The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1896-08-29
DAWFUSKIE ISLAND.
IT HAS A HISTORY AS THE SCENE OF
MANY INDIAN STRUGGLES.

The Extreme Southeastern Point of south
Caroilna-The Tragedy of Bloody Point,
That Wiped Out n Whole Tribe Of In
dians.
A new candidate for public favor is
Dawfuskie island, one of the islands
not far distant from Savannah and II
Of the most interesting historically.
Dawfuskie is the Indian name Of the
island. 1t is some six miles in length
and four miles in width, noted for its
fish, oysters and crabs and famous OF
late years for its 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. 1t is the southeasternmost point
Of South Carolina, and directly oppo-
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.
Tho 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 q population,
in addition to tho planters families, Of
about 1. 800 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 II. Stoddard.
Tho 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:
1.-THE massacre Of Bloody Point,
though previous to the Revolutionary
war, is still interesting US 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 Il few isolated Indians or were alto
gether uninhabited. They formed a 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 wal parties and
would proceed as far north as Hilton
Head. Hero they would skulk about till
q fair chance offered, when they would
cross Broad river and ravage the neigh
boring settlements; hence the name OF
Skulk creek land not Skull. as is now
written).
1.-THE Indians were in tho habit Of re-
turning to Skulk creek after these in
vasions 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 u quantity Of fire wa
ter, " 1t is presumed, from the sequel,
they passed through Skulk creek on
their return south without stopping in
their old haunts md never halted until
they reached Dow Dusky, where they
thought they would be beyond the reach
of the whites.
"A very strong and determined party
of whites went III pursuit Of them. On
reaching Hilton Head they learned from
a few Indians Of u friendly tribe that
their enemies had not halted. but had
proceeded on south. Having induced
these friendly Indians to join them us
guides, they continued their pursuit
farther south. When they had gone en-
as far as Dow Dusky, they discovered
from the smoke CT their camp that the
Indians had halted ct the southeast
point CT the island. The whites landed
i'll tho Eorthves portion End marched
toward their enemies. Tho Indians had
put all their boats a short distance
up what is now known as New river,
to avoid the surf which breaks upon
the point. The Indians were at the OK
treme point, enjoying themselves in an
unwonted round Of convivialiiy and
feastiIg. Tie whltcs approached a u