{"product_id":"1796-revolutionary-general-james-wood-signed-virginia-militia-commission-to-colonel-james-mcdowell","title":"1796 Revolutionary General James Wood Signed Virginia Militia Commission to Colonel James McDowell","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eOriginal Commonwealth of Virginia military commission signed by \u003cstrong\u003eJames Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e, Revolutionary War brigadier general, acting governor and future governor of Virginia. Dated at Richmond on \u003cstrong\u003eJune 28, 1796\u003c\/strong\u003e, it appoints Revolutionary veteran \u003cstrong\u003eJames McDowell of Rockbridge County\u003c\/strong\u003e lieutenant colonel commandant of the Eighth Regiment, Third Brigade and Third Division of the Virginia militia.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Library of Virginia records this exact date as McDowell’s promotion to colonel. McDowell had served in the Continental Army and participated in the Yorktown campaign. He later became sheriff of Rockbridge County, served as a longtime trustee of Washington College—now Washington and Lee University—and commanded Virginia militia during the War of 1812. He was the father of James McDowell, governor of Virginia from 1843 to 1846 and later a United States congressman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames Wood was an officer of the Continental Army who commanded Virginia troops during the Philadelphia and Monmouth campaigns. He later supervised prisoners from General Burgoyne’s captured army, served on Virginia’s Executive Council and acted as governor during the absences of sitting governors. Several months after signing this commission, Wood was elected governor of Virginia and served three consecutive terms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse contains a July 1796 Rockbridge County court certification recording that McDowell produced the commission in court and qualified according to law.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA historically significant early Virginia military appointment connecting two prominent Revolutionary veterans, the governorship of James Wood, the War of 1812 and the influential McDowell family of Rockbridge County.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrinted and manuscript document on laid paper, approximately folio size when opened, bearing the partially preserved embossed seal of the Commonwealth. Considerable age and administrative wear, including heavy folds, extensive fold separations, paper losses, staining, edge wear and old reinforcement over the seal. Despite these faults, the principal James Wood signature, McDowell’s name and rank, date and essential appointment language remain legible.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52741466259738,"sku":null,"price":1116.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2558.jpg?v=1787675320","url":"https:\/\/www.thearchiveauthority.com\/en-ca\/products\/1796-revolutionary-general-james-wood-signed-virginia-militia-commission-to-colonel-james-mcdowell","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}