit resulted in the sending of pastors, catechisms, and Bibles to the colonies.
The SWEDISH congregations immediately took on new life.
However, the Lutherans in New Sweden and those in New York had no interest in each other.
Gradually, the Lutherans on the Delaware River, numbering three thousand by the middle of the eighteenth century, sought religious friendship with nearby Episcopalians.
When the Swedish ARCHBISHOP later called home all his missionary pastors in the American colonies, the congregation on the Delaware River turned to the Episcopalian church for preachers.
This was the last step in losing their Lutheran identity for many of the SWEDES.
Neglect by European mother churches was a common story in the American Colony settlements at this time.
Many colonies that reflected the REFORMATION HERITAGE in the NEW WORLD felt that they were nothing more than unwanted stepchildren.
STATE CHURCHES in EUROPE developed no master plan for helping their Lutheran congregations in the American Colonies to mature and become self-supporting.
There was little or no provision for educating AMERICAN COLONISTS for ministry.
Missionary pastors, as a rule, served too short a time in the colonies; often, they looked upon their pastorates as stepping-stones toward higher positions in their homeland churches.
It is truly a wonder that Lutheranism ever survived at all in many of the colonies.
ON TO THE BIG P.A.
Beginning in 1682, thousands of GERMAN LUTHERAN IMMIGRANTS poured into Eastern Pennsylvania through the PORT OF PHILADELPHIA.
Some of them were PIETISTS, persecuted by the STATE CHURCH of Germany because they were critical of some of the church’s practices.
Some of whom were weary of the constant RELIGIOUS WARS in Europe.
And some were expelled in the heartless deportations from the PALATINATE.
All of them were attracted by the appealing advertisements of WILLIAM PENN, which reported opportunities in the NEW WORLD in glowing terms.
Many of them were persuaded by relatives and friends already here, who wrote about the advantages of living in the NEW WORLD.
When they learned of the hostility to Lutherans in NEW YORK, however, most of the Germans landed at Philadelphia instead.
From there, they fanned out in all directions through the fertile Pennsylvania countryside.
By the mid-eighteenth century, there were at least forty thousand Lutherans in “Penn’s Woods…”
Some of them pushed SOUTHWARD into MARYLAND and VIRGINIA.
Others carved new trails into the interior, moving north and west.
Providing pastors for these far-flung frontier settlements became an impossible task.
In some cases, faithful pastors ministered to the limits of their strength, traveling from point to point on horseback.
In other cases, unscrupulous men, calling themselves “RELIGIOUS LEADERS,” operated for their own profit and almost turned the settlers permanently against religion and against the church.
No, say it ain't so?
Unscrupulous, religious men?
Taking advantage?
Making money off of the faithful?
Finally, an organized appeal for pastors and money for church buildings was carried to the Lutheran Church In Germany.
Even in the face of the desperate situation, nine years went by before an appeal was finally answered.
The church in Germany imposed certain conditions in granting the request, but the Lutheran settlers in Pennsylvania refused to meet these conditions.
Only when a new threat endangered the very existence of the whole Lutheran enterprise in Pennsylvania dis the German church authorities send someone to the American Colonies to help.
The man they sent was young, energetic, and promising.
HENRY MELCHIOR MUHLENBERG was destined to become the most famous Lutheran organizer and leader in the NEW WORLD.
O HENRY!
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (1711-1787) was a prominent American Lutheran pioneer pastor, church planter, organizer, administrator, liturgist, and chronicler.
Sent by Halle Pietists in 1742 to counter Moravian incursions among German Lutherans in Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg succeeded in quickening and galvanizing Lutheran self-consciousness and uniting communities into a synod … by codifying religious practices during his 45 years of service.
Born in Einbeck, Germany, Muhlenberg was educated at Göttingen University, where he experienced “a personal religious awakening.”
During a brief teaching tenure at the Francke Foundation in Halle, he became “an ardent pietist,” aspiring to go as a missionary to India.
He was ordained in 1739 and served as assistant minister and director of the orphanage at Grosshennersdorf from 1739 to 1741, before he accepted the call to go to Pennsylvania.
During his brief visit to the Salzburgers in Savannah, Ga., in 1742, he was greatly disturbed by the practice of slavery and commented: “This is a terrible state of affairs, which will entail a severe judgment” (The Journals of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, Vol. 1).
Later in Philadelphia, he baptized African slaves and refused to take a slave given to him, but he implemented no measures to abolish this inhumane practice.
The detailed journal he kept is a prodigious source of information about early U.S. Lutheranism.
After arriving in Philadelphia on Nov. 25, 1742, and confirming his call in the congregations he was to serve, he focused on dealing with the “vagabond preachers” who had arrived in Pennsylvania, especially Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, who was striving to form a pan-German Protestant church. Muhlenberg forced Zinzendorf to relinquish his hold on the Lutheran congregations in Philadelphia.
On April 22, 1745, he married Anna Maria Weiser, who proved to be a great collaborator and a prime reason for his achievements.
As an “ardent pietist,” Muhlenberg insisted on a personal conversion experience, faithful Christian living, diligent study of the Scriptures, and the regular use of the two sacraments.
He stressed the necessity of the preacher’s own conversion.
Because of his pietist leanings and the close connection he maintained with Halle, “pietism had a dominant influence among early Lutherans” during the Colonial and Early National periods.
Just so you know, when we talk about SYNODS or congregations in a certain geographical area, thoughts sooner or later end up including our boy, HANK.
No, not the former mascot of the Brewers, but Hank Muhlenberg…
Heine for short – hehehehe
Sorry, a childhood memory:
“An old German Oma with a heavy German-brogue walks into an American barber shop. In typical German-English fashion, she says, “Vwash my Heine here?”
(Which means was my Henry here?)
To which the barber responds: “No lady, we only give shaves and haircuts.”
(I guess you had to be there!) Ba dump, bump!
But more about O Henry and his contributions a little bit later…
Lutherans In Da South, Ya’ll…
Draw a line from Austria to Georgia and you have the route of a fourth group of Lutheran immigrants.
They started coming in 1734, a century after NEW AMSTERDAM was established.
Most of these settlers were refugees who fled from Salzburg, their home province, to a settlement called EBENEZER, near Savannah.
Although Austrian Lutherans had preserved their faith through two post-Reformation centuries, Roman Catholic persecution had now become intolerable.
ALL NON-CATHOLICS were given the choice of surrendering their faith OR their homes.
With no time for preparation, Lutherans by the thousands left their ancestral homes in Austria and wandered homeless across Europe.
Through the kindness of the English, fifty families of Salzburg Lutherans were transported to Georgia, given the rights of English citizenship.
Hundreds of others followed the next year.
Here these peace-loving people thrived materially and grew spiritually.
They tried to convert the NATIVE AMERICANS and were opposed to slavery.
One of their number became the first governor of Georgia.
Successive immigrations of German Lutherans strengthened their churches.
But the Revotionary War brought disaster to the Lutheran colony in Georgia.
The British ransacked homes, scattered the people, and ended their identity as a separate colony.
Some fled to German Lutheran settlements in the Carolinas; others sought refuge elsewhere in Georgia.
Nevertheless, from these hectic early beginnings the Lutheran church grew and flourished in the South.
THE FIRST CENTURY
NOT C.E.
There are several interesting conclusions that can be drawn about the first Lutheran colonies in America.
In the first place, these colonies grew more by immigration than they did by conversions.
Although some of the colonies conducted missionary work among the Native American populations, the immediate results were not fruitful.
Real growth came from new arrivals from Europe.
When thousands arrived on boats from the mother countries, the churches in the colonies grew, when nobody came, the colonial churches remained static or declined.
The stream of immigration was far from steady.
Sometimes it was virtually a flood; at other times, only a trickle.
Religious wars and persecutions in Europe were the largest determining factors of the rate of this immigration.
Another common trait of these colonial churches is that they looked for help to the church in their European homelands rather than to each other in the NEW WORLD.
When they needed pastors, they went for help to the church in Europe from which they had come.
At first, this was not surprising.
But that it should have continued for a century is a tragedy.
If there had been a plan for the training of a NATIVE AMERICAN MINISTRY, these colonial changes could have gone much further.
Often, their mother church was apathetic and disinterested in these little settlements in the wilds of the NEW WORLD.
The colonial churches had many trials and problems in common, but they were almost totally out of touch with each other because of the difficulties of transportation and communication and the differences in nationality.
Another characteristic of these earliest American Lutheran settlements is that they did not import the state-church concept to the NEW WORLD.
This remained behind in Europe.
The political situation was so entirely different in America that the marriage of the church and government was unthinkable.
This division was something new in Christianity.
Religion in America grew independently of the state.
From these earliest beginnings came the American practice of keeping church and state separated.
The church now had to depend on its resources instead of leaning upon the government.
A new experiment in church-state relations was developing in the NEW WORLD.
I Ain't Gonna Lie…
The first century in the colonies was no picnic.
It was anything but easy peasy.
Resources were stretched.
Tempers flared.
Illness took a toll.
The death rate was high.
Colonial Lutheran churches were divided and separated.
All of them were constantly being threatened with collapse and abandonment...
That some survived and thrived was thanks to one man, who, being farsighted and dedicated, sought to draw the scattered churches together in mission.
He was the man of the hour.
The man who was needed and necessary.
The guy is recognized as being the earliest PATRIARCH of Lutheranism in colonial times.
We are talking about Henry Melchior Muhlenberg.
You remember him?
Originally, the dude had wanted to go to India as a missionary but changed his mind when he learned of the desperate need of German-Lutherans in North America.
The mission field can be anywhere…even among your people.
The guy was 31 years old when he sailed for America.
He was known for his tact, his vision, and his organizing talents…all of which were very much needed in the NEW WORLD.
The year was 1742.
He arrived first in Georgia, where he spent some time among some friendly Sulzberger’s, and leaving them behind, went on to Philadelphia.
The situation he found was dire.
An influential non-Lutheran of Lutherans in Philadelphia, named Count Zinzendorf, had captured the loyalty of a majority of the Lutherans in the city.
Other “Lutherans” were following various “so-called pastors” of doubtful reputations.
Amazingly, it only took Muhlenberg one month to rally the majority of the Lutherans into one-fold. They jumped in line behind his leadership.
He preached.
He taught.
He guided the people in the local congregations.
His “enthusiasm” inspired the churches to erect new buildings and to bring in new members.
Soon, other groups of Lutherans were requesting his assistance.
His motto was simple enough…ECCLESIA PLANATADA, a Latin phrase which means the church MUST BE planted.
This he was determined to do.
It's funny because when I write these words, I think of a person like Rev. RAY STUBBE, Mission Developer of All Saints in Oak Creek.
The Church MUST BE planted.
Almost like a modern-day “Paul of Tarsus” his journeys took him to outlying points in Eastern Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Wherever he went, he organized new congregations and strengthened older ones…
Muhlenberg kept the GERMAN MOTHER CHURCH informed of everything he did.
This helped to bind headquarters in Germany to the frontier in the colonies and helped to increase the missionary spirit in America.
A practical benefit was that more pastors were sent from Germany to Pennsylvania, almost like giving the fledgling church a shot in the arm.
Money was also sent from Europe for new buildings to be erected.
Three years after his arrival, he married the daughter of CONRAD WEISER, the “famous Indian agent”, thus making it clear that his home would be in America.
But his single greatest achievement was yet to come.
It was Muhlenberg who gathered independent congregations together into the FIRST AMERICAN SYNOD.
The first synod in the New World consisted of six pastors, twenty-four lay delegates from ten different congregations.
It was a major milestone.
At the first convention in 1748, the synod adopted a common liturgy and ordained its first pastor.
Soon, other of the seventy Lutheran congregations in Pennsylvania joined the synod, helping it grow in territory and solidarity.
The formerly independent congregations had realized the need to work together for the greater good.
There were many difficulties ahead.
Pastors were busy ministering to “the flood of new immigrants,” who didn’t have much interest beyond their congregations.
In one year, in 1749, seven thousand Germans arrived at the port of Philadelphia.
Jealousies and petty suspicions arose between congregations and between pastors.
Lost momentarily was the concept of working for the greater good.
It was every church for itself.
Every pastor for himself.
For four years, the synod did not convene.
The incoming European church men did not understand the needs of Lutherans in America, in the colonies…
In the year 1762, a congregation in Philadelphia (St. Michael’s) adopted the first congregational constitution.
Other congregations impressed by the constitution used it as a model for their own.
Muhlenberg was also elected as the first head of the Synod, to “OVERSEE” all the churches involved.
Muhlenberg also helped churches in New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia.
He spent a great deal of time in New York, preaching every Sunday in German, Dutch, and English.
The training for NATIVE MINISTRY was an imperative.
For this purpose, the SYNOD bought a tract of land in Philadelphia, on which to build the first seminary in the NEW WORLD.
They had also hoped to establish a preparatory school and a home for the elderly.
However, the REVOLUTIONARY WAR would stop all future development.
For years, the only THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL IN AMERICA for Lutheran Pastors was in Muhlenberg’s home, where students were taught informally.
Here, one thinks of LUTHER and his TABLE TALKS, where students and professors gathered around the dinner table for theological discussions.
When the WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE finally did occur, contact was broken off with the German church leaders, and as a result, their support was cut off.
It was thanks to Muhlenberg’s strong leadership that the American congregations were able to untie themselves from the mother church's apron strings.
They had come a long way in learning to handle their unique American problems.
They had a working SYNOD.
They were slowly educating pastors.
They published the first AMERICAN HYMNBOOK.
New churches were being constructed in new towns and hamlets.
The church had indeed been planted and was growing. And at long last, one could speak of an AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The fledgling church was growing and, in many cases, thriving.
When Muhlenberg had first reached Philadelphia, there were probably fewer than 20,000 Lutherans in all of Pennsylvania.
By the time of the WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, that number had grown to about 75,000, an increase of 50,000 additional Lutherans.
The number of churches in the SYNOD had grown to eighty-one congregations. All under the supervision of one man…
At that time, there were at least thirty more congregations in other parts of America.
The church was expanding with the frontier…and the movement westward.
Virginia and North Carolina joined South Carolina and Georgia as states with Lutheran congregations.
Western Pennsylvania was soon introduced to LUTHERAN WORSHIP as the march westward began.
In the meantime, Lutherans were also beginning to settle far to the north.
In CANADA, German Lutherans settled in Halifax, where the first Lutheran church building was erected in 1761.
The St. Lawrence Valley received Lutheran settlers as early as 1784 from the PALATINATE in Europe.
The Toronto area provided a third rallying point for Canadian Lutherans around 1800.
A NEW CENTURY DAWNED IN AMERICA. Lutherans on this side of the ocean were growing with NEW FREEDOMS.
To a large degree, they were free from dependence on the mother church across the sea, except for the supply of needed and necessary pastors.
At the same time, the churches in North America were free from marriage with the state, as most Lutheran Churches in Europe WERE NOT.
They were also emerging into a new freedom from their old separateness and doctrinal instability.
As yet, however, they had not fully accepted the responsibilities which such independence brings.
ECCLESIA PLANTANDA
“The
Church
Must be
Planted!”
(And, it was…)
It was totally on a whim that I questioned what role Lutherans might have had or played in the War of Independence.
That’s when I ran across the following article and thought it worthy of inclusion.
“Peter Muhlenberg: The Pastor Turned Soldier?
An Article by: Joshua Horn
Appearing in: The Journal of American Revolution
(JAR)
November 9, 2015
America has many heroes from its War for Independence, but one who is rarely remembered is Virginia’s Maj. Gen. John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg.
If he is ever mentioned, it is usually as part of a legend in which he removed his robes after preaching a sermon to reveal a Continental uniform underneath, then proceeded to raise an entire regiment from his congregation.
Muhlenberg’s career went far beyond this.
He served in the military throughout the war, participating in many of the most important battles, from Charleston in 1776 to Yorktown in 1781, and rose to the rank of major-general.
Sullivan’s Island
Muhlenberg got his first taste of military life as a young man in the British 60th Regiment of Foot, in which he served a short time after running away from the school in Germany to which his father had sent him.
He soon returned home to America and followed his father into the ministry.
When Virginia raised its troops in 1775, he was appointed colonel of the 8th Virginia Regiment, very likely due to his influence in the German-American community.
Of the eight colonels in the Virginia militia, Muhlenberg was the youngest at 29 and only Patrick Henry had less military experience.
Muhlenberg first saw combat on June 28, 1776 during the British attack on Sullivan’s Island off Charleston, South Carolina.
His regiment’s exact role in the fighting is unclear. He was with the troops of Col. William Thompson, who defended the northern part of the island from the British infantry.
Muhlenberg took no part in the battle until 5 p.m., when his troops reinforced Thompson, who was holding off British infantry attempting to land on the island.
The fighting on that portion of the field may have already been over, but the entire battle was not finished until 9 p. m.
Muhlenberg’s men must have seen some action, as Charles Lee, the American commander, mentioned in his report that the Virginia troops were “brave to the last degree,” and in another report said, “I know not which corps I have the greatest reason to be pleased with Muhlenberg’s Virginians, or the North Carolina troops—they are both equally alert, zealous, and spirited.”
Although this praise was given specifically to the soldiers, some credit is certainly due to their commander for their good conduct.
Whatever part Muhlenberg played, it was enough to impress his commander.
With Washington
On February 1, 1777, Peter Muhlenberg was promoted to brigadier general by the Continental Congress and ordered to join the army of George Washington around Philadelphia.
He had done well as commander of the 8th Virginia Regiment.
He had learned much about the art of soldiering and it was reported that his men were very well disciplined.
One of his last acts before being promoted was to request muskets for his men instead of rifles, as the rifles were “of little use” after exposure to the elements on campaign.
Washington was convinced by his arguments and “determined to have as few [rifles] used as possible.”
The general respected the opinion of his young subordinate, who was quickly learning the art of war.
Muhlenberg took command of his new brigade in Nathanael Greene’s division on May 26, 1777.
The Continental units under Muhlenberg’s command held a reputation as being some of the best trained men in the army.
Charles Lee had written that the 8th Virginia Regiment was “the most complete.
When Muhlenberg first joined George Washington, he spent time reviewing the position of the army.
This earned him a mild rebuke from Washington, but Muhlenberg was quick to get his men into shape.
In August, when the army marched through Philadelphia to meet Howe’s invasion force, Washington chose Peter Muhlenberg’s two thousand man brigade to lead the way through the town.
Washington wanted to make the best impression possible on the citizens of Philadelphia, and it may be presumed that Muhlenberg was selected to lead the column because of the high state of discipline in his command.
Brandywine
Not long thereafter, on September 11, 1777, Washington was attacked by Howe in the Battle of Brandywine.
Greene’s division formed the American left flank and when the right flank was struck by Cornwallis’s column, Washington ordered Greene’s men to aid it.
He sent Greene’s first brigade, under George Weedon, to move at once to support the threatened point.
Muhlenberg’s men were too far away to arrive in time, so they were told to fall back by a different route.
Weedon went on to give a signal check to Cornwallis’s attack and served in the army’s rear guard.
Some historians, such as nineteenth-century writer William Johnson, have asserted that Weedon’s troops were halted and Muhlenberg’s sent in first, and then Weedon fell back in good order to take cover behind the other brigade.
This, however, appears to be a mistake.
In 1788, historian William Gordon wrote that Muhlenberg was sent on another route by Washington himself, and Weedon’s was the only one of Greene’s brigades involved in the fighting.
Nathaniel Greene wrote of events the next year, recounting how he covered the American retreat with only Weedon’s brigade.
It seems that later historians based their account of the fighting by Greene’s men on this letter, but confused which units were involved.
Greene clearly said that only Weedon’s brigade participated and there was no reason for him to rob Muhlenberg of any credit, as their friendship continued for many years.
Several modern historians have followed the faulty account of Muhlenberg’s role at Brandywine, but there is no reason to believe that he took part in any serious fighting.
Germantown
After the defeat at Brandywine, Washington quickly turned to the offensive.
With the agreement of his generals, including Muhlenberg, he attacked a force numbering less than ten thousand in Germantown, five miles north of Philadelphia, on October 3.
Muhlenberg’s brigade was among the front lines of one of the columns that converged on Germantown. It was the general’s most important position of the war up to that point and was likely his first experience of the chaos of a pitched battle.
Eyewitnesses recorded that his men performed their duty ably, with one American General remembering them “advancing with Spirit…”
A Continental captain recorded, “Muhlenberg and Scott, pressing forward with eagerness, encountered and broke a part of the British right wing, entered the village, and made a considerable number of prisoners.”
This success did not continue for long. In the foggy morning the American attacks became confused and many units were pulled from the main effort to attack the fortified Chew house.
Muhlenberg’s vigorous push was brought to a standstill, and heavy musketry continued for hours.
One soldier recalled that “the crackling of thorns under a pot, and the incessant peals of thunder only can convey the idea of their cannon and musketry.”
The Americans tried to attack, but they were uncoordinated.
Some units ran out of ammunition, and the Continentals began to withdraw.
One of the furthest advances made that day was by Muhlenberg’s 9th Virginia.
It left a good record of itself, in contrast to another one of Muhlenberg’s regiments, the 13th Virginia.
Neighboring troops complained that the 13th‘s cowardly conduct allowed the British to attack their flank.
Muhlenberg had advanced further than most other units, but he extended his men too far.
Many had to fight their way back to their lines.
Four hundred men of the 9th Virginia were captured by encircling British troops.
As the Americans retreated from the field, Greene’s division fell in line last and formed the rearguard for the army.
Peter Muhlenberg demonstrated great personal bravery in the attack and led his troops in their charges.
William Johnson, biographer of Nathanael Greene, wrote, undoubtedly with some hyperbole:
“Never did a body of men perform their duty with more firmness and zeal than the American left. It is a truth which defies contradiction, that it was the only part of the American army that had the good fortune to affect the service allotted it that day. For they broke the enemy’s right, drove them at the point of the bayonet through their encampment into the village, and made a large number of prisoners.”
During the retreat, Muhlenberg was with the brigade’s rearguard and was among the last to leave the field.
In his book, Henry Muhlenberg recounts an anecdote from the retreat.
The General, after many hours of action, fell asleep on horseback while some of his men pulled down a fence that his steed was too tired to jump.
He was awakened by the whistle of a musket ball.
He saw a British officer directing the redcoats to aim for him, the mounted officer.
He drew his pistol and fired, hitting the British officer and then rode to rejoin his men.
No primary source can be found for this account, but if true it shows that Muhlenberg kept a good head and a steady hand in danger.
Muhlenberg cannot be exonerated of all blame for the defeat.
His fast advance became disorganized, and many of his soldiers were captured.
It is hard enough to keep track of troops in normal battle conditions, but the confusion created by the fog rendered this even more difficult.
It was a common mistake that day, but if Muhlenberg had been able to keep his brigade together he may have been able to push forward with a more forceful attack and prevent hundreds of his men from falling into enemy hands.
Rank
The next fight Muhlenberg took part in was political, not military.
When he was promoted to brigadier general he was the senior Virginian of that rank in the army, but on March 2, 1778 a board of his fellow generals voted to recognize William Woodford as his senior.
Woodford had been senior to Muhlenberg when they were both colonels in the service of Virginia, but he had resigned and lost his seniority and then later rejoined the service.
Muhlenberg announced that he would resign if Woodford was put over him.
In a respectful and deferential letter to Washington he said he had not joined the army for “Honor or Ambition,” but “whenever an Officer degrades himself in the Opinion of his Brother Officers of inferior Rank his Influence & Authority become despicable….”
Washington replied that he did not think submission was dishonorable, although he seems to imply that in a private conversation he had said Muhlenberg was in the right.
Muhlenberg agreed to remain in the army after Congress said the change in seniority was not intended to reflect upon “the personal characters or comparative merits of those officers.”
In this altercation Muhlenberg put the preservation of his own honor above service to his country, a vice that was all too common in the Continental high command.
Peter Muhlenberg and his brigade saw no action in the campaigns of 1778 and 1779.
He spent his time organizing and disciplining the brigade.
They were present at the attack on Stony Point and probably the Battle of Monmouth, but there is no record that they engaged in combat.
Nonetheless, Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne wrote that he was certain Muhlenberg would have performed effectually if his services had been required.
The young Virginian won the good opinion of many of his fellow officers, becoming friends with men such as Nathanael Greene, Daniel Morgan, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and they wrote kindly of him after the war.
These leaders were impressed with his military talents.
Another important factor in Muhlenberg’s generalship was his good relationship with George Washington.
Muhlenberg was a young officer, only thirty-one when he was made a brigadier-general.
He looked up to Washington, who had fought in the French and Indian War while Muhlenberg was still a boy and thought very highly of him.
Muhlenberg used very respectful and deferential language in his letters to Washington, even more than the custom of the times required.
He was sorry to “trouble Your Excellency” and would “allways think myself happy in Obeying Your Excellencys Commands.”
When he received some compliments from his commander for service performed in the Yorktown campaign, Muhlenberg was jubilant, saying that Washington had “flattered my ambition.”
This relationship surely proved useful during the trying campaigns.
Washington had a custom from time to time of requesting the opinion of his officers on important questions of strategy.
Muhlenberg’s opinions, although not necessarily adopted, were always well reasoned.
He also recognized how inexperienced he was and told Washington that “any part entrusted to me shall be executed with the greatest Chearfullness.”
Muhlenberg’s lack of pretensions to military greatness made him a more useful officer.
He did not think he knew the answer to every question, but he was not afraid to express his opinion.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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