James Wood with Braddock?
We don't have any evidence proving or disproving James Wood was in the Braddock Expedition in 1755. His diary ends in 1754.
Perhaps court records and accounting ledgers prove he remained in Winchester VA.
However, this little paragraph in Katharine Glass Greene's book speculates James Wood was at Fort Necessity in 1754.
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Excerpt:
According to a footnote in Ford's Writings, vol. 1, page 79, Colonel Fry died at Will's Creek May 31, 1754. Colonel James Wood in his diary says, "Colonel Fry died today."
In the catalogue of the Wood papers, Colonel Wood's diary is thus listed. "Wood, J., Father of Colonel James Wood. Manuscript diary kept during the years 1749 to 1754. 12 mo. contains a short but very interesting account of Colonel George Washington's expedition from Fort Necessity, for the purpose of attacking the French fort, his retreat back to Fort Necessity, etc."
From this it seems certain that Colonel Wood was with the expedition.
End of excerpt.
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Is this true?
We look to the roster.
Here's a roster showing no James Wood.
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Would the roster list wagoners?
Or would it list militia?
And would James Wood actually be either, while still Clerk of Court?
It appears the rosters list only those in the Virginia Regiment.
(As an aside, those rosters are very important for another reason. See that reason here.)
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Conclusion?
No evidence on the Braddock Expedition in 1755 lists James Wood.
No evidence in the roster at Fort Necessity in 1754 lists James Wood.
We assert that James Wood was busy developing Winchester.
We assert that he was Clerk of Court and busy with those matters of the office.
We observe that the Indian attacks of 1756 motivated him to move out of Winchester to today's Stephens City to protect his family.
We suggest for all these reasons that it is very unlikely James Wood left Winchester for any expedition in 1754 and 1755.
But then we would be wrong !
We find the diary of James Wood of his experience at Fort Necessity, 1754.
Col. James Wood of Winchester left the following account:
“June 16. Sund.
Colo. Washington contrary to the advice of the half King
marched from Fort Necessity with the Virga Companys
intended to the Mouth of Red Stone Creek
from thence to attack the F. Fort. [French Fort]
Capt. McCay with the Carolina Independt Company remained at F. Necess.
marched to Guess’s house [Christopher Gist]
Eleven mingos from the F. Fort [French Fort]
who pretended to be friends.
were there or came to them also the half King and King Shingus
with Eight Delawares Field officers and Indians
Sat in Council 3 days
the Captains not permitted to be at the Council
Lewis was detached with a Lieut.
[This is Andrew Lewis : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lewis_(soldier) ]
an Ensign two Corporals and 54 men
Ordered to Clear a Road from Guess’s House
to the mouth of Red Stone Polson
detached with 26 men to go to the Dunchars [Dunkers]
Ordered to Build Canoes and to bring Corn down Monangala
to the mouth of Red Stone.
Escub⟨ap⟩ was heard to say
how glorious it would be to take the F.F. [French Fort]
without the assistance of Cap. McCay. remained with Washington. abt 130 men.
Monagototha arrived
Informed Washington that he with 60 Indians were marching to him
and were Stopt by the French a
nd retained in the F.F. [French Fort]
that the French were reinforced with 700 men
and intended immediately to attack them
that he made his Escape in the night.
on this they got together all the Rails on Guss’s pla⟨ ⟩
and made a Hog pen fort
surrounded with standing Trees
and Commanding ground
Sent to call in the parties and for Capt. MacCays Comp.
he marched all night and Joined them.
a Council of War called the Captains admited for the first time.
agreed to Retreat to Fort neces.
the men obliged to haul the great Guns
Saturday arrived at F. Necessity.
Monday and Tuesday
imployed in geting Logs to enlarge the fort
Wed. morn. 3 July about 9 oClock,
an Indian arrived informed them the French and Indians were within 4 miles.
in the greatest Confusion fell to diging Trenches[.] abt 11.
We drew up on the parade
saw the French and Indians coming down a hill
We marched to take possession of a Point of Woods
[Emphasis on WE - meaning James Wood and men]
Muse called to halt
[See link on Lt. Col. George Muse:
the French would take possession of Our Fort
and Trenches ran back in the utmost Confusion
happy he that could get into the Fort first
The french Firing at 600 yds dist.
got possession of the Trees and Commanding ground in a Semi Circle.
kept a Constant firing till dark then beat a Parley” (
Notebook of James Wood, 1749–1757, ViWnHi).
Source:
But what about the Braddock Expedition in 1755?
Was James Wood on it?
We still find no evidence.
Yet.
Compiled and authored by Jim Moyer 10/09/2021
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First Posted on Fort Loudoun page, 10 May 2020 Sunday
James Wood and family leaves town in April 1756.
On 9 May 1756, William Fairfax, in a letter to Colonel George Washington, mentions this move
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". . . Colo. Jas Wood’s Removal with his Family, added to the Fears of many people below, thinking He would not desert his Plantation without the utmost Necessity."
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Source:
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William Fairfax is the father of George William Fairfax who married Sally (Carey), much adored by our Colonel George Washington.
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William Fairfax heard in April from Fielding Lewis
that Col. James Wood had abandoned his plantation.
William Fairfax wrote to GW, 14 April 1756
" . . . Mr Fielding Lewis now here tells Us the Indians since the Scalping of the Sieur Domville have made another Attack, cut off a Family burnt the House &c. which has added to the former Panic, prevaild to make Colo. Wood & Family desert his Fortification & Plantation to the great Discouragement of Others."
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Source:
The Letter
To George Washington from William Fairfax, 9 May 1756
From William Fairfax
Alexandria 9th May 1756
Dear Sir
Your Letter to the Governor, G. Fx, and
what accompanied them from Colo. Carlyle &c.
describing the calamitous State & Condition
of Hampshire & Frederick Countys, \
And Some Apprehensions
of the blood thirsty and savage Enemy’s near Approaches
to Shannondoah River
and the blue Ridge,
both the Council and Ho. of Burgesses thought it necessary
the Governor should issue
his Orders for half the Militia of the nearest Countys i
mmediately to march
to joyn and assist You.1
The Spirit of just Resentment
on the repeated Insults & Attacks
has So far prevaild as to animate Mr Attorney
and many Gentlemen to enter into an Association
for a vigorous Defence
and Repulse of our common Enemy
and propose being at Fredericksburg Soon.
Mr Fielding Lewis is their Commissary to provide Provisions.2
As the Several Detachments
when met at Winchester will be a larger Body
than You may now want
and put Doctr Walker to Some Difficulty to Supply them,
yet it must be rememberd
when They were order’d out,
The Causes assignd for their being requird
made every One think the unavoidable Expences accruing not worthy Consideration.
Your proposal to have a good and Strong Fort at Winchester
is approvd and think It will be undertaken.3
The E. of Loudon is dayly expected,
Majr Genl Abercromby &c. with Some Regiments, four if not more.
One Matthew Bowyer who had been wth Captn Overton
under Majr Lewis on the unsuccessful March towards the Shawanese Town,
applied to the Governor for a Lieuts. Commission
in your Regiment,
but was answerd the Appointment of filling up Vacancys was left to You.
I am therefore become a Solicitor in behalf of Bryan Fx
who Seems now to like a Military Life,
that on a Vacancy You would please
to appoint Him a Lieutenant in Some Company
whereof the Captain is an exemplary worthy Officer,
And if agreable to Bryan
of which I am not certain;
I persuade my Self He will diligently apply Himself
to learn the Arts of War
under your leading Example.4
The Governor thinks
You will and perhaps the Regiment be put on the English or Irish Establishmt.5
Colo. Jas Wood’s Removal with his Family,
added to the Fears of many people below,
thinking He would not desert his Plantation without the utmost Necessity.6
You have now a fair Occasion
to free your Country
from the Savage Invaders
which besides the Pleasure it will give You
in being the happy Means under God,
Lord Loudon will be acquainted with your Merit,
and being our Governor in Chief consider you
as fitting to Serve on future necessary Employments.
We all here Pticularly Salute You which I witness as Yr very affecte & obedt &c.
W: Fairfax
ALS, DLC:GW.
Founders Online Footnotes:
1. The “Letter to the Governor” referred to was that of 27 April 1756, not that of 3 May. See GW to Dinwiddie, 27 April, n.1. GW’s letter to George William Fairfax and the letter from John Carlyle have not been found.
2. See Dinwiddie to GW, 3 May 1756, n.6, for a description of Peyton Randolph’s “Association.”
3. For the decision of the House of Burgesses made on 3 May to build a strong fort at Winchester, see GW to Dinwiddie, 27 April 1756, n.3.
4. On 14 Aug. 1755, after Braddock’s defeat, Dinwiddie gave Samuel Overton of Hanover County command of a company of volunteers on the Augusta County frontier, and early in 1756 he sent Overton with a company on Andrew Lewis’s Sandy Creek expedition. Matthew Bowyer, probably of Augusta County, was not commissioned in the Virginia Regiment. Bryan Fairfax (1736–1802), formerly a young clerk in the Alexandria store of his brother-in-law, John Carlyle, did get a lieutenant’s commission, however; and in July 1756 he was assigned to Capt. George Mercer’s company where he served until his resignation in December 1756.
5. Every regiment of the regular British army was on either the British establishment or the Irish and was supported by either British revenues or Irish. Commissions in a regiment on the British establishment were usually more costly to purchase and more prestigious. There were also differences in pay. The Virginia Regiment was never put on either, of course.
6. Fairfax heard in April from Fielding Lewis that Col. James Wood had abandoned his plantation just outside Winchester (William Fairfax to GW, 14 April 1756).
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Dinwiddie's Proclamation of 1754:
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Limits of the Promise
Later Washington indicates
this Proclamation only refers to
the actions of the Virginia Regiment
of 1754
and not of the later Braddock
or Forbes Expeditions.
We believe Colonel George Washington
posed in his first portrait ever in 1770
by Charles Willson Peale
in red breeches (pants)
because that was the color
of those in 1754 promised land
by Lt Gov Dinwiddie in his Proclamation.
Those who did not serve in 1754 but served later in 1755 and on were not eligible.
From the Privy Council Journal itself,
stating February 19, 1754:
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More context
on the February 19, 1754 Proclamation
Dinwiddie’s proclamation of 19 Feb. provided
“that over & above their Pay,
two hundred thousand Acres
of His Majesty the king of Great Britain’s Lands,
on the East Side of the River Ohio,
within this Dominion
(100,000 Acres whereof to be contiguous
to the said Fort, &
the other 100,000 Acres to be on or near the River Ohio),
shall be laid off
and granted to such Persons,
who by their voluntary Engagement &
good Behaviour in the said Service shall deserve the same”
Source:
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This promise of land takes years to come true.
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By October 1770, George Washington and a group travels out to the Ohio Country to look at this Promised Land.
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The People already there using that land for hunting will meet GW and his group and talk about their future.
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That Future and its Past indicate that Military Invasions hold no candle to a an unlimited tidal wave of immigrants.
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Limits of the Promise
Later Washington indicates
this Proclamation only refers to
the actions of 1754
and not of the later Braddock
or Forbes Expeditions.
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“It has been distantly askd, for I must own I never heard the matter regularly questiond, whether the Troops employd in the subsequent campaigns were not entitled to a share also of this 200,000 Acres of Land?5 to this it may be answerd, that a moments recurrance to the state of affairs in 1754 & the occn of raising Troops at that early period will demonstrate at once the Impropriety of such expectns, if any such there be; For 300 Men were adjudgd suff⟨ic’t⟩ to the Service then under contemplation, & 200,000 Acres of Land was offered as a bounty to obtain them; and though the number proovd insufft to accomplish the purpose for wch they were rais’d (as thousands afterwards likewise did) yet it is a Fact very well known that this body of Troops did actually advance into the Country claimd by the Enemy, & built a Fort there which they were obligd to surrender to supr Numbrs.
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Besides, they woud beg leave to make this one observation more, in proof of their exclusive right to this Grant; and that is, that the next Campaign was made by His Majesty’s Troops under the Comd of Genl Braddock; and that all the Troops enlisted in this Colony after that time, did it upon a quite differt, & much better establishment, the Officers recg higher pay, & the Men greater bountys.
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It must plainly appear therefore, in my humble opinion at least, that the grant of this Land was merely local, confind to that particular Enterprize then in view, and coud by no means be construed to extend to the multitude which afterwards engagd in the course of a Ten years War.”
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Colonel Peachey, previously a Captain, who along with George Mercer were of the original 2 companies beginning the building of Fort Loudoun later petitions for land promised by Dinwiddie’s 19 February 1754 Proclamation. But Peachey was not in the original 1754 expedition which was the only adventure promised this land as Washington had insisted.
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The following entry appears in the minutes of the Virginia council for 15 June 1770:
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“…it is the Opinion of the Board that the Petitioners are not intitled to any share of the said two hundred thousand Acres of land; but that the same is appropriated and limited to the first Adventures only”
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THE LAND GRAB
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This trip by these members of the Ohio Company came to look at land promised by Lt Gov Dinwiddie to Washington and his Men of 1754.
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A HARD NARROW PROMISE:
Mind you. The promise of land was only to the men of 1754 (Jummonville, Fort Necessity) and not to anyone after, not even to those of the failed Braddock Expedition of 1755 or to those of the Forbes Expedition of 1758.
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Washington wrote a letter 8 December 1769 to stipulate that and confirm that.
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Vandalia Colony Wikipedia link
And this Ohio Company concerning this “Ohio Country” was working on creating a new Colony called Vandalia whose Governor might be GW’s former aid de camp, George Mercer.
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The land grab speculation would be in violation of Britain’s Proclamation Line of 1763, designed to stop the westward march and therefore expensive Indian Hostilites.
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VIOLATION OF THE BOUNDARIES SET IN 1763
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Proclamation of 1763 shows the boundaries stopping White Settlement of Indian Lands so that future expensive Indian Wars could be avoided.
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GW writes a letter 17 September 1767 to one of his former soldiers William Crawford predicting the Proclamation of 1763 will fall.
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Washington suggests to ignore it to protect their future claims and to keep these designs a secret so they don’t get in trouble with the King.
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THE BOUNDARIES ARE MOVED IN 1768
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BUT the Treaty of Fort Stanwix 1768 moved the line dramatically west. So the Land Grab was ON. See map in this National Park Service link.
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Notes:
Jumonville Glen
James Wood first Clerk of Court
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The first court of Frederick County met on 11 Nov. 1743 in an office belonging to James Wood on his Glen Burnie estate at Winchester. This was used as the courthouse until a log structure was built a few years later on the city’s public square, a section consisting of four lots (approximately 2¼ acres each) set aside by James Wood for public use
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