The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-02-13
By
RICHARD BENBURY CREECY

ana gloomy one LOT Cne heVOlu-
tionary patriots of North Carolina
Governor Tyron had left his pal
ace in New Bern. secretly and hur-
riedly, had taken refuge on board
the armed schooner Cruizer, and
was stationed at the mouth of
Cape Fear River, issuing orders
fortifying the Tory feeling in the
Colony, and melting the slaves to
servile instruction. Lord Dun
more had been driven from Will
liamsburg, Virginia, by popular in
dignation, and had gone down to
Norfolk, and entrenched himself
there. From this position he was
annoying the people of the ada
cent section of Virginia by hos
tile raids, and was expected to
make excursions into the adjacent
sections of North Carolina. The
death of John Harvey of Per-
quimans County in June IT'S had
cast a gloom over the northeastern
colonists where his patriotism and
manly virtues were best known.
But the fires of liberty were kept
burning. Dunmore with a few reg
ulars who had accompanied him
in the flight from Williamsburg,
Pa, had ravaged Suffolk and some
other places and was preparing to
extend his ravages to the Abe
marie section of North Carolina.
Our leading men were on the alert,
and couriers were keeping them
in close touch. John Harvey of
Perquimans had joined his fathers
across the great divide, but his
mantle had fallen upon his kins-
nan and connection by marriage,
Gen. William Skinner of Yeopim
Creek, and he was watching every
movement of Dunmore. Col. Isaac
Gregory of Camden was hurrying
with small militia force to meet
the enemy at Great Bridge in Vir-
ginia. Tom Bembury of Chowan,
then speaker of the lower house
of the Assembly had left his lux
urious home at "Bembury Hall"
that overlooked the sound and was
hurrying to join troops under
Howe with Commissary stores.
Excitement ran high, and the ex-
pected invasion of the Albemarle
Counties, and the probable COL
lision at Great Bridge where Dun
more was entrenched, was the uni
versal subject of conversation.
Howe was pushing by forced
marches to the aid of Virginia
with some regulars and the Hert-
ford County Militia under Col.
Wynns of that county. Public ex-
pectation was on tiptoe.
Joe Dowdy and old man Sammy
Jarvis lived on the banks opposite
to Knots Island. They were near
neighbors and intimate friends.
Early in December IT'S Jarvis
went to the mainland to hear the
news of Col. Howe's movement
toward Great Bridge. When he
returned home late in the evening
he was greatly excited. He was
impressed with the dangerous sit
uation of the jewellers by the sea.
He was constantly saying dun
more and them blamed Britishers
will come down the coast from
Norfolk and steal all our banks
stock and steal our horses, ding
EN-" After a short rest and a
hasty bite of supper, old man Jar
Wis went over to Dowdy's to tell
him the news.
Dowdy was a wrecker for the
money that was in it, and a fish
er for the food that was in it. He
was always watching the sea; he
was a devout man who always
prayed for the safety of the poor
sailors who were exposed to the
perils of the deep, and who always
closed with a silent supplication
that if there should be a wreck,
it might be on the Currituck beach
He had prospered in the business
of wrecker, and saved many lives
and much wreckage and money.
His visible store of chattels, was
beef cattle and banker ponies. He
herded them by the hundreds.
Uncle Sammy came in without
ceremony and was cordially re-
ceived. "Wen Uncle Sammy" said
Dowdy, "What are the news, tell
US ALL"
"Well Joseph" said Jarvis,
Things is fogerty. Gregory
Col. Isaac is hurrying up his
Camden Milish to join Howe and
Tom Bembury of Chowan is push
ing on his wagons of commissaries.
If they don't reach Great Bridge
in time to bear hand in this fight
they'll hurry on to Norfolk to
drive Dunmore out of the old town.
But if Dunmore beats our folks
at Great Bridge, then our goose
is cooked and our property is all
gone; all the goods and gold saved
in our hard life's work and all
oug cattle and marsh ponies"
"You don't tell me-" said Dowdy.
eyes, its so, just as sure as old
Tom. The only thing that can save
US is General Skinner in Perqui-
mans and the militia, and he is
too far away. We can't get word