Courts-Martial at Reas town
The Forbes Expedition of 1758 was a multi-glot of nations, colonies, Indians. Just as Braddock's was in 1755.
Because of all this diversity, the top down leadership believed in fairness and unity. A lot of these rules you see in our Constitution today. The Forbes Expedition leadership lived what it preached. They practiced it.
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Our Colonel Washington saw all this, more in the Forbes Expedtion than Braddock's.
These rules found their way in Washington's taking over the army in Boston almost 20 years later.
Washington had to adjudicate disputes between the different colonials just as Forbes and Bouquet had to do.
Just look at all these disparate colonial militia assembled for the Boston Seige here. You know they all didn't get along.
As Yogi Berra said, "It's deja vu all over again."
Bouquet reported to Forbes on 20 Aug 1758 from Ray's Town:
". . . I have established harmony between the different corps which will prevent any accident of that nature, and by hold the balance even, encourage these, and restraining the overbearing spirit of the others, chiefly of your countrymen, I can truly assure you that you will find no fault other than ignorance or inexperience, which I cannot remedy -- but they are loyal and will not abandon you."
Source:
Page 110, The British Defeat of the French in Pennsylvania, 1758: A Military History of the Forbes Campaign Against Fort Duquesne: by Douglas R. Cubbison. More on this author here. And a review here.
The pictures below were taken 19 January 2019 at the Virginia Beer Museum where reenactors for Colonel George Washington's Virginia Regiment (representing the company of aid de camp to GW, Captain George Mercer) show a court martial. Our Captain George Mercer- later becames a Lt Colonel under Colonel Byrd III of the 2nd VA Regiment in the Forbes Expedition. He was for a short moment in the running to be Govenor of a new colony called Vandalia. His low point before bankruptcy and ruin was being appointed Stamp Collector at a time he did not realize how much anger was brewing in Virginia over such taxation.
There were women (they had to be married) assigned to do chores at Reas town (Raystown) in this outpost of the Forbes Expedition. There were court martials held of sutlers, soldiers, issues with the women, desertions, stealing, fighting. Raystown was later dubbed the Grand Central Station of the Forbes Expedition by historians. It became a small boom city.
And here's those rules you see in the Constitution today.
These rules and measures will look familiar to you.
Fair Composition of the Jury
Among the measures that Bouquet implemented was to ensure that courts-martial were composed of equitable numbers of both regular and provincial officers. For example, a "Court Martial of the Line" (regimental court-martial) sat on August 16 [1758] to "try Swan the Sutler or disobedience of orders." The 2nd Pennsylvania provided a captain as President, and subalterns were provided from the Royal Americans, Highlanders, North Carolina Battalion, and Maryland Battalion, thus achieving an almost perfectly balanced court as regards to both duties and exprerience of officers. Courts-martial were regularly held, and consistently maintained to this equal representation.
Just Compensation
The measures that he took to reimburse a soldier for a stolen rifle were previously documented.
Speedy Trials
Fair Composition of the Jury
Bouquet ordered at Ray's Town that "all Prisoners not Confin'd for Capital Crimes be tried within 24 hours by a Court Martlial & release." Bouquet insured that soldiers were not held in a guardhouse under confinement for an unreasonable length of time, but innstead that they received a rapid trial and resolution of their case, buy either appropriate puniment or acquittal.
Complaint Policy
Bouquet also implemented what today's military or business world would be referred to as an "open-door policy," although such leniency was almost unheard-of in the regular British Army of the age. Bouquet announced to his army in Ray's Town on August 7 [1758], " . . . any Soldiers in the Line who have any Complaints to make, or any Pretension are to apply immediately to the Commanding Officers of their Corps, who will see Justice done to them."
Source:
Page 110, The British Defeat of the French in Pennsylvania, 1758: A Military History of the Forbes Campaign Against Fort Duquesne: by Douglas R. Cubbison. More on this author here. And a review here.
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Now let us look at the name confusion.
You will see in the letters, datelined Reas Town or Raystown or Ray's Town, but never Fort Bedford until after 1 Dec 1758 when Forbes decreed the name change.
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Reas town or Raystown
Former SC Gov James Glenn, cousin to Forbes
called the place Bouquetsville,
but it never stuck with anyone else.
After 1 Dec 1758 it becomes Fort Bedford.
It was called the Grand Central Station of the Forbes Expedition by later historians.
For that reason this area utilized was large.
Construction of fortification and storehouses began 24 June 1758.
By 24 July 1758, the Reverend Barton describes,
" . . . a fine Fort & Store Houses - with two encampments surrounded by breastworks"
Full description can be found on page 77-78:
The British Defeat of the French in Pennsylvania, 1758: A Military History of the Forbes Campaign Against Fort Duquesne: by Douglas R. Cubbison. More on this author here. And a review here.
A quote from Cubbison's book on the Forbes Expedition:
"On December 1 [1758],
Forbes issued those orders that remain today as his most enduring legacy in North America. Specifically, he named the posts upon which he had expended so much labor and effort:"
"General Forbes is please to name the different Posts as follows & all Officers serving in the Army are desired to give them their several appelations either in Writing or otherwise;
Late Fort Duquesne = Pittsburgh
Loyal Hannon = Fort Ligonier
Ray's Town = Fort Bedford "
Source:
Page 179, The British Defeat of the French in Pennsylvania, 1758: A Military History of the Forbes Campaign Against Fort Duquesne: by Douglas R. Cubbison. More on this author here. And a review here.
The letters by all the top officers --
all refer to Reastown (Raystown) and to Loyalhanna -- not Fort Bedford, not Fort Ligonier until after the French abandoned Fort Duquesne
Compiled, authored by Jim Moyer 10/4/2022, 10/6/22, 10/9/2022
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