Which Company? Which Regiment? What Rank?
Here's the timeline.
At different times, both Captain George Mercer and Lt Col Adam Stephen headed a company listed as 2nd Company.
1754 Fort Necessity
George Mercer, Captain (Lieut.) and Adam Stephen, Lieutenant (Captain) is how the several rosters list these two.
17 September 1755
List of promotions, captain, uniform defined.
No captains and companies listed by number.
Captain Adam Stephen is appointed Lieutenant Colonel; and Captain Andrew Lewis, Major of the same Regiment—Captain George Mercer, of the Virginia Forces, is appointed aid de Camp to Colonel Washington.
9 January 1756
Captain George Mercer of 2nd Company VA Regiment.
7 July 1756
Now you see Lt Col Adam Stephen heading 2nd Company
George Mercer captains 4th company
20 April 1757
Big reorganization. Downsize 16 companies to 10.
No companies listed by number.
10 companies not numbered
To be Commanded by:
- Colonel (George Washington)
- Lieutenant Colonel (Adam Stephen)
- Major (Andrew Lewis)
- 7 Captains
16 May 1757
Dinwiddie lists what forts are garrisoned by who
at Fort Loudoun100Men commanded by Yourself [George Washington]
at Maidstone 70Men commanded by Capt. Stewart
at Edwards’s 25Men Do by a Subaltern
at Pearsalls 45Men Do by Capt. McKenzie
In the Nighbourhood of Butter Milk Fort.
70Men. Commanded by Capt. Waggener.
at Dickenson’s 70Men Commanded by Major Lewis
at Vauss’s 70Men Do by Capt. Woodward
450
Then in 1758
Our Captain Mercer becomes a Lieutenant Colonel in the newly created 2nd Virginia Regiment.
Lt Col Adam Stephen then becomes Colonel Adam Stephen.
To make matters worse, there is a Lt Col Hugh Mercer from the Pennsylvania side.
December 1758
Footnote 2 of link
When the 2d Virginia Regiment was disbanded in December 1758, its lieutenant colonel, George Mercer, continued with the Virginia forces at Winchester as a volunteer...
Maj. Gen. John Stanwix made him assistant deputy quarter master general for Virginia and Maryland . Stanwix succeeded Forbes after Forbes’s death in March 1759 as commander of the British forces in Pennsylvania and the southern colonies.
19 August 1759
The warrant appointing George Mercer assistant deputy quartermaster general of the army for Maryland and Virginia. Printed in Stevens, Bouquet Papers description begins Donald H. Kent et al., eds. The Papers of Henry Bouquet. 6 vols. Harrisburg, Pa., 1951-94. description ends , 3:583–84
You can see the silver lining to Adam Stephen's uniform. George Washington on 17 September 1755 outlines what the officers must procure, and in what situations they wear their uniform.
"...Every Officer of the Virginia Regiment, to provide himself as soon as he can conveniently, with a Suit of Regimentals of good blue Cloath; the Coat to be faced and cuffed with Scarlet, and trimmed with Silver: a Scarlet waistcoat, with silver Lace, blue Breeches, and a silver-laced Hat, if to be had, for Camp or Garrison Duty. ... Besides this, each Officer to provide himself with a common Soldiers Dress, for Detachments, and Duty in the Woods."
Source of description - http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-02-02-0034
Source of picture - http://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=808
.
Picture taken of uniform located in the Smithsonian:
Division of Military History and Diplomacy, National Museum of American History, Behring Center.
Always more to explore in this rabbit hole.
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Fort Cumberland: September 17, 1755.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-02-02-0034
Winchester: Friday, January 9, 1756
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-02-02-0276
The Virginia Regiment is now formed into Companies; and are (without a particular order to the contrary) to remain, and be as followeth, vizt2
1st Company
Captain Peter Hogg [Hog]. Lieutenant George Frazier [Fraser] Ensign William Fleming
2nd Company
Captain George Mercer Lieutenant Thomas Bullett [Bullitt] Ensign [George] Hedgman
3d Company
Captain Thomas Waggener Lieutenant Walter Stewart [Steuart] Ensign Nathaniel Milner
4th Company
Captain Robert Stewart Lieutenant John McNeil [McNeill] Ensign [George] Gordon.
5th Company
Captain Thomas Cocke Lieutenant [William] Starke [Stark] Ensign [George] Weedon
6th Company
Captain John Savage Lieutenant John Blagg Ensign [Charles] Smith
7th Company
Captain William Bronaugh Lieutenant [Hancock] Eustace Ensign
8th Company
Captain John Mercer Lieutenant John Lowry Ensign
9th Company
Captain Joshua Lewis Lieutenant [John] King Ensign [Mordecai] Buckner
10th Company
Captain Henry Woodward, Lieutenant [Austin] Brockenbrough, Ensign
11th Company
Captain Robert Spotswood, Lieutenant [John Edward] Lomax, Ensign [Thomas] Carter.
12th Company
Captain [Henry] Harrison, Lieutenant [John] Hall, Ensign [Nathaniel] Thompson.
13th Company
Captain Charles Lewis, Lieutenant [Peter] Steenbergen, Ensign [Edward] Hubbard.
14th Company
Captain William Peachy [Peachey], Lieutenant [John] Williams, Ensign [William] Dangerfield [Daingerfield].
15th Company
Captain David Bell, Lieutenant [John] Campbell, Ensign [John] Deane.
16th Company
Captain Robert McKenzie, Lieutenant [James] Baker, Ensign [Leonard] Price.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-02-02-0276
Fort Cumberland [Md.]—Monday, July 12th 1756.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-03-02-0238
First Company: Colonel Washington—
Captain Lieutenant John McNiell
Ensign [ ]7
2d Compy
Lt Colonel Adam Stephen Lt John Blagg Ensign James Roy
3d Company
Captain Peter Hogg Lt Thomas Bullet Ensign Fleming
4th Company
Captain George Mercer Lt Bryan Fairfax Ensign Denis McCarty
5th Company
Captain Thomas Waggener Lt Walter Stewart Ensign Charles Smith
6th Company
Captain Robert Stewart Lt John Campbell Ensign Henry Russell
7th Compy
Captain Thomas Cocke Lieutenant Buckner Ensign Weedon
8th Company
Captain William Bronaugh Lieutenant Eustace Ensign Sumner
9th Company
Captain Joshua Lewis Lt John King Ensign Duncanson
10th Company
Captain Henry Woodward Lt Brockenbrough Ensign Dangerfield
11th Company
Captain Robert Spotswood Lieutenant Lomax Ensign Milner
12th Company
Captain Charles Lewis Lt Steenbergen Ensign Hubbard
13th Company
Captain William Peachy Lt John Williams Ensign Pert
14th Company
Captain David Bell Lt John Lowry Ensign Deane
15th Company
Captain Robert McKenzie Lieutenant Baker Ensign Price
16th Company
Captain Henry Harrison Lt John Hall Ensign Thompson
17th Company
Captain Christopher Gist Lt Nathaniel Gist Ensign Crawford
Scouts
The following appointments are made to the aforesaid Companies—of Sergeants and Corporals;8 who are not to be broke or changed, but by the Sentence of a Court Martial—or particular orders from the Colonel: as such practices have made great confusion in the Regiments. vizt—
Companies
Sergeants
Corporals
1st The Colonels
John Sallard
Samuel Longworth
John Belfour
Wm Stewart Packet
2d The Lt Colos.
Thomas Carter
Philemon Waters
John Graham
Isaac Barringer
Wm Grant
Wm Coffland
3d Capt. Hoggs
John McCulley
Smith
Wilper
4th Captain Mercers
Angus McDonnald
Saml French
John Matthews
Jno. Pope
John Grinnon
Benj. Barrett
5th Cap. Waggeners
Wm Shaw
Geo. Salmon
John [Francis] Austin
Sam. Poe
Mark Hollies
John Cray [Creagh]
6th Cap. Rt Stewarts
Wm Hughes
Wm Broughton
David Kenedy
7th Captain Cockes
John McWilliams
Jas Thomas
Henry Williams
Geo. Clark
Jno. Reynolds
Dougal Campbell
8th Capt. Bronaughs
Richard Trotter
Wm Hunt
John Nash
Jno. Naughty
Hugh Campbell
Heny Steel
9th Capt. Josh. Lewis’s
And. Vaughan
Joseph Wills
John Gender
Richd Foster
Hen. Carrier
Tho. Carrier
10th Cap. Woodwards
Joseph Faint [Fent]
Jas Carmichael
Wm Evans
Jno. Clark
Geo. Whitecotton
Wm Heath
11th Capt. Spotswoods
Joseph Bledsoe
Jno. Sale
Richd Good
Edw. Lary [Leary]
Saml Robinson
Jas Lile [Lyle]
12th Cap. Charles Lewis’s
Chas Collieux [Cailliaux]
Samp. Franklin
Abrah. Crittenoon
Tho. Edmondson
13th Cap. Peachy’s
Baker
Jno. Gaskins
Reuben Vass
John Gall [Richard Gale]
Bibby Brookes [Broocke]
Jas Gutridge
14th Capt. Bells
Tho. Ferguson
Dav. Hartwell
James Young
Whitnal Warner
Charles Scot
Jas Clark
15th Cap. McKenzie’s
James [John] Campbell
Timo. Shaw
James Hatfield
Jno. Adams
James Robinson
Bryan Page
16th Captain Harrisons
Jas Morrell [Norrell]
Tho. Wright
Tho. Seal
Francis Walker
Francis Moreland
Benj. Cotton
17th Cap. Gists
John Barrett
Tho. White
Richd Posey
Morde. Gosling
Rich. Davis
Gist Vaughan
from Robert Dinwiddie, 16 May 1757
From Robert Dinwiddie
[Williamsburg, 16 May 1757]
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-04-02-0086
at Fort Loudoun 100 Men commanded by Yourself
at Maidstone 70 Men commanded by Capt. Stewart
at Edwards’s 25 Men Do by a Subaltern
at Pearsalls 45 Men Do by Capt. McKenzie
In the Nighbourhood of Butter Milk Fort. 70 Men. Commanded by Capt. Waggener.
at Dickenson’s 70 Men Commanded by Major Lewis
at Vauss’s 70 Men Do by Capt. Woodward
Total 450
The immediate response of the House to Dinwiddie’s words was to adopt a set of five resolutions on 20 April 1757:
(1) "That the Number of Men now in the Pay of this Colony be augmented, for the Service of the ensuing Year, to One Thousand";
(2) "That the said One Thousand Men be formed into Ten Companies, consisting of One Hundred Men each, including non-commissioned Officers, to be commanded by a Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, Major, Ten [seven] Captains, and Twenty Lieutenants";
(3) "That five of the said Companies be kept in this Colony for the Protection of our Frontiers, and that four of the said Companies be sent to the Assistance of South-Carolina, and one Company to garison the Fort lately built in the Cherokee Country";
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fb post 5/16/2016
Changing the name of the FB page in the next day or so, but first before we do, A note.
When George Mercer was Captain there was ONLY the Virginia Regiment.
There was no 2nd Virginia Regiment. That would come later in 1758.
But we chose to say 1st Virginia Regiment to differentiate. And we wanted to follow the format of 1st Virginia Hogg's Company FB page.
It can be confusing. This attempt to differentiate from other "later" regiments ultimately is misleading.
What makes our George Mercer more confusing for newcomers is that our Captain George Mercer in 1758 becomes Lt Colonel in the 2nd Virginia Regiment under Byrd in the Forbes Expedition.
That was our other reason to differentiate.
To make matters worse there was also a Lt Colonel Hugh Mercer in the Forbes Expedition too.
More on this with MORE sources.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-05-02-0275
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disambiguate lt col hugh mercer at same time of lt col george mercer
From George Mercer
Charles Town [S.C.] August 17th 1757
3. Later in this letter Mercer reveals that he had his eye on Lt. Col. Adam Stephen’s position as second in command of the Virginia Regiment. He became instead the lieutenant colonel in William Byrd’s 2d Virginia Regiment in 1758.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-04-02-0242
From George Mercer
Camp at Raes Town July 27th 1758
Lt. Col. George Mercer commanded the party of soldiers that had just completed cutting the road from Fort Cumberland to Raystown as well as building the blockhouses on the road midway between the two encampments. Forbes did not get to Raystown until 15 September.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-05-02-0275
all letters between George Mercer and GW
http://founders.archives.gov/search/Correspondent%3A%22Mercer%2C%20George%22%20Correspondent%3A%22Washington%2C%20George%22
To Hugh Mercer
To Lieutt Colo. Mercer of Pensylvania or Officer Commanding at Rays Town
Camp at Fort Cumberland 9th Septr 1758.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-06-02-0004
http://founders.archives.gov/search/Correspondent%3A%22Mercer%2C%20Hugh%22%20Correspondent%3A%22Washington%2C%20George%22
William Byrd, 24 June 1758
To William Byrd
[Fort Loudoun, 24 June 1758]
Orders for Colonel Byrd—Commanding the 2d Virginia Regiment.
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-05-02-0179
William Byrd III
https://www.history.org/almanack/people/bios/biowbyrd.cfm