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 Charleston
.
.
.
61
*Rebel
proclamation
.
.
.
.
.
.
Embarked
for East Florida
.
.
.
.
.
.
63
*Major
Devoice’s Articles
.
.
.
.
.
.
A
certificate of my
Services
.
.
.
.
.
.
63
An
estimate of my property
.
.
.
.
.
.
64
*King’s
Speech
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
*My
speech to the inhabitants
.
.
.
.
.
.
*Myself
and others set out for
East Florida
.
.
.
.
*My
arrival at New Providence
.
.
.
.
.
.
Col.
Hamilton’s letter
.
.
.
.
.
.
65
My
Memorial to the
Commissioners
.
.
.
.
.
66
Lieut.
Colo. McKay’s letters
.
.
.
.
.
.
67
Commissioner’,
certificate
.
.
.
.
.
.
69
Memorial
for half pay to Sir
George Young
.
.
.
.
67
*My
letter to George Randal
.
.
.
.
.
.
The
Rebel Act of oblivion
.
.
.
.
.
.
70
*Rebel
Petition
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
*Mr.
Branson’s letters
.
.
.
.
.
.
*William
Teague’s letter
.
.
.
.
.
.
*The
subjects named in these
are not to be found in
the text.
~
.
. . . . “The day Lord
Cornwallis defeated Gen.
Greene at Guildford,* I
was surprised by a
Captain Duck, with a
company of Rebels, where
I sustained a loss of all
our Horses, and arms; we
had one man killed on
each side.
The
day following, myself,
and three more of the
company, furnished
ourselves with arms, and
persued the Rebels, who
we discovered had gone to
their respective homes
with their plunder.
We visited one of
their houses and found
the horses which had been
taken from the friends of
the Government; and
discovering one of the
said party in an out
house , I fired at him,
and wounded him in the
neck with buckshot; but
he escaped.
We then mounted
ourselves , and turning
the other horses into the
woods, we returned back
to Deep River.
We kept concealed
in the woods and
collected 25 men, having
scouts out continually
until we proceeded to
Dixon’s Mill, Cane
Creek, where Lord
Cornwallis was there
encamped.
On our arrival
there his Lordship met
us, and asked me several
questions respecting the
situation of the country,
and disposition of the
people.
I gave him all the
information in my power.
And leaving the company
with his Lordship, I
returned back to Deep
river in order for to
conduct more men to the
protection of the British
arms.
Two
days following, I
returned to the army at
Chatham Court house,
after being surprised and
dispersed by the Rebel
Dragoons; on my bringing
in 70 Loyalists.
I joined my
company again and went
with his Lordship, to
Cross Creek, and as we
had lost most of our
horses, we determined to
return to Deep River, and
join his Lordship when on
his way to Hillsborough.
General Green
followed his Lordship as
far as Little River, and
then returned to Ramseys
Mills on his way back to
Camden; his men marched
in small parties and
distressed the friends to
Government, through the
Deep River settlement; I
took 18 of them at
different times, and
paroled them, and after
thatwe were not
distressed by them for
some little time; after a
little while some of us
had assembled at a
friends house, where we
were surrounded by a
party of 14 Rebels under
the command of Capt. John
Hinds;
we perceived their
approach and prepared for
to receive them; when
they had got quite near
us, we run out of the
doors of the house, fired
upon them, and killed one
of them; on which we took
three of their horses,
and some some firelocks -
we then took to the woods
and unfortunately had two
of our little company
taken, one of which the
Rebels shot in cold
blood, and the other they
hung on the spot where we
had killed the man a few
days before - - We were
exasperated at this, that
we determined to have
satisfaction, and in a
few days I collected 17
men well armed, and
formed an ambuscade on
Deep River at Coxe’s
Mills, and sent out
spies.
In the course of
two hours, one of my
spies gave me information
of a party of Rebels
plundering his house,
which was about three
miles off. I instantly
marched to the place and
discovered them in a
field near the house.
I attacked them
immediately, and kept up
a smart fire
for half an hour,
during which time, we
killed their Captain, and
one private, on the spot
- wounded three of them,
and took two prisoners
besides eight of their
horses well appointed,
and several swords.
This happened on
the 11th of
May 1781.
The same day, we
persued another party of
Rebels, and came up with
them the morning
following; we attacked
them smartly and killed 4
of them on the spot
wounded 3 dangerously and
took one prisoner with
all their horses, and
appointments. In
about an hour after that,
we took two men of the
same party, and killed
one more of them; the
same evening we had
intelligence of another
party of Rebels, which
were assembling about 30
miles off in order for to
attack us; as I thought
it best to surprise them
where they were
collecting, I marched all
night
and about 10
o’clock the next
morning, we came up with
them; we commenced a fire
upon each other, which
continued for about 10
minutes when they
retreated; we killed two
of them, and wounded 7,
and took 18 horses well
appointed; we then
returned to Deep River
again - I still kept the
company together, and
waited for another
opportunity, during which
time, I took two Rebel
soldiers and parolled
them, who gave me
information of a Col.
Dudley coming from
Gen’l Greens camp at
Camden, with baggage.
I
mounted my men and set
forward in search of
them; and I concealed my
men by the side of the
road; and I thought the
time long; according to
information I had from
the soldiers - I took one
man with me, and went to
see if I could make any
discovery. I rode
a mile and a half, when I
saw Col. Dudley with his
baggage - I then wheeled
my horse, and returned to
my men; where I came
within a hundred yards of
them, Dudley and his
Dragoons was nose and
tail and snapped their
pistols several times.
I, then, ordered a
march after them, and
after marching 2 ˝ miles
I discovered them, and
immediately took three of
them prisoners, with all
the baggage and nine
Horses.
The baggage I
divided among my me Men,
which agreeably to Col.
Dudley’s report was
valued as 1,000 [pounds
sterling].
I returned to
Coxe’s Mill and
remained there till the 8th
June; when the Rebels
embodied 160 men to
attack me, under the
command of Cols. Collyer
and Balfour.
I determined to
get the advantage by
attacking them, which I
did with 49 men in the
night, after marching 10
miles to their
encampment.
They took one of
my guides, which gave
them notice of my
approach: I proceeded
within thirty steps of
them; but being
unacquainted with the
grounds, advanced very
cautiously.
The sentinel,
however, discovered my
party, and firing upon
us, retreated. They
secured themselves under
cover of the houses, and
fences; the firing then
began; and continued on
both sides for the space
of four hours; being very
cloudy and dark - during
which time I had one man
killed, and six wounded;
and the guide, before
mentioned, taken
prisoner; whom they
killed next morning in
cold blood.
What injury they
suffered, I could not
leard; As the morning
appeared we retreated,
and returned again to
Deep River; leaving our
wounded men at a
friend’s house,
privately.
The
Rebels then kept a
constant scouting, and
their numbers was so
great, that we had to lay
still for sometime; and
when Collier and Balfour
left the settlement, he
the said Colonel Dudley,
before mentioned, took
the place with 300 men
from Virginia. He
took a negro man from me
and sold him at public
auction for 110 pounds;
the said negro was sent
over the mountains, and I
never saw him since.
At length they all
began to scatter; amd we
to embody.
William Elwood
being jelous of my taking
too much command of the
men, and in my absence,
one day, he persuaded
them that I was a going
to make them regular
soldiers, andcause them
to be attached to Col.
John Hamilton’s
Regiment; and
vindicated it , by an
advertisement, that I had
handed to several of the
Loyalists; that I thought
had the greatest
influence with the
Loyalists.
He so prevailed
with the common sort,
that when I came to camp
I found most of my men
gone; I, then, declared I
never would go on another
scout, until there was a
Field Officer.
The majority chose
me; They, then, drew up a
petition to the
commanding officer of the
King’s troops.” . . .
. . .
.
. . . . “About the 7th
March1782 Capt. Walker
and Currie, of the Loyal
Militia fell in, with a
party of Rebels, and came
to an engagement, and
fired for some time,
‘till the rebels had
fired all their
ammunition; and then,
wished to come to terms
of peace between each
party; and no plundering,
killing or murdering
should be committed by
either party or side;
which was concluded upon
by each Colonel, for such
certain limited bounds;
which was to be agreed
upon by each Colo; and if
they could not agree,
each party was to remain
neutral until matters was
made known, respecting
the term which they had
to agree upon. Soon
after my men came to me
and informed what they
had done; we received the
rebel Col. Balfour’s
answer; ‘there was *
resting place for a
tory’s foot upon the
Earth.’
He also
immediately sent out his
party, and on the 10th,
I saw the same company
coming to a certain house
where we were fiddling
and dancing.
We immediately
prepared ourselves in
readiness to receive
them, , their number
being 27 and our number
only seven; We
immediately mounted our
horses, and went some
little distance from the
house, and commenced a
fire, for some
considerable time; night
coming on they retreated
and left the ground.
Some time before,
while, we were treating
with each other, I had
ordered and collected
twenty-five men to have a
certain dress made which
was linnen frocks, died
black, with red cuffs,
red elbows, and red
shoulder cape also, and
belted with scarlet, all
fringed with white
fringe, and on the 12th
of March, my men being
all properly equipped,
assembled together, in
order, to give them a
small scourge, which we
set out for. On
Balfour’s plantation,
we came upon him, he
endeavored
to make his
escape; but we soon
prevented him, fired at
him, and wounded him.
The first ball he
received was through one
of his arms, and ranged
through his body; the
other through his neck;
which put an end to his
committing any more ill
deeds.
We
also wounded another of
his men.
We then proceded
to their Colonel’s (Collier,) belonging to
said county of Randolph;
on our way we burnt
several rebel houses, and
catched several
prisoners; the night
coming on and the
distance to said
Collier’s was so far,
that it was late before
we got there.
He made his
escape, having received
three balls through his
shirt.
But I took care to
destroy the whole of his
plantation.
I then persued our
route, and came to one
Capt. John Bryan’s;
another rebel officerr.
I told him if he
would come outof the
house, I would give him a
parole; which he refused,
saying that he had taken
parole from Lord
Cornwallis, swearing
‘by God! he had broken
that and he would also
break our Tory parole.
With that I
immediately ordered the
house to be set on fire,
which was instantly done.
As soon as he saw
the flames of the fire,
increasing, he called out
to me, and desired me to
spare his house, for his
wife’s and children’s
sake, and he would walk
out with his arms in his
hands.
I immediately
answered him, that if he
walked out, that his
house should be saved,
for his wife and
children.
When he came out,
he said ‘Here, damn
you, here I am.’
With that he
received two balls
through his body: He came
out with his gun cocked,
and sword at the same
time.
The
next following being the
13th march,
was their election day to
appoint Assembly men, and
was to meet at Randolph
Court House.
I proceeded on in
order to see the
gentlemen
representatives; On their
getting intelligence of
my coming they
immediately scattered; I
prevented their doing any
thing that day.
From
thence I proceeded on, to
one Major Dugin’s
house, or plantation, and
I destroyed all his
property; and all the
rebel officers property
in the settlement for the
distance of forty
miles.”
. . .
~
Note
20.
Page 50.
“There
was”
The word “no”
is evidently omitted
here, as Col Balfour
certainly meant to say,
“There was no resting
place for a Tory’s foot
upon the earth.”
Balfour,
Andrew, was born in
Edinburgh, Scotland , of
respectable parentage.
He arrived in
America in 1772, and
settled at Newport, Rhode
Island.
In 1777 he went to
Charleston, South
Carolina,
and engaged in
making salt.
He removed th
Salisbury, North
Carolina, in 1778, and
purchased or obtained
lands in Randolph county.
He was a member of
the legislature from this
county in 1780.
Such was his
activity in the cause of
his adopted country, that
he was taken prisoner in
the fall of this year
(1780), with Jacob
Shepard, father of the
Hon. Augustine H.
Shepard, by a party of
Tories under the command
of Col. Coulson.
When carrying them
as prisoners to Cheraw
they were released by
Capt. Childs, from
Montgomery county.
He returned to his
home, when he was
attacked by Fanning, and
he was cruelly murdered
by Fanning, his daughter
and sister clinging to
him in despair, on
Sunday, 10th
March, 1782.
His widow, who
came to North Carolina
after his death, Dec.,
1784, was much respected
and held the office of
Post Master at Salisbury
until 1825, discharging
its duties with great
fidelity and
acceptability.
Her son Andrew
married Mary Henly, and
had nine children (five
sons and four daughters),
all of whom removed to
the west except Mrs.
Eliza Drake, wife of Col.
Drake, of Ashboro.
His daughter Tibby
married John Troy, who
had three children: John
Balfour Troy, now of
Randolph co., Margaret,
who died in Davidson
county in 1813, and
Rachel who married Lewis
Beard, now in the west.
His third and
remaining child,
Margaret, married Hudson
Hughes, of Salisbury, who
had two daughters, one of
whom married Samuel
Reeves, of Salisbury.
(On
page 17, 29th
line, Elwood should be
Elrod. Col.
Elrod’s humanity
rendered him obnoxious to
Fanning. - See
Caruther’s Old North
State, vol. 1, 175.)
*
*
*
*
* *
The
following are
miscellaneous other
writings with references
to David Fanning as
published on the
Internet:
“Biographies
of North Carolina
Revolutionary War
Participants
ALLRED/ALDRED,
John
born
Abt 1758 in Deep River,
Randolph Co. North
Carolina; died Aft April
11, 1846 in Deep River,
Randolph Co. North
Carolina. He was the son
of William ALLRED and
Elizabeth DIFFEE. He
married Sarah SPENCER
1786 in Randolph Co.,
North Carolina. Sarah
SPENCER was born Abt 1769
in Randolph Co., North
Carolina.
John
Allred, was born and
reared in the house built
by his father, William
Allred. In the same home
Claiborne Allred, who was
the youngest son of John
Allred and Sarah Spencer,
and Orpha Russell settled
when they first married
and most of their family
of seven children were
born there.
When
the Revolutionary war
came, John Allred
shouldered his flintlock
rifle and fought for the
freedom of the American
colonies to the end of
the war. As a resident of
Rowan County, NC, he
enlisted in the spring of
1781 as a private and
volunteer in the cavalry
under Capt. Thomas Doogan
for the purpose of
subduing and putting down
one Colonel David
Fanning, a Tory in the
Royal Militia, who, with
a band of outlaws,
conducted a campaign of
guerrilla warfare against
the colonists in and
around Randolph County,
North Carolina, burning
houses, pillaging and
murdering, from 1775 to
1783. Allred served for
approximately 12 months
until the spring of 1782.
The fact of his fighting
against the British
aroused the anger of Col.
David Fanning, the leader
of the Tories or British
sympathizers, and he and
his band of men went to
the homestead in search
of John, who happened to
be at home. He saw them
coming, snatched up his
gun and secreted himself
in the attic. It so
happened that they did
not go up there to search
for him. William Allred
also saw them
approaching, took up his
gun and ran out northwest
of the house and lay down
behind a large rock. He
could see Fanning and his
men from his hiding place
when they went out to his
crib, later opened the
crib door and let many
barrels of corn run out,
did the same at another
log crib, then turned
their horses loose in the
lot to eat and trample
the corn into the red
mud. When they had eaten
all they wanted them to
have, they saddled them
up and started on towards
the western part of the
county. Fanning was
eventually driven out of
North Carolina and fled
to South Carolina and
then to East Florida, and
from there fled with his
family to New Brunswick,
Canada, where he died on
the island of Nova Scotia
in 1825.
.
.
.
SOURCES:
(1) Family history
recollections, written by
Rev. Brazilla Caswell
Allred in 1922, and
published in "The
Searcher", Vol. VI,
No. 2 (So. Calif.
Genealogical Society,
1969) The Reverend was
the brother of William
Franklin Allred of
Randolph County, North
Carolina. (2) Certified
Statement of Mary C.
Allred Jones, dated 22
Apr 1929, found among the
papers of Dora Belle
Jones Cross on 16 Oct
1977; (3) Rulon Allred,
"Allred Family in
America" (1965); (4)
Revolutionary war Pension
records, National
Archives; (5) DAR Patriot
Index, p. 12; Randolph
Co. Marriage Bonds, cited
in Rand. Co. Gen.
Journal, Vol 1, No. 1
(Spring 1977), p. 30-31.
Submitted by: Frederick
W. Ford ANURICK@aol.com”
“
Kenneth
Black (1730-1781)
Kenneth
Black was born on the
Kenneth
Black was a friend of
Alan McDonald of
Kingsborough, husband of
the illustrious Flora
McDonald.
It was to Kenneth Black
that Flora appealed for
aid when her house burned
in 1777 at Killegrey in
Moore County. It was at
his house that Flora's
daughters were visiting
when the rude soldiers
ripped their silk dresses
with their swords.”
*
* * * * * * * * *
“Descendants
of Col. David Fanning
David Fanning
was a very interesting
Anscestor to research. He
was born in Virginia in
1755. When the
Revolutionary War started
he felt loyal to England
and therefore fought for
the English, called a
"Loyalist". He
attained the rank of
Colonel in the Randolph
and Chatham Co's, NC
Militia on July 7, 1781.
After the War, on May 17,
1782 the Act of pardon
and Oblivion passed,
exempting him from pardon
in NC. David and his wife
were sent to Florida,
awaiting deportation to
Canada. On September 23,
1784 they arrived in St.
John, New Brunswick,
Canada. In 1799 the
growing family moved to
Digby, Nova Scotia. David
and his family remained
there. In his later
years, David Fanning
wrote a book about his
experiences during the
war. The following text
was taken from that book.
!From "The Narrative of Col. David Fanning" by Col. David Fanning, Edited with an introduction and notes by Lindley S. Butler. In December 1861 in Richmond, Virginia appeared a slim volume entitled "The Narrative of Colonel David Fanning", Edited by Thomas H. Wynne, the secretary of the VA Historical Society, and with an introduction by John Hill Wheeler, a former diplomat and a NC Historian, the limited edition of fifty copies was the first publication of the most significant loyalist narrative about the American Revolution in the southern provinces.........David Fanning finished the journal of his wartime experiences on June 24, 1790, at his home on the St. John River in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada..............His grandfather, Bryan Fanning, was the first of the family to settle in the county, and his father, David, had moved his family to NC where he was drowned in the Deep River before his son was born. His widow remained in NC with her young daughter and new son, but the struggle was apparently to much for her. She succumbed in 1764, leaving her two children, Elizabeth and David, to be bound as orphans to guardians in Johnston County (the present Wake County). In later years David Fanning would claim his father's property in VA, two plantations totalling 1100 acres, but he never succeded in securing his inheritance. In July 1764, the county court bound the nine-year-old Fanning to a guardian, Needham Bryan, Jr, a county justice, who at least fufilled his obligation to educate the boy. Fanning was apprenticed to Thomas Leech, who may have been a loom mechanic. In 1778 Fanning was reportedly working as a mechanic and loom builder in Chatham County, although he said nothing of his early life other that he was "farmer bred". Some insight on this period is provided by the folk traditions compiled by Eli W Caruthers in his history published in 1854. According to Caruthers, Fanning left his guardian because of harsh treatment and fled to Orange County where he was taken in by the John O'Denniell family. It was here that he was supposedly cured of scald head or tetter worm, an offensive scalp disease that left him bald. Thereafter he wore a silk skull cap. Another tradition from Caruthers is the widespread reputation that Fanning had as a youth of being a superb horseman and a tamer of wild horses.” . . .
* * * * * * * * *