James Innes
Lieutenant Colonel
Virginia 15th Regiment
1754 – August 2, 1798
Lt. Col. James Innes fought at some of the Revolutionary War’s most significant battles. After the War, he served in various positions of power and influence. Innes was highly regarded by his peers for being an excellent speaker. He was influential in the founding of the United States, but his life is not as well recorded like the other founding fathers. Even so, Innes left his own legacy on the young nation.
Innes was raised in Virginia. He attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, the state’s capital at the time. After he graduated, Innes remained and taught at William and Mary’s grammar school. However, he became caught in the rising tension throughout the colonies. In response to this tension, Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor of Virginia, removed the colony’s gunpowder to British control on April 21, 1775. This became known as the Gunpowder Incident. Virginians, resolved to defend their remaining gunpowder, made Innes responsible for its protection. Dunmore became concerned with the people’s resistance and fled from Williamsburg for his own protection. Innes also left to travel to Hampton with his militiamen. At this time, he was a captain in the militia, but he quickly promoted to major. Not long after, he joined the Continental Army. He was promoted again to the rank of lieutenant colonel under Gen. George Washington and served as his aide.
As a Soldier in Washington’s Army, Innes fought at the Battle of Trenton on Dec. 26, 1776. Several days later he fought again at Princeton. In the fall, he participated in the Battles of Brandywine and Germantown. During the brutal winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge, Innes decided to resign and return to Williamsburg where he served as a recruiter for the Patriot cause. He offered his resignation to Brig. Gen. William Woodford who was unsure if he could accept it. He recommended that Innes write directly to Washington. He received a letter from Washington with orders about recruitment on Jan. 2, 1778. While in Williamsburg, he married Elizabeth Cocke. A letter from Washington, sent May 29, 1778, indicated that he was eagerly awaiting Innes’ return to Valley Forge. It was then that Innes realized Washington had never received his letter of resignation and was not informed by Woodford. He explained the situation and Washington accepted his resignation by letter on July 3, 1778. But Innes did not remain idle while in Williamsburg.
While in Williamsburg, Innes, still referred to as lieutenant colonel, was involved in an incident and taken to court in 1779. A group of students from Innes’ alma mater wanted to celebrate Washington’s birthday, possibly to lighten the mood. Patrick Henry, who was then serving as the governor, refused his blessing. He did not want to celebrate while the American forces were struggling in the war. Against Henry’s wishes, a party took place at the Raleigh Tavern anyway. Innes was present and the group had the idea to liven the party with cannon fire. They took two nearby cannons, but Capt. Dudley Digges from the York County Militia did not approve and sent men to seize the cannons. When they failed, Digges resolved to bring his force and demand the cannons. They were unsuccessful and Innes found himself in court the next morning charged with causing a riot. However, he left the court without a charge.
Innes was not done with his military service. Following a request from Washington, Innes led Virginia Militiamen at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. After the War, Innes continued his service to the new country and became Attorney General of Virginia. In 1788, he supported the new U.S. Constitution alongside his mentor, Edmund Pendleton, in Virginia’s Constitutional Convention. In his later career, Innes was appointed as the commissioner of Jay’s Treaty by Washington on March 31, 1796. Jay’s Treaty was initiated by the Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay to restore the relationship between America and Britain to prevent another war. However, the treaty was controversial. The American public believed it benefited the British more than the Americans. As commissioner, Innes mediated the terms of the treaty with Britain. Specifically, he was responsible for accounting the debt owed to the British according to the treaty. Innes served in this position for nearly two years but expressed frustration as push back from Congress delayed his progress. At the conclusion of his service, Innes died on Aug. 2, 1798, at the age of 44. He is buried at Christ’s Church in Philadelphia near Benjamin Franklin.
Innes’ life is one of service to his home state and his country. Innes was a prominent member in Virginia both militarily and politically. Innes started his career in the Army and participated in critical moments during the founding of the nation. When his health began to fail, he found other ways to serve, including on the Board of War and as Navy Commissioner. He supported the ratification of the Constitution and continued to serve until his death. He was a patriot from the beginning of the conflict. The inscription of his grave has worn away with time, like the information regarding his life. However, his energy was infectious and motivated those around him, keeping his memory alive.
Liam Smith
Historic Research Intern | Adams Center for Military History, Virginia Military Institute
Sources
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“Bayonets at a Birthday Party: How Williamsburg First Celebrated George Washington’s Birthday.” Colonial Williamsburg. February 18, 2025. https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/discover/18th-century-people/nation-builders/george-washington/bayonets-at-a-birthday-party/.
Magruder, Allan B. “Chapter V: In the Constitutional Convention of Virginia.” In American Statesmen: John Marshall, edited by Kevin C. Walsh. Virginia Museum of History and Culture, 2017. https://virginiahistory.org/learn/american-statesman-john-marshall/chapter-v-constitutional-convention-virginia-1788.
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“From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel James Innes, 29 May 1778,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-15-02-0262. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 15, May–June 1778, ed. Edward G. Lengel. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2006, p. 255.]
Ebel, Carol. “Jay’s Treaty.” George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Accessed June 20, 2025. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/jay-treaty
“James Innes.” William and Mary Libraries. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://scrc-kb.libraries.wm.edu/james-innes-1754-1798
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“The Gunpowder Incident and Collapse of Royal Government in Virginia.” Colonial Williamsburg. April 11, 2025. https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/discover/historic-area/historic-places/magazine/the-gunpowder-incident/
“To George Washington from James Innes, 17 January 1797,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-21-02-0229. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 21, 22 September 1796–3 March 1797, ed. Adrina Garbooshian-Huggins. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2020, pp. 520–523.]
Tyler, Lyon. “Encyclopedia of Virginia biography.” New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. 1995.
Further Reading
Mandresh, Jason. “President of Virginia’s Board of War – James Innes.” Founder of the Day. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.founderoftheday.com/founder-of-the-day/james-innes