Robert Lawson was an officer from Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

 in the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

.

In early 1776 Lawson was commissioned a major in the 4th Virginia Regiment

4th Virginia Regiment

The 4th Virginia Regiment was raised on December 28, 1775 at Suffolk Court House, Virginia for service with the Continental Army. The regiment saw action at the Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston...

 of the Continental Army

Continental Army

The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...

. He eventually became the colonel in command of the regiment. He resigned from the Continental Army in December 1777.

Lawson returned to active duty in 1779 as a brigadier general in the Virginia militia

Virginia Militia

The Virginia militia is an armed force composed of all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia capable of bearing arms. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the British militia system. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males...

. According to some accounts, he commanded the Virginia militia at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.

Robert Lawson

General


Robert Lawson was born 23 Jan 1748 and died 05 Apr 1805 in Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

. He was the son of Benjamin Lawson and Elizabeth. He married Sarah Meriwether Pierce 13 Dec 1769 in VA, daughter of John Pierce and Sarah. She was born, and died 10 Jun 1809.

Children:

Sarah Meriwether Lawson b 9/13/1770 d 4/19/1771

America Lawson b 1/22/1778 d 10/1/1830

John Pierce Lawson b 2/23/1781 d 6/1/1809

Arria Lawson b 3/14/1785 d 10/24/1787

Columbus Lawson b 8/11/1789 Kentucky d 1/8/1815


Continental Service:

Major, 4th Virginia, 13 February 1776

Lieutenant Colonel, 4th Virginia, 13 August 1776

Colonel, 4th Virginia, 19 August 1777

Resigned, 17 December 1777


The 4th Virginia Regiment was authorized by the fourth Virginia convention on December 1, 1775, and accepted by Congress on February 13, 1776. The 4th Virginia Regiment joined Washington’s army late in 1776 and participated in the battles of Trenton and Germantown. (Sanchez-Saavedra p42)

On November 23, 1776, the 4th, 5th, and 6th Virginia Regiments joined the army at New Brunswick, New Jersey, forming a brigade of 745 men under Adam Stephen (Sellers 1978:6-7,9,11. Lesser 176:40)

Battles of the 4th Virginia Regiment:

Battle of Trenton, 26 December 1776

Second Battle of Trenton, January 1777

Battle of Princeton, January 1777

Battle of Brandywine, 11 September 1777

Battle of Germantown, 4 October 1777


Virginia Militia:

Colonel, Steven’s Brigade, Battle of Camden, 16 August 1780 ???

General, Lawson’s Brigade, Guilford Courthouse, 15 March 1781

General, Attached with General Steuben, Point of Fork, June 5, 1881

General, Lawson’s Brigade, Siege of Yorktown

Siege of Yorktown

The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...

, September - October 1781


Public Service

Attended Virginia Convention, St John’s Church Richmond, March 1775

Attended Virginia Convention, July 1775

Attended Virginia Convention, December 1775

Member Virginia House of Delegates, May 4 - December 19, 1778

Member Virginia House of Delegates, May 1, 1780 - March 22, 1781

Member Virginia House of Delegates, May - December 28, 1782

Member Virginia House of Delegates, May 5 - December 22, 1783

Member Virginia House of Delegates, October 15, 1787 - January 8, 1788

Deputy Attorney General Prince Edward County 1784 to April 1788
.

Delegate, Convention of the Commonwealth of Virginia on the adoption of the Federal Constitution

Virginia Ratifying Convention

The Virginia Ratifying Convention was a convention of 168 delegates from Virginia who met in 1788 to ratify or reject the United States Constitution, which had been drafted at the Philadelphia Convention the previous year.The Convention met and deliberated from June 2 through June 27 in Richmond...

, June 1788
Voted in the minority against ratification of the Federal Constitution, 25 June 1788.


Trustee, Hampden-Sydney College, 1783-1805