Peter Boyer

Although the British evacuated Boston in March 1776, George Washington knew that they would be back, and calculated that they would attack New York City.

It made sense. New York was America's busiest port, and by controlling the Hudson River, the British could cut off New England from the mid-Atlantic colonies. To defend the city, Washington moved his army of 20,000 Continental soldiers to Manhattan (which at that time contained the full extent of the city).

The British used Staten Island as a staging base. Begining in late-June, 130 ships shuttled in soldiers from Nova Scotia in preparation for the assault. By mid-August, 32,000 redcoats (including 8000 Hessian merceneries) were in position for the upcoming battle for New York. [Source]

The American colonies had already declared independence at this point, and on July 9th tore down the statue of George III that stood at Manhattan's southern tip. On that same day, Pennsylvania's Northampton County "approved an added enlistment bounty of £3 per recruit," and militia Captain John Arndt began enlisting soldiers.

Among the enlistees was a second-generation German immigrant named Peter Boyer. His father Leonard had immigrated to Pennsylvania with his wife and daughter Anna Maria in 1741; Peter was born seven years later. As Peter and Anna Maria grew up, they married into other German families around the Clearfield, Northampton County area.

Anna Maria married another "Pennsylvania Deutsch" named Johann Jacob Engler; they had eight children together. Peter and his wife Anna Christina had two boys: Leonhart, 8, and Abraham, 3.

Captain Arndt's company -- along with three others -- formed a battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Peter Kichline in what was called the "Flying Camp." Unfortunately, only one of the companies was at full strength (108 soldiers). Ardt's was close with 87, but the other two did not even reach half of the required number. As a result, Kichline's battalion consisted of a mere 268 privates, with 55 officers, NCOs, and support staff.

Regardless of its readiness, Arndt's company departed shortly before August 5th, and arrived in Long Island on August 26th. Kichline's battalion was placed under Lord Stirling (William Alexander) as their brigade commander, and place on the right of the American line. It was just in time -- the British began their landings on Long Island that night.

Because Washington had poor intelligence regarding British plans, he split his forces between Manhattan and Long Island to try to guard both. The ten thousand soldiers on Long Island -- under General Israel Putnam -- fortified a position in the Brooklyn Heights. Putnam also posted troops at the four passes through which the British forces could approach (Gowanus [1), Flatbush [2), Bedford [3], Jamaica [4]). (Click the picture below for a better view.)
[Map Source]

British General Howe sent a force of 5000 soldiers under Lt. Col. Grant to attack William Alexander's force along the Gowanus Road. He sent his Hessian troops to attack along the Flatbush road. But he marched his his main force though the Jamaica pass in a flanking maneuver.

When the commander guarding the Jamaica pass heard that the British were attacking the American right and center, he abandoned his position to help. It was an amateur move -- by the time he got back in position, Howe had already slipped past.

By 9:00 a.m. on August 27th, Howe's flanking maneuver had swept aside the Continentals guarding the Flatbush and Bedford passes. "General John Sullivan organized many of his men and made a defensive stand at Baker's Tavern. They were soon captured by von Heister's Hessians." [Source]

By 11:30 AM, William Alexander's troops were overwhelmed by Grant's superior numbers. Most of the Patriots (including Kichline's battalion) tried to escape and fled toward Gowanus Creek [5]. When Alexander learned that his line of retreat back to the Brooklyn Heights was blocked, he launched a series of counterattacks with about 250 Maryland troops, commanded by Major Mordecai Gist (the "Maryland 400"). Fewer than a dozen made it back to the Brooklyn Heights. [Source]

This video explains the Battle of Long Island better than any text I could write.
The Americans had lost the battle, but Washington was able to evacuate Putnam's force to Manhattan on August 30th. They would live to fight another day.
But given that Alexander's brigade had borne the brunt of the loss, what became of Arndt's company?

According to the one casualty list we have out of the four companies (the other three are missing or were just never taken), in Captain Arndt’s company 21 men were killed or captured at Long Island. Captain Arndt’s company largely managed to escape, but Captains Jayne and Hagenbuch were captured, along with Colonel Kichline. [Source]

Sadly, on the list of "Names and Ranks of those killed to taken on Long Island the 27th Day of August 1776," Peter Boyer was #10. Peter's sons Leonhart and Abraham were thus left fatherless, and -- within three years -- motherless, too. Anna Christina died in 1779.

According to American Boyers, written by Rev. Charles C. Boyer in 1915, Leonhart was apprenticed out to a cobbler. "On March 9, 1779, [Leonghart's] guardian Caspar Doll, indentured him for nine years to Valentine Tvletz, shoemaker, of Plainfield Twp., Northampton Co., Pa." [Source]

Upon adulthood, he became to Snowden Twp., Allegheny Co., Pa., at Croca's Tan yard. In 1812 we find him building a log house on the Library road. He married Mary Deemer, of Westmoreland Co., Pa., and her parents, like his, were from Eastern Pennsylvania. She was born 1771, and died Dec. 25, 1859. They are both buried at the Peter's Creek Baptist Church, Library, Pa. Their children were: Jacob, Elizabeth, Mary, Peter, Andrew, Anne, John.

That author said Leonhart was "probably" Peter's only son, but -- for whatever reason -- did not know of Abraham's existence.

From what I can tell, Abraham grew up and moved to nearby Berks County, where he raised a large family. One of his sons, George W. Boyer, served in the Civil War.

George's daughter Mary had a daugher named Nancy, who had another daughter Mary, who married a coal miner in western Pennsylvania named Edward Jones. That was my great-grandfather.

Which makes Peter Boyer my 6x great-grandfather.