MUHLENBERG, .(MIN PETER GABRIEL (1746. 1807). A Lutheran preacher and leader in the IIevolutionary War, son of Ileiri•ich Alelebior Muldenberg (q.v.). Ile was horn at Trappe, Pa.. October 1. 1746. and sent to the (university of Ilalle to be educated, but ran away, and passed a year as a private in the dragoons. Returning to Ameriea, 1766, he studied for the Lutheran ministry; was called to Virginia. 1771; to have a legal standing as a clergyman there, went to England, 1772. and was ordained by the Bishop of London; in same year was settled at Wood stock. Va. Soon after the beginning of the Revo lutionary War, he told his eongregation that there Was a time to preach and a time to fight, and at the close of the services he threw• oh' his gown. shOWing himself in full uniform, and read from the pulpit his eommission as eidetic]. He had the drummers shrike up for volunteers• and many of his eongregat ion volunteered and joined his the Eighth Virginia, popularly known as the German regiment. afterwards noted for its courage and good discipline. In 1774 he was a member of the House of Burgesses, and served on the committee Of safety. and two years later he sat in the State convention. Ile partiei
gated in the lighting at Charleston in 1776, and was made brigadier-general the following year, and placed in land of the Virginia line. Ile took part in the battles of the Brandywine, Ger mantown, and Monmouth, and in the capture of Stony Point. lie defended Virginia against the expeditions of Leslie and Arnold. and was com mander-in-chief there till the of Steuben. Upon the invasion of Virginia by Cornwallis, he was next in command to Lafayette. and at the siege of Yorktown he was in command of the first brigade of light infantry. Ile retired at the close of the war with the rank of major-general. Soon after, he settled in Pennsylvania. lie served in Congress in I789-91. 17113-95, and 1799-1801. In the latter year he was chosen United States Senator. but resigned when Congress met to be come Supervisor of Revenue for the District of Pennsylvania. and in 1803 he was appointed Collector of the l'ort of Philadelphia, in which position he died near Philadelphia, Oetoher 1, 1807. Consult his Life by his great-nephew, Henry A. Aluhlenberg (Philadelphia, 1849).