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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Report concerning the militia in each county of North Carolina
No Author
1754
Volume 05, Pages 161-163

[From MSS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]

Abstracts of returns from the several counties in response to circular from Governor Dobbs. [See ante, page 144.—Editor.]

Beaufort—Coll: Barrows Regimt for Beaufort County 7 Companys 587 The Coll: gives up, recommends John Boyd Lieut Coll: to succeed him, Major Willm Caruthers to be Lieut Coll: Captn Buck to be major Mr. John Handy to be Captn and John Alderson to be a Captn in place of Captn Newman who is infirm and desires to be excused No indians; no arms in the publick store in the county about 50 lbs weight of powder and 150 lbs of large shot

Bertie—Coll: Robert West's Regimt in Bertie County without officers, 8 Companys 720. Troop 44 Tuskeruro Indians 100 men & 201 women & children in all 301

Bladen—Col: Rutherfords Regimt of Foot in Bladen County 441. a Troop of horse 36. A new company necessary to be made at Waggamaw James Kerr recommended for Captn

Drowning Creek on the head of Little Pedee, 50 families a mixt Crew, a lawless People, possess the Lands without patent or paying quit rents; shot a Surveyor for coming to view vacant lands being inclosed in great swamps

Quakers to attend musters or pay as in the Northern Counties; fines not high enough to oblige the Militia to attend musters No arms stores or Indians in the county

Bladen Troop Willm Davys Captn with officers 33 men The Troop wants Holsters with Blew Caps & Housings fringed, pistols, Carbines, Broad Swords or hangers with which they want to be furnished. No Indians

Carteret—Coll Thoms Lovick Collector of Beaufort in Carteret County His Regmt consists only of 2 companys amounting to 195 men including

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officers Coll &c 209. no arms or ammunition in store No Indians in the County

Chowan County—Coll Cravens Regmt in Chowan consists of 7 Companies in all 652 men besides officers Captn is dead Willm Walton recommended to succeed him He desires to have the companys more equally divided and to have 8 companys and to alter the districts There is but one Indian Nation the Chowans in the County only 2 men and 5 women and children ill used by their neighbors

No arms in store 400 weight of Bullets & swan shot. The last County Court made an order to buy 100 weight of Gun powder

He complains that the officers pay is too small and the Private Men too large

Currituck—Currytuck County Coll: Shergold 5 companies Officers Included 345 Willm Shergold to be Coll: Stephen Williams Lieut Coll: Robert Whitehall Major Tho. Burgess in room of Captn Davys John Woodhouse in room of Captn Jacob Ferrers in room of Captn Carr.

Dupplin—Capt Fred'k Greggs Troop Dupplin County including officers 39 men. No arms. No ammunition in store. Pay he says is too small in case of a march

Edgcomb—Coll: John Haywood returns for Edgcomb County 14 companies Number of men including officers 1317 5 Captains Removed laid down or dead No Indians in the county no arms in store. The number of militia upon a new muster may be about 200 more It is desired that more companies be added and these more equally divided

Granville—Willm Eaton Esqr Coll: of Granville county His Regimt consists of 8 companys 734 besides officers 2 Captns Simms & Jones are moved away the others Resigned He thinks the fines on delinquents should be fixed by a Court Martial.

No arms or ammunition in the Stores There are about 12 or 14 Sapona men and as many women & children in the county Major Payne by Col: Eaton for Granville county recommends John Martin to be Captn over part of Sugar Jones Company & Willm Hawkins Captn over the other part above Shaws Road and John Hawkins Captn over part of Richd Coleman's Company & Willm Johnston over part of Willm Harris Company & Willm Paton Captn instead of Benjamin Sims moved away Capt Hursts Troop with officers 32.

Hyde—Hyde county Coll: Sinclair. Regt 4 companys with officers 252.

Johnston—Coll: De Rossetts Regmt in Johnston county 10 companies officers included & Troop of Horses 893 No Indians. Indifferently armed Most have guns Captn has resigned Robt Cade his Lieut to succeed him.

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New Hanover—Col: Wm Dry Returns for Coll: Innes' Regmt in New Hanover county Total including officers in 5 companys 508.

No Indians in the county no arms nor ammunition in store but desires to have some lodged at Cape Fear to protect the shipping

The Major having thrown up he desires Captn John Ashe the eldest Captain to be made Major his Lieut to be made Captain & Ensign Lieutenant Ensigns he says are made by the Field officers and the clerks sergeants & Corporals by the Captn; his observations on ye militia are to have 4 quarterly musters and those who don't appear without reasonable excuses to each Captain or of Captains to the field officers to be fined Captains 30 Lieuts 20 Ensigns 15 Sergeants Corporals and private men 6s 8d each. Sergeant upon the Captain's warrant to Levy the fine or upon neglect or refusal to pay 20 Those who dont attend the General muster to forfeit double; private men who enlist in the Horse to bring a certificate from the officer of the Troop upon neglect to pay a fine as above. No Captn of a Troop to enlist a man out of his county or district on penalty of £5

Northampton—Northampton County John Dawson Coll: 7 Companys officers included 739 Captn Willm Short recommended for Major as eldest Captn in Room of Major James Manny deceased The return suggested to be Short by 200 No arms &c in store no Indians but the Meherrins about 708 fighting men,

Onslow—Onslow County Coll: John Starkey Regmt 4 Companys officers included 352. No Indians no arms in store

Orange—Elexr McCullogh gives up his Commission for Orange Recommends John Gray Sherrif to be Colonel Dixon Lieut Coll: not suitable for Colonel

Pasquotank—Pasquotank County Coll: Rt Murdens Regiment officers included 590. No arms no Indians David Davys & William Martin recommended in room of Captns Hughe & Abercrombie

Perquimans—Perquimans County Coll: John Russells Regimt including officers 379—3 companies No arms nor ammunition no Indians 150 Quakers in ye militia Wants to divide the eldest Company and recommends for Captn

Tyrrell—Captn Evan Jones returns for Tyrrell county Militia which consists of 5 companies 4 returned at 337 Captn Everet made no return The Coll: dead Lieut Coll & Major have neglected to act He as eldest Captn desires a promotion No arms or ammunition in store no Indians in the County