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 ngland
and France had been enemies for centuries before either claimed
parts of the New World. In North America, the conflict involved
settlers, soldiers and native peoples. The climax was the
French and Indian War (1754-1763).
As a result of France's growing attempt in early 1754 to
connect her extensive dominions in North America by uniting
Canada with Louisiana, she took possession claimed by England
to be within the Province of Virginia and began a line of
military posts from the Great Lakes to the Ohio Valley. North
Carolina was the first colony to respond to Virginia Governor
Dinwiddie's call for military assistance and marked the first
time a British colony voted to support troops outside of its
own borders in behalf of a common cause and defense.
 North
Carolina's Colonel James Innes (1700-1759) was commissioned
commanding officer of all provincial forces in the first Ohio
expedition by Governor Dinwiddie from June 4, 1754 to October
24, 1754. Under Innes, North Carolina's provincial soldiers
consisted of approximately 750 men, including Lieutenant Hugh
Waddell.
Disbanded in the fall of 1754, North Carolina provincials
returned to service under Major Edward Brice Dobbs in 1755,
during Braddock's march, and later during the New York Expedition
in 1756. North Carolina continued to send troops throughout
the war to the aid of the other colonies and participated
in 1758 in Forbes Expedition. In 1759, under Colonel Hugh
Waddell, North Carolina provincials were recalled from South
Carolina following the fall of Fort Loudoun. North Carolina
was again at the aid of Virginia in 1761 during the Cherokee
War, where the Cherokees were soundly defeated.
WADDELL
& NC PROVINCIAL FRONTIER COMPANY
  aptain
Hugh Waddell (1734-1773) was given the NC provincial frontier
company to defend the North Carolina western frontier in 1755
by Governor Arthur Dobbs. Governor Dobbs found Waddell to
be in "every way qualified for such a command, as
he was young, active and resolute."
Earlier that year, Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia offered
Waddell any service in his power. The Frontier Company, forty
to fifty in number, were uniformed in "blue with turned
up red collars." In 1756, Waddell served as a commissioner
of peace, the only NC representative negotiating peace with
the Catawbas and Cherokees.
Following the construction of Fort Dobbs in 1756, the Frontier
Company began construction of a fort for the Catawbas in present
day Fort Mill, SC. However, the fort was never completed due
to border disputes with South Carolina.
Dobbs continued Waddell as a captain and under General Forbes
sent Waddell to the Ohio River Valley where he commanded three
companies, including his own frontier company. At that time
he was given commission of major to command those provincials.
During the Forbes expedition, Waddell excelled in leadership,
military skills and tactics. His sergeant, John Rogers, took
the only Indian prisoner who gave General Forbes intelligence
concerning Fort Du Quesne. Using that intelligence, Forbes
proceeded to the fort. Upon return, Waddell was given a colonel's
commission and was ordered to command the militia from Rowan,
Anson and Orange counties to act along with the provincials.
At that time, Waddell' s company consisted of fifty-two provincial
soldiers and thirty-four Catawba Indians.
FORT
DOBBS
  hen
war began, North Carolina's unprotected frontier settlements
were considered at risk from Indians friendly to the French.
In 1755, Gov. Arthur Dobbs (1689-1765) persuaded the legislature
to fund "a Barrack and Fort for the Company on the Western
Frontier." Construction was underway by the spring
of 1756.
In December
1756 the only known contemporary description of Fort Dobbs
said it was: "A good and Substantial Building of the
Dimentions following (that is to say) The Oblong Square fifty
three feet by forty, the opposite Angles Twenty four feet
and Twenty-two, In height Twenty four and a half feet as by
the Plan annexed Appears, The Thickness of the Walls which
are made of Oak Logs regularly Diminished from sixteen Inches
to Six, it contains three floors and there may be discharged
from each floor at one and the same time about one hundred
Muskets the same is beautifully scituated in the fork of Fourth
Creek a Branch of the Yadkin River."
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Fort
Dobbs was the only frontier provincial fort in the colony
of North Carolina. It served as the military headquarters
for the frontier company (approximately fifty men) as well
as a safe-haven for settlers.
The fort
was attacked on the night of February 27, 1760 when more than
seventy Cherokees were repelled. One colonial boy was killed,
two soldiers and one volunteer injured and approximately twelve
Cherokee were wounded and killed. Waddell described the encounter
in a dispatch to Governor Dobbs.
"We
had not marched 300 yds from the fort when we were attacked
by at least 60 or 70 Indians ... We recd the Indian's fire:
When I perceived they had almost all fired, I ordered my party
to fire which We did not further than 12 Steps each loaded
with a Bullet and 7 Buck shot, they had nothing to cover them
as they were advancing either to tomahawk or make us prisoners
... the Indians were soon repulsed with I am sure a considerable
Loss, from what I myself saw as well as those I can confide
in they cou'd not have less that 10 or 12 killed and wounded
... On my sided I had 2 Men wounded one of whom I am afraid
will die as he is scalped, the other is in a way of Recovery,
and one boy killed near the fort."
By the
end of 1761, the British had essentially won the war and only
thirty troops remained at the fort. Colonial leaders disbanded
them as settlement moved far west of the fort. The neglected
fort was in ruins by 1766.
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