George Weedon (1734-1793) was Captain in the French and Indian War and a General in the American Revolutionary War. Between the two conflicts he was a prominent citizen of Fredericksburg, Virginia, operating a tavern in that city which served as a meeting place for George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, John Marshall and others to discuss politics and the future course of the American colonies.

Weedon was born in 1734, a few months after his father's death, in Westmoreland County in Virginia. His widowed mother married William Strother when Weedon was still very young, and the family moved to Stafford County, Virginia. Weedon's first military experience came with the onset of the French and Indian War. He served as a Captain in the Virginia Militia, having been commissioned an officer after recruiting other soldiers.

After the war Weedon married Catherin Gordon and settled in Fredericksburg. Catherine's father, John Gordon, operated a tavern in the city, and when he died Catherine's mother continued to run it under as Mrs. Gordon's Tavern. After Weedon's marriage to Catherin, he took over operations of the tavern, under the name Weedon's Tavern. The tavern served as post office for Fredericksburg and the surrounding area. As proprietor, Weedon became a prominent citizen of the city. He kept a stable with pure-bred horses for the amusement of visiting gentlemen, was an ardent sportsman and became secretary of the Jockey Club.

The tavern also became a meeting place for future leaders of the American Revolution, including Washington, Jefferson, Marshall, Patrick Henry, and many others. Weedon, by all accounts, was sympathetic to the cause of revolution from an early stage, and when the war started, he abandoned the tavern to join the army. Weedon has a distinguished military career during the war, and commanded the Virginia Militia at Gloucester Point during the Siege of Yorktown. He was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis in 1781. The Peace Ball, which was held in Fredericksburg to celebrate the victory at Yorktown, was held at Weedon's Tavern and was attended by a large number of people, including Washing and Lafayette.

After the war Weedon served as Mayor of Fredericksburg, 1785-1786, and as the first President of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Virginia. Weedon eventually retired to his country estate outside of town.

George Weedon died two days before Christmas in 1793.

These letters are with officers of the American army and others, including Horatio Gates, Nathaniel Green, Thomas Jefferson, Marquis de Lafayette, Richard Henry Lee, J.P.G. Muhlenberg, Thomas Nelson, Baron von Steuben, and George Washington.

Physical description

156 items.

156 items.

Provenance

Presented by Hugh Mercer, 1835; accessioned, 1913 (1913 50541).

Processing information

Index is incomplete. Only correspondence between George Weedon and Thomas Jefferson is included.

General note

This correspondence is indexed in "Calendar of the Correspondence Relating to the American Revolution, of Brigadier-General George Weedon" (Philadelphia, 1900).

Early American History Note

The George Weedon military correspondence contains a wealth of information on the American Revolution and its immediate aftermath. There are letters from the Morristown and Valley Forge winters, although the bulk of the material comes from 1780-1781. The collection follows Weedon's service throughout the war. His correspondence often details movements, strategies, supplies, and life in the Continental Army. Weedon also receives letters from correspondents stationed throughout the United States. This correspondence can provide information on events happening in these other locations. Correspondents include Baron von Steuben, Thomas Jefferson, Nathaniel Greene, Peter Muhlenberg, George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette, Horatio Gates, and many others. Washington, in particular, is a frequent correspondent who writes to Weedon seeking advice on military action.

• United States. -- Army -- Records and correspondence.

• General Correspondence
• Military Records
• Political Correspondence

• Gates, Horatio, 1728-1806
• Green, Nathaniel, 1710-1758
• Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826
• Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de, 1757-1834
• Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794
• Muhlenberg, John Peter Gabriel, 1746-1807
• Nelson, Thomas, 1738-1789
• Steuben, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin, Baron von, 1730-1794
• Washington, George (1732-1799)
• Weedon, George,1734-1793.

• American Revolution
• Colonial Politics
• Military History
• Military history, Modern -- 18th century.