18107362D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 325
Offered February 21, 2018
Commemorating the life and legacy of Peter Francisco.
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Patron-- Freitas
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WHEREAS, Peter Francisco, a hero of the American Revolution who played a pivotal role in the foundation of the United States through his bravery and valor, died 187 years ago on January 16, 1831; and

WHEREAS, born Pedro Francisco in 1760 on the Portuguese island of Terceira, Peter Francisco was kidnapped as a child and found on the docks of City Point, Virginia, in 1765; he was taken in by the Honorable Anthony Winston of Buckingham County, whose family had ties to Patrick Henry; and

WHEREAS, Peter Francisco was tutored by the Winston family and apprenticed as a blacksmith; he was especially large for the time period, and due to his size and strength, he became known as the Virginian Hercules or the Virginia Giant; and

WHEREAS, in 1776, at the age of 16, Peter Francisco joined the 10th Virginia Regiment and fought with distinction at several engagements during the Revolutionary War, including the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, Valley Forge, and Monmouth Court House; and

WHEREAS, at the Battle of Stony Point, Peter Francisco was the second man to enter the British fort and captured the enemy flag, and following the Battle of Camden, he singlehandedly carried away a cannon to keep it from falling into enemy hands; and

WHEREAS, after sustaining severe wounds at the Battle of Guilford Court House, Peter Francisco returned to Buckingham County to recuperate and volunteered to spy on the British Legion, more commonly known as Tarleton's Raiders, who were operating in the area; in 1781, he returned to the Continental Army to witness the British surrender at Yorktown; and

WHEREAS, in later life, Peter Francisco served as Sergeant-at-arms to the Senate of Virginia, and he was buried with full military honors at Richmond's Shockoe Hill Cemetery; and

WHEREAS, the Society of the Descendants of Peter Francisco, a nonprofit genealogical society in Buckingham County, preserves the memory of Peter Francisco and his contributions to the nation and celebrates Peter Francisco Day every March 15; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commemorate the life and legacy of Peter Francisco on the 187th anniversary of his death; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Society of the Descendants of Peter Francisco as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for Peter Francisco's unique contributions to the formation of the United States.