According to Barnwell, Fort Hancock was designed for the Tuscaroras by a “runaway negro” slave named Harry. Also in this entry (representing one single day of Barnwell’s long campaign against the Tuscarora) Barnwell insults and condemns the local Palatines who had participated with him in his assault on the fort by calling them “cowards” and saying that for their running from the assault rather than proceeding according to his orders, the Tuscaroras, “deservedly shott sevll of them in their arses.” After rattling off casualty statistics, he then proceeds to brag incessantly about the bravery of his own South Carolina men.
From The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. VI, no. 1 (July 1898)
The following entry describes a number of interesting items. First, according to Barnwell, Fort Hancock was designed for the Tuscaroras by a “runaway negro” slave named Harry. Second, Barnwell insults and condemns the local Palatines who had participated with him in his assault on the fort by calling them “cowards” and saying that for their running from the assault rather than proceeding according to his orders, the Tuscaroras, “deservedly shott sevll of them in their arses.” After rattling off casualty statistics, he then proceeds to brag incessantly about the bravery of his own South Carolina men.
March 5, 1712
Before day I marched with about 100 men thro’ the woods to get on the back side of ye Fort & left orders wth my major & Brice to march in ye road way by daylight with the remainder, and if I heard any shooting I would intercept ye ambuscades; but we all got to the Fort without any trouble. I imeadiately viewed the Fort with a prospective glass and found it strong as well by situation on the river’s bank as Workmanship, having a large Earthen Trench thrown up against the puncheons with 2 teer of port holes; the lower teer they could stop at pleasure with plugs, & large limbs of trees lay confusedly about it to make the approach intricate, and all about much with large reeds & canes to run into people’s legs. The Earthern work was so high that it signified nothing to burn the puncheons, & it had 4 round [45] Bastions or Flankers; the enemy says it was a runaway negro taught them to fortify thus, named Harry, whom Dove Williamson sold into Virginia for roguery & since fled to the Tuscaruros. Yet hoping to finish the war by this stroke, where now all the principal murderers were in a pen. I encouraged my men by promises, &c. I ordered 200 Fashines to be made which ye palatines well understood to do. I had them presently done. It is too tedious to inform yor Honr all the particulars how I ordered the Attack; but in short, when we were got within 10 or 12 yards of the Fort the enemy made a terrible fire upon us without the least damage in the world, but this country base, cowardly people hearing the shott strike their Fashines, threw both them & their arms away & run for life, wch not only left themselves exposed but also all those that went under their shelters; this encouraged the enemy to renew the firing, who deservedly shott sevll of them in their arses. In the mean time my brave South Carolina men * 23 of this country undauntedly kept their order. I ordered them to keep their stations until I brought up the runaways. But all my endeavour was in vain, tho’ I mauled sevll wth my cutlass, and as soon as they saw me running towards them they would scamper into the swamp that was hard by. I, seeing the confusion & being afraid that the number that drew the enemy’s fire was insufficient to come at the Fort by assault, I ordered a retreat which was bravely managed, for every man got his Fashine on his back, and of my own number I had but one wounded; the most of them had 10 or more shott in his Fashine, but of the runaways there were 1 killed & 18 wounded, and of the 23 that stood by my men there were 3 killed & 2 wounded, in all 4 killed and 20 wounded. It rained smartly during the attempt, wch proved a great hindrance. I ordered the Indians to make a false attack on the contrary side, which they did with such caution that they had not a man hurt. At night I ordered some of my men to go up & bring off the dead men wch was performed, only 1 man they could not find. I endeavored to encourage the men to renew the attack in the night, but in vain, for I could get but 16 with my own men, who never refused me any thing I putt them upon.
For entire text of Barnwell Journal, please visit the North Carolina Office of Archives and History’s Colonial Records Project.