RICHMOND, Va. — When you enter Shockoe Hill Cemetery on Richmond’s Northside, the modest monument doesn’t command attention, which is surprising considering the transcendent figure buried below. Peter Francisco turned heads 250 years ago. Time hasn’t been kind to the most uncommon soldier, who even impressed the Founding Fathers.
The story of Peter Francisco may have ended in Richmond, but it began in the Azores, which is 3,000 miles away from Richmond, right in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1765, a 5-year-old Francisco was kidnapped from his island home by pirates. Weeks later, the boy was abandoned an ocean away in Hopewell.
Elizabeth McLeod is a member of the Peter Francisco Society and his great-great-great-great-granddaughter.
"I think his language was Portuguese or Spanish, and he had an accent. All he could utter when he got here was 'Pedro Francisco,'” McLeod said.
Peter became a blacksmith and grew to a staggering height and weight. He stood 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighed approximately 250 pounds.
In 1775, the indentured servant witnessed Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech at St. John’s Church. A revolutionary fire burned inside the native of Portugal.
“To everyday Americans, they may be obscure, but they played such a pivotal role in our history,” McLeod said. “We should never forget our history and where we came from. Still, 200 years later, we echo his name.”
At 16, Peter joined the Continental Army. The colossal colonial cut an enormous figure on battlefields, where he was wounded several times.
George Washington would call Francisco his “one-man army.”
“He managed to survive. He managed to grow strong. He managed to endure and keep fighting,” McLeod said.
His enormous size allowed him to carry a cannon and overcome several bullet wounds and battle injuries.
“It is sad. Heroes are just forgotten about from the Revolution,” Nottoway Historical Association president Peggy Figlar said. “He was known as the Virginia giant—the Virginia Hercules—because he was huge.”
A granite memorial marks the spot in Nottoway County where Francisco single-handedly dispatched a group of feared British dragoons.
“He was immensely brave. I think it’s absolutely incredible,” Figlar said. “I wish people would think about it. It is so important to our history.”
Figlar said Francisco deserves his place among the more well-known Revolutionary figures.
“He did a lot. He never stopped,” she said. “He loved this country. He loved Virginia.”
At the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, some of the unsung hero’s personal effects are kept safely in the archives.
“So, this was a sword that was given to Peter Francisco, a hero of the American Revolution,” Andy Talkov, senior director of curatorial affairs at VMHC, said. “Peter Francisco is a real and sort of mythological giant, right? Most people wouldn’t know of Peter Francisco.”
Talkov said the tangible links, like his sword and vest, make this legend more human.
“Even just being present, it feels like you’re in the presence of Peter Francisco. You can imagine his giant hand gripping the handle of this sword,” Talkov said.
In 1975, the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp honoring the patriot. But 50 years on, members of the Francisco family tree fear their ancestor’s story is fading entirely.
John Cary Francisco, with the Peter Francisco Society, hopes that with the 250th anniversary of the Revolution upon us, his ancestor’s story will attract new generations of admirers.
The direct descendant says this story, like the man, is too large to ignore.
“It is a great feeling to know that you are so connected to the beginning of our country,” John Cary Francisco said.
Following the Revolution, Peter Francisco worked as the sergeant at arms at the General Assembly. The veteran died in 1831 at the age of 71.
Peter Francisco is the revolutionary immigrant with a gigantic legacy, whose valor helped shape an infant nation.
“I think we have to remember our roots, remember where we came from, and remember our humble beginnings,” John Cary Francisco said. “We owe that to those who gave.”
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky| Facebook| Instagram| X| Threads| TikTok| YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
