Fife Major Richard Stack of the 7th Battalion of the Pennsylvania Foot

On the evening of December 11, 1777, Carlisle tailor George Wright, gunsmith Abraham Morrow, shoemaker Edmund Kean, John Gibson, John O’Neal, Fife Major Richard Stack and several others were at the dwelling house and unlicensed tavern of barber Joseph Sabolle of Carlisle. The men were drinking and singing, and inflammatory accusations and damnations were made. The incident was reported, and the next day depositions were taken from Fife Major Richard Stack and several of the men who had been there.¹

Richard Stack served as Fife Major in the 7^th Pennsylvania Regiment commanded by Carlisle’s Col. William Irvine. He was one of almost 2000 soldiers wounded in the Battle of Paoli which took place on the night of September 20, 1777 when British troops conducted a surprise attack on the Continental soldiers near present day Malvern, Pennsylvania, 27 miles from Philadelphia. Known casualties included Fife Major Richard Stack who was recorded as a prisoner with 13 wounds.²

Fife Major Richard Stack was one of the prisoners “from different regiments in General Wayne’s division who were sent to Carlisle to be enrolled in my company to be kept from straggling and to do duty over the public stores. Signed by Major John A. Wilson” Stack was enrolled December 8, 1777.³

In his deposition, Major Stack said “He was in company with Edmund Kean and others at the dwelling house of Joseph Sabolle on the evening of the 11^th of this Inst. December. That said, Kean then and there told this deponent that he was a treator [traitor] for fighting against the King with the coat that this deponent had then on his back (which was a red coat).”

According to the deposition of Carlisle gunsmith Abraham Morrow, “Richard Stack desired Edmund Kean to give him satisfaction for a public affront he had given him in front of the Justice and others by saying that he had broken his oath by deserting from the English. Edmund said to Richard "God Damn you and all British deserters that would join our army." They then went into the street when Edmund said to Richard "God Damn you and all British deserters that would join our army and from our army to the British."

Joseph Sabolle stated that “Richard Stack and John O’Neal were in his house on the 11^th inst. and that they sung a song in which General Washington was several times mentioned, that John Gibson was then present also…[and] did say ‘God Damn General Washington,’ which he repeated two or three times.”⁴

A month later, at the January 1778 term of Court, Joseph Sabolle was indicted for keeping a tippling house (an unlicensed tavern),⁵ and Edmund Kean and John Gibson were indicted for Inimical Speech.⁶