Biography of Hugh Mercer

Hugh Mercer

A Revolutionary War Hero

Hugh Mercer was born near Rosehearty, in the manse of Pitsligo Kirk (church), Aberdeenshire, Scotland on January 12, 1726. He was the son of the Presbyterian minister of Pitsligo Parish. Hugh is a pretty smart kid and at the age of 15 attends the University of Aberdeen, Marischal Medical College. He graduated as a Doctor. He became a doctor during a very troubled time in Scotland. Bonny Prince Charles had been previously sent out of Scotland to exiled and later on had gathered himself together an army and came back to Scotland to take back his crown. Hugh Mercer was named as the Assistant Surgeon General to Prince Charles army. On April 16, 1746 the army of Prince Charles met the British army at a place called Culloden Moor. The name of this place still means dread and sorrow to some of those with Scottish blood to this day. This was the first battle that artillery played and important role. When the British unlimbered their crude artillery pieces and opened up, the advancing Scotsmen still believing in the old infantry charge with swords and axes were all but annihilated. Those that survived and escaped were tracked down and killed almost to a man. There was one survivor and that was Hugh Mercer. Hugh could not be a fugitive in his own country so he snuck around and slipped out of the country and immigrated to America in 1747. He settled in what is now Mercerville, Pennsylvania and practiced medicine for eight years. In 1755 Mercer was a medic with American General Edward Braddock during the French and Indian war. Braddock’s army was ambushed by a combined force of British and Indians and was massacred. Mercer saw how the soldiers had been mutilated and it brought back memories of the Battle of Culloden. None the less he went out onto the battlefield and treated the wounded on both sides... It was then that he decided that he wanted to be a soldier first and then a doctor…In 1756 he was commissioned at the rank of Captain in the Pennsylvania Regiment. He accompanied American Lieutenant Colonel John Armstrong to attack the Indian village named Kittanning. During the attack, Mercer was severely wounded and got separated from his troops. Over a period of 14 days Mercer traveled 100 miles to Fort Shirley where he was recognized. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel. It was during the following few years that he became life long friends with another Colonel name George Washington. Washington convinced Mercer that he should move to Fredericksburg, Virginia and opens a medical practice. So in 1760 Hugh Mercer hung his shingle in Fredericksburg. He became a well respected and dependable member of that community. He joined the local Masonic Lodge where George Washington and James Monroe were members also. In a 1767 Mercer became the master of the lodge. That lodge produced 8 American Revolutionary War Generals and is active to this day. In 1769 he married Isabella Gordon and they had issue of five children. Later on George Washington sold his childhood home Ferry Farm to Hugh Mercer. In 1775 it became obvious that was with England was going to heat up and there was a meeting to organize different militias. Mercer was not allowed to attend because he was a “Northern Scot” whatever that meant, but he was named as the leader of five different county militias. In June of 1776 Mercer received a letter from Congress promoting him to the rank of Brigadier General and ordered his to New York as soon s he could get there. George Washington ordered two forts to be built to protect New York Harbor. One of them was named Fort Washington and the other was on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River named Fort Lee that Mercer supervised the construction of. Brigadier General Hugh Mercer was with Washington at the successful attack of the Hessians at Trenton and left with Washington headed toward Princeton to avoid the hordes of British General William Howe that was coming after Washington with a vengeance after the destruction of the Hessians. Washington and Mercer slipped by Howe’s army and made it to Princeton where they met a small British army and destroyed them also. The only difference here is the Brigadier general Hugh Mercer was cornered by five or six British officers. The British thought they had George Washington and ordered him to surrender. Mercer said no and pulled his saber. He received seven bayonet wounds and fell to the ground. When he was found he demanded that he be sat against a tree so he could see the results of the battle. That tree to this day is known as “Mercer’s Oak”. The Patriots prevailed and took Mercer to the best doctor on the continent, Benjamin Rush. Rush worked night and day trying to save Mercer but he died nine days later on January 12, 1777. He was originally buried in Christ Church graveyard in Philadelphia. But later he was disinterred and buried in the Mount Laurel cemetery also in Philadelphia. Mercer had several famous descendents. They are Wallen T. Patton, George S. Patton, John Mercer Patton, US General George S. Patton, CSA General Hugh W. Mercer and finally, songwriter Johnny Mercer. There are many statues that have been erected in his honor and there are counties named for him also. The city of Fredericksburg, Virginia has preserved his doctor’s office and apothecary on Caroline Street as a historical site. He is one of many heroes from other nations that allowed this great nation to prevail. I am glad that my Scottish clan motto is “Nae Obliviscaris”. It translates to “Never Forget”…and I can assure that this old horse will never forget. Trust me on this one.