The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-02-18

tell but hat God hath appointed yo,
to be the defender and deliverer of GU
country? We have lost n oppoPtu.
nifty already Of delivering our country
in not taking Cotechney Fort las
spring; and now another opportunity
is offered, for Gods sake let US make
use Of il, for If we lose 1t, We can new
er in reason expect such another"
The opportunity which Col. Pollock
mentions as being offered is the oppor-
tunity then presented of ending the
! war by the aid OF the South Carolina
troops that were then on their way TO
Afoemarle. Dur Southern sister had
responded in a most liberal name 10
the appeals OF Mr. Foster for help by
despatching Col: James Moore. who
vas afterwards the first governor
elected by the people Of the Palmetto
State. with a force Of one thousand In
dians and about fifty white men to
aid North Carolina in her desperate
struggle with the Tuscaroras. This
gallant force left Charleston on Sep
tember 18th. and arrived in Albemarle
about the asst of November.
In the meantime Col. Pollock was
active in trying to attach Tom Bluat
with a considerable portion of the
Tuscaroras to the interests Of the
colony. 1t was we'll known hat this
noted chief had not taken part in the
massacre of the whites on the Roa-
noke and Pamlico rivers, but had stead
tasty maintained his friendship for
n settlers, declining, however, to
take up arms against his countrymen.
If he could be secured as an ally to-
gether with he other chiefs that
sided with him, the power of the hos
tile Indians would be greatly weak
ened. Accordingly. overtureS were
made to him, and he was led to see
tina his personal interest demanded
that he should become an active friend
Of the c~olonists. After many prelimi-
harry meetings between Col. Pollock
and the Indian chiefs, an agreement
was finally reached On the 25th of No
vember by which Blunt and the five
chiefs siding with him bound them
selves in the following items:
First, they should wage a relentless
war against the Cotechneys, the Cores,
the Pamlicos, and the Neuse and
Bear river Indians, not giving quar-
ter to any individual of those tribes
owe fourteen years of age.
Second. they should join the whites
in a war upon the Matchepungos as
soon as they la accomplished the de-
struction of the above named tribes.
Third, they should spare no effort to
bring in alive Hancock and ten of
the principals who were the most con-
spicuCus in the late massacre. These
were to be put to death according to
the direction of the council of state.
Fourth, they should surrender all
claims to the lands on the south side
of Neuse river, and below COtchney
and Bear creeks on Pamlico river.
Fifth, after a general peace, they
should pay such tribute as should be
agreed upon, and no Individual injury
should be a cause of hOstilities. In or
der to assure the president Of their
good intention, they delivered to him,
at his residenc, six of the principal wo-
men and children from each of their
towns as hostages.
In consideration of these promises,
the governor and his cOunc agreed to
make Tom Blunt king of all the tribes
that remained after a cessation of
hostilities, and to allot them parcels
of land that should be theirs to keep
and to hold, or to dispose of as they
saw fit. These advantageous terms
were made by the skill and persever-
ance of Col. Pollock, anu they resulted
in the advantage of the %colonists.
Virginia offered aid to the province,
but it was declined by the president,
because he was required to mortgage
a large tract of unCccupied land to Sc
cure a repayment of the favor. Thus
it was that the aid came, as it did be
fore, from South Carolina.
Col. Moore, with his little army of
friendly Indians and a few whites, af-
ter g. tOilSOme march of more than
two months through the swamps n
forests, arrived on the banks of the
Neuse in the latter part of November.
Colonel Pollock didn't want to begin
an aggressive campaign at once, be-
cause he desired to see how Tom Blunt
Would carry out his part Of the treaty.
If ne began a warfare upon the Cotech-
neys and the Cores at once, that
would nable the whole power of the
province with its aid from South Caro-
lima to be hurled in a body against the
TuscarOras. Therefore, he desired
some delay, in order to give Tom Blunt
time to begin his movements.
But what was to be done with the
army which Colonel Moore had led
from South Carolina? They could not
stay upon the NeuSe. because the plan
tations in hat quarter had been de-
stroyed and subsistence could not be
obtained. They could not return to
South Carolina to await a favorable
time for beginning the campaign, be-
cause, in tina case, it would be diff
cult to get them again. In this di-
lemma President Pollock did about the
only thing that was feasible. He in
Vited Moore and his army to march
into the heart of the province and re-
main there for two months. h &C
ton caused many Of the inhabitants
Of AIbemarle to complain; for they had
a thousand Indians to support through
the cold winter months. But the Sc
quel shows that it was right and prop
err.
Tom Blunt began his campaign
against the foe. according to agree
ment, and was keeping the savages in
terested in his field of operation. AS
soon as the news of his advance upon
the Cores was s~ubStantiated. Colonel
Moore began to put his command in
readiness to march against the main
body of the Tuscaroras. AT last, on
the 18th of January, 1713, the entire
army took up the line of march, and
after pursuing the journey for some
days. they halted at Fort Reading,
where they were detained until the 4th
of February, on count Of a heavy
fall of snow.
While there, Colonel Moore, by
Of Sac,,tipr narrieS learned the DOSi-