From “Colonial and State Records of North Carolina”,
Volume X, page 710.
   George Russel and eleven others including John Sevier,
members of a committee appointed by the inhabitants of
Washington District, including River Wautaugah,
Nonachuchie, etc., sign a petition to the Honorable the
Provincial Council of North Carolina asking for annexation
of that District.  Part of this communication is quoted,
beginning with the opening paragraph:
   “We will now proceed to give you an account of our
military establishments which were chosen agreeable to the
rules established by convention and officers appointed by
the Committee.  This being done we thought it proper to
raise a company on the District service, as our proportion,
to act on the common cause on the seashore.  A company of
fine riflemen were accordingly enlisted and put under
Captain James Roberson and were actually embodied x  x  x
we therefore thought proper to station them on our
frontiers in defense of the common cause at the expense and
risque of our own private fortunes till further public
orders, which we flatter ourselves will give no offense.
We have enclosed you sundry proceedings at the station
where our men now remain.”
Endorsement at end of this document is dated August 22,
1778.

   At the beginning of the revolution, the Washington
District was unprotected from outlaws and savages and these
pioneers formed a Committee of Safety which made its own
laws.  The Committee of Safety was appointed by law abiding
people (Wautauga) and was invested with unlimited power
(according to Ramsey’s History of Tennessee.).  They formed
two companies of dragoons of about 30 each and directed
them to patrol the whole country, capture and punish with
death all suspected persons who refused submission or
failed to give good security for their appearance before
the Committee.  In less than two months safety was
restored.  The occasion for this ______ [paper is damaged
at this point] of preserving order and promoting the
welfare of the people having been removed, the Committee
laid down its functions and ceased to exist.  Justice was
again administered through regular channels.

   The fact that George Russell’s name is signed to this
petition as one of the men who financed the outfitting and
other expense of these two companied of dragoons, is proof
of his colonial service.

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