STORIES OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIERS

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Peter Muhlenburg

Peter Muhlenburg was born in Pennsylvania in 1746. His father was the Patriarch of the German Lutheran church in the Keystone state. This son was liberally educated and became the Rector of an Episcopal church. He loved his flock well but loved his country and her freedom more. At the commencement of the struggle for Liberty he exchanged his gown for regimentals, his pen for the sword, his pulpit for the tented field. In 1776, he received the commission of Colonel, and raised a regiment and marched it to headquarters. The next year he was raised to the rank of brigadier and near the close of the war to the rank of Major-General. He was a prudent, deliberate, brave and reliable officer. He had the unlimited confidence of Washington and performed his duty nobly on all occasions. At the siege of Yorktown he acted a bold and conspicuous part. After the war closed he was Vice-President of the Executive Council, member of the legislature, a U. S. Senator, Supervisor of excise and Collector of the Port of Philadelphia at the time of his death which occurred on the 1st of October 1807 at his country seat in Montgomery Conty Pennsylvania.

Source: The Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution by L. Carroll Judson