The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-25
TIE NORTH CAROLINA BAHDITTI.
Official Report Of Adjutant Gene
raj German.
Intellectual Attempt to Capture the Outlaws
Apathy or Criminal Connivanco Of the Citi-
zens-An Interview with the Robbers
Willing to Surrender on Free
Pardon or to Die Game.

RICHMOND, Va, Oct "a, 1871.
The Carolfnian OF to-day contains letter written
by Adjutant General German, OF the State militia,
giving a history OF the unsuccessful campaign
against the negro banditti In Robson county, who
have SO long de1ed both the State and national
authorities. The letter makes four columns After
receiving instructions from the Executive to com
mence operations he repaired to Robson county,
where he organized company OF State militia.
He says:-
GENERAL GoRMAN's NARRATIVE.
l succeeded In obtaining two depleted companies
together numbered nearty tty men. General Nor.
gan consented that they should go to Robson
county only on condition that the citizens cooper
ated with them. When we arrived we went imme-
dlatey into camp at Eureka, railroad crossing I'M
mediately IN the district wherein the robbers oper
We're collecting at Shoe Heel On the following
day some ten or twelve citizens joined US,
during the week following they were Joined by nine
more. These were all the volunteers we were ever
OF Richmond county, and out Of the entire number
none knew any OF this gang OF robbers sufficiently
sb e ~ e we ese 70
promised In few days. and with the force that was
present we proceeded Immediately to commence
PRACTICAL NEGRO EQUALITY.
He then gives description OF the country IN
OF livingstone two or three white men have mar.
red mlatto women and live OH places In the neigh
further mixture OF the race. The whole race is
more or less connected by blood, ana some
Of Of the inhabitants, the Lowrys, the oxendines
and Chavises being the largest IN number. 1t Is as
assertion, that nearly THIS Whole Community are IN
active sympathy with the outlaws-many doubtless
through fear others from prejudice and the balance
ceptlon, lend no aid whatever IN the capture OF the
rstha ohnuto annU m
has elapsed e place the outlaws beyond
am That any made by the officers
the law and others to capture the banditti IS
initiated and Joy divers other means, whereby they
are enabled to elude pursuit, and from this cause
Barley {pgs atsfprss sans Of
Sns q: they do upon h tie OF e
swamps and bays, which III winter are almost
islands surrounded BY water, have numerous paths
almost invariably follow instead OF the roads, and
Inc who
ordinary road to reach any place ut which they may
THE FORCES OPERATING AGAINST THE BANDrTTr.
the volunteers or militia who first went into the
calls for others were but feebly and unwiingy re.
sponded TO. He obtained aDout ninety In all and
with this force and the cooperation OF the United
They were given three days ratlOns ana sent out
under proper guides to certain points, put on
Kent no watch for the outlaws or made so 50
much noise that their whereabouts, II the
the fact, anu hence could easily evade them. Many
OF them also. after staying out only one night quit
proceeded Immediately home. some Of the militia
were also placed with portions OF the troops whose
where it was probable the outIa WIS were hiding,
but after getting out OF sgnt OF the troops IN
e the susy let
then returned to camp and reported that
they got LOST from sae rest After TINS 81 stemGt
listened to their wish TO return home TO their wives
in tue perils Of childbirth, sick children, and nm.
general incompetency, but all promptly de-
serted us when permission was granted. After
outlaws with the available force mad OF volunteers
and troops, ana trust to fortune and some good OPP
nc be almost an
II such an event happened, unless they were be-
Wlshart and myself endeavored to produce.
THE UNITED STATES TROOPS
were as efficient as II was possible for them TO be,
aud Harris seemed as anxious to effect his capture
as any Of the volunteer force and used every means
teers, however became disheartened at the want Of
cooperation on the part OF the citizens and gradu
week only seven men, including Coionels Wlsnart
and Mclean, remained with u.s. When this occurred
the troops and their commander became also dis
heartened, and was convinced that with only that
number OF volunteers, hardly sufficient to act as
guides their efforts were fruitless and would con.
tnue such; and having been sent there to act only
when cooperation was had by the citizens | re-
ported the state OF affairs to the commanding
oncer OF the department. who ordered their recall,
and thus ended the campaign actively participated
in the vicisstudes OF the hunt and endeavofed to
inIuse the people OF the section with some OF my
witnessed so many failures, they had become
respondent and hopeless or success, and thus ne.
county OF the banditti. That success would have
crowned our efforts had the white citizens actively
renamed to the end, nor the troops, have the least
doubt,
General German SAYS
"During the first week OF my stay in scunietown
word was sent me by muatto messenger from the
ference with me. At the time was rather disposed
refuse to agree to anything Of the kind as knew
Il was attended with some hazard. was, however,
anxious 70 know them. In order , tnas &c !. on
future occasions should we meet, would De ape
no on wta Coone Wsnart, and on their message to
the same effect being received, conciuied 70 risK
an interview and learn the opeSs .ney aa ~ soH
alter consenting to meet them II would go IN
attended through swamp some .f fev or ouf
meet me, and on the next Day, wlthout IN
forming anybody but Colonel WIS Wshart OF my IN.
repeater, aud unattended. l met them on that oc-
caslon and had conversation OF over an hour with
the entire gang, which consisted OF Henry Berry
Lowry Thomas Lowry, Stephen Lowry, Andrew
Strong and Boss strong.
When first saw them they were sitting on a log
awaiting nv promised presence They were all
heavily armed, Henry Berry Lowry, the leader,
with spencer rifle and double barrelled
gun, while within his belt were nve
sepeaters The balance OF the gang had each
two double barrelled guns and from three to five
repeaters. All OF them, believe also carried
Bowie knife. am told tnat tins IS the usual COM
plement OF arms which they generally carry. They
were exceedingly respectful TO me during the inter
ference was TO Know II 1t was possible for me 10
grant them some terms. They expressed them
Selves AS sick ana tired OF their manner
az life and longed TO be free from their
present peru and uncertainty aud stated that