Major Robert Stobo (1726/27–1770) was an 18th-century Scottish-born colonial American frontiersman and soldier. Stobo was an officer in the
Virginia militia who, during the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
, acted as a spy while a
prisoner-of-war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...
at
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne (, ; originally called ''Fort Du Quesne'') was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. It was later taken over by the British, and later the Americans, and developed a ...
. He was later convicted as a spy in
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
and, while a prisoner there, was able to gain invaluable knowledge of the local area which was later used by British forces during the
capture of Quebec.
Biography
The only son of merchant William Stobo, Robert Stobo was born in
Glasgow, Scotland
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
and sent off to the
Colony of Virginia
The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...
when his parents died. In the care of Glasgow merchants, he worked in their store for much of his early childhood. When he came of age, he sold the property left to him by his parents and used the money to open his own business in Virginia although the venture ultimately proved unsuccessful. A favorite of colonial Lieutenant-Governor
Robert Dinwiddie
Robert Dinwiddie (1692 – 27 July 1770) was a British colonial administrator who served as lieutenant governor of colonial Virginia from 1751 to 1758, first under Governor Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle, and then, from July 1756 ...
, he was appointed a
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in the
Virginia militia shortly before the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
.
In order to ensure the compliance of the surrender terms agreed to by Major
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
following the
Battle of the Great Meadows, he and Captain
Jacob Van Braam
Jacobus van Braam (b. Bergen op Zoom, in the Netherlands, 1 April 1729, d. 1 August 1792 Charleville, France) was a sword master and mercenary who trained the 19-year-old George Washington in 1751 or shortly thereafter. He was also retained by Wash ...
were left as
prisoners-of-war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of war ...
on 28 July 1754 in the care of Captain
Coulon de Villiers Coulon may refer to:
* Coulon (surname)
* Coulon, alternative name for the river Calavon, in the Vaucluse department, France
* Coulon, Deux-Sèvres, a commune of the Deux-Sèvres department, France
* Coulon, former commune of the Cher department, ...
at
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne (, ; originally called ''Fort Du Quesne'') was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. It was later taken over by the British, and later the Americans, and developed a ...
until at such time they could be released in a
prisoner exchange
A prisoner exchange or prisoner swap is a deal between opposing sides in a conflict to release prisoners: prisoners of war, spies, hostages, etc. Sometimes, dead bodies are involved in an exchange.
Geneva Conventions
Under the Geneva Convent ...
. During his captivity, he was an open prisoner and spent his time making detailed sketches of the fort and plans for its destruction. In a letter containing these plans he wrote, "For my part I would die ten thousand deaths to have the pleasure of possessing this fort..." His plans concluded that one hundred Indians could take the fort. He was able to get these sketches to British forces by giving them to the Lenape warrior
Keekyuscung
Keekyuscung (died 6 August, 1763) aka Kickyuscung, Kaquehuston, Kikyuskung, Ketiuscund, Kekeuscund, or Ketiushund, was a Delaware (Lenape) chief. In the 1750s he took part in peace negotiations to end Lenape participation in the French and Indian ...
who smuggled them out of the fort, however these papers were recovered by the French after the
Battle of the Monongahela
The Battle of the Monongahela (also known as the Battle of Braddock's Field and the Battle of the Wilderness) took place on 9 July 1755, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, at Braddock's Field in what is now Braddock, Pennsylvania, e ...
and he was sent to
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
where he was tried and convicted as a spy. Stobo was sentenced to death, although his sentence was commuted to closed confinement. He managed to escape from prison and, arriving on a ship from
Halifax, he rejoined British forces at
Louisburgh
Louisburgh () is a small town on the southwest corner of Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. It is home to Sancta Maria College and the Gráinne O'Malley Interpretive Centre.
Transport
Road access
Louisburgh is located on the R335 regional r ...
on the island of
Cape Breton
Cape Breton Island (french: link=no, île du Cap-Breton, formerly '; gd, Ceap Breatainn or '; mic, Unamaꞌki) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
The island accounts for 18. ...
shortly after General
James Wolfe
James Wolfe (2 January 1727 – 13 September 1759) was a British Army officer known for his training reforms and, as a Major-general (United Kingdom), major general, remembered chiefly for his victory in 1759 over the Kingdom of France, French ...
had departed for Quebec. Following after him, Stobo was able to catch up to Wolfe and provide him with knowledge of the area including the landing site chosen for Wolfe's forces during the
capture of Quebec.
In November 1771
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
wrote a letter to Stobo concerning land claims under Governor Dinwiddie; however Stobo had committed suicide on 19 June 1770.
His memoirs were kept in the
British Museum
The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
for nearly a century until 1854 when the manuscript was published in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in part due to efforts by Liverpool merchant James McHenry.
[LeMoine, J.M. ''Maple Leaves''. Quebec: Augustin Cote & Co., 1873. (pg. 55-63)]
See also
*
Captivity Narratives - Nova Scotia
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stobo, Robert
1733 births
Military personnel from Glasgow
Virginia colonial people
East Yorkshire Regiment officers
1770 deaths
British military personnel of the French and Indian War
British America army officers
Military personnel who committed suicide
Scottish people of the British Empire
Scottish businesspeople
Captives of Native Canadians