Rifles and Muskets on the Swatara: Clandestine Hummelstown Factory Armed the Revolution--Chapter 2--The Gun Factory Moves to Hummelstown
By October 1, 1777, the Pennsylvania Council of Safety was meeting in Lancaster, some eighty miles from their former seat in Philadelphia. Lancaster was a county seat and a primary inland center for munitions for the Continental Army. One of their first orders of business, on Friday, October 3, documents the establishment of a new revolutionary gun factory: Mr. Peter Dehaven attended and asked direction of Council as to the place the Gun Factory should be established. On consideration, Resolved, that the Gun Factory be established in Hummel's Town, in Derry Twp., in this county for the present. Derry and the contiguous area was all part of Lancaster County at the time.
Several factors contributed to the reason why Hummelstown was chosen as the place to erect Pennsylvania's secret arms factory. The location was further inland from Lancaster, quiet and sparsely populated. It was located on the Swatara Creek which provided ample water power for a mill. Iron was forged nearby and hardwood was available from the land. Also, if needed, several men in the region had knowledge of gunsmithing, and it is not unlikely that they were associates of Peter Dehaven in some capacity.
Furthermore, many of the predominately Scotch-Irish and German settlers of the region were staunchly patriotic. It is relevant that the first call to arms in all of Lancaster County came from the frontiersmen of the outer townships, land contiguous to Hummelstown. Resolved from Hanover Township, Lancaster County, June 4, 1774; that in the event of Great Britain attempting to force unjust laws upon us by strength of arms, our cause we leave to heaven and to our rifles. There it is, folks, the famous "Hanover Resolves," the bitter start of rebellion in Pennsylvania. What better place to put a clandestine factory of war? It was quiet and off the beaten path...a day's ride deeper into the woods from Lancaster...but not that far away from the areas of pressing need; and best of all, it was a place where people could be trusted to keep a patriotic secret.
No remains of the old gun factory exist, but oral history has it that the factory stood south of Second Street between N. Railroad St., John St., and Walnut (now North) Alley. There is no sign of a mill race. While there could have been one there at the time, it appears unlikely that it ran to the assumed location which is about 200 yards from the creek and uphill. Perhaps the actual mill was closer to the water and the assembly plant was at the identified location. The author and local historian David Horst have walked the area and consider it likely that the mill was closer to the Swatara Creek and that the assembly plant was at the location suggested by earlier historians.
The standard implement of war in those days was the musket and volley fire was still in vogue. The Council specifically refers to muskets on numerous occasions, not only with Dehaven, but with others such as William Henry of Lancaster and John Tyler of Allentown. Yet, as is apparent from the following correspondence, the Council was also in the business of ordering, paying for, and distributing rifled guns.
Exactly what was made at the Hummelstown facility is not known, as there are no extant specimens; however, the present report documents that both flintlock rifles and muskets were produced at the factory. If captured by the enemy, the penalty for manufacturing firearms would have been immediate execution, so war materiel rarely carried the name of the maker. Moreover, the whole idea was to keep the location of the factory a secret. Consequently, it is highly unlikely that anyone will come up with an authentic colonial arm marked "Hummelstown."
Any muskets made here most likely were produced in what is referred to as Committee of Safety pattern, and were probably devoid of markings, other than the letter "P" which was the pre-1799 military proof mark. The rifles made here were most likely plain arms without carving or engraved embellishments. They may have had a simple two-piece patch box similar to the standard martial pattern followed by private contractors in Lancaster and other production centers.
How large the factory was and how many men were employed there is also uncertain; however, it is reasonable to assume that many of the nineteen workers at French Creek, as well as some of those at the lock factory in Philadelphia, accompanied Dehaven to Hummelstown. Correspondence in Council, Nov. 1, 1777 reads: The petition of diverse Gunstockers, employed in the state factory, praying an increase of their wages was read. Ordered that Mr. Benjamin Rittenhouse and Peter Dehaven take the case of the petitioners into their consideration, & allow them such reasonable pay as the alteration of times shall appear to render just and necessary, they being fully capable of this business. Another entry, dated Nov. 7, expands the details of the gunsmiths' pay and moving expenses. Ordered, that the removal of the families of said workmen be a public expense; and that (the following) prices be paid: stocking a musket, 15 shillings; splicing a stock, 3 shillings, 9 pence; dressing mounting, 3 shillings, 9 pence; shaving stocks, 1 shilling, 3 pence. And that said workmen be allowed 7 shillings, 6 pence per day, from the time they left off working in Philadelphia. If the majority of Philadelphia gunsmiths accompanied Dehaven it would have made the Hummelstown factory a relatively large operation.
No time was wasted getting to Hummelstown. Dehaven reported to Council October 23 that he was unable to furnish the gun factory with provisions, there being none to be purchased in that neighborhood. Council immediately ordered Colonel Joshua Elder, military commander at Paxton, to obtain the necessary provisions immediately and seize them, if necessary. The Council of Safety assumed the authority to confiscate personal property for the war effort, and this was simply one example of their willingness to do so.
TheColonial Recordsfurnish occasional reports over the next year establishing that production of guns at Hummelstown took place with some regularity. The entries reflect a picture of priority and urgency. Expectations of delivery were immediate. On November 5, Council Ordered that Peter Deahven deliver to Col. Galbraith what arms are now in his hands fit for service. Soon after, on December 1, to Mr. Dehaven: Council requests that you will make return of the number of rifled guns now in your hands which are fit for service, or may be made so in the course of a few days, as an order will issue for delivery of as many as you can have ready. Dehaven's immediate reply: By letter of yesterday I am informed that Council is desirous to know the number of rifled guns now at this place fit for service. I find there is about twenty eight which may be fit by Monday or Tuesday next. At the exact time that George Washington and the Continental Army struggled to survive the harsh winter at Valley Forge, the state's gunsmiths were hard at work on the Swatara providing the troops with the necessary tools of war.
Throughout the first half of 1778 the gun factory at Hummelstown produced many of the firearms that helped win the War for Independence. Dehaven reported to Council frequently, and one of the first orders of business in the new year dealt with the status and production of the clandestine gun factory. On January 2, in Council, Lancaster: An order was drawn on Peter Dehaven and George Fry, directing them to deliver to Colo. John Shields, of Westmoreland County, thirty six rifle guns, or such number as are in their possession, to be delivered to Colo. Arch'd Lochry, and also an order drawn on William Henry of this borough, for all the rifles in his possession. Then a letter sent to Dehaven at Hummelstown dated april 28 specifically calls for muskets. It is necessary that Council receive the earliest information of the number of arms in and belonging to the state...I therefore request you inform me immediately what number of muskets well fitted you have in your possession, and how many more you can complete by 20th of May... Interestingly, the next response from Dehaven, dated May 4, is a request for a pay raise for his services as factory superintendent.
