It don't come Easy
COLONEL WASHINGTON moves into FORT LOUDOUN on December 2, 1756.
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by Jim Moyer compiled 2013, updated 11/25/2019, 11/30/2019, 11/28-29/2020, 11/7/2021
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Vantage point
is from corner of
Piccadilly and Loudoun
looking north
up the hill.
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Picture by Jim Moyer.
The Move:
December 2, 1756
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Colonel George Washington
moves out of
Cocks Tavern
on Lot 8
(present day 21 S Loudoun St)
into Fort Loudoun
in Winchester VA.
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But nothing about this was easy.
Nothing came easy about building the fort.
Nor maintaining this army.
Nor keeping them from deserting.
Nor supplying them uniforms, muskets, cartridges for blackpowder.
Nor about keeping the beef from spoiling from lack of salt.
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2 Dec 1756 is the day
Colonel George Washington
moved into Fort Loudoun.
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At the same time he was under orders
to move men to Fort Cumberland.
But by the look of Colonel George Washington's
he might not be staying in the fort.
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He was under orders to move 100 men to Fort Cumberland.
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He didn't have 100 men here in Fort Loudoun.
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Not only did he not have that number, but this list of men were designated to end their draft service 1 Dec 1756.
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This would clearly mean nobody would be left to continue to build the fort, much less guard it.
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That meant the supplies and stores would be unguarded, subject to pilfering by the towns people.
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He was also under orders to move to Fort Cumberland himself.
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These orders from Lt Gov Dinwiddie came at the same time supplies had just been moved out of Fort Cumberland to be stored at Fort Loudoun and at the Courthouse (on today's Walking mall) in Winchester VA.
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Now the supplies, the men, and GW himself, are ordered back to Fort Cumberland.
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So why would GW move out of the tavern into Fort Loudoun if he knew about these orders?
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The answer is he knew he had to leave the tavern anyway.
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He was either moving to Fort Cumberland or staying at Fort Loudoun.
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if only he could convince Lt Gov Dinwiddie that Fort Loudoun was the better location for him to oversee the troops, mail, communications, supplies, etc.
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Colonel George Washington lays out all of these arguments to persuade Lt Gov Dinwiddie to change his mind.
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As events developed, Washington was able to get those orders changed.
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And since 2 Dec 1756 -- until GW resigned at the end of 1758 --- all letters were datelined "Fort Loudoun" instead of "Winchester" from then on.
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He paid a year's rent that day of 2 Dec 1756 to William Cocks who owned a tavern in Winchester VA.
Cocks' Tavern was located on Lot 8 shown on this map.
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Even though
James Wood
received a tract granted
by the Governor and Council of VA,
he knew Lord Fairfax
was going to win in court
and so he settled quickly
with Lord Fairfax and together
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From Quarles-2 p 42-43.
See Sources listed further below.
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Lot 8 includes present day
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Across the way is Winchester Thai restaurant.
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We show this picture because in the middle is Phil Hunter who has portrayed William Cocks for years.
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William Cocks rented his tavern to Colonel George Washington for a year.
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William Cocks was also a Captain of a Ranger company.
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He also had a fort named Cocks Fort on the Patterson River.
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His Ranger Company was created along with Ashby as Captain of the other Ranger Company in 1755..
Showing left to right:
Fay Dutton, Phil Hunter, Susan Howard.
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Location of this picture is 419 N Loudoun Street
where part of Fort Loudoun Winchester VA
was located.
The three in this picture are celebrating Presidents Day 18 Feb 2018.
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What was near Lot 8 ?
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Fort George --
see 17
a prisoner’s stockade on the hill back of present day Braddock Street Church
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Drill ground –
see 18
North of this corner of Braddock and Cork.
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Cocke’s Tavern --
see 5
Lot 8
21 South Loudoun Street –
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Military Hospital –
on Loudoun Street nearby
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Source is Page 11 from Garland R. Quarles, author of “George Washington and Winchester VA 1748-1758, A Decade of Preparation for Responsibilities to Come,” 1974, published by Winchester Frederick County Historical Society.
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The back yard of that Lot 8 is near the lot that holds The present day George Washington Office Museum on Cork and Braddock.
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Cartmell, Clerk of Court, and a local author of area history, influenced City Council to buy that corner of Cork and Braddock in 1908.
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We believe the proximity of GW's staying at Cocks Tavern nearby gave rise to the claims about this George Washington Office Museum.
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on May 15, 1753.
One of which was a patent for Lot 8 Lord Fairfax conveyed to William Cocks.Sources:
See pages 31-32 Quarles-1
See pages 42-43 Quarles-2
See page 34 Baker Fort Loudoun.
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See list of these sources further down this page.
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Map taken from Winchester Tax Parcel interactive map.
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See this excellent link: https://gis.winchesterva.gov/taxparcelmapping/
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A Year’s Rent
On December 4, 1756
Colonel George Washington’s
account book,
Ledger A:
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Paid 40 lbs to “Captain Cocks for rent of his house” – source page 31, Quarles-1
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The building at 21 South Loudoun Street sits roughly where Cocks Tavern was located. See this link for more information on that site: https://visitwinchesterva.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/HistoryandArchitectureBrochure_web.pdf
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This is Lot 8 covering more than just present day's 21 South Loudoun Street .
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According to Quarles-1, page 31:
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It [the tavern house] was on Inlot Number 8 in the 1752 plan by John Baylis for the Town of Winchester.
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It fronted a distance of 119 feet on the west side of South Loudoun Street [where it fronts the walking mall ], extended westward 189 feet, 9 inches, and had an area of about one half acre.
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Thai Winchester Restaurant looks across to where Cocks Tavern was.
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in terms of present day landmarks
[Quarles wrote in the 1950s and updated in 1970s]
the frontage of Lot Number 8 on Loudoun Street
extended from the Town Run
to the south line of Patton Furniture Company,
and it ran westward to Indian Alley.
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Across from
21 South Loudoun Street
on the Loudoun Street walking mall
is the Thai Winchester Restaurant.
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GW’s Room
Drawing by Norman Baker. T
Text and pointer added by Jim Moyer
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Morton on page 74 states,
“Tradition has it
that a room in the fort
used by Washington
was above the gateway
commanding a view
of Main Street (Loudoun Street).”
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This tradition Morton speaks of
is supported
by the design of the fort.
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Below GW’s quarters ?
GW’s first design of the fort – designates a dining room.
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GW’s 2nd design of the fort – designates Officers’ Guard room.
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First design of two by George Washington of Fort Loudoun Winchester VA
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18 May 1756.
That day is observed
by local historians
and living history interpreters
each year
by the
French and Indian War Foundation
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By 2 December 1756,
quarters were suitable enough
for Colonel George Washington
to move in.
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Dateline on Letters
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Colonel
George Washington
always “datelines”
his letters
telling the reader
his location.
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After
2 December 1756
Washington datelines
his letters
“Fort Loudoun.”
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Before
2 December 1756
all letter by
George Washington
were
datelined
“Winchester.”
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Photo and old style cut and paste by Jim Moyer, showing Fort Loudoun on the hill.
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At that corner where the men assembled is alleged by Morton to be the military prison. Touch or Click to Enlarge.
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First Letter from the Fort is
2 December, 1756,
Col Washington’s
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After detailing how the supplies have just been moved to Winchester from Fort Cumberland, Washington suggests that they should remain in Winchester:
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“And lastly; Winchester is in the centre, as it were, of all the Forts; is convenient for receiving intelligence & distributing orders—and notwithstanding any thing to the contrary, lies in a vale of land that has suffered more than any other from the incursions of the Enemy.“
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So Which Cocks or Cocke or Cox?
We believe the tavern owner
was also the Ranger Captain William Cocks.
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Ranger
Captain William Cocks fort
was built
at same time
Fort Ashby was built.
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Both forts were built on the Patterson Creek.
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Dr Warren Hofstra
is signing a book
for Phil Hunter
who has long portrayed
tavern owner William Cocks
at 21 S Loudoun St
on lot 8 of Winchester
surveyed by John Baylis in 1752.
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Dr Warren Hofstra
has an excellent map
on all of the tippling houses, taverns, ordinaries
existing during GW’s stay in Winchester VA.
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There was a Captain Thomas Cocke in the Virginia Regiment.
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And there was a Friend Cox who owned a fort house near the Potomac.
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Scroll past the Sources to look at the different names of Cocks, Cocke, Cox.
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Sources:
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First letter by Colonel George Washington dateline 2 Dec 1756 from Fort Loudoun instead of as "Winchester"
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Refer to as
Baker Fort Loudoun,
Fort Loudoun, Washington’s Fort in Virginia by Norman Baker, 2006
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Refer to as
Quarles-1
George Washington and Winchester Virginia 1748-1758 by Garland R Quarles published in in Volume VIII of Winchester Frederick County Historical Society Papers 1974
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Refer to as
Quarles-2
Garland Quarles detailed a good chronology of Winchester’s origins in 1952, “Streets of Winchester,” later re-published by the Winchester Frederick County Historical Society in a 1996 book, titled, “Winchester Virginia, Streets, Churches, Schools,” pages 39-45
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Refer to as Morton
The Story of Winchester in Virginia, The Oldest Town in the Shenandoah Valley by Frederick Morton, 1925, republished by Heritage Books 2007
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DISAMBIGUATION
OF THE NAME OF
COCKS, COCKE, COX
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William Cocks
Phil Hunter has portrayed the character of William Cox for years.
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William Cox was a tavern owner at 21 South Loudoun St on the Lot 8.
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This picture is from 3 July 2012 celebrating Rockin’ Independence Eve.
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Many patents for lots were claimed on May 15, 1753. One of which was a patent for Lot 8 Lord Fairfax conveyed to William Cocks.
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As an aside: George Washington had received a lot 77 on corner of Braddock and Fairfax Lane on the same day. And later GW installed his Blacksmith on that corner for iron works needed for Fort Loudoun.
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Colonel George Washington pays 40 lbs for a year’s rent to a Captain “Cocks.”
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William Cocks was the owner of Cocks Tavern, 21 South Loudoun Street in Winchester VA, Lot 8 map drawn in 1752 addition.
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Left to Right.
Marc Robinson and Phil Hunter
at the Fort Loudoun site
18 Feb 2019 Presidents Day.
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Phil Hunter has long portrayed William Cocks, tavern owner where Colonel George Washington rented living quarters for a year until 2 December 1756
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Then GW moved into Fort Loudoun Winchester VA.
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Marc Robinson is in the Virginia Regiment Uniform.
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He takes on the duty as President of the James Wood II Chapter of the Sons of American Revolution in 2020.
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Source is Pages 31-32 from Garland R. Quarles, author of “George Washington and Winchester VA 1748-1758, A Decade of Preparation for Responsibilities to Come,” 1974, published by Winchester Frederick County Historical Society.
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So William Cocks,
the tavern house owner,
was both
one of the first Captains of 2 Ranger Companies created.
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All Correspondence between George Washington and William Cocks.
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Braddock stayed at Captain Cock’s tavern house.
See letter July 5, 1754, from Dinwiddie at Captain Cock’s .
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A Captain in the Rangers, commanding one of the 1st two forts built on the Patterson Creek. See fort location of Cocks Fort.
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From Founders Online footnote:
William Cocks and Jack Ashby were the first 2 ranger companies created.
Both commanded forts on the Patterson.
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Founders Online footnote:
“When GW assumed command of the Virginia Regiment on 1 Sept. 1755, he also became commander of all other Virginia forces, which included the companies of rangers commanded by William Cocks and John Ashby.”
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Left to Right.
Dr Warren Hofstra, Phil Hunter.
18 July 2010.
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Dr Warren Hofstra, historian,
has an excellent map
of all the tippling houses and ordinaries and taverns
in Winchester
at the time of George Washington.
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Phil Hunter portrays Captain William Cocks, tavern owner at 21 S Loudoun St, Lot 8.
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Founders Online footnote:
2. William Cocks’s and John Ashby’s companies of rangers were organized for the defense of Frederick and Hampshire counties in July 1755 even before word came of Braddock’s defeat. The rangers had been stationed at the two forts they built on Patterson Creek since the early fall of 1755. Funds for maintaining the ranger companies were running out, and GW gave “Furloes” to both Cocks and Ashby in hopes of enrolling individual rangers in the Virginia Regiment during the absences of their captains (GW to Dinwiddie, 4 Aug. 1756). Cocks went on from Winchester to Williamsburg in August to press his claims for money, and “after a Melancholy stay of ten days, Spent in Murmur, Silence, Complaints, Grief, and Remorse, hurrys homewards to taste true happiness in Content & retirement” (John Kirkpatrick to GW, 19 Aug. 1756). GW wrote Dinwiddie on 8 Sept. that he found the rangers “quite averse to enlisting into the Regiment.”
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RANGER COCKS FORT LOCATION:
See Map location of William Cocks Fort. At one time Colonel George Washington had plans to make this largest of all of the forts. He called it Fort Washington at one point.
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Founders Online footnote:
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6. On 18 Sept. 1754 Dinwiddie instructed William Cocks of Winchester to provide goods for Indian presents and subsequently proposed that Cocks be the commissary’s deputy to secure provisions and wagons at Winchester for Braddock’s expedition. Cocks became captain of the 1st company of rangers at Winchester in July 1755. Shortly before GW arrived on 14 Sept. for his first visit to Winchester after taking command of the Virginia Regiment, Cocks left town with his rangers, who then numbered nine or more, to patrol the area around the headwaters of Patterson Creek above the South Branch of the Potomac. When GW issued these orders on 10 Oct., Captain Cocks was at the Middle Branch with his rangers to protect the terrified inhabitants there. See William Cocks’s company rolls, 21 Oct. 1755, and his journal, 8 Sept.—20 Oct. 1755, both in DLC:GW.
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7. John Ashby (1707–1789) and his rangers seem to have been in the vicinity of Patterson Creek when the Indians struck on 1 Oct. Until the rangers disbanded in the summer of 1756, both Ashby and Cocks continued to operate with their men between the South Branch of the Potomac and Fort Cumberland, Md., manning small forts on Patterson Creek, going on patrols, and escorting wagons to and from Cumberland. Ashby’s company of rangers was the second of those in Frederick and Hampshire counties for which Lord Fairfax issued Dinwiddie’s commissions of early July 1755. Ashby initially had little success in recruiting, but by 2 Oct. he had enlisted at least 28 rangers. There is no evidence that Ashby entered the Virginia Regiment after losing his ranger company, but he did participate in the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774 when he was well past the age of 60. For a full identification of John Ashby, see GW’s Diaries description begins Donald Jackson and Dorothy Twohig, eds. The Diaries of George Washington. 6 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1976–79. description ends , 1:6–7.
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Founders Online footnote
When GW assumed command of the Virginia Regiment on 1 Sept. 1755, he also became commander of all other Virginia forces, which included the companies of rangers commanded by William Cocks and John Ashby. Presumably “the money in my hands” which he refers to here was money provided by Dinwiddie out of the appropriation for the rangers in July 1755. In response to this letter, Dinwiddie wrote GW on 19 Aug. 1756 that he was writing to “Colo. Fairfax to pay You the Balla. in his Hands of 600£ he had of me,” but on 8 Sept. GW wrote Dinwiddie that he would have to discharge the rangers “as the fund is exhausted.” On 20 Oct. 1756, however, GW recorded a payment of £68 13s. 9d. from George William Fairfax of “Rangers Money.”
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Source:
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Thomas Cocke
A Captain in the Virginia Regiment
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Founders Online footnote:
Capt. Thomas Cocke was probably the son of the Thomas Cocke of Surry County who died in 1750. In Dec. 1754 Dinwiddie made Cocke a captain, and he continued at that rank after GW took command of the regiment. In Jan. 1756 Cocke’s company was numbered the 5th in the Virginia Regiment and in July the 7th. Cocke lost his captaincy when the number of companies in the regiment was reduced in 1757. In June 1758 he secured the same rank in the 2d Virginia Regiment.
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Thomas Cocke listed as Captain in Sept 17, 1755
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For later followup:
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Which William Cocke or William Cocks?
Whoever it is, this involves the VA Regiment
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Which Cocks, Cocke, Cox?
Ranger Company having a Drummer
FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON
TO WILLIAM COCKS,
4 JUNE 1756
TO WILLIAM COCKS
[Winchester, 4 June 1756]
To Captain William Cockes—of the Rangers. Sir,
I received yours, complaining of the irregular method of supplying you with provisions; and communicated the contents to Commissary Walker, who writes you on this head: His directions you must follow1 You must make out an accompt of the pay which is owing to you, and transmit it to me per the first opportunity.2 Take care to be very vigilant and active; and to communicate all the intelligence that is remarkable and certain. You must always, upon any alarm, have regard to the summons of each other; and to unite on all extraordinary occasions. Endeavour at working by stratagem; to way-lay and surprize the Enemy; rather than seek them in an open pursuit.
I was greatly surprized and angered to hear of the dastardly behaviour of seven of your men, who fled from a less number of the Enemy, without discharging their pieces. Such behaviour merits the fate that some of our men [(]for the like offence) will soon meet with.3 and, you may assure your company that they shall not escape unpunished for such Offences. Your parties that go for provision, should always be made strong. I am &c.
G:W.
Winchester—June 4th 1756.
LB, DLC:GW.
1. None of this correspondence between Cocks, Thomas Walker, and GW has been found.
2. A weekly return from Cocks at Patterson Creek, dated 3 July 1756, lists in his ranger company one captain, one lieutenant, three sergeants, one drummer, and thirty-two rank and file (DLC:GW).
3. The Maryland Gazette (Annapolis) for 1 July 1756 reported that on 29 May “an Express arrived [in Williamsburg] from Cox’s fort, with Advice, That the Indians had killed and scalped two Men belonging to it, that were out a Hunting, wounded a third, and a fourth was missing, of the Party which consisted of Seven; that they drew up on an Eminence near the Fort and fired at it several Times.”
Source
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