U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mackey, William (1738-1812) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Aler's History of Martinsburg and Berkeley County, West Virginia by F. Vernon Aler, 1888 Printed for the Author by The Mail Publishing Company, Hagerstown, MD. CHAPTER VIII. Historical Pen Sketches of the Early Residents of Berkeley County by the late Hon. Chas. James Faulkner. Pages 136-140, WILLIAM MACKEY Was born near Belfast in the north of Ireland in 1738. He emigrated to this country about 1762, landing at Philadelphia, and thence removing to the Cumberland Valley, Pa. He volunteered in the Revolutionary army in the beginning of the war, was promptly commissioned as captain, and continued in service until its close. At the battle of Brandywine, he fell, severely wounded, charging at the head of his company. The battle of Brandywine (so called from the small creek near which it occurred) was fought on the 11th of September, 1777, and was one of the most interesting of the early conflicts of the Revolution. It grew out of the determination of General Washington to save, if possible, from capture, the city of Philadelphia, then the capital of the States, and the seat of the Continental "Congress. If the magnitude of the prize at stake, the number of the troops engaged and the character of the military leaders on both sides, could give dignity to any battle, this possessed those elements in an eminent degree. General Sir Wm. Howe, aided by Lord Cornwallis and Gen. Knyphausen, had landed from the British fleet a well disciplined and admirably equipped army of: 18,000 men — looking to the capture of Philadelphia. General Washington, assisted in his command by Gens. Green, Wayne, Muhlenburg, Sullivan. Stephens and Maxwell, with an inferior force of 13,000 poorly equipped men, was equally determined to save the city. The hostile armies met near the Brandywine Creek. The battle was fierce and bloody. On our side there was a loss of 1,000 killed and wounded. On the side of the British but 546 killed and wounded, this disparity of loss resulting from the superior arms and equipments of the enemy. Among the wounded was the Marquis de Lafayette. Our army was defeated, Philadelphia fell into the hands of the enemy. Washington made a masterly retreat and few prisoners were taken — none but those who were left severely wounded on the field of battle. Among those was Capt. Wm. Mackey. After several months imprisonment, he was exchanged, when he joined his regiment, still suffering from his wounds, and continued in service until hostilities ceased. Shortly after the close of the war - he removed to Martinsburg, where he continued to reside until his death. He had two children, William Mackey, and Sarah, married to James Faulkner. His residence was in the house directly opposite the Episcopal Church in Martinsburg. After the termination of the Revolutionary war, being entitled by his service and position to be a member of the Society of the Cincinatti, composed exclusively of the officers of that army, who had served until the end of the war, he received his diploma as such, which bears the honored signatures of George Washington, as President and General Henry Knox, as Secretary and which may be seen gracing the walls of Chas. James Faulkner, his grandson, at Boydville. As there may not be any future occasion to refer to this Society of the Cincinnatti, an institution which has excited so much attention and even hostile discussion in this country, a brief reference to it may not be uninteresting. It was an association founded by the officers of the American Revolutionary Army, after the peace of 1783. Its object was to commemorate the success of the Revolution and to perpetuate sentiments of patriotism, benevolence and brotherly love, and the memory of hardships experienced in common. The original draft of the Constitution was made by General Knox and it is still extant. At the second general meeting of the Society in 1787, Washington was elected President General, and was re-elected trienially during his life. He was succeeded by Hamilton and the Pinckneys, and the Society was in all its vigor during the last visit of Gen. Lefayette to the United States, in 1824-5, who was then its only surviving Major General. It has branches in several of the States, but the general Society meets trienially in New York, of which Hamilton Fish is at this time the President. It admits of honorary membership, among whom are to be found the names of Benj. Franklin, Andrew Jackson, Winfield Scott, Z. Taylor, U. S. Grant, etc. The oldest male descendant of any officer of the Revolution is entitled to regular membership. William Mackey died in Martinsburg in 1812, and was buried with military honors. His wife preceded him to the grave a few years, she having died on the 23 of Oct. 1810. His will bears date the 28th of April, 1812, and is recorded in the Clerk's office of the County Court of Berkeley. By it, he devises his property generally to his grandson, J. H. Mackey, and his military lands in Ohio, to which he became entitled by virtue of his Revolutionary services, to his grandson, Charles James Faulkner. The Martinsburg Gazette, of Friday, the 23rd of October, 1812, contains the following notice of his death: "The deceased was born in Ireland, though no native son of America was ever more attached to the institutions of this country. He was one of the few surviving heroes of the Revolution that gave independence to the country. He entered the contest soon after the commencement of hostilities, and continued his useful services in the arduous struggle until our liberty was established. No one of equal grade rendered greater service to the country, and but few suffered as much. Blest with a strong constitution and filled with that ardor and enthusiasm, so natural to his countrymen, his zeal was unconquerable. At the memorable battle of Brandywine he had the command of a company, posted in one of the most important and dangerous situations; this post was supported by Capt. Mackey and his brave company, until every individual in it, except himself and one of his subordinates were killed. In this dreadful conflict Capt. Mackey was shot through the breast and made a prisoner. He was soon after exchanged, but a considerable time elapsed before the severity of his wound enabled him again to join the army. He was engaged in many other severe trials in which he was always distinguished for his determined courage and usefulness." ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Berkeley County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/berkeley/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------