September 17, 1755 - Washington Appointed Colonel Virginia Regiment
Washinton Obtains Valuable Leadership Skills
From the Book:
September 17, 1755 - Washington Appointed Colonel Virginia Regiment
After the disastrous Battle of the Monongahela on July 9, 1755, Royal Governor Robert Dinwiddie appointed George Was hinging as Colonel of the Virginia Regiment, and Commander in Chief of all the Forces in Virginia. Dinwiddie gave Washington the job of defending the Virginia frontier from attack during the French and Indian War.
Virginia Regiment
Created by Dinwiddie in 1754 to defend against French attack, the Virginia Regiment was the first all-colonial full time military force in the colonies. The first commander, Joshua Fry, had fallen off his horse during a campaign against Fort Duquesne and died on May 31, 1754. Washington would take command over a year later.
Frontier Action
Dinwiddie had displayed a great deal of confidence in his new colonel, giving him discretion to act offensively or defensively, as his situation warranted. Washington drilled his troops incessantly, instilling discipline in what had been described as “loose, Idle Persons... quite destitute of House, and Home." He led the Regiment into twenty battles on ten months. He lost about a third of the 1000 man regiment during this period. The unit participated in the Forbes Expedition in 1758, during which the British finally captured Fort Duquesne. After the war ended, Washington would conclude his military career, until the dark days of the American Revolution emerged. He had gained valuable leadership lessons while serving as Colonel of the Virginia Regiment.