The Virginia magazine of history and biography (Volume 21) online

thire and punished according to the Sentences that Shall be
given but if you Judge otherwise by the disposition of the people
or by defects in the Law there or other Circumstances you are
to Send them hither in Maner afores*^ And in both Cases OUR
WILL and PLEASURE is that you take such Care that thire
Goods & Effects be Secured Soe that they May be forth Come-
ing to be disposed off according as the Law shall directe and Soe
wee Bid you farewell given at o'' Court at Kinsington y^ Tenth
day of ffebruary 1699 in the Eleventh Year of o' Reign.

By his Maj*"* Comands
Vernon

To our Trusty and well Beloved ffrancis Nicholson Esq'
Lieu* and Gov' Generall of our Collony and Dominion of Vir-
ginia in America or our Comander in Chief of our Said Collony
for the time being.

Virginia.



Commission of Robert Carter and John Custis as Coun-
cillors

William R.
Trusty and well Beloved wee greet you well.
Whereas wee have Reced a good Character of the Loyalty



COUNCIL PAPERS. 181

Integrity and Ability of our Trusty and well Beloved Robert
Carter and John Custis Esq" wee have thought fitt hereby to
Signify our will and Pleasure to you and accordingly OUR will
and pleasure is that forthwith upon Receipt hereof you Cause the
s<* Robert Carter and John Custis to be Swome of the Councill
of o"" Collony and Dominion of Virginia and for Soe doeing this
Shalbe yo"^ warr*. AND Soe wee Bid you farewell Given at o'
Court at Kinsington the 26*'' day of December 1699 In the Elev-
enth Year of o' Reign.

By his Majesties
Command.

Jersey.

M' Nicholson Cover â– â–  of Virginia.

To our Trusty and well Beloved ffrancis Nicholson Esq'
our L* and Governor and Comander In Cheif of our Colony
and Dominion of Virginia in america and to our Cheife Gov'
or Governors there for the time being.



Proclamation in Regard to huguenots

William R.

Trusty and well Beloved, wee Greet you well.

Whereas y* Marquis de La Muce Monseitir de Sailly, and
Severall other french Protestant Refugiez have by their peti-
tion htmibly Craved our Leave to Settle themselves In Norfolk
County In Virginia und'' yo"" Government and whereas wee are
graciously pleased to afford them y° s'^ Refugeiz all reasonable
Countenance and Assistance In ord'' to further and facilitate
these Settlements there accordingly Wee Do hereby Will and
Require you upon their arrivall there to give them all possible
Incouragem* by granting unto them such Tracts of Land as
usual to new Comers In y^ Province and giveing them Such
further Assistance in Settleing their famaUes and promoteing
their Endeavours In planting as may be reasonable, And So
wee bid you farewell.



182 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

Given at our Court at Kensington y« 18*'' day of March 17 Vo*.
In y* Twelfth Year of our Reign.

By His Maj*y« Comand

Jersey

To y* Cover'" of Virginia.

To our Trusty and Well Beloved ffrancis Nicholson Esq' our
Lie* Cover' and Comand' In Cheif of our Colony and Dominion
of Virginia in a Merica or to Our Cheif Cov'or Gov'* there for
the time being.



Proclamation in Regard to Huguenots

Whitehall Aprill y« 12t'' 1700.
S'

His Majesty haveing been Graciously Pleased upon our himi-
ble representation, by a Letter und' his Royall Sign Manuall
to require you to give all possible Incouragem* to y® Marquis
De La Muce Monseiur De Sailly and other french protestants in
their Design to Settle in Virginia and those Gentlemen being
now about to Embark themselves wee Can Do no Less than re-
comend them to your favourable Assistance Upon their Arrivall
there In order to their Intended Settlement.

In our Letter of y* fourth of January Last wee writ you our
thoughts upon a proposall made by y^ Earle of Bellomont for
opening a new Trade w*^ some Western Indians ; and his Lord-
ship haveing since Informed us y* Some of those Indians had
Killed and Scalped five of y^ New York Indians, Called Gene-
vas, wee think it y® more necessary y* y'u use yo' Endeavours,
In Concert w**' y*' Cover' of Maryland to Settle Some trade or
Intercourse w*^^ those Indians In order for the preventing of
any Such Like Mischief for the future.

And whereas thee Earle of Bellomont has upon that Occasion
Desired us to procure his Maj*'* Leave y* he may have a meet-
ing wt^ y'u and Coll. Blackiston Philadelphia, Wee by his
Maj*'^ Ord' Signified to his Lordship and do y'' Same now to
you, y* his Maj*'* Is Pleased to approve of y^ proposed meet-



COUNCIL PAPERS.



183



ng and Gives Leave Accordingly that it be wherever you shall
agree amongst your Selves. So wee bid you heartily farewell.

YouT Very Loveing ffriends.



Wee Desire you to forward
y° Inclosed Letter to ffrancis
Nicholson Esq'



Stanford
Lexington
Ph: Meadows
William Blathwayt
John Pollexfen
Abr. Hill
George Stepney.



(to be continued")



184 VIRGINIA HOSTORICAL MAGAZINE.



PENSION DECLARATION OF MAJOR THOMAS MASSIE.



[Thomas Massie, son of William Massie of New Kent County,
bom August 22, 1747, is stated by Heitman to have been Captain 6th
Virginia, March 11, 1776, Major 11th Virginia, February 20th, 1778,
transferred to 2d Virginia, September 14, 1778, resigned June 25th, 1779.
About 1780 he removed from New Kent County to Frederick, and thence
about 1803, to Amherst (now Nelson) County. He married Sarah
Cocke, of "Bremo," Henrico County, and died at his residence, "Level
Green," February 2, 1834. He had three sons who have many descend-
ants. One of them was the lamented Judge Thornton L. Massie. For
an account of Major Massie's descendants see The William and Mary
Quarterly XV, 125-129. Unfortunately the first page of the copy of the
declaration, sent to this Society a number of years ago, has been lost.]



burg and the country between York and James Rivers, against
the depredations of Lord Dunmore and his myrmidons. With-
in the ensuing Fall, he received a captain's commission to re-
cruit a company of Regular soldiers to serve in the 6th Va.
Reg. of the line on continental establishment. His Company,
being recruited at the commencement of the following Spring,
he marched it to Williamsburg, and united with the said 6th
Regt., then under command of Cols. Buckner and Elliot, and
Major Hendricks. All the companies were nearly complete,
some he believes, quite so, viz., — Capt. Samuel Cabell, Lieu-
tenants Barrett and Taliaferro, and Ensign Jordan; Capt.
Ruffin, two lieutenants and ensign; Capt. Johnson, two lieu-
tenants and ensign; Capt. Hopkins, ditto; Capt. Garland, ditto;
Capt. Cocke, ditto; Capt. Oliver Towles (a celebrated lawyer)
and company officers; Capt. Gregory, ditto. He believes
Capt. Worsham, or Dun and Avery. Also himself (Capt.
Massie), Lieutenants Hockaday and Epperson, and Ensign
Armistead. The companies were raised in different and dis-
tant parts ot the state and he had not even personal acquaint-
ance with many of them, which, together with the length of time,
renders it difficult for him to remember every officer's name.
After the Regiment was equipped and armed, it marched out
and camped in the vicinity of Williamsburg where it entered



MASSIE PENSION CLAIM. 185

into camp and military training; whence his regiment was
ordered to march to the North. Within the summer following
this was done imder the command of Col. Buckner, and Major
Hendricks (Lieu-Col. Elliot having withdrawn). Capt. Ruffin
died and he believes another officer, and several resigned or
or withdrew. The regiment marched through Virginia by way
of Fredericksburg and the Northern Neck, through the upper
part of Maryland into Pennsylvania by way of Lancaster, leaving
Philadelphia to the right, crossed the Delaware River above Tren-
ton, and passed through Jersey to Perth Amboy, where the regi-
ment was posted to defend that point and the country around un-
til fiirther orders. Gen. Washington at that time having the
greater part of the main American army on Long and York Is-
lands, soon after the defeat of that army on those islands, he with
his said Regiment was to march up the Sound byway of Newark.
The storm and capture of Fort Montgomery taking place, he
met with Gen. Putnam at Newark, and marched up the North
River as high as Fort Lee. The defeated army had crossed the
Hudson, except a part that had marched on the east side of
that river imder the command of Gen. Chas. Lee, He, the said
Thomas Massie, fell in the rear of those retreating troops who
had been appointed to cover their retreat and marched the up-
per road by Springfield, Scotch Plains, &c. to New Brunswick,
on the Raritan River, where the troops to which he was attached
were attacked by the British van. Having destroyed a part
of the bridge, the said American troops kept up a hot fire with
their artillery and small arms, with the British the whole day.
This checked the progress so much as to enable Gen. Washing-
ton to cross the Delaware River with the retreating army,
military stores &c. The troops to which he was attached (be-
ing unincumbered) also had the good fortune to cross the Dela-
ware without much loss. Gen. Washington having refreshed
the troops and received reinforcements recrossed the Delaware
in the night of the 24th of December (he thinks), surprised
and defeated a large body of Hessians, posted at Trenton, cap-
tured about 900 of their number, and crossed the River again
with them. Several days subsequent. Gen. Washington, hav-
ing received reinforcements, again crossed the Delaware River
with his army and took post at Princeton.



186 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

He, the said Massie, was for the two succeeding years gener-
ally employed on detached or particular service, consequently
was seldom with the said Sixth Regiment or his company,
which company was by this time much reduced. On the 1st
day of January, 1777 he marched under the command of Gen.
Scott (who headed a considerable body of troops) on or about
the Princeton road and encamped in the evening on the Heights
above Maiden-head. Soon after the van of an army under
the command of Lord Comwallis appeared, followed by the
main body, said to amount to 12,000 men, and encamped in
the place for the night. By dawn of the next day the enemy
were in motion and filed off in columns to the American left,
apparently to surroimd them. The Americans discharged two
light field pieces of artillery at them, without return, and re-
treated down the road to a creek, which they crossed over a
bridge and destroyed the same, and took possession of the
ground on the Trenton side of the creek, then covered with
large forest trees. Gen. Hard at that time, being above with
a large corps of Western Pennsylvania riflemen, the Americans
kept the enemy at bay for several hours (he believes) before he
could effect the passage of the creek with his large and heavy
artillery. The Americans retreated up and slowly along the
road to the siunmit of a hill also covered with forest trees.
Here Gen. Washington, accompanied by Gen. Green with re-
inforcements, come up. Here the Americans also skirmished
(a considerable time) with the enemy before they retreated,
and ultimately retreated to a long hill perhaps a mile to the
west end of Trenton in view of the main American Army.
Here they formed and awaited the attack of the enemy. The
day being now very far spent, the enemy appeared and ap-
proached the Americans in columns. As they were displaying
we gave them a fire in single file from right to left, and retreated
under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery, and formed tmder
the protection of the main army in Trenton. A very heavy
cannonade ensued directly between the two armies that lasted
until after dark and has been called the cannonade of Trenton.
Gen. Washington, having fortunately gained a grand point in
eluding Cornwallis' intention of bringing him into a general



MASSIE PENSION CLAIM. 187

action, made up large fires in front and left those who had been in
the van during the day to keep them up. He immediately
marched with his anny, and taking the Princeton road, reached
that place eariy the next morning, defeated Col. Mahood, who
Lord Comwallis had left there with troops to defend the place
and its stores. Gen. Washington, having taken off those stores
&c., proceeded down the road by Kingston and Somerset Court
House to Morristown, where he established posts on the Raritan
in Jersey, viz., at Perth Amboy, Bonnontown and Brunswick.
Gen. Washington also established a Hne of posts opposite to
them with a view of preventing the British garrisons from hav-
ing intercourse with and marauding the country. He, the
said Massie, was placed on this duty at Middle Post, Natuchen,
under the command of Col. Hendricks, and served on it near
five months. This duty was extremely severe by night as
well as by day, constant patrolling, frequent skirmishes, some
of them very bloody nocturnal surprises, the cutting off of
pickets etc., always attended with loss of men, and great fatigue.
The British called in their posts about the first of Jime and the
American Posts were evacuated about the middle of June. He,
with the other officers &c. who had been in this line of duty
joined the main army at Middlebrook. Sometime after, he
and five other officers were sent to Virginia with instructions.
He, on his return, joined the army under Gen. Washington at
the White Marsh Hills. Shortly after. Gen. Morgan returned
with troops from the capture of Burgo^me's army. Our army
then marched into winter quarters by way of the gulf to Valley
Forge. He was soon detailed on duty under Gen. Morgan,
who was to take post at Radnor about half way between Valley
Forge and the mouth of the Schuylkill River, with a view to
cutting off the communication of the enemy from that part of
the country which was effected. About this time (Feb. 1778)
he was promoted to the rank of Major. In the Spring he com-
manded a large guard low in the lines not far above Philadel-
phia. Here he received Lord Cathcart, Aide to Gen. Clinton,
with a fiag of truce and dispatches for Congress. Agreeably
to orders, he, Cathcart, was not permitted to proceed further.
The dispatches were read and delivered to Gen. Morgan. Im-



188 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

mediately after, Gen. Clinton evacuated Philadelphia. He
(Massie) marched imder Gen. Morgan, through the city, pro-
ceeded up and crossed the river, and united with the main
army. He with Major Gibbs was detailed to attend Gen.
Morgan, who was appointed to command the light troops etc.,
to interrupt and endeavor to retard the march of the British
army through Jersey to Sandy Hook. The first attempt to
retard their march was made at Allentown. This stopped
them a day and some prisoners were taken. The second at-
tempt was a complete surprise, from thick shrubbery in the
pines, where 16 to 18 prisoners were brought off and a few
killed with little loss to the Americans. Several other attempts
were made to alarm and retard their march which succeeded
so far as to enable Gen. Washington to march with his main
army by Englishtown and obtain a position which gave him
the power of bringing Gen. Clinton to a general engagement,
in which it is believed he would have been entirely successful
except for the flagrant disobedience of orders by Gen. Chas.
Lee, who commanded the van of the American Army. On
that, the 28th day of Jtme, 1778 (an intense hot day) Gen.
Washington ordered Gen. Lee to attack in full force. This,
the said Massie, knows to be the fact, the orders having been
communicated verbally by Gen. Washington through him,
(the said Massie) the evening before. On Gen. Lee's approach
the British army drew up in order of battle. Gen Lee ordered
a retreat which was done under a slow retreating fire for some-
time. Gen. Lee repeatedly sent orders to the officers com-
manding the several flanking corps not to advance and engage.
This state of things continued imtil Gen. Washington came
into the field himself, took the command, arrested Gen. Lee,
and renewed the battle by bringing the troops into action. The
battle at Monmouth Court House was a bloody and hard
fought action. After the sunset the British army gave way, and
it being too dark for pursuit, the American Army lay on the
field for the night, with a view to renew the battle the next
day; but the British Army in the night, made a silent and
rapid retreat, leaving their dead and wounded. Gen. Morgan,
under whose command he, the said Massie still acted, was



MASSIE PENSION CLAIM. 189

ordered to pursue the British early next morning, but they
could not be overtaken except two or three hundred stragglers
that were captured. Pursuit was continued to Middleton
Heights immediately above Sandy Hook. After being there
and thereabout for several days, the troops marched up by
Sposwood to Brunswick, bridge on the Raritan River. Here
we had a feu de joie in honor of the victory of Monmouth.
From thence he marched to King's Ferry on the Hudson river,
and crossed to the White Plains in New York. Here he re-
mained several weeks. From there, he, with several other
officers, was ordered to Rhode Island to assist Gen.
Sullivan at the siege of Newport, then in the possession of the
British. A violent storm, however, with rain, etc. for several
days having driven Coimt D'Estrey's fleet from the mouth of
the harbour out to sea, rendered it impracticable for Gen.
Sullivan to proceed with the siege; he consequently retired
from the island and the said Massie with the other officers de-
tached as above stated returned and rejoined their respective
regiments then encamped on the Hudson some distance above
West Point, and on the opposite side.

Soon after this, the stirprise and captiu-e of Baylor's newly
raised regiment of calvalry near Heroington, happened, when
he with his regiment marched under the command of Gens.
Woodford and Morgan with their troops to that neighborhood
and took post on the strong heights of Paramus. By this
time a large British force (said to amoimt to 6,000) imder the
command of Lord ComwalHs had taken the possession of the
town of Hackensack, with a view of foraging the coimtry, in
which they did not succeed to much extend, owing to the vigi-
lence of the American troops in attacking and repulsing their
foraging parties. In a few weeks the British army returned
to New York and the said Massie with his regiment tmder the
command of Col. Febiger was posted at Hackensack. Soon
after this, Col. Febiger was called off, and the said Massie was
left in the sole command of the Regiment. This was the second
Virginia Regiment on continental establishment. The officers
were. Captains Taylor, Parker, Calmes, Catlett, Stokes, Ken-
non, Gill, etc., etc., as well as recollected at the distant date



190 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

He continued there until after the middle of December, when
he with his command pursuant to orders marched into winter
quarters at Boundbrook, on the north side of Raritan River
(under the command of Gen. Lord Sterling, who commanded
that division of the army) where he continued quietly for a con-
siderable time. The British were confined to New York and
its environs and employed in arranging and strengthening their
posts of defense. Their embarcation of troops to our Southern
States and other occturences demonstrated the intention of
moving the main seat of war there, with a view to attempt
the subjugation of those states. Time progressing, it was
known that Congress had determined to defend and save
Charleston, if possible, and that the eight old Virginia Regi-
ments were doomed to that service. Those (8) Regiments
were then so much reduced in number that they were conso-
idated into (?) Regiments (March, 1780). The officers whose
commissions bore the highest rank, of course, took the com-
mand. The said Massie was of consequence a supernumerary
officer, and, with Gen. Washington's permission, returned to
Virginia, holding his commission (which he at this time has)
ready and subject to duty with other supemimierary officers
whenever called on or required.

He ranlced as Major on the 20th February, 1778, but did not
take his commission from the war office (not having leisure to
call for it) until the 20th March, 1779. His commission as
captain was literally worn and rubbed out in his pocket while
on duty from the constant exposure to rain, hail and snow day
and night. He acted alternately under the commands of
Gens. Scott, Weedon, Sullivan, Morgan, Woodford, Gen. Lord
Sterling &c., &c. He was afterwards under the command of
Gen. Nelson as Aidecamp in the winter of 1780 and 1781,
when Arnold invaded Virginia and destroyed the public stores
and houses at Richmond and Arsenal and foundry etc., etc.,
at Westdam and was finally at the siege of Yorktown,and the
surrender of that Post with the British Army, in October, 1781.

After the ratification of the treaty of peace, he received five
thousand, three hundred and thirty- three and a third acres
of land in the states of Ohio and Kentucky (the patents for



MASSIE PEBSION CLAIM. 191

which he now has) in consideration of his services as Major
aforesaid. He likewise received some three per cent and six
per cent certificates, not worth much at the time, afterwards
sold, amount not recollected. He hereby relinquishes every
claim whatever to a pension (saving and excepting his right
to half pay up to 1831, the claim to which he intends prosecut-
ing before Congress) and he declares that his name is not on the
pension roll of any Agency in any state.

(Signed) Thomas Massie, Sen'r.
Sworn and subscribed the
day and year aforesaid.

(Signed) Jno. P. Cobbs.

And the undersigned Justice of the Peace before whom the
foregoing declaration is sworn to and subscribed, doth hereby
declare it as his opinion that the above named applicant was
a Revolutionary officer, and served as he states. It is more-
over certified that the said applicant from age and bodily in-
firmity is unable to attend the Court of the County in order
to mal<:e his declaration, not having heen there (at the Court
House) for many years.

Given under my hand and seal this day and year first above
written. (Signed) Jno P. Cobbs. (Seal.)

Justice of the Peace.

State of Virginia,

Nelson County towit:

In testimony that the above John P. Cobbs, before whom
the foregoing declaration was made and sworn to, is and was
at the time of making the same a duly and lawfully commis-
sioned magistrate of the County of Nelson and the State of
Virginia, and authorized to administer oaths, take acknowledge-
ments, etc., and furthermore that his name subscribed to the
foregoing declaration appears to be his usual signature, I have
hereunto affixed my seal of office and subscribed my name,
and qualify as clerk of the County Court of Nelson in the State
of Virginia, at Lovingston, the Court House of the said County
of Nelson, this 16th day of Feb. 1833.

(Seal) Spottswood Ggxland.



192 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

Virginia towit :

I, John Floyd, Governor of the state aforesaid, do hereby
certify and make known to all whom it may concern that
Spottswood Garland, whose name is subscribed to the armexed
certificate under the seal of the County Coxirt of Nelson, was
at the time of subscribing the same, Clerk of the said Coimty
Court of Nelson, in the State of Virginia, duly appointed and
qualified according to law. And to all his official acts as such
full faith, credit and authority are had and ought to be given.
In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name and caused
the great seal of the state to be affixed hereunto. Done at
the City of Richmond the 20th day of February in the year of
our Lord, one thousand, eight hundred and thirty-three, and of
the Commonwealth of the fifty-seventh.

(Signed) John Floyd.
(Seal)
By the Governor.

(Signed) Wm. A. Richardson,

Sec'y. Com'th.

And Keeper ot the Seal.



NOTES AND QUERIES. 193



fflSTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL NOTES AND
QUERIES.



BAYLOR LETTERS.

(Concluded)

From Mrs. Jane Hookham Frere of Gould Square London & Roydon in
Norfolk to Frances Norton Baylor of New-Market in Virginia.

August 2nd 1795

My dear Madam,

Though I have no particular intelligence to convey
for your amusement, the lapse of a year is such a chasm in a correspond-
ence that it must be accounted on the decline if it is not reanimated at
least once in this time: as I wish ours to be preserved, I sit down though
without a precise idea of any thing worthy your perusal to communicate
to endeavor to recollect what has occurred that you may wish to be in-
formed of. Only one circumstance of moment and that a melancholy