Ebenezer Denny was a soldier during the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 whose journal is one of the most frequently quoted accounts of the surrender of the British at the siege of Yorktown

Siege of Yorktown

The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...

. Denny later served as the first Mayor of Pittsburgh, from 1816 to 1817.

Early life

Denny was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...

, on March 11, 1761, the eldest son of William and Agnes Parker Denny. At the age of 13 he was entrusted to carry dispatches across the Allegheny Mountains

Allegheny Mountains

The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...

 by the commandant at Fort Pitt

Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)

Fort Pitt was a fort built at the location of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.-French and Indian War:The fort was built from 1759 to 1761 during the French and Indian War , next to the site of former Fort Duquesne, at the confluence the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River...

. He crossed alone often; to conceal his presence he hid in the woods at night. At one point he was chased into Fort Loudon by the Indians. He then entered into employment for his father's shop in Carlisle. Upon learning that a letter of the marque, a privateer ship, was to sail from Philadelphia for the West Indies, he shipped as a volunteer. He was promoted to command the quarter-deck for his gallantry in numerous sea fights.

Revolutionary War

As he was readying to sail on his second voyage he received a commission as ensign in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment

1st Pennsylvania Regiment

The 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, also known as the Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment and 1st Continental Regiment, was raised under the command of Colonel William Thompson for service in the Continental Army.-History:...

 of the Continental Army

Continental Army

The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...

 in 1778. In August 1780, he was transferred to the 7th Pennsylvania Regiment

7th Pennsylvania Regiment

The 7th Pennsylvania Regiment was raised January 4, 1776 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Springfield...

, and on May 23, 1781, he was promoted to lieutenant in the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment

4th Pennsylvania Regiment

The 4th Pennsylvania Regiment was raised December 9, 1775 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action during the Canadian Campaign of 1775-76 , Garrison Duty at Ticonderoga 1776-77, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth...

. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to captain.

This transpired during 1781 as the Continental Army marched south to face Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia

Yorktown, Virginia

Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....

, at which time the end of the long war for independence drew close. Near Williamsburg, Virginia

Williamsburg, Virginia

Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...

, the regiment had a successful encounter against British forces, the partisan Simcoe

Simcoe

Simcoe can refer to any of the following people:*John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, now modern-day southern Ontario, Canada.* Elizabeth Simcoe, the wife of John Graves Simcoe.* Anthony Simcoe, an actor.Places:...

. Denny in his famous military journal http://deila.dickinson.edu/theirownwords/title/0043.htm states, "Here for the first time saw wounded men; the sight sickened me."

As the Continental Army closed around the British stronghold at Yorktown, Captain Denny described the scene, "Army encamped on the banks of the James River; part of the French fleet in full view."

His journal entry dated September 14, 1781, continues into further detail of the encampment:

General Washington Arrived; our brigade was paraded to receive him. Officers all pay their respects. He stands in the door, takes every man by the hand; the offices all pass in, receiving his salute, and shake hands. This is the first time I have seen the General.

October 15, 1781, the siege at Yorktown begins:

Siege operations were at once commenced; the fighting became very warm on all sides, and the siege works were pushed with great vigor. Easy digging. light, sandy soil. A shell from one of French mortars set fire to a British frigate; she burned to the water's edge and then blew up; made the earth shake.

October 17, 1781, The Surrender of Cornwallis:

Had the pleasure of seeing a drummer mount the enemy's parapet and beat a parley and immediately an officer, holding up a white handkerchief, made his appearance. An officer from our line ran and met him and tied the handkerchief over his eyes, and thus was the great event of the surrender of Cornwallis accomplished.

Pittsburgh politics

Unlike other early pioneer towns and cities, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania did not allow settlement to city without first being a council led "borough" for a number of years. Partly because of this, Denny instead started his political career in county government serving Pittsburgh.

In 1797, Denny was elected Allegheny County Commissioner. He eventually sought even higher office and ran successfully as Treasurer for the entire county in 1803 and 1808.

Being a Revolutionary War hero, and major patriot force for the frontier front of the War of 1812, Denny ran successfully to become the first mayor of the "city" of Pittsburgh on July 19, 1816.

His term in office saw much progress in the infrastructure of the young city, improving roads and wharves. Citing failing health he retired from public life and the mayor's office on January 14, 1817.

Later life

Ebenezer Denny married and had children. He is interred in Allegheny Cemetery

Allegheny Cemetery

Allegheny Cemetery is one of the largest and oldest burial grounds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.It is a nonsectarian, wooded hillside park located at 4734 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood and bounded by Bloomfield, Garfield, and Stanton Heights...

 in the Lawrenceville

Lawrenceville

Lawrenceville is the name of several places in the United States:*Lawrenceville, former name of Alleene, Arkansas*Lawrenceville, Georgia*Lawrenceville, Illinois*Lawrenceville, Indiana*Lawrenceville, New Jersey**The Lawrenceville School*Lawrenceville, Ohio...

 neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

Descendants

His son, Harmar Denny

Harmar Denny

Harmar Denny was an American businessman and Anti-Masonic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania....

, went on to establish a political career of his own: a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1824 to 1829, as well as being elected to the Twenty-first Congress through the Twenty-fourth Congress serving from December 15, 1829, to March 3, 1837.

His second great-grandson, Harmar D. Denny, Jr.

Harmar D. Denny, Jr.

Lieutenant Colonel Harmar Denny Denny, Jr. was a pilot and Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:...

, served in the 82nd Congress

82nd United States Congress

The Eighty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1951 to January 3, 1953, during the last two years...

 in the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 29th congressional district

Pennsylvania's 29th congressional district

Pennsylvania's 29th congressional district was one of Pennsylvania's districts of the United States House of Representatives.-Geography:...

.

Honors

One of the first resolutions of the Pittsburgh City Council was that of honoring the patriotic and public service of Ebenezer Denny on learning of his early retirement due to health concerns in 1817. Denny Street, in the city's Lawrenceville neighborhood

Lawrenceville (Pittsburgh)

Lawrenceville is one of the largest neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is located northeast of downtown, and like many of Pittsburgh's riverfront neighborhoods, it has an industrial past. Lawrenceville is bordered by the Allegheny River, Polish Hill, Bloomfield, the Strip District and...

, was named in his honor.

External links