Minutes of the Meeting of the Officers of the Virginia Regiment of 1754, 5 March 1771
Minutes of the Meeting of the Officers of the Virginia Regiment of 1754
[Winchester, 5 March 1771]
At a Meeting of the Officers of the first Virga Regiment held at Winchester the 5th Day of March 1771.
present
| Collo. Geo. Washington | Collo. Stephens |
| Capt. Hog | Jas Mercer Gent. Atto. in fact of |
| Doctr Craich | Collo. Geo. Mercer |
| Collo. Washington Agent for Collo. Muse & Lt West | Andrew Waggoner representative of Capt. Waggoner1 |
Collo. Washington having laid before the Members present a short Account of his proceedings down the river Ohio in Company with Doctr Craich & Capt. Crafurd on the 18th of Octber last in Consequence of the resolutions entered into at our last Meeting at Fredericksburg in August 1770 & reported his observations on the Lands located by the Order of Counsel in December 1769 with the Steps he had taken to survey the Lands from the mouth of the great Kanaway up to the Mountain on both Sides of the river2 the Members present were unanimously of Opinion that immediate Instructions be sent to Capt. Crafurd to prosecute the Survey begun on the 3d Day of November on both Sides of the great Kanaway from the Mouth of the Mountain and after he has compleated the Survey of the Lands on the great Kanaway that he proceed as fast as possible to survey the Lands on the Branch of Monangahelas commonly known by the Name of Tygers Valley, agreable to the Instructions he shall receive from Collo. Washington & that he take every Opportunity of transmitting to Collo. Washington an Account of his proceedings on the Survey & such Observations or Occurrencies as may be necessary to direct him in his subsequent Instructions for compleating the Survey.3
And further it was resolved that Collo. Washington be empowered to make out Instructions for Mr Crafurd as soon as possible to prosecute the Survey allready begun on the Kanaway, & from Time to Time to give him such subsequent Orders as may be necessary for carrying on & compleating the Survey or as he shall judge most conducive for the Interest of the Officers & Soldiers claiming under Governor Dinwiddies proclamation in 1754.4
And in Order to enable the Surveyor to defray the necessary Expence of prosecuting the Survey the members present have resolved to advance the Sum of Eighty pounds to be paid by the officers or their representatives residing in the Colony in the proportion agreed on at our last meeting at Fredericksburg according to their respective ranks which Sum is to be lodged in the hands of Collo. Washington to be by him transmitted to Mr Crafurd for the purpose aforesaid to wit every field officer £11.5, each Captain £6.15 & each Subaltern £4.10 Curt money.
And as it is highly unreasonable that the sole Expense should be payed by the officers residing in the Colony only it is resolved that a Subscription be opened by each of the Members present for the Claimants in their respective Neighbourhoods & collect the Money from them to be transmitted to Collo. Washington as soon as possible for the purposes aforesaid & to be paid in the proportion of one Tenth of what each Subaltern pays.5
| Adam Stephen | Go: Washington for self Geo. Muse & John West |
| Js Mercer atty in fact for Geo: Mercer | |
| Jas Craik | |
| Andrw Wagginer | Petr Hog |
DS, DLC:GW.
1. The officers of the Virginia Regiment of 1754 listed here (Peter Hog, James Craik, George Muse, John West, Jr., Adam Stephen, George Mercer, and Thomas Waggener) are all identified in volume 1 of the . Their careers in the French and Indian War may be followed in volumes 1 through 6 of the series.
2. See the minutes of the Virginia council for 15 Dec. 1769 in Petition to Botetourt, 15 Dec. 1769, n.1; see also , 2:286–324.
3. Crawford made his first survey of the soldiers’ land on the Great Kanawha and the Ohio during the next three months. See Crawford to Washington, 2 Aug. 1771.
4. For reference to GW’s missing instructions to William Crawford, see Cash Accounts, March 1771, n.9.
5. Three complete lists of the names of the officers and men of the Virginia Regiment of 1754 who were eligible to receive land and were supposed to pay the requisition are in DLC:GW. See A Roll of the Officers and Soldiers in the Virginia Regiment of 1754, 30 April 1771, and especially note 2.