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nordleuchten · 10 months

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24 Days of La Fayette: December 23rd – Presley Neville

Presley Neville (1756-1818) came from a wealthy and prominent Virginian family that had senior members serving with George Washington during the French and Indian War.

Presley was born on September 6, 1756 in Winchester, Virginia. He was the only surviving son and oldest child of General John Neville and Winifred (Oldham) Neville. The two had married on August 24, 1754. The family moved from Frederick County in Virginia to the outskirts of Pittsburgh in about 1775. Despite this, the men fought in the Virginia line of the Continental Army and not in the Pennsylvania line.

Neville was one of La Fayette’s earliest aide-de-camps when he joined the Marquis’ staff in December of 1777. The early months of his service were unremarkably but we have a number of letters that he copied for La Fayette. But things soon became rather more exciting.

In October of 1778, La Fayette desired promotions for his aide-de-camps, but out of the four men he recommended, only his two American aide-de-camps, Edmund Brice (day 1) and Neville received promotions. George Washington wrote in a letter to Henry Laurens on October 30, 1778:

“To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 30 October 1778,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 17, 15 September–31 October 1778, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2008, pp. 647–649.] (06/07/2023)

When La Fayette planned to return to France for the first time since joining the army, he requested that Neville would be permitted to accompany him. He wrote to Washington on January 1, 1779:

This letter will be delivered to your excellency by Mr. Nevill may aid de Camp whom I beg you to favor with a leave of absence for joining me in France. Besides the affection I have for that gentleman, I also think this voyage may forward the public good as he will be intrusted with those dispatches Congress is going to send. (…) I also intreat your friendship not to forget writing to me, and if you grant the leave I solicit for Mr. Nevill his arrival with letters from you will make me extremely happy.

Gottschalk, Bill, editors, The Letters of Lafayette to Washington,1777-1779, The American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, 1976, p. 73.

Washington granted La Fayette’s request and he then told friends like Hamilton that Neville was joining him in France. He even wrote the Comte de Vergennes on May 23, that he was expecting three American and one French officer. The only problem; Neville never did leave America, and La Fayette was not aware of this fact.

Washington wrote to La Fayette on March 8-10, 1779:

(…) I have not had the Letters returned to me by Majr Neville, who I am told (but this is no excuse) is indisposed at Fish-kill (…)

“From George Washington to Major General Lafayette, 8–10 March 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 19, 15 January–7 April 1779, ed. Philander D. Chase and William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009, pp. 401–405.] (06/07/2023)

The postscript of the same letter reads:

I have this moment receivd the letters which were in the hands of Majr Neville; accompanied by yr favors of the 7th & 11th of Jany. the Majr himself is not yet arrived at head Qrs; being, as I am told, very sick (…)

This is quite the peculiar statement since La Fayette himself was severely indisposed in Fishkill prior to leaving America – and Neville’s luck was far from improving over the coming months.

La Fayette wrote on June 12, 1779 to Washington:

I don’t know what is Become of Cle. Nevill and the Cher. de La Colombe. I beg you would make some inquiries for them, and do any thing in your power for theyr speedy exchange in case they have been taken.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 2, April 10, 1778–March 20, 1780, Cornell University Press, 1978, p. 278.

Washington replied on September 30, 1779:

Colo. Neville called upon me about a month since and was to have dined with us the next day but did not come, since which I have not seen him nor do I know at this time where he is. He had then but just returned from his own home & it was the first time I had seen him since he parted with you at Boston. It is probable he may be with the Virginia Troops which lye at the mouth of Smith’s Cloves abt. 30 mile from hence.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 2, April 10, 1778–March 20, 1780, Cornell University Press, 1978, p. 315.

Neville served for a time as lieutenant-colonel in the 8th Virginia Regiment. He became a prisoner of War on May 12, 1780 after the Fall of Charlestown together with John Laurens. He was quickly paroled and finally exchanged in May of 1781. La Fayette instructed the Chevalier de La Luzerne on June 20, 1780:

May I presume to ask you to convey a million compliments to Monsieur de Marbois and to find out if the son of Colonel Neville, called Lieutenant Colonel Presley Neville, my former aide-de-camp, is among the prisoners?

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 3, April 27, 1780–March 29, 1781, Cornell University Press, 1980, p. 57.

La Fayette also wrote to Nathanael Greene on November 10, 1780:

I have a Request to Make, My dear Sir, Which is extremely interesting to me. Young Nevile, My aid de camp, a Captain By Commission, and a Lieutenant Colonel By Brevet was taken as a Volonteer at Charlestown. The General has told me that you was invested with full Powers to treat for the Southern Prisoners. Nothing, May Give me a Greater pleasure than to have My poor Nevile out of the Scrape which his zeal and Bravery have thrown him into. I was thinking of writing to him, But upon Recollection Believe it More advantageous to his exchange that No Notice Be taken of him till he has obtain’d his freedom.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 3, April 27, 1780–March 29, 1781, Cornell University Press, 1980, p. 224.

Neville was not permitted to leave the city of Philadelphia as part of his parole. But when La Fayette was himself in Philadelphia, the two men met and the Marquis was more determined than ever to get his “favourite” back. He consulted Washington on this matter on December 9, 1780:

I have found here Lt. Clel. Nevill my old aid de camp. He came with Gal. Woodfort to Newyork. It is said that Gal. Lincoln’s aids have been exchang’d and that it is generally the case with aids de camp to Gal. officers actually in our service. I warmly desire to have him. I am told Cornwallis has no powers to treat those matters. Can you, my dear general, think of some method to get him out which it is proper for me to take? I am more than ever puzzled, my dear general, to know what to do.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 3, April 27, 1780–March 29, 1781, Cornell University Press, 1980, p. 254-255.

Washington replied to La Fayette on December 14, 1780:

It would add to my pleasure if I could encourage your hope of Colo. Nevilles exchange. I refused to interest myself in the exchange of my own aid. Genl. Lincoln’s were exchanged with himself, and upon that occasion (for I know of no other) Congress passed a resolve prohibiting exchanges out of the order of captivity.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 3, April 27, 1780–March 29, 1781, Cornell University Press, 1980, p. 259.

After his exchange in May of 1781, Nevill returned to serve as La Fayette’s aide-de-camp during July of 1781 – until he was captured again. La Fayette wrote on August 12, 1781 to Nathanael Greene:

I May add that Clel. Nevill and Mr. Langhorne Being prisoners, I Have No aid de Camp But McHenry and Washington, But I am willing to give up My interest to your wishes, and McHenry's Remaining Some time with me is owing to an other Circumstance.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 4, April 1, 1781–December 23, 1781, Cornell University Press, 1981, p. 319.

The details of Neville’s second capture are unknown. He was released sometimes in 1782 and as far as I can tell never returned to serve under La Fayette. Instead, he married Nancy Morgan, the daughter of General Daniel Morgan in 1782 and they moved with their family to a house known as Woodville about six miles west of Pittsburgh. Their home was situated on the banks of the Chartiers Creek and Neville’s father lived on the opposite site of the creek. Around 1794 he served as inspector for the Allegheny County militia. His county also saw a great opposition to the Act repealing, after the last day of June next, the duties heretofore laid upon Distilled Spirits imported from abroad, and laying others in their stead; and also upon Spirits distilled within the United States, and for appropriating the same, better known as the act that raised taxes on alcohol distilled within the United States. Both Presley Neville as well as his father General John Neville found themselves the victims of attacks and threats during the Whisky Rebellion. It did not help much that Neville was the agent for procuring whiskey for the army.

On December 10, 1819, shortly after his father’s death, Neville’s son Morgan Neville addressed himself to Thomas Jefferson with a particular interest:

The Motive for my present communication, must plead my Excuse for intruding upon you, & the history of your Life, is a pledge to every American, that the humblest request will be attended to.

I am the Representative of the late General D. Morgan of Virginia, to whom Congress presented a gold Medal for the battle of the Cowpens. This descended to me as the eldest male Grandchild of this officer. Unfortunately, a Bank, in which the Medal was deposited, was last year robbed, & this with many other valuable articles belonging to me, was taken. I have lost all hopes of recovering it, as I have reason to believe that one of the Robbers threw it into the St Lawrence: I leave it to you, sir, to judge of my mortification since this event.

I have determined to petition Congress, through my friend, the honorable Henry Baldwin, to pass a Resolution authorizing me to have one struck at my Expense; as my situation however, at present would not permit me to take advantage of such a resolution, without having the original Die, I have written on the subject to Mr Gallatin, & to the Marquis de la Fayette, whose Aid de Camp, my father the late General Presley Neville was, in “77. Since writing to these gentlemen it has occurred to me that, as the Medals voted by Congress were executed under your direction, you might be able to assist me with your advice; if I be not mistaken you employed on that occasion three artists; Duvivier, Dupré, & Cateau. My Grandfather’s was executed by Dupré. Any information which you may have the goodness to give me as to where these dies were deposited; whose property you consider them; the possibility of my procuring the one I want, & what course I ought to pursue, will be most gratefully acknowledged by me. By gratifying me with a reply to this communication, you will lay me under a most serious obligation.

“Morgan Neville to Thomas Jefferson, 10 December 1819,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series, vol. 15, 1 September 1819 to 31 May 1820, ed. J. Jefferson Looney. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2018, pp. 276–278.] (06/07/2023)

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