Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

GOVERNOR'S PALACE ARMS
October 8, 1931

The following data has been recopied from the Research department source data, the Governor's Palace Book, the Botetourt Papers and the Williamsburg Abstract file, and is arranged together for reference in chronological order:

1715 - May 26th, at a Council held at Williamsburg.

That for furnishing such arms as are most fit for Service the musquetts now in the Governors hall being a hundred & Sixty in number, & in very good order be sent to South Carolina-

(Executive Journals, Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. III (1705-1721), Page 399.)

1723

"The palace, or governor's house, is a magnificent structure… with a great number of the best arms nicely posited by an ingenuous contrivence of Governor Spotswood's…"

[quoted from Hugh Jones, "Present State of Virginia".] (Howe, Henry, History of Virginia, Page 323.)

1723 - April 26th, At a Council held at the Capitol.

Whereas it has been represented to this Board that great part of the Arms in the Magazine and at the Governors House are much out of repair & unfit for Service; And whereas by the Act of Assembly for Erecting the Magazine, the Salary therein appointed for the Armourers expressly given for mending and repairing the Arms.

(Executive Journals, Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. IV (1721-1739), Page 31.

1723 - June 10, (Message of Drysdale)

Upon examination of the Arms in the Magazine and Governors House...
I find great part of them very much out of Repair And in the Condition they now are Unfit for Service.

(Journal of House of Burgesses of Virginia, 1717-1726, Page 380, 381.)

1770 [August]

In Chamber over Dining Room
The Pistols with furniture & five small Swords.
In the Hall & Passage Arms & Colours.

(Botetourt Papers, Pages 3, 9.)

1775 - June 21.

You are pleased to tell us, that Experience hath shewn the Insecurity of the Magazine, and that, as the Palace hath hitherto been respected, you thought it improper to give any other Orders, than that the Arms belonging to the King, which have for so many years been lodged, may still remain, in the Palace; and that they may, in No Account be touched without your express Permission.

…
In your Lordship's Answer… you are pleased to say, that Experience has demonstrated to you that the City of Williamsburg is an improper Place for the Residence of our Governor, and give it as a Reason for not returning the Powder,… We should suppose, my Lord, that your Excellencies attention to the Arms would be equally necessary for their Security, as you know the Palace stands on the Edge of the City; and we should, for this Reason, imagine it more likely to be r'fled than the Magazine, in the midst of it… a proper Guard might be kept at the Magazine, which we did not think so decent to propose for your Lordship's Palace. [Address of Assembly to Dunmore]

(Journal of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, 1773-1776, Page 273.)

1775 - June 24th

On the 24th of June 1775, Dr. Bland was one of a party of twenty-four gentlemen, who, shortly after the hegira of Lord Dunmore, removed certain arms from the governor's palace, at Williamsburg. List of arms &c. removed from the Palace. In the hand-writing of Theodorick Bland, Jr.

No. 1	96)	158 broad swords
2	75)- fire locks	134 small swords
3	59)	292

Total (301) delivered to the magazine, this difference occasioned by mistake in counting 18 pistols without locks.

The above arms taken from the palace, in open daylight, and conveyed under guard through the street, 3 and lodged safely in the magazine.

(Bland Papers, Page xxiii.)

1775 - June 25^th. Fowey in York River

…a considerable body of men violently forced into the Governor's house, bursting open a window by which one part entered who then forced the principal door by which the rest entered, and they carried off all the arms they could find to the number of between two and three hundred stand, which had been always kept in the hall of this house,…

(Dunmore, Lord, Letter to Sec^y. of State S.P.O., Va. Vol. 195, Virginia Papers, Vol. III: 1775-1781.)

1775 - July 12th. (Letter from Lord Dunmore.)

A few days after the arrival of these Gentry a number of them broke, a second time, into the Palace the Governors house and, as the first time, of which I have informed your Lordship, they went no further than taking the Arms which they found in a Hall… and carried off a considerable number of Arms of different Sorts, a large collection, and valuable, my own property…

(Public Record Office, London, C.O. 5 - 1353.)

1775 - Fowey in York River.

…Even his Majesty's Council since the meeting of the Assembly I find approving everything done by the Burgesses and joining them in endeavoring to force me to deliver up the powder and some arms which are still left and lodged in the Governor's house, into the hands of the people whose design they cannot but know, is to make use of them for resisting their lawful gov^t.

(Dunmore, Lord, Letter to Sec^y. of State S.P.O. Va. Vol. 195, Virginia Papers, Vol. III: 1775-1781.)

1815 - Sept. 25. (Tucker's notes on Wirts Mss.)

"The palace was therefore filled with arms etc." A considerable number of muskets, etc., was always to be seen in the Entrance of the palace, where they were arranged upon the walls in an ornamental manner, as in the tower of London. It was these arms I suspect, that Lord Dunmore put 4 into the hands of the marines.

(William and Mary Quarterly, 1st Series, Vol. 22, Page 267.)

Public Record Office, London.
C.O. 5, #1327.

Virginia.
Account of Stores of War at Williamsburg & condition of the Guns in ye Sev^l Forts of Virginia in July 1750.
Rec'd with Col. Lee's Letter of 12th July 1750.

Rec'd October 4th 1750. Read Do 11th

1750 July Account of Stores of War at Williamsburg.
Magazine …

Copy Thomas Lee.