The Encyclopedia of Dumfries Virginia 1776 June ©

The Encyclopedia of
Dumfries, Virginia 1776 June

by Robert Hedges VIIII © -

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1 April 1776. 'young Thomas Blackburn was beaten, and veteran Henry Lee was much pushed in the election which was a warm contest for seats. 5th Va. Conv. 4th entry.

April 2, 1776

Gen. Charles Lee ordered the 3rd Va Regmt. and Col. Hugh Mercer to Williamsburg.

1 . Mason is referring to the engagement at Moore's Creek Bridge in North Carolina on 27 Feb. 1776, in which Col. Richard Caswell took part. See Joseph Reed to GW, 23 Mar. 1776, n. l.

2. John Dalton wrote to the chairmall of the Maryland committee of sarety on this same day about the building of the armed vessels. reporting the difficulty he and Mason were having in fitting them out with sails and proper sized cannon (Scribner and Tarter, Revolutionary Virginia, 6: 307- 8). For a further report on the status Or these vessels, see Dalton to Richard Henry Lee, 6 June 1776,in Clark and Morgan, Naval Documents 5:404-5.

3. GW's letters have not been found, but for the sounding of the Potomac River, see Lund Washington to GW, 5, 12, 14 Nov.. and 3 Dec. 1775. For some of GW's views on defending the river, see his letters to William Ramsay, 10-16 Nov. and 4-1 l Dec. 1775, and to Lund Washington. 26 Nov. 1775.

2 April 1776.
p.218 Vol. 1
...................... I have, in conjunction with Mr. Dalton, the charge of providing and equipping armed vessels for the protection of this river. The thing is new to me, but I must endeavor to improve by experience. I am much obliged to the Board for joining Mr. Dalton with me. He is a steady, diligent man, and without such assistance I could not have undertaken it. We are building the row-galleys, which are in considerable forwardness; and have purchased three sloops for cruisers, two of them being only from forty to fifty tons burden, are to mount light carriage-guns each, three and four pounders; they are not yet fitted up, and we are exceedingly pushed to get cannon for them. The other, the American Congress is a fine stout vessel, of about one hundred and ten tons burden, and has such an easy draft of water as will enable her to run into most of the creeks, or small harbors, if she meets with a vessel of superior force. She mounts fourteen carriage-guns, six and four-pounders, though we have thoughts of mounting two nine-pounders upon her main beam, if we find her able, as we think she is, to bear them; her guns are mounted and to be tried to- morroh. We have twenty barrels of powder and about a ton of shot ready- more is making; swivels we have not yet been ahle to procure, but she may make a tolerable shift without, until they can be furnished. We have got some small-arms, and are taking every method to increase them, and hope to be fully supplied in about a week more. Her company of marines is raised and have been for some time exercised to the use of the great guns. Her complement of marines and seamen is to be ninety-six men. We are exerting ourselves to the utmost and hope to have her on her station in less than a fortnight, and that the other vessels will quickly follow her, and be able to protect the inhabitants of this river from the piratical attempts of all the enemy's cutters, tenders, and small craft.................A Regiment commanded by Colonel Mercer of Fredericksburg, is stationed on this part of the river, and I hope we will be tolerably safe, unless a push is made here with a large body of men...........GM

30 Mar 1776- Alexandria, Dumfries........3 April & 11 April to
Fredericksburg Mercer's Third Va Regiment.....

Election of the Delegates in Prince William County
Prince William County sct

By Virtue of an Ordinance passed at a Convention held at the Town of Richmond on the seventeenth Day of July last I, Lynaugh Helm gentleman Sheriff of said County of Prince William did cause the several Freeholders of the said County to be convened at the Courthouse thereof on the first day of this Instant April for the purpose of electing two Delegates to serve in General Convention for one Year then next following agreeable to the aforesaid ordinance who made choice of Cuthbert Bullitt and Henry Lee Esqrs. whom I do hereby certify were duly elected to act and do as in and by the said Ordinance is directed and required. Given Under my hand and Seal this fourth Day of April one thousand seven-hundred and seventy-six

LYNAUGH HELM Sheriff

ADS(PFiVC.)

16 April, 1776 -Dumfries,

Mercer took the Third Regiment to Dumfries, and then to Alexandria to collect arms and equipment to provide defense of the Potomac River.[29]..............................soldiers wandering in and out of the town without discipline.......most stern punishment .....was 39 lashes........ ...Fredericksburg........Officers indistinguishable from men since they were also required to wear hunting shirts when under arms.

On April 16, with Mercer staying behind at Fredericksburg or going on ahead, Weedon marched the five companies of the Third Regiment to Dumfries, about ten miles south of Alexandria. All soldiers of the regiment had been informed that no furloughs would be granted. The regimental company commanders were a spirited lot- Captains Philip R. F. Lee, William Washington, Gustavus Brown Wallace, Thomas Johnson, and John Thornton. Thornton acquired a dubious reputation for dragging an Episcopal minister out of the pulpit and kicking him for preaching submission to taxation and the King.[34] A young cadet in the regiment was James Monroe. [15 Apr. 1776, Orders, Thornton Papers, Bounty Warrants, VSL]

JOHN DENT TO THE MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY
Gentn
Charles County April 30th 1776
In conformity to the appointment of George Plater Esqr and myself, by your Honors, to cooperate with the Commissioners from Virginia in erecting Beacons on the River Potomack; we have fixed the different Stations for the same, to the Number of twenty, whereof thirteen are in Maryland Viz: one in Prince Georges, Nine in Charles and three in St Mary's averaging about five Miles from each other. To accomplish which we have advanced the sum of thirteen pounds & four Pence half Penny, a Moiety of the Charge for a Boat and Hands, together with a [blurred] man exclusive of our own Ex pences which I flatter myself will be allowed. We have likewise agreed upon the Form of the Alarm-Post, which, is to be a kind of Iron Grate suspended by a Chain on the End of a Sweep fixed with a Swivel so as to be turned agreelble to the Wind. And as a further sum of Money will be wanting to have them erected (which with Submission to your Honors I think rnay be done with greater Convenience of Despatch by the Committees of Observation under our Direction) hope you'll order the same into their Hands or otherwise as you may think proper. I am Gentn [&c.]

1. Red Book, XIII.Md Arch.
Jno Dent


Date unknown, 26 Apr-2 May 1776
To cash;
Paid Richard Graham for tomahawks £  3.12.0
Paid do; for sundries furnd. 3d; Regmt per account £  300.8.6
Paid Rd; Graham for trophies to Prince William militia £ 
13.12.0
Dr: account for bedding;
Paid Rd; Graham for 32 ruggs & 8 blankets to Wm. Washingtons
Company of 
3d; Regmt. £  31.4.6.
Paid do; for 82 ruggs furnd. 3d Regmt. £  85.3.0
Paid do; for ditto 3d Regmt £  2.14.6
Dr; account for forage
Paid Rd; Graham for do to 3d Regmt. L47. 6.6
           ditto;  £  7.1.8;  ditto; £  4.10.0
Dr Account for fuel;
Paid Rd; Graham to 3d Regmt. £  35.5.0
Dr; Account for entrenching tools &c;
Paid Rd; Graham for sundry tools to 3d; £  12.12.6
Dr; Account of provisions for the Army
Paid Rd; Graham for provisions furnd. 3d Regmt. £  180.3.5.
Dr; account for salt-petre and sulphur
To Rd; Graham salt-petre 28.5; sulphur 86.5      £  5.18.2.25
Dr; account for Waggon hire
Paid Rd; Graham for do to 3d Regmt. £  31.10.0.

John Dalton wrote to the chairman of the Maryland committee of safety on this same day about the building of the armed vessels. reporting the difficulty he and Mason were having in fitting them out with sails and proper sized cannon (Scribner and Tarter, Revolutionary Virginia, 6: 307- 8). For a further report on the status Or these vessels, see Dalton to Richard Henry Lee, 6 June 1776,in Clark and Morgan, Naval Documents 5:404-5.

2. John Dalton wrote to the chairman of the Maryland committee of safety on this same day about the building of the armed vessels. reporting the difficulty he and Mason were having in fitting them out with sails and proper sized cannon (Scribner and Tarter, Revolutionary Virginia, 6: 307-8). For a further report on the status Or these vessels, see Dalton to Richard Henry Lee, 6 June 1776,in Clark and Morgan, Naval Documents 5:404-5.

JOHN DALTON TO RICHARD HENRY LEE

Alexandria June 6, 1776

Tlhe Sloop American Congress, & her tender, has been down the River more than fourteen days- the Sloop Liberty falls down today, I am afraid we shall not be able to get Cannon from below for the Gallies, we were in hopes of being supplyed from some of those at Hampton. - but as the Roe buck & Fleet are now Stationed at Gwins Island we must apply to Mr Hughes whose guns are now said to turn out well, and as your board was so kind to say You would use your intercession in procuring them when necessary we must now request your Application to the Committee orf Safety in Maryland for Two eighteen pounders to be sent to George Town for the Two Gallies. I believe he does not make above that Size - We are told it is necessary to make Application to that Board as Mr Hughes had Contracts with them for such a quantity, wch is not yet complyed with I think we can be ready for them in fourteen days. tho we have not got the Sail Cloth as yet from Mr Leux tho' momentarily expected we have another favour to ask - we are distressed for want of blankets. Will you be pleased to engage some one in Philadelpilia to procure & forward them as soon as possible this is giving you trouble but am in hopes you will excuse it.

I am just informed of an Agreeable peice of news, and am in hopes it will prove true-a Capt Markham inwards from Martonique Came up the bay without meeting anything to disturb him, fell in with the Roebuck off Rappahannock who he imgines took him for one of his tenders - as she hoisted lantherns to her mizen the Schooller paid the usual Complements with her Sails and [torn] Stole off into Rappahannock - she is said to have Eighteen [tons ofl powder, a qty of Arms & Sulpher-....................

John Dalton

300 blankets will be wanting if they can be procured

Lee family Papers, UVL.

2. John Dalton wrote to the chairmall of the Maryland committee of sarety on this same day about the building of the armed vessels. reporting the difficulty he and Mason were having in fitting them out with sails and proper sized cannon (Scribner and Tarter, Revolutionary Virginia, 6: 307- 8). For a further report on the status of these vessels, see Dalton to Richard Henry Lee, 6 June 1776,in Clark and Morgan, Naval Documents 5:404-5.

During May and June, I776, he received from his overseers in the western counties about 40 hogsheads of the crop of I775 and I776, and this leaf was sold to a local merchant in Dumfries for 23 shillings the hundredweight.[ Day Book, 1776-1778, 13-16 Jul. 1777, pp. 70-72

'MINUTES OF THE VIRGINIA COMMITTEE OF SAFETY

[Williarnsburg] Tuesday, June l8th, 1776.

[warrant] to Dr. Carter & Co. for £ 7.11.10, for medicines furnished Dr. IJohn] Sharplet [sic .Sharpless~ for cruizer Liberty, Capt. [Richard] Taylor, Rappa........

Mr. Laban Goffagan is app'd Ist mate to Capt. [Wright] Westcott's cruizer Potomack. (sloop Scorpion)

Mr. Robt. Connoway is appointed Master of the 1st Galley in Potomack in room of Capt. Geo. Goosley who has resigned.

1. Virginia State Papers VIII 208-210

JOURNAL OF THE MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY

Annanapolis Wednesday 19 June 1776

Ordered that the said Treasury pay to Collo George Plater, eight pounds four shillings and six pense, for expenses incurred in erecting beacons on the River Patowmack.

1 Council of Safety Journal 29 August 1775 to 20 Mar 1777. Md. Arch.

MINUTES OF THE VIRGINIA COMMITTEE OF SAFETY

Williamsburg, Saturday, June 22nd, 1776

Ordered, that the 24 pounders and one 18 pounder at James town, be immediately conveyed up James River to Richmond, and from thence to Potowmack River for use of the gallies there.

1. Virginia State Papers, VIII, 215.

MINUTES OF THE VIRGINIA COMMITTEE OF SAFETY

Williamsburg, Saturday, June 22nd, 1776

Ordered, that the 24 pounders and one 18 pounder at James town, be immediately conveyed up James River to Richmond, and from thence to Potowmack River for use of the gallies there.

1. Virginia State Papers, VIII, 215.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM DUMFRIES, IN VIRGINIA [July 24]

On Monday, July 22, the Roebuck, Mercury, Otter and an armed ship, came up to Potomak, and anchored two miles below Dumfries, where the water is fresh. Next day at 12 o'clock they sent off two tenders, a gondola covered, and eight large boats full of men of the 14th Regiment of Marines, &c. They landed at William Brent's, Esq; where about 60 of the Stafford militia were posted without any cover; the Gondola drawing but 16 inches of water, ran in cIose to the shore and with a nine pounder and grape shot, obliged the militia to retreat, when about 150 men landed and burnt the out-houses &c. of Mr Brent, and intended to have burnt his fine mill and other houses; but the Roebuck observing the Prince William militia on their march, hoisted a white flag, and their men immediately retreated, without doing any further damage. The fleet having taken in fresh water, fell down the river the next day. Three white men and four negroes were found dead on shore; two of the whites were sewed up in hammocks, and shot through the breast; they had fine Holland shirts on, and are supposed to have been officers. A gold laced hat was found with a bullet hole through both sides of the crown. As the riflemen had some fair shot at them, it is not doubted but several are killed.

1. Almon, ed.. RememberancesIII. 334. The letter is undated. The day after the British went down the river, is the likely date 2. Probably the Fowley; not the Mercury which was not in this area at that time.

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