Woodford, William, 1734-1780

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William Woodford was born 6 October 1734 in Caroline County, Virginia, to William Woodford (d. 1755) and Anne Cocke Woodford (b. 1704). He was commissioned an officer in the provincial forces during the French and Indian War. When the American Revolution began, Woodford was appointed colonel of the 2nd Virginia Regiment 5 August 1775. On 25 October 1775, his forces repulsed a British attempt to burn the town of Hampton, Virginia. On 9 December 1775, Woodford and his troops defeated a force of British troops and loyalists at Great Bridge in Norfolk County, Virginia, forcing the British to evacuate Norfolk. The Continental Congress appointed Woodford a colonel 13 February 1776 and a brigadier general 21 February 1777. Woodford saw action at the battles of Brandywine, where he was wounded, Germantown, and Monmouth. Ordered to Charleston, South Carolina, Woodford arrived there 17 April 1780, and was taken prisoner when the British captured that place 12 May 1780. Taken to New York, Woodford died there 13 November 1780 and was buried in Old Trinity Church Yard. Woodford married Mary Thornton (1743-1792) 26 June 1762, and they had two children.

From the guide to the Letter, 2 May 1776, (Library of Virginia)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Account book of an English merchant, Liverpool [manuscript] 1711-57. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Arnold, Benedict, 1741-1801. Correspondence, 1772-1782. New-York Historical Society
creatorOf Witherspoon, John, 1723-1794. Letter to William Woodford, 1779 November 8. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Spotswood, Alexander, ca. 1746-1818. Letter to Edmund Pendleton [manuscript], 1775 November 16. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Virginia. Office of the Quartermaster General. Public Store. Fredericksburg. Papers, 1767, 1777-1782, 1787. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Alexander Spotswood letter to Edmund Pendleton, 1775 November 16 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, Papers, 1776-1934 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Spotswood, Alexander, ca. 1746-1818. Letter to Edmund Pendleton, 1775 November 16. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Pendleton, Edmund, 1721-1803. Edmund Pendleton letters, 1776-1779 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Benedict Arnold Letter Volume, 1772-1782 New-York Historical Society
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Spotswood, Alexander, ca. 1746-1818. Alexander Spotswood, letter, to Edmund Pendleton, 1775 November 16. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Alexander, William, 1726-1783. Selected papers, 1767-1782. 1776-1782 (bulk). New-York Historical Society Library
creatorOf United States. Continental Army. Virginia Regiment of Foot, 3rd. Papers of the 3rd Virginia Regiment of Foot, 1776-1916. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Washington Irving's Life of George Washington Volume II, miscellany, 1755-1831 Cornell University Library
creatorOf Page, John, 1743-1808. Autograph letter signed : "In Council" [Richmond, Va.], to Brigadier General Woodford, 1780 Mar. 4. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Dallas, Alexander James, 1759-1817,. Virginia political papers, 1778-1872. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866. Jared Sparks collection of American manuscripts, 1582-1843 Houghton Library
creatorOf Prioleau, Harriet Horry Frost,. Letters and engravings, 1779-1828. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Taylor, John, 1753-1824. John Taylor papers, 1778. Library of Congress
creatorOf Letter, 2 May 1776 Library of Virginia
referencedIn Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786. Papers, 1777-1780 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Spotswood, Alexander, ca. 1746-1818. Alexander Spotswood letter to Edmund Pendleton, 16 November, 1775. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786. Papers, 1777-1780 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Taylor, John, 1753-1824. John Taylor of Caroline papers [manuscript], 1778-1794. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Carter-Blackford papers, 1736-1908 University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Muhlenberg Papers. Orderly book. [microform] Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Dunmore, John Murray, Earl of, 1732-1809. Correspondence, 1771-1778. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
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Birth 1734-10-06

Death 1780-11-13

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