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    ~

 The information presented here is an exact transcription of excerpts from the book, printed in 1865, which consisted of 200 copies.  The indication in this book is that the first printing, in 1861, consisted of 50 copies.  The dates and locations of these writings are important to the context in which they were written.   No corrections or changes have been made.

 

               Excerpts from the book :

“The

Narrative

 of

Colonel David Fanning”

 ( a Tory in the Revolutionary War with Great Britain):

  GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS

ADVENTURES IN NORTH AMERICA

From 1775 To 1783,

as written by himself

with an introduction and explanatory notes

____________________

 

Richmond, Va.

Printed for private distribution only.

1861

in the first year of the independence of the

Confederate States of America

 

~

 

PREFACE.

 

“The narrative which is now for the first time printed, supplies a vacancy which has always been felt by the historian of the Revolution in the Southern States.  History, song, and tradition have each done something to perpetuate the recollection of the deeds of one whose name has come to us linked with all that is cruel and rapacious in a war of the most fratricidal character; but no authentic detailed account of his life has up to the present time been made public, and but few of the particulars of his career during the war are generally known.

All who have written of David Fanning, the Tory, have assigned him a high rank in the annals of infamy, and none who read his own account of himself and his ‘services’ will hesitate to admit that he has been, ’by merit raised To that bad eminence.’

The frankness with which he narrates his adventures, and speaks of the cold-blooded murder of his neighbors and fellow-citizens, is only equalled by the self-satisfaction which he exhibits at the close of his address ‘To the Reader,’ in using words of the Psalmist as applicable to himself, as the ‘perfect’ and the ‘upright man.’

Besides what he has written, the following account of him (principally traditionary) is that which is best authenticated.

David Fanning was born in Johnston county, N. C., about the year 1754 of obscure parentage.  He was apprenticed to a Mr. Bryant, from whom, on account of harsh treatment, he ran away, when about sixteen or seventeen years of age.  His miserable condition excited compassion, and secured for him a temporary home at the house of John O. Deniell, of the Haw Fields, in Orange county.

He had the scald head, had lost nearly all his hair, and the scalp was so offensive that he never ate at the table with the family or slept in a bed.  In subsequent life he wore a silk cap, and his most intimate friends never saw his head naked.

In the course of two or three years after his elopement from his master he went to South Carolina, engaged in trafficking with the Catawba Indians, acquired property,  and settled on Raeburn’s Creek, a branch of Reedy river, in Laurens District.  On his return from a trading excursion, at the beginning of the difficulties with the mother country, he was met by a party of lawless fellows who called themselves Whigs, and robbed by them of everything he had.  Previously to this he had preferred to be a Whig, but, exasperated by the outrage perpetrated by these desperadoes, he changed sides, and during a series of years availed himself of every opportunity to wreak his vengeance on his former friends.

The defeat of the Tories at King’s Mountain disheartened them for any great efforts afterwards in North Carolina, and they never again assembled in any large numbers in that state.  In 1782 Fanning went to Charleston, S. C., and thence to St. Augustine in Florida.  From thence, at the close of the war, finding that all hopes of his returning to his native State, were removed by the action of the Legislature , which made an exception of him in their acts of amnesty, he went to New Brunswick, and Sabine says:  ‘He lived some years in Queen’s county, and was a member of the House of Assembly, but in 1799 he removed to Nova Scotia, where he was a Colonel in the militia.  He died at Digby, Nova Scotia in 1825.’

Caruthers has sifted and garnered the traditions of the times with remarkable fullness and discrimination, and interwoven record evidence, but recently discovered, elucidating and confirming much that was previously obscure and doubtful.  He is sustained by Fanning in every important statement but one.  Fanning was not trained in the school of M’Girth, but received ‘bloody instructions’ from an abler and more distinguished man, William Cunningham, the Captain of the ‘Bloody Scout,’ a good memoire of whom is a desideratum yet to be supplied by the South Carolina Historical Society, before it is too late.  Fanning states, in the opening of his narrative, that after the reduction of Charleston (May 1780), ‘myself and one William Cunningham concluded to embody a party of men, which we effected.  We determined to take Colonel Williams, of the rebel militia, prisoner, and then to join Captain Parish, who was to raise a company and assist us.’  ‘Bloody Bill’ and Captain Parish (Paris or Peares, according to varying orthography) were fit companions for Fanning.  Williams eluded them then , but only to fall soon after more gloriously, with the shouts of victory sounding his requiem, on the well-fought battlefield of King’s Mountain.

The history of the ‘narrative’ itself; of the importance attached to it, by those who had heard of or seen it; with the indefatigable efforts, continued for a long period and at last crowned with success, on the part of the gentleman who, with the indispensable, untiring sprit of an antiquarian and historian, allowed no difficulties to divert him from the pursuit, the reader will find in the Introduction by Mr. Wheeler.  One thing seems remarkable; that although the existence of this manuscript was known to persons interested in the history of North Carolina, yet it must have entirely escaped the knowledge of Mr. Sabine; for although he says, in the preface to his ‘Sketches of American Loyalists,’ that ‘I lived in the eastern portion of the United States, enjoyed free and constant intercourse with persons of Loyalist descent, have had the use of family papers and of rare documents, have made journeys to confer with the living, and pilgrimages to graveyards to complete the records of the dead,’ yet he makes no mention of the existence of this narrative; and, in addition to that which is above quoted, has only to say for the biography of David Fanning, that ‘He was an officer under the crown during the war, and at its close settled in New Brunswick.’

By the date of his address ‘To the Reader,’ it will be seen that the narrative was written in 1790.  An examination and comparison of the Index and text will give reason to believe that the order of the narrative was first arranged in his mind, and the Index made out, as containing the most important events connected with this period of his life, in the order in which they occurred; and when the work was being executed he failed to find many of the documents he had intended to embody in his account, among which were included the letters, proclamations, speeches and petitions, which are indicated in the Index by a *, but which cannot be found in the text.  Those parts of the Index might have been omitted; but deeming it proper to print the whole paper as it was made out by the author, I have preserved the whole arrangement of title, address to the reader, index and text, just as he had it, not altering a single word or letter from the copy.  A very few typographical errors of a single letter occur, but these are too apparent to be pointed out.

This narrative gives many details of events which have escaped the historian, and records acts of heroism and instances of suffering on the part of those who, in the Southern States, offered up their all as a sacrifice to secure the independence of the American colonies.  But the patriot and the philanthropist must always regret that the struggles of those who, in the contest with Great Britain, shed their blood on every battle-field, both in their own section and that of the North, for the freedom of the whole country, were productive only of a change of masters with them; for soon after throwing off the yoke of Old England, they were, through adroit management and cunning legislation, made to assume that of New England; and ere the actors engaged in the first struggle had all passed from the stage of life, their children had to draw the sword to protect their homes and firesides from a foe who, fattened upon their substance, and grown insolent by successes, attempted to impose on them burdens more odious than those which they refused to bear from that nation to whom they owed their existence as a people.  And these impositions on the part of the North have at last culminated in the final and irrevocable separation from them of those to whom they should have clung with more than maternal love.  And, alas! their mad efforts to subdue those who now stand in the attitude of rebels towards them, have brought about the re-enacting of scenes such as those disclosed by our veracious chronicler; and although we still have greatly the advantage in the battles fought up to this time, yet Virginia invaded, Maryland overpowered, and Kentucky divided against herself, have realized all the horrors of civil war as told by Fanning, with other scenes at the recital of which decency revolts, and before the perpetrators of them even the Tories of the first revolutionary war might ‘hide their diminished heads;’ while the faithful historian of this portion of our country’s annals will blush for his race when he records the deeds of those who, calling themselves Union men, cling to the old government, as did the Tories of Fanning’s time, and in the name of loyalty rob and torture and lay waste the property of those who have dared to assert and endeavor to maintain their rights as freemen.

The present may seem an inappropriate time to attend to preserving the history of our former struggle for independence; and it must be admitted that while a country is engaged in a furious war, with a foe who unites to all the rancor of difference of race the rage of the pirate at the escape of his destined victims, it is hardly a fitting time to contribute to the historical literature of our country.  But when we recollect how liable to loss and destruction, especially at such periods, are all manuscript records, a reason is at once given for consigning them to’the art preservative of all the arts,’ to prevent their total loss.  For this reason, and with the hope that this effort may contribute something to the history of one of the States now forming a part of the new Confederacy, is this pamphlet distributed.

In making out the notes illustrative of the history of persons named in the text, I have derived the greater portion of the information from Sabine’s Loyalists, Lossing’s Fieldbook of the Revolution, and Gibbes’ Historical Documents of South Carolina.  I am also indebted to Hon. L.D. Swain, ex-govenor of North Carolina, for many of the notes, which are printed entire as he wrote them, and for the synopsis of the life of Fanning, as given in the preface.

T. H. W.

               Richmond, Nov. 25th, 1861

 

~

 

INTRODUCTION

By John H. Wheeler

 

The name of Fanning, whose narrative is herewith preserved, written by himself, is associated, in the revolutionary history of North Carolina, with deeds of daring, rapine, and cruelty.  Since the history of North Carolina was written by me (1851) I have met with a letter from General Alexander Gray to Dr. A. Henderson, dated Randolph  county, N. C., March 30th, 1847, which gives much information as to the adventures and exploits of Colonel Fanning.  Rev. E. W. Caruthers, D. D., in a work entitled ‘ The Revolutionary Incidents and Sketches of Character, chiefly in the old North State,’ in 1854, has devoted more than one hundred and fifty pages of his very valuable work to the life and character of Fanning.

In preparing matter for a second edition of my History of North Carolina, as I felt satisfied that the sketch of Fanning I had presented of him under Chatham County (2d vol. 84) was not complete, and not satisfactory even to myself, without this narrative, which I knew had been written, and which was in existence , I made some efforts to obtain a copy of it.  But to effect this seemed almost hopeless.  I had seen a copy of a letter from Fanning to Rev. Roger Veits, dated in 1822, in which he declared that he ‘would not let any one have it on any pretence whatsoever’ - that he had refused five hundred dollars for it.  I visited St. Johns, in the British province of New Brunswick, near which Fanning lived and died, but was not successful in this object.

After Fanning’s death (in 1825) his son, who, Dr. Caruthers states, ‘ was a ruling Elder in the church and an estimable man,’ did not seem to value so highly this important paper, which with other documents of his father came into his possession.  He allowed Porter C. Bliss, Esq., who was employed by the Massachusetts Historical Society  to collect authentic materials of the early history of our Nation, to make a copy, which he did, as he informed me, ‘verbatum et literatum’ - not correcting the many errors in orthography and grammar with which it abounds.  I copied this myself carefully.  When I first heard of this manuscript copy, it was in the hands of Hon. Geo. Bancroft, in New York.  Wrote to Mr. Bancroft, with the approbation of Mr. Bliss, who at the time was engaged in a responsible position in the Indian Affairs Bureau of the Interior Department in Washington City, and is now attached to the American Legation at Brazil, Mr. Bancroft immediately replied, testifying to the authenticity, fidelity, and value of the manuscript;* and through Mr. Bliss’s efforts it was forwarded to me. My exertions  to procure this paper had been stimulated by a letter to me from Governor Swain, dated 16th  April, 1861, in which he says: ‘ I have known of the existence of the Fanning manuscript for nearly thirty years; and have made repeated efforts, unsuccessfully, to obtain a copy.  My last attempt was three or four years ago, through Dr. Sparks, of Boston.'

 

_________

 

*The following note from Mr. Bancroft will testify to the value he placed on the narrative:

                                                                                                        

                                                                                New York ,  April 26, 1861

My dear Mr. Wheeler: 

 

         I have yours of April 19th.  Having only had permission of Mr. Bliss to keep the MS.

for a short season, I returned it almost immediately to Mr. Deane , from whom I

received it.  The journal must be printed.

                                                                     Yours truly,

                                                                                  Geo. Bancroft

 

John H. Wheeler, Esq.

 

___________

 

When Judge Murphy, a few years before his death, was collecting materials for history, he made an effort through  Hon. Archibald McBride, of Moore county (in Congress from 1809 to 1813), to obtain a copy of Fanning’s narrative.  He could get get nothing except the following letter, which has been published in the University Magazine, and also in Caruther’s work:

 

                                                                                                         Digby  15th May 1822

 

‘Dear Sir

The letters you sent me appears to be a request of some gentleman in North Carolina, or elsewhere to get holt of my Journal, or the narrative of my servis, During the time of the American Revolution.  I am under the necessity of saying that I would not Let any man have it on any pretense whatsoever, Unless I was well informed of the use that was to be made of it.  You can say to the Gentleman that I now have a narrative of the Transactions of that war, Both of North and South Carolinas; and if any gentleman wishes to know from me of any particular transaction, or the Date, by pointing it out to me, I may give the information of it, if it Don’t operate against my Coming back to look after my property.  You may say, that my Journal contains more  than one Quire of Fools Cap paper Closely wrote, and it would take a good pens man a month to write it over, fit to send to the world abroad.  I was offered, by Charles Cook in England fifty pounds sterling for my Journal to have it published,  and I Refused him.  Colonel McDougal Desired me not to Insert in it, any thing of his Servessas; as he intended going back to North Carolina to Live, and he knows that I have a Narrative of all the Transactions.  If he should want any thing of the kind from me, he should write to me himself.  If any person wishes to prove any thing false , respecting the conduct of the Torys, let him point what it is, and I will endeavour to give him the truth.

                                      I am dear Sir Your obedient Servant

                                                                                 David Fanning.

 P. S.  I believe there is some more meaning in the letters than I understand; the word Memorial of my life or a word to that effect, that I don’t understand.  I have hurt my ankil and knee, so I cannot come to see you.  Ross said you wanted to answer them by post.

 

To the Rev’d Roger Veitts.

With every reader of the revolutionary history of North Carolina, so full of thrilling incidents and patriotism, I feel much gratification in rescuing from oblivion this narrative of one, about whom so much and varied tradition exists in our State; and which, from its minuteness in detail, and accuracy of dates (which have been compared with reliable authorities), may be depended upon, as a truthful record.  Had the daring, desparate temper of Fanning been elevated by education, chastened by religious influences, and directed in proper and patriotic channels, his name might have been associated with that of the Marions and Waynes of the eventful epoch in which he was notorious.”

 

                                                                                  Jno. H. Wheeler

 

Murfreesboro’, Hertford Co., N. C.

                 5th June, 1861

 

~

 

The following excerpts are as written by David Fanning:

 

Narrative

of

COL’O DAVID FANNING

written by himself

Detailing Astonishing Events

IN NO. CA.

From 1775 to 1783

 

~ 

 

 

TO THE READER

 

Courteous Reader,

 

whoever thou art, the Author being only a farmer bred, and not conversant in learning, thou may’st think that the within Journal is not authentic.  But it may be depended upon on that every particular herein mentioned is nothing but the truth; Yea, I can boldly assert that I have undergone much more than what is herein mentioned.

Rebellion according to Scripture is, as the Sin of witch-craft; and the propagators thereof, has more than once punished; which is dreadfully  exemplified this day in the now United States of America but formerly Provinces; for since their Independence from Great Britain, they have been awfully and visibly punished by the fruits of the earth being cut off; and civil dissention every day prevailing among them; their fair trade, and commerce almost totally ruined; and nothing prospering so much as nefarious and rebelious Smugling.  Whatever imperfections is in the within, its hoped will be kindly overlooked by the courteous Reader, and attributed to the Author’s want of learning.

I do not set forth any thing as a matter of amusement, but what is really, justly fact, that my transactions and scenes of life have been as herein narrated during the term of the Rebellion; and that conduct, resolution, and courage perform wonderous things beyond credibility, the following of which laudable deeds will give them, are exercised therein the Experience that I have gained.

In the 19th year of my age, I entered into the War; and proceeded from one step to another, as is herein mentioned, and at the conclusion thereof, was forced to leave the place of my nativity for my adherence to the British Constitution; and after my sore fatigues, I arrived at St. John River; and there with the blessing of God, I have hitherto enjoyed the sweets of peace, and freedom under the benevolent auspices of the British Government - which every loyal and true subject may enjoy with me, is the wish of the Author.

                                                                                             David Fanning

King’s County

       Long Beach

              New Brunswick

June 24th 1790.

 

Psalm 37 & 37.

“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright! for the end of that man is peace.”

 

~

 

INDEX.

 

The narrative of David Fanning       .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                     1

Major Robinson took the command                  .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   3

The first time my being taken                              .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 3

My going to the Indians                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 4

John Tork in East Florida                .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 5

Colo. Mills taken           .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                7

Gilliam took me            .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                9

My wounds dressed      .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .              11

Treaty with the rebel, Colo. Williams                  .                   .                   .                   .                   .                11

The reduction of Charleston            .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               11

Colo.  Innis’ Engagement in South Carolina     .                   .                   .                   .                                        12

Went to Deep River North Carolina                    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                13

Col. Hamilton’s advertisement        .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 13

A skirmish with Duck   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                  14

Joined Lord Cornwallis                    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .              14

A skirmish with  Capt. John Hinds                    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                  15

The Three Skirmishes   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                 15

The Skirmish with Collier and Balfour                .                   .                   .                   .                   .               17

My appointment from J. H. Craigg .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                     18

A copy of the commission, I gave   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                    19

The names of the different Officers .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                  19

Chatham taken              .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .              24

The Regulations of the Loyalists      .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                   24

The oath to the Loyalists                  .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               27

Engagement with Col. Alston         .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 27

Copy of a parole            .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .             28

Major Gage’s letter        .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .              29

Col. Slingsby wounded .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                  31

The Engagement with Wade           .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                31

McDougald and McNeal join me     .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                   32

My advertisement          .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .             32

Hillsborough taken, (Gov. taken prisoner)         .                   .                   .                   .                                      33

Colo. McNeal killed, and myself wounded         .                   .                   .                   .                                     34

Skirmish with O Neal   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                  34

J. H. Craigg’s letter        .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               36

Colo. Edmund Fanning’s letter       .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 37

Capt. John Leggetts’ letters              .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 37

Colo. McDougal’s list of Officers     .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                   37

Colo. McNeal’s       do        do          .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               37

The Volunteers from Wilmington  .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                     37

Different skirmishes with Rutherford’s men      .                   .                   .                   .                                      38

Rebel proclamation       .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               39

& Col. Isaacs from the mountains   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                      39

Skirmishes with the Rebels               .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                41

Golstone’s House burnt and two Rebels killed .                   .                   .                   .                                        41

Terms required by me of the Rebels                    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                42

Williams answer            .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               43

Ramsey’s Letters            .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               44

Williams, Burns, & Clarke’s letter    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                      45

Capt. Linley murdered and two men hanged for it                .                   .                   .                   .                    46

Col. Alston came to me                    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                46

My articles presented again                .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               47

General Butler’s letter    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                   49

Walker, and Currie’s skirmishes with the Rebels                    .                   .                   .                   .                    50

Balfour killed                 .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               51

Bryan Killed                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               51

Rebel  Commisary hanged                .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 52

Capt. Williams from Gov’r to me   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                        52

Griffith’s Letter              .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                53

Rosur and Goldston’s letters           .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                    53

Capt. Dugin’s and Guins letter        .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                    54

The answer from the Assemblay     .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                       55

Myself married, & Capt. Hooker killed                .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   56

The forged letters          .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .               57

My answer in Major Rains name      .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                      58

My riding Mare taken    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                                     59

Hunter and Williams letter               .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                  59

My arrival in Charleston                    .                   .                   .                   .                   .                   .                 61

The names of the gentlemen Committee in Char