USA > North Carolina > History of North Carolina, V I pt 2 > Part 30
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1781
*Coxe's Mill is on the western side of Deep River. at the mouth of Mill Creek, in Randolph County, about five miles from the Chatham line.
Fanning's Narrative in S. R., XX11, 180 et seq.
1
THE RISE OF DAVID F.INNING
68 :
colonel of the Lovalist militia of Randolph and Chatham counties. A week later he had a general muster at Coxe's July Will and organized a force of a hundred and fifty men. There had been appointed by Colonel Hamilton captains and other officers for seven companies in Randolph County, for six in Chatham, two in Orange, four in Cumberland, and three in Anson. These all were more or less in touch with Colonel Fanning, affording means of embodying men and directing their movements that rendered his operations very effective. On the same day that he held his muster on Deep River there was a court martial and Whig muster at Pitts- boro, some twenty-five miles distant. Fanning determined to strike them a blow. By seven o'clock the next morning he reached the hamlet and surrounded it. The members of the court had dispersed for the night to country homes. As they approached the village in the early morning Fanning successively took them prisoners, among them being all the militia officers of the county except two, a captain of the continentals and three members of the General Assembly. his s. R., captives numbering fifty-three. He paroled most of them, but conducted fourteen of the most prominent and influential Whigs to Major Craig, at Wilmington. Among those taken were Herndon Ramsey and James Williams. Excesses com- mitted by Major O'Neal, Colonel Robeson. of Bladen; Wade, of Anson ; Phil Alston, and other vigorous patriot leaders, which the Tories complained of as being "barbarous murders," led Fanning and his associates to practise retalia- tion, and these Chatham prisoners, when they reached Raft Swamp, were threatened with execution. They apprehended they were to fall victims to partisan rancor. Accordingly, their "situation being very unhappy," from that point they addressed a letter to Governor Burke detailing the com- plaints made by the Tories and asking that Tory prisoners "may be well treated in future." In view of this interces- sion, their lives were spared, and after a month's detention at Wilmington some of them were paroled, while others were conveyed to Charleston.
On his return to Deep River Fanning received informa- tion that Colonel Alston with a party of twenty-five was watching for him. He surprised Alston at his house, and
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Pittsboro taken July 18, :751 N. C. Uni. Mag., II. 80 (1853)
XXII. 350
N. C. Uni. Mag., II, 83 (1853) S. R., XXII. 203. 557
..... .
682
BURKE'S ADMINISTRATION, 1781-82
1781 --- July in an action lasting several hours killed four and wounded all the rest except three, when they surrendered. His own loss was but two men killed and four wounded. Again did Colonel Balfour make an effort to capture him, but without success.
While Fanning was operating in the Deep River country two active Tories in Bladen, McNeil and Ray, collected the Loyalists lower down, and proved much too strong for the local Whig leaders.
S. R., XXII. 543. 546, 548 In Bladen
On July roth Colonel Robeson wrote to Governor Burke of the situation in Bladen: Distressed by a large body of Tories and robbers, who range through the county from Wilmington up to Drowning Creek and the waters of the Little Peedee as far as Richmond-a hundred miles in length and fifty across-a country much encumbered with very large swamps and thick places, difficult for a small party of troops to be of much service: and the friends to their country that live in this part so distressed by their property being taken from them daily, and they in constant danger of their lives by a set of Tories and robbers protected by the British, that if we can't have assistance, we must unavoidably fall a prey to those villains-must in a very short time be obliged to leave our homes ; and at this time obliged to leave our habitations every night to take our rest. The inhabitants of the county consisted of fifteen com- panies, and now there can't be raised more than seventy or eighty men that dare move in behalf of their country. Five days later he again wrote to the governor that there were but fifty men to oppose some four hundred under McNeil and Ray, and McLaurin Colvill* appointed colonels of Bladen County ; that Colvill had said he would have three hundred more men from the lower part of the county and one hundred from Brunswick: that August Ist was the time limited for the people to come in by the proclamation of General Clinton and Arburthnot, which had been indus- triously spread among the people, and if they did not go in they were to be destroyed. McNeil was encamped at McFalls Mill. between Drowning Creek and Raft Swamp, and Colvill was ordering a general muster at Elizabethtown.
*Called by Dickson Maturin and generally so written.
1 3
683
CIVIL WAR ON THE CAPE FEAR
Colonel Brown was the commanding officer of Bladen County, but it was impossible to get men to join him with- July out assistance. Colvill. however, did not live long to enjoy his new honors. Colonel Emmett wrote to the governor on the 19th : "A small party of our people in Bladen, . . . with- out orders, went to the house of Mr. Colvill, who had ac- cepted from the English a colonel's commission, killed him, and plundered the house of what property was to be found in it."
On July 30th Colonel Brown and Colonel Robeson joined in a pathetic letter to Governor Burke, which was borne by Colonel Owen himself. urging help. For six months they said they had been seeking to defend themselves and prop- s. R., erty, but the Tories were largely increasing, and robbers were "daily plundering and destroying our stock of cattle and our houses of everything, . . . and now at this time old Hector McNeil is encamped with a large body of men within eight or ten miles of our court-house, and is increas- ing in number very fast, and Colonel Duncan Ray is en- camped in another part of our county with a large body of men and is giving out notice to the inhabitants that all that do not come in by August Ist will have all their properties destroyed and laid waste ; and we, being but few in number that stand in behalf of our country, are not sufficient or able to stand in our own defence without immediate assistance. . Our number is not one hundred . . . to oppose be- tween four anl five hundred. . . . We shall be all broke up and obliged to give way and leave the place, which will be greatly to the advantage of our enemy and will still in- crease their number."
Wade's victory
As Colonel Owen passed through Campbellton, Colonel Emmett, commanding in Cumberland, sent by him a similar letter advising the governor that there were four or five hundred Tories embodied at McFall's Mill, on Drowning Creek, thirty-five miles from Campbellton, and that unless Campbellton itself were occupied by the State, the Tories would take it. In the meantime, however, Colonel Wade, of Anson, was not inactive. Ascertaining that these Loyal-
1781
XX11, 1043
S. R., XV, 590
4
BURKE'S ADMINISTR. ITION. 1781-83
-- ists were engaged in disarming the settlers within twenty August 4th miles of the Peedee and carrying off men fit for duty and driving off all stock over Drowning Creek into what they called "protected land." where McNeil and Ray had their "flying army." Colonel Wade called out half his regiment, and was joined by parties from Montgomery and Richmond, Wade's Report, Graham's Graham, 376 and proceeded into that territory. On Saturday, August 4th, he came up with them at Beattie's Bridge, on Drowning Creek, and after a sharp engagement, lasting until twelve o'clock at night, the Tories drew off. A dozen of them were killed and some fifteen wounded, while Wade suffered no other loss than four men wounded.
Cornwallis's plans
S. R., XV, 508
In the middle of July news came from Virginia that was at once disquieting and hopeful. Lafayette wrote that a part of the British troops were designed to embark for New York; the rest "will garrison Portsmouth; but from their number of cavalry I imagine they will push to the south- land." Other developments led to the belief that Tarleton with a large force of cavalry would pass through the in- terior of the State to the aid of Rawdon. And preparations were made to harass if not destroy him should the movement be undertaken.
S. R., XV, 549, 550, 551. 550, 557
Governor Burke at once directed the commanding officers of Granville, Orange and Caswell to collect all their rifle- men and march to Boyd's Ferry, on the Dan, and Kemp's Ferry, on Roanoke. to drive back Tarleton's cavalry. But Cornwallis changed his plan, were it ever contemplated to send that corps to the southward.
South Quay captured S. R., XV, 560
A party of the enemy pushed from Suffolk to South Quay on July 16th and destroyed all the stores and warehouses at that place. The next day they came within twelve miles of Murfree's Landing, burning dwellings and storehouses : and also at Wevanoke they destroyed large quantities of rum, sugar, coffee, and other articles stored by the mer- chants. They threatened Pitch Landing, but Major Murfree having raised some seventy men and taken post at Skinner's Bridge, on Meherrin River, they retired to Suffolk.
S R., XV. 535
At the south. Craig, too. was displaying energy. He
685
RE-ENFORCEMENTS TO GREENE
rebuilt the Heron Bridge, and announced his intention of giving no more paroles, but would seize and sell the prop- erty of every man who did not join him. Many of the Whigs were overawed. From Cumberland came the report : "We had a muster on Monday last, where the third and fourth numbers were ordered to meet in order to march after the Tories; but there were neither officers nor men met-only eight or ten: the colonel never came at all."
And Lillington reported to the governor that he had not three rounds of ammunition, and knew not where to apply. 569
New continental battalions
In South Carolina General Greene, always prudent, was chafing at his enforced inactivity because his force was in- adequate to renew hostilities. He was anxiously awaiting the arrival of more men before risking another battle. Urged by his repeated calls. Major Armstrong hurried for- s R., XV, ward two hundred of the continental drafts; while on 530, 533 July 14th General Sumner wrote to Greene from Salisbury : "I arrived here Wednesday last with about five hundred rank and file badly equipped; however, I have . . . re- ceived near three hundred good arms, . . . which I have put in the hands of some good men, who will march to join you under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Ashe early to-morrow morning." To Colonel Ashe he gave orders that on his arrival at General Greene's camp he was to take charge of all the continental troops of this State and incor- porate them as the First Regiment.
Ten days later Sumner himself marched, leaving Arm- strong, Hogg, and Blount to organize and bring forward the drafts from the districts of New Bern, Halifax, Edenton, and Wilmington, all of whom were still delayed. When as- sembled. these were formed into the Second Battalion.
At that time General Greene had in contemplation the re- lief of North Carolina by carrying the garrison of Wilming- ton, and then to hasten on to Virginia, and to once more try conclusions with Cornwallis. With this view, on August 2d he gave orders for Lee's Legion. Kirkwood's Delawares, and Handy's Maryland continentals, to prepare for an ex- pedition against Wilmington. Secrecy and despatch were
--
August
S. R., XV,
Greene proposes to take Wilmington
Lee's Memoirs, 447
.
686
BURKE'S ADMINISTRATION. 1781-82
1731 --
August
necessary elements of success. Captain Rudolph. with a small party of the legion, was hurried to the Cape Fear to acquire information and to collect boats to cross that river. His mission was entirely successful ; but at the moment when Greene was about to strike the blow he received information from General Washington that required a change of plans. Ordering Lafayette to continue his cautious conduct, he again addressed himself to driving the British into Charles- ton. Washington planned to capture Cornwallis himself.
Craig invades the eastern counties
S. R., XV, 569, 593
Battie of Rock Creek
All inhabitants had been required by Major Craig to come into the British camp and give in their adhesion by August Ist, and those failing to do so were to be regarded as enemies subject to the death penalty and to having their homes plun- dered. The alternative was fearful to those within his power. The dog-days of August indeed ushered in a period of horror and relentless warfare. The British commander issued his proclamation that the Lovalists should be ready to march with him, and on August Ist he began a tour through the eastern counties. Colonel Kenan with a hun- dred and fifty of the Duplin militia had taken post at Rock Creek (some two miles east of Wallace). and now was joined by a detachment of a hundred and eighty from the brigade of General Caswell, and two hundred under Colonel Brown of Bladen. On the approach of Major Craig with two hundred and fifty regulars and about eighty Tories. Kenan proposed to contest his passage. His ammunition, however, was soon exhausted: and on being charged the militia broke and fled, closely pursued by the British light horse, who succeeded in taking some twenty or thirty prisoners.
Dickson's Letters, 17 Aug. 2. 1781
S. R .. XX11, 568
For ten days the British column lingered in Duplin, living on the country, embodying the Tories. exacting allegiance of the people and carrying out the programme announced in Craig's proclamation. The moderate and conservative policy of Cornwallis at his entrance into the State was 110 longer enforced ; on the contrary, fire and sword now took the place of conciliation and regard for the inhabitants as subjects of Great Britain. Those who did not attach them-
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687
CIVIL WAR IN THE E.IST
selves to the British camp were held outside of the pale of protection and given over to the vengeance of the Tories.
1781 -
August
Having thoroughly harried Duplin, the column, now in- creased by the accession of three hundred Loyalists, turned its head toward New Bern, and General Lillington, who was encamped at Limestone Bridge, in Duplin, moved his force on the road to the Trent to intercept its progress.
Lillington forbidden to hazard a battle
General William Caswell with a party of one hundred and sixty horse operated on the enemy's lines, and before Craig had reached Kinston had a skirmish with about fifty of the dragoons. He found, however, that his mounted militia could not stand a charge : the gleaming swords of the enemy terrified them. Craig hastened on to surprise Lillington, who would have given him battle if permitted. But under orders, he avoided a meeting. Yet again were the British horse attacked, and with some loss. Casweil reported to the governor on the 17th: "General Lillington is between New Bern and the enemy, and I am fearful will risk an action. . I have done everything in my power to prevent it, and have let him have a sight of your Excellency's letter, wherein you mention that no general action must take place." Gen- eral Lillington's force was about six hundred. drawn from Onslow, Jones, Craven, Dobbs, and Pitt, while Caswell com- manded one hundred and fifty horse. The crying need was for ammunition, and arms were very scarce. It is probable that the want of ammunition determined Governor Burke to order that no general engagement should be risked. Lil- lington had taken position at Webber's Bridge, on the Trent, had removed the planks and had placed a strong guard to hold it. At that point there was a slight collision with a reconnoitring party. three of the enemy being killed and five wounded. On the evening of the 19th Craig reached New Bern. In his progress he had ravaged every Whig plantation and brought ruin and distress on the in- habitants of the country. On leaving Wilmington he had with him only about eighty Tories, but as their route lay through a country much disaffected, many inhabitants
S. R., XXII, 564, 565
New Bern occupied Aug., 1781 S. R .. XX11, 564, 566, 503, 569
1
688
BURKE'S ADMINISTRATIONN. 1781-82
1781 ---
August
joined them. Those above fifty years of age were required to take an oath of allegiance, while the younger men were prevailed on to enroll in their ranks, and their numbers were augmented by hundreds. General Caswell was apprehensive that almost all of the inhabitants in the vicinity of New Bern and most of those in Beaufort and Hyde counties would enlist with Craig. "What force we can raise and arm," he said, "will not be superior to the Tories," and arms could not be had for the men they could raise. He proposed to establish a post at Webber's Bridge and at Bryan's Mills, on the Neuse. General Lillington, now quite old and much fatigued, was to leave the camp the next day.
Lillington was resolute, and doubtless eager for a battle. but it appears that he was restrained by the prudent orders of the governor from making a stand against the British force. His plantation and those of his friends at Rocky Point had been desolated, their negroes carried off, and themselves reduced to poverty. Some of his friends had been captured and subjected to inhuman ill-usage, and he doubtless chafed that he was not permitted to strike a blow at the enemy, even though he might not hope for absolute victory.
Death of Gaston
On entering New Bern, the British met with a cordial re- ception from some. but the patriotic citizens sought to es- cape. As Dr. Alexander Gaston with his wife and two small children were about to depart in a boat one of the Toric- ruthlessly shot Dr. Gaston down, and the son, afterward the eminent jurist, was literally baptized into patriotism in the blood of his murdered father. After despoiling the town, robbing the citizens, burning vessels and committing other excesses, Craig with his Tory followers departed toward Kinston.
Biog. Hist. of N. C., 11. 99; V11, 111 S. R., XV. 623
Tory atrocities
S. R., ยท V. 626
He rapidly advanced to Bryan Mills, on the Neuse, where Colonel Gorham commanded a detachment. There a skir- mish ensued, but Gorham was easily driven off.
The British remained at that point one night, burning the
689
CIVIL WAR IN THE EAST
houses of General Bryan, William Heritage, William Coxe, and Longfield Coxe, and much distressed and abused their families. Their intention was to proceed further into the interior, but General Wayne with a body of continental troops, who was operating against the British near Suffolk, now drew near to North Carolina, and a report spread that he was at Halifax. Craig, receiving this information, turned to the southward, crossed the Trent and moved to Rich- lands, thence returning to his fortifications at Wilmington. His loss on this raid was about fifteen killed and captured and about the same number wounded. The great scarcity of ammunition prevented much skirmishing on the part of the Americans. The destruction of the residences at Bryan Mills led to severe retaliation : the inhabitants who had suf- fered raised a party and burned up all the houses of the Tories in that vicinity. General Caswell ordered such troops as could be raised in Duplin, Wayne and Onslow to fall in the rear of the retreating enemy, and to annoy them on their return to Wilmington. But without serious opposi- tion Craig regained his fortifications. In this foray he carried into effect the terms of his proclamation. The Tories especially were jubilant. They burned houses, seized many negroes and destroyed many farms. In retaliation, the Whigs devastated the plantations of their Tory neighbors, and a reign of terror and relentless warfare was inaugurated. William Dickson. of Duplin. writing three years later, says : "The enemy stayed several days in Duplin-the first week in August. 1781. The Royalists gathered together very fast, 17-19 and we were now reduced again to the utmost extremity. . . . Some men collected and formed a little flying camp, and moved near the enemy's lines, and made frequent sallies on their rear flanks. . . . The Tories in Duplin and other coun- ties . . . become more insolent than ever ; but Craig having returned to Wilmington, the Whigs again resumed their courage, and determined to be revenged on the Loyalists, our neighbors, or hazard all. Accordingly. we collected about eighty light horse and . . . marching straight into the neighborhood where the Tories were embodied, surprised them ; they fled, our men pursued them, cut many of them to pieces. took several and put them to instant death."
1781
--
S. R., XV, 627; XXII, 593
August
Craig returns to Wilmington
Retaliation
Dickson's Letters,
Tories massacred
690
BURKE'S ADMINISTRATION, 1781-82
1781 S. R .. XX11,
204, 205, 567
Battle of Elizabethtown
While Major Craig was harrying the Whigs of the eastern counties. Fanning and the other Tory leaders were devastat- ing the settlements on the Northwest Branch of the Cape Fear. On August 1Ith Fanning, Slingsby, McNeil, and Ray all met, with their respective forces. at Cross Creek, and together they scourged the country on either side of the river. taking prisoners, ravaging plantations and desolat- ing the Whig settlements. Colonel Slingsby on the assassi- nation of Colvill had been appointed to command the Bladen Loyalists, and when Fanning. toward the last of August, re- turned from Wilmington, he found Slingsby with his com- mand at Elizabethtown in possession of many Whig pris- oners.
Colonels Brown, Owen. Robeson, Morehead. Irwine and others who had been forced to abandon their homes by these Tory bands, had been anxiously seeking aid and re-enforce- ments to return and drive them from Bladen. But the people of Duplin and the neighboring counties were them- selves harassed by troopers from Wilmington and the Tories of their own section. so that assistance could not be obtained. At length, however, they collected some one hun- dred and fifty Bladen men, who like themselves had been expelled from their homes, and on the night of August 29th they forded the river in the vicinity of Elizabethtown, and just before daybreak made an attack on Slingsby's post. Although the garrison, consisting of four hundred, largely outnumbered the small party of assailants, this night attack resulted most fortunately. In the camp were many Whig prisoners, and this circumstance probably contributed to in- duce the early flight of the garrison. The Whigs, by a sud- den and violent onslaught, just before daybreak, threw the surprised Tories into disorder : and as their principal officers sought to marshal them, they soon fell before the unerr- ing fire of the resolute assailants. Deprived of their leaders. the Tories, in consternation. precipitately fled, many of them leaping pell-mell into a deep ravine, which has since been known as "Tories' Hole." "In this action," wrote Archi- bald Maclaine from Sampson Hall some three weeks later. "we had only one man wounded; killed, wounded and taken
Dickson's Letters. 19
S. R., XXII, 205
Wheeler, Hist. N. C., 11.41
N. C. Uni. Mag., IV, 328 (1855)
691
BATTLE OF. ELIZABETHTOWN
1781 --
of the enemy, nineteen. Slingsby since dead of his wounds." Colonel Godden fell dead in his tracks, as did most of the August other officers of the garrison. Knowing that their small numbers could not successfully resist the Tories in an open, pitched battle. the Whigs collected the arms and stores in the camp and retired to the other side of the river, carrying their booty with them.
This battle of Elizabethtown,* as it was one of the most daring in conception, was one of the most brilliant in the par- tisan warfare of that region, so remarkable for its many bold encounters. In its results it was equally important as it was successful. Not only were the Loyalists of Bladen dis- heartened and suppressed, but the supply of arms and ammu- nition obtained by the Whigs equipped them for larger operations, and the Tories of that part of Bladen made head no more.
Governor Burke's plans
During all that heated season the efforts of the governor s. R., were untiring. In August he was mollifying the outraged XX11, 578, 573-88 merchants of Edenton, whose commerce had been arrested by the impressment of their cargoes, and then at Halifax he was preparing to delay the progress of Cornwallis should he again turn southward, escaping from Virginia to reunite with Rawdon in South Carolina. Certain information had come that in consequence of the arrival of the French fleet, Cornwallis was moving from York to Jamestown, intending to cross the James River, and hoping to pass unopposed through North Carolina. Perhaps it was to facilitate that possible movement that Craig had made his inroad into the eastern counties somewhat earlier. Now Burke was busy s. R., XV, securing the boats on the lower Roanoke and embodying the 630 militia to obstruct the expected march of the enemy until
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