FORT LOUDOUN DAY Winchester VA.
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FORT LOUDOUN DAY 2020
Compiled by Jim Moyer, updated 3/20/2017, 4/4/2017, 4/6/2017, 5/17/2017, 2/6/2018, 3/5/18, 3/27/2018, 11/3/2018, 12/12/2019
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Stay tuned for details for Fort Loudoun Day in 2020
This is usually held on the Saturday before or after May 18 of each year.
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Fort Loudoun Day
May 18, 2019 Saturday
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Colonel George Washington’s aid de camp, Captain George Mercer’s Company of the Virginia Regiment will appear at Fort Loudoun, 419 N Loudoun St, Winchester VA.
More details to follow.
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May 23, 2019 Thursday
“Dunmore’s War: The Last Conflict of America’s Colonial Era”
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by Dr. Glenn F. Williams
Senior Historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History
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THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019
LECTURE • 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM • FREE TO ATTEND
BOOK SIGNING TO FOLLOW
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Stimpson Auditorium, Halpin-Harrison Hall
Shenandoah University
600 Millwood Avenue, Winchester, VA
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See a previous lecture, Dr Glenn F. Williams presented on his book.
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See Facebook Bio.
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See Glenn F Williams’ books on Amazon.
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PAST EVENTS
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FORT LOUDOUN DAY 2018
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Observe Fort Loudoun’s Beginning
Saturday May 19, 2018
Photo by Winchester Star of the Captain Mercer Company of the Virginia Regiment when they observed Presidents Day Monday February 19, 2018. Click on photo to enlarge.
The annual
commemoration
of the beginning
of construction of
Fort Loudoun
is observed on
the French and Indian War Foundation’s property at:
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419 North Loudoun Street
Winchester, Virginia
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on Saturday, May 19, 2018
from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
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Who will be there?
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1. Captain George Mercer‘s Company of the Virginia Regiment 1754-1758.
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In the Red Coat is our esteemed General Braddock. With him are the Mercer Co of the Virginia Regiment celebrating with the General the 275th Anniversary of Fairfax County June 17, 2017
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2. General Edward Braddock !!! Finally the General will visit us. 🙂
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3. Colonel James Wood. Our stalwart founder of Winchester Virginia.
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4. Colonel James Wood, II Chapter of the Virginia Society of Sons of the American Revolution and members of its Color Guard.
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5. Vendors will be there. Maybe you need some things to join the Virginia Regiment? Maybe you want to read a story? Maybe you want to prepare for a frontier that could erupt at any time?
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Activities:
1. Tours of the Fort Loudoun grounds
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2. A flag-raising at noon
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3. Musketry demonstration
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4. Recruitment. March with the Virginia Regiment.
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This is a free event.
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At Fort Loudoun May 16, 2016 . . . . Interpreters – Left to Right . . . Ayden McClung, Thadd McClung both of the Provincial Militia, Ft. Dobbs, NC . . . William Hunt: Lt. of 1st Virginia Regiment . . . Fred Harmon of the Continental Army, Virginia Line, 13 Regiment, Fort Pitt . . . Robert Andrews, Brett Osborn: Col. James Woods Color Guard . . . Raleigh Boaze, speaker at the day’s event
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Usually
Fort Loudoun Day
is the Saturday
nearest
the 18th of May
because
that is the day
construction
of Fort Loudoun began.
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See the letter
Col George Washington writes from Winchester VA
to Lt Col Adam Stephen
stationed in Fort Cumberland.
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Fort Loudoun Day is based on a
May 18, 1756 letter GW writes
about starting construction of the fort.
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Col George Washington writes from Winchester VA to Lt Col Adam Stephen at Fort Cumberland May 18, 1756 :
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18 May 1756 letter Col George Washington in Winchester VA writes to Lt Colonel Adam Stephen who is at Fort Cumberland – Click on picture to enlarge. Hit backspace to return here. Click on source to see more.
Sir: When I wrote to you last,
I expected to have been at Fort Cumberland ere this; . . .
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I am also detained here [Winchester VA] to construct and erect a fort, which the Governor has ordered to be done with expedition.
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As it will be necessary to have a number of Carpenters, &c. to carry on the work with spirit, and vigour;
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18 May 1756 letter Col George Washington in Winchester VA writes to Lt Colonel Adam Stephen who is at Fort Cumberland – Click on picture to enlarge. Hit backspace to return here. Click on source to see more.
you are desired to send down all the men of Captain George Mercers Company;
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those that are there of Captain Bells.
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All the men that are really skilled in masonry: and if all these do not make up fifty; you are to complete the party to that number, out of the best Carpenters in other Companies.
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Source:
Founders Online link
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Actual Image of the above 18 May 1756 letter
Col George Washington writes to Lt Col Adam Stephen
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Sketch of the Well at Fort Loudoun. This well still exists today. This sketch is by James E Taylor embedded with the Yankee General Sheridan Campaign headquartered in Winchester VA
This well shown in sketch on left, still exists today .
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THIS Assembly met in its first session
on March 25, 1756,
to authorize building this fort
and continued in session till May 5.
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See this act of legislature, Chapter II, XVI, page 33, specifying the building of a fort in Winchester VA.
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Declaration of War
May 28, 1754
Historians date the start of the French and Indian War to Jumonville Glen.
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July 9, 1755
Even though, a major battle had occurred – Braddock’s Defeat, declaration of official war had not occurred.
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Norman Baker, historian for the French and Indian War Foundation, discovered the exact outline of Fort Loudoun. His disovery was proven accurate by subsequent archeological dig. For many years legends guessed the site to be more south on the Fort Loudoun apartments grounds. Click on aerial photo to enlarge.
May 17, 1756
Virginia did not know
yet that
Great Britain declared official war
on the day before
Fort Loudoun construction began.
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August 15, 1756
Colonel Washington
got word of this
formal declaration
ordering for the next day,
a “triple Discharge of the Artillery, and three Rounds of Musquetry, with loud Acclamations of the People.”
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ONE MORE THING.
This day May 18, 1756 was a busy day
when starting building of Fort Loudoun.
Just look at the correspondence here.
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PAST EVENTS
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LAST YEAR’S
FORT LOUDOUN DAY
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Saturday 20 May 2017
419 N Loudoun St Winchester VA
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See previous
Fort Loudoun Days in this link.
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Our President David Grosso of the
French and Indian War Foundation
conducted free tours
around the fort’s footprint.
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Also on site was
Captain George Mercer’s Company
of Colonel George Washington’s
Virginia Regiment.
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Left to Right on front row:
Jim Moyer, Charles Harbaugh IV, Eric Bartock, Tony Elar.
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In between Eric Bartock and Tony Elar, and behind them is our commander, Tony Elar Jr (yes, the older one is Jr 🙂 )
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Click to enlarge this photo.
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Photo taken on Fort Loudoun Day, May 20, 2017
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Also on May 20, 2017, Fort Loudoun Day. Front and center is Mark Tooley from Fort Edwards Foundation holding up the camera, with Jim Moyer as Private in Captain Mercer Company of VA Regiment and Frenchman with his cannon in the background.
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Fort Loudoun Day, May 14, 2016
Compiled by Jim Moyer
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Time for the whole event:
10 a.m. to 3 p.m (rain curtailed event at 130pm)
419 N Loudoun St Winchester VA
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Speaker: Tony Elar – 11:30am
Tony Elar and his son and Foundation member and Jim Moyer are
recreating Mercer’s Co. of the First Virginia Regiment.
The company served under Washington at Fort Loudoun.
Topic: “Soldiers of the Virginia Regiment”.
Time: 11:30 a.m.
See Pictures of this year’s Fort Loudoun Day 14 May 2016
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In the captions you will see Bold Italic representing links to further information. Click on those links.
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Pictures below are of the participants of last year’s event (2015), who will reappear this year (2016):
Living history participants scheduled to appear for your questions:
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Col. James Wood, see story on his only election.
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Col. Wood’s Color Guard
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Soldiers Mercer’s Co.
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See link: http://jimmoyer1.wix.com/mercercompany1stva
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Click on: More about George Mercer and his company.
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Dept. of Geographers – colonial era surveyors
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Raleigh Boaze – Interprets life on the frontier as a backwoodsman
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See what happened on
Fort Loudoun Day in 2015, 2014, 2013: Click on this link
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Click on what the 419 N. Loudoun Street location looks like.
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Fort Loudoun Day , May 16, 2015
commemorates start of building Fort Loudoun in May 1756.
See video below:
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We are delighted to announce a speaker, Raleigh Boaze
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Subject of talk by Raleigh Boaze:
“General Braddock’s Failed Attempt to
Capture Fort Duquesne and the Colonies Involvement “
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Raleigh Boaze is a living history interpreter of the 18th century colonial frontier. Mr. Boaze presents a first person account of life on the ‘American’ frontier in the years 1754 to 1775. Dressed in backwoodsman attire and accoutrements, he describes the settlers’ strife at the hands of the Native Americans aligned with the French opposing encroachment of the British colonists beyond the Appalachians and underscores the importance of this period in the eventual founding of our country.
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Mr. Boaze presents his interpretation of the 18th century frontier life in schools and before civic groups in the Mid-Atlantic region and has been instrumental in bringing about changes to history texts used in the public schools to ensure that they accurately portray life on the frontier during this period.
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2014’s Fort Loudoun Day
See video below:
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