Mordecai Buckner Mordecai Buckner ( ca . 1735 – 1787 ) was born in colonial Virginia and served as an officer in the French and Indian War . After the start of the American Revolutionary War he was appointed colonel of the 6th Virginia Regiment . He served in this capacity for about one year before he was cashiered and dismissed from the Continental Army . Buckner was the son of Thomas Buckner ( died ca . 1755 ) , a planter of Caroline Co . , Virginia , who served as a justice of the peace and sheriff of that county , and Mary Timson . He married Elizabeth Beverly Chew in 1767 and the couple had at least two known children . Career . Buckner was first appointed quartermaster in 1755 , then ensign later that year for then - Capt . Adam Stephen ' s militia company , and in 1758 during the French and Indian War , he was promoted to captain in Adam Stephen ' s Virginia regiment . He either rejoined the regiment or was still serving in 1762 , for which he received 3 , 000 acres of land . In 1767 , he married Elizabeth Beverly Chew , widow of Beverly Stanard . During the colonial militia buildup at the onset of the American Revolution , on 12 Sep 1775 , Buckner was elected lieutenant colonel of the minutemen raised by the combined Virginia counties of Spottsylvania , Caroline , Stafford , and King George under Col . Hugh Mercer . Both Buckner and Mercer were members of the Spottsylvania County . Having served under George Washington during the earlier war , he was not long after appointed commander of the 6th Virginia Regiment in the nascent Continental Army . His colonel ' s commission dated from 13 February 1776 . The two other field officers were Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Elliott and Major James Hendricks . The regiment came into existence on 28 December 1775 . It was organized at Williamsburg , Virginia in the strength of ten companies from men of ten different eastern and southern counties . Initially assigned to the Southern Department , the unit transferred to Stephen ' s Brigade in Washington ' s main army on 3 September 1776 . Buckner commanded the 191 - strong 6th Virginia at the Battle of Trenton on 26 December 1776 . At that time , Hendricks was lieutenant colonel and Richard Parker was major . For reasons not given , Parker led the regiment at the battles of Assunpink Creek and Princeton on 2 and 3 January 1777 . On 23 January , separate actions were fought at Bonhamtown , Quibbletown , and Woodbridge , New Jersey during the Forage War . In one of these encounters , Buckner ' s subordinate , Lt . Col . Parker , engaged British troops but was unable to press what he felt was a significant advantage because Buckner failed to bring up support , having in fact fled the battle . Buckner was accused of misbehavior in combat and subsequently arrested for trial . While on parole , he attempted to flee and was reapprehended by a troop of light horse sent by General Washington . Buckner wrote a letter to the commander - in - chief pleading to be dismissed from the service without trial , but on 28 January 1777 , Washington wrote him a curt letter in reply . Sir : It is not in my power to comply with your request on three Accounts , yourself , the Country at large , and the State you come from , Were the matter to remain undetermined , your Reputation must be ruined ; at all events , every Officer would have reason to expect equal favor , and I shall be justly taxed with partiality . Would you reflect on the Impropriety of your Petition , you would certainly withdraw it . Resolved as I am to reward merit , and punish demerit , I shall refer your case to the judgment of a Court Martial , and shall be happy to hear that it acquits you . I am , etc . On 8 February Buckner was tried before a court martial and found guilty . The General Court Martial held at Chatham , the 8th . Inst : whereof Brigadier General St . Clair was President , for the trial of Col Mordecai Buckner , accused of " Shamefully Misbehaving before the Enemy , in the Action of the 23rd . of Jan ' y last , " And of " Quitting his post and party in time of engagement , " have after mature consideration , sentenced the said Col Mordecai Buckner , to be cashiered , and declared incapable of any military office , in the service of the United States . The General and Commander in Chief approves the sentence , and orders the said Col Mordecai Buckner , forthwith to depart the American Army . Capt . John Chilton , who sat on the court martial , opined that " there was but a single circumstance that saved him being shot . " Buckner left the army on 9 February 1777 and Hendricks succeeded him as acting commander . During his life Buckner amassed considerable wealth , but he lost much of it by the time he died around 1787 . His will was proven on 1 January 1788 . He and his wife had two surviving children , John Chew ( 1770 – 1820 ) and Baldwin Matthews ( 20 April 1772 – 27 December 1827 ) . Baldwin was born at the family estate at Roxbury in Spotsylvania County and died at Chestnut Hill in Greene County , Virginia .