Foragemaster General of the Continental Army - Clement Biddle
Clement Biddle was the Foragemaster General of the Continental Army.
A big thank you to Jan Hicks who has contributed to Founder of the Day with several generous donations as well as great info for a bunch of these articles. We have her to thank for the info about the Scull Map below.
Clement Biddle
When the Revolutionary War broke out, Clement Biddle was a member of one of the most prosperous merchant families in Philadelphia.
As with most of his relatives, Clement took up the Patriot Cause and joined the Continental Army.
He was quickly appointed as a Colonel and was handed the task of serving as Deputy Quartermaster General.
Foragemaster General
Biddle first stood out among his peers in the aftermath of the Battle of Trenton when General Washington tasked him with relocating the captive Hessian soldiers to Western Pennsylvania.
The following year, when the Continental Army began its encampment at Valley Forge, Clement was commissioned Commissary General of Forage (sometimes referenced under its cooler name: Foragemaster General).
One of his first tasks was to contact a cousin who happened to be a grandson of Nicholas Scull. The late Scull had published several maps during his lifetime, the most famous (and used) of these covered the greater Philadelphia region and would be of tremendous use to the encamped Army.
Scull Map
This is the map the Biddle was looking for to assist in the war effort.
Valley Forge
As Foragemaster General, Biddle was given the impossible task of feeding the Army at Valley Forge.
This period is known for the extremely lack of food for the soldiers, making it easy to point the finger at Clement.
However, Biddle led a tremendous effort and was given nothing but praise from his superiors.
Spoils of the Forage War
While the Forage Wars were going on throughout New Jersey, Biddle would attempt to take the captured food and transport it back to the Army through supply lines that were non-existent.
His desperate plea to Washington led to the Commander-in-Chief contacting several State Governments to send supplies.
Although the response was severely lacking, it demonstrates how important Clement was to the fight and the trust Washington had in him.
US Marshal
After continuing as Foragemaster General for the remainder of the war, Biddle returned to his merchant business.
During this time he served as Washington’s agent in Philadelphia, making purchases that could not otherwise be found in the smaller city of Alexandria.
When Washington became the first President, one of his many appointments was Clement Biddle, who served as the first U.S. Marshal for Pennsylvania.
Want to read about other members of the Biddle Family?
Great! Check out these articles:
Nicholas Biddle’s Ship Explodes - The Battle of Barbados
Edward Biddle - Radicalizing Pennsylvania
Rebecca Biddle Feeds Weary Continental Soldiers
From Privateer to Vice President (of Pennsylvania) - Charles Biddle
‘Washington’s Secret War’ is an interesting take on the hardships at Valley Forge.
Pick up a copy through the Amazon affiliate link below…
