In 1775, Gass' father moved over South Mountain into Maryland. From 1777 to 1780 the boy lived with his grandfather, and was supposed to go to school; but he says himself that he never learned to read, write, or cipher till he had come of age.
His next recorded move was in 1780 memorable for the severity of its winter and the deplorable state of the American army. In 1782 the family "went west" -- that is, across the Alleghenies.
In 1784 and the next year, they continued their movement westward, eventually reaching Catfish Camp, named after an Indian chief about half way between the Monongahela and Ohio rivers. Here Patrick seems to have developed some of his qualities, for he used to explore the vicinity, and has left his impressions of the site, as it was in 1790, of what is now Wellsburg, W. Va.
By 1792, having attained his majority, he was stationed as a soldier under Captain Caton at Yellow Creek, guarding the frontier against Indians. These had long been troublesome, and were just then elated at having defeated General Arthur St. Clair's army in November, 1791. General Anthony Wayne was sent against them, and the militia all along the frontier was drafted into service.
Patrick had been serving in his father's place and was soon pressed into military service himself and stationed at Bennett's fort, on Wheeling Creek, near Wheeling; but he seems not to have had any actual engagement. Indian hostilities were soon put down entirely and forever in the region by the defeat of the Redskins on the Miami by General Wayne in August 1792.
--Brock-Perry
