Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-09-09

William Rhett was quarrellng, carouslng
creature, who could live in peace with no
one; but the vast amount Of work which was
now imposed upon him, kept him at least
quiet. Taking all things into consideration,
perhaps the colony never had been in so -four
ing condition.
But in the history of nations as in the lives
of individuals, two extremes are seldom far
apart. The happy laugh is often quickly fol-,
lowed by the wall of sorrow. Adversely
treads on the heels of prosperity. The In
dians throughout the entire province, embra.
cling both Carolinas, became gradually less
friendly, until they broke out in terrible hos
tilities which, for time, threatened the very
existence of the colony. The cause of these
Indian hostilities was the unscrupulous con-
duct of the traders. To say that the Indians
we're never in the wrong would not be true
but it is most certainly .lde that the whites
we're more frequently the aggressors. The
traders as general rule, had no respect for
the rights of the Indians. In fact, it was taken
for granted by the Europeans generally, with
the exception of William Penn, that the In
dian had no rights. During the contentious in
the colony regarding elections and ecclesias-
tical laws enacted by the civil authorities, the
traders had perpetrated many outrsges on
the poor SONS of the forest. To some extent
these outrages were, if not sanctioned, at least
winked at by the inhabitants generally. In
the colony, at this time, there were fourteen
or fifteen hundred Indian slaves, and Indian
slaves formed part of the exports of the COL.
ony. Great numbers of these poor untutored
savages were, in one way and another, re-
duced to slavery or kidnapped and sent, some
to the northern colonies and some to the Span
ish dominions. There were two classes Of In
dians in the province One class was regard
ed as the friends of the English, and the other
class as the friends of the Spaniards. The
Spaniards, on the one hand, melted their In
dian allies to make invasions upon the terrific
ry of the English, and the English urged their
Indian allies to mal-treat the Spanish. The
cruel practice of scalping, if not practiced by
the whites, was indirectly encouraged.
The difficulties of the present period COM
menced in North Carolina, on the Neuse river.
The cause of the outbreak was this: Some
INSCRIPTIONS traders had defrauded the In
dians. This incensed the Indians. About
this time John Lawson, Surveyor General of
the province, laid out some lands which were
claimed by the Tuscaroras. This invasion OF
their rights, added to the fraudulent acts ofthe
traders, infuriated the savages, and they de-
termined upon vengeance Lawson was ap-
pretended, and, after hasty trial, was con.
demned and put to death. Individually,
Lawson was guilty of no fault, and the In
dians seem to have been conscious of the fact.
They became alarmed lest the surrounding
settlers would fly to arms and avenge the
blood of Lawson. To avoid this, they con-
certed plot to exterminate the whole settle
ment of whites. The 22nd of September,
I'LL, was set apartfor the work of utterly de-
stroying all the colonists south of Albemarle
Sound They divided themselves into small
parties and commenced the work of death.
The thing was kept profound secret. They
went from house to house, putting to death,
without regard to age or sex, all the inmates.
One neighbor did not know what was going
on in the house of his nearest neighbor. One
hundred and thirty of the North Carolinians
fell on that bloody day.
Those who survived this horrid massacre,
greatly alarmed, sent with all possible speed
for succor, to South Carolina. So soon as the
messenger arrived, great solemnity pervaded
the minds of both the Assembly and the peo-
pie of South Carolina The 18th day of No.
vember was set apart by the Assembly, as a
day of humiliation and prayer. This, so far
as we know, was the first day of the kind that
was observed in the colony. An army, or
rather a few hundred men, were hastily raised
and placed under the command of Col. John
Barnwell This little army, of which Col.
John Barnwel was Commander-in Chief, con-
sisted of six hundred men, most of whom
we're Indians. The Cherokees we're command.
ed by Captains Hartford and Luston the
Creeks, by Captain Hastings; the Catawbas,
by Captain Canty, and the Yemasees, by Cap
tain Pierce.
1t is at present scarcely possible to imagine,
much less describe the difficulties with which
these men had to contend in their march from
Charles Town to the Neuse River. The dis
tance several hundred miles, the country one
unbroken forest. Numerous small streams
and several large rivers, together with null
titude of dismal swamps, lay between them
and the place of their destination. No wag-
ons could be conveyed, and consequently no
supplies could accompany the army. The
men supported themselves on this march by
hunting. Notwithstanding all the difficulties
with which Col. Barnwell had to contend, ne
crossed the Neuse on the 2Sth of January,
1712. He at once commenced operations.
Fifty of the hostile Indians were killed and two
hundred and fifty taken prisoners. Col. Barn
we'll marched directly against their strong
hold. This was a wooden structure erected
on the Neuse River. The garrison consisted
of six hundred Tuscaroras This fort, COL
Barnwell could have easily taken by storm,
but he proposed terms of capitulation which
were accepted by the Indians. The treaty
concluded, the allies were disbanded. They
Immediately set out for home. Col. Barnwell
sent to Charles Town for sloop to convey his
wounded and disabled men home. Barnwell
himself was wounded. This was in July.
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