Henry took up the Virginian cause in order to create committees of correspondence to coordinate the reaction of the colonies to the British government. This action was in response to the pleas placed before by Massachusetts in order to create colony committees. It was in March 1773 when Patrick Henry along with Thomas Jefferson and Richard Henry Lee moved the Virginia House of Burgesses to make resolutions in order to formulate a standing committee of correspondents. With Henry’s leading role committees were set up by each colony which made way for the formation of the First Continental Congress in 1774. Henry was elected to this Congress.
On 23 March 1775 Henry made his very famous speech in the House of Burgesses which was held in Saint John's Church in Richmond, Virginia. The House took much time to decide whether to appoint military forces to confront the ever increasing British military forces. It was Henry who decided to give his verdict in favour of military mobilization. According to Henry's first biographer, William Wirt (who accounted Henry’s speech at the House 42 years later) Henry had stated “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, Give me Liberty, or give me Death!” to which the crowd had jumped up and shouted (according to Wirt’s record) “To Arms! To Arms!”.
Henry was appointed as the colonel of the 1st Virginia Regiment in August 1775. American war of Independence had started out around this time with Henry leading a militia to fight the Royal Governor Lord Dunmore’s forces to fix a dispute over gunpowder. This was a major event in the American Revolution and is known as the Gunpowder Incident. After taking the office of the first post-colonial Governor of Virginia Henry led Virginia during the war and played an integral role in leading his army to fight against the Cherokee Indians who were allied with the British forces, in his several expeditions.
Henry lived in his huge 10,000-acre (40 square km) Leatherwood Plantation in Henry County, Virginia during the war. His first cousin Ann Winston Carr and her husband Col. George Waller also lived with Henry in the plantation during the latter’s part stay during the war. While staying at the plantation from 1779 to 1784 Henry had 75 slaves working under him and he grew tobacco in his farm. Henry enjoyed warm friendship with Joseph Martin who worked as an agent (as Henry’s directive) in the Cherokee nation and with him Henry took part in investing in real estate. The name Henry County was named for Martin in the later years.
Henry along with James Madison got elected as founding trustees of Hampden-Sydney College in November 1775. The college was opened for classes on 10 November 1775. Henry made major contribution in achieving passage for the College's Charter in 1783. His action got delayed due to the ongoing American Revolution. Henry possibly wrote the Oath of Loyalty towards the newly formed Republic which got included in the charter. Henry’s seven sons attended Hampden-Sydney College.
has a good segment on his role in the revolution
