James Innes

James Innes (1754 August 2, 1798) was an American attorney, officer in the American Revolutionary War and politician. The second Attorney General of Virginia after independence, he served a decade before resigning for health reasons. He also served in the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Ratification Convention at various times representing Williamsburg or nearby James City County. Early life Born in 1754 in Caroline County, Colony of Virginia, British America, to the former Catherine Richards and the Rev. Robert Innes. Although his mother was born in Virginia, his father had graduated from Oxford University before emigrating from Scotland to the Virginia colony, and accepted a position as rector (Anglican clergyman) in Caroline County. Innes received a private education locally, then followed in his elder brother Harry Innes's path and traveled to the colonial capital, Williamsburg to attend the College of William & Mary, where he read law with George Wythe. While at the college, he was a member of the Flat Hat Club, an early fraternity. However, tensions with Britain were mounting, and although usher of the grammar school, he rallied students in order to secure military stores which Governor Dunmore was trying to take out to a ship in the Chesapeake Bay. The faculty then remaining loyal to the Crown, he was expelled. Military service Innes volunteered for the local militia and in February 1776 accepted a commission as captain of the Williamsburg volunteers. He marched against the British at Hampton Roads. The next November, having secured a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, he became an aide to General George Washington and served at the Battle of Trenton in 1776, the Battle of Princeton, Battle of Brandywine and Battle of Germantown (all in 1778) and Battle of Monmouth in June, 1778. Innes was appointed a navy commissioner in October 1778. At General Washington's urging, Innes recruited a regiment for home defense in Williamsburg, and in 1781 commanded it at the Siege of Yorktown, which ended the British threat to the Hampton Roads area, although peace negotiations would take several additional years.