The names of the heroes of Louisbourg live here
On this day of 31 July 2022 five days ago 26 July 1758 was the anniversary of "reducing" Fortress Louisbourg. The heroes of that effort are Boscawen, Amherst, Wolfe, the names of streets in Winchester VA. James Wood, founder of the town, applied to the House of Burgesses to name the streets after those men in his new addition of lots to the town.
James Wood submitted his Addition to the town for approval by the House of Burgesses and ratified 21 September 1758.
This act established at the same time Stephensburg (now known as Stephens City).
So, next time you drive into downtown Winchester VA and you drive on Amherst or Boscawen or Wolfe or even Loudoun, you will be driving down a street named after those men who led a siege of Fortress Louisbourg in today's Nova Scotia Canada guarding the mouth of the St Lawrence Seaway, a concourse famously mapped in detail by James Cook, who was not Captain at the time of this war, but who we remember as being killed in Hawaii then dubbed the Sandwich Islands.
.
Before any of them became famous for other events, they all became noted for their roles in reducing Louisbourg.
The Siege of Louisbourg lasted from June 8 to July 26, 1758.
That's it.
That's our lead story.
Compiled by Jim Moyer 2/23/2016, updated 10/18/16, 3/19/2019 on a previous website, updated for new website on 4/24/2022, updated 4/25/2022, 5/1/2022, 6/5/2022, 7/31/2022
There's always more. Skip around. Read bits and pieces at your leisure. Why should James Wood care of these men in a battle faraway?
Because of Colonel George Washington. He received letters about these faraway developments. It became the talk of the troops in town. And . . . because Winchester was the headquarters of the Virginia Regiment, the vanguard in this war against the French and their Indian allies.
Timeline of Street Name Changes
21 Sept 1758 From the House of Burgess’ Journal : A Petition of James Wood praying, That an Act may pass for enlarging the Town of Winchester by adding 156 Lots already laid off adjoining thereto, was presented to the House and read. Source: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t8rb7b88h&view=page&format=plaintext&seq=43&skin=2021 2 March 1926 Winchester VA Street Names change back to their original French and Indian War names. From Water Street to Boscawen. From Main Street to Loudoun. From Market Street to Cameron. Wednesday, March 3, 1926 edition of the Winchester Evening Star:
But . . . When did the original street names change?
From Boscawen to Water Street?
From Loudoun to Main Street?
From Cameron to Market Street?
We don't know (yet).
The plan for the street Boscawen (Water Street) first shows up in 1744 but was submitted to the House of Burgesses by James Wood in 1752.
.
At that time the street was not named.
The plan for the streets, Amherst and Wolfe, were submitted to the House of Burgesses by James Wood in 1758.
.
All 3 streets were then named in 1758 for the heroes in the “reduction” of Fortress Louisbourg.
More on the 1758 Siege of Fortress Louisbourg
We first mentioned this story in April 2022 because we run into a letter dated April 16, 1758 that tells of the earliest stages of the campaign to reduce Fortress Louisbourg. On 16 April 1758, Beverly Robinson from NYC writes to Colonel George Washington at Fort Loudoun Winchester VA: "Sr Charles Hardy [Gov of NY] is off Louisburgh with 8 or 9 Sail of the Line, & hope he will be able to prevent any Succors geting into that place." Founders Online tells us that,
Rear Admiral Sir Charles Hardy, governor of New York, sailed from New York for Halifax, Nova Scotia, in late January and arrived in Nova Scotia on 19 Mar. aboard the Royal William.
This was the beginning of the naval campaign that culminated in the fall of the French stronghold at Louisburg on 26 July 1758.
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-05-02-0093
To George Washington
from Beverley Robinson,
16 April 1758
From Beverley Robinson New York 16th Apr. 1758
Dear Sir Your favour of the 5th Instant came to hand last Night by the post. Inclosing a Letter for Mr Richd Washington in London, which shall be taken care of & forwarded by the Earl of Halifax Packet, Capt. Rand who it is imagined will sail soon.
The york Bill you Inclosed will over pay the postage of your Letter there being no Charge paid on Letters sent from this by the Packets to England, so that all the Expence Attending your Letter is the postage from Fort Loudoun here.
Sr Charles Hardy is off Louisburgh with 8 or 9 Sail of the Line, & hope he will be able to prevent any Succors geting into that place.
Mrs Robinson & family are very well & Desire their Compts to you as does Mr & Mrs Morris and
your Most Obligd Humble Sert3 Bev: Robinson
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. GW’s letter to Robinson of 5 April has not been found, but there is a letter of that date to Richard Washington. Robinson forwarded Richard Washington’s letter on 3 May by the British ship Hampshire, which sailed about a month earlier than the packet ship Earl of Halifax, Capt. Robert Rand (d. 1758) (see Robinson to GW, 21 May; see also New York Mercury, 8 May 1758; and Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal, 12 June and 25 Dec. 1758). GW visited Beverley Robinson (1723–1792) in New York during his trip to Boston to see William Shirley in the late winter of 1756. GW and Beverley Robinson had conducted a regular correspondence since that time.
2. Rear Admiral Sir Charles Hardy, governor of New York, sailed from New York for Halifax, Nova Scotia, in late January and arrived in Nova Scotia on 19 Mar. aboard the Royal William. This was the beginning of the naval campaign that culminated in the fall of the French stronghold at Louisburg on 26 July 1758.
3. Before her marriage Mrs. Robinson was Susannah Philipse of Philipsburgh Manor in New York. Her sister Mary Eliza Philipse was recently married to Lt. Col. Roger Morris (1727–1794) of the 40th Regiment. Morris served on Braddock’s staff with GW in the summer of 1755.
Source:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-05-02-0093
Lord Loudoun and afterwards
Lord Loudoun and the war January 1757
https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/lord-loudoun-and-the-war-january-1757
Lord Loudoun and the war February 1757
https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/lord-loudoun-and-the-war-february-1757 Lord Loudoun in Philly March 1757 https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/gw-s-time-in-philly-1757 Where's Lord Loudoun in July 1757? https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/where-s-our-namesake-lord-loudoun Good bye Lord Loudoun Dec 1757 https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/good-bye-lord-loudoun Jan 1758 https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/cha-changes-1758 Dinwiddie leaves Jan 1758 https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/your-title-what-s-your-blog-about Pres Blair takes over Jan 1758 https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/meet-president-john-blair Goodbye Lord Loudoun Again? Feb 1758 https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/goodbye-lord-loudoun-again April 1758 https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/meet-the-man-who-won-this-war War Machine's 2nd VA Regiment emerges https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/war-machine-s-2nd-va-regiment-emerges . . . . . . . ..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
Comentarios