Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-03-02

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Highlanders which made them great favorites
with the Indians.
We have already met John Stuart in 1851,
a prisoner in Fort Loudon. After bis re-
lease by the old chief, Attakullakulla, he be-
came very popular in the colony, and was ap-
pointed Indian agent in the South. His ter
ritory embraced all of North America south
of Pennsylvania. He had, BY virtue Of his
Office, seat in the Kings council Of the
provinces of Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia and Florida. His resi-
dence was in Charleston, South Carolina, in
the house now owned by William Carson.
He married Miss Fembricke, and thus was
brought into close relationship with the oldest
and most honorable inhabitants Of Charleston.
In order that the work Of crushing the re-
bellion in the colonies might be successful,
Stuart concerted with DR.. John Connolly who
resided at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. eonnol-
ly was commissioned by Governor Dunmore,
of Virginia, to raise regiment in Canada and
the adjoining region, and with the aid Of the
Indians, overrun and destroy the country.
Had the plans of Stuart and Connolly sue
ceeded, it is doubtful what would have been
tns fssdfb to the cause of the patriots. Al
len Cameron, John Symthe and Connolly, set
out for Ohio. In the neighborhood of Ha-
gerstown, Maryland, they we're taken up as
suspicious characters and taken to Frederick
town. Here they we're examined. Connollys
papers were found in the tree Of his saddle
The whole plan was revealed, and Connolly
was sent, first to Philadelphia, and then to
Baltimore, and kept prisoner until the end
of the war. In Charleston, sphgt became
an object of suspicion, and that he might act
free and without trammel, he went to Florida.
In an interview with Colonel Habersham,
of Georgia, Stuart intimated his intentions of
uniting the various Indian tribes against the
enemies of the King. This declaration ad'
mitted of but one Interpretation. The King
had no enemies at that time in America but
the Wings. This was most unfortunate dis
closure for the cause of Stuart, but fortunate
for the people of South Carolina and Georgia.
Habersham communicated what he had learn.
ed from Stuart, to the Council Of Safety at
Charleston, and Stuart becoming alarmed,
fixed bis quarters at St. Augustine, out of the
reach of the patriots of South Carolina and
Georgia.
Arrangements had been made by the Eng
lish government to supply the Indians with
arms and ammunition. Part of the powder
was to be shipped to St. Augustine, and part
to Savannah. All this powder was captured
by the patriots and used in defence Of the
country against those who sent it. Part was
used at Fort Moultrie, and part sent to Cen
eral Washington and by him used at Boston.
We cannot refrain from remarking that it
seems that divine providence favored the
plans of the patriots, and Disconnected the
best laid schemes of their enemies. Had
Stuart, Connolly and Dunmore succeeded in
carrying out their plan, the cause Of the pa
triots would have been crushed in the bud
Had they concerted no plans, no powder
would have been shipped to St. Augustine
and Savannah, and Moultrie might have
failed, at sullivan's Island, and Washington
at Boston, for the want of powder. Provi-
dentially, we will say the plans Of Stuart were
frustrated. Humanity speaking, they were
great and wise in their vastness, and minute
and particular in their details. They we're,
however, not 80 far frustrated as to prevent
all attempts to put them into execution. The
indian tribes, from Florida to Canada,
had been tampered with, and prepars-
tions had been made to violate all treaties
they had entered into with the whites. All
the western sections Of both Virginia and
North Carolina, as we'll as the northwestern
portion of South Carolina, we're in the great
est alarm. They had unmistakable evidence
that, unless checked, the wild savages would
visit the inhabitants with the tomahawk and
scalping knife.
These fears were not imaginary. But two
days after the, British fleet commenced to
lombard Fort Sullivan, the Cherokees raised
the war whoop and commenced the work Of
carnage in the northwestern portion Of the
State. scovillites, loyalists and plundering
tories, united with the infuriated savages in
their attack upon the Wings of that region.
White men, painted like savage Indians, and
clad in the habiliments of these wild children
of the forest, entered their ranks, that, under
the appearance of savages, they might perpe-
trate deeds at which even savages blush. The
Wings had but few arms and but little am
munition. For safety they fled to the forts.
The crops we're committed to the mercy Of
wild beasts. Desolation lowered over the
land, and hunger, lank and lean, stared the
inhabitants in the face. "Unless," said one
who wrote from the scene of these massacres
at the time, Eve get some relief, famine will
overspread our beautiful country"
To oppose the progress of the Indians and
tories, Colonel Andrew Williamson was sent
to the scene of their operations. His own
home was in this region, and consequently the
love of his own fireplace inspired him with
energy. He found the people panic-struck.
Each one was disposed to secure place OF
safety for his own family, before he engaged
in pursuing the maddened foe. More than
two weeks were required to raise an army Of
five hundred men.
On the 18th of July, party of ninety In.
dians and one hundred and twenty white men
made an attack upon Major Downs, in Fort
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