George Washington Papers

Memoranda, 12 June 1757

Memoranda

[Fort Loudoun] June 12 [1757]

Colo. Stanwix

Write to him in behalf of the Govr to know whether he can furnish the Virginia Troops with arms.

Also ask him what Batmen are allowd to a Company in thier Service—and what to each Officer.1

June 12 to be done in Winchester

Have the Prisoners tryd to morrow.

Enquire of the Officers Ensign Perts Character—The Officers refusing to Rank with him.2

AD, NN: Washington Collection. See source note, Memoranda, 7 June 1757.

2Griffin Pert rose from the ranks to become an ensign in the Virginia Regiment in July 1756. The following document from Fort Loudoun, dated 13 June 1757 and signed by Henry Russell, is in DLC:GW: “Ens. Russell has the following Objections to ranking with Ensn Pert. 1st Because he heard Ensn [Charles] Smith say that he was present when Ensn Pert had the Command of an advanc’d Guard, & that he upon hearing a Noise amongst the Bushes occasion’d by a Dog, abandon’d his Post in the Front & ran allmost to the Rear of his Men, crying out in an affrighted Manner who is there? who is there? & that several of the Men curs’d him & ask’d him whether he intended to leave his Command. 2d Because he heard Capt. [George] Mercer say that Ensn Pert had brought up so many Trinkets to sell that he cou’d scarcely Button his great Coat on him & Lieut. Buckner says that he saw him sell several of the said Trinkets—3d That Lieut. Stoenbergen [Peter Steenbergen] told him that Ensn Pert having a Quantity of Rum to eschort made a Hole in a Cask & set so bad an Example by sucking the Rum out that the Command got mostly all drunk.”

Five other officers, Robert Stewart, John McNeill, John Campbell, Mordecai Buckner, and James Roy, endorsed Russell’s statement in these terms: “Until These Objections are answer’d and clear’d up the Subscribers likewise refuse to rank with him.”

Henry Russell was made an ensign in the Virginia Regiment on 12 July 1756, the same day Pert received his commission.

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