The Fort Dobbs Gazette
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The Fort Dobbs Gazette The Newsletter of Fort Dobbs State Historic Site and the Friends of Fort Dobbs Volume XVII Issue 4 December 2020 Raffle Tickets on Sale Tickets are now on sale for the annual Friends of Fort Dobbs raffle! All proceeds fund educational programming and events at the historic site. This year there is one bundled prize: a museum quality bow and pair of practice arrows. All three items were hand-made by Native American artist IN THIS ISSUE: Talon Silverhorn.* The 52” tall bow has a draw weight of about 40 pounds. p. 1 -Raffle Tickets are $10 each , or five for $40. -Living History Update p. 2 -Photos from the Frontier p. 3 -2021 Events p. 4-6 Tickets may be purchased in person at Fort Dobbs, via email at Enlisted NC Soldiers [email protected], or over the phone at 704-873-5882. The winner will be selected on September 26, 2021 during the “Crisis in Carolina” p. 7 living history event. You do not need to be present to win! -Friends of Fort Dobbs Roll Call *Mr. Silverhorn is an enrolled member of the Eastern Shawnee Band of Oklahoma. www.talonsilverhorn.com Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Living History Update Susi Hamilton, Secretary On November 14th, the site hosted our very first living history event since Office of Archives and History February: our annual “Military Timeline.” The event was a resounding success! 40 Dr. Kevin Cherry, reenactors interpreted 400 years of NC military history from the Roanoke Island Deputy Secretary settlement through the Vietnam War. Thanks to all who came out and for abiding by the common sense health precautions in place, which allowed us to have an Division of State Historic Sites event in the first place. Michelle Lanier, Director Hot on the heels of the Military Timeline, the fort hosted the quadrennial Charles LeCount, Deputy Director historic weapons safety training program. Staff and volunteers from across the Jennifer Farley, West Region state came to receive certification in either 18th or 19th century firearms. Special thanks to Allison’s Woods Outdoor Learning Center for the use of their range! Fort Dobbs Historic Site December 12th will be the fort’s annual “Winter with the Western Scott Douglas, Site Manager Company” living history program. This one day outdoor event will illustrate Jason Melius, Historic Interpreter aspects of daily life for the provincial soldiers as they prepared for the coming of Andrew Shook, Maint. Tech. winter in 1756. Mark your calendars and join us! Page 2 FORT DOBBS GAZETTE Volume XVII Issue 4 Photos from the Frontier “Military Timeline” photos courtesy Charles LeCount, Statesville Record & Landmark Page 3 FORT DOBBS GAZETTE December 2020 2021 Calendar of Events What follows is a tentative schedule of special September 24: Fall School Day events for 2021. This schedule is subject to change, Students are invited to Fort Dobbs to learn about the based on public health requirements. Please check lives of people on the Carolina frontier through the site’s Facebook page or the fortdobbs.org demonstrations and hands-on activities. website for the most current information.. Pre-registration is required. $6 per student. Adults free. February 27: The Defense of Fort Dobbs September 25-26: Crisis in Carolina : 1761 On February 27th, 1760, a large party of Cherokee warriors engaged the garrison of Fort Dobbs in a Join soldiers, American Indians, and civilians from nighttime battle that left three soldiers and settlers the 18th Century as we look at North Carolina’s role and up to twelve Cherokee dead or wounded. in the Anglo-Cherokee War. Military encampments, trades demonstrations, On February 27th, 2021 Fort Dobbs State Historic vendors, period musical performances, and historic Site will hold a living history program weapons firings featured. commemorating the one battle to occur here. $4 admission (children under 5 free.) On-going displays of life for colonial soldiers, settlers, and Cherokee will be featured, in addition November 13-14: Military Timeline to scheduled weapons firing demonstrations. Visit with soldiers and support personnel from A special evening tour will be offered at 7:00pm hundreds of years of North Carolina history. The Saturday. Evening space is limited and pre- experiences of veterans of the Revolution, Civil registration is required. Contact War, World Wars and other conflicts will be shared [email protected] to register. through living history displays and scheduled historic weapons demonstrations. $2 admission (children under 5 free.) $2 admission (children under 5 free.) Additional $2 admission required for evening. December 10: April 24: Spring Living History End-of-Year Homeschool Day This living history will give visitors a glimpse of Homeschooling families are invited to Fort Dobbs what daily life was like for the garrison of Fort to interact with interpreters in hands-on activities Dobbs through on-going displays of barracks life, which will bring the 18th century to life! historic cooking, and scheduled weapons firing Pre-registration is required. demonstrations. $6 per student. Adults free. $2 admission (children under 5 free.) December 11: June 26: “Taken Shelter in Fort Dobbs” Winter on the Western Frontier In the spring of 1759, the Yadkin Valley was This living history will give visitors a glimpse of ravaged by fighting. Many British settlers fled, what daily life was like for the garrison of Fort while others found shelter within the walls of Fort Dobbs as they prepared to spend winter in the fort in Dobbs. Though no full-time soldiers were present, 1756. On-going displays of barracks life and the building offered refuge to civilians. historic cooking will be offered, as well as weapons Historic interpreters representing the settlers of firing demonstrations. Fourth Creek will offer on-going displays of life at $2 admission (children under 5 free.) the fort, as well as featured musket demonstrations. $2 admission (children under 5 free.) Page 4 FORT DOBBS GAZETTE Volume XVII Issue 4 Enlisted Soldiers of the North Carolina Provincials By Jason Melius North Carolina Provincial soldiers served in many account thereof by the Post to their of the campaigns of the French and Indian War. While commanders, or brings them to WillsCreek, several hundred individuals served in the province’s shall have Two pistoles reward for each, and forces, the names of most of those men have been lost to reasonable charges, paid by EDWARD time. To date, we have been able to identify twenty. BRICE DOBBS. Many of the names come to us through desertion N.B. The above deserters stole and took with advertisements and courts martial verdicts while the them five waggon horses, and their arms, and soldiers served outside of the colony. The first six names it is supposed are gone into Pennsylvania.” come from desertion ads place in April and May of 1755 in the Pennsylvania Gazette: Carver had served in Innes’s 1754 NC Provincial Regiment. When it disbanded in Winchester, VA on “Deserted on the 16th inst. from Lieutenant August 11, 1754, he was one of several men who enlisted Richard Miller, of Captain Thomas Clarke in the regular army and went on to fight in the Colony of Independent Company, One Thomas Caravar, New York. a mill wright by trade, aged 26 years, 5 feet 10 inches high, fair complexion, full faced, and Maxedon is believed to have been of Tuscarora well set, liv and work for some Time near decent. He received a land grant in Orange County in 1789 Philadelphia; was one of the North Carolina for 245 acres. Nothing further is known about the other forces, disbanded at Winchester: Had on, A men. Yet, thanks to this advertisement, we know the white waistcoat, and sometimes wears a red physical characteristics of each soldier. Such details are great coat. He was born in King County, in quite rare. Ireland.” We know the names of two other deserters from June, 1755 thanks to an orderly book kept during General Edward Braddock’s Expedition against Fort DuQuesne: “Lancaster, May 26, 1755. Deserted from his majestycompany of soldiers Richard Skelton, and Caleb Cary, Soldeirs, from North Carolina, commanded by Edward belonging to Capt. Edward Brice Dobbs’s Brice Dobbs, Esq; when on their march to Company of Americans, tried for Desertion; WillisCreek, on the 19th instant, the five are, by the Sentence of the Court martial following recruits, viz. found Guilty, and adjudged to receive 1000 lashes each.” John Giggs, a Dutchman, about 33 years of age, 6 feet high, and is strong made: He wore 1758, Rev Thomas Barton kept a diary of during his hair when he went off, and had on long the campaign commanded by General John Forbes to take trowsers, and a brown jacket. Fort DuQuesne. One of his diary entries relates the names of two NC deserters who were tried, convicted, sentenced Jeptha Hetherington, born in Carolina, is to death, and then pardoned: about 20 years of age, 6 feet 3 inches high, th well made, and a little mark with the Sunday September 24 . Receiv’d Orders from smallpox. Major Halkett to attend John Hannah Soldiers of the 1st Virginia Regt., Thomas William Riely, born in England, about 28 Williams Soldier in the Maryland Companies, years of age, 5 feet 7 inches and an half high, Benjamin Murphy & Salathiel Nixon of the is smooth faced, and has short black hair. N Carolina Companies, & John Doyle of the Pennsylvania Regiment, who are all adjudgd John Maxedon, born in Carolina, about 28 to suffer Death by general Court Marial, years of age, 5 feet 9 inches and a half high, is whereof Col. Mercer was President, & orderd smooth faced, and has short black hair.