Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from the Lords Proprietors of Carolina to the Board of Trade of Great Britain
Carolina. Lords Proprietors.
July 08, 1715
Volume 02, Pages 188-189

[B. P. R. O. B. T. Proprieties. Vol. 9. Q. 47.]
LORDS PROPrs OF CAROLINA TO LDS. OF TRADE


8 July 1715.

My Lords.

We receiv'd Letters two days ago from Carolina, which give us an account of the deplorable Condition his Majesty's Subjects in that province at present are in, by an Invasion the Indians have lately made upon them, who have exercised the greatest barbarities in torturing to Death most of the British Traders That were amongst them; And the case seems to be the worse, because it does not proceed from any provocation given to them as we are inform'd but it is the Opinion of that Country, that all the Indian Nations amounting to ten thousand in number have combined to ruin, if they are not in time prevented, all the British Settlemts on the Continent of America, to which Carolina is a Frontier. We the proprietors have met upon this Melancholy occasion and to our great Grief find that We are unable of Ourselves to afford suitable assistance in this Conjuncture, and unless his Majesty will graciously please to interpose by sending Men, Armes, and ammunition we can foresee nothing but the utter Destruction of his faithfull Subjects in those parts. The Honble Charles Craven Esqre, Our Governor of South Carolina has behaved himself as a man of his quality ought with the utmost Bravery

-------------------- page 189 --------------------
and to his Conduct it is oweing, that the Country is not already taken by the enemy. We would most willingly give at our Board sufficient Security to repay to the Government such sums of money as shall be expended upon this necessary occasion, if some of our members particularly his Grace the Duke of Beaufort, and the Right Honble the Lord Craven cou'd by reason of their Minority be bound Whatever assistance is by his Majesty's Goodness afforded, we hope may be speedily sent, We retain one ship on purpose to carry armes, and others shall we procure to go at a Days warning. We have consulted General Nicholson who has commanded forces against these Indians and he gives in the following estimate as necessary for the Defence of the Province, vizt three hundred barrels of powder fifteen hundred Musquets with Bayonets two thousand Cutlasses, forty Cohorn mortars with hand Grannadoes Coll Nicholson is likewise of opinion, that it will be highly necessary, that all his Majesty's Subjects in the several Colonies upon the Continent be by proclamation prohibited to sell any Armes, ammunition &c to the Indians and that the French and Spanish Ministers may be desired to give the same Directions to their respective Colonies in those parts. All which is recommended to Your Lordships Wisdom, and we intreat Your Lordps to make a Report to the Secretaries of State Or Council as soon as You can conveniently.

We are My Lords
Your Lordps
Most obedient
Humble servants
CARTERET Palatin
JAMES BERTIE for Beaufort
J COLLETON


St James's july the 8th 1715

Since this was wrote We
have receiv'd from Your
Lordps a Lre and shall be
ready to attend You, on
Monday morning next, if
it suit with your Lordps
Business or any other Day
that You shall appoint

(Endorsed)

Recd 11th July 1715 Q 47
Read 12th Do 1715 Q 47