Brigadier General George Weedon

Weedon, George. 1734-1793.

Geoge Weedon, like many men in Virginia, had some military experience at the outbreak of the American Revolution. He had served with George Washington's Virginia regiment during the French and Indian War. He spent most of his time on garrison duty but managed to rise to the rank of captain- lieutenant. Weedon left the military at the end of the war and became a prominent tavern owner in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Weedon was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the 3d Virginia regiment at the outbreak of war with England. He was promoted to colonel of the regiment in 1776 and by February 1777 had become a brigadier general. Weedon and his men fought in the battles around New York and at Brandywine and Germantown.

At the end of 1777, Congress reordered the seniority of Virginia generals. One general, who Weedon actually outranked, was placed above him and he was moved down to fourth. Weedon considered this an affront to his honor as an officer and submitted his resignation to Congress. In 1778, Congress accepted the resignation but only with the condition that Weedon could be called back whenever Congress needed him.

Weedon was never called back to the regular army but he did attain the rank of brigadier general in the Virginia militia. He commanded a brigade of militia during the 1781 Siege of Yorktown. At Yorktown, Weedon and his men helped contain the British forces stationed at Gloucester Point. At the end of the war, Weedon retired to Fredericksburg where he lived out the rest of his life.