Culpeper Minutemen

Culpeper Minutemen
Culpeper Minutemen
Culpeper flag.png

Culpeper Minutemen Flag
Active 1st Activation 17 July 1775

2nd Activation 1860

Country 1st Activation American Colonies

2nd Activation Confederate States of American

Allegiance 1st Activation Virginia Colony

2nd Activation the State of Virginia

Branch Infantry
Type Militia
Role Home Guard
Size 500 (actual 350)
Engagements Battle of Great Bridge
Disbanded 1st Disbandment January 1776

2nd Disbandment merged into the 13th Infantry Confederate

Commanders
American Revoluntary Commander Colonel Lawrence Talifferro
American Revoluntionary Executive Officer Lieutenant Colonel Edward Stevens

The Culpeper Minutemen was a militia group formed in 1775 in the district around Culpeper, Virginia. Like minutemen in other British colonies, the men drilled in military tactics and trained to respond to emergencies "at a minute's notice."

Contents

Organization

The Culpeper Minutemen were organized on 17 July 1775 in the district created by the Third Virginia Convention consisting of the counties of Orange, Fauquier and Culpeper. Recruitment began in September 1775 with four companies of 50 men from Fauquier and Culpeper counties each and two companies of 50 men from Orange county.[1] The District Committee of Safety determined that the militia was to meet under a large oak tree in "Clayton's old field" on the Catalpa estate near today's Yowell Meadow Park in Culpeper, Virginia.[citation needed]

Engagements

The Culpeper minutemen fought for the patriot side in the first year of the American Revolution, and are remembered for their company flag: a white banner featuring a rattlesnake, featuring the phrases "Liberty or Death" and "Don't Tread on Me". At the time, Culpeper was considered frontier territory, In October 1775, the minutemen were sent to Hampton in response to British ships attempting to land. The riflemen were able to effectively shoot the men manning the ships cannons, and the fleet eventually sailed away.

The Culpeper militia next participated in the Battle of Great Bridge in December 1775. The battle was a complete American victory. There were accounts of the battle that suggested the British were unnerved by the reputation of the frontiersmen.

The Culpeper Minutemen disbanded in January 1776 under orders from the Committee of Safety. Many of the minutemen continued to serve. Some joined the continental line, and others fought under Daniel Morgan.

John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States, was a member of the original Culpeper Minutemen.

Civil War

In 1860, the Culpeper Minutemen were formed under the same oak tree where the 1775 Minutemen had organized. They also carried the same rattlesnake flag. The unit was mustered into the Company B, 13th Infantry Confederate and fought in several battles.

Later Minutemen

According to the Museum of Culpeper History, the Minutemen were again organized for the Spanish-American War, but were never activated for duty. The Culpeper Minutemen were again organized for World War I, and joined the 116th Infantry.

References

  1. ^ Scribner, Robert L.; Brent Tarter (1977). Revoluntionary Virginia:The Road to Independence, Vol. 3. Charlottesville: Virginia Independence Bicentennial Commission and University of Virginia Press. pp. 466. 

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Culpeper, Virginia —   Town   Seal …   Wikipedia

  • Culpeper County, Virginia — Seal …   Wikipedia

  • Minutemen (disambiguation) — Minutemen may refer to: Minutemen, men from the Massachusetts militia Minutemen (anti Communist organization), headed by Robert DePugh Minutemen (band), a 1980s punk group Minutemen (comics), fictional superheroes in the Watchmen comic series… …   Wikipedia

  • Culpeper — Lage in Virginia Basisdaten Gründung: 1759 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John Jameson (colonel) — John Jameson (1751 – 20 November 1810) was an American soldier, most notable for his service during the American Revolutionary War. He was of Scottish descent and was a resident of Culpeper, Virginia and belonged to the distinguished Jameson… …   Wikipedia

  • Gabriel Long — Infobox Military Person name=Gabriel Long lived=1751 February 3, 1827 placeofbirth=Culpeper County, Virginia placeofdeath=Christian County, Kentucky allegiance=United States of America branch=Light InfantryRiflemen serviceyears=1760 1763, 1774… …   Wikipedia

  • Waller T. Patton — Waller Tazewell Patton Waller T. Patton by William D. Washington, 1868 Born July 15, 1835( …   Wikipedia

  • John Marshall — For other people named John Marshall, see John Marshall (disambiguation). John Marshall John Marshall in 1831 by Henry Inman 4th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States …   Wikipedia

  • Don't Tread on Me — or Dont Tread on Me may refer to: Music Don t Tread on Me (album), a 2005 alternative rock album by 311 Don t Tread on Me (311 song), eponymous song from the album Don t Tread on Me (Metallica song), a 1991 heavy metal song by Metallica The… …   Wikipedia

  • Give me Liberty, or give me Death! — NOTOC Give me Liberty, or give me Death! is a famous quotation attributed to Patrick Henry from a speech made to the Virginia House of Burgesses. It was given March 23, 1775, at St. John s Church in Richmond, Virginia, and is credited with having …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”