THE PIRATES AND OTHER ENEMIES.
A. D. 1748 TO 1754.
During the government of North Carolina by Gabriel Johnston,
there was still much trouble from the buccaneers. These were
pirates who chiefly infested the West Indies, where they were
sometimes congregated by thousands at a single place. They were
daring enough to invade cities and countries, and caused great
terror and danger to all honest people within their reach.
2. In 1748 a fleet of the pirates, under the pretext of a war
between England and Spain, sailed into the mouth of the Cape Fear
River. Instead of the plunder they expected to obtain from firms
and towns, they were bravely met by the people, as the fleet lay
off the village of Brunswick, and after a bloody fight, were
driven back to sea with the loss of one of their ships. From
this demolished craft were taken a number of negroes and
valuables. These spoils which rewarded the gallant defence of
the men of Cape Fear were, by act of Assembly, given to the
churches in Wilmington and Brunswick.
[NOTE--The pirate chief left his vessel and crew off at Brunswick,
and in a small boat, with a few men, ascended the Cape Fear River
to ravage the farm of Maurice Moore. Col. Moore learned of the
coming of the robbers and boldly met them on the shore with gun
in hand, and compelled them to return without even landing.
While the chief was up the river the fight occurred off
Brunswick, his vessel was captured, and forty men, comprising the
crew were sold by the victors at public auction. ]
1749.
3. The year 1749 is memorable because then, for the first time, a
printing press was erected in North Carolina. James Davis
brought this press to New Bern from Virginia, and began, years
later, the publication of a weekly newspaper, called The North
Carolina Magazine or Universal Intelligencer. This occurred in
1765, and the press was used until that time in printing the laws
and proceedings of the General Assembly.
4. The first movements toward peopling the western sections of
the province were seen this year in the purchase, by the
Moravians, of a large tract of land from Earl Granville. They
called it Wachovia, in compliment to Count Zinzendorf's estate in
Germany. The same region was peopled rapidly by other German
Settlers, with a large addition of Scotch-Irish emigrants. Their
town was named Salem, and is now the county seat of Forsyth.
1752-53.
5. Upon the death of Governor Johnston, President Rice was in
charge until the next year, when, upon his death, Colonel Matthew
Rowan succeeded to the place thus made vacant. Colonel Rowan
lived in Bladen, and was a planter of large means. He was
greatly valued, and his name is perpetrated in a county which has
long been important in North Carolina.
1754.
6. At this time there was great rivalry between France and
England for supremacy in America. Large as was the area of
unoccupied territory for division between them, they were fast
maturing schemes for each other's expulsion from the Western
Continent.
7. All around the English settlements, from New England along the
great lakes, and down the Mississippi River, a chain of forts was
being constructed by the French, and the aid of all the Indian
tribes had already been secured except in the instance of the
Iroquois or Six Nations in New York. Lord Dinwiddie, then
Governor of Virginia, sent a messenger to say that these enemies
were even encroaching upon the Old Dominion and erecting a fort
at the junction of the two streams which form the Ohio River.
8. Pittsburg stands upon the spot where this famous Fort Du
Quesne was constructed. His lordship applied for aid from North
Carolina in an expedition which he proposed to send against these
intruders. Governor Rowan and the General Assembly responded
nobly and promptly to the call.
9. Colonel James Innes, who had served gallantly under Lord
Vernon at Carthagena, in South America, was put in command of a
regiment mustering more than nine hundred men. Two hundred
thousand dollars was voted for their equipment and supplies, and
with high hopes, the long march for the Ohio River was begun.
10. When the army reached Winchester, in Virginia, Colonel Joshua
Fry, who was in command of all the forces, died, and Governor
Dinwiddie appointed Colonel Innes his successor. But this
appointment gave offence to the Virginians, who wished Colonel
George Washington, already a favorite of the people, to take
command. The Virginia Legislature, under the circumstances,
would make no provision for the support of Colonel Innes'
regiment, and it was forced to return home. In this way the
generous purpose of North Carolina was completely thwarted.
11. Colonel Innes died at Winchester soon after. The French
occupied their fort and perfected those arrangements which
resulted, shortly afterwards, in the terrible defeat of the army
commanded by General Braddock.
12. Another army of Virginians and North Carolinians, about
thirty years after these occurrences, was assembled to attack
Colonel Patrick Ferguson's British and Tories at King's Mountain.
A very different spirit prevailed there. The North Carolina
officers, who greatly outnumbered those of the Old Dominion,
insisted that as they were at home, Colonel Campbell, of the
latter State, should assume command, and their knightly courtesy
was followed by a glorious victory.
QUESTIONS.
1. Who infested the coast during Governor Johnston's term?
2. How was a fleet of pirates received by the Cape Fear men in
1748? What was done with the spoils? Point out Brunswick and
Wilmington on the map.
3. What memorable event occurred in 1749?
4. Give an account of the settlement of Wachovia. In what part
of the State is this settlement?
5. Who became Governor after the death of Governor Rice? What
kind of man was Governor Rowan?
6. What were the English and French trying to accomplish in
America at this period?
7. How were the French preparing for hostilities? What was
stated by Governor Dinwiddie's messenger?
8. Of whom did Governor Dinwiddie ask aid? How did North
Carolina respond to the call?
9. To what extent did the province prepare resistance?
10. What occurred at Winchester? How did this appointment affect
the Virginians, and why? How did the effort of North Carolina to
aid the Virginians terminate?
11. What was the result of the expedition against Fort Du Quesne?
12. What other occurrence is mentioned?