NAR RA T VE
O F H IS
E x ploi
ts and Adv entures
as a
Ameri
can R evoluti
on
copy
i
n th
e
i
mp ortant omi
ssi
ons i
n
t ed States
i
n the U ni
ng
pplyi
su
the
L oyali
st o f N
na
ort h C aro li
shed
p ubli
Wi
th an hitroductin and Note s by
o
A W ! AV AR Y
.
M A
.
Nov a Scoti
a Hi
st ori
e ty
and C o rrespo ndin g
cal Soci
cal and Bi
o grap hica l
M ember of the New York G enealo gi
S oc i
e ty ;
author ol the Se v aty G ene alogy
M e mber
of the
'
'
f the C ounty of
A nnap oli
s
n te d from T H E C ANA D IA N MA G AZ
R epr i
T oro n t o
1 9 08
ti
Di
zed by M orosoft
gi
NE
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
IND E !
Con ti
n u ed
PAG E
req u i
re d by m e of the R e b el s
ll i
\V i
a m s a n sw er
R am se y s L etter s
Wi
a m s B u rns
C l a r k e s letter
l li
C ap t L i
n le y m u r d ere d an d two m en h a ng e d for i
t
C ol A l sto n c am e to m e
T erm s
28
29
3o
30
30
G e neral
B u tler
etter
W a l k er a n d C u rri
e s sk i
rm i
shes wi
th th e R e b els
B a l fou r k i
ll e d
l le d
B r yan k i
R e b el C o m m i
sary h a n g e d
ll i
am s fro m G ov t to me
C ap t W i
G ri
mth s L e tt er
R osu r a nd G ol d st o n s l etters
C ap t D u g i
n s a nd G u i
n s l etter
T h e an swe r fro m the A sse m b l y
M yse l f m a rri
e d a nd C ap t H oo k er k i
l le d
T he forg e d letter s
M y a n swer i
n M a j o r R ai
ns nam e
M y ri
di
ng M a re t a k e n
l li
H u n ter s an d W i
ams l etter
M y a rr i
val i
n Ch arl eston
T h e nam es of the g e n tl em e n C o mm i
ttee i
n Ch a rl e sto n
R eb e l p rocl a m a t i
on
da
E m b ar k e d for E a st F lor i
M aj or D evoi
ce s A rti
cl e s
A cert i
c a te of m y S e rv i
ces si
n E a st F lor i
da
g n ed by ofcers i
A n e st i
m a te o f m y p rop ert y
Ki
n g s S p eech
n h a bi
tan t s
M y sp eech to the i
da
M ysel f a n d others set o u t for E a st F l ori
val at New P rovi
de n ce
M y a rri
l t o n s L etter
Col Ham i
a l m th e C om mi
M y M e m ori
ssi
o n ers
eu t C ol o M c Kay s l et t ers
Li
on ers certi
c ate
ssi
C o mm i
M em ori
a l for h a lf p a y to S i
r G eor g e Y o u n g
M y l etter to G e org e R a n d al
T he R e b el A c t o f o b l i
vi
on
31
3x
32
32
33
33
35
37
37
38
38
40
42
46
46
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
48
Narrati
ve
T he
I n tr odu cti
on by A
O L O NE L DAVID FANNIN G , of
North C arolina , was one of the
Virginia in 1 8 6 1
in the rst year of
the Independence of the C onfederate
C o l Fanni
ng
of
S A VA R Y
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
NAR R AT IV E O F CO L
TH E
of civilised warfare
B oth these men
desired to remain at peace but like
n
many and many another similarly i
cli
ned were driven into the war by the
homicidal or predatory violence of their
rebel neighbours
As the numerous
town histories of New E ngland show
a
T
o
y
and carrying him astride
r
or
a fence rail was a favourite pastime of
'
F A NNI NG
ecollec t i
a L oyal i
st e d i
te d
on s of a G eorgi
by R ev A W H E aton New Yor k 1 901
l ey
TM S L etters of R ev J a co b B ai
nct i
i
i
n were
* M a n u scrit letters of R ev
es
of
so
al
d
st
o
T
h
ree la d i
ci
i
aco
b
B
a
le
I
y
J
p
slat u re
n te d of h i
st R ec tor of Ann ap ol i
s S ee A att a i
gh treason by the L egi
L oyali
n of d eath
of New York an d b ani
she d on p ai
D ut
er M i
ssi
onary
B o ston : Ide
Fron t i
the only i
n stan ce w h ere wo m en were so
ton 1 8 53
le
treate
d
sh
eo
i
n the hi
st ory of t he E n gl i
4
H
st
r
nn
a
o
l
i
3
0
p
p
s
o
o
f
A
i
p
p
1
y
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
*R
NAR R A T IV E O F C O L
TH E
on
lu ti
He faithfully exposes and ac
counts for the sup pression and di
stor
tions of the truth by the earlier writers
but entirely misunderstands the modern
c olonial policy of E ngland and traduces
her conduct of the B oer war A p erusal
of his b ook is absolutely necessary to
a fair understanding of the facts of the
revolutionary period
In Fanning s original manuscript the
chirography is excellent but there is
little or no punctuation and the orthog
rap hy and too free use of initial ca p itals
is perhaps a little more irregu lar than
was c ommon in those days and these
errors are aggravated and a distorted
punctuation introduced in the printed
edition In fact there is reason to sus
p ect that the R ichmond editor tried to
make Fanning appear a m ore illiterate
man than he really was * It is better
I think that all these eccentricities
should be recti ed in the present re
print as manuscripts of that period are
usually so dealt wi
It
th in these days
is satisfactory to note that Mr Wheeler
,
,
,
'
ts
nstance : T he word pu rsue an d all i
i
n
d eri
v at i
v es are always sp elled correct ly i
n t he
t he m an u scri
p t an d always persu e i
r
te
d
co
b
u t I ha v e change d wa s to were
n
i
py
p
n m an y p lace
i
* For
F A NNING
its
authenticity delity and value
But the author of the p reface starts
with an error as to Fanning s birthplace
which he says wa s in Johnston C ounty
North C arolina whereas Fanning de
clares in his will that he was the son of
David Fanning and was born at B eech
Swamp in Amelia C ounty Virginia
where his father left a considera b le
estate of which he was the rightful
si
ca l
idiosyncrasies given as princi
pally traditionary
such as his being
He speaks of the
self satisfaction
nt d
n 1 8 22 p ri
letter from hi
m d ate d i
e
n ts to thi
on p oi
s
n tr od u c t i
n M r Wheeler s i
i
concl us i
on
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
*A
NA R R A T I V E
THE
O F CO L
index :
L indley murdered and
C ol
two m en hanged for it I will itali
cise this and several other instances in
the narrative I refer also to Fannin g s
account of the barbarous treatment b y
the insurgents of his c omp anion T homas
B rown whose terrible re p risals on his
p ersecutors are fully related by Sabine
Mr Wh eeler has not a word of condem
nation for these atrocities ; they do not
shock him in the least ; W hile the deeds
of their avenger excite in him the most
intense horror He says in his copious
and doubtless l ocally valuable b iograph
ical notes that C ol Balfour was
FA NNI NG
nentl
elevated by education
and
y
channels
and tru ly illustrious among
the Waynes and Marions of that event
ful ep och His enemies reports of his
n u
character and conduct probably i
enced the British government , by whom
he was not treated with the sa m e gener
ty as others who had done and s u ff ered
osi
less M ob violence and outra ges on
* with the
erson
and
roperty
be
an
p
p
g
insur gents ; wrong begets wrong and
Fa r ming resolute daring and resource
ful fou ght his enemies with their ow n
methods the only methods available
to hi
m in a war that set family against
fa m ily and neighbour against neighbour
and was waged by small irresponsible
bands all through the Province over
which a reign of terror appallin g to c on
temp late made wreck of the humane
sentiments that cast a gla m our o v er the
o p erations of regu lar warfare between
As each petty leader
C hristian nations
red with p arty rage or thirstin g for re
venge gained a temp orary adv anta ge
over his op p onents
H o p e wi
theri
ng
e d a nd m e rc y s i
ghe d
fa rewe ll
He was animated by a chivalrou s loyalty
to his lawful soverei gn an d the idea of a
was n ot t i
ll aft er th i
s p a p er was wri
tten
1 ha t I fo u n d a c om l et e c o n r m a t i
o n o f these
p
on s
c oncl u si
i
n a n o ther fa i
r and i
al
m p art i
A m eri
c an b ook recen tly p u b l i
shed V an
n hi
T yn e i
s
sts o f t he A m eri
c an
L o yal i
R ev ol u t i
on
n g of
p 1 8 4 says tha t t he h an gi
v e L o yal i
st p r i
soners o f w a r by the re bel s
i
n No rth C a r oli
n a le d t o r e p r i
sal s wh i
ch were
co n t i
n u ed i
n th a t r eg i
on th r o u h t he war
g
cl earl y r eferri
n g t o the ev en t s r ec o rd ed by
* It
ng
F an n i
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
NA R R A T IV E O F C O L FA NNI NG
T HE
the
royal
in his favour After
p rerogative
bear from that nation to which they
he* removed to D igby Nova Scotia
this
owed
their
existence
as
a
people
that
;
mountain
that
lifts
its
the S outh had brought about the re
lofty head between the town and the
e nacting of scenes such as disclosed by
our veracious chronicler ; scenes at
Here
still
nestles
cosily
the
the recital of which decency revolts and old
farmhouse
in
which
he
restfully
passed
b efore the perpetrators of them even the
the
declining
years
of his chequered life
T ories of the rst revolutionary war might
and
here
lived
his
son
R oss C urrie C arr
hide their diminished
Ameri
Fanning when the writer knew him from
c ans of the present day will consider him
of the last century till
the
early
sixties
a s wrong in these extravagant pronounce
his death
ments as we consider him in his estimate
In New Brunswick his name is per
of Fanning
p etuated in a stream known as Fanni
ng s
Sabine who strange to say knew Brook forming part of the boundary line
n othing of this narrative says that Fan
between
Kin
s
and
ueens
ounties
on
C
g
!
ming s corresp ondence although where
(
the west side of the R iver St John O n
and how he got access to it is hard to this stream he built a mi
ll part of the
c onj ecture and he c ould have seen but dam of which still exists and the cellar
little of it ) a ffords am p le evidence that of his house can be seen about half a
j
his neighbours which is scarcely c om
mention of his inheritance in Georgia
patible with the fact that he was chosen he spoke of the claim his family had
on
three times to represent them in the the generosity of the British G overnment
P rovincial P arliament in which he sat as but although that G overnment ranted a
g
member for ! ueens C ounty from I 79 1 pension to Moody s widow nothing was
to January 2 7th 1 8 0 1
His w ill how
ever done for the widow or children of
ever dated at D igby March roth 1 8 2 5 Fanning
four days before his death shows him to
In the cemetery of Holy T rinity C hurch
have had at that time some difference with D i by is a stone with the following i
n
g
E lkanah Morton the Judge of P robate
scri p tion :
a widely known and esteemed* but some
I n m em ory o f
what p unctilious and stern magistrate
C ol D a v i
d Fan ni
ng
who d e p art e d thi
s li
fe
and ofcial for he ex p resses a wish that
M arch 1 4 th 1 8 25
he should have nothing to do with the
i
n t he
probating of the will but that some
sev ent i
eth year of hi
s a ge
other j ud ge should deal with it
H um an e affa ble gen tle a nd ki
nd :
A sad and most extraordinary episode
A p lai
n honest o p en m or a l m i
nd ;
H e li
e i
n G od he p u t hi
v e d t o di
put an untimely end to his career in the
s tru st
T o ri
u m p h a n t wi
se tri
th the j u st
legislature by calling for the vacation of
his seat he being the only member of a
O n another stone near by evidently
B ritish coloni al legislature ever so erected by himself is the following
NAR R A T I V E
THE
died
O F CO L
with its
Introdu ction and Preface
He was a burly looking man with a some
what austere asp ect and long a much
resp ected and ei
ci
en t
Justice of the
P eace In the G eneral Sessions of the
P eace which for m erly re gulated municipal
affairs he was recognised as a man of
good j udgment b ut of very deter m ined
will He was born May 30 1 79 1 mar
ried Sarah Woodm an of D i gby and died
S ept 8 1 8 7 1 leavin g an estate of
about
to b e divided amon g ve
daughters Mr Wheeler states that R ev
E
W C arruthers D D
in a work
entitled
Inc idents and Sketches of
C haracter C hi
ey in the O ld North State
1 8 54
has devoted more than 1 50 pages
to the life and character of Fannin g and
quotes Dr C arruthers as saying that this
son was a R uli
ng E lder in the C hurch
But he was a member of the C hurch of
E ngland until about ten years before he
died when he united himself to the
Methodist Society in neither of which
,
A N N A P O L I S R O Y A L NS
J u n e I O 1 9 08
,
FA NNI NG
such an of ce a s
C hurches is there
R uli
ng E lder *
.
R eader
and the instructions to the
printer at the end and to insert all t hat
wa s omitted by Mr Wheeler including
the adventurous escape to Florida and
the West Indies and the p roclamation of
o ,
n
A M Hi
l, i
il
C ap
i
n t he H i
D
i
s
y
g y, p
n
i
u m o ou
n
e
n
i
gi
i
ng
i
ng,
eli
i
on
Un
t he
g
H ow R
u
i
m
M
i
he
C
,
a l tt e b o k
h ters
stor of
b
rofesse
a h
r s v e to v e the r aso for
th s cha e of r
der
head
oss rr e b eca e a ethod st
e was
says that M r Curri
a p erfec t p i
ct ure
of a p rosp erou s con t en ted farm er bu t not
t he gen tlest of m ort a ls or the m ee kest of m en
for the law of here di
t y had m a de hi
m obst i
n
a te
d ogm at i
c and strong wi
lled
H e was
t he own er of a p ew i
n T ri
ni
ty Chu rch It
n g a seri
or d escri
bi
es of sem i
ci
rcl e s i
n m eet
i
n g each o ther
T he p ro j ec t i
on o f s o m e of
n t o t he a i
the p ews i
sles am on g them M r
e s
a ec t ed t he g r a cefu l carr i
C u rr i
age of
t he fa i
r d am es an d threaten e d t he cru shi
ng
a n d d estr u ct i
on of t he cheri
shed garm ent
Ap p eal ed to to allow a p a rt of hi
ou s
s cap aci
a nd co m f orta b le p ew to b e cu t away
Mr
n di
C u rri
ei
som e
gnan tl y refu se d an d when
of t he Ward ens p rob ab ly hen p e cked hu s
b an d s arm ed wi
th a sa w acc om p l i
shed the
on
w or k of d em ol i
ti
e ren ounce d
M r C u rri
a ll c onn ect i
on w i
th the E p i
sc op al Chu rch
con si
rt y ni
n e art i
cles t o ob l i
vi
on
gn e d t he thi
forg ot i
n hi
s wr a th A p ostol i
c S u ccessi
on and
b ecam e a n arden t d i
sci
p le of Wesley S t yles
fashi
on s hoop s and ski
rts ha d carri
e d the
n T ri
ni
ty
day i
*T he
ev
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
Narrati
ve
T he
of
Fanni
ng
Co
companies
and
continued
for
C
several days under arms and then both
tains to c all musters and present two parties were determined on this condition
p apers for the inhabitants to sign
that neither party should intercept each
was to see wh o were friends to the King other T his continued for some ti m e
and G overnment and the other was to see until the rebels had taken T homas Brown
w ho would j oin the rebellion
who after that had the honour to be
T he rst day of May C apt James
C olonel of the regiment of the E ast
L indley of R aebern s C reek sent to me
Florida R angers at Augusta burnt hi
s
as I was a Sergeant of the said comp any
m and cu t
feet tarred and feathered hi
to h ave his company warned to meet at hi
s hai
r
After he got so he was able to
his house 1 s th of said month I did sit on horseback he came to our p ost and
accordingly and he presenting the two the rebels then began to embody again
papers there were 1 1 8 men signed in C ol Fletchall found a large camp and
favour of the King also declared to de
marched from L iberty Sprin gs to Mill
fend the same at the risk of lives and C reek on our way towards Ninety Six
property
T welve miles from N i
nety Six the rebels
In July 1 7 75 there were several found that they were not strong enou gh
advertisements set up in every part for us and sent an express to C ol Fletchall
of the said district
t hat there was a to come and treat with them which said
very good P resbyterian minister to call at Fletchall did But the terms of their
the di fferent places to preach and baptise treatment I don t know We were all
children
dismissed until further orders In a
B ut at the time appointed instead of short ti m e after the rebels took C apt
meeting a minister we all went to meet R obert C unningham and carried hi
m off
tw o Jews by name of S i
lv edoor and
to C harlestown O ur p arty was then
R apely who after making man y speeches
informed of his being taken off in the
in favour of the rebellion and usin g all night ti m e and by makin g inquiry after
their endeavours to delude the p eop le him we got information of a large quantity
away at last presented revolution papers of am m unition that was there on its way
to the C herochee Nation for C apt
to see who would sign them ; they were
severely reprimanded by Henry O Neal R ichard P aris to bring the Indians down
and many others It came so high that into the settlement where the friends of
they had much ado to get off with their the Government lived to murder all they
lives T he rebels then found that we could We intercepted the ammunition
and took C apt R Paris who swore to
were fully determined to oppose them
d these facts We then formed a large
T hey began to embody in the last of sa i
month ; to compel all to j oin them or to camp and C ol Fletchall being so heavy
he gave up the command to Maj or Joseph
cers got
take away our arms O ur oi
word of their intentions I then got R obinson
In the month of November 1 775 the
orders from the C aptain to warn the
militia to assemble themselves at Hugh S outh C arolina Militia of which I was
at that time Sergeant under the com
O Neal s mill ; which was done by several
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
9
gi
OL
TH O MAS F L E T C H A L L , of
F airforest , ordered the different C a
p
.
C aptains
THE
10
NA R R A T IV E O F C O L FA NNING
.
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
NAR R A T IV E
TH E
O F COL
FA NNING
11
e
p
g
my
g
,
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
NA R R AT IV E
TH E
12
O F CO L
F A NNI NG
securing me ; and in order to do it the bern s C reek and after remaining some
more e ffectually tied me with a rope to a time in the woods there I was advised by
stout fellow who was one of them When friends to make peace with C apt Gillian
I found him asleep I took the op portunity who commanded a company of rebels on
the Indian lines As I durst not be seen
to cut myself loose with a knife ( or rather
with a p air of horse eames) which was by any of the rebel party I got one of my
accidentally left lying in the road and friends to go to him desiring him to meet
throwing m yself ou t of the window made me alone at a particular place and give
my escape and took to the mountains for him my word I would not inj ure him
We met accordingly and passed o ur
shelter I continued there for some time
when C ol Mills of the L oyal Militia on words n ot to disturb or inj ure each other
knowing where I was proposed at several We continued our meetings in the woods
generally every day or two for the space
meetin gs we had to raise a comp an y
which we did of 500 m en for the purpose of a month until we were discovered by
Augustine O ne of the some of hi s company who threatened to
of going to St
n
have him punished for treating with me
compan y proved faithless and gave i
formation to the rebels who immediately H owever he still met me now and then
embodied themselves and took C ol Mills and introduced a friend of his to me
prisoner with sixteen of the com p any and who he told me I might depend upon
carried them off to Salisbury gaol M y
O ne day I observed an alteration in their
self with fourteen m ore p ursued about behaviour and asked them when at some
twenty miles with an intention of rescuing distance if he meant to keep his word
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
NA R R A T IV E
THE
O F CO L
FA NNING
13
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
'
TH E
ll.
NA R R A T IV E
who
FA NNI NG
O F COL
,
.
AD V E R T IS E M E NT
A ny
hi
s M a j est y
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
NA R R A T IV E O F CO L
THE
re b el l i
on when he b ec om es di
s
c har g e d o i
s to r ece i
cou rse he i
v e as a reward
s s er v i
ces d u ri
for hi
ng t he war a free gran t of
lan d agreea b le to hi
on
s M a j est y s
p rocla m at i
end
o f t he
'
FA NNING
15
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
16
NAR R AT IV E O F CO L
THE
,
,
.
F A NNI NG
,
.
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
TH E
miles
N A R R A TIVE OF C O L
w ith
T he
names
the O fcers
n g the Ki
n g s T roop s
M a j or C omm a n di
ti
Ca
li
a of No
L oya l M i
ng
G reet i
To
m o n y of
H a vi
v e d suf ci
en t test i
n g recei
hIS M aj est y s ser
you r loyalt y an d z eal for
vi
ce , a nd rel yi
ng on y ou r courage an d goo d
nt you t o be
c on d u ct , I d o here b y a p p oi
C olone l
f the
n the d i
of a com p any i
stri
ct of
li
You are therefore d i
gen tly an d carefull y
to di
scharge the d u t y of such ; o b eying al l
ch you m a y re ce i
or d ers and di
rect i
on s whi
ve
cers
m e from any su p erior oi
m e to t i
fro m t i
ce and all others ; the
s M aj est y s ser v i
n hi
i
nferi
or oi
s M a j est y s su b j ec ts of
cers of hi
i
tha t an d e v ery other comp any are d i
rected
of
a n d re q ueste d to o b e y you as
,
ph
moted Maj or 1 3 O ct 1 78 1
William R ains L ieut ( in N
p ro
moted C apt 1 3 O ct 1 78 1
T homas Donnelly E nsign died in
C harleston L ieut 1 O ct 1 8 1
3
7
John S p inks Ser Maj promoted
E nsign
2
G eo R ains C a p t
In C harleston at
the peace
E benez er
Wollaston
In
L ieut
C harleston at the peace
R o b t R ains E nsign
In N C
ncannon
C apt zu d Aug
3 Wm Fi
1 78 1
In N C now
R ichard B ird L ieut
2 nd Au ust
g
1 78 1
In N C now
C ornelius L atham E nsign 2 nd Aug
1 78 1
In N C now
4 Michael R obens C apt last account
in N C
William Hillis L ieut Went to E ast
Florida at the p eace
D aniel Brown E nsign Killed in
N C by the rebels
L ast ac
C ap t
5 R obert T urner
nNC
counts i
L ieut
In E ast
Absolem Autrey
Florida
Wm King E nsi gn Joined the
rebels
1 7
Sep t
6 Ste p hen Walker C apt
shot caught wounded and
1 78 1 ;
murdered
Hanged at
Frederick Smith L ieut
Hillsboro for his loyalty
Wm Hunsucker E nsign Hanged
at Hillsboro for his loyalty
In Florida at the
7 J O S C urrie C ap t
p eace
B enj Shields L ieut In N C
Jas R ains E nsign In S C
,
andol
en ry Crai
n hi
s
gg E sq r ; M a j or i
M a j est y s 8 2d R eg co m m an d i
n g a de
t ac hm en t of t he K i
ng s T ro op s i
n North
C arol i
na &c
&c
T o D a vi
d Fan n i
n g E sq r
T hese are to a p p o i
nt you to b e Colonel of
the L o yal M i
n R an d ol p h a n d Chat ham
li
ti
ai
C ou n t i
es
w ho are d i
rec te d to ob ey you as
su ch
i
n a ll lawful co m m an d s whatsoe v er
a n d you are au thori
se d to gran t com m i
ssi
on s
t o the n ecessary p ersons of kn own attach
m en t to hi
s M a j est y s p erson a n d G ov ern
m ent to ac t as C a p tai
n s an d su b altern s to the
fferen t co m p an i
di
es of m i
li
ti
a aforesai
d As
C ol on el you are here b y ful l y e m p owere d to
a sse m b le t he m i
li
ti
a an d lea d them agai
nst
a n y p art i
e s of r e b el s o r others the K i
ng s
en e m i
es as often as necessaryto com p el all
n you to sei
ze a n d
p erson s whatsoe v er to j oi
di
sarm a n d when necessary to d etai
n i
n c on
n em en t all re b els or others a ct i
n st
n g a g ai
hi
an d to d o a ll other
s M a j est y s G o v t ;
a cts
ng a Ki
becom i
ng s of c er an d go o d
su b j ect
v e n a t Wi
lm i
s 5th J u l y 1 7 8 1
ng ton thi
Gi
J H CR AIG O
H
J am es
By
17
F AN NI NG
cers of the di
T he n ames of the O ffi
fferent
n C ha tha m C ounty:
es i
C ompani
D ark C ap t 1 6 July 1 78 1
Hanged at Hillsboro for his loyalty
Wm H oocker L ieut Murdered by
sal d co m an )
C
the
rebels
after
promoted
apt
i
s
l
M
i
x
C
n
l th
m y ha d at o e s
n d;
v en
Gi
C har
Henry
In
R amsour E nsign
1 78 1
ING
D A V ID FA NN
le
at
the
peace
ston S C
&
c
i
i
t
i
a
M
l
a
l
o
s
L
s
t
i
e
s M aj e
y
C ol C om o hi
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
T h omas
.
'
'
F A NNING
NA R R A T IVE O F C O L
TH E
18
NA R R A T IV E
THE
O F COL
FANNING
19
taken from them their houses and lands eral muster at C hatham C o urt House
and all personal property taken
and no about twenty v e miles from where I had
resting plac e c ould be found for them As assembled and the day follow ing were to
to p lacing them in their former posses
c all a C ourt Martial for the trial of several
sions it is impossiblestripped of their loyalists who had refused to bear arms in
p roperty driven from their homes de
opposition to Government U pon recei
v
v ed of their wives and children robbed
p ri
ing this intelligence I proceeded towards
of a free and mild government betrayed
the C ourt House 1 7 miles that night
and d eserted by their friends what can with the men I had armed and the morn
repay them for the misery ! Dragging ing following by seven o clock I arrived
out a wretched life of obscurity and want
there I surrounded the place where I
H eaven only which smooths the rugged expected to nd members of the C ourt
p aths c an reconcile them to misfortune
Martial but they had dispersed the even
Numbers of them left their wives and ing before and were to meet at 8 o clock
children in North C arolina not being able I then p osted pickets on every road and
to send for them owing to the distresses
within the space of two hours took fty
and n ow in the West Indies and other three prisonersamong them the C olonel
parts of the world for refuge and not Maj or and all the militia oi
cers of the
returned to their families yet S ome of county except two who had not attended
them that returned under the Act of and also one C ontinental C ap tain with
O blivion p assed in 1 7 8 3 were t aken to three of the dele gates of their General
H illsboro and han ged for their past ser
Assembly I immediately marched them
vices that they rendered the Government to C oxe s Mill and p aroled all except
whilst under my command I am fully fourteen who I knew were violent against
the Government T hose I conducted to
sensible of the good designs that Govern
Wilmington and delivered to Maj or
ment intends for the l oyalists in so repeat
I then re p resented to Maj or
edly renewing the Act
If the inability C raig
and distressed situation of those people
C raig that with his ap probation I would
establish certain regu lations for the con
w ho have su ered and experienced every
duct of the militia which he approved of ;
thin g but death to support B ritish G ov
and he was obligin g enough on my giving
ernment c annot reap the fruits of their
lab ours and now j oin under every species them to him to correct and conrm the
of morti
cati
on
I c an solemnly declare following rules which were p rinted and
distributed in the country :
th at I think Maj or John R ains and C apt
G eorge R ains two of the most deserving R U L E S a nd R E G U L A T I O N S for the
a of
li
ti
ng of the L oyal M i
well gov erni
o fcers that ever acted in America during
na:
nce of N orth C aroli
the P rov i
the late w ar either in the provinc ial or
N0 person to be admitted a militia
I st
militia ; and to my certain knowledge
J ohn R ains had two mills burnt three man until he takes the oath of allegiance
dwelling houses and besides a barn and to His Maj esty which is always to be done
property totally taken away
I h ave before the senior o cer of the R egiment
on the spot
given as direc t account of the o fcers op
persons once enrolled in a
2 nd All
their
names
as
I
possibly
can
also
i
t
os
e
;
p
their promotions and deaths What I militia company and having taken the
oath above mentioned will be considered
h ave set forth I will forever vindicate
rotec
as
entitled
to
every
privilege
and
p
o
f
B esides other of cers
other counties
on
l
tion
of
a
British
subject
and
wi
l
;
t
eren times and
th at j oined me at di
places as I shall refer to in other p arts of being detected j oining the rebels be treat
ed as a deserter and traitor
my j ournal in p articular C ol Arch
to repai
ve
y
militia
man
is
r
r
E
r
d
and
Samuel
Andrew
s
who
3
l
M cD ouga d
without
fail
or
excuse
except
sickness
at
j oin ed me several times
o the place assigned
the
time
appointed
t
Given at King s C ounty New B runs
s arms
by
his
olonel
or C aptain with hi
C
wick Nov 2 9th 1 78 9
s
i
hi
and
accoutrements
and
is
not
to
qu
t
T he rebel s on the same day held a gen
cro so ft
Di
zed by Mi
ti
gi
,
20
NA R R A T IV E
T HE
O F CO L
F A NNI NG
78 1
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
NA R R AT IV E O F C O L F A NNING
i
gn L ord King George the T hird and
to uphold the same I do voluntarily
promise to serve as militia under any
of the o f cers appointed over me ; and
that I will when lawfully warned by our
said oi
cers
assemble at any place by
them directed in case of danger in the
space of eight hours I w ill go with my
arms and accoutrements in good order
to sup p ress any rebels or others the King s
enemies ; that I will not at any time do
or c ause to be done anything prej udic ial
to Hi s Maj esty s Government ; or suffer
any intercourse or c orresp ondence with
the en emies thereof ; that I will make
kn own any plot or plots anywise inimical
to His Maj esty s forces or loyal subj ects
cers
by me discovered to His Maj esty s oi
c ontiguou s and it shall not exceed six
h ours before the same is discovered if
health and di stance permit T his I do
solemnly swear and promise to defend in
!
o
all cases what soever S o help me G d
I then returned to the head of L ittle
R iver on my way to C oxe s Mill where
I was met by tw o men who informed me
that the rebels had separated into two
th inking I should never
small p arties
return from Wilmington I p assed on
and got intelligence of C ol Alstine lying
on the b an k s of D eep R iver with a party
of twenty v e men We marched all that
day and night following and j ust as the
day dawned we advanced in three divi
sions up to a house they h ad thrown them
selves i
nto O n ou r approach we red
ned to
upon the h ouse as I was determi
n
ng i
make ex amples of them for behav i
ere
l
a
o
a
l
M
i
i
t
i
ng L y
mandi
r we had two
In the c ourse of this a ai
men killed and four wounded who after
wards recovered A party of rebels ap
p eared in sigh t a little time after the ring
began but they did not ap proach to afford
When the ac
C ol Alstine any su p port
tion was over they ran off and our horses
m p os
being quite fatigued rendered it i
sible for me to pursue them and I then
pursued my route to C oxe s Mill where
on my arrival I gave twelve hours leave
to the men ( after detaining a su fcient
number for the necessary guard ) to go
to their resp ective homes Im m ediately
after that I heard that a waggon loaded
with salt for the use of the rebel army had
assed
about
twelve
hours
before
I
took
p
ei ght men with me and after a chase of
sixteen miles I overtook it and conducted
it back to C oxe s Mill O n m y return I
found that Maj or R ains had been at
tacked by a p arty of 1 50 rebels who had
attempted to secure the fort of Deep
R iver at C oxe s Mill ; however it was
without success He had one man
wounded and several horses in the attack
and on my ap proach they retreated
T hey then sent a ag with offers of peace
or other
make
peace
with
the
sword
to
wise they should become subj ects of
Great Britain My men now being c ol
lected to the amount of 1 4 0 who by this
t ime were well armed and hearing noth
,
f my
T hey
p
returned ou r re and the action continued
upwards of three hours when after kill
ing four of them and wounding all the
rest except three they sent ou t a ag to
ne s lady begging
surrender C ol Alsti
their l ives ; and on her solicitation I con
cluded to grant her request After the
capit ulation I gave the followi ng p aroles to
C ol P hilip Alstine and his men :
21
,
.
22
NA R R AT IV E O F C O L
T HE
Aug
2n
d,
78 1
T o C ol
FA N NI NG
n telli
they had m arched off From i
gence I had procured I had re ason to
sup p ose they had gone to S alis b ury to
be reinforced by General R utherford
I then concluded to go t o Wi lmington
ng my
for a su p ply of ammunition di
stock be gan to grow l ow I got to C ross
C reek on the r 1 th of A u gust ; and early
in the mornin g followin g crossed C ape
Fear R iver when Maj Samuel Andrews
j oined me with his c o m pany and scouted
through all the re b el settlements on the
north side of the river and took a number
of prisoners arms and horses I also dis
c overed where twenty
v e b arrels of
salt were concealed designed for the
reb el army I destroyed it and then
marched down the side of the river and
c ame to a plantation b elonging to a
C apt R obertson which I burned T hence
I marched to his brother s C ol R ob
ertson which I served in the same man
ner O n my m arch I took several pris
oners whom I paroled except twenty ;
those I delivered t o C apt L egett then
c o m manding at Wilmington where I
arrived on the 2 4 th Having got sup
plied with a m munition I proceeded up
the c ountry on the 2 6 th on my march to
E li z abethtown where on my arrival I
found C ol Sli
ngsbee of the L oyal Militia
of B laden C ounty with a number of
paroled rebels in his camp I dis
approved of keep ing them there and
told him I th ought it imprudent and
unsafe T he event p roved so ; for that
n i ght they h aving arms c oncealed red
u p on his c amp and wounded him m or
tally Five captains also were wounded
some of wh om died afterwards of their
wounds T he day follow in g I arrived
at M cFall s Mills about sixty miles
where I di sp atched n inety of my men
back t o render assistance on receiving
the unfort u nate acco u nt o f C ol Slings
bee s m isfortune ; but it w as too late as
the rebels had taken to the woods and got
.
'
D av id Fanning
I also recei v ed a m essage fro m C ol
off
O Neal th at wherever they m et m e they
I here h ad infor m a tion that the rebel
would ght m e bu t not by an im m edi ate C ol Wade with 4 50 militia was then
ap p oint m ent I directly ordered a march on his m arch to attack C o l M cNeal
and p roceeded to the p lace where I w as wh o had asse m bled seventy of the L oyal
infor m ed by the b earer of the ag they M iliti a of Bladen and then lay on the
lay encamped ; b ut on my arrival there
side of D rownin g C reek I inst antly
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cros o ft
gi
.
THE
N A R R A TIV E O F C O L
desp atched
FA NNING
23
C 01 Sli
ngsbee s
to
assistance T he day
following I arrived at C oxe s Mill thirty
miles where I issued the following ad
v erti
sement
and circulated it through
the country :
.
ADVE R TIS E M E NT
,
.
'
T his
6 th S ept 1 78 1
Mi
li
a
ti
O n the 9 th of Se p t I was j oined by
C ol M cD ougald of the L oyal Militia of
C umberland C ounty
with 2 00 men ;
and C ol Hector M cNeal* with his p arty
fro m B laden of seventy men ; and in
consequence of my advertise m ent I had
also 4 3 5 who came in ; and m any j oined
me afterwards
I had p reviously determined within
myself to take the rebel Governor Burke
of North C arolina and I had a conversa
tion with Maj C raig on the subj ect
I now thou ght it a favourable opportunity
as I found m yself at the head of 9 50
men of my ow n R egi m ent exclusive of
M cD ou gald and M cNeal s re giments
I acquainted Maj R ains of m y resolu
tion wh o a p p roved of it T he rebel
G eneral John Butler and C ol R obert
Maybin of the C ontinental l ine lay
within forty miles of our encampment
on the C a p e Fear R iver
with 4 00 C on
ti
nenta l
soldiers and Butler s militia
It was su p posed by my oi
cers that I
intended to attack them After march
ing sixteen miles to R ocky R iver I went
a little distance out of my road to a
friend s house for intelli gence of the
situation of the rebels ; during which
time the guide led my little army about
,
rd
a p tai
n D ani
el
de
A th i
s nam e, on e on ea ch si
den t that th ere w ere tw o ol on e l s of th i
It IS e i
ov a.
c m a n of
ci
an a nd p u bl i
ort h Caroltna was the ma terna l g ran dfa ther of th e l a te abl e h ysi
l l , of
M cNei
s th e correct ap e l i
ng
No doub t the l atte r i
l] Park er, M L C
a , R on D M cNei
Scoti
v
N
i
.
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
24
T HE
N A R R A TIV E O F C O L
F ANNING
tw o
THE
N A R R A TIV E O F CO L
F A NNING
O ff,
Wilmington
D E AR SIR
25
3 th
O ct
I 8 71
J H C R AI G
T he followin g is a co p y of the letter
I received of C olonel E dmond Fanning
of King s Americans :
n the ma nu scri
pt)
( Blank i
T he na mes of the O f
cers of C u mberland
,
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
26
THE
N A R R A TIV E O F CO L
di
es , w ho w ere w i
th me
erent compani
a t the ta ki
ng of H i
llsboro:
Archibald M c D ougald C ol
Archibald M cK ay L ieut C ol
.
( A nother
M artin s R egt
D aniel M cD onald, L ieut of Gov
M artin s R egt
M alcol m M c Kay, E nsign of G ov
Martin s R egt
J ohn M cKenz i
e , C apt
Hec tor M cNeal
C h arles C ampbell
f the
J ames D awson
S om e t i m e
na mes o
T he
ST ATE O F N O R TH C A R O LI N A
By the Hon Alexander Martin E sq
S p eaker of the Senate C aptain G ener
a l G overnor and C ommander i
n C hief
in and over the said State
,
T he na m es of the O i
cers of B la den C ounty
who a cted u n der L t
C ol H ector M C
N ea l :
Hector M cNeal, L t C ol
John I Vatson , Maj or
.
F ANNING
bl ank)
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
T HE
N A R R A TIV E O F C O L
F ANNING
27
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
TH E
28
T hat
C olonel
J O S E PH C U R R I E
S T E PH E N WAL KER
ns
C aptai
T o Mr J a me s William s and Ca pt Mat
thew R a msay
T o be forwarded by them to the C omma nder
n C hi
i
ef for the ti
me bei
ng
Hi
llsboro
di
stri
ct
I received the following answer from
L awyer Williams :
C H AT H AM Jan 8 th 1 78 2
SIR I received yours by Mr R iggin
at the C ourt House on Sunday last and
immediately wrote to Gen B utler on
the subj ect of your surrender as men
ti
oned in yours
His answer is that he
cannot receive you himself but will di
rec tl
y write to the G overnor and as soon
as he receives his answer he w ill transmit
it to Maj Gri fth who will send it to
Winsor P earce s on Deep R iver If I
obtain liberty I will bring it myself In
the meantime I would rec ommend a
moderate conduct as the best step to
bring matters to an accommodation
T he bearer Mr R iggin has executed
the trust you reposed in him ; I therefore
hope you will restore to him his property
F or your ci
vi
li
ty to me w hen I was a
soner
ll do anythi
ng I can i
I wi
n
pri
honou r
your surrender
C oncerning
C ol R ay and C ol M cD ougald have
,
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
T HE
NA R R A TIVE 0F C O L FANNING
d Fanni
ng
T o C ol D av i
.
per ag
29
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
30
NA R R A TIVE O F CO L F A NNING
T HE
meant
O n Sunday the roth of Febru
ary I fell in the rear of C apt C oleston s
and C ap t Hinds and following their trai
l
,
,
.
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
T HE
N A R R A TIVE O F C O L FANNINGr
'
stri
ct
llsboro D i
l ofH i
ne
li
of C ol P hi
p Alsti
B utler, Gen
T o John
P r fav our
31
DE AR SIR :
Your letter of 2 6th of last month was
handed to me last night I have observed
the contents Had you p rop osed that
you and the men now in actual service
with you would have taken a parole to
some certain bounds until you could have
been sent to C harleston to be exchanged
I should have entered on that business
B ut as your propositions are many and
some of them uncustomary in like cases
I conceive it out of my power However
his E xcellency Governor Burke is now at
Halifax and I will send him your letter
with the p rO p osals to him by exp ress
T his is now the s th day of March ; of
course it m ust be several days after the
8 th before his answer can come to hand ;
in the meanti m e it may be as well to post
pone the desperate m easures you have in
contemplation
I am your obedient servant
J OH N B U T LE R B G for
Hi
llsboro D i
stri
ct
P S
If you would not choose to be
c on ned to b ounds any len gth of time it
might be contrived so that you might be
sent off immediately under an escort of
my ap pointing to General G reene He
has promised m e to have all such ex
changed which I send to his quarters
J OHN B U TLER B G
About the 7 th of March 1 78 2 C apt
Walker and C urrie of the L oyal Militia
fell in with a party of rebels and came to
an engage m ent and red for some time
till the rebels had red all their ammuni
tion and then wished to come to terms of
peace between each party ; and no p lun
derin g killing or murdering should be
committed by either p arty or side which
was to be concluded up on by each C olonel
for such certain limited bounds which
were to be agreed upon by each C olonel ;
and if they could not agree each party
was to lie neutral until matters were made
known respecting the terms which they
W ished to agree upon ; soon after which
my men came to me and informed what
they had done ; we received the rebel C ol
B alfour s answ er that there was no
resting place for a T ory s foot upon the
earth He also immediately sent out
his party and on the roth I saw the same
.
,
.
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
T HE
32
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
N A R R A T IV E O F C O L
ng
d Fanni
T o C ol D av i
C AM P AT M R C AR R S , Apr 1 0 , I 78 2
SI R , I received orders from Maj or
Gri fth c oncerning some terms between
.
ng
d Fanni
T o C ol D avi
H oping ou nor yours Will
F ANNING
not inter
33
ti
ze d by Mi
cro s o ft
T HE
3 4,
th
w
no e ti
ng p l
fo p e
th t
e (
a
t
rc
house and drove them all
S ee l so n te to p p 1 7 1 8 i
s t
To
nf
n a th
Bpgi
g a
Mi
crdsoi
li
s a
ar u
ev
r a
a ce
'
ea
'
ere
r a
ur
a ro
ro
ro
oo
re
as
ac
rr
or
TH E
C H AR LE S T O N ,
C O L O N EL ,
J an
2 0th
78 2
T o C ol Fanni
ng
i
n No C a
A letter from the traitor who brought
these tw o letters from Gen L eslie :
DEAR SIR
I would come to see you myself but
am afraid of the rebel L ight Horse 1
have a great many things to acquaint
you with and a good deal of good news
scar
but dare not write for fear of mi
ri
If you have any desire of seeing
age
me you must come soon , nay instantly
D on t let the bearer know the contents
of the letters
the fewer trusted the bet
ter In the meantime
I am your friend and servant
J O S E P H WI L S O N
April 29th I 78 2
ng
T o C ol Fanni
My answer was in Maj or R ains name
as follows :
SIR I am very sorry to think that
there is so many damned foolish rebels
in the world as to think C ol Fanning
would be ever deceived by such damne d
infernal writing as I have received from
you C ol Fanning is gone to C harl es
ton and is not to retur n here till he
comes with forces sufcient to defend
this part of the country and I would
m
have you to disband and be gone i
mediately ; for if I ever hear of any of
your people coming with anything of
the sort I will come and kill him myself
I am in beh alf of his Majesty s armies
J OH N R AINS
a
li
ti
M aj or of the L oyal M i
lson
T o J as Wi
O n the rst of May 1 78 2 I heard a
waggon going in the road ; I imagin ed
she was going down to market as I
heard of a number of waggons which
were to proceed down with liquors to
the market O n the 2nd I mounted
and p ursued the waggon which I heard
the day before and as I was about set
ting out for Charleston I concluded to
have a frolic with my old friends before
we parted After riding about ten miles
I overtook the said waggon which be
longed to a certain man who had been
taken prisoner and paroled by the Brit
ish and h ad broken his parole In
s
I was examining hi
the me antime
p apers I set a sentinel over him He
.
D E AR
Alth ough I have not as yet the happiness
of bein
g acquainted with you yet I can
but ap p laud you very much for your
sp irited c onduct and activity T he only
obj ection I have to your c onduct is your
being too strenuous w ith those who
h ave been sub j ects t o h is Maj esty and
whom the rebels have overcome and
If
forced them to comply with their laws
you w ould let them alone the severity
of the rebels woul d cause them to return
to their allegiance again But sir since
you h ave made so brave a stand already
pray stand steadfast to the end and we
sh all be well rewarded at the l ast T ry
to sp irit up your men and enlist if p os
sible three hundred men this spring
ready to j oin three hundred more ; w hich
sh all be put under your com m and and
you be B rigadier Gen er al of them and as
We shall
m any more as you c an get
I hope in the month of May land
troop s i
n North C arolina 3 00 for you to
j oin your c orp s
in the whole to
the defensive u ntil you are
act upon
reinforced
Keep good discipl ine among your
tr oop s and keep out fellows who will
do nothing but plunder from amongst
your peopl e They ar e but false de
and
w
il
l not ght but only
nce
e
n
e
d
p
c orrupt good men E very man you en
list for twelve mont hs shall receive ten
u
ine
as
and
a
fu
l l suit of clothes as soon
g
as we l and our troop s and they appear
under your command ready for action
I c an assure you tis your fame and
by
actions
has
throu
h
and
g
w orthy
s Maj es
hi
a
j
or
raig
given
reached
C
M
ty s e ars and I ex p ect perhaps by the
next packet b oat you will get a genteel
i
S
overe
gn
us
m
c
ra
u
r
o
from
g
present
i
n the way
that
you
ll
be
i
W
S o hoping
of your duty I will take leave of you
your name or sub
mentioning
wi th out
arry
i
mine
lest
this
might
m
sc
scribing
entrusted
th
the
c
are
Wi
the man who is
ot at present be seen in it
n
dares
of this
i
t IS
send
the
man
o
t
i
t
n
d
but a friend a
directed to
r yours
Si
,
35
,
,
cro s o ft
Di
zed by Mi
ti
gi
36
THE
N A R R A TIV E O F CO L
F ANNING
v e gentlemen S hould
osed
that
twenty
p
be chosen a co mm ittee for that p urp ose
,
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
N A R R A TIV E O F C O L
T he
37
F ANNING
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
38
THE
N A R R A TIV E O F C O L
F ANNING
NA R R A T IVE O F CO L
T HE
39
F ANNING
as volunteers c omplying w ith the within j ustice He lived ti ll the next day and
ru les and to hold o u rselves in readiness at the same hour the next he was sitting
for embarking on said expedition on the eating and all of a sudden he fell dead
i
fteenth
of
this
inst
E ither of us refus
In
a
short
ti
m
e
after
I
heard
peace
was
f
m
comply
w
ith
the
a
b
ove
and
proclaimed
and
for the loyalists to send an
g to
Wi
th in rules and articles shall forfeit to estimation of their losses and services ;
M aj or Andrew D eav oce h is heirs or as
also that the Province of E ast Florida
srgns the sum of ten pounds sterling money
was to be immediately evacuat ed and the
of Great Brit a in
ships came to take all the p rovincial
cers that
After this I began to notice my negroes troops to Nov a Scotia ; the oi
b eginn i
ng to get sick and six of them died
were acquainted with me insisted for me
to go with them but I had not time to
S om e t ime after I went to St Augustine
get my family and property to town in
I was taken sic k and lay at the point of
death for three weeks I then beg an at time and as it was uncertain where I
should go to some of the gentlemen
last to w alk and one day I went to my
ofcers desired to gi v e me a certicate to
eld to where I had a young negro ab out
twenty ye ar s of age at work I took my let my services be known let me go where
rie with me as usual ; I set her down by a I woulda true copy of w hich is here
tree
I felt v ery sick and weak ; I laid unto set forth :
E A S T FL O R I D A
myself dow n on some grass and my negro
We whose names are hereunto sub
took up my rie and c am e within ten yards
and set himself down and took aim at my scribed do hereby certify that C ol David
head but luckily the ball missed my Fanning late of the Province of No
C a acted in the station of C olonel of
head about one inch but it split my hat
Militia of that P rovince and was of the
m when
I then got up and went towards hi
he ran at me with the gun and struck at greatest service to his Majesty in sup p ress
ng the rebels durin g the late rebellion in
my head B ut I fended it off with my i
North America and that he is worthy of
arms He however broke the stock for
and
every
loyal
su
b
j
ect
both
for
his
valour
ward oithe lock I know ing myself weak
I turned and ran sixty yards but found good conduct ; that after he with his men
myself not able to run I got my feet took the town of Hillsborough disp ersed
entangled in some vines and unfortunately the rebel council and took a great num
on that day
ber
risoners
he
was
o
f
fell and he came to me and with the barrel
p
wounded
in
the
left
arm
that
nding
the
m
es
of my rie he struck at me many ti
I lay on my back and fended his strokes town of Wilmin gton evacuated by the
not yet
British
troo
s
and
his
wound
p
with my heels until he had knocked all the
well
he
for
the
safety
of
his
people
b ottoms of my feet to blisters His great
divided
them
into
small
parties
and
con
t
eagerness to kill me p u him much out of
n
ed a long time in the back woods ; that
i
n
u
u
t
got
hold
of
the
g
wind I accidentally
C arolina
after
many
skirmishes
in
North
barrel and he tried to bite my hand for
in the month of June 1 78 2 he with the
of his trying
During
the
time
some time
utmost di
cu lty made his way through
i
all
his
fore
teeth
out
to bite me I knocked
many
interruptions
of the enemy to the
At last he ru n for his hoe and made one
P rovince of South C arolina where his
and
broke
one of the b ones
stroke at me
Maj
esty
s
troo
s
then
lay
and
that
he
;
p
But
I
took
the
o
portun
p
arm
left
of my
r e he
was
obliged
to
leave
the
province
whe
him
a
stroke
on
his
tem
p le
m
v
i
ity of g
g
n
i
lived
and
his
pro
erty
which
we
are
p
him down I then
which
I
brought
with
formed was considerable ; and that he is
until
he
a
peared
to
be
p
men ded my blows
now without the means of subsistence
W l fe
got
him
down
my
dead As I had
r and on account of
having
lost
his
all
f
o
of me and he lay for some
in
sight
c ame
h is services and attachment to his Ma
dead
unt
i
l
two
men
time to ap p earance
esty s person and government
had
heard
me
hollow
j
to me as they
C ame
AM I L T O N
J
OH
N
H
come
to
and
walked
length
He
at
ng
i
ol C om R N C R egt
C
L
L
him
to
take
him
to
I
conned
ho me
Dii
ti
zed b Mi
cro s o ft
.
40
T HE
N A R R A TIV E O F C O L
L E G E T T , C apt R N C R a t
g
C AM P B ELL , C apt S C R e t
g
G E O D A WKI NS , C a t S C R e t
p
g
D ANIE L M C NE I L ,* C apt R N C R egt
eu t S C
M O S E S WHI T LE Y , L i
R egt
S t Augu stine , 2 0th Se p tember , 1 78 3
J OH N
ALE !
F ANNING
de
as
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
T hi w
THE
NA R R A TIVE O F C O L FANNI NG
.
0f
o ens v e
oni
es
Fin ding
s
h
u
un
nterr
pted
i
ty
li
q ui
t
under
the
b
l
essing of G od I attribute
sta
i
s be
con
de
ce
wh
i
ch
subs
st
n
e
entire
tcit i
readi
me
my
people
and
to
the
d
a
n
tween
,
gi
i
n my city of
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
42
NA R R A TIVE O F C O L
78 4
FA NNING
'
Mil
Magee
Black Agnes Wilson Moses B arn es
Jacob B arns Joseph R ogers
I left St Augustine the 1 3 th O f said month
and retu rned to the Musqueto and made the
following speech to the i
nhabi tants
.
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
N A R R A T IV E O F CO L
,
.
FA NN ING
43
,
,
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
4%
N A R R A TIVE O F CO L
F A NNING
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
N A R R A TIV E O F C O L
F ANNIN G
+5
)
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
46
O n the
N A R R A TIV E O F C O L
wife
C apt
.
1 2 th
,
.
,
.
get land
F A NNING
bu t
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
T HE
N A R R A TIVE O F CO L
'
F ANNING
47
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
THE
48
N A R R A TIV E OF C O L
,
.
O FFI C E
OF
AM E R I C AN
S t John ,
F A NNING
2 nd
C L A IM S ,
F ebru ary,
78 7
at
War
etc
etc :
.
Memorial of D avi
d Fanning late
C olonel of the C hatham an d R andolph
C ounty Militia in North C arolina hum
bly sheweth :
T hat in the year 1 78 1 under an ap
pointment from Maj or Hen ry C raig then
commanding the B ritish troop s in North
C arolina your Memorialist embodied ne ar
one thousand men Of the loyal inhabitant s
of that P r ov i
nce and with them performed
singular se rvice to the British Govern
ment ; that he has been twice severely
wound ed in the course Of the war ; he has
T he
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
NA R R A T IV E O F C O L
T HE
ty of S t J ohn,
Ci
Februa ry, 1 78 7
advice of L ieut - C ol
.
P ursu an t to the
J oseph R obinson I have transmitted a
power of atto rney to you in order to re
v e half p ay w ith a certicate from the
cei
P emberton and
n 1
Li
C ommissioners
C olonel D und as E sq ; G eneral Al exander
L eslie C ol Nisbet B alfour L ieut C ol
Henry
raig
of the r6th R egiment and
C
J
L ieut
C ol J ohn Hamilton of the North
C arolin a R egiment are w itnesses of my
services If you will be so good as to
accept the p ower and grant me your as
i
ll
in
Obtaining
the
same
you
w
n
c
e
i
s sta
highly oblige
Sir your most obedient humble serv an t
D AVID FANNING
ck
New B runswi
1 78 7
h
t
r
u
a
J
e
b
r
F
n
o
h
7
t
y
o
S
ty f
Ci
R
WE
S
T
M
I
NS
T
E
E
S
A
!
A
N
D
GE OR G E R
LL
WHI T E H ALL L O ND O N
oll owmg
f
1
8
ceived
July
the
t
h
2
0
7 7
Re
from my agent :
WHI T E H ALL 1 s th M ay I 78 7
O u the 31 d inst in a letter to
SIR
C ol R ob inson I desired he would
L ieut
your
nform
you
of
my
h
aving
received
i
the
erti
cate
M emorial C
half p ay of a C aptain or a mil itary p ension
S
ince
then
I
have
qual
the
rank
to
e
duplicates O f the
your
letter
with
rec eived
5
r bill of z o 1
papers
and
you
ab ove
and
ou des i
presented
as
red
y
has been
cro s o ft
Di
zed by Mi
ti
gi
.
z ud
FANNI N G
packet
you
sent
with
the
cert
cate
T he
amounted to 1 2 shillings postage and your
single letter to one shilling
I am sir your most obed ient humble
servant
G E O R G E R AND A LL
,
D AVID
49
F ANNI NG
.
T HE
50
ng
d Fa nni
T o D av i
WHI T E HA LL , I st August , 1 78 7
SrR , O n the 1 s th May , I acknowl
edged the receipt O f your letter and dupli
cate containing memorials , certi cates an d
.
2 0th
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
T HE
N A R R A T I VE O F CO L F A NNI NG
the
duties
of
his
o
ce
ng
ecuti
,
51
'
CO L
N
ID E R A B L
S
C
R
T
E
A
U
N
I
G
S
N
G
S
FA NNI
'
Di
ti
zed by Mi
cro s o ft
gi
R E D U CE D
NO T E S
P A GE 1
In S a b in s D ictionary of Books R el a tin g to A meric a Vol V I
it
a t p a ge 3 52
is st at ed tha t the origina l ma nuscript b elonged to a Mr D ea ne of C am b ridge who lent
it to a friend who in turn re lent it to a S outhern gentlema n who printed it This is a
mista ke The o riginal ma nuscript has never yet left D igb y N ova S cotia M r S abin s
sta tement can b e t rue o nl y of the copy m a de b y M r Bliss for the Ma ss achusetts H isto rica l
S ociety of whic h M r D e ane w as some time C o rresponding S ecreta ry a nd which copy is
not in the Lib r ary of the S ociety
P AGE S 5 a n d 8
M
fe
Wheeler gets hi
s story of F a nning s repulsive physic a l af ictions a n d e arly li
from D r Ca ruthers b ook who sa ys he received various a n d di
ermg a ccounts from severa l
sources and selected those which seemed most li
kely to b e t rue ; b y which he ev i dently
me ans those most da m aging to Fann ing He s ays F a nn ing seldom murdered a ny ex cept
those who ha d proved tre acherous to his c a use a nd those who ha d e cite d his wr a th by
uttering threa ts or b y resisting his progress T o kill those who resisted his pro gress
in other w ords opposed him on the eld of b attle wa s murder i
eyes as
n D r Ca r u thers
well a s to sho ot deserters and he may h ave thought of B alfour i
n co nnection with utterin g
threa ts N evertheless he sa ys l ater on tha t Fanning pursued the s ame course of rapine
murder a nd deva sta tio n The murder of a woma n which he so p a thetic ally rel ates on
p a ge 254 is a pocryphal on its f a ce for if it ha d taken pla ce there could h ave b een no one
b ut F a nning himself to tell the tale It is evidentl y a m al icious ction H ow an intelligent
ma n like D r Ca ruthers could have b een impo sed on b y such a sto ry a s he rel ates on pa ges
28 4 to
it is dif cult to conceive Having he a rd of Fanning s tria l in S t John the
while the fa cts coul d h ave b een ea sily
a b surd det ails a e l led up fro m im agin a tion
o b tained b y writing for informa tion to N ew Brunswick
r.
PAGE 9
T H O MA S FL E T CH AL L wa s a ma n of conside ra b le impo rta nce in South C arolina b efore
the R evolution L i
ke his older an d more fa mous contemp or ary pa triot G eneral Ru ggles
of M ass achusetts his symp athies were with the cl a ims of the C oloni
sts b ut he refused to
b e dra gooned into re b ellion H e was therefore imp risoned b y order of the P rovincial
s property
C ongress in 1 7 7 6 a nd hi
which included F air F orest hi
s home in U nion
D istrict S C wa s consca ted in 1 7 8 2
R aebu n s C re ek wa s a b ra nch of R eedy R iver and in L a ure ns Co S C
R ev Will i am
Tennent a nd W H D r ayton travelled through the country together the l att er a s an
emissa ry of the C ommittee of C orrespondence a nd S a fety of S outh Ca roli
na t o stir
the people a ga inst the G overnm ent ; the fo rmer to perform C hristia n rite s a s well H e
w as pro b a b ly a son of R ev Willi am Tennent D D
a colo ni al cler yma n o f s ome note
g
b orn in Ire land
The Americ a n Editor says the na me wa s S alva dor a nd attrib utes Fan
S IL V E D O O R
ni
n g s error to illitera cy b ut it is no proof of illiter a cy to missp ell an u nf ami
liar fo reign
surn ame
P AGE S 4 an d 9
T H O MA S BRO W N w as of A ugu sta G eorgi a
The re a der is referred to Sabine s account
of this m an a nd his c areer H e is s aid to h ave b e en one of the most ma ligna nt and
vindictive a mong the S outhe n Loy alists and to ha ve b een ma de so b y the illega l and
unj usti ab le me ans employed b y the P a triots to m ake him othe rwise The v e v icti
ms
who the A meric an Editor s ays were taken from the j a il a nd e x ecuted by his orders at
a tion for the v e Loya lists
August a pro b ab ly sn ered in direct retali
whose murder V an
Tyne says led to repri sa l s through the whole w a and were pro b ab ly dese rters from the
.
r,
D igitized by Micro s o ft
Con ti
n u ed
NO T E S
53
r i ti sh forces M a ny of the tal es q uoted a gainst him by Sa b ine are evi dently le gend ary
or f a b ulous
a n d he pu b l ished a n able vindi ca tion of his conduct
Acc ordi n to S ab ine
the Br i t i sh G overnment g ave him
as compens ation for his losses
H e di
ed a t S t
V i ncent W I in 1 8 25 the s ame ye ar th at Fanning died in Digb y
B
o
a
,l
P AGE S 9 a nd 1 4
R O BE R T CU NN I N G H AM wa s an Irishma n of ab ility and i n uence as was also his b rother
Pa trick
H e wa s comrm ss oned a J udge and the l atter S urveyor G enera l b efore the war
,
P AGE 1 2
C OLO N E L M IL L S was one of the twelve b arba rously put to dea th by the vict o rious
rev olu ti
oni
sts a f ter the b a ttle of K ing s M ount a in
cold b loo ded murders A lthough
rm
ra nk he must ha ve b een a ma n of position and in uence
he is not mentione d
y ; athmi s e
P AG E 1 4
A BRA H AM D E P E YS TE R and his two b rothers JAME S and FRE DE RI C came to N ew
Brun swi ck where Ab r ah a m died F e b rua ry 1 7 9 8 aged 4 5 All three held high oices in
the new P ro v i nce P ortr aits of Ab rah a m a nd Frederic with e tensive notic es of them
a ppe ar in L a wrence s
F ootprints of S t John ( S t John J
A M cM i
l l an
ne
S ee also S abi
They were like m any other of the best f amilies of N ew Y ork de scended
from a F rench P rotes t a nt who ed to H olla nd in the da ys of persecution The des cend
a nts of these m en a re now for the most p a rt in N ew York
S ome of them rendered good
service to the U nion during the C ivi
l War professing to act on the same principles a s their
a ncestors di
d in the R evolution
C o l o n el Johnston D eP eyst er A pril 3 1 8 6 5 hoisted the
G ener al Georg e Wa tts D eP eyst er of N ew
rst U nion ag on the Ca pitol in Richmond
Y ork a gra ndson of F rederic delivered a nota b le a ddress b efore the H istoric al S ociety
n
of N ew Brunswick July 4 1 8 8 3 the centena ry ye a r of the l an di
ng of the Loyalists i
which he shows the an al ogy b etween the position of the Loyali
sts in the Ame rica n R evo
who fought for a U nited Empire an d the U nion Loya lists o f the C ivil War The
lu ti
on
which is o f much historic value wa s pub lished in New York b y C ha rles H
a ddress
cer
Ludwig 1 0 a nd 1 2 R ea d S treet 1 8 8 3 Although the production of an America n oi
s Loya list a ncestors
of high ra nk it glows with the spirit of hi
'
m es s
14
a nd
18
K ing s
at
cer
'
D igitized by Micro s o ft
NO TE S Con ti
n u ed
54,
Ki
rk s
Fa rm
week b efore the b attle of C ane C reek and his b rother EDW ARD who
s ucceeded him in comm and was kill ed the nex t week at Li
n dley s Mi
ll s ; ME RE D IT H ED W ARD S
T H O M AS D ARK T H O M AS E A STRIDGE a n d T H O M AS R ICH E TT S were all e x e cuted for their
loyalty under a conviction fo r a lleged trea son a ga inst their S ta te in Ja nu ary 1 78 2
J O H N RA I N S S r was kil led at Lindley s M ills and J O H N C A GLE and J A M E S R ICE we re
hanged at P ee D ee a nd D AVI D JA C K S O N met the sa me fa te in Ran dolph ; S TE P H E N WALKE R
w as shot in Ap ril 1 7 8 2 b y C olonel G holson on D eep River a nd J A M E S a nd S IM O N LI N D LE Y
were shot in the mounta ins T H O M AS B L AIR settled a t N ew River b ui
l t iro n work s
who had cha rge of G overnor Bu rke when a priso ner
a n d prospered a n d J O H N M CL E A N
AL E !
was through f avor o f a Wlhi
g frien d all owed to settle on the Lower D eep R iver
a
AND E R M CK AY died rich i
es a n d C ol D U N CA N R AY went to N ova S coti
n the West I n di
A ct of
H e al so s ay s th at P E TE R MA LLE T ex cluded with F a nning and A ndrews in the
Pa rdon w as the v ict i
m of prej udice H e might h ave s aid th at most of the others kill ed
otherwise tha n in ba ttle were the victims of diab olic al m alice a n d the barba rous methods
of wa ging war employed b y th eir enemies who ha nged for trea son a gainst their country
men who loved their c ount ry] a s well as they th emselves did and conscienti ously sought to
promote its h ighest interest s as they saw them and moreover had l aw on their side
D octor Ca ruthers pu b lishes p a ges 24 4 5 the repo rt of John Willi ams the Ju dge of
the C ourt to the G overnor in which he s ays : M eredith Edwa rds and T homa s E astridge
were also indi
cted for t rea son They a re b oth men who a ppear ed to b e e qu ally popul ar
a mong the Tories
a n d men of F a nning s ga ng
though generally ki
nd
a n d v ery a ctive
a n d huma ne to prisoners while i
n their custody
A s t o the general moral
ch ara cter of these men it se emed to b e pretty good only grea t T ories Then he pu b li sh es
Fa nni
ng s letter of F eb ruary 26th 1 7 8 2 to the G overnor threa tening reprisals if any
more were hung I understa nd you h ave hung three of my menone C apta in a nd two
private s an d h ave a Ca pta in and si
x
men under sentence of de ath If the re quisitions
of my articles do not arrive to sa tisfa ction a nd the e ffu sion of b loo d stoppe d a nd the
lives of these men sa ved I will retali ate b lood for b lood a n d tenfold fo r one and there
sh all never a n oicer or priva te of the Re b el pa rty esc ape th at falls into my ha nd here
a f ter
Al as they were h an ged ! an a trocity which a ft er his ca ution n atur al ly ex as
ng to the highest pitch of fury an d the killing of B alfour D ou dy and
p era t ed F a nni
B rya n a n d the dest ruction of a numb er of pl an t ations followed in q uick and gha stly
succession A s q u aint old Thoma s Ful ler in his Worthies of Engl and sa ys A sol
n g of a f riend s de a th in wa r is in revenging it
dier s most proper b em oani
C olonel A RC H IB AL D M CD OU GA LL w as in N ova S cotia some yea rs then in Engla nd
where he o b ta ined a pension a nd nally settled in N orth Ca rolina where he w a s popul ar
an d useful citi z en
a s the Loya lists g ener a lly would h ave b een
a n d were in the B riti sh
P rovinces to which they were e x i
led
P AGE 22
C apt J O H N L E GGA T I in C olonel Hamilton s No rth C arolina R e giment was one of
th os e with Fanni
ng a t S t Augustine in 1 7 8 3 b ut na lly returned to N orth C a rolina
at
at
P AGE S 4 and 25
E DM U N D F AN N I N G was bo n on Long I sl a nd N Y
Much a bu sed by some A meri can
writers q u oted with ap p arent approval b y S abi
ne he w as a m an of much ab ility ex cellent
ch ara cter a nd high ide als H e was Lieutena nt G overnor of N ova S cotia an d assum ed the
duties of G overnor of Prince Edward Isl and in 1 7 8 6 and was an a b le energetic and p at
ri
oti
c a dministr a tor
a nd ma na ged p e culi a r dif culties with ta ct a nd rmn ess
lea ving a
la sting impress for good on the history of the P rovince S ee Wa rburton s H isto rica l
S ketch of P rince Edward Isl and pp 3 5 et seq H e att ained the r ank of General i
n
the B ri tish A rmy a nd died in London in 1 8 1 8 A la rge a nd b e autiful la ke in Ya rmouth
C ounty N S is na med L ake Fa nning in his hono r
r
G iv en
an d arm ,
PAGE 3 1
under my! h and a t ar ms The at is perfectly pla in ; it cert ainly is not
a s the A me ric a n Editor prints a n d ridicul es it
.
PA GE S 3 1 and 3 2
A N DRE W BA LFO U R lik e Hami
lton who espoused wi
th equa l z ea l the other side of the
unh appy c ontroversy wa s a S cotsm an b orn in Edinb u rgh and ca me to Am erica i
n 1 772
Hi
s rema rk to Fa nning tha t th ere w a s
no resting pl ace for a Tory s foot on the earth
which led to his own de ath M a rch 1 0 1 7 8 2 a s rel ated in the narra tive p roves hi
m to hav e
b een among the more intolera nt a nd uncompromising spirits who in the b eginn ing of the
D igitized by Micro s o ft
,
n u ed
NO TE S Con t i
55
Wa r
were so l argely responsib le for the ex cesses on both sides and which re ach ed thei r
cl i m ax a s the struggle wa s d ra wing to a close N oth i
ng is recorded a gainst him ex cept
th i s uttera nce a n d Fa nning s reference to his i
l l deeds
H is posterity are numerous
and
respec ta b le H is killing w as simply an ex ample o f the way the war was ca rried on
b y b oth p arties b e ginning with the ha nging of v e Tories mentioned b y V an T yne
an d the ta rring an d fe a therin g of Brown It followed close upon the ex ecution of a
num b er o f F a nnin g s o fce rs and men H is brother John Ba lfour wa s a Loy alist
,
AGE S
23 , 24 , 4 0
r,
D igitized by Micro s o ft