April 24, 1937
THE STATE
Роде
Five
Betsy Dowdy’s Ride
WHEN the Colonists in the Albemarle see-
tion were in danger, it was Betsy Dowdy
wlio spread the news and sueeeeded in
hailing the advance of the British troops
info this state.
MASSACHUSETTS may boast
of hi. Paul Revere, famed in
poetry an>l legend for his
famous ride, but North Carolina also
can point with equal pride to the
lieroie ride* of such individual* a*
James Jack, Mary Slocum and Betsy
Dowdy.
It i* with Dewy Dowdy that this
story concern»: the beautiful young
girl whose warning, "Lord Dunmorc
is coming!” wa» fully entitled to go
down into history with I'aul Revere’»
cry of “The British aro coming!”
It was in the winter of 1775 that
Betty Dowdy took her famous ride
along the coast country of North Caro¬
lina. That was a bleak and gloomy
winter, when despair and foreboding*
ran rampant throughout the Colonic*.
Governor Tryou had fled from his
palace in New Bern to the safety of
the armed schooner. Cruiser, from
which he continued to issue orders.
Kxcitcineiil was at high pilch for it
wa» expected that at any moment lx>rd
Dunmorc would extend his violence
down into Carolina» Albemarle sec¬
tion. News of his raids in Virginia
had come to the people of North Caro¬
lina and Dunmoro’s every movement
wa» being carefully watched and re¬
ported.
Colonel Isaac Gregory was stationed
at Camden. The plan of the military
leader* of the Colonists was for
Gregory’» force, to joint with those of
Colonel Robert Howe ami hold Lord
Dunmorc’» army iu cheek at Great
Bridge, Virginia.
On the "bank.” just aero,, from
Knott’s I*!*nd lived Sammy Jarvis
and Joe Dowdy, neighbor fishermen
and close friend». Early in December,
1775, Jarvis went over to the main¬
land to hear news of Colonel Howe’»
movements toward Great Bridge.
When he returned home late in the
evening he was greatly excited. After
a short re*t and a hasty bite of sup¬
per, old man Jarvis went over to
Dowdy’s to tell him the new*.
By MAJEI. IVEY SEAY
"Well, Uncle Sammy,” said Dowdy,
“what arc the news; tell u, nil.”
“Uncle Joseph,” said Jarvis “thing.
is forgerty. Colonel Gregory it hurry¬
ing up his Camden iniliih to join Howe.
If they don’t reach Great Bridgo in
time to bear a hand in the fight, they’ll
hurry ou to Norfolk and drive Dun-
more out of the old town. But if
Dunmorc beau our folks at Great
Bridge, then our gooso is cooked and
all our properly all gone, all the gold
and goods saved in our bard life work,
and all our cattle and marsh ponies.”
“You don’t teU me so!” exclaimed
Dowdy.
“Ye, it’s so. The only thing that
can save us is General William Skin¬
ner, of Perquimans, and the militia:
but he’s too far away. We can’t get
word to him in lime.”
As Jarvia said these word* slowly,
Betsy Dowdy, Joe Dowdy’» young and
pretty daughter, who was present with
the family, said: “Uncle Sammy, do
you say the Brit idler* w ill
сото
and
•teal away all our ponies f”
“Yc,” said he.
“And my black Be.» tool”
“Yes,” he .aid again.
She replied: “I’ll knock ’em in the
head with a couch shell first.”
The Start of the Ride
Betsy soon left the room. She went
to the herding pen and called to her
pony. When the sturdy and fleet-
footed little animal came running up
to her, Betsy took her by her silken
inane and led lier to the shelter. The
girl went into the house and brought
out a blanket and a small pouch
of coins. She placed the blanket on
the round back of the pony, adjusted
the bridle, sprang into her seat and
galloped over the sand hills.
Down the beach she went. She
reached the point opposite Church’»
bland, dashed into the shallow ford
of Currituck Sound and reached the
•hore of the island. On they sped,
black Bess responding nobly to the
tho duly which she wa» being called
upon to perform.
Through the divide, on through
Camden, the twinkling star* her only
light, over Lamb’s old ferry into Pas¬
quotank, by the “narrows" (now Elisa¬
beth City) to Hansford’s ford, up tho
highlands of Perquimans and on to
Yoepim Crock and General William
Skinner’s hospitable home was reached.
The morning sun was gilding the
tree-tops when she entered the gate.
She was cordially welcomed, but be¬
fore she would consent to eat and
rest she told her story. General Skin¬
ner listened to her tale and promised
immediate assistance. He called to¬
gether the member» of hi» militia and
made plans for moving toward Great
Bridge.
After being made at home by
General Skinner’s three daughters—
Dolly, Penelope and Lnvinia, the toast
of the Albemarle, Betsy started back
on her trip home. She stopped all
along the route to inform the people
that the enemy would be defeated at
Great Bridge. As she neared the sea
girt shore, the note* of Victory wero
already in the air:
“They arc beaten! The British
hare been beaten at Great Bridge!
The battle ha. been fought and won !”
Howe had assumed command of the
Virginia and Carolina troops upon his
nrrival and was in hot pursuit of Dun¬
morc in the direction of Norfolk, where
after a short resistance Norfolk wa*
evacuated by the British troop* who
•ought refuge on board their ships.
After a few cannon shots into the
town, they departed for other parts.
Then and long after, by bivouac and
campfire and in patriotic homes was
told the story of Betsy Dowdy’s famous
ride. Her spirit and determination
were typical of the hardy citizens of
North Carolina at that time and she
merits the distinction «lie won for ltor-
м
as the result of the perilous jour¬
ney which was to mean »o much to the
welfare of the Colonists.