- William Woodford
"This article is about the American general from the Revolutionary War. For the 14th century Englishman, see
William Woodford (England 1300s) ."William Woodford (
6 October 1734 –13 November 1780 ) was anAmerican Revolutionary War general fromVirginia .He was born in
Caroline County, Virginia , in a town now known as Woodford. He served in theFrench and Indian War as an ensign in ColonelGeorge Washington 'sVirginia Regiment , and was promoted to lieutenant in 1761. During that year he served in the Cherokee expedition under William Byrd andAdam Stephen .At war with Great Britain loomed, Woodford was a delegate to the
Third Virginia Convention , and there was appointed colonel in command of the2nd Virginia Regiment . He drove the royal governor,Lord Dunmore from the Norfolk peninsula after theBattle of Great Bridge onDecember 9 ,1775 , the first significant battle of the Revolution on Virginia soil.Woodford was promoted to brigadier general in February 1777. He was wounded later that year at the
Battle of Brandywine , where he and his troops performed well. In 1778 he led his brigade at theBattle of Monmouth . In late 1779 he and his brigade were sent to join the Southern army, only to be captured at theSiege of Charleston in 1780. He was sent to New York, where he died on board aBritish prison ship later that year. He was buried atTrinity Church, New York .Two counties in the United states were named in his honor:
Woodford County, Illinois , andWoodford County, Kentucky .References
*Harry M. Ward. "Woodford, William". "
American National Biography Online ", February 2000.External links
* [http://www.co.caroline.va.us/woodford.html William Woodford (1734-1780) by Susan F. Sili]
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