William and Mary College in the Revolution; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 6, No. 1

Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project

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William and Mary College in the Revolution

   William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 1.
   (Jul., 1897), p. 39.

                     WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE IN THE REVOLUTION.

   Williamsburg, August 22, 1777 (Virginia Gazette). - The professors and students of William
and Mary College, agreeable to an act of the last Assembly, have formed themselves into a 
military company, who are to do duty with the militia of this city, and have appointed the
following officers, viz.:  Rev. James Madison, captain; Granville Smith, first lieutenant;
William Nelson, Jr., second lieutenant, and Daniel Fitzhugh, ensign.  The Governor and council
have appointed Thomas Nelson, Jr., Esq., brigadier general of the militia in this State.

   On Friday last, the 15th of August, being the day of the foundation of William and Mary
College, after prayer and a sermon by Mr. Madison, recommending industry in the pursuit of
science, and setting forth the advantages with which it might be here prosecuted, two orations
were delivered - the first in Latin, by Mr. Heath, upon the utility of sciences, the other in
English, by Mr. William Nelson, in which he discussed, to the great satisfaction of many
learned gentlemen who favored the college with their presence, the question, What form of
government is most favorable to public virtue and the arts and sciences?