Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-04-05

jas. L. Barnes, am mIOTuleu, by several
gentlemen of undoubted veracity, was no
toriously inoffensive, kind to his neighbors,
even to the mulattoes, several of whom
lived near him. / have myself heard two
or three of the mulattoes express decided
disapprObation at the killing of so good
man as Barnes, though never expressing
an opinion as to who killed him.
The next murder committed by the
Lowerys was that of James Brandt Harriss,
some time in August, 1854, and must adj
NIT from the facts of the case as I have
heard them, that they may have been en-
titled to the claim of revenge or retaliation
for wrongs inflicted. Harriss was not
native of this county, but wagner from
the up country, who had settled in Scuffle-
town among the mulattoes, where he kept
a small roadside store, selling liquors, &c,
to the Scuffletonians. He was charged
with being too familiar with some of the
wives and daughters of his customers, and
from this cause first sprung enmities be-
tween himself and the Lowreys. After the
breaking ont Of the war, Harriss was APP
pointed Sergeant t, Lieutenant or something
of conscription, and was engaged princi-
pally in hunting up mulattoes who had
been detailed for work on the forts, and
from all accounts he was one of the rough
est of his class, overbearing and abusive to
them. The gravest charge they bring
against him was the killing of two sons Of
George LoWrey, cousins of III. B. Lowrey.
The circumstances Of the murder of these
two young men, Allen and Wesley, were
substantially as follows: HarrisS was or
dered to report with these two men at
Moss Neck Depot, and on attempting to
, arrest them, was resisted, when he called
OF some Of the home guard to assist him,
and to help guard them until they reached
Moss Neck; when the arrest was made he
handcuffed them, and started for his desti-
| nation, accompanied by a squad Of home
guard; on arriving near Moss Neck he told
| the latter they might go back, as he could
manage lis prisoners the rest of the way
by himself and between the place where
the squad parted with him and Moss Neck.
| The dead bodies of the two young men
were shortly afterwards found, and the
presumption of the LOwreys was that Har-
riss had shot them, and for this they sWore
vengeance against him. HarrisS soon
afterwards surrendered himself to the
civil authorities or gave bond for
his appearance at court for trial the
month afterwards, (September,) but he
was shot by the Lowreys before Court met.
After the killing of HarrisS it is supposed
that IL. 3. Lowrey was joined by some two
! or tlrae others Of the mulattCes, probably
some of the same ones who have since
formed part of his band, and they con-
! tinued fugitive3 from justice from that
! time. About the same time, whether just
before or just after the murder Of Harriss,
l have not been able to learn, man by
the name Of Cariysle, was killed IN the
lower part Of the county, which killing
was charged to LoWrcy and his gang;
whether justly or unjustly, L cannot say.
After this the depredations Of the band
consisted principally of petty thehs and
rObberies, or, as they called it, foraging for
a living, until some time in January, 1865,
when they fell in with some twenty es-
capped Federal prisoners from Florence, of
mixed nationality, and headed by an
officer. These they joined and commenced
! a general system of TObbeTies, the LOWreyS
plotting and participating in them. They
! soon became the terror Of the county,
| though have never heard of their COM
uniting any deeds Of blood, only threaten
ing those who hcsitated about opening
their doors. Some time in the latter part
of February they were reported as being
on the Rockingham road, working their
way up towards the upper end of the
county, and the propTiety of offering re-
sistance was generally discussed among
the farmers living Oh the road, most of
them declaring that, as no cffcctual re-
! sistuncc could be offered to such force,
| (they were valiously stated at from twenty
to fitty,) the best way was to open the doors
to them and let them plumber at will, par
ticulally as the county was then nearly de-
pleted of men capable of bearing arms. On
this discussion my present wife, then the
widow of DR.. Neill McNa air, was included,
and she expressed pretty warmly her APP
! probation Of their want of nerve in de-
! termining to open their doors 10 band of
| robbers, and vowed she would never open
| hers; that if they came in they would have
to break them down. At that time there
was refuging here with Mrs. MacRae two
! families, her sister and family and her
| brothers wife and family. These two
| ladies cOunseled moderation, and the dis
| cussion continued until the afternoon of
| the 27th of February, when two young
men, acquaintance Of Mrs. MacRae, came
| down from Richmond county on a visit OF
two or three days, and Mrs. MacRae de-
clared that with such an addition to the
! defensive force she would resist them to
the last. On the same night, about twelve
o'clock, the band came to the front door
| and demanded admittance. Mrs. MaCRae
ran up stairs and aroused the two young
men, telling them the robbers were at the
! door. One of the young men, the wounded
| Confederate soldier, Of whom Mr.. Towns
end makes mention, had his pistols with
him, one a large naval revolver, and the
other small pocket revolver, which
| he brought down with him, handing
the smaller one to Mrs. MacRae
When he reached the lower passage, the
robbers had broken into one of the room
windows and were engaged in plundering
| He opened the door and fired on one man
who was on his knees over a trunk, which
he was about breaking open. This fright
ened them and they sprang through the
OH iniF
! defense. They afterwards went 10 the
! woodward and got IN axe and torches and
came back, swearing they would break the
! door down and murder every one in the
| house. They commenced splitting the
door panels with the axe, and while doing
! so one Of the number stood Immediately
| in front Of the side light holding torch for
the others to see. The wounded soldier
! and Mrs. MacRae were stopping on the
same side Of the door and just below tic
| side light, watching their proceedings.
AS the man outside leaned his
back against the sash, tie Young
soldier placed the muzzlo of his pistol
against the glass and fired, driving the ball
through the man, a little below thc
shoulder, who, falling forward on his face,
! pitched the torch out into the yard. This
! created 4 great confusion outside, and the
parties picked up their, murdered Comrade
| and carried him out Of the front gate some
distance, swearing they would come back
and have revenge. They did return i'll q
few minutes, bringing other torches with
them, and as they approached the steps
fired volley through the side-lights, shiv-
ering the glass, and almost binding the
young man with the PARTICLES which were
knocked into his face and eyes, and cutting
Mrs. MacRae's neck slightly. Fortunately
the shot did not strike either, but lodged in
! the ceiling overhead After this the door