1814 – Leaf from a 2nd Virginia Regiment’s orderly book while defending Richmond For Sale

Camp Holly Springs near Richmond, Virginia: 1814. Disbound. This two-page leaf, measuring 7.7” x 12.5”, titled “Head Quarters August 28th 1814”.

The pages contain five entries signed by either Edmund Taylor, the Brigade Major, or George Turner, the Adjutant.

28 Aug – “Brigade Orders. The general orders that the commandants of the 2nd Regiment will immediately cause to be made, a return for thirty rounds of musket cartridges p man: and thirty rounds of musket cartridges p man for the Artillerists carrying carbines. . .. The whole of the Troops at Camp Fairfield, will draw two days of provisions. . .. The tents will be struck at 5, and the line of march taken up precisely at six oClock to morrow morning, and proceed in the order directed by the Brigade Major. . .. [The} Quartermaster General will furnish a sufficient number of waggons for the transportation of the baggage and sick. . .. The officers will carry no more baggage or equipage than what is absolutely necessary. By order of the General, Edmond Taylor Brigade Major”

30 Aug – “The 2nd Regiment will furnish without delay, 1 Sergeant, 1 corporal and 12 privates, as a Quarter guard for the general. . .. George Turner Adjutant”

30 Aug – “Regimental Orders / Camp Holly. . .. The Colonel directs that 2 Subaltern officers be detailed . . . officers of Police party. . ..”

31 Aug – Identifies officers to serve as the officer of the day, officer of the Guard, and officer of Police.

31 Aug – “The General directs that the sick reported by the Surgeons be immediately removed to the Hospital, the Quarter Masters will furnish Waggons to convey them, the Surgeons will report such as are sick and able to attend a nurses, detailed for that purpose. . ..”

On 2 September 1812, after Virginia Governor Barbour received an order from the Secretary of War for 1,500 troops to augment the new Northwestern Army then forming in Ohio under the command of General William Henry Harrison, he established a Virgina brigade consisting of two regiments. The brigade joined with the Pennsylvania brigade to form the Right Wing of Harrison’s Army and advanced up the Scioto Rivier to Marion and Upper Sandusky near the Maumee Rapids.After constructing Fort Meigs, the Virginia units, whose federal enlistments had expired, returned to Virginia and were not present when the British and their Indian allies attacked the following spring.

Although the area near Holly Springs had housed militia camps earlier in the war, during the summer of 1814, it was re-established to defend Richmond after the British fleet, freed from its Napoleonic commitments, appeared in the Chesapeake Bay.

At the time of these entries, the 2nd Virginia Regiment had recently deployed to the camp where it was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ballowe of Buckingham.

(For more information, see Butler’s A Guide to Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812.)

Scarce. At the time of listiing, nothing similar is for sale in the trade or has appeared at sale per the Rare Book Hub. A partial example of a War of 1812 Virginia Milita orderly book is held by the University of Michigan, and a complete Virginia “minute and records” book at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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