Baylor, George
Baylor, George
BAYLOR, GEORGE. (1752–1784). Aide-de-camp to Washington, Continental officer. Virginia. Coming from a prominent family of the Virginia gentry, he was selected as aide-de-camp by Washington on 15 August 1775 and commissioned lieutenant colonel. Washington had been a close friend of Baylor's father. Commended by Washington in a letter of 27 December 1776 to President Hancock, he carried the news of the victory at Trenton and a captured flag to Congress and was thanked by that body. Hancock wrote Washington recommending that he be promoted and given a horse. The gift horse came on 1 January 1777, the promotion on the 9th, and with the latter he assumed command of the Third Continental Dragoons. He was bayoneted through the lungs and captured in the Tappan massacre of 28 September 1778. After being exchanged he returned to duty, assuming command of the First Continental Dragoons on 9 November 1782 when the Third was merged with that unit. His cavalry troops served with the southern army from 1779 until the end of the war, although for a good part of that time, because of his wound, he was unable to resume his field command. He was breveted brigadier general on 30 September 1783 and died the next March at Bridgetown, Barbados, where he had gone in hopes of recovering from the wound received at Tappan.
SEE ALSO Tappan Massacre, New Jersey.
revised by Harry M. Ward