Legends of Loudoun: An account of the history and homes of a border county of Virginia's Northern NeckWilliams, Harrison
History
Legends of Loudoun: An account of the history and homes of a border county of Virginia's Northern Neck
Williams, Harrison
Historic buildings -- Virginia -- Loudoun County; Loudoun County (Va.) -- History
Donald McLeod John Gunn
Donald Keith Murdock Morison
John McLeod Hugh McKay
William Kelly John Forbas
Alexander McIntosh William Robinson
John McLeod, Jr. John McKay[111]
Peter Robinson
[111] See Tyler's Quarterly V-61.
The next year a much larger contingent made its appearance. The Hessian
prisoners taken at the Battle of Saratoga were divided into parties
which were sent to different parts of the Colonies. A numerous band was
sent to Noland's Ferry where a camp for them was established and, it is
said, some of their number were employed in building the Noland mansion
there, thus fixing the long disputed date of its construction. Briscoe
Goodhart says that few of these prisoners were returned to Europe after
the war but that, for the most part, they settled in Loudoun and in
Frederick and Montgomery counties, Maryland, in all of which were many
of German descent and that the former Hessian prisoners became useful
and industrious citizens in their new homes.[112]
[112] Balch Library Clippings II, 48 and IV, 1.
As the war drew to its close in 1781, there appears to have been a large
accumulation of war supplies in Loudoun. Lafayette wrote to Washington
on the 1st July of that year:
"There must be a great quantity of accoutrements in the country. By a
letter from the Board of War, I find that 100 Saddles, 100 Swords, 100
pairs of pistols may be soon expected at Leesburg, supposing that the
same number be got in the country...."[113]
[113] 5 Virginia Magazine History and Biography, 377.
On the 26th of the same month Colonel William Davis, in covering the
situation in the Northern Neck, wrote
"At Noland's there are 920 muskets and 486 bayonets. Those added to the
275 at Fredericksburg are too many by 195...."[114]
[114] 2 Virginia Colonial State Papers, 258.
And on the 9th August in the same year, Captain A. Bohannan wrote from
Fauquier Court House to Colonel Wm. Davis:
"I have this moment returned from Leesburg--the stores that were there &
at Noland's Ferry are now on their way to this place; it was with the
greatest difficulty that I could procure waggons in the neighbourhood of
Leesburg for the Transportation of them; in short I cou'd not have done
it had I not promised to pay them when they arrived at this place &
discharge them. It is useless to pretend to impress waggons in this part
of the Country, as you will seldom see a waggon on any plantation but
what wants either a wheel or Geer. the Inhabitants say they are willing
to work for the public, provided that they cou'd get paid for their
services. They are willing to take what the Q. M. Genl: allows, tho' it
shu'd be less than they could get from private persons."
It was estimated that it would cost "Fifteen or Twenty Thousand Pounds"
(presumably tobacco) to move the stores, and the writer "desires some
pay for himself, being without a shilling and not having received any
money for eighteen months."[115]
[115] 2 Virginia Colonial State Papers, 308.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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