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SHARPE APPOINTED COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. 449
general and field officers of the provincial troops should have no rank when serving with
the general and other commissioned officers commissioned by the crown; but that all
captains and other inferior officers of the royal troops should take rank over provincial
officers of the same grade, having senior commissions."
The effect of these instructions was to reduce Washington from the rank
of colonel to that of captain. This humiliation he was not content to submit
to, but resigned his commission and retired to private life. The Duke of
Newcastle upon learning of the resignation of Colonel Washington, issued a
commission to Governor Horatio Sharpe, appointing him commander of the
provincial forces at Fort Cumberland. Immediately on the receipt of information that the vessel bearing it had arrived, Governor Sharpe proceeded to
Williamsburg and "received his majesty's commission appointing him
commander in chief of all the forces that are, or may be raised to defend the
frontiers of Virginia and the _ neighboring colonies, and to repel the
unjustifiable invasion and encroachments of the French, on the river
Ohio."1
After an interview with Governors Dinwiddie, and Dobbs of North Carolina, who brought out the commission, he returned to x\nnapolis November
3d. It was concluded to raise immediately 700 men, with whom and
the Independent companies, the French fort should be attacked and reduced
before reinforcements could be brought thither from Canada or Louisiana.
This effected, that post and another which he thought it would be necessary
to erect on a small island in the river, were to be held for the king. To
garrison these and Fort Cumberland would require all his forces; and he
concluded it would be useless for them to attempt anything further against
the enemy on La Riviere aux Boeufs and Lake Erie, "without they be
supported by such a body of troops from home as he dared not presume to
hope for the direction of."2
barracks sufficient to furnish quarters for two extending along nearly the centre of Washing-
hundred men and the company officers. Besides, ton street. . . . The ground to the northwest
there was a parade or drill ground for the com- was somewhat higher, but a small earthwork of
panies. At the west end of the stockade was a temporary character was constructed on the
built a fort with bastions, parapets and ditches, crest. . . . The ground on the south side of
where sixteen guns were mounted, which com- the river, opposite the fort, was high enough to
manded all the ground north, west and south, overlook the work, and somewhat interfered
as well as the north and south lines of the with its efficiency. The company parade and
stockade. These guns were of different calibre, drill ground was inside the pallisades, but the
four of them being 12-pounders, and twelve dress parades were held on the ground now
4-pounders. Besides these, there were several occupied by the court-house and academy,
swivels. A part of this armament was ships' Quite a number of log houses for barracks were
guns, brought from Admiral Keppel's fleet. built near the crest, and as far back as Small-
On the west face was a sally-port, and inside wood street, but these were made use of only
the fort were the houses used as quarters for when tnere were present a greater force than
the dommanding officer, for storing provisions, could be accommodated in the fort and the
and for the guard details while on duty. The barracks immediately adjoining." — Will H.
entire work was 400 feet in length and 160 in Lowdermilk, History of Cumberland.
width, extending from the point indicated, 1 Maryland Gazette.
below Emanuel Church, to within a short dis- 2 Sargent, p. 108.
tance of Prospect street, the northern line
29
| Title | History of Maryland - 1 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000482 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | SHARPE APPOINTED COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. 449 general and field officers of the provincial troops should have no rank when serving with the general and other commissioned officers commissioned by the crown; but that all captains and other inferior officers of the royal troops should take rank over provincial officers of the same grade, having senior commissions." The effect of these instructions was to reduce Washington from the rank of colonel to that of captain. This humiliation he was not content to submit to, but resigned his commission and retired to private life. The Duke of Newcastle upon learning of the resignation of Colonel Washington, issued a commission to Governor Horatio Sharpe, appointing him commander of the provincial forces at Fort Cumberland. Immediately on the receipt of information that the vessel bearing it had arrived, Governor Sharpe proceeded to Williamsburg and "received his majesty's commission appointing him commander in chief of all the forces that are, or may be raised to defend the frontiers of Virginia and the _ neighboring colonies, and to repel the unjustifiable invasion and encroachments of the French, on the river Ohio."1 After an interview with Governors Dinwiddie, and Dobbs of North Carolina, who brought out the commission, he returned to x\nnapolis November 3d. It was concluded to raise immediately 700 men, with whom and the Independent companies, the French fort should be attacked and reduced before reinforcements could be brought thither from Canada or Louisiana. This effected, that post and another which he thought it would be necessary to erect on a small island in the river, were to be held for the king. To garrison these and Fort Cumberland would require all his forces; and he concluded it would be useless for them to attempt anything further against the enemy on La Riviere aux Boeufs and Lake Erie, "without they be supported by such a body of troops from home as he dared not presume to hope for the direction of."2 barracks sufficient to furnish quarters for two extending along nearly the centre of Washing- hundred men and the company officers. Besides, ton street. . . . The ground to the northwest there was a parade or drill ground for the com- was somewhat higher, but a small earthwork of panies. At the west end of the stockade was a temporary character was constructed on the built a fort with bastions, parapets and ditches, crest. . . . The ground on the south side of where sixteen guns were mounted, which com- the river, opposite the fort, was high enough to manded all the ground north, west and south, overlook the work, and somewhat interfered as well as the north and south lines of the with its efficiency. The company parade and stockade. These guns were of different calibre, drill ground was inside the pallisades, but the four of them being 12-pounders, and twelve dress parades were held on the ground now 4-pounders. Besides these, there were several occupied by the court-house and academy, swivels. A part of this armament was ships' Quite a number of log houses for barracks were guns, brought from Admiral Keppel's fleet. built near the crest, and as far back as Small- On the west face was a sally-port, and inside wood street, but these were made use of only the fort were the houses used as quarters for when tnere were present a greater force than the dommanding officer, for storing provisions, could be accommodated in the fort and the and for the guard details while on duty. The barracks immediately adjoining." — Will H. entire work was 400 feet in length and 160 in Lowdermilk, History of Cumberland. width, extending from the point indicated, 1 Maryland Gazette. below Emanuel Church, to within a short dis- 2 Sargent, p. 108. tance of Prospect street, the northern line 29 |
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