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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Minutes of the New Bern Committee of Safety
New Bern (N.C.). Committee of Safety
August 05, 1775
Volume 10, Pages 139-140

[Reprinted from the American Archives. Vol. 3. P. 140.]
Proceedings of the Safety Committee at Newbern.


In Committee, August 5, 1776.

From the late conduct of Governor Martin at Fort Johnston, and intelligence since received by this Committee, it appears he intends erecting a King's Standard, and commencing hostilities against the people of this Province.

It is, therefore, Resolved, That no person or persons whatsoever, have any correspondence with him, either by personal communication or letter, on pain of being deemed enemies to the liberties of America, and dealt with accordingly. And that no person or persons presume to remove him or themselves from hence to Core Sound,

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or any other part of the Province where the Governor resides, without leave of this Committee, as he or they will not be suffered to return here.

By order:
R. COGDELL, Chairman.

By a gentleman just come to Town from Cape Fear, we have a certain account that the armed force which lately went down to burn Fort Johnston, have effected the same by destroying all the houses, and rendering the Fortress entirely useless. Captain Collet, who commanded that Fort, it is said had a number of slaves, which he had instigated to revolt from their masters, actually concealed in the Fort, which were again recovered by their several owners; for this treachery they burnt his dwelling-house, with all his furniture, and everything valuable he had not time to get on board the Man-of-war.



Additional Notes for Electronic Version: The contents of this document concerning the destruction of Fort Johnson indicate that this meeting took place in 1775, not 1776 as written on the document.