About Mercers Company
Letter to John Fenton Mercer of the Virginia Regiment from Col. George Washington.
" Sir: As the great rains have prevented your march on the expedition Ordered: you are to halt at the place where you now are, until the waters are passable: and then proceed to Enoch's Fort and no farther;
and remain there until you receive further Orders from me.
You must endeavour to procure some good Woodsmen, we...ll acquainted with the place; and honest people, to send out as Spies to the Springs and whatever you engage for to them, that is reasonable, I will pay.
The persons you engage as Spies, must set out immediately; and if they bring you any intelligence, you must transmit it immediately to me.
If you find, from any intelligence you receive, that it will be possible to fall in with the Enemy. You must detach Parties to way-lay them; and are to keep out constant Scouting Parties from the place you are posted. The Waggons must be sent back, as you will have no use for them. You must take with you the men ordered in my last; and what provision you can.
Use all methods to get intelligence of the Enemy; and endeavour to post some parties to fall in with them. You are not to delay one moment transmitting me intelligence, if you find the Enemy is at the Warm-Springs. Yours, &c. "
Capt. John Fenton Mercer, the commander of the troops at Fort Edwards at the Battle of Great Cacapehon on April 18, 1756, was killed along with sixteen others in that encounter. He was from a well-known Virginia family. John Fenton Mercer was born at Chingomilican, MD, on August 31,1735. His father, John Mercer, was a prominent lawyer in Virginia, and a member of the Ohio Company. His mother, Catherine Mason Mercer, was from the well-known Mason family, and George Mason of Gunston Hall was her nephew and John Fenton’s cousin. John Fenton followed his older brother George into military service, being listed as an Ensign on the rolls taken at Wills Creek, July 19, 1754, before the capitulation of Fort Necessity. He was a Lieutenant in Robert Steward’s company of horse in the Fort Duquesne expedition, and was commissioned a Captain in 1755. In April, 1756, he was the commander of about one hundred men stationed at Fort Edwards. He led a party of about fifty men out in pursuit of Indians and was ambushed and killed along with Ensign Thomas Carter and 15 soldiers. This massacre sent chills through the Burgesses and made them acutely aware of the desperate situation on the frontier.
In April, 1756, the native Americans and some French officers began a campaign that brought death and devastation to Hampshire County and surrounding areas. Several large parties of Indians, some with French officers and soldiers attached, came from Ft. Duquesne and passed by Fort Cumberland to attack the Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania frontiers. On Sunday morning, April 18, 1756, they appeared in the area near the fort at Joseph Edwards's home on the Cacapon River. One local tradition says they attacked a mill at Edwards Run and carried off some flour which they laid along a trail. The military reports do not mention this event, but one does not know if that is simply to omit a story about the naivety of the soldiers. The reports sent to Col. Washington state that soldiers from the fort went out in the morning searching for horses and found Indians. When the alarm was raised, Capt. John Fenton Mercer, Ensign Thomas Carter and their company went out in pursuit of the Indians. The company was ambushed by a large number of the enemy estimated to be upwards of 100 including Frenchmen. Capt. Mercer, Ensign Carter and fifteen soldiers were killed.
" Sir: As the great rains have prevented your march on the expedition Ordered: you are to halt at the place where you now are, until the waters are passable: and then proceed to Enoch's Fort and no farther;
and remain there until you receive further Orders from me.
You must endeavour to procure some good Woodsmen, we...ll acquainted with the place; and honest people, to send out as Spies to the Springs and whatever you engage for to them, that is reasonable, I will pay.
The persons you engage as Spies, must set out immediately; and if they bring you any intelligence, you must transmit it immediately to me.
If you find, from any intelligence you receive, that it will be possible to fall in with the Enemy. You must detach Parties to way-lay them; and are to keep out constant Scouting Parties from the place you are posted. The Waggons must be sent back, as you will have no use for them. You must take with you the men ordered in my last; and what provision you can.
Use all methods to get intelligence of the Enemy; and endeavour to post some parties to fall in with them. You are not to delay one moment transmitting me intelligence, if you find the Enemy is at the Warm-Springs. Yours, &c. "
Capt. John Fenton Mercer, the commander of the troops at Fort Edwards at the Battle of Great Cacapehon on April 18, 1756, was killed along with sixteen others in that encounter. He was from a well-known Virginia family. John Fenton Mercer was born at Chingomilican, MD, on August 31,1735. His father, John Mercer, was a prominent lawyer in Virginia, and a member of the Ohio Company. His mother, Catherine Mason Mercer, was from the well-known Mason family, and George Mason of Gunston Hall was her nephew and John Fenton’s cousin. John Fenton followed his older brother George into military service, being listed as an Ensign on the rolls taken at Wills Creek, July 19, 1754, before the capitulation of Fort Necessity. He was a Lieutenant in Robert Steward’s company of horse in the Fort Duquesne expedition, and was commissioned a Captain in 1755. In April, 1756, he was the commander of about one hundred men stationed at Fort Edwards. He led a party of about fifty men out in pursuit of Indians and was ambushed and killed along with Ensign Thomas Carter and 15 soldiers. This massacre sent chills through the Burgesses and made them acutely aware of the desperate situation on the frontier.
In April, 1756, the native Americans and some French officers began a campaign that brought death and devastation to Hampshire County and surrounding areas. Several large parties of Indians, some with French officers and soldiers attached, came from Ft. Duquesne and passed by Fort Cumberland to attack the Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania frontiers. On Sunday morning, April 18, 1756, they appeared in the area near the fort at Joseph Edwards's home on the Cacapon River. One local tradition says they attacked a mill at Edwards Run and carried off some flour which they laid along a trail. The military reports do not mention this event, but one does not know if that is simply to omit a story about the naivety of the soldiers. The reports sent to Col. Washington state that soldiers from the fort went out in the morning searching for horses and found Indians. When the alarm was raised, Capt. John Fenton Mercer, Ensign Thomas Carter and their company went out in pursuit of the Indians. The company was ambushed by a large number of the enemy estimated to be upwards of 100 including Frenchmen. Capt. Mercer, Ensign Carter and fifteen soldiers were killed.
The Re-created Company
The
mission of this company is to accurately portray the common Virginian
soldier during the French and Indian War. We exist not only as a tool
to educate the general population at living history events, but also
to educate ourselves.