Revolutionary War Hero John Champe
The story of John Champe is one of a true Hero of the American Revolution. It is a story of intrigue and adventure. A double agent for non-other than General George Washington, Champe was tasked with faking desertion, infiltrating the British line, capturing the traitor Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, and returning Arnold to the American side to be court-martialed for treason.
Champe was born near Aldie, Loudoun County, Virginia in 1752. In 1776 he enlisted in the Virginia Cavalry in the unit commanded by Major Henry Lee III. The unit became known as Lee’s Legion. Their Battle flag, or guidon, is depicted below. The original is in the archives at Stratford Hall, seat of the Lee family in Westmoreland County, VA.
Champe quickly rose through the ranks to the position of Sergeant Major, the senior enlisted person in Lee’s Legion. In October 1780 near Bergan, New Jersey General Washington hatched a plan to capture Arnold who was in New York recruiting loyalists to fight in the British Army. Major Lee told Washington Champe was the right man for the job. Lee’s memoirs described Champe:
“Rather above the common size—full of bone and muscle—grave, thoughtful, taciturn—of tried courage and inflexible perseverance.”
Champe accepted the assignment after much consideration, finding desertion distasteful and revolting. About 11pm on October 20, 1780, Champe rode out of camp with his personal effects, weapons, and unit Orderly book to prove his intention to desert. He was chased by and shot at by his own unit. He eventually reached the west bank of the Hudson and began to make his way to a British ship anchored in the river. Fired on by the Americans and the British, the British finally stopped when Champe signaled surrender.
Taken to British Headquarters, Champe convinced Arnold his desertion was valid, and he was assigned as a recruiting Sergeant. The job gave Champe access to Arnold’s home and opportunity to observe General’s routine. A plot was hatched with American Sympathizers to seize Arnold on an evening stroll, take him to a waiting small boat and transport him across the Hudson for trial.
Before the plot could be put in play, Arnold moved his Headquarters to another part of Manhattan taking Champe with him. Arnold later directed his Army to Virginia. Once in Virginia and not wanting to combat fellow Virginian’s, Champe eventually deserted the British line and returned to the Continental line. General Washington would not let Champe return to the war for fear if captured he would be tried and hung as a spy.
After the war George Washington recommended Champe for the position of Sergeant-at-arms of the Continental Congress, and his name is recorded in this capacity in the Congressional log dated 25 August 1783.
When he returned to Loudoun County, he acquired land near what is now Champe Ford Road west of the village of Aldie. An obelisk sits in a field west of Champe Ford Road and south of U.S. Highway 50, across Highway 50, from Cana Winery. A plaque on the obelisk reads:
After service in the Continental Army, John Champe married Phebe Susan Barnard. The couple raised six children: John, Susannah, Amelia, Nathanial, William, and Mary. Phebe received a pension of $100 per year for her husband’s military service.
Champe and family moved from Loudoun County to property near Seneca Rocks in Pendleton County, now in West Virginia (note – the monument is in error for the description of his grave site).
While on a trip looking for land southwest of Morgantown, Champe died. He was buried in the cemetery adjacent to Prickett’s Fort near the Monongahela River. A military style VA headstone was installed with full military honors on 22 April 2001 by the Sons of the American Revolution. A Patriot of the American Revolution Marker was installed and dedicated by the Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter, Virginia SAR on 8 October 2022.