Alexander Skinner (surgeon)

Skinner was born around 1743 in Prince George's County, Maryland.

In 1776 he served at the military hospital of Suffolk as its head. [1]

At the beginning of the revolution he commissioned as a Surgeon in the 1st Regiment of the Virginia Line.[2] He acted as the Regimental Surgeon of the 1st Virginia, Continental Line from its formation in Williamsburg, Virginia 1775 till 1780. He was present at the Army's encampment at Valley Forge from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778 as is listed among the 1st Virginia's Regimental Staff.[3] He then was the Surgeon for Lee's Legion from 1780 until the end of the war.[4]

Skinner was active in petitioning Congress for back pay for himself and other Surgeons of the Continental Army, and was an original member of the Virginia Society of the Cincinnati.[5] He was rewarded with many thousands of acres of land in Western Virginia (present day West Virginia) and Kentucky. As such, he was one of the many men of the Society of the Cincinnati who were instrumental in developing the infant United States west of the Appalachian Mountains. He died November 20, 1788, in Richmond, Virginia.[6] He was survived by his son, Alexander Skinner who settled on land he was awarded in lieu of payment by Congress in Western Virginia (present day West Virginia).

Once he killed a man in a duel. Later on in life when challenged to another duel, he refused stating he wanted "to do all in my power prolong and not destroy human life".[7]