VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE PRESTON PAPERS 43 / r A tenth part of which number we conceive would be too in­ considerable being only three hundred & fifty men & that it THE PRESTON PAPERS. would require five hund Militia exclusive of Col'o Crockett's {4} (CONTINUED.) Batalion, from the District a part of which number would be required at different Station to keep an open Communicarion PRocEEDING OF OFFICERS IN BoTETOURT &c between y• enemy and the inhabitants & so secure a retreat if necessary. Tho' the number of the Militia in the Southwestern Botetourt Court House, May 8th 1780. District is so small the Officer will endeavour to raise five hund At a meeting of the commanding Officers from Washington, effective men for this service ·exclusive of Packhorse men, Montgomery, Botetourt, Rockbridge & Greenbrier, The dif­ Drovers & the remainder we presume ought to be one thousand ferent Letters from his Exc.y the Governor being laid before men, to be raised in the six neighboring counties and those other us and read,wherein we are directed to concertan Expedition (1) counties on the N" West side of the Allegany Mountains. We against our Enemy Indians on the NorthWest Side of the Ohio. are of opinion that the men raised in Augusta ought to be Prop 1•t The particular Tribes who have committed joined to the men raised in this district, as they can march to hostilities, their Numbers & Residence. Fort Randolph with as small an expence & Fatigue, as to Fort We cannot with certainty ascertain the different Tribes(2) Pitt where the Troops of the Northern Districts ought to their Number or Residence but have Reason to believe that Rendezvous and at the same time be a means on their march to the Shawneese, Mingoes, Hurons on this Side the Lakes, part Guard their frontier from the encroachment of the Savages of the Delaware, and all the others tribes inhabiting that tract 3rd The Officers who shall take the Command & also proper of Country lying between the Ohio & Lake Erie & from the Staff Officers. We recommend Col'o William Campbell (5) of Eastern Branches of the Wabash to Vinango on the Ohio are Washington County as a proper person to command our Mil­ confederater. The number of confederate tribes from the best itia on this Expedition. Senr Col'o; Sammel Brown of Green information an about tweleve hund Warriors exclusive of such Bryer & Major Hugh Crockett of Botetourt the Field Officers aids as might be sent them from Detroit for the Troops to be raised in their District. The commanding 2nd The proportion of your militia necessary toEncounter Officers of the Counties to appoint the Cap'n• and Subalterns. them. We recommend Tho• Madison Esq r Commissary and Quarter The strength of our Militia in our different counties consist Master to the whole Troop to be raised for the Expedition­ only of about three thousand-five hund men occasioned by the We are of opinion that one_Surgeon an~ a ma~e be_app _oint:9 Great numbers(3)who have moved to Kentucky & Carolina and (4) Lt. Col. J os ph Crockett commanded a Virginia regiment of five that part of Washington County, taken by the Carolina line. companies sent to rc:nforcc Clark. This force reached him in May 1780. (5) Colonel, afterwards General, William Campbell, the commander (1) The proposed campaign discussed at this meeting was intended at Kings Mountain . Col. Saniuel Brown, of Greenbrier. had lived when to protect the Western country from a British and Indian attack from a boy in what is now Bath county and with an older brother had been the Northwest , which was believe to be inpcnding and also, probably, captured by the Indians. Samuel Brown was returned in 1769; hut his to assist George R ogers Clark in his plan for the capture of Detroit. brother remained with the Indians anrl died in Michigan in Hll5. (See Co.,ti;·ut'rl British ~ u ~T C' '> ~!'S in the South during the year must have in­ Waddell's Aunals of Augusta County, 188,189). Col. Samuel Brown was terferreu greatly with any plans made. County Lieutenant of Greenbrier .1782. There are several letters from (2) In Vo . XXIII, 345 &c, Mr David I. Bushnell, of the Bureau of him in Vol. IJ 1, Calendar of Virginia State Papers. Major Hugh Crockett Ethnology, has given an account of the varous tribes referred to here. was a brother of Walter and Joseph Crockett. Thomas l'vladison was a (3) This is only one of the numerous evidences of the constant and son of .John Madison. who was long clerk of and Burgess for Augusta extensive emigration from Western Virginia to the South and the farther County and was a brother of Governor Madison of K entucky and of Bishop Madison. They were cousins of the President. ~~ · . ~4~£.1_ ',/}t- f/ & ':l 7 p /f - ~f:~~~ PRESTON PAPERS 45 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE some cloathing, as a Blankett, Leggins, Etc., and the plunder of th~ Enemy ~to be ready to march by the I\I onth of April next mto. the Enemy's Country & to continue to ravage the fall, & by April next to have a proper Body of men raised ~n all the frontiers including Kentucky the falls of of the Oh10 same dunng ~he whole Sun:mer Season, by which means they with two troops of Light horse under due encouragement, by would have tune effectually to Chastise the Savages in all the allowing the Militia engaging there in a Bount_Y of Land & above mentioned Tract of Country & even to attack Detroit to each Batalion-That a Brigadier Major & AdJutant for the wit~ the assistance of a Regiment of Regulars & some pieces of whole troop (which service is to be performed by one person) Artilery, that in the mean time might be procured which never as also our Chaplain, & two Armourers to be appointed by the can be done by an Expedition carried on the fall Season, as we Commanding Officer. ~ l a\'e 1earn~d by Experience, where the men are always raised 4th Supplies of Ammunition & provisions-With. respect m haste ~Ith?ut having time to provide necessaries for a long to the Provisions and Ammunition we refer to the mclosed march which IS found to be Extremely difficult & there fore not in their power to continue a proper length of time on Duty, to Estimates. 5th Time & Place of Rendezvous-We are of opmwn render any essential Service to the Wale(?), Such an Expedition that the troops raised in this District ought to rendezv­ planned. with ~udgement & prudence & Executed with Activity ous at Walkers Meadows in Greenbrier County by the 25th Resolution & hconomy would we humbly Conceive Stated the of Augt next and that and that the whole Troops in the Several f~ir~t chance to be attended 'rvith Success, which might by our Districts should Rendezvous at Fort Randorph (6) by the lOth Capital Stroke put the State in possession of that Extensive day of Sept next when a small Garrison ought to remain. The Country,. Sett~e a lasting Peace with the Savages by reducing Opperations of the Army afterwards ought to be left to the them to obed1ence, or driving them from thence and at the Executive or Commanding Officer of the Army. That the sa me time ruine and destroy the interest and Influence of our Western Batalion should as soon as Provisions & other nee British Ememies among the many nations of Indians that essaries can be provided march to Kellys or the mouth of Elk(7) inhabit the Country about the Lakes and the Banks of y• ~fississippi Wm Preston to build a small Fort there and have Sixty Canoes prepared for the purpose of Tr~nsporting Provisions down the Kanhawa John Boyer(8) when the Milita are on thier March.- Arthur Campbell 1\otwithstanding what we have said above in obed~ence to Geo: Skillern the Instructions given us, we are fully of opinion that It would Anci'w Donnally would be attended with more real and solid Benefit and much (8) Jo~n Bowyer s· ~ the ~-~h;:id ~~ County (th~ ·~u g usta) m 1?~3 .and was at firs t a school-teacher. ln 1703 he was captain less Expence to the Commonweath in General and the front­ o. ~ugusta militia, In 1770 one of the first justices of Botetourt and in ier in particular if all on the defensive this .summer by En­ 1161 colonel <;>f ~h .e Rockbri~ gc militia and went with his cr;mmand to Eastern ~~r~ tnta at the ttme of Arnold's inv:1siun. He died in J~Ufi gaging at least 200 men immediately to Garnson Fort Rand­ ~ ~.v e ra! ?f hts brothers W(•re actively t·ngagcd in military scrvit: P (sc~ s A•·n, ,ls of Aul{ustu County, I HO 11)1). Col. Arthur Campbell olph. Fifty at Wheeling, one hund at or near the mo~th. of ~ a ~d c ll. o1 Wash1ngto~ C.ot~nty, (born 174:!, died JHII ), was lung one oi the leading Sandy River, one hund & fifty at or near the mouth of Lickmg m~n o~ the VIrgtnta frontter. Po~ a note In regard to him sec this maga­ Creek in Kentucky County- rme, \ 11,126,1~?· Col. Georg<! Sklllcm was county lieutenant of Bote tvur! 1?8.1 &c. I h;rc are .:J number of letters from him in the Calendar That Provisions, Ammunitions & every other necessary t1 VJrgmm State lapers .. Col. Andrew Donelly settled in the western IJI< rtof Grec1_1bncr and built a fort which he successfully defended against for carrying on an Expedition be purchased and pro~red as tht ln.dtans m 177/:l.