Lord Dunmore's War: Henry Sceggs' Detachment

Lord Dunmore's War was a confrontation between colonial Virginia and the Indians of the Ohio Country in 1774.  The war consisted of small skirmishes in present-day Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky culminating with the Battle of Point Pleasant on October 10, 1774 near modern-day Point Pleasant, West Virginia.  You can read more about Lord Dunmore's War here.  Sergeant Henry Skaggs led a company of men from Fincastle County, Virginia consisting of several persons of interest for Skaggs researchers.

It looks like Sgt. Henry Skaggs' detachment served in Lord Dunmore's War but did not participate in the march to the Battle of Point Pleasant.  They likely served at Fort Culbertson defending the Virginia frontier settlements.  Pay ledgers from the war show the following men served in Sgt. Skaggs' detachment:

  • Sgt. Henry Sceggs - Henry from the Long Hunter family for 4 days service plus provisions.  Henry led this detachment.
  • Richard Skaggs - Brother of Henry from the Long Hunter family for 4 days service plus provisions.
  • Moses Skeggs - Brother of Henry from the Long Hunter family for 4 days service plus provisions.  Also, it looks like John Skeggs (likely John "Gourdhead" Skaggs) signed off on Moses Skeggs' days of service and expenses for provisions.

  • Aaron Skaggs - He was likely the Aaron Scaggs who was in the 1755 tax list for Orange County, North Carolina who later lived in the New River Valley of Virginia.  He was paid for 4 days of service plus provisions.
  • Other interesting persons show up on this ledger, including Jonathan Elswick and Shadrack White.




In summary, from these pay ledgers it looks like Long Hunter brothers Richard and Moses Skaggs participated in local patrols for four days under brother Henry Skaggs' command.  Distant relative Aaron Skaggs and family friends Jonathan Elswick and Shadrack White also served under Henry Skaggs.

1 comment:

  1. This distinguishes Henry, the surveyor and wilderness guide for Henderson, from this Henry as the “man of mystery” was exploring the area in present-day Stanford in the year 1774. He helped establish Logan’s Station/St.Asaph by the spring of the following year by guiding many of the early settlers. This is supposedly the year LH Henry’s daughter Rachel was born. -DSkaggs

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