One Night at Horatio Gates' home, Traveler's Rest
July 9, 1782, late in the war, English expatriate named George Grieve dined with [Horatio] Gates at his Virginia home, “Travelers Rest. ” along with Adam Stephen," writes David L Preston in his book, Braddock’s Defeat, page 326.
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They dined at Horatio Gates' home called Traveler's Rest. See location on map here.
This home is near Martinsburg and Kearneysille WV. This is the closest the Google Car drives by this place.
Next time you drive down Braddock's Street in Winchester VA, you will think of this story, one among many, that has held its story of horror through the ages.
Context of the Dinner
What do they talk about on July 9, 1782?
Was it about the current war, the war of independence from England? It wasn't officialy over yet.
This little get together occured after the Siege of Yorktown ending October 19, 1781 and before the Paris Peace Treaty of September 4, 1783. But what really dominated that dinner discussion of July 9, 1782?
Who knows if more poignancy was added by the news of William Crawford being burned at the stake June 11, 1782 ?
This horror would have reminded them of Indian behavior of July 9, 1755, the date of the Battle of the Monongahela, Braddocks Defeat.
July 9, 1755.
Preston writes, "Grieve recalled that their conversation turned to the anniversary of Braddock’s Defeat
as Gates and Stephen observed to him, that
“no less than four of the most distinguished generals” were present in the 1755 expedition."
Those 4 future Generals who survived
that infamous date, the disaster of Braddock’s Expedition, are:
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Three of them have homes within several miles of each other near today’s Martinsburg WV.
The 3 Generals
Those same three all left the War of Independence from England on somewhat less than honorable terms. David Preston writes in his book Braddock's Defeat: By 1782, however, the once-distinguished careers of three of those generals had become tarnished by battlefield defeat (Gates), drunkenness (Stephen), or dereliction of duty (Lee). Charles Lee, the 3rd General, who lived near by with his 3 dogs named The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost was reclusive. He soon died October 2, 1782 in that same year of this July 9, 1782 meeting between the other 2 Generals, Horatio Gates and Adam Stephen.
Horatio Gates was the only one
of those 4 future Generals who was
left among the slain at that battle site.
How did he survive that?
The Indians were walking through this forest of death, picking up plunder, putting the finishing touches on anyone left wounded.
One man saved him, and dragged him away.
But how could he have saved Gates? With those Indians around feasting on the remains, how did they both escape notice?
Answer:
This escape must have been in concert with the general escape of the remaining troops before the Indians had control of the site to pick its remains.
David Preston writes on page 250 in Braddock’s Defeat:
Another demonstration of British bravery was how Lucorney’s commanding officer, Gates, was saved.
Gates had been wounded by a ball that penetrated his left breast and immobilized his arm.
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Thirty years after the Monongahela, a story appeared in a newspaper about the deep gratitude that Gates felt for one of his soldiers, a man named Penfold.
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The writer was a British officer who had heard the story from Penfold, an “old soldier of the royal regiment of artillery who served me while the 18th regiment was at Fort Pitt and the Illinois."
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” Penfold “made a shift to carry the worthy captain” off the field, and Gates always told him, “that he owed his life to me.”
In the early 1770s, when Gates heard that Penfold had been “worn out” in such lengthy service, he invited him to Traveler’s Rest, Gates’s new home in Virginia: “come rest your firelock in my chimney corner, and partake with me, while I have, my savior Penfold shall not want; and it is my wish, as well as Mrs. Gates’s to see you spend the evening of your life comfortably. Mrs. Gates desires to be affectionately remembered to you.”
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The apocryphal story is altogether true in every detail save one:
the soldier’s name was Penford, not Penfold.
Sergeant Francis Penford appears on returns and documents relating to Gates’s New York Independent Company. He had enlisted in the company in 1754 and was a witness for Gates’s last will and testament in April 1755. He remained in Gates’s company until 1760, going on to serve in the Royal Artillery with the 18th Regiment, present at Fort Pitt from 1768 to 1772, when he told his story to the unnamed British officer.
Penford apparently returned to England and always maintained a warm affection for the Gates family.
In addition to being wounded, Gates lost all of his horses and personal baggage in the battle, but due to Penford’s bravery, he came away with his life.
Gates and Penford were both among the few fortunate survivors of the shattered New York Independent Company. Of the 57 officers and men who crossed the Monongahela, approximately 27 were killed in action (nearly half) and another 18 wounded, according to an unpublished return in Gates’s paper. A staggering 78 percent of the New York Independent Company detachment was slaughtered at the Monongahela.
Compiled by Jim Moyer, 3/26/2018, 4/12/2018, 5/19/2018, updated 7/7/2019, 2/6/2023, 2/12/2023, 10/14/23, 10/15/23
Gates never regains field command because of his failures down south, but he is invited back by Washington under his direct supervision.
After all this, in March 1783 Gates is implicated in the Newburgh Conspiracy.
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Research Notes
John Maas provided this link to show older versions of Horatio Gates' Traveler's Rest home.
Porch has been updated. I guess you could say Leetown, but Horatio Gate's place is closer to Kearneysville, while General Charles Lee's place, Prato Rio, is right in his namesake Leetown.
Do we seek Advantage? Or do we act on Principle? Can it always be both? Are we always clear on our own motivations?
To seek advanatage no matter what? Or should we act only on Principle? That is the question. .
compiled by Jim Moyer, 3/26/2018, 4/12/2018, 5/19/2018, updated 7/7/2019
General Horatio Gates and General Adam Stephen and George Grieve meet July 9, 1782, near Martinsburg WV.
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What do they talk about?
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July 9 1755.
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Depiction of Charles Lee by Johann Michael Probst (1757-1809) engraver
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FAILURES
These 2 former Generals are two flawed officers who didn’t quit despite failure.
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Adam Stephen goes on to create Martinsburg, named after a passive Loyalist, Thomas Bryan Martin, in the heart of the Revolutionary War. Adam Stephen doesn’t miss a beat. He creates that town right after a court martial of his conduct at the Battle of Germantown.
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Horatio Gates doesn’t stop either. Even after being implicated in two conspiracies, (Conway Cabal, Newburgh Conspiracy) to unseat General Washington and even after his army was routed at the Battle of Camden, he still writes letters to Washington and still helps on his staff. Horatio Gates keeps on being productive. He releases his slaves at John Adams’ urging, but loses John Adams as a friend when supporting Jefferson’s presidential candidacy. An interesting aside: Horatio Gates remarries. The woman he remarries co-runs a boarding school with Bartholomew Booth near Devil’s Backbone on the Antietam where heavy fighting occurred in the Civil War but also where General Braddock’s staff and Washington split off from the route Colonel Thomas Dunbar’s 48th took in 1755.
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Painting ( between 1793 and 1794 ) of Horatio Gates by Gilbert Stuart the paint famous for his portrait of George Washington used for the One Dollar Bill. Click or Touch to Enlarge.
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THE MAP
The 4 yellow circle icons in the center of the map below?
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They are homes of Adam Stephen, Horatio Gates and Charles Lee.
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Two of the 4 icons show Horatio Gates’ home and the historical sign location.
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And on Page 326 Braddock’s Defeat by David L Preston:
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By 1782, however, the once-distinguished careers of three of those generals had become tarnished by battlefield defeat (Gates), drunkenness (Stephen), or dereliction of duty (Lee).
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Further below this map,
we will go over 2 remembrances
had of Braddock’s Defeat
at his home, Traveler’s Rest.
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See links and picture on each icon.
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The location of the Historical Marker referring to Traveler Rest is some distance from the house.
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The First Remembrance
is by a British officer
who heard a story by “Penford’
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Penford remembers saving Horatio Gates
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Source:
Page 250 Braddock’s Defeat by David L Preston.
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Another demonstration of British bravery was how Lucorney’s commanding officer, Gates, was saved.
Gates had been wounded by a ball that penetrated his left breast and immobilized his arm.
.
Thirty years after the Monongahela, a story appeared in a newspaper about the deep gratitude that Gates felt for one of his soldiers, a man named Penfold.
.
The writer was a British officer who had heard the story from Penfold, an “old soldier of the royal regiment of artillery who served me while the 18th regiment was at Fort Pitt and the Illinois.
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Howard Pyle’s painting conception of the burial of General Braddock July 13, 1755 four days after the Battle of the Monongahela on July 9, 1755 Click or Touch to Enlarge.
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Penfold and Gates had both been wounded at the Monongahela and Gates was “left among the slain.
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” Penfold “made a shift to carry the worthy captain” off the field, and Gates always told him, “that he owed his life to me.”
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[Note by Jim Moyer author of this blog: New Caledonia: A Song of America By William D. McEachern doesn’t mention that “shift” but instead states Penford carried Gates over his shoulders.]
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In the early 1770s, when Gates heard that Penfold had been “worn out” in such lengthy service, he invited him to Traveler’s Rest, Gates’s new home in Virginia: “come rest your firelock in my chimney corner, and partake with me, while I have, my savior Penfold shall not want; and it is my wish, as well as Mrs. Gates’s to see you spend the evening of your life comfortably. Mrs. Gates desires to be affectionately remembered to you.”
.
The apocryphal story is altogether true in every detail save one:
the soldier’s name was Penford, not Penfold.
.
Sergeant Francis Penford appears on returns and documents relating to Gates’s New York Independent Company. He had enlisted in the company in 1754 and was a witness for Gates’s last will and testament in April 1755. He remained in Gates’s company until 1760, going on to serve in the Royal Artillery with the 18th Regiment, present at Fort Pitt from 1768 to 1772, when he told his story to the unnamed British officer.
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Penford apparently returned to England and always maintained a warm affection for the Gates family.
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In addition to being wounded, Gates lost all of his horses and personal baggage in the battle, but due to Penford’s bravery, he came away with his life.
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Gates and Penford were both among the few fortunate survivors of the shattered New York Independent Company. Of the 57 officers and men who crossed the Monongahela, approximately 27 were killed in action (nearly half) and another 18 wounded, according to an unpublished return in Gates’s paper. A staggering 78 percent of the New York Independent Company detachment was slaughtered at the Monongahela.
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2nd Remembrance is by George Grieve
Remembering July 9, 1755, Braddock’s Defeat
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George Grieve and Adam Stephen 1782 visit Horatio Gates
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Source:
Page 326 Braddock’s Defeat by David L Preston.
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July 9, 1782, late in the war, English expatriate named George Grieve dined with Gates at his Virginia home, “Traveler’s Rest,” along with Adam Stephen.
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Grieve recalled that their conversation turned to the anniversary of Braddock’s Defeat as Gates and Stephen observed to him, that “no less than four of the most distinguished generals” were present in the 1755 expedition.
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By 1782, however, the once-distinguished careers of three of those generals had become tarnished by battlefield defeat (Gates), drunkenness (Stephen), or dereliction of duty (Lee).
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Per Dr David Preston’s footnote, the above is sourced from Chastelux and translated by George Grieve:
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So, How do we know this meeting took place?
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How do we know this meeting took place between Adam Stephen, George Grieve and Horatio Gates at Gates’ house, Travelers Rest?
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A Frenchman, Chastellux writes about it.
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But it is George Grieve who translates that French. George Grieve translates that to English. But that is all the more interesting because he was there at that meeting. So why doesn’t he just write his own observations?
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For that answer we will look first at Chastellux, then George Grieve.
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Chastellux
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Chastellux’s two-volume work was published in its entirety in 1786.
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An English version by an anonymous translator, who was later revealed to be the Englishman George Grieve, appeared the same year. Grieve, a man of strong Whig sympathies, added explanations and not a little commentary in his footnotes.
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The American scholar Howard D. Rice Jr. edited an elegant, definitive English edition in 1963. His two volumes were published by The University of North Carolina Press and include additional commentary and clarification.[4]
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[4] In addition to offering insights into Chastellux’s life and thinking, Rice includes a portrait of translator George Grieve, “a commercial adventurer, a journalist and hack writer,” who gained some small fame as the persecutor of Madame Du Barry, the mistress of King Louis XV. Du Barry was executed in 1793 during the Reign of Terror.
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ABOUT GEORGE GRIEVE
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George Grieve wikipedia story
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From George Washington to George Grieve, 18 March 1782
Phila. March 18th —82
Sir,
The inclosed will introduce you to the acquaintance of Colo. Rumney—& be the mean, I expect, of obtaining information of the situation, & circumstances attending Earl Tankerville’s Estate. I am Sir Yr Most Obedt Ser.
Go: Washington
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Correspondence between
George Washington
Horatio Gates
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Founders Online list of letters between Washington and Gates:
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325To George Washington from Horatio Gates, 7 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Secrecy & Expedition of Your Excellencys movement from the North River, defeated my Wish to…
326From George Washington to Horatio Gates, 1 November 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 7th of October was received at a time when I was wholly occupied in the seige…
327To George Washington from Horatio Gates, 20 February 1782 (Washington Papers)
Upon Your Excellencys return to Philadelphia, Colonel Tilghman acquainted Mr Clajon, that you had…
328From George Washington to Horatio Gates, 18 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favor of the 20th of February, by which, I am surprised to find that my…
329To George Washington from Horatio Gates, 17 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
General Lincoln has in his letter of yesterday acquainted me that it is your Excellencys desire…
330From George Washington to Horatio Gates, 27 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
On receipt of your Letter of the 17th covering the resolution of Congress of the 15th and informg…
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REFUSING THE ASSIGNMENT
TO DESTROY
THE 6 NATIONS IROQUOIS
IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
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To George Washington from Major General Horatio Gates, 16 March 1779
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From Major General Horatio Gates
Boston 16th March 1779:
Sir
Last Night I had the Honour to receive Your Excellencys Letter of the 6th Instant.
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The Man who undertakes the Indian Service, should enjoy Youth, & Strength; requisites I do not possess;
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it Therefore Grieves me Your Excellency should Offer me The only Command, to which I am intirely unequal; in Obedience to your Commands, I have forwarded Your Letter to General Sullivan, & that he may not be one moment detain’d, I have desired him to leave The Command with General Glover, until I arrive in providence, which will be in a few days1—Your may be Assured of my Inviolable Secrecy, & that Your other directions shall be fullfilled. I am Sir Your most Obedient Humble Servant
Horatio Gates
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Founders Online notes on above letter:
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ALS, DLC:GW; ADf, NHi: Gates Papers; copy, in James McHenry’s writing, enclosed in GW to John Jay, 14 April 1779, owned (2006) by Mr. Joseph Rubinfine, Cocoa, Fla.
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1. Gates is referring to GW’s letter of 6 March to John Sullivan instructing that general to take command of an expedition against the Six Nations along the Pennsylvania-New York frontier if Gates declined the offer to lead the expedition. For the letter from Gates to Sullivan, this date, that covered GW’s letter to Sullivan, see Hammond, Sullivan Papers, 2:534 (see also Gates to GW, 24 March). Gates arrived at Providence, R.I., on 3 April.
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Adam Stephen
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Last letter between the 2 is from Adam Stephen to George Washington
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7. For Stephen’s subsequent court-martial and dismissal from the army, see General Orders, 25 Oct. and 20 Nov. 1777.
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-11-02-0478
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Notes
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Following info is from
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Horatio Gates was born on July 27, 1727, probably a t Malden, England,
and entered the army a t an early age, as he was a lieutenant with
the troops under ~eneraiE dward Cornwallis i n Nova Scot ia i n 1749-50.
In 1754 he married the daughter of an army officer and the same
year he was commissioned captain in the independent company of foot
doing duty in New York. In 1755 his company joined General Braddock’s
expedition against Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Gates was
present and badly wounded in the action of July 9, which destroyed
Braddockts army. On April 28, 1758, Gates was serving a t Fort
Herkimer in the Mohawk Valley of New York when Captain (the future
General] Nicholas Herkimer defended that f o r t against an attack by
the French and Indians. During the next two years Gates was on
duty a t Oneidia and Fort Hunter, also in the Mohawk Valley, then a t
Pittsburgh, Fort Ticonderoga, and f i n a l l y Philadelphia. He.served
as brigade major, or military secretary, to General John Stanwix
and then to General Robert Monckton. Late in 1761, Gates sailed ,
with Monckton in the very successful expedition against the Frenchheld
island of Martinique. Although he took l i t t l e part in the
fighting, Gates served with such distinction that Monckton commended
him to the attention of King George I11 as a “deserving officer.”
Selected f o r t h e honor of carrying the news of victory back to
England, Gates was rewarded by being commissioned a major in 1762.
When the war ended, he returned to England only to find that further
advancement in the army was practically impossible. He became
– e=b– 4- ~~~&-gm,~yt!M%~ -a-time~-h~- ,
1765 he was retired from active service and plac.ed on half-pay. A t
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about the same time he underwent a religious conversion and began leading
a guiet l i f e a t Bristol and then, a f t e r 1769, a t Devonshire. Gates
maintained a interest i n America and by 1770 He was known in England as.
a “red hot republican.” In August 1772 Gates and his family saided from
England for America; in 1773 he purchased a 659 acre farm plantation in
Berkeley County, Virginia (now Jefferson Comity, West Virginia) , which
he called uTravellerls Rest,” (Deed recorded March 15, 1773) and here
he b u i l t a house.
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By Eric H. Schnitzer, October 2009 (revised December 2013) Park Ranger / Historian, Saratoga National Historical Park
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