Fort Dinwiddie incident (war, state, events, slaves)

[EarthBound?]

I'm doing some research on the Ft Dinwiddie incident of around 1755. My 6th Great Grandfather was a Capt. [James Stewart] in the Colonial Rangers during the Wilderness Wars and was captured by the Pawnee Indians along with a few other men. He was burned at the stake in front of his son, my 5th Great Grandfather Ralph Stewart 12yrs old. Later Ralph Stewart became a Capt. in the colonial Army against the British.

I'm trying to find any commanding officers staff logs or any other information from the incident and all assigned to the garrison. I know the military was and still is really good at keeping records.

Any info would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

[Retroit]

You might also want to try the genealogy forum.

[EarthBound?]

I had thought about that, but I'm hoping to find info not just on my forefather but anyone else that was there. What happened, why it happened and where the Pawnee tribes location was at, since the military was so good at keeping that kind of information on file about the enemy at all time. I know where Capt. James Stewart came from, who he was married too and all their children.

[LINative]

There does not seem to be a lot on a Fort Dinwiddie incident or the Dinwiddie Massacre. It seems to have been in Augusta County, Virginia? Maybe the answer is to look up the Augusta County Militia.

I am surprised to hear the Pawnee Indians were attacking so far east from the plains, especially in 1755.

[EarthBound?]

I know, right.

But I do have a book about Capt. Ralph Stewart, my 5th Great Grandfather's life and when he and some other boys were kept as slaves by the Pawnee for two years until they escaped and made their way back to the nearest colony. Then he became a noted Indian killer at the age of sixteen and had a bounty on his head till he was 18. The Lord Dunmore sent for him and his friend and gave them a full pardon and Capt. commissions in the colonial Ranger to fight against the Brits because of their knowledge of the wilderness.

I'm trying to figure out approximately where his father was burned at the stake at the Pawnee camp. I'm hoping that when Ralph returned to the colony, that they may have documented that location and more information on what happened to lead up to the attack. I know that in the book, "Dark and Bloody River", it tell stories of what each side did to one another. I want to put together more of his life and time during the early age of our country, before it became a country.

[Felix C]

Local history societies are good resources.
British Army records as in situation reports forwarded up the chain of command regarding actions are another. The UK Archives are very well organized online regarding searching naval records, presume Army to be as organized.
I would see about any histories compiled shortly after the end of the war.
Records for the Colonial Rangers would be kept in the State Archives were the unit was mustered in.-Virginia?
I do not know if any dedicated French-Indian War forums exist but there may be Georgian era Military History Societies that could point where to research.
Histories written later in the 19th century would use early histories compiled after the war and those may be useful.
Modern histories of the War or related topics would provide a useful bibliography for primary and secondary sources for research.

Eckert's book referenced above is historical fiction but I believe he did use actual events to frame the fictional dialogue. Does he provide a bibliography? Being as he was a popular writer his papers may be kept in a university and one could find out what sources he used for the event.

Ralph Stewart may have provided an affidavit of his capture and imprisonment following his release.
Other members of the Colonial Rangers may have provided affidavits of the service. These tend to indicate when recruited, officers, locations, dates, actions,etc
I have used a site fold3.com for research and they do have records available to the revolutionary war. These are the same as at NARA but they copied for commercial use. You can join for a week or so at no charge before they bill you.

If you do not live close to the National Archives outside of DC, I can forward some links for independent military researchers who frequent the location.

I notice Early America produced many county or regional histories of their colonial era. Again these may be useful.

[EarthBound?]

Thanks folks, and I did just read an article that it may have been the Shawnee Indians not the Pawnee. That would explain a few things.

[Billholtjr]

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

I'm doing some research on the Ft Dinwiddie incident of around 1755. My 6th Great Grandfather was a Capt. [James Stewart] in the Colonial Rangers during the Wilderness Wars and was captured by the Pawnee Indians along with a few other men. He was burned at the stake in front of his son, my 5th Great Grandfather Ralph Stewart 12yrs old. Later Ralph Stewart became a Capt. in the colonial Army against the British.

I'm trying to find any commanding officers staff logs or any other information from the incident and all assigned to the garrison. I know the military was and still is really good at keeping records.

Any info would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

My 6th Great Grandfather is also (Capt) James Stewart.

my name is Bill Holt Jr
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