Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-03-27
HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
From the First Settlement to the Close OF
the Revolution,
the Revolution


ony, at this time, there were fourteen
or fifteen hundred Indian slaves, and
Indian slaves formed a part of the ex
ports Of the colony. Great numbers of
these poor untutored savages were in
one way and another, reduced to slav
cry or kidnapped and sent, some to the
northern colonies and some to the
Spanish dominions. There were two
classes Of Indians in the province. One
class was regarded as the friends Of
the English, and the other class as the
friends Of the Spaniards. The Span
iards, on the one hand melted their
Indian allies to make invasions upon the
territory Of the English, and the Eng
lish urged their Indian allies to NAL
treat the Spanish. The cruel practice
of scalping. IL not practiced by the
whites. was indirectly encouraged.
General Massacre.
The difficulties of the present period
commenced in North Carolina, on the
Neuse river. The cause Of the out
break was this: Some unscrupu-
lous traders had defrauded the Indians.
This incensed the Indians. About this
time John Lawson, surveyor general
Of the province, laid out some lands
which were claimed by the Tuscaroras.
This invasion of their rights, added to
the fraudulent acts Of the traders, in
furiated the savages, and they deter
mined upon vengeance. Lawson was
apprehended. and after hasty trial,
was condemned and put to death. In
dividually, Lawson was guilty Of no
fault, and the Indians seem to have
been conscious Of the fact. They be-
came alarmed lest the surrounding set
tiers would fly to arms and avenge the
blood Of Lawson. To avoid this, they
concocted a plot to exterminate the
whole settlement of whites. The 22nd
of September, III, was set apart for
the work of utterly destroying all the
colo1ists south Of Albemarle Sound.
They divided themselves into small
parties and commenced the work of
death. The thing was kept profound
secret They went from house to
house, putting to death, without re-
gard to age or sex, all the inmates.
One neighbor did not know what was
going Oh in the house Of his nearest
neighbor. One hundred and thirty of
the North Carolinians fell on that
bloody day.
Punitive Expedition.
Those who survived this horrld mas
sacre. greatly alarmed, sent with all
possible speed for succor, to South Car
olina So soon as the messenger arrived,
greatly solemnity pervaded the minds
of. both the assembly and the people
OF South Carolina. The 18th day Of
November was set apart by the assem-
bly,, as a day Of humiliation and pray
er. This so far as we know, was the
first day of the kind that was observ-
ed in the colony. An army, or rather
few hundred men, were hastily raised
and placed under the command Of Col.
John Barnwell. This little army, Of
which Col John Barnwell was COM
mantler-i in chief, consisted Of six hun
dred meE, most Of whom were Indians.
The Cherokees were commanded by
Captains Hartford and Luston; the
Creeks. by Captain Hastings; the Ca
tawbas, by Captain Canty, and the
Yema ssees. by Captain Pierce.
Indians Punished.
1t Is at present scarcely possible to
imagine, much less describe, the diff
culties with which these men had to
contend In their march from Charles
Town to the Neuse river. The distance
several hundred miles, the country one
unbroken forest. Numerous small
streams and several large rivers, to-
gether with a multitude of dismal
Swamps, lay between them and the
place Of their destination. No wagons
could be conveyed, and consequently
no supplies could accompany the army,
The mel supported themselves on this
march by hunting. Notwithstanding
al the difficulties with which Colonel
Barnwell had to contend, he crossed
the Neuse on the 28th of January, 1712.
He at once commenced operations.
Fifty Of the hostile Indians were killed
and two hundred and fifty taken pris-
oners. Col. Barnwell marched directly
against their stronghold. This was
wooden structure erected on the
Neuse river. The garrison consisted
of six hundred Tuscaroras. This fort,
Col. Barnwell could have easily taken
by storm, but he proposed terms or
caritulation. which were accepted by
the Indians. The treaty concluded, the
allies were disbanded. They imme-
diately set out for home. Col. Barn.
well sent to Charles Town for sloop
to convey his wounded and disabled
men home. Barnwell himself was
wounded This was in July.
Trouble Commenced Again.
No sooner were the Indians apprlsed
of the fact that Barnwelps forces were
disbanded, than they violated the
treaty so recently made and commenc-
ed hostilities again. Aid was again
sent for to Charles Town. Col. Barn.
well. not having recovered from his
wounds and being also sick, the COM
mand was entrusted to James Moore,
son Of the former governor. An army
of eight hundred Indians and forty
whites was raised. They assembled on
the banks of the Congaree, and Gov
ernor Craven went up to inspect them.
Whatever may have been the Difficult
ties attending Barnwelps march, that
of Moore was attended with greater
difficulties. 1t was in the dead Of win
ter. The army assembled on the Con-
garee, In the month of December, 1712.
After a march which beggars descrip-
ton, Col. Moore arrived at the Taw
river. There he found the enemy for
titled and we'll armed. Unawed by
these circumstances, he boldly laid
siege to their Notifications. The siege
lasted but a few hours. An engage
ment took place which resulted In the
complete discontinue Of the Tuscar-
oras and their confederates. Two hun
dred were killed and eight hundred