War of 1812 Poisoning Inquiry at Yeocomico Church

JT-93

In Spring 1814, a 36th U.S. Infantry detachment camped here at the near ruinous Yeocomico Church to guard against British Potomac River raids. Soon after the British landed at nearby Nomini Ferry in July, they found poisoned wine at the Thompson house and accused the Virginia militia of uncivilized warfare. Militia Gen. John P. Hungerford held a court of inquiry here in the repaired church and found the accusations “utterly without foundation.” The British accepted the finding. In 1816, William L. Rogers, a 36th Regiment soldier, returned here from New Jersey, married Ann Murphy of Ayrfield, and coordinated the 1706 church's restoration.

Department of Historic Resources, 2011

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References/Bibliographic Citation:

Bishop William Meade, Old Churches, Ministries, and Families of Virginia, Geneaological Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1978; Walter Biscoe Norris Jr, ed., Westmoreland County Virginia 1653-1983, Westmoreland County Board of Sueprvisors, Montross, VA 1983; Governor James H. Price, Sponsor, Virginia: A Guide to the Old Dominion, compiled by the WPA, Oxford University Press, New York, 1940; Scott David Arnold, A Guidebook to Virginia’s Historical Markers, 3rd ed., UVA Press, 2007; Stuart Butler, historian and member of General Assembly’s War of 1812 bicentennial commission citizen Advisory Council, personal communication; Stuart Butler, War of 1812 historian, “Determined to Ruin the Northern Neck”, in process chapter manuscript, 2010