To George Washington from Peter Hog, 26 November 1755
From Peter Hog
Fort Dinwiddie 26th Novr 1755
Sir
I have Sent under Cover the Return of the Company which tho more than a Week distant from the former I believed would be Satisfactory as it Includes the recruits by Mr Fleming and the Serjt and some of my Enlistd & Mr McNeil’s1 I Shall Endeavour to Compleat the Company with all Expedition and desire to know the allowance Settled for Recruiting agreable to the new Regulations. As the second Month is almost Expired the Men are Uneasy abt their pay, I hope it will be soon remitted, and a Method Settled to have it remitted punctually agreable to the Custom of the other Companies.
The Express is retd from Fredericksburg & Wmsburg without the Cash as Lt. McNeil Writes from the Court ho.2 where I sent him to receive the money & pay off the Accots he does not Let me know the Cause of the failure at Comisy Dicks but sent me up a Lettr from Mr Withers who Lets me know by the Govrs orders that I must Apply to Comy Walker who is gone to Wills Creek (wt. money for that purpose) or to you, as his Honr did not Concern himself wt. those affairs. As I am Uncapable of Judging whether it will be most Expedient to Send to Fredericksburg or Wills Creek and the People are Clamorous for their money have ordered Lt. McNeil to hire an Express to send to the Creek if necessary[.] If it arrives I hope you will order the Comisy to dispatch the money and also the paymastr to Remit the pay.3 I am Sir Your Very hum. Servt
Petr Hog
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Hog’s weekly return of 26 Nov. reported 3 commissioned officers, 3 sergeants, 1 drummer, and 50 rank and file. There is a notation that Fleming’s recruits arrived on 24 Nov. Hog’s most recent previous return was made 3 Nov. The return of 26 Nov. is signed by Hog, John McNeill, and William Fleming. John McNeill (d. 1765), an energetic and competent officer, was well thought of by both GW and Dinwiddie. His commission as ensign was dated 4 Dec. 1754 and as lieutenant 18 Aug. 1755. McNeill remained with Captain Hog at Fort Dinwiddie through the winter of 1755, and he went with Hog and his company on the ill-fated Sandy Creek expedition against the Shawnee in Feb. and Mar. 1756. Later that same year GW had him transferred to his own company as captain lieutenant (GW to McNeill, 21 July 1756). McNeill finally secured the captaincy to which he had long aspired in Sept. 1757 when he assumed the command that had been left vacant by Robert Spotswood’s death in June 1757. By the time the regiment was disbanded in 1762 McNeill was a major. McNeill planned to go to England in 1763 to “sollicit his Majesty for some employment” and was given a glowing recommendation from the Virginia Council, “as well in a private as public capacity” (, 6:686). Either he decided not to go to London or his trip was unsuccessful, for in 1764 he was acting as colonel of the Augusta County militia and participated in Col. Henry Bouquet’s expedition against the Indians on the Muskingum River. During the expedition he became seriously ill, and he died in Feb. 1765.
2. Augusta Court House (Staunton).
3. For GW’s instruction with regard to the pay for Hog’s company, see GW to Alexander Boyd, 18 Nov. 1755.