diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/62397-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/62397-0.txt | 1067 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 1067 deletions
diff --git a/old/62397-0.txt b/old/62397-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3e8c715..0000000 --- a/old/62397-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1067 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Colonel Edward Buncombe, Fifth North -Carolina Continental Regiment, by Marshall DeLancey Haywood - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll -have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using -this ebook. - - - -Title: Colonel Edward Buncombe, Fifth North Carolina Continental Regiment - His Life, Military Careeer, and Death while a Wounded - Prisoner in Philadelphia during the War of the Revolution - -Author: Marshall DeLancey Haywood - -Release Date: June 14, 2020 [EBook #62397] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COLONEL EDWARD BUNCOMBE *** - - - - -Produced by David E. Brown and The Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - COLONEL - _EDWARD BUNCOMBE_, - - FIFTH NORTH CAROLINA - - CONTINENTAL REGIMENT. - - [Illustration] - - HIS LIFE, MILITARY CAREER, AND DEATH WHILE A - WOUNDED PRISONER IN PHILADELPHIA DURING - THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION. - - [Illustration] - - ADDRESS DELIVERED BEFORE THE NORTH CAROLINA SOCIETY OF - THE CINCINNATI AT ITS MEETING HELD IN HILLSBOROUGH, - JULY 4, 1901. - - BY - - MARSHALL DELANCEY HAYWOOD. - - [Illustration] - - PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. - - RALEIGH: - ALFORD, BYNUM & CHRISTOPHERS, PRINTERS, - 1901. - - - - -[Illustration] - -Author - - - - -ADDRESS. - - -MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THE SOCIETY: - -It is no small privilege which the North Carolina Society of the -Cincinnati enjoys when it meets in this ancient Revolutionary capital, -for here our organization was first brought into being. The year of -grace 1783, which is the date of its birth, was one of mingled joy -and depression to the people of America. The war, it is true, had -been fought to a successful close; and, by a treaty wherein they -were separately specified, King George had acknowledged the thirteen -colonies to be “free, sovereign, and independent States.” But how -changed was the order of things! The desolation following in the wake -of war was scarcely less terrible than war itself, and no State had -made greater sacrifices for the cause of liberty than North Carolina. -Under daring partisan leaders at home, under Washington in the north, -and Greene in the south, her sons had in countless fights lengthened -the list of killed and wounded, while those who were spared came home -to prove that-- - - “Peace hath her victories - No less renown’d than war.” - -Yet many, so many, there were of the brave defenders of America who did -not return, and their mortal remains still rest on and about the old -battlefields made memorable by their valor. To this class belonged the -good and gallant officer of whom I shall speak today. - -COLONEL EDWARD BUNCOMBE, of Buncombe Hall, in the Colony of North -Carolina, was born in the year 1742, on the Island of St. Christopher, -sometimes called St. Kitt’s, which is one of the Leeward group in the -West Indies. The register of St. Ann’s Parish, in the above island, -shows that: “Edward, son of Thomas and Esther Buncombe,” was baptized -on the 23d of September in the above year. - -Thomas Buncombe, the father of Edward, was a gentleman of English birth -and ancestry, and died in the Fall of 1747. He had four children: John, -Edward (of whom this sketch treats), Sarah, who married first a Mr. -Beach and then a Mr. Humbergen, and Ann, who married a Mr. Caines. - -Joseph Buncombe, a brother of Thomas, and hence an uncle of Edward, -lived for a time in North Carolina and married Ann, a daughter of -George Durant; but he is said to have died while absent from the colony -on a visit to relatives. When in North Carolina, his home was in what -is now the county of Washington (then a part of Tyrrell), where he -owned a valuable estate. He probably died childless, for his property -was bequeathed by him to his nephew. The latter, upon viewing the lands -in Tyrrell, was so well pleased with them that he disposed of his West -Indian possessions and settled permanently in North Carolina about the -year 1768. Shortly after this, the mansion known as Buncombe Hall was -erected on the site of his uncle’s former residence. - -Buncombe Hall lay about twelve miles south of Edenton, across Albemarle -Sound. At present a small hamlet called Chesson, in Washington County, -marks the place where it stood. It was famed throughout the colony as -a seat of boundless hospitality. Over an arched gateway, through which -the grounds were entered, was inscribed the couplet-- - - “Welcome all, - To Buncombe Hall.” - -Not only North Carolinians, but travellers in general, frequently -sought shelter there (for it was on a road largely used), and a warm -reception awaited each visitor. In 1773, when Josiah Quincey, of -Massachusetts, was returning from a southern tour, he made this entry -in his Diary,[A] while at New Bern, on the 2d of April: “Judge Howard -waited upon me in the evening with recommendatory letters to Colonel -Palmer of Bath, and Colonel Buncombe of Tyrrell County.” Referring to -April 5, he says: “Breakfasted with Colonel Buncombe who waited upon -me to Edenton Sound, and gave me letters to his friends there. Spent -this and the next day in crossing Albemarle Sound and in dining and -conversing in company with the most celebrated lawyers of Edenton.” - -Not long after his arrival in North Carolina, Colonel Buncombe was made -a magistrate, and served as one of the Justices of the Inferior Court -of Tyrrell County. He seems to have been very punctual in the discharge -of his official duties; for, in a letter written on November 29, 1771, -by Thomas Jones to Sir Nathaniel Dukinfield, a member of the Governor’s -Council, the former says that at a recent court Colonel Buncombe and -John McKildoe were the only members present.[B] Mr. Jones adds: “The -people attended with becoming decency and patience but at length grew -clamorous, damn’d the absent Justices (I think with propriety), and -then prevailed upon McKildoe to adjourn court.” - -In August, 1892, the centennial of Buncombe County, North Carolina, -was celebrated at Asheville, the county-seat. At that time a sketch -of Colonel Buncombe, written by one of his descendants, Mrs. Walter -H. Rogers (born Goelet), of New Orleans, appeared in the _Asheville -Citizen_, and from it we extract the following concerning his -residence: “Buncombe Hall, like its founder, has passed away. It -remained in the family till after the last war. Ere we quit the -subject, let me describe this historic spot. The main building, L -shape, contained eight large rooms, and a four-room basement under -the whole, which served as store-rooms and a kitchen. The brick used -in the building was brought from England. All necessary out-houses, -including offices, were upon the premises. The yard was filled on one -side with the most beautiful flowers and evergreens; on the other, with -fine trees and velvety grass. To the south, stretched away a large -peach and apple orchard--the whole surrounded by broad fields under -cultivation, set in a back-ground of forests. Here the contemplative -mind might revel in historic thought. The old hall, with its lofty -ceilings, high oak panels, and chimney casings, seemed to whisper -secrets of revolutionary times. Over the door of the dining-room hung -the coat-of-arms of the Goelet family (a rising swan on a helmet); and, -on the walls, were family portraits of Colonel Buncombe, his sister -Mrs. Caines and her little daughter.[C] On a closet door still remained -traces of sealing wax, used by the Colonel in sealing up his silver -plate and valuables when he went to the war--vain precaution! His -agent, left in charge, turned Tory, robbed him of not only the contents -of this closet, but sold off his slaves and valuable timber and then -decamped. - -“Soon after the fall of Roanoke Island, the Federal soldiers took -possession of Plymouth. Then Buncombe Hall fell a prey to them, -as Dr. Edward Buncombe Haughton, its owner, was fighting on the -Confederate side. He returned after the war, bankrupt in purse, as -all good Southerners were, and the old hall was sold to a Connecticut -carpet-bagger. It could even then have been restored to its former -greatness, but he razed it to the ground and did not leave a brick -standing. It passed, again, out of his possession. The Southern -Goelets, all descendants of Colonel Buncombe, were left too poor by the -war to rescue his home from annihilation; and so passed away, and was -wantonly destroyed, Buncombe Hall.” - -Before proceeding with my narrative, justice requires that -acknowledgement be made to Mrs. Rogers, not only for the above quoted -passages, but also for the letters hereinafter given, and other items -relative to the family connection of her distinguished ancestor. - -There are now nine localities in the United States called Buncombe, -most (if not all) of which derive the name either directly or -indirectly from Colonel Buncombe. They are: Buncombe County, North -Carolina; Buncombe, in Johnson County, Illinois; Buncombe, in Dubuque -County, Iowa--and Buncombe Township, in Sioux County, in the same -State; Buncombe, in Union County, Mississippi; Buncombe, in Lafayette -County, Wisconsin; Buncombe Ridge, in Lawrence County, Arkansas; -Buncombe, in Knott County, Kentucky; and Buncombe, in Jackson County, -Oregon. - -The word “buncombe”--which dictionaries give as signifying a bombastic -utterance, usually employed in windy harangues to gain popular -favor--had its origin through the following circumstance: In the -Congress of the United States, between the years 1817 and 1823, the -mountain district of North Carolina was represented by the Honorable -Felix Walker many of whose constituents were denizens of the now -famous county of Buncombe. One day, as Mr. Walker sat pondering over -his past political career, he remembered that during that session he -had made very few speeches--and this, by the way, was almost as rare -a fault with Congressmen in those days as it is now. So he decided to -speak; he did speak; he spoke at considerable length; and he didn’t -have anything particular to say, but he kept on talking, nevertheless. -And when, at last, patience had ceased to be a virtue, and some of his -long-suffering colleagues were beginning to leave the hall, he told -the more polite members who remained that they might go, too, if they -wished, for he intended to have his remarks published and sent to the -home people, as the speech was not intended for the House, but _only -for Buncombe_! - -But to return to Colonel Edward Buncombe. He received his education -in Great Britain; and, while living in St. Christopher, was united -in marriage (April 10, 1766,) with Elizabeth Dawson Taylor, who -accompanied him to North Carolina, but died just prior to the outbreak -of the Revolution. She and her son Thomas are buried under St. Paul’s -Church, at Edenton. The children of Colonel Buncombe by his marriage -with Miss Taylor were: - -I. Elizabeth Taylor Buncombe, born on the Island of St. Christopher, -March 11, 1767, who was brought when an infant to North Carolina. Her -education was received in New York and New Jersey, under the direction -of Abraham Lott. She married John Goelet, of New York (afterwards of -North Carolina), and left numerous descendants. - -II. Thomas Buncombe, born in North Carolina, February 3, 1769, who died -young. - -III. Hester Ann Buncombe, born April 25, 1771, who married John Clark, -of Bertie County, North Carolina, and had two children: Thomas Clark, -and Ann Booth Pollock Clark (wife of John Cox).[D] Both Thomas Clark -and his sister Mrs. Cox died without issue. - -From the above it will be seen that the only descendants now living -of Colonel Buncombe are through his eldest daughter who married John -Goelet, of New York. Mr. Goelet was of Huguenot descent, born in 1759, -on the date of the fall of Quebec, and himself saw service in the -Revolution. After the war was over and he had married Miss Buncombe, he -removed with his wife (about 1791) to Buncombe Hall, and died there in -the ninety-fifth year of his age, October, 1853. - -In the sketch by Mrs. Rogers, heretofore quoted, she says: “With the -death of Colonel Buncombe, the name died in this country, though -his patriotic spirit survived, he having eight great-grandsons who -volunteered in the Confederate army, one of whom, John Buncombe -Goelet, died on Malvern Hill in defence of Richmond, Virginia. He was -color-bearer of the Third Alabama Regiment, and belonged to Company A, -Mobile Cadets.” - -Prior to the Revolution, Colonel Buncombe held a commission in the -military establishment of the colony. He commanded a regiment of the -provincial troops of North Carolina, in the county of Tyrrell.[E] -Like nearly all of the better element of North Carolinians--such men -as Robert Howe, Richard Caswell, Francis Nash, Thomas Polk, Alexander -Lillington, Griffith Rutherford, and others who afterwards won fame -in the Revolution--he used every effort to aid Governor Tryon in -suppressing the excesses and riots of the Regulators, and received -the official thanks of His Excellency for the “truly public spirit” -displayed by him in the prosecution of this work. He did not, however -personally participate in the Alamance campaign, as the regiments of -his section of the colony were not called into active service. - -In religion, Colonel Buncombe was a member of the Church of England, -and, when he left the West Indies, a chaplain is said to have -accompanied his household to North Carolina. - -In the several years preceding the outbreak of the Revolution, the -patriots of North Carolina were boldly preparing for any emergency -which might arise. As early as April 26, 1774, William Hooper had -asserted in a letter addressed to Judge Iredell, that the colonies were -“striding fast to independence, and ere long would build an empire -upon the ruins of Great Britain; would adopt its constitution purged -of its impurities, and from an experience of its defects guard against -those evils which had wasted its vigor and brought it to an untimely -end.”[F] These were troublous times--times calling for men of high -purpose and courageous bearing, who, in the face of King, Parliament -and Royal Governor, would boldly contend for the rights which were -as dear to them as to the people of England. Nor was courage alone -sufficient to cope with King George’s representatives in Carolina. -Political dexterity played no small part in the controversies of that -day. Some years prior to the time of which we treat, when the British -Parliament passed the Stamp Act, more resistance, and armed resistance, -too, was encountered in North Carolina than anywhere else. But no -resistance came from the Assembly, for Governor Tryon prorogued that -body to prevent official action. This prorogation also prevented the -Assembly from later electing delegates to what is known as the Stamp -Act Congress. Tryon’s trickery worked so well that his successor, -Governor Josiah Martin, decided to play a similar game in 1774. A -controversy arising over the laws establishing courts in the colony, -and the King’s instructions being at variance with the ideas of the -Assembly, that body refused to yield; and Governor Martin thereupon -put a stop to proceedings by proroguing it. He also determined not to -re-convene it until the members were more inclined to obey the royal -will. This latter purpose being divulged by the governor’s private -secretary to John Harvey, that bold statesman determined that an -independent assembly, or convention, should be called. He left New -Bern, the seat of government, and, on the third of April, discussed the -matter with Willie Jones. The night following found him at Buncombe -Hall, in the county of Tyrrell. At this place Mr. Harvey confided -his plan to Samuel Johnston and Colonel Buncombe.[G] These notables -were impressed with the gravity of the situation, and the night was -far spent ere their consultation came to an end. Referring to this -conference, in his History of North Carolina,[H] Moore says: “Buncombe -was impulsive and impressionable, but Johnston was the embodiment of -caution and deliberation. He was full of determination to resist Lord -North’s measures, but he feared the effects of too much popular power. -These eminent men, with Hooper, John Ashe, Caswell, Person, and others, -at once acceded to Harvey’s proposition, and the ball of the Revolution -was put in motion.” - -Despite Governor Martin’s frantic proclamation forbidding its meeting, -the independent convention gathered in New Bern on the 25th of -August, 1774.[I] No assembly of its kind had ever before convened in -America. It was followed by others of like character. Delegates to the -Continental Congress were elected. The breach with Great Britain became -wider, and finally, as a last resort, independence was declared. And it -may be well just here to observe that North Carolina was the very first -colony to authorize a national declaration of independence, when in the -Provincial or State Congress at Halifax on April 12, 1776, Cornelius -Harnett submitted a committee report (which was unanimously adopted), -setting forth a resolution: “that the delegates for this colony in -the Continental Congress be impowered to concur with the delegates of -the other colonies in _declaring independency_.” This was more than a -month before the passage of the famous Virginia resolutions; and even -those who question the genuineness of the Mecklenburg Declaration of -Independence have never attempted to disprove the authenticity of this -resolution adopted by the Provincial Congress at Halifax. So North -Carolina will ever claim the proud distinction of having been first to -move for independence, as she was also first to offer resistance to the -Stamp Act. The preamble to the above resolve in favor of independence -is a masterly vindication of the course pursued by the colonies, and -should be read of all men.[J] - -As well may be supposed, a man of Colonel Buncombe’s spirit and -patriotism was not the person to hold back from participation in a -war, however perilous, which he himself had been instrumental in -bringing about. On September 9, 1775, he was elected Colonel of the -militia forces of Tyrrell County[K] by the Provincial Congress of -North Carolina, then in session at Halifax. He fulfilled the duties -of this position for about seven months, and, on the 17th of April, -1776, was transferred to the regular service, being made Colonel of the -Fifth Regiment of North Carolina troops in the Continental Line.[L] -During the period intervening between its organization and the time -when ordered to the field, the Fifth Regiment was maintained at his -private expense. On May 7, 1776, the appointment of Colonel Buncombe -was confirmed by the Continental Congress,[M] and his regiment was -assigned to General Francis Nash’s brigade. This brigade was made up -at Wilmington, North Carolina, in the Summer of 1776, and remained -in that vicinity till November of the same year. Having been ordered -to join Washington’s army, then operating in the north, General Nash -and his troops set out from Wilmington about the 15th of November, -and, on reaching the town of Halifax, were ordered back south, the -object being to keep the British from entering Georgia by way of St. -Augustine. No sooner, however, had Charleston been reached, than orders -were again countermanded. Thereupon the brigade marched to Haddrell’s -Point, opposite Fort Sullivan, South Carolina, at which place it -remained in the forces which were there opposing the operations of -Sir Henry Clinton. In March, 1777, orders were again given the North -Carolina brigade to join Washington. Moving up through North Carolina -and Virginia, and crossing the Potomac near Alexandria, the main -army was finally reached on the Jersey side of the Delaware River, -at Middlebrook. The accession of these brave North Carolinians was -gladly hailed by Washington, and they were given a thundering welcome -in the shape of “a salutation of thirteen cannon, each fired thirteen -times.”[N] - -At Alexandria, in the latter part of May, the march of Nash’s brigade -had been delayed to inoculate the troops against small-pox. - -Early in July, the North Carolinians, together with the other troops -around Philadelphia, were detailed to complete the fortifications on -the Delaware River.[O] - -On the 14th of August, 1777, while the Continental forces were in camp -at Trenton, we find Colonel Buncombe and the other field-officers of -Nash’s brigade uniting in a protest against a Pennsylvanian, Colonel -Edward Hand, being made a brigadier-general to command North Carolina -troops, _vice_ General James Moore, who had recently died.[P] While not -questioning Colonel Hand’s merit, they declared that the appointment -of any outsider would be a “reflection on North Carolina and a stab -at military honour throughout the continent in general.” The memorial -also contained some rather unpleasant references to Thomas Burke (then -a delegate from North Carolina in the Continental Congress), and -charged him with neglecting the interests of the State he represented -to advance one of his own countrymen--he and Hand both being natives -of Ireland. Burke was so enraged thereby that he declared, referring -to the signers of the protest: “Their behaviour in this instance has -determined me to forego all particular attention to them. I hope -they will so distinguish themselves that their merit alone will be -sufficient for their promotion, without standing in need of any -assistance which I could give.” Whether Doctor Burke did forego all -particular attention to the North Carolinians does not appear, but he -certainly succeeded in his efforts to secure the promotion of Hand, -who, it is a pleasure to add, rendered long and honorable service -during the war, and held a major-general’s commission in the regular -army after the return of peace. - -On the 11th day of September, 1777, was fought the battle of -Brandywine, and here Colonel Buncombe’s regiment was actively engaged. -In this conflict, the North Carolina brigade and Greene’s division were -ranged in the centre of the American Army.[Q] Being ordered to support -the right wing (then sorely pressed), their absence left the troops -under General Wayne to cope alone with a vastly superior force of the -enemy. After a brave and bloody resistance, Wayne was forced to retire, -and the day was lost. - -After his reverses at Brandywine, the never-despairing Washington drew -together his forces and prepared again to attack. He was, in truth, a -leader whom no disaster could appall. - -The next scene of action was at Germantown, Pennsylvania. This -fight occurred on the 4th of October, and was destined to be -Colonel Buncombe’s last battle, for there he received the wound -which ultimately caused his death while a prisoner in the hands of -the British. The brigade of North Carolinians was selected by the -commander-in-chief to act as a part of the reserve corps at Germantown, -but it may be questioned if it would have suffered more terribly if -placed in the van. The brave General Nash, with his thigh shattered by -a solid shot,[R] and fainting from the loss of blood, was borne to a -near-by house and lingered only three days. Lieutenant-Colonel Henry -Irwin of Buncombe’s regiment (the Fifth), Captain Jacob Turner of the -Third, and Lieutenant John McCann of the Sixth North Carolina, lay dead -on the field. Major William Polk of the Ninth, received a shot in the -face, which, for a time, deprived him of the power of speech. Captain -John Armstrong of the Second, Lieutenant Joshua Hadley of the Sixth, -and Ensign John Daves of the Second, were also among the wounded, as -were doubtless many others, of whom, unfortunately, we have now no -record. - -And the privates! How many of those forgotten heroes shed their blood -and gave up their lives, as freely as did the officers, will never be -known. May their devotion be rewarded in a better world. - - “’Tis to the virtue of such men, man owes - His portion in the good that heaven bestows; - And when recording history displays - Feats of renown, though wrought in ancient days-- - Tells of a few stout hearts that fought, and died, - Where duty placed them, at their country’s side-- - The man that is not moved with what he reads, - That takes not fire at their heroic deeds, - Unworthy of the blessings of the brave, - Is base in kind, and born to be a slave.” - -When struck down on the field of Germantown, Colonel Buncombe was left -for dead by the retreating Americans and lay where he fell until the -next day, when a British officer recognized him as an old schoolmate -and had him removed to Philadelphia. There he was paroled within the -city limits. His wound at first yielded to treatment, and it was -thought he would recover. But as life dragged on, he realized that the -weakened state of his constitution could not longer withstand continued -privation. Being in great financial straits, and his physical condition -growing worse day by day, he at last applied to Sir William Howe, -the British commandant of Philadelphia, for leave to go as a paroled -prisoner either to England or to North Carolina; but, if this request -was ever granted, he did not avail himself of the privilege. Fearing -that the motives which prompted his application had been misconstrued, -he addressed to General Washington a letter, the original of which is -now in possession of the Goelet family, Washington having returned it -to one of that connection, after the Revolution, as a memorial of its -brave author. Following is the communication in full: - - _Sir_, - - As I deem myself accountable to you, as my General, for every part - of my conduct, permit this letter to speak what in person I cannot - deliver. - - Distressed I have been, repeatedly soliciting a supply of money from - camp, yet hitherto I have not been obliged. I never was accustomed to - adversity. Let the feelings of Your Excellency’s heart speak for me. - - It is true I have my failings. Human nature will operate no - perfection. But, as an officer, have I in any shape or respect - disgraced my regiment? Have I not been anxious to fight for America? - Can one of Your Excellency’s officers accuse me of cowardice? - - Prompted by my distress, I was inevitably compelled to apply to - His Excellency General Sir William Howe either for a parole to the - southward or to Britain. Here I cannot command hard money; there I - can. - - The exigency of my case, I am persuaded, will point out the - expediency of my adopted measure. I request that you will not think - my departure from America a desertion of it. Always amenable to my - General’s call, in six months I shall be ready to obey your orders if - you think proper to have me exchanged. - - I have the honor to be, with sincerity, Your Excellency’s - - Very respectful and obed’t serv’t, - E. BUNCOMBE. - - To - His Excellency - General Washington, - Commander-in-Chief - of the Forces of the United Colonies. - -The unfortunate captive, by whom this letter was written, never lived -to enjoy the freedom he so much loved. He was, at times, addicted to -somnambulism; and about the middle of May, 1778, while walking in his -sleep, fell down a flight of stairs. This accident caused his wound to -open afresh; and, before assistance could avail, he bled to death. - -Thus passed the spirit of Edward Buncombe, soldier and gentleman-- - - “Than whom, knight - Was never dubbed, more bold in fight; - Nor, when from war and armor free, - More famed for stately courtesy.” - -And when they buried him, an entry was made on the parish-register -of Christ Church, Philadelphia, noting the interment of _Cornelius_ -Buncombe; while many North Carolina historians, in later years, have -given his first name as Richard! This consideration for his memory -brings to mind Byron’s remark on reading of the death, at Waterloo, -of an old college-mate: “There is fame! A man is killed. His name is -Grose, and they print it Grove.” - -The death of Colonel Buncombe occurred at the house of a Mrs. Kendall. -This we learn from a letter written on July 22, 1778, by Thomas -Franklin, a Philadelphia Quaker, to General Benedict Arnold (then in -the American service), giving a list of Buncombe’s effects, “left in ye -hands of ye widow Edy Kendall, where he lodged last and died.” - -During Colonel Buncombe’s service in the army, he was accompanied by -a faithful slave, Charles, and to this negro he bequeathed freedom. -The following reference to him is found in a letter from the Reverend -Adam Boyd, Brigade-Chaplain in the North Carolina Line, dated in camp, -at White Plains, New York, August 24, 1778: “Charles, I believe is -entitled to his freedom. The Colonel has often been heard to say he -should not serve anyone after his death; and some of his officers have -heard him say he had, in his will, ordered him his freedom. A law of -our State forbids such emancipation without the consent of the court of -that county in which the master usually resides. But an appeal to that -law in this case I do not think would be right, because it would defeat -the testator’s intention, which I think should be held sacred. Though -I think it would be easy for his heirs, should they avail themselves -of the law, to enslave Charles for life, I hope such a thing will not -be attempted. The principal object of this law was to prevent the -discharge of slaves that were not able to earn their living--a cruel -practice which had scandalously prevailed to avoid paying taxes, from -which old age or other infirmities do not exempt slaves.” The will, by -which Charles was supposed to be emancipated, could not be found among -Colonel Buncombe’s papers, but the negro was allowed to go free in -deference to his late owner’s expressed wish. The only will found was -one which had been made before the war. - -The spot where Colonel Buncombe lies buried is not marked, but it is -somewhere within the “additional church-yard” of the parish of Christ -Church, on the corner of Arch and Fifth Streets, Philadelphia. In this -enclosure are also deposited the remains of Benjamin Franklin, and -other patriots; while not many miles off sleep Nash, Irwin, Turner, -McCann, and their brave comrades, who counted not life above liberty. -And North Carolina should little grieve that her sons are left on the -soil of Pennsylvania. There they fell, fighting for the common cause of -America; there let them rest. - - “The neighing troop, the flashing blade, - The bugle’s stirring blast, - The charge, the dreadful cannonade, - The din and shout are past; - Nor war’s wild note nor glory’s peal - Shall thrill with fierce delight - Those breasts that nevermore may feel - The rapture of the fight.” - -As a grateful tribute to the memory of Colonel Buncombe, the General -Assembly of North Carolina, at its session of 1791, created a new -county just westward of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and called it in his -honor. This is a monument which will stand when the proudest memorials -of our day have become misshapen masses of stone. For ages it will -tell of the brave soldier who fought for his country’s freedom and now -sleeps in a forgotten grave, awaiting the last summons when the earth -and the sea shall give up their dead. Peaceful be his rest!--and may -generations yet to come draw inspiration from the life he led. - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - - -[A] Memoir of the Life of Josiah Quincey, Jun., by his son Josiah -Quincey, pp. 120, 121. - -[B] Colonial Records of North Carolina, Vol. IX., p. 60. - -[C] These portraits were afterwards destroyed in a fire when the -residence of Dr. Edward H. Goelet, of Goldsborough, N. C. was -burned--M. DeL. H. - -[D] Mrs. Ann Booth Pollock Cox is interred in the old burial ground -of St. Paul’s Church, Edenton, N. C. On her monument is an elaborate -inscription relative to the military record of her grandfather Colonel -Buncombe. - -[E] Colonial Records of N. C., Vol. VIII, pp. 705, 707. - -[F] Defence of North Carolina, by Jo. Seawell Jones, p. 314. - -[G] Defence of North Carolina, by Jo. Seawell Jones, p. 124. - -[H] Vol. I., p. 163. - -[I] Colonial Records of N. C., Vol. IX., p. 1041. - -[J] For full text of preamble and resolutions, see Colonial Records -of N. C., Vol. X., p. 512; Defence of North Carolina, by Jo. Seawell -Jones, p. 251. - -[K] Colonial Records of N. C., Vol. X., p. 205. - -[L] Colonial Records of N. C., Vol. X., p. 520. - -[M] American Archives (4th Series), Vol. V., p. 1698. - -[N] This account of the movements of Nash’s brigade is partly from -narrative of Hugh McDonald in old series of North Carolina University -Magazine (1853-’56, II., 466-470; IV., 158-162; V., 28-31, 208-211, -360-363), and partly from State Records. - -[O] State Records of N. C., Vol. XI., p. 733. - -[P] State Records of N. C., Vol. XI., pp. 562, 750. - -[Q] State Records of N. C., Vol. XI. page 621. - -[R] Moore’s History (I., 248, NOTE) states upon the authority of my -father, the late Dr. Richard B. Haywood, that Col. William Polk said -that Gen. Nash received his mortal wound from a shot through the -eyes. That Col. Polk also made this statement to persons other than -Dr. Haywood appears in Dr. W. M. Polk’s biography of Bishop Polk (I. -27), which quotes Col. Polk as saying Nash “was blind,” and almost -in syncope from loss of blood. Yet, strange as it may seem, though -official records show he was himself present and severely wounded at -Germantown, Col. Polk was mistaken in this, as will now be shown. John -Penn, writing from near the battlefield (on Oct. 10th) only three days -after Nash’s death, says: “Poor General Nash was killed by a cannon -ball, with his horse.” An obituary published in the NORTH CAROLINA -GAZETTE, less than a month later (Oct. 31st), states: “The winged -Messenger of Death, a cannon ball, * * * * struck him on the thigh, -tore his body in a most dreadful manner, and killed his horse under -him.” In the legislative proceedings in honor of Gen. Nash (Nov. 19th), -less than six weeks after his death, it appears that he “received a -wound from a cannon ball; and, after languishing some days * * * * -closed his useful life.” See State Records of North Carolina, Vol. XI., -pp. 649, 789; Ibid., Vol. XII., p. 279. Pennsylvania accounts also -say Nash was killed by a cannon ball which struck him on the thigh. -The statement by Col. Polk was made when he was a very old man, fifty -years or more after the battle; hence his mistake may have been caused -by confusing Gen. Nash with some other wounded officer at Germantown -who may have been shot through the eyes. Col. Polk’s second wife was a -sister of Dr. Haywood’s mother. - - - - -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: - - - Italicized or underlined text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Colonel Edward Buncombe, Fifth North -Carolina Continental Regiment, by Marshall DeLancey Haywood - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COLONEL EDWARD BUNCOMBE *** - -***** This file should be named 62397-0.txt or 62397-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/3/9/62397/ - -Produced by David E. Brown and The Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - |