Loudoun wonders if GW is a Traitor?
You see Loudoun this, Loudoun that ---- everywhere in this area of Winchester and northern Virginia.
And then you find out that Fort Loudoun was named for a man who might have thought George Washington a traitor?
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Traitor? George Washington a traitor?
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Letters of a traitorous nature were intercepted.
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Founders Online summarizes the issue:
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"The letters in question
were four
written from Pennsylvania,
January–March 1756,
and signed “Filius Gallicae,”
[meaning Son of the French]
to the Duke de Mirepoix,
former French ambassador
to Great Britain,
containing treasonable plans
to lead Roman Catholics
and Indians in the British colonies
into the French service.
When authorities in London
intercepted the letters,
they discerned a dangerous,
diabolical plot,
and ordered Loudoun
to hunt the traitor down.
-- Amer. Hist. Assn. Annual Report, 1896 (Washington, 1897), i, 660–703."
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Blog compiled and authored by Jim Moyer, 1/10/2021, last updated 3/19/2021
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A list of suspects came under review.
They are: " Washington, Croghan, Shirley, Sharpe, a Mr. Lydius at Albany, and a Baron Lake Augustus Davis."
"The Earl of Halifax thinks it clear from intrinsic evidence that the writer of the letters must be an Irishman. [That again points to Croghan] The Duke of Devonshire reports that " he is thought to be a Popish Priest. [That points to Reverend William Smith] ' ' The spectacle of so much treason all round, of so much disloyalty in his Majesty's officers, is positively distressing. Meanwhile, the perpetrator of the fraud hatches his plot in such a fashion, addressing the Duc de Mirepoix in the tone of a Frenchman, though in English . . ."
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Source:
AN ALLEGED POPISH PLOT IN PENNSYLVANIA : 1756-7
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Does GW ever find out?
And while Colonel George Washington wants to meet Lord Loudoun, little does GW know that Lord Loudoun is hearing accusations of GW being treasonous.
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In fact George Washington to his dying day never discovers anything about this ever having happened.
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The Intercepted letters of Duc de Mirepoix
The British Ministry had received in 1756
four letters, one after another,
signed "Filius Gallicae"
and addressed to the Duc de Mirepoix.
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Other than these intercepted letters, the Duc de Mirepoix, the French Ambassador to Great Britain, is notably known for a culinary dish.
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These letters seem to describe George Washington.
But there are other Suspects:
Ben Franklin writes to Thomas Pownall mentioning Kennedy Ferrell as a suspect who is "Filius Gallicae"
Ben Franklin's "suspect was Kennedy Ferrell (Ferrol), tavern keeper and registrar of horse races, Frederick, Md., who apparently left that province to escape warrants issued for his arrest by Gov. Horatio Sharpe. J. Thomas Scharf, History of Western Maryland (Phila., 1882), i, 419, 490; Correspondence of Governor Horatio Sharpe, Maryland Archives, vi (Baltimore, 1888), i, 220."
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Francis Jennings a historian makes a case to accuse a Reverend William Smith. .See a disambiguation of three William Smiths who appear in Washington's life. For more on the, see this section on the suspect Reverend William Smith.
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See this story as told by
Douglas Southall Freeman's Young George Washington, Volume 2, Pages 228-240, published 1948, Charles Scribner's Sons:
Washington seems to have shared fully in the other activities of the conference in blank ignorance of the fact that he had been under suspicion in one of the mysteries of the year.
The British ministry had received in 1756 four letters, one after another, signed “Filius Gallicae” and addressed to the Duc de Mirepoix .
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These had been intercepted enroute from America to France, though an effort had been made to have them sent through Ireland or Holland.
They were written ostensibly by a British officer in America who was of French Catholic stock and sympathy and was ready to betray the King to whom he had sworn allegiance The “officer” disclosed, or pretended, in discussing various subjects, that he was to share in an expedition against Fort DuQuesne, that he was unmarried and thirty-eight years of age, and that he had an aide-de-camp. [See Report AHA, 1897, v i, p 673, 676 ]
Evidently the anonymous correspondent had access to information concerning military operations that were being planned in America and in one instance he communicated facts that were not then known in London.
The correspondence smelled of treason and inspired a sweeping
search for the guilty man.
[Source for that sweeping search for the guilty man is a letter Henry Fox writes to Newcastle, March 27, 1756, British Museum 179 Newcastle Papers, folio 12 42. Also see HENRY FOX, First Lord Holland, A Study of the Career of an 18th Century Politician by THAD W. RIKER, Oxford Press 1911]
He had asked that instructions be sent him under cover to “Pierre Fidel” [In another letter he spelt it Fidell See Report AHA, 1897, v 1, p 669, 684 ] at the Post Office in New York Acting on this, the British authorities sent a decoy package to that name and address, but it was not claimed Thereupon first General Webb and
Page 239
then Lord Loudoun undertook to sift suspects. They found nobody who seemed to have the position the anonymous writer asserted to be his.
At length, on Jan 1, 1757, Samuel Vanhorne, a New York merchant, residing on Wall Street, came to Sir Charles Hardy, Governor of New York, and explained that business often took him to Philadelphia where friends frequently asked him to inquire if there were letters for them in the New York Post Office and, if so, to forward the communications.
During a visit from which he had just returned, said Vanhorne, a man dressed like an officer had accosted him and had asked if there was in the New York office a letter for Pierre Fidel.
Doubtless having been informed of the decoy, Vanhorne answered that such a letter was awaiting its addressee The man in military dress replied that he wished he had it, as “the man for whom it was intended was on the frontier .”
[Douglas Southall Freeman states in his Footnote 43 that Dr Douglas Brymner transcribed Loudoun’s dispatch of Jan 4, 1757, quoted in Report AHA , 1896, v 1, page 700 . Instead what Loudoun really wrote is this “the man it is from is now on the Front’r ”. This phrase can be found in Loudoun's Memorandum of same date]
Sir Charles immediately notified Lord Loudoun, who went that same evening with Colonel Stanwix to the Governor’s quarters to interview Vanhorne.
The merchant repeated his story With some difficulty and much persuasion, Loudoun won Vanhorne’s promise to go back to Philadelphia with Colonel Stanwix.
The Colonel was ordered to arrest the suspect, if Vanhorne pointed him out, and to secure all his papers. [See Footnote 44]
Vanhorne’s description was fairly specific and might be useful the man who inquired about the letter was tall, dark, with a red coat and a sword and appeared to be a stranger [See Footnote 45]
Search by the Colonel and the merchant was to no purpose, the man had disappeared Loudoun had then to attempt to identify “Pierre Fidel” on the basis of Vanhorne’s description, added to what the traitor had said casually m his letter of himself and of his military position.
What tall, dark officer was there in America, thirty-eight years of age, unmarried, who had an aide-de-camp and was going to participate in
the expedition against Fort DuQuesne ?
The only officer who was known to Lord Loudoun’s informants as on any way answering to this description was Colonel Washington. He was single, he had an aide, he was to share in the next march to the Ohio As it chanced, Lord Loudoun had close at hand Capt David Kennedy, who had seen Washington in New York in March, 1756,
Footnote 44
Loudoun's Memorandum, Jan 1, 1757
Footnote 45
Pargellis, Loudoun, 7jn
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Once Lord Loudoun sees
Colonel George Washington
on 20 March 1757
in Philadelphia,
there is no more doubt.
GW does not fit the description given for the suspect.
Source:
Douglas Southall Freeman's Young George Washington, Volume 2, Page228 and page 240, published 1948, Charles Scribner's Sons:
What tall, dark officer was there in America, thirty-eight years of age, unmarried, who had an aide-de-camp and was gomg to participate in
the expedition against Fort DuQuesne ?
The only officer who was known to Lord Loudoun’s informants as on any way answering to this description was Colonel Washington. He was single, he had an aide, he was to share in the next march to the Ohio As it chanced, Lord Loudoun had close at hand Capt David Kennedy, who had seen Washington in New York in March, 1756,
Page 240
when the Colonel was returning from the visit to General Shirley in
Boston Loudoun consequently asked Kennedy for a description of the Virginian Washington, said the Captain, was “a man about six feet high of a black complexion, [with] black hair which he then wore in a bag — looks like a foreigner, a strong man ” Kennedy remembered Washington's companion^, Mercer and Stewart, and recalled that Washington’s uniform was “blue, faced with red and laced ” [See Footnote 46]
Loudoun was not sufficiently impressed by this to order Washington’s arrest, but he was eager, no doubt, to see the man who perhaps in some vengeful, incredible madness, had turned traitor When the Colonel at length stood before the General, Loudoun must have observed at once how far Washington failed to fit Kennedy’s description, with brown, not black hair, in his twenties and not thirty-eight, having none of the “foreigner” in his countenance — and pockmarked besides, which certainly would have been observed if Washington had been the officer Vanhorne had seen in Philadelphia Washington was eliminated, “Pierre Fidel” continued to be a mystery [See Footnote 47]
George may not have known then or thereafter of a suspicion he
would have regarded as the worst of disgraces, . . .".
Above excerpt was from Douglas Southall Freeman's Young George Washington, Volume 2, Pages 238-240, published 1948, Charles Scribner's Sons:
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Timeline
for Lord Loudoun and
Colonel George Washington
during these secret investigations:
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George Washington was assigned
to stay at Fort Cumberland
December 20, 1756 and January 26, 1757.
during the time of Lord Loudoun
assuming command of all North American operations.
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After Loudoun cancels 2 visits to Virginia, Washington asks Dinwiddie if he can see Lord Loudoun in Philadelphia.
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but says, "I cannot conceive what Service You can be of in going there, as the Plan concerted will in course be communicated to You & the other Officers; however as You seem so earnest to go I now give You Leave, & desire You will give proper Orders at Forts Cumberland & Loudoun, that the Works may be duly carried on in Yr absence."
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is the date Lt Gov Dinwiddie says Lord Loudoun will be in Philadelphia for a meeting with all the Governors.
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But Lord Loudoun has to delay that date, until he arrives in Philadelphia 14 March 1757.
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Lord Loudoun Never Visits Virginia
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Lord Loudoun never visits Virginia.
He is the new commander of all North America.
He is also technically the Governor of Virginia but he never visits the colony.
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Lt Gov Dinwiddie is often referred to as Governor because he did all the duties of Governor.
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Lord Loudoun is instead busy planning for the siege of Fortress Louisbourg, which also never happens. And to underscore this as a world wide war, Lord Loudoun later commands much larger forces in Portugal to fight back the Spanish who joined this war, allying with France.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
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Bio on Lord Loudoun
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George Washington A Biography
From Douglas Southall Freeman's Young George Washington, Volume 1, published 1948, Charles Scribner's Sons:
From Douglas Southall Freeman's Young George Washington, Volume 2, Pages 239-240, published 1948, Charles Scribner's Sons:
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A letter from Ben Franklin to Thomas Pownall mentions a suspect who is "Filius Gallicae" other than Washington.
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The First Frontier: The Forgotten History of Struggle, Savagery, and Endurance in Early America By Scott Weidensaul mentions another suspect and more on the suspect by same author
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AHA American Historical Association, Washington: Government Printing Office, 1897
Intercepted letters to the Duke de Mirepoix, 1756
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AN ALLEGED POPISH PLOT IN PENNSYLVANIA : 1756-7
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Letter by Henry Fox to Newcastle, March 27, 1756
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Henry Fox, first Lord Holland; a study of the career of an eighteenth century politician by Riker, T. W. (Thad Weed), 1880-1952 Publication date 1911
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The Earl of Loudoun and Sharpe
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Sources and Links and Notes taken during research
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George Washington's time period at Fort Cumberland
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December 20 or 21, 1756
George Washington leaves Fort Loudoun for Fort Cumberland.
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So his stay at Fort Cumberland is some time between December 20, 1756 and January 26, 1757.
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GW writes to Lord Loudoun
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19 Dec 1756
Colonel George Washington reminds Lt Gov Dinwiddie of his previous promise
to allow for GW to see Lord Loudoun:
"As I had your Honors permission to be down when His Lordship shall favour us with a visit, I desired Colo. Carlyle to inform me when he shou’d pass thro’ Alexandria; and will set out accordingly: I hope nothing has intervened to alter this indulgence."
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10th of January 1757,
Colonel George Washington wrote this letter to Lord Loudoun.
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That letter is his second letter written 6 months after his first letter to his Lordship.
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14 January, 1757 while at Fort Cumberland since 21 Dec 1756,
GW asks Lt Gov Dinwiddie permission to see Lord Loudoun in Philadelphia.
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But this never happens because in 6 days, 20 January 1757, Lord Loudoun goes to Boston to plan the siege of Fortress Louisbourg.
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but says, "I cannot conceive what Service You can be of in going there, as the Plan concerted will in course be communicated to You & the other Officers; however as You seem so earnest to go I now give You Leave, & desire You will give proper Orders at Forts Cumberland & Loudoun, that the Works may be duly carried on in Yr absence."
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17 Feb 1757
is the date Lt Gov Dinwiddie says Lord Loudoun will be in Philadelphia for a meeting with all the Governors.
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Disambiguation of 3 William Smith(s)
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1. William Smith 1727 to 1803
Episcopal Priest, in Pennsylvania, creator of Huntingdon PA
historian
Francis Jennings, a historian, makes a case to accuse a Reverend William Smith. as the suspected traitor. .
The letters in question were four written from Pennsylvania, January–March 1756, and signed “Filius Gallicae,” to the Duke de Mirepoix, former French ambassador to Great Britain, containing treasonable plans to lead Roman Catholics and Indians in the British colonies into the French service. When authorities in London intercepted the letters, they discerned a dangerous, diabolical plot, and ordered Loudoun to hunt the traitor down. Amer. Hist. Assn. Annual Report, 1896 (Washington, 1897), i, 660–703. Source is Founders Online.
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From wikipedia:
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Smith was also the founding editor of The American Magazine, or Monthly Chronicle for the British Colonies, the first publication of its kind, which appeared from October 1757 until October 1758, when publication ceased owing to Smith's incarceration due to the previously mentioned libel action initiated by the Pennsylvania Assembly.
Smith's best known work as an author is "Bouquet's Expedition Against the Ohio Indians in 1764" (1765), an account of the last campaign in Pontiac's War, led by Colonel Henry Bouquet.
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Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, was a patron of William Smith's and had some unfortunate personal tragedies which motivated her interest in the spread of religion. Incidentally, Smith named his real estate venture Huntingdon in her honor. This was along the Juniata River, in central Pennsylvania. Lady Huntingdon was persuaded that the Church of England needed to return to the path of righteousness. The Wesleys (John Wesley, Charles Wesley) and George Whitefield whom she supported, in addition to Smith's interests, found it easier to work towards righteousness in the "low" church or what became called Methodism or the "Methodist Movement."
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William Smith (1727–1803), a Scot who came to New York in 1751, became one of the leading figures in Philadelphia of his generation.
1. Smith sent GW volume I, number 1 (October 1757), of his American Magazine or Monthly Chronicle for the British Colonies, printed and sold by William Bradford of Philadelphia. In Bradford’s papers (PHi) there appears in a folio volume a sheet headed “We the Subscribers agree to pay the Sums Annexed to our Names—for the American Magazine—Octr 1. 1757.” Pasted to the sheet is a facsimile of a slip of paper with the names of Lord Fairfax, John Funk, John Hope, and GW—all written in GW’s hand. Both Funk and Hope were property holders in Winchester. On the sheet itself is a list of the names of thirty men. The list is written by Capt. Robert Stewart (see Stewart to GW, 24 Nov. 1757). The thirty men named include fifteen officers of the Virginia Regiment, the new contractor William Ramsay, Adjutant William Hughes, Quartermaster David Kennedy, and a number of men from Winchester and Frederick County. Each of the subscribers agreed to pay 12s. in Pennsylvania currency for one year’s subscription to the magazine. The “Octr 1. 1757” at the top of the sheet is the date the subscription was to begin.
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From George Washington to William Smith, March–April 1757
To William Smith [March-April 1757] [March-April 1757]. The text of this letter is printed as Document III of “The Capitulation of Fort Necessity.”1 There William Smith is tentatively identified as the addressee. On 3 Mar. 1757, while GW was in Philadelphia to attend Loudoun’s meeting with the southern governors, the printer James Chattin announced in the Pennsylvania Gazette (Philadelphia) his intention to publish within two months “A MEMORIAL, containing a summary Account of Facts, in Answer to the Observations of the English Ministry, addressed to the Courts of Europe.” Among other things, the Memorial included GW’s journal of his 1754 campaign and “The Journal of M. de Villiers,” the two documents with which GW’s letter is mainly concerned. The contents of the letter suggest that GW wrote it not long after Chattin’s announcement, either in March 1757 while he was still in Philadelphia or in April in Winchester shortly after his return to Virginia.2 Sparks, Writings of Washington, 2:463–65. 1. Papers, Colonial Series, 1:168–72. 2. Diaries, 1:162–73.
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2. William Smith (18 June 1728 – 6 December 1793)
Chief Justice
historian too
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was a lawyer, historian, speaker, loyalist, and eventually the loyalist Chief Justice of the Province of New York from 1780 to 1782 and Chief Justice of the Province of Quebec from 1786, later Lower Canada, from 1791 until his death.
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n 1776, he moved to Albany to avoid the contentious politics but in 1778 declared his allegiance for the loyalist cause and joined the British in New York City. Smith was escorted across the lines by Aaron Burr and became an important adviser and confidant of the military and civilian officials including both Governor William Tryon and General Sir Henry Clinton.[1] In 1780, he was appointed Chief Judge of New York but by this time the office only related to the small part of the Province that was still in British hands. The real judicial power was held by Daniel Horsmanden.[2]
He published the first history of New York, The History of the Province of New-York, from the First Discovery to the Year M.DCC.XXXIII. To which is annexed, A Description of the Country, with a short Account of the Inhabitants, their Trade, Religious and Political State, and the Constitution of the Courts of Justice in the Colony. in 1757 (London: Thomas Wilcox).
Smith returned to England in 1783 and then came to Quebec City in 1786, when he was named Chief Justice for the province and also named to the legislative council. In 1791, he became chief justice for Lower Canada and was appointed to the Legislative Council of Lower Canada, serving as its first speaker.
Personal life
He married Janet Livingston, of the Livingston family of New York.
In 1770, he built a manor house in West Haverstraw, New York.[3] From July 15 to July 18, 1778, while his sister Martha and her husband Col. Ann Hawkes Hay were living in the house, it served as headquarters for General George Washington.[4] The house burned down c. 1808–1809 and the Fraser-Hoyer House later built on the site.[5]
He died in Quebec City in 1793. He was buried at Mount Hermon Cemetery in Sillery. Smith's diary and selected papers were compiled and edited in two volumes by L.F.S. Upton in 1963 as part of the Champlain Society's General Series.[6]
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From George Washington to William Smith, 21 August 1778
To William Smith Head Quarters [White Plains] August 21st 1778 Sir. I received your letter of the 15th Inst. by Lieut. Colonel Burr.1 It gives me pleasure to find that the conduct of the flag was such as contributed to your ease; and I am much obliged to you for the attention shewn to the convenience of my officers. It was really altogether out of my power to take any concern, (without interfering with the civil authority) in the matter of your request, but I have transmitted the letter to Governor Clinton who I doubt not will do every thing proper on the occasion.2 I am Sir your Most Obt Servt. Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. William Smith (1728–1793), a New York lawyer and historian, had served from 1763 to the outbreak of the Revolution as chief justice of the Province of New York and since 1767 as a member of the provincial council. Having twice refused to take an oath of allegiance to the state, he was among those ordered banished within enemy lines by the state commissioners for detecting and defeating conspiracies. Smith left New York with the British troops in 1783, and in 1785 he was appointed chief justice of Canada, where he served until his death. 1. Smith’s letter of 15 Aug. has not been found, but according to Smith’s memoirs, he wrote GW “to thank him for the Civilities of his Officers and to solicit his Permission to my Servants to follow me with the Horses” (Sabine, Smith’s Historical Memoirs, 1778–1783, 4). According to Lt. Col. Aaron Burr, Smith’s letter “requested his Negroe Slaves, his Coach Horses, and the Remainder of his Moveables now at Haverstraw” (Burr to George Clinton, 19 Aug. 1778, NHi). GW had appointed Burr on 1 Aug. to conduct Smith and other Loyalists to New York City (see Robert Hanson Harrison to Burr, 1 Aug., NjMoHP, and Clinton to the Commissioners for Conspiracies, 2 Aug., in Hastings, Clinton Papers, 3:601–2). 2. GW wrote George Clinton on this date: “The inclosed was received by Colo. Burr, who conducted the Flag which was sent in with Mr Smith and his family. As I did not conceive myself authorised to interfere or give any orders respecting the matter referred to me, I barely acknowledged the Receipt of it, and informed Mr Smith that I had forwarded it to you” (LS, CSmH).
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3. William Smith
prisoner hanged July 29, 1757
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From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 3 August 1757
To Robert Dinwiddie [Fort Loudoun, 3 August 1757]
I send Your Honor a copy of the proceedings of a General Court martial. Two of those condemned, namely, Ignatious Edwards, and Wm Smith, were hanged on thursday last, just before the companies marched for their respective posts. Your Honor will, I hope excuse my hanging, instead of shooting them: It conveyed much more terror to others; and it was for example sake, we did it. They were proper objects to suffer: Edwards had deserted twice before, and Smith was accounted one of the greatest villains upon the continent. Those who were intended to be whipped, have received their punishment accordingly; and I should be glad to know what your Honor wou’d choose to have done with the rest?8
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Source:
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General Court-Martial, 25–26 July 1757
General Court-Martial [Fort Loudoun, 25–26 July 1757] The Proceedings of a General-court-martial held at Fort Loudoun on the 25th & 26th Days of July 1757 by Vertue of a Commission directed to
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William Smith a Soldier draughted by a late Act of Assembly, confin’d by Lieut. Crawford for Desertion was brought before the Court.
The Prisoner (after the Nature of his Offence was explain’d & the Act of Assembly relative thereto read &c.) was by the Judge Advocate asked wheather he was guilty or not guilty of the Crime that he was accused of & he answer’d Guilty.
He was then asked the same Questions that had been put to Joshua King & George Curtis all which he answer’d in the same Manner that they had done with this Defference only viz. that he had deserted with an Intent to procure a Man to come in his Room.
It is the Sentence of the Court that the Prisoner William Smith shall suffer Death by hanging.
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From George Washington to William Crawford, 20 July 1757
To William Crawford [Fort Loudoun, 20 July 1757] To Ensign Crawford By George Washington Esquire; Colonel of the Virginia Regiment. You are ordered forthwith to go in pursuit of Wm Smith, a Deserter from the aforesaid regiment, and to use your best endeavours to apprehend and bring him to justice at this place.1 If he shou’d resist, and stand upon his defence, contrary to the Laws of the country; you are in that case, to fire upon him as an Enemy. Given &c. this 20th July 1757. G:W. LB, DLC:GW. 1. In the list of deserters advertised by Dinwiddie (see GW to Dinwiddie, 11 July 1757, n.4) a William Smith is named. He is identified as a 20–year-old “sadler.” See the General Court-Martial, 25–26 July, at which a William Smith in Crawford’s custody was tried for desertion and sentenced to be hanged. He was executed on 29 July.
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