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Date: | Tue, 1 Nov 2005 18:03:59 EST |
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John,
I found your comments about Light Horse Harry Lee and the militia very
interesting. It fits very well with what happened at Guilford Court House in Mar
1781. My 4 x great-grandfather, John "the Powder Maker" Rogers b. 1757, and
four of his brothers were with the Montgomery Co, VA militia when LHH Lee
abandoned them on the battlefield. Here is a description that I have put
together from various sources:
At Guilford, the Montgomery County militia found themselves again pitted
against German Hessians who were part of the British force under Lord
Cornwallis. The frontiersmen fought well and inflicted casualties twice their number on
the German mercenaries. Lee and his cavalry who were fighting next to
Colonel Campbell’s militia suddenly and without informing Campbell withdrew leaving
Campbell’s force exposed. At this point, British cavalry charged the
frontiersmen and cut down some of the men. Lee’s cavalry was not to be seen.
"Campbell and his men felt deeply aggrieved – feeling that Lee had abandoned
them without notice, and left them to maintain the unequal contest
unprotected by cavalry, when the British dragoons charged them". That is a quote from a
book about General Greene and is probably a great understatement. I suspect
the frontiersmen wanted Lee’s scalp.
Campbell was so mad that the next day he spoke openly of Lee’s shameful
actions and told General Greene, if that’s how these brave men were to be
treated, he could take this job and ……………well you know the rest.
Despite General Greene’s compliments about Colonel Campbell’s brave men and
their performance at the battle, Campbell resigned and left immediately with
his force of frontier militia. By June 1781, the Virginia General Assembly
called Campbell to service again and promoted him to Brigadier General of the
militia to serve under Marquis De La Fayette who was commanding the entire
Virginia forces.
Jerry Rogers
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