Patriot Ancestor: James Sage
Born: 1749, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England
Died: 1820, Elk Creek, Grayson County, VA
Rank: Private, Virginia Militia
Years Served: 1777 – 1779
GGW Chapter SAR Member: Tom Cole
“
James Sage (1749 – 1820)”
As written by: Tom Cole
James Sage came to America from England in 1773, not by free choice but from forced exile. Although his period of exile was to be only seven years, by at least 1777, he had become a member of the American Rebel Militia fighting against Great Britain. Born outside of London, in 1749, he was working as a baker for King George III, when he was charged with theft and sentenced to exile in America. It did not take James long to adopt America as his new home.
James Sage served numerous enlistments with the Militia and the Continental Army. His enlistment records into the 7th Virginia Regiment in February 1777 may have actually been a re-enlistment, with his service first beginning with that Regiment in 1776. He fought with General George Washington’s Continental forces at the Battle of Brandywine on the 11th of September in 1777, when American losses were double that of the British; and the defeat led to the capture of Philadelphia. He fought again with General Washington’s troops on the 4th of October in 1777, during the Battle of Germantown.
Private James Sage, of the Company of Captain Joseph Crockett, in the 7th Virginia Regiment, went into General Washington’s Winter Camp at Valley Forge in December of 1777. At that time, the 7th Virginia had 427 men assigned, with only 46 of that number listed as fit for duty. When they departed Valley Forge in June of 1778, they had 376 men assigned, with 226 of that number listed as fit for duty. The 7th Virginia was part of Woodford’s Brigade, along with the 3rd, 11th, and 15th Virginia Regiments. Woodford’s Brigade was part of Major General Marquis de Lafayette’s Division, along with the North Carolina Brigade and Scott’s Brigade.
The harsh weather, along with the lack of food and other supplies at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778, is legendary. The causes for these shortages were many. Loyalist raiders attacked supply convoys before they reached the Camp. Price controls set by the Continental Congress were below market value and resulted in goods being sols to the eastern markets, and sometimes even to the British Army. The fledgling American government also contributed to the misery through bad planning, inexperience, ineptitude, and outright villainy. Contractors often swindled the military, knowingly supplying it with shoddy equipment and ruined food. All of this resulted in great suffering by the soldiers from hunger and exposure. General Lafayette wrote that he saw soldiers whose “feet and legs turned black with frostbite, and often had to be amputated.” Thousands of men were hospitalized due to typhus and an assortment of other fevers and diseases. Upwards of 2,500 of General Washington’s men perished that winter – nearly one man in seven. To their everlasting credit, despite these conditions, the American soldiers worked hard each day to improve their own living conditions, as well as drilling, standing guard, conducting patrols, foraging, and contesting British foraging parties.
After leaving Valley Forge, Private Sage was assigned to the 3rd and 7th (combined) Virginia Regiment in Captain Adam Wallace’s Company. The Lieutenant was Robert Sayers, the Lieutenant Colonel was Holt Richeson, and the Colonel was William Heth. On the 28th of June in 1778, Private Sage fought in the Battle of Monmouth. The fact that American forces fought much more successfully in this battle was credited to the training they had received during their stay at Valley Forge. Following this battle, Private Sage moved with General Washington into Camp Paramus in New Jersey, and from there to White Plains, New York, where they remained until September of 1778.
In September of 1778, Private Sage was transferred into the 5th Virginia Regiment under Captain Buckner and Colonel William Russell as it moved to Pompton Plains, New York. In January of 1779, the 5th Virginia Regiment moved to Middlebrook, New Jersey to make winter camp along with approximately 10,000 other members of General Washington’s Continental soldiers. The last muster roll entry located for Private James Sage listed him as discharged on the 1st of February in 1779.
James Sage was married to Lovis Ott and they had 14 children. He died in 1820 and was buried at Elk Creek in Grayson County, Virginia. James Sage is my fifth-great grandfather.
General George Washington Chapter 
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