Many pictures were taken of 4th Coy while dining at Gadsby’s Tavern after the February drill at Carlyle House in Alexandria. One of those pictures was taken by the editors of www.roamingtheplanet.com, a webpage devoted to providing information about day trips in the Washington, DC area. The editors used one picture to tell readers about Old Town Alexandria celebrating George Washington’s birthday. Enjoy!

While not strictly in our time period, there was an interesting piece on StrategyPage.com that discusses the first references of the bayonet for British forces. Per the web site, the first mention of the bayonet for the British army can be found in a Royal Warrant of King Charles II dated April 2, 1672.

Our will and pleasure is, that a Regiment of Dragoones which we have established and ordered to be raised, in twelve Troopes of fourscore in each besides officers, who are to be under the command of Our most deare and most entirely beloved Cousin, Prince Rupert, shall be armed out of Our stoares remaining within our Office of the Ordinance, as followeth; that is to say, three corporalls, two sergeants, the gentlemen at armes, and twelve souldiers of each of the said twelve Troopes, are to have and carry each of them one halbard, and one case of pistolls with holsters; and the rest of the souldiers of the several Troopes aforesaid are to have and to carry each of them one matchlocke musquet, with a collar of bandaliero, and also to have and to carry one bayonet or great knive. That each lieutenant have and carry one partizan, and that two drums be delivered out for each Troope of the said Regiment.

Per digtriad.com, the memorial and burial site of General Jethro Sumner was heavily damaged by an automobile accident Saturday night. The report says that the driver struck the monument traveling about 30 miles per an hour while maneuvering to avoid a deer.

The memorial and burial site is one of ten locations on the Guilford Courthouse Battlefield with interred soldiers from the American Revolution. General Sumner served under Generals Gates and Greene during the southern campaigns, fighting at the Battle of Camden and the Battle of Eutaw Springs. Prior to the American Revolution, he was a commissioned officer with the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War, which was commanded by General George Washington.

StrategyPage.com had an interesting piece recently on the fate of some of veteran’s of General Braddock’s ill-fated expedition of 1755, many of whom rose to prominent roles in both the Continental and Crown forces during the American Revolution some twenty-five years later. Of particular interest to the Guards is the fact that General Braddock spent most of his career with the Coldstream Guards.

For more information on Braddock’s Defeat, please visit this article at BritishBattles.com, or this page intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the battle.

4th Coy is featured prominently on the Guilford Battlefield Company’s website, announcing the 231 Anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. The event will be held in two weeks.

For more information about the battle, see this earlier post on the blog.