CHAPTER 2: THE WAR OF 1812
1812-1815
On June 18, 1812, the United States of America, under President James Madison, declared war with Great Britain. The war began due to the British encroachment on American vessels at sea in an effort to prevent them from trading with France, who at the time was also at war with Great Britain. In addition, the British had ties with many Indian tribes and would trade arms with them for goods. American sentiment disfavored the British for supplying the weapons that the Indians would then use to make raids on American settlers. The war was fought from 1812 until 1815, mostly along the United States/Canadian border, as Canada was still a British colony. However, the British attempted invasions in Virginia, New York, Baltimore and New Orleans. Inland, the British allied with the Creek Indian Tribe, inciting them to make raids on American settlements.
Back in Henrico County only a few miles from the city of Richmond, life for the Shepherd family was fairly normal during the start of the War of 1812. Children were being reared, crops were being managed and the livestock tended. However, there was the growing reality that war was coming to their doorsteps; and parallel to the war for independence, fought by their fathers and grandfathers only 37 years before, the British would again be battled on American soil.
In June of 1813, Henrico County and the vicinity around the city of Richmond was in alarm as British warships blockaded the Chesapeake Bay, capturing or sinking many vessels that attempted to pass. Alarm turned to panic when the British vessels unloaded a land force, commencing a series of invasions into eastern Virginia. In all, the Virginia Militia would confront British troops in over forty engagements in the state before the war’s end. Martial law was issued and militia regiments came from the surrounding areas to protect the city of Richmond. In July of 1814, the city and surrounding countryside was again in alarm as a large fleet of British reinforcements reached the Chesapeake. Many feared the city would be in ashes before the war’s end, so they moved their valuables and furniture to the country. In August of 1814, word reached Richmond that a large fleet of British ships with 7,000 to 8,000 men had entered the bay at Norfolk, Virginia, and it was rightfully feared they were on their way to attack Baltimore or Washington. The greatest panic for the city of Richmond and Henrico County came in September of 1814. The British had bombarded Baltimore and burned the White House, Treasury and Capitol; scattering President Madison’s government to the countryside. After the British left Washington D.C., the fleet vanished, many believing they were on their way to Richmond. Most of the residents fled the city, as militia troops by the thousands poured in from all over. All wagons, boats and needed supplies were conscripted for public use in defense of the city. The British did not attack, and the city of Richmond and Henrico County was gratefully spared from the anticipated destruction.
During this era, the U.S. armed services, being a full-time paid occupation, was restrained to a reserved number of men; as a large army, in times of peace, was viewed as a potential treat to liberty. To compensate for this weakness in defense, each State instituted their own militia units, which was a required duty of participation for all able-bodied free white men generally between 16 to 50 years of age. Most Virginia militia units would assemble once a month (except in January and February) for drills and a public parade starting at 11 am. Each company, comprised of 32 to 68 men, were commanded by a captain, two lieutenants and an ensign of the county in which they resided. Companies were formed into battalions of between 500 to 1000 men, commanded by a colonel, lieutenant colonel and major. And all the battalions were under the command of a county lieutenant.
In 1812 at the start of the war, Royal F. Shepherd was 23 years of age and his brother Samuel Shepherd was 20 years of age. Both were both privates in the 1st Battalion, 33rd Regiment, Virginia State Militia. Their younger brother David A. Shepherd was 17 years old, and, although no military service records for him have been located, it is likely he also was a private in this militia. On May 9, 1814, Royal was promoted to the office of Ensign in the Rife Company, 1st Battalion, 33rd Regiment, Virginia State Militia; Whereupon, he took an oath, in front of Judge Samuel Brown (1771–1847), stating that he was a citizen of Virginia and would faithfully and justly execute the duties of his office to the best of his skill and judgment. The Commonwealth of Virginia required all ensigns to be armed with a sword, as a distinguishment of rank, each time their company came to muster. Royal would keep the rank of Ensign throughout the War of 1812. It is of interest to note that Royal's father Samuel Shapard III (later spelled as Sheppard) had also been a member of the 1st Battalion, 33rd Regiment, Virginia State Militia, reaching the rank of Lieutenant on June 1, 1795.
Royal’s brother Samuel Shepherd perhaps saw the most action during the war. Samuel Shepherd had little aspiration of becoming a planter, and instead sought his success in the city of Richmond, Virginia. On April 5, 1813, when Samuel turned 21 years of age, he sold his inherited land on the waters of Deep Run for $855 to Charles Woodward (1769-1825), the brother of his former guardian Samuel Woodward (1762-1828), and moved to Richmond. At that time, Richmond had a population of 9,875 inhabitants and was a bustling and exciting location for a young man of some wealth. Here Samuel heeded President Madison’s ‘call to arms’ by joining a volunteer militia regiment, that was subsequently sent to the Niagara frontier. His exploits were later recorded in the Richmond newspapers; “When war hovered over our country, and the enemy’s fleet was on our coast, he [Samuel Shepherd] took up arms to aid in the defense of the nation, and served with a musket on his shoulder in the ranks of the country’s defenders.” “Mr. Shepherd marched to Canada during the war…” After the war, Samuel continued his duty as a militiaman and, in 1831, he became Captain of the Infantry in Richmond.
Royal F. Shepherd remained in Henrico County during the war. On December 8, 1812, he was appointed as the Constable for the Upper District of Henrico County for a term of two years. Constables were law enforcement officers, appointed for each district within a county, by the Justices of the County Court. Royal may have been selected for the office by his former guardian Samuel Brown (1771–1847), who, at the time, was a Justice of Henrico County. The duties of the office entailed assisting the courts with the fulfilment of their orders and assisting the sheriff. Although the office had no set salary, constables were paid a specific fee by the county for each item rendered, such as, delivering subpoenas, administering court ordered punishments, etc. Royal’s cousin Stephen Duvall (1782-1850), son of Elizabeth Shapard (c.1755-?) and Joseph Duvall (?-1800), backed Royal in the amount of $1500 as his security for the faithful performance of the office. He was also backed by his brother-in-law Samuel Cottrell (1782-1855), brother of Royal’s wife Polly Cottrell, for the same amount.
As the emerging patriarch of the family, Royal F. Shepherd was motivated by love, honor and duty to assist his immediate family and extended family as needed. One of his most challenging moments came when his uncle Reuben Sheppard (1772-1813), died in June of 1813, at 41 years of age, leaving a widow and nine children spanning the ages of 19 years old to four years old. Royal had a special affection for his uncle Reuben and aunt Sally, as they had cared for him as a child when his father passed away. Over the following years, Royal would return the favor by playing an integral part in caring for his widowed aunt and her children.
At the time of his death, Reuben Sheppard had two separate parcels of land on Deep Run, one 35-acre tract was bordered by the land of Royal F. Shepherd, and the other was bordered by Mr. Tinsley, being 82 acres. Reuben also had four slaves: a negro woman Nancy, negro woman Gene, negro boy Peter and a negro boy Sam. His other property included 3 cows, 5 sheep, 2 horses, and an array of furniture, kitchenware, tools and tack. Interestingly, it would not be until November of 1815, that Reuben’s widow Sally would be allotted her dowers portion of slaves (1/3 of the slaves). The County Court ordered Royal F. Shepherd, Charles Woodward, Samuel Cottrell and William Henley to make the appropriate dowers allotment and then sell at public auction the residue of slaves. The profit of which would be equally divided among the rightful heirs.
On July 5, 1813 Reuben Sheppard’s eldest daughter, 19-year-old Nancy, chose Richardson Jones (1791-1878) to be her guardian, which was granted by the court. Richardson and Nancy had been courting each other prior to the death of her father. Only eleven days later, on July 16, 1813, Nancy Shepherd and Richardson Jones were married in Henrico County. The wedding was a bitter sweet moment, no doubt feeling the absence of her father. Interestingly, Richardson was a member of Capt. Hezekiah Hendley’s 33rd Regiment of Virginia Militia Volunteers, known as the “Riflemen,” and, shortly after their marriage he was called to defend Norfolk Virginia against the British invasion. After the war, Nancy and Richardson moved to Shelby County, Kentucky for many years, before settling permanently in Daviess County, Kentucky, circa 1835.
By 1814, Royal F. Shepherd had increased his slave holdings to four slaves. Three of his slaves were over the age of 16 years, and one of his slaves was between the ages of 12 to 16. Royal had three horses, which was a luxury for a man his age. He was still residing in the Upper District of Henrico County on his 100 acres that adjoined his brother David A. Shepherd’s 116 acres and his sister Mary A. Shepherd’s 104 acres.
A cause for celebration occurred on March 14, 1814, when Royal’s 23-year-old sister Mary “Polly” A. Shepherd married Jacob Hopkins (1790-1825). Royal clearly approved of the marriage as he was not only the ward of his sister, but he also agreed to be the surety on the marriage bond. Jacob was the eldest child of William Hopkins (c.1766-c.1832) and Elizabeth Moon (?-c.1811), and may have been the same Jacob Hopkins that was a Private in the War of 1812, being a substitution for Richard Glass in Capt. Abram Buford’s Co. 8th Regt., 4th Brigade, Goochland County. Soon after their wedding, Jacob and his new bride Mary moved to Fluvanna County, Virginia. On December 20, 1815, Mary sold her 104 acres of inherited land on Deep Run to a group of men from Henrico County. Tragically, Jacob Hopkins died before February in 1825 at the approximate age of 35 years old. Jacob’s father William Hopkins (c.1766-c.1832) was appointed guardian of Samuel (1818-?), William (1820-1905), Alexander (1823-1849), Elizabeth (1821-1874) and John Hopkins (1824-1891), orphans of Jacob Hopkins. By January of 1842, the children were all living in Richmond Virginia and their uncle Royal F. Shepherd had become their guardian, with their other uncle Samuel Shepherd as surety. However, by 1844, the orphan William Hopkins (1820-1905) had come of age and became the guardian of his siblings. It is unclear in the records when their mother Mary A. “Polly” (Shepherd) Hopkins died, though it appears to have been between 1825 and 1850.
Less than a month later, as the War of 1812 was in its final ten months, another marriage occurred within the Shepherd family. On April 4, 1814, Royal’s cousin, Elizabeth Shepherd (1796-?), the 18-year-old daughter of Sarah “Sally” (Cocke) (?-1822) and the late Reuben Sheppard (1772-1813), married James Patterson (c.1795-?) in Henrico County. Due to his youthful age only 19 years-old, James needed the consent of his father, John Patterson, to legally obtain the marriage bond. In 1817, James and Elizabeth sold 8 acres of land she inherited from her late father’s estate to Samuel Cottrell, Jr., for $100. Royal F. Shepherd was a witness to the transfer of land, as well as Martin Pate and Thomas Ford. The couple appears to have resided in Henrico County, though after 1825 information about them is sparce.
On February 17, 1815, Congress ratified the Treaty of Ghent, concluding the war. During the course of the War of 1812, the British, Canadians and Indians had been repelled; the White House had been burned on August 24, 1814, Francis Scott Key had penned ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ during the bombardment of Baltimore on September 14, 1814, and no land had been won or lost. Despite the stalemate outcome, Americans felt satisfied, arousing an era of great patriotism.
On July 5, 1813 Reuben Sheppard’s eldest daughter, 19-year-old Nancy, chose Richardson Jones (1791-1878) to be her guardian, which was granted by the court. Richardson and Nancy had been courting each other prior to the death of her father. Only eleven days later, on July 16, 1813, Nancy Shepherd and Richardson Jones were married in Henrico County. The wedding was a bitter sweet moment, no doubt feeling the absence of her father. Interestingly, Richardson was a member of Capt. Hezekiah Hendley’s 33rd Regiment of Virginia Militia Volunteers, known as the “Riflemen,” and, shortly after their marriage he was called to defend Norfolk Virginia against the British invasion. After the war, Nancy and Richardson moved to Shelby County, Kentucky for many years, before settling permanently in Daviess County, Kentucky, circa 1835.
By 1814, Royal F. Shepherd had increased his slave holdings to four slaves. Three of his slaves were over the age of 16 years, and one of his slaves was between the ages of 12 to 16. Royal had three horses, which was a luxury for a man his age. He was still residing in the Upper District of Henrico County on his 100 acres that adjoined his brother David A. Shepherd’s 116 acres and his sister Mary A. Shepherd’s 104 acres.
Less than a month later, as the War of 1812 was in its final ten months, another marriage occurred within the Shepherd family. On April 4, 1814, Royal’s cousin, Elizabeth Shepherd (1796-?), the 18-year-old daughter of Sarah “Sally” (Cocke) (?-1822) and the late Reuben Sheppard (1772-1813), married James Patterson (c.1795-?) in Henrico County. Due to his youthful age only 19 years-old, James needed the consent of his father, John Patterson, to legally obtain the marriage bond. In 1817, James and Elizabeth sold 8 acres of land she inherited from her late father’s estate to Samuel Cottrell, Jr., for $100. Royal F. Shepherd was a witness to the transfer of land, as well as Martin Pate and Thomas Ford. The couple appears to have resided in Henrico County, though after 1825 information about them is sparce.
On February 17, 1815, Congress ratified the Treaty of Ghent, concluding the war. During the course of the War of 1812, the British, Canadians and Indians had been repelled; the White House had been burned on August 24, 1814, Francis Scott Key had penned ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ during the bombardment of Baltimore on September 14, 1814, and no land had been won or lost. Despite the stalemate outcome, Americans felt satisfied, arousing an era of great patriotism.
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