The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-04
wkArH OF HE TUsoARosss.
EXTENT Of tho Plot Situation of the Set.
tlers-Ths Attack-Ths Work Of Death
CoDsternatiOO Of the whites Results.

tlers-The Attack-Ths Work Of Death
CONSERVATION Of the Whitss-Results.
estudies in North Carolina History by
w. c. Allen.)
AL authorities agree that the plot OF
the Indians for the determination Of the
LOT Carolina in I'LL was ex-
sr Gded in its scope and wise in its plan.
{ Handbook, one of the chiefs OF the Tus-
-caroras. together with the secret emissa-
ries of Thomas Carey and John Poreer.
the Albemarle d~emagogues. had labored'
for months to bring about a union OF all
the Indian tribes in eastern Carolina
against the coionists. How well he sue
ceeded in his endeayors is told in the rec
ord of the awful event that followed.
Notwithstanding, however. the earnest
efforts of the chief Handcoc'-, there was
a considerable number of TuScaro-
ras, under the leadership G. Iom Blunt,
another one Of their chiefs, "ho did not
enter into the plot, but remained stead
fast friends of the white settlers. Thus
1T was that the power Of this Indian ma
ton, the most powerful in the colony,
was divided, which was a considerable
advantage to the colonistS in the war
that folowed. Tom Blunt was afterwards
9fberaily rewarded for this exhibition OF
his friendship for his pale faced neigh
bors.
North OF the AlbemarIe sound, in the
territory now included in the counties of
Chowan, Perquimans, PasQuotank, Cur
rituck, Gates, HEREFORD and Northamp-
ton dWelt the Meherrins, NottoWays,
Chowanokes, Pasquotanks, Poteskeets,
Connamox and Yaopins: These were all
ready to enter heartily into the plot and
had promised Handbook to take the Held
with about 100 braves on the appointed
day for the concerted attack. Southeast
of the Albemarle extending to the shores
OF the Pamlico river and sound we're the
Nensiocs, Panllicos, Cotechneys, Woo
cons, Mattamuskeets, Natchapungos,
Hatteras, Cores, Croatans and Bear
River Indians, ali fierce and warliks. and
Jealous OF the encroachments OF the
whites upon their hunting grounds. These
tribes were to take the field with two
hundred and fifty painted warriors and
strike terror into the hearts Of the whites
in their nei.chOOrhoOd.
South Of the Pamlico, In the territory
extending southwark to Onslow county,
were the S~aponas, and Sippahavs. These
were weak and could furnish only q few
warriors. All these, with the Tuscaroras.
who extended over a large territory from
Chowan river to the Tar, were ready to
strike when the day agreed upon should
arrive. Altogether there were over 1,sOo
well armed savages ready to take the war
path when Handbook, the genera!issimo,
should give the signal.
The scattered white settlements were
in a poor condition to receive the coming
blow, even if they had received any init
NATION Of it. North of the Albemarle
sound the largest portion of the white
population was dWelllIS at lndl lime.
from an official list Of freeholders, taken
of the precincts north Of the sound about
that time, the number is ascertained to
have been about 500.
between it and Washington, down the
Neuse river to it's mouth, around the
shores Of the Pamlico sound, up the
Pamlico river to Bath and vicinity, and
on both banks of the Roanoke for a
considerable distance from it's mouth was
to be found the largest portion Of the
other white settlers of the province.
There were about 25O freeholders in all
the precincts included in that territory.
Beyond these limits some bold pioneers
had reached out to the forests of Jones
and OnsloW counties on the south, to
the head Of navigation OF the Roanoke
at Weldon on the northwest, and to Pitt
land Green counties on the west. In all
the territory through which the Will
mington and Weldon railroad now runs
there were scattered settlements as far
south as Goldsboro now is. These were
considered, however. beyond the pale OF
civilization and no stable government had
been established there. The far west
was then in eastern North Carolina.
Taken together all the precincts in the
province showed, at that time, a list OF
about 800 freeholders scattered over a
territory capable now of sustaining
was no match for the ruthless savages
since they could not be gotten together
without the loss OF much time and the
cost of much money. Even if they ha(
known that the blow was coming, they
could not have averted it because the
settlements were so dispersed.
at length the Sachem Handbook ap
pointed a day for simultaneous action il
all parts Of the province. The time, as /
was afterwards found out, was the da!
before the new moon in September
which that year occurred on the 22nd o
the month. Sunrise on that morning wa
to be the signal for the war Whoop to b
sounded and the word Of death TO be
gin. 1t seems strange that this secret
Notwithstanding the large number t
whom it was committed, was not di
yulged to a single white person unless t
the emissaries of Carey, who were a
work among them. And that, too, whe
many of the Indians, who took part /
the massacre, were employed in tn
homes Of the white settlers and remain
ed at their work up to the very hou
Of the attack. The whites, suspectin
nothing, were indulging in that fatal Sc
curity which brought about the doWnfa
of Troy.
Mr. Lawson, the historian of the time
was the first victim. He and the Baro
de Graffenried, the leader of the Swis
settlers about New Bern, had gone u
the Neuse river to ascertain how far tf
river was navigable. Suspecting notf
ing they stopped at an Indian village Il
the night expecting to meet a friendl
reception as they had met with numbs
of times before from the Indians. TIL
time, however, they were seized, carrie
before an Indian tribunal, and immed
ately condemned to death.
Baron de Graffenreid saved himse
from execution by claiming to be tt
king of the Swiss and demanded of the
what right they had to put a king
death. They decided, therefore, to no
him as a prisoner. but Mr.. Lawson W;
not so fortunate; for the fiends took hi
out for execution. They stuck his boo
full of lightwood splinters and set the
on fire. This horrible method Of infic
ing death upon an innocent man was r
lated afterwards to the whites by L
dams who were present.
This happened just a few days befo
the time agreed upon by the Indians t
the general slaughter to begin. If it h:
been known to the whites it would ha7
put them somewhat upon their guar
but, as it was, the facts about Lawson
death were not learned until some tin
after the massacre.
At length the appointed day for t
slaughter to begin arrived. Twelve hu
dred Tuscaroras, with painted faces a.
w~ar-like@plumes, separated into small
bands. in order to cover as much teri
tory az nOSSihlR- and began their seer