1775.] HISTORY OF Delaware county. 285 



which he already has or may collect within his district, together 

 with the price and the name of the owner thereof, that the same 

 may be paid for. 



" On motion resolved, that Anthony Wayne, Francis Johnston, 

 and Elisha Price, Esqrs., Mr. Richardson, Mr. Knowles, Mr. 

 Lloyd, and Mr. Brannan, be and they are hereby appointed a 

 Committee of Correspondence for this County.' 

 "By order of the Committee, 



"Francis Johnston, Sec'y." 



The second meeting of Congress was in May, 1775. At the 

 close of the first meeting of that body, it was hoped and believed 

 by many that a second meeting would not be necessary ; that 

 the representations made to the home government by the repre- 

 sentatives of all the Colonies, would bring the desired relief. 

 But this was a delusion, for before Congress met, hostilities had 

 actually begun. From this time onward, for seven long years, 

 war measures and the events of the war engrossed public atten- 

 tion. Only those of a local character will be noticed. 



A Committee of Safety was appointed by the Assembly on the 

 30th June, consisting of twenty-five members, of whom Anthony 

 Wayne, Benjamin Bartholomew, Francis Johnston and Richard 

 Riley were from Chester County. This Committee was espe- 

 cially active in providing for the defence of the Province, and 

 particularly for that of the city of Philadelphia. 



Each county was required to furnish a certain number of 

 Firelocks — the quota for Chester County being 600. These 

 were manufactured by a man named Dunwicke, and were ready 

 to be proved by the 6th of October.- Gun-boats were construct- 

 ed ; ammunition provided ; companies, battalions and regiments 

 were organized, and breastworks hastily thrown up. These de- 

 fences were mostly in the neighborhood of Fort Mifilin. In ad- 

 dition, two tiers of chevaux-de-frize were thrown across the main 

 channel of the Delaware ; one opposite the upper part of Hog 

 Island, near the Fort, and the other nearly opposite the Laza- 

 retto."^ The following resolution, adopted by the Committee on 

 the 16th of November, directs additional tiers to be sunk, but it 

 does not appear that any barrier to the navigation of the river 

 was placed so far down as Marcus Hook. 



" Resolved, that one or more tiers of Chevaux-de-frize be sunk 

 above those already sunk, near to Fort Island." 



" That two tiers of Chevaux de-frize be sunk for the further 



1 The foregoing minute? of the proceedings of the Chester County Committee were 

 copied from the PeunHylvunia Packet, (a newspaper published in Philadelphia at the 

 time) by Dr. William Darlington, of West Chester, and kindly furnished by him. 



■i Col. Rec. X. 356. ' lb. 334. 



