Roll of Honor
John B. Drummond
Incident
Special Constable John Drummond was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man who had threatened a citizen four days earlier.
Constable Drummond had been deputized as a special constable and given the warrant to serve on the suspect. Constable Drummond then enlisted the help of several neighbors to help him make the arrest.
When posse located the two men on a road at approximately 3:00 pm. The men immediately dismounted their horses and the wanted man took cover in a cluster of pine trees. As Constable Drummond finished reading the warrant the man opened fire with a carbine rifle, striking him in the chest.
Both suspects fled the scene and remained at large for almost one year before being arrested. Their trial was moved to Greensville County, where both men were subsequently convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The man who fired the fatal shot was declared insane and remanded to a state asylum. The accomplice was executed by hanging in Greensville County on July 22, 1871.
Constable Drummond was a Confederate Army veteran of the Civil War. He had served as a special constable for only two days.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-9816C16E- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. John is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Special Constable Drummond served with the Brunswick County Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Lawrenceville community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
John B. Drummond served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Special Constable John B. Drummond is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In VA, 394 of 655 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.2% of this state's fallen. That is 60.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Brunswick County Constable's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John B. Drummond's cause is highlighted.
How John B. Drummond Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John B. Drummond is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John B. Drummond was killed by rifle.
Military Service
John B. Drummond served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit John B. Drummond’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Brunswick County Constable's Office are honored on badge.nw.
