Marylanders have a Complaint? What is it?
We are still waiting to hear from the Marylanders just what this complaint was.
So we salute our Marylander brethren and await their report.
This is what we know.
We know the Maryland Captain Joshua Beall wrote a complaint to Colonel George Washington.
He writes to GW complaining about the conduct of a Henry Williams in mis-treating some Marylander soldiers.
Henry Williams is a Sergeant in Captain Joshua Lewis' Company of the VA Regiment.
Head Maryland leader Captain Dagworthy actually recruited this Irish born Henry Williams first back in July 1754.
But this Henry Williams then joins the Virginia Regiment, first in Thomas Cocke's company, then in Joshua Lewis' company.
Where was Sgt Henry Williams?
We know that this Henry Williams is now under Captain Joshua Lewis Company command according to Sept 1757 roster.
We are not sure which fort Sgt Henry Williams staffed.
Sgt Henry Williams was under Captain Joshua Lewis' command, but the company's men are split up.
Some are with their Captain, Joshua Lewis on the Patterson Creek. We don't know if this meant Ashby's Fort or Cocke's Fort, both Ranger forts no longer staffed by the first two Ranger Companies.
Others are at Mendenhall Fort. That fort was closest to Fort Frederick Md where Maryland Captain Joshua Beall's company was.
Others at Stroud's Fort. See source for that claim.
For other forts this company garrisoned see this 1 Dec 1757 list of men, and the places they garrisoned.
And if we read correctly the 2nd letter our Colonel George Washington writes on 1 Nov 1757, we see that maybe there were some Marylanders with Sergeant Henry Williams.
"Captn Beale, of the maryland troops
having complained to me,
that Sergeant Williams, of your company,
had mal-treated a soldier or two
under his command (coming Express to this place.) "
Is an Answer forthcoming?
Perhaps the Maryland reenactor company
can dig in to their records
and provide Colonel George Washington
of the Virginia Regiment
a report of just what exactly transpired.
.
We'll wait.
Colonel George Washington is at Fort Loudoun.
He writes to the Maryland Captain Joshua Beall who is stationed at Fort Frederick in Maryland.
First of two letters
.
From George Washington to Joshua Beall,
1 November 1757
To Joshua Beall [Fort Loudoun, 1 November 1757]
To Captn Jos: Beale. of the Maryland Troops—Ft Fredk
Sir, Your favour of the [October] 25th ultimo was delivered me to-day [Footnote 1] —
If you had been more explicit
in relating the circumstances of the abuse
you were pleased to complain of,
I shou’d have been better enabled to judge of the fact.
But, after confessing, as you have done,
that you made no enquiry at all into the affair,
I am not more surprized at your making the complaint,
than I am at a loss how to redress it.
I hope you will do me the justice to believe,
that I never countenance commissioned,
much less n. commissioned, officers, or private men,
in irregular and disorderly Behaviour:
especially in matters
that may interrupt the good harmony
subsisting, or which ought to subsist
between troops of the different Governments.
It hath been my study to cultivate
unanimity and a quet2
correspondence among them,
and to prevent every thing
which might have had a contrary tendency.
Henry Williams, the Sergeant,
of whom you complain,
belongs to Capt. Lewis’s Company,
and is posted not far from your Garrison.
If, therefore, you will produce testimony
of this outrage to his Captain,
he will see that satisfaction is made to the injured party. [Footnote 3]
The enclosed directs you there. [Footnote 4 ]
I am, Sir, Your most ob. St G:W.
Ft Loudoun, Novr 1st 1757. LB, DLC:GW.
Founders Online Footnote:
Joshua Beall (c.1719–c.1796) was captain of the detachment of men from Prince George’s County at Fort Frederick, Maryland.
1. Beall’s letter has not been found.
2. Perhaps the copyist intended to write “quiet.”
3. According to the size rolls of Thomas Cocke’s company (13 July 1756) and of Joshua Lewis’s company (September 1757), both in the Virginia Regiment, Sgt. Henry Williams was recruited by Capt. John Dagworthy of the Maryland forces at Frederick Town, Md., July 1754. He was a planter born in Ireland, and he was 26 years old in 1757.
4. The enclosure has not been identified.
Source:
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Second of two letters
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From George Washington to Joshua Lewis,
1 November 1757
To Joshua Lewis To Captain Joshua Lewis[Fort Loudoun, 1 November 1757]
Sir, Captn Beale, of the maryland troops
having complained to me,
that Sergeant Williams, of your company,
had mal-treated a soldier or two
under his command (coming Express to this place.)
I desire you will,
if Captn Beale produces evidence
of this outrage,
have the matter enquired into,
that justice may be administered to the injured,
and offending parties. [Footnote 1]
I am Sir, Your most obedt Hble Servant, G:W.
Fort Loudoun—November 1st 1757. LB, DLC:GW.
Founders Online Footnote:
Source:
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More Sources:
Story on Captain Dagworthy
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Which Cocks, Cocke, Cox?
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16 April 1757 closing of Fort Ashby
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Abandoning the Forts on the Patterson Creek
Fourthly: That in order to this it is advisable to evacuate the Forts on Pattersons Creek (which serve no other purpose than to secure the communication between the forts Loudoun & Cumberland[)].
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