Newhanover-Brunswick-Statewide County NcArchives History .....North Carolina: The Dawn Of The Revolution July 28, 1775
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Carolyn Shank Carolynshank@msn.com August 10, 2008, 2:57 pm

   THE DAWNING OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION IN NORTH CAROLINA
   At a monthly meeting of the Committee for the Town of Wilmington and County 
of New Hanover, at which were occasionally present a Number of Gentlemen, 
Members of the different Committees in this District, July 20th, 1775.
   
   This Committee having taken into consideration an Act of British parliament 
for restraining the trade of the Colonies of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the 
Counties of Newcastke, Ken and Suffix on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and 
South Carolina, to Great Britain, Ireland, and the British West Indies, which 
is to take place this day; it is
   RESOLVED unanimously, that the exception of this Colony, and some others, 
out of the said Act, is a base and mean artifice to seduce them into a 
desertion of the common cause of America.
   RESOLVED, that we will not accept of the advantages insidiously thrown out 
by the said Act; but will adhere strictly to such plans as have been, and 
shall shall be, entered into by the honourable Continental Congress, so as to 
keep up a perfect unanimity with our sister Colonies.
   The inhabitants of Poole (a sea port in the English Channel) having 
manifest themselves not only inimical to America, but lost to every sense of 
honour and humanity, by petitioning parliament to restrain the New England 
fisheries; by wich iniquitous act, the virtuous inhabitants of those colonies 
are cruelly deprived of the means of procuring a subsistence, and rendered 
almost entirely dependent on the bounty of their neighbors, in testimony of 
our resentment of a conduct so injurious to our fellow citizens and so 
disgraceful to human nature, We unanimously RESOLVE not to freight or in any 
manner employ, any shipping belonging to that town, and that we will not carry 
on any commercial intercourse or communication with the selfish people of 
Poole.
   Whereas, it appeared, upon incontestible evidence that JOHN COLLETT, 
commander of Fort Johnston was preparing the said fort (under the Auspices of 
GOVERNOR MARTIN), for the reception of a promised reinforcement, which was to 
be employed in reducing the good people of this province to a slavish 
submission to the will of a wicked and tyrannic Minister; and, for this 
diabolical purpose, had collected several abandoned profligates, whose crimes 
had rendered them unworthy of Civil Society; and that the said commander, had 
wantonly detained vessels, applying for bills of health, thereby defeating the 
salutory purposes for which the fort had been established and continued -- had 
threatened vengeance against magistrates whose official opinions he chose to 
disapprove -- had set at definance the high sheriff of the Coounty, in the 
execution of his office, and treated the king's writs, when served on him for 
just debts, (which, both as a soldier and a subject, it was his duty to obey) 
with the shameful contempt of wiping his backside with them -- had, with the 
most unparalleled injustice, detained and embezzled a large quantity of goods, 
which, having been wrecked near the fort, had the highest claim to his 
attention and care, for the benefit of the sufferers; in whose behalf, many 
and repeated applications were legally made, in vain, to the said Commander -- 
had, contrary to every principal of honour and honesty, most unwarrantly 
seized by force, a quantity of corn, the private property of an individual; an 
act of robbery the more inexcusable, as provisions were never withheld from 
him, whenever he would pay for them -- had basely encouraged slaves to elope 
from their masters, fed and employed them, and declared openly, that he would 
incite them to insurrection: it also appeared that the said JOHN COLLETT had 
further declared, that, as soon as the expected reinforcement should arrive, 
the king's standard would be erected, and that, to it should be invited all 
those (as well slaves as others) who were base enough to take up arms against 
their Country.
  The Committee of New Hanover and Wilmington, having taken these things under 
consideration, judged it might be of the most pernicious consequence to the 
people at large, if the said JOHN COLLETT should be suffered to remain in the 
fort, as he might thereby have the opportunity of carrying iniquitous 
consequences to the people at large. This opinion having been communicated to 
the officers and the committees of some neighboring counties, a great many 
volunteers were immediately collected; a party of whom reached Bruswick, when 
accounts were received, that the Commander had carried off all the small arms, 
ammunition, and part of the artillery (the property of the Province) together 
with his furniture, on board a transport hired for the purpose, there to 
remain until the reinforcement should arrive, and then again to take 
possession of the fort; the original design thus frustrated, but the different 
attachments having met at Brunswick, about 500 men marched to the fort, and 
burnt and destroyed all the houses, etc. in and about the same, demolished, as 
far as they could, the back parts of the fortifications and -- dislodged that 
atrocious FREEBOOTER.
  RESOLVED, therefore, that the thanks of the Committee of New Hanover and 
Wilmington of their approbation; we have the best authority to say, that the 
enterprize on which they so cheerfully embarked, has been approved of by 
several very respectable committees in this Province.
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, Wilmington, July 27,1775
   In Consequence of a letter from SAMUEL JOHNSTON appointing, the 20th of 
August next, for the meeting of the Provincial Convention at Hillsborough and 
recommending that five delegates, at least should be sent by each county; 
   RESOLVED, that Tuesday, the 8th day of August be appointed for an election 
of additional delegates for this County and town, and that the freeholders so 
attend at the Court House in Wilmington for that purpose on the said 8th day 
of August next.
                               By order of the Committee
                              CORNELIUS HARNETT, Chairman
The Freeholders of the respective Counties and Town in this Province are 
requested to choose and elect Delegates to meet in Provincial Convention, at 
Hillsboro, on the 20th day of August next.
July 10, 1776                 SAMUEL JOHNSTON
                        Deputy Naval Officer

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