[This memorandum was furnished for Washington's tour in 1791, but the data applies to the Revolutionary period. W. C.]
Distances. |
Miles. |
|
From Petersburg to Cabin Point |
26 |
|
From Cabin Point to Smithfield |
37 |
|
From Smithfield to Suffolk |
22 |
85 |
From Suffolk to Riddick's |
12 |
|
From Riddick's to Mitchel's |
21 |
|
From Mitchell's to Edenton. |
21 |
54 |
From Edenton across the Ferry |
12 |
|
From Ferry to Jackson's |
25 |
|
From Jackson's to Washington |
20 |
|
From Washington to Curtis's Ferry |
30 |
|
From Curtis's Ferry to New Bern |
10 |
|
Exclusive of Ferry. |
85 |
|
224 |
Distances. |
Miles. |
|
From Petersburg to Oliver's |
28 |
|
From Oliver's to Hick's Ford |
19 |
|
From Hick's Ford to Halifax |
28 |
|
From Halifax to Tarborough |
36 |
|
From Tarborough to Greenville |
25 |
|
From Greenville to Blount Hall |
16 |
|
From Blount Hall to Curtis's Ferry |
30 |
|
From Curtis' Ferry to New Bern |
10 |
192 |
I am not acquainted with the road from Petersburg to Halifax, nor with that from Halifax, by way of Tarborough, to Newburn. but at Petersburg the best information can be obtained of the former and at Halifax of the latter.
Road from Newburn to Wilmington. The road I am best acquainted with between these two places, and which I believe is really the best, is, as nearly as I can recollect, as follows: It is usually called the Middle Road.
Distance |
Miles. |
From Newburn to Collier's (a tolerable house) |
8 |
From Colliers to Trenton (I am not well acquainted with this stage) |
12 |
Note: Within about three miles of Trenton lives one Clifton, who has a very small, indifferent house, but usually keeps good provender for horses.
Distance |
|
From Trenton to Shines (one of the best) |
9 |
From Shines to Mrs. Williams' (indifferent) |
7 |
From Mrs. Williams' to at what they call the Chapel (indifferent) |
4 |
From the Chapel to Foy's (but tolerable) I believe about |
13 |
From Foy's to Sage's (a good stage) |
19 |
From Sage's to Jennett's (indifferent), about |
11 |
From Jennett's to Wilmington |
17 |
The accommodations on this road are, in general, very bad. It will be better to obtain at Wilmington fuller information than I can give. The Stages, such as they are, which I am acquainted with, are as follows:
Distance |
Miles. |
From Wilmington to Daniels, at Four Creek, (a very indifferent house indeed) |
10 |
From Daniels to Rose's (also very indifferent) |
16 |
From Ross's to William Gosse's (also very indifferent) |
13 |
From Gosse's to the Boundary, no public house |
10 |
Note.—A Mr. Dupree lives near this, a very obliging hospitable man, but who lived in a very small house when I was last there.
He did live at the Boundary House, which is a pretty good one, and I think he intended to go there again, but am not certain. It would be very desirable to rest some where about this place, on account of the distance necessary to go upon the next Stage, & the uncertainty as to the proper time of crossing the Long Bay. It may be proper to enquire here about a proper house to stop at next.Distance |
Miles. |
From the Boundary to the Long Bay |
14 or 15 |
Note.—One Varcer lived at this side, near the Long Bay, and a little out of the road, where a public house was formerly kept. But I believe there is none there now. The son lives at the house, which is a wretched one. But I believe there are one or two others on this side the Bay, tho' not public ones that I know of, nor am I at all acquainted with them.
It will be necessary to make enquiry as to the proper time of tide for crossing the Long Bay. It is a sand Beach on the Seaside, and at low water it is delightful to cross in; you ride about 14 miles upon it.
Distance |
Miles. |
Over the Long Bay to McGill's (a tolerable house. |
15 |
After this I know none but private houses to Winyaw Bay.
Miles. |
|
From McGill's to Mr. B. Mstons. (?) |
11 |
B. Mstons. to Colo. Heriott's (on Winyaw Bay) |
17 |
This gentleman is extremely respectable and hospitable, and is a man of large Fortune. He will undoubtedly meet the President long before he reaches his house, if he should go that way. I know not the way by the Common Ferry, nor what accommodations there are there.
Distance |
Miles. |
Across the Bay from Colo. Heriott's to George Town, about |
2 or 3 |
There will be no doubt of your obtaining at George Town full information of the Road from there to Charleston, upon which the stages are better than before.
At Charleston there will be the fullest information of the Road to Savannah.
The Road from Savannah to Augusta I am not acquainted with.
The only Road from Augusta through South & North Carolina that I am acquainted with is Columbia and Camden in South Carolina and Fayetteville in North Carolina. But in general the accommodations are very wretched, and the country a very miserable one, and I don't doubt the upper road that goes through Charlotte and Salisbury in North Carolina (and which I am told the President intends taking) is preferable. Of that I can give no particulars.
From Petersburg, in Virginia, to Charleston, S. C., via Edenton, is 504 miles, to-wit:
Distance. |
Miles. |
|
From Petersburg to Suffolk |
84 |
|
to Edenton |
58 |
|
to Washington |
60 |
|
to Newburn |
40 |
242 |
to Newriver |
60 |
|
to Wilmington |
41 |
|
to Boundary House |
40 |
|
to Georgetown |
60 |
|
to Charleston |
61 |
504 |
From Petersburg to Charleston, via Halifax, N. C., is 460 miles, to-wit:
Distance. |
Miles. |
|
From Petersburg to Oliver's Tavern. |
26 |
|
to Hicks' Ford. |
19 |
|
to Halifax, N. C |
28 |
|
to Slaughter's Tavern |
21 |
|
to Tarborough. |
14 |
|
to Greeneville. |
25 |
|
to Allen Tavern |
11 |
|
to Curtis's Ferry. |
1 22 |
|
to Newburn |
10 |
|
to New river |
61 |
|
to Wilmington. |
40 |
|
to Boundary house |
40 |
|
to Georgetown. |
60 |
|
to Charleston. |
60 |
437 |
Route from Richmond in Virginia to Edenton in North Carolina.
Distances. |
Miles. |
|
Richmond to Petersburg 25 miles, viz.: |
||
Richmond to Osborne's. |
15 |
|
Osborne's to Petersburg |
10 |
25 |
Petersburg to Suffolk 81 miles, viz.: |
||
Petersburg to Geary's |
15 |
|
Geary's to Cabin Point |
11 |
|
Cabin Point to McIntosh's |
14 |
|
McIntosh's to Smithfield |
19 |
|
Smithfield to Suffolk |
22 |
81 |
Suffolk to Edenton 54 miles, viz.: |
||
Suffolk to Riddick's |
12 |
|
Riddick's to Mitchell's |
21 |
|
Mitchell's to Edenton |
21 |
54 |
Richmond to Edenton |
160 |