Christmas 1755 Winchester VA
How did our Captain George Mercer in Winchester VA spend his Christmas in 1755?
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Fort Loudoun construction will not start until May 18, 1756, so the Virginia Regiment is stationed around town.
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Winchester December 25th 1755.
It is Colonel Washington’s Orders,
Corporals McDonald and Broughton,2
do immediately go in pursuit of Sergeant Campbell3
and two men who deserted last night;
and use all possible means to apprehend and bring them back.
As an encouragement for apprehending them,
the Colonel promises a reward
of twenty-shillings for each of them,
to the two Corporals.
G:M. Aid de camp
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He is ordered by Colonel George Washington to recover 3 deserters.
They are all recovered later in the day. One of the recovered deserters is a Sergeant Campbell who on Dec 11, 1755 after being ordered to take care guarding a wagon load of goods is caught embezzling that very wagon load.
Here he is now deserting and getting caught.
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Two country people, John Rins and Thomas Waters turn in the deserters and receive some reward in the form of a certificate or voucher.
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[Winchester, 26 December 1755] . The Deserters now confined in the Guard-House, are to be immediately handcuffed; and to be supported with bread and water only. Sgt. Henry Campbell and two soldiers deserted on Christmas Eve and were retaken on Christmas Day. See the Orders and After Orders of 25 Dec. 1755.
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And on this same Christmas the Articles of War are read aloud to the men.
The articles of War are to be read to the Light Horse company (usually run by Capt Stewart) now put under the charge of Capt Bell.
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Compiled by Jim Moyer 12/27/2020
Taken originally from prior research
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