----- Original Message ----- From: D.G.Cork <dgcork@lab.takeda.co.jp> To: Mike Caswell <mike@caswellplating.com>; moonrakers <moonrakers@ultra.net.au> Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 1999 6:32 PM Subject: NG- Governor CASWELL-Moonraker Allegory? >Found on the GODWIN list-server > >Source: The North Carolina Historical Review, 1929 > >Article: Twelve North Carolina Counties in 1810-1811 by A. R. Newsome > >II. Edgecombe County by Jeremiah Battle > >"... Edgecomb retains one of the most ancient names of any of the counties in >the state; it formerly included the counties of Northampton, Halifax, Martin, >Nash, & several others. This county affords but little Historical >information. It may be worthy of remark, however, & is much to the credit of >the county that its inhabitants formerly were, & still are, docile, peaceable >& easily governed. This is evinced by adverting to the circumstances of the >late revolution. The mandates of a self created power, termed a committee, >which engrossed all the authority, both civil & military, were then as >implicitly obeyed as are now the laws of our Legislature. There was no >opposition to their orders, & none endevoured to evate them, except the >tories, (who were actuated perhaps, more from cowardice than principle.) a >part of these embodied themselves in the southwest part of the county; & also >a considerable number in the Northeast, for the purpose of resistence.[see >footnote 31 below.] But all were dispersed without bloodshed: In effecting >this Cols. Hill & Williams of Martin, were instrumental... > >[Footnote 31: In July, 1777, Henry Irwin of Tarboro wrote to Governor CASWELL >of a "most wicked conspiracy" on the part of "too many evil persons in this >and the neighboring counties . . . about 30 of them made an attempt on this >place but luckily I had about 25 men to oppose them. I disarmed the whole and >made many take the oath." William Brimage of Halifax was supposed to be a >leader of the conspiracy. He fled, was captured at New Inlet, and placed in >jail at Edenton. S . R., XI, 521, 539. 551, 552. > >Turner and Bridgers, op. cit., 93, 98, states that there were attempted Tory >uprisings early in 1776 and late in the winter of 1776, and that the courage >of the Tories was renewed by the appearance of the British in May, 1781. > > >