The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-07-29
DAWFUSKIE ISLAND
IT HAS A HISTORY AS THE SCENE OF
MANY INDIAN STRUGGLES.

IT HAS A HISTORY AS THE SCENE OF
MANY INDIAN STRUGGLES.
! The Extreme Southeastern Point Of South
Caro1ina-The Tragedy Of Bloody Point
That Wiped Out Whole Tribe Of In
dians.
A new candidate fer public favor il
Dawfuskio island, ono Of tho island.
not far distant from Savannah and one
of the most Interesting historically.
Dawfuskio is the Indian name of the
island. It is some six miles in length
and four miles III width, noted for its
fish, oysters and crabs aud famous Of
late years for its deer hunting. The In.
dams were very partial to it-thas is,
judging from the mounds, tomahawks,
arrowhcads and other relics of that
race which Gro 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 us Yemassee township. Beaufort
county.
Tho island was OF one timo the prop
erty Of the Mongin family, who settled
it about 1859, and up to the beginning
of the late war it was divided into sew
eral plantations and had population,
in addition to the painters families, Of
about 1850 slaves. Several places OH
the island are still owned by tho de.
scendants Of the Mongins. Bloody Point
by Mr.. Mongin Stoddard and Melrose
by Mr.. Alfred II. Stctldard.
The following story of Dawfuskio is.
land appeared i'll The Morning News Of
June "a, 1873, and is all Ct its early
history that can DO found:
"The massacre Of Bloody Point,
though previous to tho Revolutionary
war, is still interesting as relating to
the ancient history of St. Luke. The
islands Of Port Royal and st. Helen,,
were pretty thickly settled with white
population when Hilton Head. Dow
Dusky. Pinckney and tho other neigh.
boring islands were held in possession
by few isolated Indians OF were alto 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 rc:Hctor kc,c- =. 49, f:-tLc- soo;:.!.
They formed largo war parties and
would proceed rs far north as Eilton
Head. Here they would skulk about till
fair chance offered, when they would
cross Broad river and ravage the neigh
boring settlements: hence tho name Of
Skulk creek land not Skull, as is now
written)
1.-The Indians were in the habit Of re.
turning to Skulk creek. after these in
vasions and would clude 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 fire wa
ter" it is presumed, from the sequel,
they passed through Skulk creek Oh
their return south without stopping III
their old haunts and never halted until
they reached Dow Dusky, where they
thought they would be beyond the reach
Of the whites
IA 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 ia now known as New river,
to avoid the surf which breaks upon
the point. The Indians were at the ex-
IRENE point, enjoying themselves in an
unwonted round Of conviviality and
feasting. The whites approached eau
<So,,ol11 ord eAoo1tbilr opd l,o1y;ro ero%
between the Indians and their boats,
effectually cut off their retreat A
shower of bullets was the first intima-
tion they had Ct. ,ne presence of an en-.
envy. They were shot down, bayoneted,
sabered and We're 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 by
swimming, some to the opposite marsh,
and one swan entirely over to Tybee,
distance of three miles From the dread
full carnage this spot it received the
name Of Bloody Point, which it retains
to this time. it being the extreme south
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 began 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 the tribe who had guided
the whites in their pursuit, avenged the
downfall Of their own tribe by destroy
ing both of them. They then returned