In spring 1777 when Captain Samuel Jordan Cabell returned from his commanded recruiting in Virginia to the Continental Army in New Jersey, it was the third time he traveled that distance in less than a year. We have no record of his route or how many troops he was able to enlist. He was probably frustrated, feeling he had been traveling more than soldiering since joining the army. We know from George Washington’s private correspondence, however, that the General considered recruiting his “New Army” to be a top priority. He knew he could not win the war without it.
The first pension record from after Samuel’s return was for April, 1777 with the 6th Virginia Regiment under Lt. Col. James Hendricks. Neither the date nor the location is noted.
While he was away, the men had had recruited in 1775, the Amherst Rifles, and their 6th Virginia Regiment had been in the Battle of Trenton and Assunpink Creek. They were held in reserve at the Battle of Princeton. These victories turned the tables on the British. They came to be known as the Ten Crucial Days. Washington won by concentrating his reduced forces on smaller enemy units and marching overnight to achieve surprise. After early losses and doubts about his ability to do the top job, Washington earned the begrudging respect of his rivals and even his opponents. The victories, along with reports of British and Hessian abuses, reinvigorated patriot support. As a result, the militia in New Jersey and nearby states turned out in droves.
After Princeton, Washington took his army to a defendable position in Morristown, New Jersey to shadow the British in New York. Rather than settle into a winter encampment, however, he embarked on a strategy to deny the British safety and sustenance in New Jersey. In what would come to be called the Forage War, the patriots led multiple raids from January through May, 1777. When Samuel had departed on his recruiting command on December 18, 1776, much of New Jersey was in British control. When he returned three months later, the redcoats and Hessians had been pushed back to tenuously held supply outposts along the Raritan River at Amboy and Brunswick, which could be reached by boat from New York.
Samuel’s Amherst Rifles were busy while he was away. Their brigade commander, General Adam Stephen wrote his men were in action “eight or ten times a week” and that “fighting is now so familiar that unless it is a very great affair we do not think it worth mentioning.” He observed that the winter war was an “excellent school for a young soldier” and that his regiments were “in such spirits – that they only ask when the enemy will come out and where they are – without inquiring their numbers and so fall on.”
The hit and run raids on foraging parties denied the British desperately needed food for their troops and forage for their horses – the engines of an army at that time. General William Howe was having to depend more and more on supply ships from London for most of his needs, a situation he know was not sustainable. Gathering hay and food from the mainland was critical for the British in Manhattan and Staten Island.
The redcoats and brass hats noted the rebels were conducting “petit guerre” – guerilla tactics. Small parties were surrounded and overwhelmed by patriot militia and Continentals. British commanders responded with units in regimental strength. One American observed that “they do not pretend to send a foraging party of less than 500 to 600 men.” The growing confidence of the Americans during this period was described by a British Colonel Allan MacLean:
“The Rebels have the whole winter gone upon a very prudent plan of constantly harassing our quarters with skirmishers and small parties, and always attacking our foraging parties. By this means they gradually accustom their men to look us in the face, and stand fire which they never attempted to dare in the field.”
Unlike the winter of 1776 when militia turn out was weak, in early 1777 militia ranks swelled so much that they were larger than the regular army and led the fighting. They were supported by a still-depleted Continental Army, including the 6th Virginia Regiment. On January 10,1777 before Samuel rejoined, three Virginia Regiments, including the 6th, captured 70 Highlanders and their wagons at Chatham, New Jersey. The Amherst Rifles likely were deployed regularly, given their experience in non-traditional warfare and their weapon’s effectiveness at distance.
Another notable event occurred with Samuel’s regiment while he was away recruiting. On January 23, 1777 the 6th Virginia under Lt. Col. Parker engaged British troops in another skirmish of the Forage War. They were unable to press a significant advantage because the regiment’s senior officer, Colonel Mordecai Buckner, had fled the battle and, as a result, failed to bring up needed support. Buckner was accused of misbehavior in combat and subsequently arrested for trial. While on parole, he attempted to flee and was re-apprehended by a troop of light horse sent by General Washington himself. Buckner appealed directly to Washington to be dismissed from the service without trial. The commander in chief sent him a cold reply, explaining the several reasons why his case must go to a court martial. The trial was held in Chatham on February 8, 1777. The general who presided, after hearing the evidence, accused the 6th Virginia’s commanding officer of “Shamefully Misbehaving before the Enemy, in the Action of the 23rd. of Jan’y last,” And of “Quitting his post and party in time of engagement.” Mordecai Buckner was found guilty and cashiered from the service. John Chilton, a captain who sat on the court martial, opined that “there was but a single circumstance that saved him being shot.” He did not divulge the extenuating factor that saved the colonel’s life.
Around the time Captain Samuel Cabell rejoined the army, the 6th Virginia got their new regimental commander, Lieutenant Colonel James Hendricks. A letter by Hendricks from April 17, 1777 to George Washington paints a bleak picture of the condition of the 6th Virginia Regiment after months of fighting, and lack of supplies. (Samuel Cabell, fresh from home and as an officer, likely would have had adequate clothing and provisions). The regiment’s companies were quartered in five towns within a 20-mile arc of Newark. Hendricks himself, returning from an illness, had been ordered to the lines near Bonam Town, miles away from the companies he was meant to command. Washington earlier sent Hendricks a letter (that did not survive) apparently calling out the poor condition of his regiment. Lt Colonel Hendricks replied to Washington:
“In this moment received yours respecting the Situation of 6th Virga regiment, which imply’s a Censure I think I by no means deserve….. Early in February I had the promised indulgence from your Excellency of retiring for Some time Amongst my friends for the recovery of my health, but on hearing of the removal of Colo. Buckner from the regiment, I thought it my duty (tho not perfectly recover’d from my illness) to attend to the cares of the regiment which I found on my arrival at Chatham in a distrest Situation enough, both for want of money and Cloathing…… Your Excellency observes that the Sixth regt are barer and unfitter to take the field than others, I can assure you (and wou’d wish to have the matter Enquired into) that I can produce more men and in as good order than the 1st 3d 4th or 5th Virga regiments, notwithstanding the difficulties I have labour’d under, by reason of my illness, removal of the Colo., want of officers &c.”
The want of officers refers in part to Captain Cabell’s absence, which Washington had ordered for recruiting. Hendricks goes on to say he would like to be relieved from his assigned post at Bonham Town so he can return to help his men. He writes he does not intend to stay in the army much longer. Between his poor health and inability to clothe his men, it seems he had had enough.
The next day, Washington dictated a letter to his aide-de-camp, Richard Kidder Meade in response. In sum, he agrees to reassign him so he can help his men, says he should not talk about resigning since it hurts morale, and points out that he did not single out the 6th Virginia – several other Virginia Regiments got the same warning letter to shape up. Following is an excerpt from Washington’s directive to Meade, including what to do with Samuel Cabell’s regiment:
“I am desir’d by the Genl to inform you that it is his inclination you sh’d give that attention to your regt you want to do, for which purpose you’ll apply to Genl Stephen, to direct some other Officer, to take the command you have at present, when it will be in Your Power to equip the regt as you wou’d wish.”
“The Genl is sorry to find by a part of your letter that you have tho’ts of retiring from the service, & hopes that you will by no means persist in that intention especially, now, at a time when ev’ry Officer ought to exert himself in ev’ry instance to promote the good of our Army, & you must be sensible that even a tho’t of the kind—tho’ your reasons for resignation may be good—does harm.”
“As to the charge from the Genl of the bad condition of your regiment, which seems to hurt you—I can assure you that you was not singularly pointed at, for it was an exact copy of circular letters sent to the different commanders of the Virginia regts as the General appearance of those must be acknowledged was unmilitary tho’ much may be said in excuse”
One can only imagine Samuel Cabell’s state of mind after rejoining his now ragged regiment in April 1777. In the last five months, he had traveled over 800 miles, likely engaged in multiple skirmishes, and exhorted young men to join the army and travel far from home for the cause. While he was away, his regiment had experienced historic victories, but also a court martialed leader and privation. Soon, however, he and his Amherst riflemen would be reassigned to an elite unit under the command of one of the best fighting officers in the Continental Army. They would be on the front line and key to victory in the most pivotal battle of the Revolution.
Chapter 7 – Battle of Saratoga
Works Consulted
- Crossroads of the American Revolution Assoc. Inc. “Forage Wars.” Accessed February 17, 2026. https://revolutionarynj.org/stories/forage-wars/
- Fischer, David Hackett. Washington’s Crossing. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
- “George Washington to Colonel Mordecai Buckner, 28 January 1777.”Founders Online, National Archives. Accessed April 18, 2026. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-08-02-0178
- “Lieutenant Colonel James Hendricks to George Washington, 12 April 1777.” Founders Online, National Archives. Accessed February 17, 2026. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-09-02-0130
- Russell, T. Triplett, and John K. Gott. Fauquier County in the Revolution. 1977.