Hello Janet,

I would like to go on record as saying that I found your remarks about both
Martha Stewart and George Washington to be glib, inaccurate, unnecessary,
exploitative, inflammatory and offensive.

I very much resent being subjected to such extraneous commentary.
Just my opinion...and I'm entitled to it

Thank you,
malinda jones




Janet Hunter wrote:

> 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).
>
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