The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-01-06


they should not XIII him, because he was a
Frenchmau and could NOT speak English
so they spared his life. Blair Curtiss,
one of the crew came aft into the cabin and ]
concealed himself in the state room With
Stevens. and escaped with him TO the fore
Royal ynrd.
The Captain fought with his Bowie
Knife along side OF iiewel. The Captain
was engaged in the fight from eight to ten
minutes, until the negroes got him down,
in the starboard scuppers. Iisthcre made
his escape to the main top, being stabbed
in several places and much bruised with
blows from sticks Of wood found about the
brig. After the Captain got intothc main
top, he tainted from loss of blood, and Gil.
ford fastened him with the rigging TO pre-
vent him from falling, as the vessel was
then rolling heavily.
The Captains wife, her child and niece,
then came on, and begged for their lives,
and Ben Blacksmith sent them back 10 the
hold. Ben then called cut for Merritt, aud
exclaimed, that all who bad secreted him
should be killed. Thetw female servants
then left the berth where Merritt was con.
cealed, and were sent down the hold by
Ben. Jim and Lewis, negroes, belonging
| TO Thomas MCargo, thenIan to Theophi-
lus M'Cargo, who asked Jim if the others
we're going 10 kill him Jim and Lewis
exclaimed that master HE should not be
killed. and clnug around him, begging
Morris aud Ben, who were then close with
their knives in their hands, not to kill him.
They consented and ordered him to be Ia.
ken down 10 the hold. jim and Lewis
went voluntarily with ThcGphi!us M'Cargo
TO the bold,
After a great deal Of search, Merritt was
found, and Ben Blacksmithand Elijah Nor,
ris dragged him from his berth. They
and several others surrounded him with
knives, half band-spikes, muskeis and pis
tolls, raised their weapons to kill him, ant
made room for him 10 fall.
On his representing that lie had beer
the mate Of vessel, that he was the only
person who could navigate for them, ans
on Mary woman servant belonging 4
| MCargo, urging said Madison Washing
ton TO interfere, Madison ordered them /,
stop and allow Merritt 10 hayoo converse
ton with him. This took place in Stat
Room.
Madison said he wanted 10 90 TO Libe
ria. Merritt represented that they bad no
water and provisions for that voyage. Boz
Blacksmith, ID. Rutfin and several al thl
slaves then said that they wanted TO 60 L
the British Islands, They did mol wan
to 20 any whero else but where Mr.. Lump
] kins' negroes went last year, alluding 4
! the shipwreck OF the schooner Herrnos
on Abaco and the taking Of the slaves Of
board thai vessel, By the English wreekcrs
to Nassau, 10 the Island Of New Proyi
dence.
Merritt then rot his chart aud cxpleine,
/ to them the route, and read TO them III
Coast Pilot, aud they agreed that if b
{ would navigate them, they would save 81
/, life,--otherwisc, death aould be his POI
ton. Pompey Garrison had been TO No'
) Orleans and knew tho route. u. Ruff
and George PofiI0ck knew tho letters 4
the compass. They then set Merritt free
and demanded The time Of night, whicI
was hail pas, o'clock 4. VI. BY Merritt
watch. The vessel was then put 10 MGR
ri,t's charge.
The nineteen slaves, confined at Mas
sau are the only slaves who took any par
m the afiray. All the women appcarc,
perfectly ignorant of the plan, and from
thoir conduct could not have known an
thing Of it.-They were crying and pray
/ ing during tho fight. None Of the NAL,
slaves apparently under 90 years took any
part IN the aiiray.
The only negroes belonging to l.. Lock
cit, who were IN the iight, so far as can b,
ascertained, are Riifin, Ben Blacksmith
Addison Tyler, and Il. smallwOod. Til,
only negroes belonging 10 r. M'Carg,
who were in the fight 50 fnr us can be re
membered are Elijah Morris, Georet
Porllock. Willy Glover, Madison Wash
ington, and Ponpoy Garrison. The onl,
negroes belonging to Sherman johnson
who were in the figh. were America " God
IS, George Beaton, Adam Carney aud Rcu
Din hnIsnt. Inc only slave belonging e
}. and A. Hogan who vas in the fight wa,
Jordon Phillips. All the slaves above
named are among the nineteen now con
fined at Nassau. There woro no other,
lcugaged 10 this mutny. There were foul
who took the most active part in the iiaht
viz Ben Blacksmith, Madison Washing
ton, Elijah NORRIS ana d. RufTin. Some
Of the negroes refused to join in The ARRAY
when they were threatened BY Washing.
ton that thoy would be killed IL they did
not Join in it.
Al the beginning Of the ARRAY, Andrew
jackson, oua Of the Slaves belonging 10
Thomas N'Cargo, jumped into tho fore
rigging and called to Francis Foxwell, ono
OF the crew, 10 know where he should 70
TO save his life, sayiut, that he was fear.
ful they would kill him. Powell told him
to go 10 the forctop. lie said he was 4.
irald he would fall of, and climed to the
top aud remained there !asag Tho Ieht.
There were five sailors belonging 10 said
vessel. Two were wounded, Henry Spcck