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