Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-08-19
DAWFUSKIE ISLAND.

DAWFUSKIE ISLAND.
1T HAS A HISTORY AS THE SCENE OF
MANY INDIAN STRUGGLES.
The Extreme Southeastern Point of South
Caro1inalThe Tragedy of Bloody Point,
/ That Wiped Out Whole Tribe of In
dams.
A new candidate for public favor is
Dawfuskie island, one of the islands
hot far distant from Savannah and one
of the most interesting historically.
Dawfuskie is the Indian name OF the
island. It is some six miles in length
and four miles in width, noted for its
fish, oysters and crabs and famous OF
late years for it's deer hunting. The In
dams were very partial to it-that is,
Judging from the mounds, tomahawks,
arrowheads and other relics of that
race which are still to be found on the
island. It is the southeasternmost point
of South Carolina, and directly oppe-
site Tybee island, and in what was
formerly known as St. Luke's parish,
Beaufort district, but now legally desig-
mated as Yemassee township Beaufort
county.
The island was at one time the prop
erty of the Mongin family, who settled
it about 1850, and up to the beginning
of the late war it was divided into sew
eral plantations and had a population,
in addition to the planters families, Of
about 1900 slaves. Several places on
the island are still owned by the de-
scendants of the Mongins, Bloody Point
by Mr.. Mongin Stoddard and Melrose
by Mr.. Alfred H. Stoddard.
The following story of Dawfuskie is
land appeared in The Morning News of
June "a, 1878, and is all Of its early
history that can be found:
"The massacre Of Bloody Point,
though previous to the Revolutionary
war, is still interesting as relating to
the ancient history of St. Luke. The
islands of Port Royal and st. Helena
were pretty thickly settled with white
population when Hilton Head, Dow
Dusky, Pinckney and the other neigh
boring islands were held in possession
by few isolated Indians or were alto
gether uninhabited They formed kind
of neutral ground between the white
and red men. The Indians from Georgia
were in the habit of making frequent
inroads upon the white settlements,
killing the inhabitants and carrying off
whatever plumber they could gather, to
their remoter homes in the farther south.
They formed large war parties and
would proceed as far north as Hilton
Head. Here they would skulk about till
a fair chance offered, when they would
cross Broad river and ravage the neigh
boring settlements; hence the name Of
Skulk creek (and not Skull, as is now
written).
'tThe Indians were in the habit Of re-
turning to Sku1k creek after these in
Fasions and would elude pursuit among
| its numerous hooks and windings. Upon
| one of these occasions, after having
committed a number of murders and
having loaded their canoes with what
ever plumber they were able to collect,
having secured quantity Of "tire wa
ter" it is presumed, from the sequel,
they passed through Skulk creek on
their return south without stopping in
their old haunts and never halted until
they reached Dow Dusky, where they
thought they would be beyond the reach
of the whites.
ga very strong and determined party
of whites went in pursuit of them. On
reaching Hilton Head they learned from
a few Indians of friendly tribe that
their enemies had not halted, but had
proceeded on south. Having induced
these friendly Indians to join them as
guides, they continued their pursuit
farther south. When they had gone on
as far as Dow Dusky, they discovered
from the smoke of their camp that the
Indians had halted at the southeast
point of the island. The whites landed
on the northwest portion and marched
toward their enemies. The Indians had
put all their boats short distance
| up what is now known as New river,
to avoid the surf which breaks upon
the point. The Indians were at the ex-
treme point, enjoying themselves in an
nnwonted roGnd of conviviality and
feasting The whites approached eau
tiously and stealthily, and, having got
1,o<v %1o Tp1i <hoir 70
efectually cut off their retreat. A
shower of bullets was the first intima-
ton they had Of the presence Of an en-
envy. They were shot down, bayoneted,
sabered and were finally driven into the
sea.
1.-THE surprise was complete; the mas
sacre was dreadful; the white sands
were crimsoned with blood, and the
earth was strewn with wounded, dying
and dead. A few, very few, escaped +,
swimming, some to the opposite marsh,
and one swan entirely over to Tybee. a
distance of three miles From the DIRE 4
full carnage at this spot it received Ii. !,
name of Bloody Point, which it retains
to this time, it being the extreme SCUM
eastern point Of South Carolina. After
this decisive victory the settlements to
the north of Broad river received no
further molestation from the southern
Indians, and soon after Hilton Head it.
self oegan to be settled by the whites
The Indians who escaped, having col
lected after lapse Of some time, re-
turned to Hilton Head, and, finding
only two Of thestribe who had guided
the whites in their pursuit, avenged the
downfall Of their own tribe by destroy
ing both Of them. They then returned
south and were lost sight Of ever after
Such is the tradition in St. Luke -
Savannah News.
Corrected.
Papa Gust arrived from down town.
We'll whereas RaSsiap Whv isn't she