James Innes (North Carolina)
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Colonel James Innes |
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|---|---|
| Born |
c.1700 Canisbay, Caithness, Scotland |
| Died | September 5, 1759 (aged 58–59) Near Castle Hayne, North Carolina |
| Buried | New Hanover County, North Carolina |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/branch | British Army, Provincial Militia |
| Years of service | 1740–1756 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | War of Jenkins' Ear (Battle of Cartagena de Indias); King George's War; French and Indian War |
James Innes (c.1700 – September 5, 1759) was an American military commander and political figure in the Province of North Carolina who led troops both at home and abroad in the service of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Innes was given command of a company of North Carolina's provincial soldiers during the War of Jenkins' Ear, and served as Commander-in-Chief of all colonial soldiers in the Ohio River Valley in 1754 during the French and Indian War. After resigning his commission in 1756, Innes retired to his home on the Cape Fear River. A bequest made by Innes upon his death lead to the establishment of Innes Academy in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Innes was born around 1700 in the Scottish Highlands. In 1732, Innes purchased 320 acres (130 ha; 0.50 sq mi) on the Cape Fear River in what is now Bladen County, North Carolina. In or about 1733, he received an additional grant of 640 acres (260 ha; 1.00 sq mi). Shortly after Innes' arrival in North Carolina, Governor Gabriel Johnston appointed him as a justice for New Hanover County, and tried unsuccessfully to appoint Innes to his council.
In 1739, war broke out between Spain and Great Britain over the respective powers' colonial possessions and spheres of influence. At the outset of that conflict, the British requested that their colonies supply troops for an expedition to South America. Innes was selected by Governor Johnston to lead a company of 100 men from the Cape Fear region to Cartagena in the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Granada, a city which is located in the modern-day country of Colombia. The Cape Fear company was to be joined by three other companies raised in the Albemarle Sound region. Innes was granted a provincial commission as Captain in the British Army on June 7, 1740.
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