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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Henry Eustace McCulloh to Edmund Fanning
McCulloh, Henry Eustace, d. ca. 1810
May 09, 1765
Volume 07, Pages 32-34

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[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from Henry E. McCulloh to Edmund Fanning


Mecklenburgh County 9th May, 1765

Dear Ned

More adventures yet—(Shall not the war of Sugar Creek be handed down to posterity?) Pro ut patet per depositiones multorum—Thy poor friend John Frohock—Abraham the father of the Faithful cum multis aliis—have undergone the Bastinado—and have been in Troth—well Striped—Providentially detained by particular business I was not there—had I been present—I most assuredly & without any ceremony had been murdered;—which in all probability would have made the Event much more fatal to my then present friends;—their Guns were brought for that particular purpose.—They declare solemnly—publicly, they will put me to Death:—they may be damned for a pack of ungrateful brutal Sons of Bitches:—I dont care:—I will tomorrow make my will:—& if they do, bequeath my Revenge with my Estate—Ned, thou shalt be one of my Executors & if the event should take place—one of their Executioners.—It made my heart quite full, when I first saw poor John,—inter plurimos,—he got one damnable wipe across the Nose and Mouth,—and Abraham they say is striped from the nape of his neck to the Waistband of his Breeches, like a draftBoard; poor Jimmy Alexander had very near had daylight let into his skull:—a pack of Unmannerly Sons of Bitches as Abraham called them This catastrophe was by me little expected—and little deserved, as thou mayst perceive by my paper to John Frohock;—and I declare my Intention was to give them an opportunity of avoiding the consequences of their Errors;—& to restore things to peace.—Cousin Billy—who will deliver you this can tell all about it:—he was one of the Thrashees,—John Frohock says I can hardly form an Idea equal to the horror of their Behaviour and Appearance.—Ned—can the Annalls of the history of this Country, parallell this affair,—omnibus consideratis considerandis?—Shall not my soul see its Revenge?—By the Eternal God,—it shall not be for want of my utmost Exertions.—Didst thou ever hear of such a thing as Grand Larceny,—or the Black act? But these things, at present Sub Rosa

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I have not time to write to any other of my friends—Thou art my Plenipo.—I would fain hope my friends would think of my situation and the Treatment I have received?—Have I not all along attempted every thing which would give them an opening for peace and forgiveness? Is not my life in the greatest peril?—my friends cruelly abused for being so?—And circumstanced as I am, what am I to do—Should I submit to these sons of Sons of Bitches! May quick perdition catch me if I do!—

Let this transaction be laid before the Gov & Council. It is all owing to the assurances of support from them,—which they are falsely made to believe: Surely my Cause is the Cause of Government, and demands their support and Interposition,—not opposition.—I am at times mad enough to do anything.—I would fain have Colo Tryon acquainted by my friends of the true situation of affairs:—how would he have me to have acted or to act?—I know not how otherwise than as I have and am intended.—Moses brought me up my power of attorney from Maurice Moore—what business had he with it?—Ned, I will not be oppressed out of my rights by any Combination,—and I will Call any of its supporters to a strict and proper account.—Whether I am ever to see you or not, I cannot tell.—I will endeavor to act as becomes an honest man, and a man of spirit & defy the Devil and his seduced. In the situation affairs are can I travel the woods without the justest apprehensions of being murdered:—Kill me they say & no man will come after me—But my friend, be assured, my mind is perfectly serene:—and above being moved at these things:—I am a sort of predestinarian.—whatever will be, will be—If no accident happens to me, I will be at Corbinton, the last of the month, or very early in the next.

I need not enlarge; the Depositions will give you the circumstances fully:—and you and my friends will best judge what use to make of them.—I depend much upon Alex and Mr Jones. There are no more ejectments served,—and but the one writ executed agt Polk.—Have him taken upon another for the mesne profits—£1000—Dont fail.

Be good to Billy Alexander:—he is a good Lad & of a true and undaunted spirit:—and right clever—he will return with you and meet me at Corbinton:—I shall be impatient to see you.—I am got engaged in Scenes that are far from being agreeable but strong

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in the consciousness of the Rectitude of my own actions, I will walk forward till I die,—and (barr a Damned Bullet) I am not in the least doubtful as to the event

Remember me to all my friends,
I am
Dear Ned
Ever thine
HENRY E. McCULLOH.

P. S. If you see Mr Campbell tell him All's Well. Ned, take my friends' advice whether I have not a right to demand a proclamation from the Gov. & Counl, offering a pardon to any of the persons concerned in this last affair who will discover. The reward shall be my part—Their Behavr is felonious no doubt & punishable with death. I shoud be proud to get such a procln and which I most justly may demand—Let Billy have what money he wants—