Fellow Virginia Researchers:

I am hoping that this post will ferret out some experts/interested
parties/colonial military buffs regarding the French/Indian War that can
either corroborate information or lead me in the right direction.

I woke up Saturday morning to a most interesting post from one of my distant
cousins with whom I correspond frequently as we have a most entertaining set
of joint ancestors (excerpts from the article on Gen. Braddock are found at
the end).

Note: this was an email passed around three times:  To wit it said that an
article appeared (in 1938,unnamed publication) saying a Virginia militia man,
one Thomas Fassit (and my "cousin") from the Eastern Shore of VA/MD fired the
shot that four days later killed Gen Braddock during the ambush in 1755
during the campaign to secure Fort Duquesne in the French-Indian War

Thomas fired the shot in revenge after said General killed his brother with
his saber, who like Thomas and other Virginia militia men had taken cover in
the trees like the French and the Indians (who albeit were at their backs).
Braddock wanted them back on the road as sitting ducks not in the trees.  (I
realize that Braddock had no experience in this situation.)

It goes on to say that the circumstances of Braddock's actual killing were
kept quiet, by Virginians but later came out the article says.

I have since looked at probably only a small percentage of the information on
the ambush of on the internet (hundreds of hits)...several of which agree he
took his sword to beat the nonsuicidal Virginia milita men out of the bushes.
 I have also gone to my library and looked at several books on military
history of the time, although the only book devoted to the French -Indian War
was not available.  I have found nothing to corroborate the story.  They all
say he took a bullet in his back at his shoulder.  He was basically abandoned
on the field and George Washington (only aide-de-camp due to some "cutbacks"
in military rank for the colonials) saw that he was taken off the
field...it's really an interesting story.  Daniel Boone was there too.

(This is an aside, but I was reading and following up on this email at the
same time I was listening to the always amusing, entertaining "Cartalk" show
on WAMU (NPR) in Washington DC, which I awake religiously for every Saturday
morning at 8:00, and my children know they can get good breakfasts from me
because I pretend to give the kitchen a once over during the program and the
news show that follows it with Daniel Schoor.  On the show this past
Saturday, they had Martha Stewart as a guest advising about (a) how to cook
chicken on manifolds between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and (b) why you are
endangering birds and wildlife when you attach balloons to cars after
weddings and  throw anything at the happy couple but "puffed rice", ie not
any dried, uncooked rice.   I think there were also discussions of dyes in
crepe paper, but I missed it.  I was then looking at George Washington
helping General Braddock and all I could think of was a segment of a
multipart series "Our Founding Fathers" on the History Channel, noting Geo
Washington's retreated to Mt. Vernon after Cornwallis surrnder...and his
total absorption in the estate and compared him to being the "Martha Stewart"
of the day, as he was interested in everything about bettering his estate,
new methods, etc.).

So my question is whether any of you have heard this story, have seen any
articles written, etc.  I'd be happy for any direction.

From a genealogy perspective, these Fassits are of Virginian ancestry.  They
are without a doubt the descendants of John Fawcett/Fassit and Rhoda
Lamberton who were in Accomac Co VA 1660s/1670s.  John Fassit was a sheriff
in Accomac until he quit in the 1660s, (via friends who were at a court
session when he wasn't) who said the job was more trouble than it was worth
(ie, his pay was based on his ability to collect taxes, court judgments,
etc.).  He then resumed his lawyering, and as far as I can see, for a real
small community a more litigious group of folks has never existed, and so he
probably was able to supplment his farm income with representing folks in
their  One researcher, FYI, thinks both of their parents were from New Kent,
or York, etc., but this is new info for me and I haven't followed up yet.
John Fassit died in the early 1670s.  His wife Rhoda, soon after lived openly
with her much-married neighbor John Cropper (wife, a Bowman, daughter of a
justice, etc., etc.).  They were run out of Accomac (court affadavits on
servants seeing them "naked in bed" raises questions??, and the foreman of
their "cattle drive" up to Maryland testified too).  John Cropper and Rhoda
settled in Somerset (later Worcestor...as noted below) and they had several
children...also according to Accomac court records they EACH had a bastard
soon after John Fassit's death....John Cropper dies and his wife sues on the
will because he left his best land to Rhoda...Rhoda then marries John
Cropper's wife's attorney...all in all an entertaining story...and for
everybody with ancestors in the 1600s in VA makes you think and cry about
just how much information went up in flames at some point.

My thanks in advance, and best regards,

Janet (Baugh) Hunter...text of exert follows:

We think this is a quote from the article:

"
"Modern American histories overlook the fact that a Worcester County
soldier shot and killed General Edward Braddock, English Army Officer
who was slain during the French and Indian War. But a few of the older
history books do not mention the cause of General Braddock's death and
family records recently found down in Virginia further substantiate the
incident.

General Braddock in command of a mixed force of British Regulars and
Virginia Militia led his army against Fort Duquesne one summer day back
in 1755 twenty-one years before the American Revolution.
in Braddock's forces were two Worcester County natives: Thomas
Fossitt (Fassett) and his brother. The Fassitt brothers born on
Synepuxent Neck Section of Worcester County were members of the Virginia
Militia.

A few miles from Fort Duquesne, Indians and the French ambushed General
Braddock's forces. The English General, used to fighting in the open,
ordered his troops to charge the hidden foe. The Virginia Militia men
hid behind trees fighting Indian fashion.

In an effort to rally his forces General Braddock spied one of the
Fassitt brothers firing his rifle from behind a nearby tree. Braddock
ordered the men in the open and when Fassitt refused to obey the
command, pointing out that such needless exposure would be suicide the
English general drew his saber and killed him.

A few feet distant Thomas Fassitt also engaged in firing at the enemy
from behind a tree witnessed the ruthless killing of his brother by
Generals Braddock. Quickly turning his loaded rifle Thomas Fassitt fired
on charge at the mounted figure of the English officer. The ball struck
Braddock in the back mortally wounding him.

Fellow soldiers of the Virginia Militia that survived the ambush and who
also witnessed the killing of General Braddock sealed their lips until
years after the conflict ended. They knew that Thomas Fassitt had killed
the general to avenge his brother's death.

Thomas Fassitt survived the French and Indian War and returned to his
family at Synepuxent Neck. A few years later he removed to the Eastern
Shore of Virginia"

Footnote:  The Fassits had land inVA and Maryland.  It was all family land.
We haven't been able to place Thomas or his brother..but think he was maybe a
grandson of Wm Fassitt & Elizabeth Whittington (mine).

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html