December 2024

The stories of Buckland’s John Love and Ravensworth’s William Payne remind us that the history of Northern Virginia is woven into the fabric of our nation’s founding. Their intertwined paths, from the battlefields of the Revolution to the halls of government and the development of our communities, offer a glimpse into the rich tapestry of our local history.

In 1777 at just 17, John Love enlisted as a Private in the 1st Virginia State Regiment, under the command of Captain William Payne. Payne, 26 years old, organized and recruited to fill the ranks of his new company in the regiment. It’s important to note that this regiment was distinct from the 1st Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army; the state regiment was initially intended for local defense but was swiftly thrust into the broader conflict in the Continental Army.

Love and Payne found themselves in the thick of the fight at the Battles of Brandywine and Germantown in the Philadelphia Campaign. They witnessed firsthand the devastating loss of the 9th Virginia Regiment at Brandywine. This loss underscored the urgent need for the state regiment’s continued service within the Continental Army.