Johann "John" Philip Gerberich

Philip Gerberich--he was christened John Philip--was the youngest of the children of Andrew and Barbara Gerberich.

When the War of 1812 came on and our country's capital was threatened by the British in 1814 it is related that Philip Gerberich drilled a company of farmers in East Hanover and marched them to Hanover, Pa., to join the army forming for the relief of Washington and Baltimore. Christian Shuey, his friend and neighbor, seems to have drilled a company at the same time. At Hanover it was found that there were far too many officers in comparison with the number of soldiers, and Philip, who had reckoned on the rank of captain, was courteously granted the privilege of choosing either to serve as a private or of returning to his home. He elected the latter course. However, the men he had drilled did not forget him, and upon the conclusion of the war presented him with a sword in recognition of his services, which sword was till recently still in the possession of the family. He continued to drill his neighbors for several years afterward, and a regular "Battalion Day" was held every month until it degenerated through carelessness and lack of seriousness to a joke, and was given up. It is recounted that toward the end some of the "soldiers" attended with cornstalks instead of rifles.

When the War of 1812 came on and our country's capital was threatened by the British in 1814 it is related that Philip Gerberich drilled a company of farmers in East Hanover and marched them to Hanover, Pa., to join the army forming for the relief of Washington and Baltimore. Christian Shuey, his friend and neighbor, seems to have drilled a company at the same time. At Hanover it was found that there were far too many officers in comparison with the number of soldiers, and Philip, who had reckoned on the rank of captain, was courteously granted the privilege of choosing either to serve as a private or of returning to his home. He elected the latter course. However, the men he had drilled did not forget him, and upon the conclusion of the war presented him with a sword in recognition of his services, which sword was till recently still in the possession of the family. He continued to drill his neighbors for several years afterward, and a regular "Battalion Day" was held every month until it degenerated through carelessness and lack of seriousness to a joke, and was given up. It is recounted that toward the end some of the "soldiers" attended with cornstalks instead of rifles.