Deserters - Mercer heads Posse
Last night, December 3, 1756, a posse is ordered.
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Imagine just moving into a fort as commander, and right away you have a whole bunch of deserters. You end up finding out this family friend has organized those deserters. And later you find out your own boss hired him to enlist for another unit, while employed in your army? And then you need horses to hunt them down. And who do you irritate to get those horses immediately?
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Just one day after moving into Fort Loudoun, Colonel George Washington has to deal with deserters.
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Orders to form a posse is datelined: Winchester: Friday the 3d December, 1756.
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"All the Officers in town except the Adjutant and Ensign Smith with 25 men, to provide themselves with Horses immediately, and pursue the 18 men that deserted last night. "
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Pick a reason for deserting: Deserting was common. Military life was awful. . Colonel George Washington just moved into the fort, so that would probably be more annoying. There was No clear punishment for deserting. Enlistment times had ended for a lot of men just recently on December 1, 1756. Seeing all those men leaving the service might have caused some wish to leave too.
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Colonel Washington writes of reasons for desertion on December 10, 1756:.
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"We long much for the arrival of the Soldiers Clothing. The weather very severe, the Service hard, and men naked—are motives too strong for their accepting the specious promises of McCarty and others."
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But the prime mover of these deserters?
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McCarty tempted them with more pay going to the Royal American Regiment. More on that later.
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Picture Source.
Sketch by Jim Moyer, with sky and re-enactor group, Virginia Regiment George Mercer Company, photo shopped in.
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Four things about that posse order:
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1. Ensign Charles Smith
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2. Twenty-five Horses
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3. Who was Captain of that Posse? Mercer.
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4. Denis McCarty, the ringleader of the deserters
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About Ensign Smith:
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Notice Ensign Smith was exempt from joining the posse.
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Last month, November 14, 1756, Ensign Smith, having practiced under Captain Waggener building his forts on the South Branch of the Potomac River, was assigned as overall Foreman of construction of Fort Loudoun.
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About 25 Horses:
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That order shows that the Virginia Regiment did not have enough horses.
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If they had any, there were probably just horses the officers had.
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This means the Virginia Regiment had to find horses and take them from the local people.
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See what an industry this horse taking had become.
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It had become horse stealing.
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Our Colonel GW writes Sept 6, 1756
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"Captain Peachy (Ed note: one of the captains along with Mercers helping build Fort Loudoun) applied to me for leave to take up Strays, &c. and said it was practised by the marylanders & pennsylvanians."
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Colonel George Washington thinks this practice wrong.
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The rightful owners of these strays should have a chance to get their horses back.
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This issue with the horses and needing them is a constant pressure.
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"Horses are to be Hired or Pressed for this Occasion, " is an order from Colonel George Washington through his aid de camp, Captain George Mercer writing to militia Major John Carlyle October 10, 1755.
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So who headed that posse?
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Our Captain George Mercer, aide de camp to Colonel George Washington.
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Colonel George Washington writes today, December 4, 1756 to Lt Gov Dinwiddie:
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"I have dispatched a party of 25 men under Capt. Mercer, with orders that every endeavour and all possible diligence be made use of to apprehend those Deserters, who I imagine are gone to McCarty. and should be glad your Honor wou’d direct what punishment shou’d be inflicted; as the act for that purpose is sometime ago expired."
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Washington writes that McCarty had enlisted the deserters under the pretense of joining a Royal American Regiment.
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Washington explains this will hurt progress on building Fort Loudoun too.
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"The loss of the Drafts and those desertions, render us unable to manage such heavy timber as is required about the Fort; or even sufficient to do other necessary work there. These misfortunes, and the want of Flour with the Commissary, conspire to retard my march longer than I had expected. I am Honble Sir, Yours &c."
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Source:
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Source of Picture:
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Picture of what might be George Mercer when he became Lt Colonel under Colonel Byrd of the 2nd Virginia Regiment in 1758. Artist unknown. Page 60 of “George Washington Remembers, edited by Fred Anderson”. Fred Anderson is also author of the excellent “Crucible of War” about the French and Indian War and its world wide reach. It appears this might be from Virginia Historical Society in Richmond VA.
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Did Captain Mercer's Company get'em ?
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Colonel George Washington writes December 10, 1756:
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"Capt. Mercer returned the 7th with sixteen of the Deserters; the other two escaped his diligence.1"
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The deserters surrendered on promise of a pardon.
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George Mercer and his pursuit party were ordered out on 3 Dec. 1756. On that day Thomas Latin, Thomas Alberry, and William Bluncall received “five Pounds ten shillings as a Reward for discovering that Mr McCarty persuaded 18 soldiers to desert” (Va. Regimental Receipt Book, 1755–58, DLC:GW).
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More on this McCarty fellow:
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Denis McCarty offered the deserters a chance to enlist in the Royal American Regiment.
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That is what got him into big trouble.
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But enlisting for that Royal American Regiment also got him out of Trouble.
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And it was Lt Gov Dinwiddie who gave McCarty a commission to enlist for the Royal American Regiment. Lord Loudoun was the overall Commander of all North American forces. There was power behind this.
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How Dinwiddie changed mind on McCarty:
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But Lt Gov Dinwiddie didn't think McCarty would be creating deserters from the Virginia Regiment to join the Royal American Regiment? Or did he?
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Notice Dinwiddie's letters condemning McCarty December 10, 1756 and then on December 15, 1756 and then rewarding McCarty on December 23,1756.
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Washington says McCarty instructed the deserters to kill any officer of a posse rounding them up.
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Washington writes on December 10, 1756:
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Ultimately, most of the deserters surrendered "upon promise of pardon."
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"They confirm the suspicion of Mr McCarty’s villany, by confessing, he had inveigled them with promises of protection, rewards, and good usage! and a deep-laid plan was concerted for accomplishing his base designs, binding each individual with an oath to follow him; to stand true to each other in case of being pursued; to kill the officer who attempted the command: and in case of a separation, private instructions to repair to McCarty, or some of his friends, who were to receive and entertain them. These proceedings & the within depositions must convince your Honor, how dangerous a person of Mr McCarty’s principles must be to the peace & quiet of Society.
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The Soldiers surrendered to Capt. Mercer upon promise of pardon: and as they seem sorry for their Behaviour, assuring all duty and obedience for the future; I thought it most expedient to forgive them; knowing we have no law at present to punish them; and believing the poor ignorant fellows less culpable than their Seducer. I hope your Honor will therefore approve of my measures in this matter."
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But no one stops McCarty from enlisting for the Royal American Regiment.
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McCarty's emboldened probably by his connections to enlisting for the Royal American Regiment, continued to enlist in a very forcible manner, stated in this letter of January 22, 1757.
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In that same letter of January 22,1757, William Fairfax gives a reason why no one has stopped McCarty from recruiting for the Royal American Regiment:
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"Denis McCarty Supported by Mr Thos Campbell an Officer sent from the Noward to recruit among Us,..."
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Dinwiddie explains Lord Loudoun sent Captain Thomas Campbell to recruit and oversee McCarty:
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"Denis McCarty Supported by Mr Thos Campbell an Officer sent from the Noward to recruit among Us,..."
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"After this forthright statement and his scathing letter to Denis McCarty on 10 Dec. (quoted in Dinwiddie to GW, 10 Dec. 1756, n.9), Dinwiddie wrote on 23 Dec. 1756 the following conciliatory if not cordial letter to McCarty: “I received yr Letter of the 12th The People yo. have recruited march down here, the enlisting Mony, Maintenance, & wt. Cloathing yo. have purchas’d for ’em shall be pd by me on receipt of ’em here—The bearer Capt. Campbell is one of the officers sent from Ld Loudoun to receive our Recruits, let ’em know they shall be properly taken Care of wth those already here & when they arrive at N. York they will be compleatly cloath’d—I shall be glad yo. can clear yrself from inveiglg some of the Virginia Regiment, in [to] Desert, ...."
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This forcible manner brought a complaint by Colonel George Washington almost 2 years previously.
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Colonel GW writes to Denis McCarty November 22, 1755:
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"I am informed by many Gentlemen, as well as by all the Officers who were ordered to recruit in these parts: and am further assured, that it is next to an impossibility to get a man where you have been; such terror have you occasioned by forcibly taking, confining and torturing those, who would not voluntarily enlist..."
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Excellent bio on Denis McCarty from this Historic Prince William County site:
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One individual from Fairfax County, Denis McCarty, was quite successful in his recruiting by forcibly seizing men from their beds in the night, as well as confining and torturing men until they volunteered.
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Early Criticism by GW:
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McCarty was one of the most contentious officers in the Virginia Regiment which caused Washington to warn McCarty in a letter dated November 22, 1755,
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"I am very sorry you have given me occasion to complain of your conduct in recruiting; and to tell you, that the methods and unjustifiable means you have practised, are very unacceptable, and have been of infinite prejudice to the Service: of this I am informed by many Gentlemen, as well as by all the Officers who were ordered to recruit in these parts: and am further assured, that it is next to an impossibility to get a man where you have been; such terror have you occasioned."(30)
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Made Ensign:
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So desperate was the recruiting situation that Washington recommended McCarty for an Ensign's commission despite his disreputable behavior. Unfortunately his behavior did not improve as a complaint of a different nature was registered against McCarty from a tavern keeper. John Stewart complained of "...very gross abuse and ill treatment" received from the young Ensign.(31)
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Recruiting for the Royal American Regiment:
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Less than a year later, Washington was to write Dinwiddie of the discovery of a "...base and villainous scheme" involving the same Dennis McCarty.
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By virtue of a commission from Dinwiddie, McCarty was authorized to recruit for the Royal American Regiment. Lord Loudoun was authorized to raise a regiment in the Colonies composed of four battalions which were to be commanded by officers bearing the King's commission and known as the Royal American Regiment.
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Recruiting officers were paid a sum of money for each man who enlisted in the regiment.
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Unfortunately, McCarty's recruits were deserters from the Virginia Regiment whom he had "seduced" with promises of protection and rewards.
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Washington informed Dinwiddie "...a deep-laid plan was concerted for accomplishing his base designs, binding each individual with an oath to follow him; to stand true to each other in case of being pursued; to kill the officer who attempted the command; and in case of a separation, private instructions to repair to McCarty, or some of his friends who were to receive and entertain them."
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Further evidence of McCarty's recruiting methods is related in a letter to Washington dated January 22, 1757. Col. Fairfax wrote,
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"Denis McCarty supported by Mr. Thomas Campbell an Officer sent from the Noward to recruit among Us, comitted several illegal Acts lately at Alexandria, forcing open Doors in the Night time, taking Men out of their Beds and carrying them to their Guard etc. which Mr. Kirkpatrick then in Town can pticularly acquaint You with."(32)
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Dinwiddie revoked McCarty's commission on December 10, 1756.
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McCarty's Background:
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McCarty came from an illustrious family. His grandfather had been Speaker of the House of Burgesses, his father was elected a burgess representing Prince William County and his brother became a vestryman of Pohick Church in 1748. Washington was well acquainted with the McCarty family as they often socialized on the hunting field and in one another's homes. It is understandable that Washington wrote Dinwiddie of Dennis as one ". . . whom all ties of honor and morality are of no force." McCarty died in 1767, young and unmarried.(33)
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Source:
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More on the Royal American Regiment:
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More things to follow up on:
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Powder Horns:
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Did the Virginia Regiment carry both belly cartouches and powder horns?
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Washington writes December 4, 1756:
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"I beg you will see to have every man at the fort supplied with a powder-horn & shot-bag."
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See pictures of power horns from this time:
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More Unrelated followup on Commissaries such as Walker, Rutherford, Charles Dick
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You recommend Messrs Carlyle & Ramsay to be Commissaries in the room of Mr Walker, which I by no means approve of
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Walker and Washington correspondence
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Mr Walker has been here lately, who says his Assistant, Mr Rutherford, has contracted for Flour sufficient for 1000 Men for twelve Months; & no doubt Mr Walker is with You
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and about indian presents
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I propos’d sending Lieut. McNeil to command the Men for the Garison built in the Cherokee Country; if the Catawbas will not remain longer, is not he a proper Person, with an Interpreter, to convey them Home? by his return probably shall have occasion to send out the Men as above.7
As to Silver Trinkets for Wrists & Arms, they were never given but to the Chief Warrior of the Party; but if they are determin’d to go, let them known on their return, I shall oblige them with every Thing in my Power that’s reasonable; And write Majr Lewis to supply them with Necessaries for the present from the Goods under his Care.
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. . Broadcasting note to those following on Facebook
. This Fort Loudoun Winchester VA Facebook Page began Thursday 25 april 2013.
. Weekly posts on April 2017 Sunday Word began, missing only last Sunday September 2, 2018
. 22 February 2015 might be the first post for the group page called Friends of Fort Loudoun
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