Brigadier-General JAMES AGNEW,
44th Regiment,
1720s-77

and Lieutenant-Colonel JOHN BIRD,
15th Regiment
d.1777

Lieutenant Colonel James Agnew was a younger son of Major James Agnew, 7th Dragoons, a Scots officer who had settled in Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham, and his wife Margaret Wilkinson. His paternal grandfather was Sir James Agnew of Lochnaw, 4th Bt., Hereditary Sheriff of Galloway. His older sister Mary was the first wife of Robert McQueen, who served on the Scots bench as Lord Braxfield.

James married Elizabeth Sanderson (b. 1724) on 27 September 1747 in the Parish of Auckland St. Andrew, Co. Durham. He was a Captain in 58th Foot in 1755. His son, Robert Agnew baptised in 1749, was an Ensign in the same regiment by 1767. James had Provincial rank as Brigadier-General from May 1776.

Paul Pace tells us:

At Boston on March 15, 1776 Lt. Col. James Agnew is listed as commanding a composite battalion of grenadiers [Howe's orders 3/15/1776] but by May 19 at Halifax he is listed as a Brigadier General [in America only]. [Howe's Orders 5/19/1776]

Brig. Gen. Agnew commanded the 4th Brigade under Gen. Sir William Howe in the 1777 Philadelphia Campaign. According to John André, the 4th Brigade consisted of the 33rd, 37th, 46th and 64th Regiments. [André's Journal, Aug. 25th, 1777] Agnew was killed at Germantown while advancing at the head of his Brigade. The following excerpts from Gen. Howe's letter to Lord Germaine on October 10, 1777 provide a brief description of the attack
[Source C.O. 5/94, fo. 318]:

…Lieutenant-Colonel Musgrave, with six companies of [the 40th Regt.] threw himself into [the Chew House] in the face of the enemy…until Major-General Grey at the head …of the 3rd brigade, turning his front to the village, and Brigadier-General Agnew, who covered Major-General Grey's left with the 4th brigade, by a vigorous attack repulsed the enemy that had penetrated into the upper part [of Germantown] which was done with much slaughter…among the killed will be found the names of Brigadier-General Agnew and Lieut.-Colonel Bird…, both of whom are much to be lamented as officers of experience and approved merit.

 

Germantown, PA

Brevet Brigadier-General, Lieut. Col. James Agnew of the 44th Regiment of Foot, together with Lt. Col. John Bird of the 15th Regiment of Foot, are buried in the DeBenneville family cemetery in Philadelphia. The picture shows a grey-painted sign in the centre. The large gravestone is on the ground to the right. Agnew was reportedly wounded by an armed local, as he made his way to the fighting from his headquarters. He was carried back to the house, where he died. Visitors to the house (Grumblethorpe) today are shown (in dubious taste) an alleged bloodstain on the floor.

Photo: Terry Crabb

HERE LIE THE REMAINS
OF
GENERAL JAMES TANNER AGNEW
A BRITISH OFFICER
WHO WAS KILLED AT GERMANTOWN
ON THE 4TH OF OCTOBER 1777
AND OF
LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN BIRD
A BRITISH OFFICER
WHO DIED IN GERMANTOWN ON OR
ABOUT THE 4TH OF OCTOBER 1777 

THE BODIES OF THE ABOVE
WERE REMOVED FROM THE LOWER BURIAL
GROUND GERMANTOWN BY THE ORDER OF
GENERAL HOWE AND PLACED IN THIS
CEMETERY WITH THE CONSENT OF DOCTOR
GEORGE DE BENNEVILLE IN MAY 1778 

REQUIESCAT IN PACE 

THIS STONE WAS ERECTED
IN THEIR MEMORY BY
HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S
GOVERNMENT
OCTOBER 4TH 1903

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