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General Philip Reed
A Soldier of the Revolution and the War of 1812
Hero of
CAULK'S FIELD
United States Senator
and member of the
House of Representatives
Born 1760 -- Died 1829
[Memorial Slab Inscription at Christ Church Cemetery, Worton, MD]
General Philip Reed of Kent
Warrior and Statesman
Biography:
Colonel Philip A. Reed, who commanded the Maryland militia at this battle of "Caulk's Field," was a native
of Kent County and at the time of the battle was in his fifty-fourth year. At the age of sixteen he had joined
a volunteer company enlisted in Kent County by Nathaniel Kennard, Jr. This company was inspected and passed for
service in the Continental Army by William Henry on July 22nd, 1776, just sixteen days after the signing of the
Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia.
Having seen hard service in the Revolutionary War, having risen from private to the rank of captain, Philip Reed
returned to his home in Kent at the close of the war, where he entered the public life of his county. He was a
member of the ''I. U." Parish of the Protestant Episcopal Church and attended services in the little brick
parish church at "I. U."
In 1806 he was elected to the United States Senate. He served that time one year, and was re-elected and served
until 1813. In that year he was made a lieutenant colonel of the volunteers of the State of Maryland, and, as previously
stated, commanded the Twenty-first Maryland Militia until peace was restored with Great Britain. Colonel Reed became
a charter member of the Maryland Society of the Cincinnati and was elected vice-president of the society in 1828.
He lived to be 69 years old, dying on November 2nd, 1829. He was buried in Christ Church Cemetery at "I. U."
and a memorial slab marks the grave of this one of Kent's most distinguished citizens.
[Source: "History of Kent County, MD, 1630-1916" by Fred
G. Usilton]
Gen. Reed was Colonel of the 86th Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia in 1808.
The 86th Regiment at that time was composed of the enrolled militia within the bounds of Pottsgrove, Douglass,
New Hanover, Limerick, Frederick, Upper Hanover; Marlboro, Upper Salford, Lower Salford, Franconia. The first five
formed the First Battalion, and their usual place for drill was at the house of Henry Krebs, New Hanover ; the
latter formed the Second Battalion and frequently met for parade in Sumneytown.
["The Perkiomen Region, Past and Present" By Henry Sassaman
Dotterer, Published by Perkiomen Publishing Co., 1895]
Biography from U.S. Senate
REED, Philip, (1760 - 1829)
Senate Years of Service: 1806-1813
Party: Democratic Republican
REED, Philip, a Senator and a Representative from Maryland; born near Chestertown,
Kent County, Md., in 1760; completed preparatory studies; served in the Revolutionary Army, attaining the rank
of captain of infantry; member, State house of delegates 1787; sheriff of Kent County 1791-1794; member of the
executive council 1805-1806; elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate in 1806 to fill the
vacancy caused by the resignation of Robert Wright; reelected the same year and served from November 25, 1806,
to March 3, 1813; lieutenant colonel of the Twenty-first Regiment, Maryland Militia, in the War of 1812 and lieutenant
colonel commandant of the First Regiment, Maryland Militia, in 1814; elected to the Fifteenth Congress (March 4,
1817-March 3, 1819); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1818 to the Sixteenth Congress; successfully contested
the election of Jeremiah Cosden to the Seventeenth Congress and served from March 19, 1822, to March 3, 1823; died
in Huntingtown, Kent County, Md., November 2, 1829; interment in the cemetery of Christ Church, near Chestertown,
Md.
[Source: "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress"]
Obituary:
REED, Gen. Philip
Another Revolutionary Patriot and Soldier Gone
It has become our melancholy duty to announce the lamented death of another distinguished defender of his country.
The brave and gallant Gen. PHILIP REED is no more. He died suddenly on Monday night (Nov. 2, 1829), at Huntingfield,
his residence, in Kent county, Maryland.
Gen. Reed, distinguished himself in many hard fought battles during the ever memorable war of the Revolution. At
a later period when Great Britain sent her powerful fleets and armies, to spread war and desolation along our seaboard,
this venerable patriot once more, cheerfully obeyed the voice of his country, and rallying around his standard
the brave and patriotic yeomanry of his native county, at the famous battle of Caulk's Field, he met and conquered
Sir Peter Parker, leaving him dead on the field.
Gen. Reed always enjoyed in an eminent degree the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens; was frequently
honored with some of the most important and dignified offices within their gift, both in the general and state
governments, all of which he filled in manor highly honorable to himself and useful to his country. The death of
such a man is a loss to the nation.
["Republican Star", 17 Nov 1829 - Submitted by Rita Bergendahl]
General Reed's wives are buried next to him in Christ Church Cemetery at "I.U."
(Worton, MD)
To his right is Hasanah Reed's grave marker which says:
Sacred to the memory of Hasanah Reed, daughter of George and Beatrice
Hertford, and wife of Philip Reed, who departed this life on Wednesday, 10th of March, 1802, aged 29 years, 0 months
and 5 days, leaving two sons, Philip and George.
She was an affectionate wife, a tender mother, a sincere friend and a good neighbour. She sustained a long and
painful illness with Christian patience and resignation. A fall from his carriage by which his leg was fractured
deprived her affectionate husband of the power of paying her that unremitting attention to which her merits and
virtues fully entitled her.
This monumental stone is dedicated to her respected memory by him.
"The end of the upright is peace."
Beside this grave is a mound marked by a well-preserved marble slab bearing the following inscription :
Sacred to the memory of George Medford Reed, son of Philip and Hosanah
Reed, who departed this life 9th July, 1802, aged 5 months and 16 days.
Adjoining this grave is another stone marked :
Sacred to the memory of Mary Reed, daughter of Marmaduke and Hanah
Medford, and wife of Philip Reed. She departed this life January 2nd, 1820, in the 38th year of her age, leaving
two young children, George and Elizabeth. She was an affectionate wife, a most tender mother, a most sincere friend,
a good neighbor and a kind mistress. Such, indeed, was the purity of her life and conversation that it is believed
that she left no enemy behind. This monumental stone is dedicated to her respected memory by her husband.
[Gravestone Info from : "General Philip Reed and Caulk's Field
memorial. Report of the remarks of Rev. Christopher T. Denroche and Captain Columbus A. Leary; also the historical
address on that occasion of Hon. William M. Marine, and the remarks of A.K. Hadel, M.D., at the ceremonies attending
the unveiling of a stone to mark the Caulk's Field battle ground, in Kent County, Maryland, held on the field,
Saturday, October 18, 1902"]
All data submitted by K. Torp, except where noted (obituary from Rita
Bergendahl)
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