Robert Stewart's Report about his rank in Sept 1759
George Washington's Virginia Regiment had many leaders who strived for a better station in life. Like Marlon Brando said in The Waterfront, "I could have been a contender. I could have been Somebody."
One was George Mercer. The other was Robert Stewart.
For now we will look at Robert Stewart's attempts to wrangle with his fate on 28 Sept 1759.
That I was & still am under great uneasiness about my own private Affairs,
for by the Regulations of the Army, I cannot without Purchass (which is impracticable) [many bought their rank or had a sponsor to buy their rank ] hope to arrive at a Compy in less than Twenty or Thirty years:
I’m already an old Fellow,
[George Washington was 27
at this moment in 1759
and Stewart wasn't much younger or older,
but those two
packed more in their lifetimes
than anyone in our modern age,
even if you only count their shared experience
in the horror of Braddock's Defeat 9 July 1755]
[Even in WWII, soldiers
would call any officer
who was in their
late 20s or early 30
as "Pops." ]
and my Constitution impair’d
by Fatigues
and Sickness,
and after the Rank
I have so long enjoy’d,
[living thru "Pittsburg" the first winter of 1758 and now another winter of 1759 is no easy feat for anyone]
doing the Duty off
and living on the Scanty Pay
of a Subn [Subaltern] for the remainder of my life, would make me extremely miserable, & involve me in insuperable Difficulties, the very thoughts of which, are mortifying beyond conception;
on the other hand, to give up certainty,
tho’ a pittance, and live under the constant apprehensions of being sent a drift towards the Decline of Life, might be construed imbecility of mind & want of Prudence;
therefore could
your Freindly Interest in my behalf
added to Colo. Byrd’s which he is exerting to the utmost, procure me the vacant Adjutancy of the Militia
[Founders Online footnote 9. Stewart first wrote GW on 12 Dec. 1758 about becoming one of the adjutants of the Virginia militia, a lucrative post that GW once held. Stewart did not receive the appointment. The vacancy was filled by William Peachey, who also had been a captain in GW’s Virginia Regiment.]
it would effectually extricate me out of this sad Dilemma,
& be a competency wt. which I would contentedly live in a Country where my Freinds & connextions are too Dear to me to think of giving up, and (as I wrote you) if you could get me Commission for it, the Pay to Commence when the Regt is reduc’d, it would make me quite happy, and I think I may without vanity venture to Promise, that I would execute the Duty with more propriety & skill than it has been done by most who have lately fill’d that Office; If this can possibly be obtain’d, I will not hesitate a moment in what step to take when Order’d to Join the Battn,10 which I must soon expect:
But if you have no well grounded hopes of my Success, I again entreat you, that you will not loose any Time in sending me your Advice (on which I rely infinitely more than on my own Judgement) what I shall I do!
Capt Waggener taking his current rank?
P.S. I inform’d you in my last that Capn Waggener had got leave to remain down the Country till the Regt return’d into Quarters, and was apprehensive that assisted by his Freinds Step[hen]s Lettrs, [Adam Stephen and Thomas Bullitt were often competing with Mercer and Stewart for land claims as well as rank] my absence, and your distance from Town, he might possibly attempt something to the prejudice of my present Rank in the Regt.
[at this time Stewart was Lieutenant in the Royal American and Major in the Virginia Regiment]
[Founders Online footnote 13. On 16 Sept 1759. Mercer remarked that Capt. Thomas Waggener had passed through Winchester on “his Way to Williamsburg, from whence he expects to return a Field Officer.” Waggener died in 1760 without having displaced Stewart as major of the Virginia Regiment.]
Source of this letter of 28 Sept 1759:
20 some years later Robert Stewart is looking for a position to sustain him.
Read a story that the late local historian Quarles says is the story of a polite curt reply
That's it.
That's our lead story.
There's always more.
Skip around.
Read bits and pieces.
Compiled by Jim Moyer 9/13/2023, updated 9/23/2023, 9/24/2023
Table of Contents
More info on Rank
Founders Online comment on his different ranks:
Capt. Robert Stewart of the Virginia Regiment on 16 Dec. 1757 left Fort Loudoun, where he had been senior officer since GW’s departure on 9 Nov 1757.[ GW had to leave to recuperate from dysentery], and traveled to Pennsylvania and New York in order to talk to John Stanwix, Lord Loudoun, John Forbes, James Abercromby, and other senior army officers about obtaining a commission in the British army.
Forbes wrote Abercromby on 20 April 1758“You will see that Capt Steuart wants very much to have the Commission given him, that Sir john [St. Clair] tells me he had spoke off to you, and had recommended it with great sincerity. He says it was a Lieutcy in order that he might not be left without bread, upon a peace—” (James, Writings of Forbes, 65–66).
His appointment to a lieutenancy in the Royal American Regiment on 7 Jan. 1759 by no means satisfied Stewart (see Stewart to GW, 16 Jan. 1759, and subsequent letters).
Source:
From George Washington at Fort Loudoun Winchester VA to William Henry Fairfax, 23 April 1758
About this picture
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Item Number: VM-05
Captain Robert Stewart, commanded a company of approximately 30 mounted Virginia Light horsemen. Most were at the vanguard of the British column. Captain Stewart was one of only five members of the unit who survived the battle.
RETIRED.
LAST ONE!!
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Stories of Robert Stewart
Robert Stewart is also interesting to Winchester VA because there is a street named after him. He had spent much time during the building of Fort Loudoun in Winchester VA. He had a broader fame too. He was well known for his part as head of the Light Horse in Braddock's Defeat. He and George Washington were both credited as carrying Braddock on his sash. That sash looking ornamental and distinctive of high rank, also served the function of being a stretcher. And sadly this man, so close to winning a good position and comfort, never did attain it. He did ask for help from George Washington after the War of Indpendence, but Washington could not give him a position when many other men risked their lives for the new country. Robert Stewart had remained a passive loyalist and did not help in the independence effort.
Jul 9, 2019 published
Apr 18, 2023 published
April 2023 published
Apr 18, 2023 published
Sep 13, 2023 published
Sep 13, 2023 published
Sep 13, 2023 published
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