Patterson's Fort
This is a settler's fort on the land of William Patterson around 1755. This fort would be garrisoned by the Virginia Regiment under Colonel George Washington's orders.
This is near where two white men masqueraded as Indians. There were reports of 2 Indians in this area. There was some stealing going on, Ensign Colby Chew of the Virginia Regiment found them and killed them.
Not finished, still being researched.
Compiled by Jim Moyer 9/1/2024, updated 9/3/2024
Norman Baker's photo of William Patterson's forted home. The clapboard hides the original logs.
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French and Indian War in Frederick County by Norman Baker published in 2000 Paperback
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From George Washington to Nicholas Minor, 24 June 1757
To Nicholas Minor
[Fort Loudoun, 24 June 1757]
To Captn Nicholas Minor, of the Fairfax Militia. By George Washington Esqre Colonel of the Virginia Regiment, and commander of all the Virginia forces.
You are with the company of Mil[iti]a under your command, to march with all convenient expedition from hence to Patterson’s Fort:
From whence you are to send out parties for the protection of that neighbourhood[.] You are to maintain a proper command—to place sentries at proper places by day and by night, when in Garrison; and to be very circumspect in your marches, and counter-marches, by keeping some alert woodsmen advanced a small distance before, and on your flanks. This, every party, however small, is constantly to observe—In short; you are to use every precaution, to prevent surprizes, which generally prove fatal: and, as the principal intention of your being ordered thither, is to protect the Inhabitants—You are to spare no pains or trouble to accomplish that desirable end. You are to use all possible means of procuring what intelligence you can of the enemys numbers, motions, and intentions; and give me due information of all material occurencies.
You are to send me an exact return of all the ammunition and Stores you find at that place; of which (with what you carry with you) you are to be particularly careful. And give your Officers and men plainly to understand, that they will be answerable for what they may lose, waste or spoil[.] The provisions are to be weigh’d and regularly served; vizt a pound of flour and a pound of meat for each man, per day. Shou’d you find that the inhabitants in the neighbourhoods of Mendenhall and Neally’s Forts, will not remain there without some additional protection to their own; you are to send a few men to each of these places, under the command of a Sergeant or Corporal, and to relieve them every week.1 Given at Fort Loudoun this 24th day of June, 1757.
LB, DLC:GW.
Nicholas Minor (died c.1782) was one of the captains in the contingent of Fairfax militia that was sent to GW at Winchester in May 1756. He and his men patrolled on the South Branch through July 1756.
1. GW wrote William Fairfax on 25 June 1757 that he had sent Minor “to Pattersons and Mendenhalls; small forts lying under the North-mountain and much exposed to the incursions of the Enemy.” All of these forts were north of Winchester.
To George Washington from John Blair, 10 March 1758
From John Blair
Wmsburgh March 10th 1758th
Sir
The Bearer James Holloway is a Soldier in your Regiment
sent from York County
& under Capt. Lewis at Patterson’s Fort,
but being very infirm got a Furlow from his Captain for 3 Months,
wch was continued by the Governor for 2 more.
I thought of discharging him, but waited in hopes of seeing you to do it.
He says he has received but 2 months pay,
if so there is 6. mos. pay due to him & better.
He now applies for a discharge for his Bror John & himself,
on consideration of his having enlisted two men
before Mr Smith a Justice of York which he will Shew you,
and of his delivering them to you at his own Expence,
which I think may be accepted,
as their antient Father wants John’s assistance
& James can be of no use to you.
But as he could not travell with them without Money & he had been at abt 40s.
Expence upon them, I have furnished him with £5. from the Treasury, wch you will deduct from their wages; unless you think any part of it due to him for enlisting one in his room who I am perswaded you would have discharged as useless.1
One of them John Carter says he has 10. Guineas due to him from Capt. Whelden of a Ship at Holts, wch as he is enter’d into his Majestys Service he hopes the Captain will be obliged to pay him;
if you can be of any service to him in it, it will be kind, & help to equip him with Linnen &ca2
—By him I send you Letter of the 8. Instt but shall write again on the Supject lest that should miscarry.3
I give him too a Letter for One George Speake an Ensign in your Regiment that came to me t’other day by an Express from Lord Loudoun—I heartily wish you health & am Sir Your most Obedt hble Servt
John Blair, P.
James tells me he knows of 5 Deserters in Northumberland wch with Assistance he could take up. & believes he could enlist some more men if he had direction for it.
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Joshua Lewis’s size roll, c.September 1757, indicates that both James and John Holloway enlisted in York County in October 1756; certificates signed by the clerk of York County, Augustine Moore, attest that the two brothers enlisted in the Virginia Regiment on 24 June 1757 (DLC:GW). They were Virginia-born farmers, James 25 years old and John 22.
Robert Smith was one of the senior justices of York County.
2. The recruit John Carter has not been identified. Holt’s was a warehouse and settlement on York River in New Kent County, just east of the courthouse. Capt. John Wheldon entered the river on 15 Feb. 1758 from Gibraltar (P.R.O., C.O. 5/1447, f. 83).
3. John Blair’s letter of 8 Mar. to GW has not been found.
From George Washington to John Blair, 17 April 1758
To John Blair
To the President.
Honble Sir.
Fort Loud[oun] the 17th Aprl 1758.
An unlucky, but unavoidable accident happened in the neighbourhood of Pattersons fort the other day.1
The Proceedings of an examining Court of Officers on that occasion (which are herewith sent) will bring your Honor acquainted with the circumstances. I caused a very strict enquiry to be made into the conduct of Mr Chew, that equal justice might be done to the dead and to the living; and it appeared, that Mr Chew had acted with great spirit and activity in pursuing the tracts of those People, and that in shooting them (altho’ it was unlucky in the event) he had done nothing that was not strictly warrantable; Lane & Cox appearing both in dress, disguise, and Behaviour, to be no other than Indians.2
2. For an account of how Ens. Colby Chew’s party of soldiers from the Virginia Regiment shot and killed two hunters named John Lane and James Cox when they were disguised as Indians, see ibid. and note 1 of that document. Colby Chew was himself killed in September 1758 during the battle between Major James Grant’s detachment and the French and Indians near Fort Duquesne. The proceedings of the court of inquiry have not been found.
3. Joshua Lewis joined the Virginia forces in 1754 and became a captain in GW’s regiment in September 1755. GW sent Lewis and his company to Maidstone on the Potomac north and east of Winchester in June 1757 to relieve Robert Stewart and his company. On 3 Aug. 1757 he ordered Lewis to move his company from Maidstone to Patterson’s fort and to place detachments in several small forts nearby. In his letter to GW, 11 May 1758, Blair refers to the “resignation” of Lewis.
Is this the Patterson of Patterson's Fort?
It looks like he is not the man of that fort.
To George Washington from John Patterson, 17 June 1758
From John Patterson
June the 17th 1758.
Honourable Sr
I return you thanks, for Complying with my request, & hope to give content for Your goodness.1 I shall take the Roof off the House, as soon as the Carpenters gets the Laths for to shingle on; having the cheif of the Work fream’d, at this Instant. I shall want two inch plank for to Cover the Balusterade; & am of Opinion that Pine, is before Oak for that purpose. But if you think proper to have the Latter, the Carpenters can get it. Likewise its requesite the weatherboarding that is up; & will be, had a coat of Paynt, for which I spoke to Mr Washington, & he desir’d I would make Uce of the red Paynt, when Oyle was got; the sooner the better that the Work may not suffer. The sd Gent. desir’d I woould write, what Mr Possey’ Kitchen amounted to; the Value where of being fourteen Pound. And the other work Veiw’d by Mr Adams Six.2 Depend Sir on my deligence to forward the Work, & will stick to it early & laite til finish’d; & shall allways make it my study to please & serve a Gent. that has done me such a singular peice of Service. I remain Honrble Sir with the greatest respect Your Honours Most Oblidg’d, Most Humble Servt
John Patterson
P.S. Sr please to send the Wallnut plank, with the Oyle.3 The demensions is 6 feet long, by 1 f[oot]: 6 In. Broad, & 6:In. thick.
ALS, DLC:GW.
John Patterson (d. 1768), a joiner, or master carpenter, in the Northern Neck, was directing the repairs and improvements being made to the house at Mount Vernon, including the addition of another story. The progress of the work on the house during the summer and early fall of 1758 may be followed in the letters from Patterson, 13 Aug., 2 Sept.; from GW’s overseer Humphrey Knight, 16 June, 13 July, 24 Aug., 2 Sept.; from George William Fairfax, 25 July, 5 Aug., 1, 15 Sept.; and from John Carlyle, 4, 8, 22 August. Except for his letter to George William Fairfax of 25 Sept., no other in which GW gives instructions about or comments on Patterson’s work on Mount Vernon has been found. GW’s accounts reveal that he paid Patterson £20 cash in December 1757, £75 in May 1758, and in July 1759 gave him “an order on Messrs [John] Carlyle & [John] Dalton for [£]185–5.11” (General Ledger A, folio 49).
1. GW’s “goodness” presumably was the “singular peice of Service” that Patterson refers to later in this letter.
2. See Humphrey Knight to GW, 16 June 1758, nn.1 and 4.
3. According to his accounts GW paid Lewis Stephens £7 “for Lin-seed Oyl” (General Ledger A, folio 39).
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