The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-04-08

com mandlng officer. conceived him
TO be Q dangerous man, and sent him
under guard to Wheeling. Finding
that most OF the settlers at this place
were tenants under the prisoner. gave
them few days, at which time they
promised TO move to the East side OF
the Ohio River and to demolIsh their
bui'dings On the evening OF the 4 b,
Charles Norris, with party of armed,
men, came to my quarters in q hostile
msOner and demanded my Instructions
After conversiug with them for some
time and showing my instructions the
warmth With which they first expressed
themselves began to abate and tor some
motive they lodged their arms with me
till morning.
learned from the conversation OF
the party that at Norris Town (bv
them 90 cslled), eleven miles farther
down the river, party OF seventy or
eighty men were assembled with de-
termination to oppose me. Finding
Norris to be q man OF influence in that
country | conceived it to my interest to
make use OF him as an instrument,
which effected by informing him that
it was my intention to treat any armed
party | met as enemies to my country.
aud would fire on them il they did not
dsperse. On the 5th when | arrived
within two miles OF the town or place
where expected to meet with opposi-
ton, | ordered my men 10 load their
arms in the presence OF Norris. and then
desired him to 20 TO the party and in>
form them OF my intentions. | then
proceeded on with caution, but had not
got far when the paper No was hand.
ed to Inc by one OF the party, to which
| replied would treat with no party,
but intended to execute my orders.
When | arrived at the town there |
were about forty men assem- mbled who |
had deposited their arms. After I had
read to them my Instructions they
agreed to move off by the 18th inst
This indulgence l thought proper to
grant, the weather being too severe to
turn them out Of doors The 9th | pro-
ceeded 10 Hsglin's, or MERGERS town,
where | was presented with paper No.
2, and from the humble disposition OF
the people, and the impossIbility of
their moving, gave them to the 18th,
and / believe they generally leave the
settlement at that time.
At that place l was informed that
Charles Norris and John Carpenter had |
been elected Justices OF the Peace; that
they had, | found, pyecepts, and decided
thereon. then proceeded on till op-
posite Wheeling where / dIspossesed one
family and destroyed their buildings
| hope SIR. that the indulg gences granted |
some OF the inhabitants will meet your
The paper No. 8 rs q
copy OF an advertisement which is post
ed up in almost in every settlement on
the western side OF the ONO. Three OF
my party being landed, | left them
about forty miles from this place, under
the care OF corporal The remainder
| have ordered to their respective com
psnies, and the prisoner have deliver
| am, cir, with great respect your
obedlent servant, JOIN ARMSTRONG,
To Colonel Harmer. Ensign.
The above report Of Enaign Arm
strong shows that there were at least a
dozen d fferent settlements on the west
side OF the river in l775; that some OF
them were quite pDpulous. over sixty
names of the principal settlers At Mer-
certown have attached thereto; and
tnst civiliz ,tiou had advanced 40 Tar
that two Justices OF the Peace had been
selected, and cases decided by them.
Armstrong also failed to break up the
settlement, and met with such resist.
ance that he compromised with them,
giving a certain length OF time. al the
expiration OF which they agreed TO leave
il the Government did not re-cind the
order. One Ross at Miugo. denied his
authority and defisntly told him that
he was determined to hold possession,
and il the soldiers DESTROYED his house
be would build six more within q week.