USA > North Carolina > Sketches of North Carolina, historical and biographical : illustrative of the principles of a portion of her early settlers > Part 27
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Before leaving the place, the library and papers of Dr. Caldwell were destroyed by fire. This was done by the command of the offi- cers. The large oven in the yard was used for the purpose. A fire being kindled, armful after armful of the books and papers was, by the servants, committed to the flames, till the destruction was com- plete. The Dr. was at this time in the camp of Greene, which, on Monday, the 12th, was about five miles from High Rock ; on Tues- day, eight miles farther, on Ready Fort, and on Wednesday at the Court House. A price had been set by his lordship on the Dr.'s head: £200 to any one who should bring him in prisoner. As if to revenge his absence from home on his library and papers, the order was given for their destruction. Not even the family Bible was spared. The fatal Psalms in metre probably ensured its de- struction. The loss of the manuscripts was irreparable ; the library in the course of time was partially replaced.
After remaining two days, the army left the neighborhood a scene of desolation and distress, and removed to the Quaker settlement on Deep River. About this time occurred the massacre of the bugler of Lee's legion, while crying for quarter, but a little more atrocious than the slaughters and plunderings which were enacted throughout Dr Caldwell's congregations.
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By Greene's near approach on Wednesday, the 14th of March, it was understood throughout the country, and in the British camp, that the American general, who had so long shunned an engage- ment, would no longer decline a battle. Lee's legion led on the attack. The king's forces approached the chosen battle-ground in beautiful military order and in high spirits. By the court-house lay Greene with his regulars ; in front, to the south, were open fields of a rolling surface with some ravines, through which passed the great Salisbury road, on the right and left of which were woods ; about a rifle shot in front, beyond these fields, were woods of about the same depth ; in these, on the right and left of the road, were sta- tioned the Virginia volunteers and militia, some of them excellent marksmen with the rifle, in a hollow that ran nearly at right angles to the road, so low that the militia would be unseen by the enemy's line till within gun-shot ; in front of the woods on the south, behind a rail-fence enclosing extended open fields, lay the North Carolina forces, militia and volunteers, some excellent riflemen. Across these open fields, the army of Cornwallis, in battle array, advanced on each side of the road in front of the Carolina forces concealed by the fence and flanked on their left by Campbell's riflemen and Lee's legion, and their right by Lynch's rifle corps and Washington's cavalry.
The orders to the first line were, to fire twice, from behind the fence, upon the enemy on their near approach, and then to retire ; to the second line, to give the advancing enemy such reception as circumstances required ; and in case of a retreat, all were to rally in the rear of the regulars.
The British forces could be seen for a mile or more, as they defiled into the open fields. The field-pieces of Greene stationed in the road under Captain Singleton, just in front of the front line, played upon the advancing enemy, and were briskly answered by that of the enemy under Lieut. McLeod. As the British forces advanced, Sin- gleton retreated according to orders to the court-house. The first fire, from the first line, behind the fence, was unexpected and very destructive. The following extract of a letter from Dugald Stewart, a captain in the army of Cornwallis, to his relative Donald Stewart of Guilford county, North Carolina, dated Ballachelish, Argyleshire, Scotland, Oct. 25, 1825, is taken from Mr. Caruthers.
" The regiment to which I belonged, the 71st or Frazier's High- landers, was drawn up on the left of the British line along with the 23d, or Welsh Fusileers, with some other regiments. In the
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advance we received a very deadly fire from the Irish line of the American army, composed of their marksmen lying on the ground behind a rail-fence. One half of the Highlanders dropt on that spot. There ought to be a pretty large tumulus where our men were buried." This "Irish line" and these " marksmen" in the front line were probably the company of volunteers under Captain John Forbes from the Alamance, made up of his friends and neigh- bors, the Allisons, the Kerrs, the Wileys, the Paisleys and others, who had come to take part in the battle. Captain Forbes fired the first gun ; his men saw a British officer fall ; they gave their " deadly fire," and repeated it, and then retreated. Forbes in the retreat received a mortal wound. William Paisley, the father of the Rev. Samuel Paisley, was also wounded, but not mortally. Had the whole front line behaved as gallantly, the fortune of the day would have been still more disastrous to the invaders. But there were some who thought " discretion the better part of valor"-" that he that fights and runs away, may live to fight another day." The British line resumed its march, inclining to the left in front of the regulars under Greene, with whom the sharpest contest was anticipated. Encountering the second line of militia and volunteers, the enemy met another unexpected reception from the Virginia marksmen. The right of that line under General Lawson wheeled round upon their left, and then retreated in confusion. Col. Webster, who led the British left, then advanced upon the regulars under Col. Gunby. The left of the second line of militia and volunteers was encountered by the British right under General Leslie, and maintained their ground, alternately advancing upon the enemy and then retreating to their original position, till the retreat of the regulars under Greene. In a short diary kept by a Virginia rifleman who stood on the left of the second line, who said he discharged his rifle fourteen times that afternoon, Samuel Houston, afterwards so long the pastor of the Highbridge congregation, Rockbridge county, Virginia,-he says that, before the battle, he retired and committed himself to the mer- ciful providence of God; and then, - " standing in readiness, we heard the pickets fire. Shortly, the English fired a cannon, which was answered, and so on alternately till the small-armed troops came nigh, and then close firing began near the centre but rather towards the right, and soon spread along the line. Our Brigade-Major, Mr. Williams, fled. Presently came two men to us and informed us the British fled. Soon the enemy appeared to us. We fired on their flank, and shot down many of them. At which time Captain Telford was killed. We pursued them about forty
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poles, to the top of a hill, when they stood, and we retreated from them back to where we formed ;- then we repulsed them again ; and they a second time made us retreat back to our first ground, when we were deceived by a regiment of Hessians, whom we took for our own, and cried out to them to see if they were our friends, and shouted aloud Liberty, Liberty, and advanced up, till they let off some guns ; then we fired sharply on them and made them re- treat a little, but presently their light-horse came on us, and not being defended by our light-horse, nor reinforced, though firing had long ceased in all other parts, we were obliged to run, and many were sore chased and some cut down. We lost our Major and Captain then. We all scattered; and some of our party, and Campbell's, and Moffitt's, collected together, and with Campbell and Moffitt and Major Pooge, we marched to head-quarters."
It is stated by Johnson, that General Stevens placed in the rear of the left of this second line some good marksmen, with orders to shoot down any of his men that deserted the ranks. It is also well known that this part of the line kept its position till Greene ordered a general retreat.
Let us go to the fiercest part of the battle. The court-house is gone ; the village is wasted to a house ; the actors in that eventful strife are all passed away ;- but the face of the country is un- changed ; the open fields and the woods retain the relative posi- tion of sixty years since. Taking your stand on this highest ground, where the court-house stood, you may look over the whole battle- field of the sharpest contest. Directly in front, to the south, is the open rolling field across which the gallant Webster led his regi- ment, as boldly as if his life was charmed against powder and lead, on to attack the first Maryland regiment, renowned for their con- duct at the Cowpens. The gallant colonel's regiment recoiled at the first deadly fire, and gave way before the advance of the Maryland- ers. Grievously wounded, Webster rallied his men on the skirts of the wood in front of you, and in a. little time was ready to re-enter the battle. From the Salisbury road, Leslie sends down two regi- ments to advance upon the second Maryland regiment, which be- haved in an unsoldierlike manner, and did nothing worthy of their name. O'Harra hastened on with two regiments to the flank of Howard regaining his line, and made an attack on the second Ma- ryland regiment, which gave way and fled. Just then, Colonel Washington rapidly passed by the head of Leslie's regiment, leaped a ravine with his corps unseen, and made a terrible onset upon the Queen's Guards, exulting in their victory over the second regiment.
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The carnage was dreadful. At this time it was, as Lieutenant Holcomb related to Dr. Jones of Nottaway, that the noted Francisco performed a deed of blood without a parallel. In that short ren- counter, he cut down eleven men with his brawny arm and terrible broadsword. One of the guards thrust his bayonet, and in spite of the parrying of Francisco's sword, pinned his leg to the horse. Francisco forbore to strike, but assisted him to extricate his bay- onet. As the soldier turned and fled, he made a furious blow with his sword, and cleft the poor fellow's head down to his shoulders. The force of the blow, added to the soldier's speed, sent him on a number of steps, with his cleft head hanging upon each shoulder, before he fell. The astonished beholders shouted, " Did you ever see the like ?" Howard, with the 1st, came rushing on them, and the contest was renewed in a most desperate manner about mid- way between the court-house and the woods in front. This was the crisis of the battle. Cornwallis came down from his post, where the Salisbury road enters the wood, to the hollow, to see the con- dition of the battle, and under the cover of the smoke, rode up to that old oak just in the skirts of the fiery contest. Washington, who had drawn off his troops, was hovering round to watch his op- portunity for another onset, and approached that same oak unper- ceived by his lordship ; stopping to beckon on his men to move and intercept the officer, then unknown to him, he happened to strike his unlaced helmet from his head. On recovering it, he per- ceived the white horse that carried the officer on the full gallop towards the artillery posted on the rising ground, where the road emerges from the woods. His lordship gave orders to Lieutenant McLeod to charge with grape-shot, and fire in upon the contending mass of men. O'Harra, who had been carried wounded to that po- sition, heard the fatal orders, and begged the commander to spare his fine troops. His lordship repeated the order sternly, and stood by the devouring cannon till the regiments who were yielding ground to the Maryland forces rallied, and bravely, or rather des- perately, renewed the contest. This rally decided the fate of the day. Greene drew off his forces.
At the time Cornwallis was in danger of being taken by Washing- ton, Greene, also, going down to survey the battle and learn the con- dition of his forces, under cover of the smoke, approached within a few steps of a large force of the enemy ; discovering his perilous condition, he slowly retreated and escaped without observation. In a letter to his lady, the day after the battle, he says-" I had not the honor of being wounded, but was very near being taken, having
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rode in the heat of the action, full tilt, directly into the midst of the enemy ; but by Col. Harris calling to me and advertising me of my situation I had just time to escape."
The consequences of this battle are well known-the retreat of Cornwallis, and the delivery of Carolina.
During this eventful Thursday, all the active men in Dr. Caldwell's congregation were in some way engaged with the army ; and we are told by Mr. Caruthers that there were two collections of females, one in Buffalo, and the other in Alamance, engaged in most earnest prayer for their families and their country ; many others sought the divine aid in solitary places. One pious lady sent her son, often, during the afternoon, to the summit of a little hill near which she spent much time in prayer, to listen and bring her word which way the firing came, from the southward or the northward. When he returned and said it was going northward-" Then," exclaimed she, " all is lost, Greene is defeated." But all was not lost ; the God that hears prayer remembered his people.
The invaders left the ground the next day, and all the country around were busy in burying the dead and carrying off their woun- ded, many of whom lay the cold wet night after the battle exposed upon the ground. Capt. Forbis lay about thirty hours before he was discovered by his friends. He was then found by an old lady, who was searching the woods for a relative He survived a short time after being carried to his house. He declared before his death, that on the day after the battle a tory of his acquaintance passed by him and recognized him, and instead of giving him a little water, for which he craved, to quench his raging thurst, kicked him and cursed him as a rebel. After the death of Forbis, that man was found suspended on a tree before his own door.
The strength of the tories had been greatly increased by the presence of the British forces, and the policy of Cornwallis. The feuds and bloodshed in the neighborhood were indescribable for their vexations, and often for their atrocities. For a short time after the battle these were more bitter. The entire departure of the invaders permitted the country to resume its quiet, and pursue their occupa- tions in comparative peacefulness.
The battle at the court-house abounded in acts of heroism and also of cowardice. In that contest, when the grape shot poured upon the contending forces, it is said some of the British officers fell as if dead, and were plundered, but after the battle were not reported either among the wounded or missing.
The gallant Webster, that escaped so remarkably at Wetzell's
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Mills, and rallied his broken forces so nobly and came back into the action, died of the wounds received in his charge upon the Maryland regiment. He accompanied the retreating army as far as Bladen county, and with the sympathy of his enemies, as well as the king's forces, was consigned to his grave, near Elizabeth, the county seat. There was no fear his grave would be profaned. When General Philips died at Petersbury, Virginia, some time after, his grave was secreted through fear of the irritated country, lest his cruelties should be visited on his ashes.
The Virginia militia and volunteers, that maintained their ground so bravely and received so much applause for their soldierlike con- duct, were from Augusta and Rockbridge counties, and almost to a man the descendants of Scotch-Irish. Some of the congregation of the noted Graham were there; and a company from the congrega- tion of the silver-tongued Waddel, the Blind Preacher of Mr. Wirt, heard a farewell address from him, while under arms ready to march. Many that marched returned no more ; and others bore the marks of deep gashes from the light-horse broadswords the remainder of their days. The last of these men were lately carried to their graves.
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CHAPTER XXII.
MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THE CAROLINAS, FROM 1788 TO 1801 INCLUSIVE.
WHEN it was finally determined, in May, 1788, by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, to constitute a General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, in the United States of America, as a preliminary step some new Synods were first set off, of which the Synod of the Carolinas was one ; by the following resolutions the way was open for its meeting :- " Resolved, that the Synod of the Carolinas meet on the first Wednesday of November next, at eleven o'clock, A.M., at Centre church, in Rowan county, and that Mr. Pattillo, or, in his absence, the senior minister present, open the Synod with a sermon, and preside till a moderator be chosen." The Presbyteries that, united, formed the Synod, were Orange, in North Carolina, South Carolina, in the State of the same name, and Abingdon, principally in Tennessee.
The members of Orange Presbytery were Rev. Messrs. Henry Pattillo, David Caldwell, Samuel E. McCorkle, James Hall, Ro- bert Archibald, James McRee, Jacob Lake, Daniel Thatcher, David Barr, John Beck, in all ten. Those of South Carolina, James Edmonds, John Harris, Joseph Alexander, John Simpson, Thomas Reese, Thomas H. McCaule, James Templeton, Fran- cis Cummins, Robert Finley, Robert Hall, Robert Mecklin ; in all eleven. Of Abingdon Presbytery, Charles Cummins, Heze- kiah Balch, John Cossan, Samuel Houston, Samuel Carrick, James Balch, in all seven. Total in the Synod, twenty-eight.
From the records of the twenty-five sessions which this Synod held, previously to its division in 1813, such extracts will be made as are of abiding interest, or necessary to give a succinct account of the doings of a pious and active body of men, whose names and doings should not be forgotten. In some cases a brief state- ment will be made, embracing the spirit of the records for the sake of brevity ; in others the very words will be given, which will be indicated by the common quotation marks. The exact words will be given whenever they appear to be of importance.
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66
SESSION I.
" Centre Church, State of North Carolina, November 5th, 1788. S
" The Synod of the Carolinas met according to the appointment of the late Synod of New York ard Philadelphia, convened in May, 1788. Members present were, of the Presbytery of Orange, the Rev. David Caldwell, Samuel E. McCorkle, James Hall, Robert Archibald, James McRee, and Jacob Lake, ministers ; with elders, Messrs. Wm. Anderson, McNeely, Harris, King, Robert Irwin, and John Dickey.
" Of the Presbytery of South Carolina, the Rev. James Temple- ton, Francis Cummins, Robert Hall, ministers ; with elders, Messrs. Martin and Hamilton.
"Of the Presbytery of Abingdon, the Rev. Samuel Houston. One new member, it appears, had been added to the Presbytery of South Carolina, John Newton, and one had died, Robert Mecklin. The Synod was opened by the Rev. David Caldwell being the senior member present, after which Synod was constituted with prayer. The Rev. David Caldwell was chosen moderator, and Rev. James McRee and Robert Hall clerks."
The Committee of Overtures read the following :- " That the committee think it highly necessary that Synod should inquire respecting a certain report injurious to the credit of the late Synod of New York and Philadelphia, namely, that said Synod had cast off the larger catechism, and that with difficulty the shorter was retained." The Synod, in consequence of examining into the above report, and having received what they considered as authentic testimony to the contrary, concluded the report to be totally false. " Resolved, that it be enjoined on the several members of Synod, to take an account, when it may appear that the above false and scandalous report is injurious to the credit of religion, and call those who propagated it before their respective jurisdiction, and if found guilty without being able to give their author, that they be treated according to the demerit of their crime.
" Synod adjourned to meet at Poplar Tent, on the first Wednes- day in September next. Concluded with prayer."
SESSION II.
" Poplar Tent, State of North Carolina,
September 2d, 1789.
" The Synod met according to adjournment, and was opened by
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the Rev. David Caldwell, with a sermon from Psalms ii., 6." Two members were reported as added to the Presbytery of South Caro- lina, Robert McCullock and William C. Davis, and one dismiss- ed, Robert Finley. It appeared that the Presbytery of Orange had received the Rev. David Kerr, from the Presbytery of Tem- ple Patrick, in Ireland, as a member in good standing ; the Synod proceeded to consider his credentials and collateral testimony, ap- proved of the proceeding and invited him to a seat.
The report about the larger catechism being cast off was further considered, and it appearing the Rev. Robert Finley, lately dis- missed from the Presbytery of South Carolina, was implicated in that report, Synod ordered a letter to be written to him, and ano- ther to the Presbytery of which he is a member.
" Overtures,-Whether persons who practise dancing, revel- ling, horse-racing, and card-playing, are to be admitted to sealing ordinances ? Synod, taking into consideration these and other things of a similar tendency, Resolved, that they are wrong ; and the practisers of them ought not to be admitted to sealing ordi nances, until they be dealt with by their spiritual rulers in such manner as to them may appear most for the glory of God, their own good, and the good of the church."
" Overture,-Are persons who habitually neglect to attend public worship, on fast or thanksgiving days, admissible to seal- ing ordinances ? Synod unanimously agree that such conduct is inconsistent with the Christian character ; a disrespect paid to the call of God in his providences, and the authority of the church ; offensive to the sober-minded, and in point of example injurious to others."
The Synod then proceeded to order all its members to read the proceedings of Synod on the overtures in all their churches, and in the vacancies.
On a reference from the Synod of South Carolina, after delibe- ration, Synod " Judged, that the marriage of John Latham, of Waxhaw, with his deceased wife's sister's daughter, is criminal and highly offensive ; and that all such marriages are truly de- testable, and ought to be strenuously discountenanced ; and that said Latham, in his present standing, is by no means admissible to the sealing ordinances of the church." This is referred to in the thirteenth session.
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SESSION III.
" Bethany, Oct. 6 (Wednesday), 1790.
"Synod met agreeably to adjournment, and was opened with a sermon preached by the Rev. Henry Pattillo (the moderator being absent), from Acts xxvi., 18."
Mr. Pattillo was chosen moderator, Mr. John Springer was reported as having been added to the Presbytery of South Caro- lina, and Mr. Houston as having been dismissed from Abingdon. The Synod examined and approved the proceedings of Orange Presbytery, in receiving the Rev. Wm. Moore from the Presby- tery of Hanover. (The proceedings had been regular, but Synod took the oversight of receiving members from other bodies.)
" Overtured, That Dr. Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Reli- gion, and his ten sermons on Regeneration, be printed by con- tributions raised by the members of Synod.
" Ordered, that the Rev. James M'Ree request the printers in Fayetteville to publish in their Gazette the terms on which they will print, bind, and letter the above books.
" Ordered, that each Presbytery make provisions that they be represented in the General Assembly.
" The Synod recommended that the last Wednesday in next month be observed as a day of public thanksgiving to God, as an acknowledgment of his goodness in the plentiful crops of the present year."
SESSION IV.
Thyatira, Oct. 5th (Wednesday), 1791.
In the absence of the moderator, the Rev. Joseph Alexander opened the Synod, with a sermon from John ix., 35, and was chosen moderator. South Carolina Presbytery reported one ad- ded, James Stephenson.
The Synod took action on the subject of reprinting Doddridge's Rise and Progress, and his ten sermons on Regeneration, and appointed a member of each Presbytery to see to it that pro- posals were circulated to obtain subscriptions in all the congrega- tions ; and if the numbers, as returned from the Spring meetings of Presbyteries, amounted to fifteen hundred, the committee of Synod was to forward a list to the printer, that the work be com- menced.
The elders and congregation at Stony Creek having sent up for
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advice respecting the use of Dr. Watts's Hymns, in public wor- ship, it was resolved, " that the petitioners be referred to the General Assembly, as the Synod do not conceive that it lies with them to sanction any system of psalmody, other than such sys- tems as may be sanctioned by the General Assembly."
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