The Virginians: A Tale of the Last Century (1857–59) is a historical novel by William Makepeace Thackeray which forms a sequel to his Henry Esmond and is also loosely linked to Pendennis. Plot summary The novel tells the story of Henry Esmond's twin grandsons, Virginia-born George, and Henry Warrington. Henry's romantic entanglement with an older woman leads to his volunteering in the British army and fighting under the command of General Wolfe at the 1759 capture of Quebec. At the outbreak of the American War of Independence, he takes the revolutionary side. George, who also becomes a British officer, eventually resigns from his commission rather than continue in arms against his brother.