Lonny - This is an excerpt from the 1st Maryland's website at :
http://hometown.aol.com/CaptCresap/page/index.htm

There is more information there- it is a well-researched site- Barrett

First Company Maryland Rifles


{Captain Michael Cresap's Company}


Members of the Continental Line {applicant}


One of the first ten units to be authorized by Continental Congress by a
resolve dated 14 June 1775. {This date is now celebrated by the modern US
Army as its birthday}


Organized 21 June 1775 by
Frederick County, Maryland, Committee of Safety


Cresap's rifle company was the first southern unit to join General
Washington around Boston at the beginning of the American War of
Independence.
Captain Cresap marched his company of riflemen 550 miles in 22 days to join
the struggle that would go on for eight years. The war would take Cresap's
life almost immediately (from illness).


Captain Michael Cresap, born 1742 in Maryland; died 17 October 1775 in New
York City and is buried in Trinity Church graveyard (see funeral below).
Prior to the Revolution he was accused of the killings of Mingo Chief
Logan's family at Yellow Creek on 30 April 1774, sparking Lord Dunmore's War
of 1774. He was not responsible for the deaths, the murders were more likely
the work of another frontiersman Daniel Greathouse.
While at one of his homes in Oldtown, Maryland Cresap received word of his
appointment as Captain of newly authorized Rifle Company. He was not very
enthusiastic about this due to his poor health and his bad state of personal
affairs. He accepted however, partly due to his father's statement, if
Michael did not go he would. He started out with 20 riflemen from the
immediate area. On the way to Frederick the strength had swollen to 130 men.




Pennsylvania Gazette 16 August 1775, Extract of a letter from Frederick
Town, Aug.1st.


"Notwithstanding the Urgency of my business, I have been detained three Days
in this Place by an Occurance truely agreeable. - I have had the Happiness
of seeing Captain Michael Cressap, marching at the Head of a formidable
Company, of upwards of 130 Men from the Mountains and back Woods, painted
like Indians, armed with Tomahawks and Rifles, dressed in hunting Shirts and
Mockasons, and tho' some had traveled near 800 Miles from the Banks of the
Ohio, they seemed to walk light and easy, and not with less Spirit than in
the first Hour of their March. - Health and Vigour, after they had
undergone, declared them to be intimate with Hardship and familiar with
Danger - Joy and Satisfaction were visible in the Crowd that met them - Had
Lord North been present, and assured that the brave Leader could raise
Thousands of such like to defend his Country, what think you, would not the
Hatchet and the Block have intruded upon his mind? I had an Opportunity of
attending the Captain during his Stay in Town, and watched the Behaviour of
his Men, and the Manner in which he treated them; for it seems that all
those who go to War under him, do not only pay the most willing Obedience to
him as their Commander, but every Instance of Distress look up to him as a
Friend or a Father. - A great Part of his Time was spent listening to a
relieving their Wants, without any apparent Sense of Fatigue or Trouble,
when Complaints were before him he determined with Kindness and Spirit, and
on every Occasion condescended to please without losing his Dignity. -


"Yesterday the Company were supplied with a small Quantity of Powder from
the Magazine, which wanted airing, and was not in good Order for Rifles; in
the Evening, however, they were drawn out, to shew the Gentlemen of the Town
their Dexterity in shooting; a Clapboard with a Mark the Size of a Dollar,
was put up; they began to fire off hand, and the Bystanders were surprized,
few Shot being made that were not close to or in the Paper; when they shot
for a Time in this Way, some lay on their Backs, some on their Breast or
Side, others ran 20 or 30 Steps and firing, appeared to be equally certain
of their Mark - With this Performance the Company were more than satisfied,
when a young Man took up the Board in his hand, not by the End but the Side,
and holding it up, his Brother walked to the Distance and very coolly shot
into the white; laying down his Rifle, he took the Board, and holding as it
was held before, the second Brother shot as the former had done. - By this
exercise I was more astonished then pleased. But will you believe me when I
tell you that one of the Men took the Board and placing it between his Legs,
stood with his Back to the Tree, while another drove the center. What would
a regular Army, of considerable Strength in the Forest of America do with
1000 of these Men, who want nothing to preserve their Health and Courage,
but Water from the Spring, with a little parched Corn, and what they can
easily procure in Hunting; and who, wrapped in their Blankets in the Damp of
Night, would choose the Shade of a Tree for their Covering, and the Earth
for their bed?"


New York Gazette, 23 October 1775


"...led by a Serjeant Major walked the Grenadiers of the First Battalion
with their Flintlocks reversed. Behind two Lieutenants marched a fife & drum
corps. Next came a Captain of Grenadiers flanked by two Serjeants aides. Two
Adjutants appointed to conduct the funeral came next and were followed by a
military band. Immediately proceeding the Casket walked the Clergyman and
alongside the Caisson bearing the body of Captain Cresap walked eight
pallbearers all Captains. The Captain's Coffin was followed by the mourners,
probably Army friends of the deceased. The rear of the Funeral Cartage was
composed of no less than three Infantry Battalions, an entire Battalion made
up of Officers and a large assemblage of Civilians."


----- Original Message -----
From: "Lonny J. Watro" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 7:45 PM
Subject: [VA-HIST] Micheal Cresap Rifles from Hampshire Co. VA


Would anyone know how I would go about finding a Revolutionary War roster
for a Maryland Rifle group known as Cresap's Rifles? According to the online
document for the history of Frankfort (now Fort Ashby, WV) URL:
http://www.wvculture.org/HiStory/agrext/frankfrt.html

"Captain Michael Cressap who lived in Old Town, Maryland, came over into
Hampshire County during the early part of the Revolution and organized a
company of riflemen. They marched to Boston and featured in several small
skirmishes there. Cressap returned with them as far as New York where he
died and was buried. The men in this company from Frankfort include the
names of Johnson, Ashby, Wagoner, Williams, Powell, Pew, Harris, and
Miller."

I would like to know if there is more information in the roster regarding
these men. Possibly the Miller is Peter Miller. I assume the Johnson is
Abrams Johnson, Ashby is John Ashby, Wagoner is John Wagoner. I am not sure
who the Powell, Pew & Harris are. I haven't looked at the Census for a
Powell, Pew or Harris.

It appears also from the above paragraph that Cresap Rifle's were mostly
Hampshire Co., Virginia men and not Maryland men. Does anyone know anything
about this unit? I have also read that the unit consisted of approximately
130 men. Did they all come from The western Virginia and western Maryland
area or did they gather them along the way??? Someone must have already
answered these questions. LOL.

Thanks for any information anyone can provide. Inquiring minds want to know.
Lonny J. Watro
Short Gap, WV

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