When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few.

On October 4, 1779, the home of James Wilson, a noted Pennsylvania lawyer, was attacked by the Pennsylvania militia.   Wilson was accused of profiteering and being sympathetic to the British during the recent occupation.  This battle, became known as “Fort Wilson” as Wilson and other members of the Republican Society barricaded themselves inside the house and fired pistols form the upstairs windows at the militia.

The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 created two factions:   Constitutionalists and Republicans. The Constitutionalists favored a unicameral legislature, a weak executive branch.  They also argued for allowing all free males older than 21 who paid ANY taxes should be allowed the right to vote.  The Republicans, on the other hand, favored a two-house legislature and a strong executive branch with the power to veto all acts of the legislature.  They also wanted restrict voting rights to adult male property owners.  Wilson was a Republican. 

In January 1779, wartime inflation resulted in massive increasing prices of flour, wood, and grain.  The Constitutionalists and many working-class Philadelphians argued that the legislature should impose price controls to stem this inflation. But Wilson, Robert Morris, and a sizable number of key merchants were earning massive incomes from this inflation and hoped to continue benefitting from inflated prices.  Throughout the spring and summer of 1779, the working-class and militia families who bore the financial and military burdens of the war looked on the merchant class with disdain for their lack of service and control of the economy. The Philadelphia Committee of Privates, an organization of representatives from local militias began to target certain merchants who had aided the British Occupation (1777-1778) and were perceived to be profiting unfairly from the war.  Wilson was one of these targeted merchants.

On Monday, October 4, 1779, a large number of militiamen gathered at Burns Tavern at Tenth and Race Streets to plan an action against any man associated with profiteering, Led by Captain Ephraim Faulkner, the militia marched through the city to arrest and detain their enemies. The militia captured four prominent merchants and forcefully marched them through the streets of Philadelphia in a display of public humiliation.  As they approached the home of James Wilson a cry went out — “Get Wilson!”  The militia stormed the doors to Wilson’s home, set fire to the first floor and killed Captain Robert Campbell of the Continental Army before being turned away by the men inside. Eventually, the City Troop of Light Horse ended the attack on Fort Wilson and arrested several of the militiamen. In the battle. four militiamen and Captain Campbell were killed.  Fourteen militia and three men from inside the house were wounded.

The arrest of several militiamen only increased the tension throughout the city.  Wilson fled the city to Robert Morris’s country estate.  Understanding the motivations of the militia, the Pennsylvania Assembly voted to provide flour to the families of men in active military service.  In March 1780 the Executive Council passed an act pardoning all involved in the attack on Fort Wilson. Wilson was not compensated for the damages to his home.

---

Want to have the
Regimental Brewmeister
at your site or event?

You can hire me.

https://colonialbrewer.com/yes-you-can-hire-me-for-your-event-or-site/