Aide-de-Camp to General Washington commemorated in Woodbridge

The Colonel William Grayson Chapter Virginia SAR sponsored a Commemoration of Colonel William Grayson, a prominent citizen of Prince William County, officer in the Revolutionary War, and a Senator in the 1st Congress after ratification of the Constitution. Grayson was educated in England, studied Law, and upon return to Virginia was admitted to the Virginia Bar to practice Law. His law office was in Dumfries, VA. He was a friend and lawyer for George Washington. When the relationship with Great Britain soured in 1774, Grayson was commissioned a Captain and formed the Prince William Independent Company of Cadets (1774-1775). When war broke out in 1775 he was a Colonel for the Prince William District Battalion (1775-1776). General Washington appointed him his Assistant Secretary on 21 June 1776, a position he held unit 24 August 1776. The then was appointed General Washington's Aid-de-Camp from 24 August 1776- 11 January 1777. He then formed Colonel Willam Grayson's Regiment which he led from 11 January 1777- 22 April 1779. Colonel Grayson camped at Valley Forge, and fought in the Battles of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth.

After the war Grayson was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates from 1788-1789 and then was elected one ofVirginia's first senators in 1789. He died while serving as a senator on 12 March 1790.

National SAR Treasurer Michael Elston was the senior SAR officer in attendance. Dr. Michael Weyler, 1st Vice President of the Virginia Society SAR and Ken Bonner, 3rd Vice President were the senior officers from the Virginia Society. The Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter was represented by President Barry Schwoerer, Vice President Mark Sink and past President Ken Bonner. Other SAR Chapters in attendance were: Colonel William Grayson (host), Colonel Fielding Lewis, and Colonel James Wood II. Daughters of the American Revolution Chapters in attendance were: Lanes Mill-Anita Bonner, Regent, Elizabeth McIntosh Hammill- Paula Schwoerer, Dr. JoDell Wilson-Providence. Jocelynn Wilson represented the Providence Society Children of the American Revolution.