GW's War in February 1757
We continue our trek thru 1757. For Colonel George Washington this month of Feb 1757 is all about seeing Lord Loudoun, a name that adorns Winchester's main street and mall and several forts in different states and a county in VA to this day.
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Our Colonel GW after a stay in Fort Cumberland and then stays in Fort Loudoun in Winchester VA until sometime after Feb 2 to head to Mt Vernon and from there on Feb 13 leaves for Philadelphia to see Lord Loudoun who is expected there on Feb 17.
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Lord Loudoun is a no show. Finally March 14 he arrives.
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But what is going on our frontier while GW heads out to Philly?
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The above is a summary of what we cover below:
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Colonel George Washington is readying himself to see Lord Loudoun in Philadelphia.
Because that date was originally set for 17 Feb 1757, Colonel George Washington gets ready to leave for Philadelphia.
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Previously, he was ordered to Fort Cumberland and stayed there December 20, 1756 and January 25, 1757. While there in Fort Cumberland, GW wrote to Lord Loudoun 10 Jan 1757.
He then travelled to Fort Loudoun Winchester VA and stayed there from January 26, 1757 to possibly 2 February 1757 when Lt Gov Dinwiddie, again but grudgingly gives permission to GW to go to Philadelphia to see Lord Loudoun.
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While there at Fort Loudoun Winchester VA, GW writes to Lord Loudoun's aide de camp on 28 Jan 1757 .
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So where is GW after 2 Feb 1757?
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From Douglas Southall Freeman's Young George Washington, Volume 2, Page 234 published 1948, Charles Scribner's Sons:
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"Washington departed promptly
(leaving Fort Loudoun some time after 2 Feb 1757),
stopped at home (Mt Vernon)
on his way to the city (Philadelphia),
left on the 13th (13 Feb 1757)
with Capt Robert Stewart and Thomas Bishop,
and reached the place of the conference (Philadelphia)
about the 21st (21 Feb 1757) --
only to be told that the new Commander-in Chief
(Lord Loudoun) had not made his appearance. " .
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GW and Governors in Philadelphia
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Lt Gov Dinwiddie was already there in Philadelphia, along with Horatio Sharpe of MD, Arthur Dobbs of NC, and William Denny of PA . They are all there waiting on Lord Loudoun. See Source page 235.
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All of them have a long stay for the rest of February 1757 and into March 1757 in Philadelphia.
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In fact Lord Loudoun does not arrive until 14 March 1757. We will one day track down what they did there while waiting on his lordship, Lord Loudoun. GW saw a lot of Horatio Sharpe of MD while there. See page 235.
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See letter for the reference to the 25 Feb 1757 and see footnote for date of 14 Feb 1757 in this link, to confirm Lord Loudoun's arrival and stay in Philadelphia from March 14-25,1757 .
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Meanwhile GW does not know Lord Loudoun is receiving reports insinuating GW might be a traitor, providing information to France.
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Lord Loudoun also gets positive reports about GW, so Lord Loudoun is content with waiting until he sees GW himself.
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Pomp and Ceremony
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Douglas Southall Freeman writes of the pomp and ceremony of Lord Loudoun's arrival in Philadelphia:
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"At last the dull diversions of idle days were relieved: Loudoun was coming! On the 14th of March, the guns of the Association Battery and of ships in the harbor announced his arrival. The bells of the city bad him welcome." See page 237.
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We spoke of Lord Loudoun's war efforts in February 1757 and in January 1757.
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While GW is in Philadelphia,
what is going on with his Virginia Regiment during February 1757 ?
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To do so, we look at 2 letters:
Both officers mention first their need to look after their own welfare.
Then they give a report about the war effort.
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The first letter is from Robert McKenzie.
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He is stationed in Pearsall's fort. He wants to join the official British Army, with George Washington's blessings.
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Robert McKenzie does say something about the war here.
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He is stationed at Job Pearsall's fort.
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He notes of an incident with the Indians
between two of Waggener's forts
on the South Branch of the Potomac River:
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Fort Defiance (also known as Waggener's Upper Fort) and
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Fort Pleasant (also known as Waggener's Lower Fort).
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Robert McKenzie writes it as a postscript
after making his plea
to George Washington for help
in obtaining a position within
the official British Army:
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P.S. On the 15th Inst.
a Party of abt twenty Indians,
took of a Man nigh Fort Defiance & chased another.
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They burnt some Houses,
Stacks of Hay,
killed several Cattle &c.
A Party went out after them from Fort Pleasant
as quick as possible,
but I have not heard their Success.
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See some of McKenzie's company members:
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The 2nd letter is from Thomas Bullitt.
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He cannot tolerate being under Captain Peter Hog's command southward of Washington's main area of operations. He has been asking repeatedly to be relieved from that position, not caring whether it be by court martial or by resignation or by reassignment.
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Thomas Bullitt writes about the war effort:
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p.S. Serjt Wilper Recruited one Morgan he Advanced the money, the Fellow was Entertained 34 day & Deserted after receiving Cloths from Serjt the Sd Soldr was one of the Rects you see at Fort Dinwiddie and was Taken up after desertion and is now with Capt. McNeal—Capt. Hog refuses to pay for advance money or any Time he was Entertained tho. he sent Instructions to Us to Recruit all Servts and others.
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First letter:
To George Washington from Robert McKenzie, 18 February 1757
From Robert McKenzie Pearsalls Feby 18th 1757
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Sir I have been lately advised by my Friends to take a Step, which though it may tend to my Advantage, may equally prove detrimental, if too rashly undertaken. And as I would not enter into an Affair of the Kind, without previously acquainting you with it, & begging your Advice; I hope you will candidly impart it to me, by which I shall regulate my Conduct.
. The Regiment has been for some Time in a tottering Condition, occasiond by the late Differences; & the Poverty of the Colony has given some small Room to surmise, that at least a Part of the Corps will be soon reduced.1
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Indeed it seems almost certain, that we can not be long supported; that we have scarce reasonable Hopes of being taken Notice of by the Superior Powers; & then, to put the best Construction upon it, we can hope for nothing more, than bare Thanks for our Services, when the present Exigencies cease.
. If this is really the Case, it behoves every Person in my Condition, to push his Fortune in the best Manner he can.
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My Dependance is too small to maintain me without some other Assistance; And my Desire to enter myself on the military List, induced me first, to lay aside the Study of that Profession, by which I was to make up the Deficiency.
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To explain myself more fully: the Scheme proposed, is to enter myself a Volontier in the Brittish Troops whereby I may in Time be introduced to a State of Independence.
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McKenzie eventually does become part of the official British Army:
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Robert McKenzie served as captain in GW’s Virginia Regiment from its inception in September 1755 until General Amherst gave McKenzie a commission in the British army in 1761. See GW to Robert McKenzie, 11 Nov. 1755, and McKenzie to GW, 18 Feb. 1757 and 12 Aug. 1760. In 1776 McKenzie became paymaster general under Gen. William Howe and in 1777 became Howe’s private secretary. McKenzie has changed the spelling of his name since his earlier correspondence.
Source of footnote above:
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The letter by McKenzie continues:
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This, (as the World goes at present) I know cannot be effected, without the Intercession & Interest of Friends, which Benefit I have not had an Opportunity to cultivate.
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If this Step should appear rational & adviseable to you, I hope you will not think it Presumption in me, to beg your Assistance & Favors, & to move the Affair to the Governor, whom I understand you accompany to Philadelphia.
. I flatter myself I have not forfeited his Esteem by my Behaviour, since he honored me with my present Commission, which as it was unexpected, I shall always remember in the most grateful Manner.2
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If I knew your Sentiments, I should address myself to him instantly by Letter; but as I shall act accordingly, will postpone it, untill I receive your Answer.
. I assure you, upon Honor, that I esteem this Service as much as any Person in it, & would chuse to continue in it before any other; provided, I coud make it conform any Way to my Interest. I hope A Regard to that Principle cannot reflect in the least to my Discredit, which (if I am not mistaken) operates in the Breast of the most xealous Patriotes.
. I must again sollicit your Advice in this Affair, & repeat my Entreaties for you to excuse this Freedom in Sir your dutiful & obedt Servant
. Robt McKenzie
. P.S. On the 15th Inst. a Party of abt twenty Indians, took of a Man nigh Fort Defiance & chased another. They burnt some Houses, Stacks of Hay, killed several Cattle &c. A Party went out after them from Fort Pleasant as quick as possible, but I have not heard their Success.3
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Yours as above R: Mc: ALS, DLC:GW.
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Founders Online footnotes:
. 1. Capt. Robert McKenzie, whose company in the Virginia Regiment had been stationed at Job Pearsal’s since summer (see GW to McKenzie, 13 July, 5 Aug. 1756), presumably was referring to the controversy arising out of the publication of the attack on the Virginia Regiment in Virginia-Centinel No. X in the Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg) in September 1756. For the reduction of the Virginia Regiment from sixteen to ten companies, see Dinwiddie to GW, 16 May 1757 (first letter).
. 2. That McKenzie was indeed a favorite of Dinwiddie’s is borne out by Dinwiddie’s decision in May 1757 to retain McKenzie as a company commander when he reduced the number of companies in the regiment, even though McKenzie at the time ranked fifteenth in seniority among the sixteen captains (ibid.). McKenzie remained in the Virginia forces until the end of the war. For a full identification of McKenzie, see GW’s letter to him, 11 Nov. 1755.
. 3. Fort Pleasant and Fort Defiance on the South Branch were often referred to as Thomas Waggener’s Lower and Upper forts.
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Source of letter and footnotes above:
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Second Letter;
To George Washington from Thomas Bullitt, 19 February 1757
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From Thomas Bullitt [Vause’s Fort] Feby 19th 1757 .
Sir It is not Agreeable to my Inclinations to be Thus Troublesom as to my Repeated Letters for Leave to be Removed from this Compy and as it is much against my Inclinations the Continuing Hope you will Indulge me in this my Last Request.1
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I have Marchd the Detacht from Fort Dinwiddie to Vases, [Vause's Fort]
and Shall be as Afficious as in my power for three Weeks or a month in Carrying on the Work—In which Time hope there will be An Officer to Relieve me
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Pray Sir Consider the Manner I came to the Regt & Time I had the Honour of Serving under you,
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& if you do not think proper to Remove me to some other Station hope you will not Refuse me the Liberty of Resigning
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As being Broke by a Court Martial will give Room for Reflection tho. will submit to any thing you Direct before I stay in the Manner I am—
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from Sir your most Obt
Humble Servt Thos Bullitt .
p.S. Serjt Wilper Recruited one Morgan he Advanced the money, the Fellow was Entertained 34 day & Deserted after receiving Cloths from Serjt the Sd Soldr was one of the Rects you see at Fort Dinwiddie and was Taken up after desertion and is now with Capt. McNeal—Capt. Hog refuses to pay for advance money or any Time he was Entertained tho. he sent Instructions to Us to Recruit all Servts and others.2 ALS, DLC:GW.
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Founders Online footnote:
. 1. GW did not move Thomas Bullitt to a new company but instead put him in temporary command of Peter Hog’s company in July 1757. Bullitt’s earlier letters asking to be transferred have not been found, but for some of his complaints about Hog,
. 2. After sending Bullitt in July 1756 to relieve John McNeill as lieutenant of Hog’s company, GW made McNeill captain lieutenant of GW’s own company. There were several Morgans in the Virginia Regiment in 1756.
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Source of letter and footnotes above:
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See all the orders Washington writes in these several days of January.
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