Captain General Edward Cornwallis Letters to the Lords of Trade and Plantations.

Letters to the Lords of Trade and Plantations from Edward Cornwallis, the new Governor of Nova Scotia. In this, the first one, he reports that the voyage started well, but the ships ran into "contrary winds" after eight days and the remainder of the trip was slow and difficult. They arrived at Chebucto Bay on 21 June 1749.

His first report was dated 22 June, 1749. It was received in London 15 August, 1749. The transports with the settlers followed in a few days.

The coastline was completely forested, except for some clearing by the French settlers for their cattle. The harbor, which everyone agreed was the finest they had ever seen, was also filled with fish.

After a month, Cornwallis was as enthusiastic as ever about the new colony's potential, but not of the majority of the settlers who had come out from England.
On 24 July, he wrote of some problems. This letter was received in London 28 August 1749.

"I beg leave to observe to your Lordships that amongst these the number of industrious active men proper to undertake and carry on a new Settlement is very small, of Soldiers there is only 100, of Tradesmen, Sailors, and others able and willing to work not above 200 more. The rest are poor idle worthless vagabonds that embraced the opportunity to get provisions for one year without labour, or Sailors that only wanted a passage to New England.

Worse, said Cornwallis, some of the settlers came to Nova Scotia "as into a Hospital, to be cured". Many had venereal diseases. But he was not going to let the idle and foolish hinder the industrious and wise. He issued a proclamation that if the settlers didn't shape up or went AWOL he would expel them from the colony to fend for themselves. He did as threatened. Eight men who had gone off in canoes on their own were driven from the colony and stricken from the mess books. No small punishment in such a harsh new land with hostile Indians and French. But it had a salutary effect on the other settlers. There were others, however, who were singled out for praise by the governor, " There are among the Settlers," he said, "a few Swiss who are regular honest industrious Men easily governed and work heartily."

And there was yet another group who impressed this Son of the British aristocracy. "There are indeed many come over of the better sort who tho' they do not work themselves, are very useful in managing the rest."

By the end of August, the first capital crime had been committed, "murther." (murder)
followed almost immediately by the first hanging.

On 11 September, 1749, Col. Cornwallis wrote of the threat posed by the Indians, in particular the Micmacs, who were being incited to make war on the English by the French Priest/missionaries. On 19 August 20 Englishmen were taken prisoner, including 5 of the settlers. The others had come up by ship from Boston in order to cut hay.

A palisade was built around the new town, a double row of 10 foot poles, six inches thick. As the trees were cleared they were used for the fencing.

The major issue was the sizable number of French remaining in Nova Scotia after its cession to the British. All of them were Catholics who were now obliged to swear an oath of allegiance to the Protestant British King.

By August, Cornwallis was giving Halifax as the return address.

In October, he wrote of many transgressions by the Indians, including deaths at their hands. But the settlers had successfully fended off the attacks.

Cornwallis had no illusions about the French and their designs on North America.
He warned correctly, that they would not give up easily. " The settlement I am sent to make is sore to France, it touches them to the quick."

Finally, on 1 October 1749, the council unofficially declared war on the Micmac Indians. The English declined a formal declaration, which would tacitly admit that the Micmacs were "a free and independent people" worthy of being treated to diplomatic niceties, whereas, in reality, "they ought to be treated as do many Banditti Ruffians, or Rebels to His Majesty's Government."

Raiding parties were to be sent out and a bounty of 10 guineas was to be paid for every Micmac killed or captured.

Religion, as always, was the issue. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel suggested sending out French Bibles and a large group of French Protestants to counter the effect of the "bigoted Papists."

The Indians, religion aside, were indeed a constant threat.

On 1 May 1750 Cornwallis wrote that the French and Indians had moved against the settlements and occupied all of Nova Scotia on the west side of the Bay of Fundy. The letter was an urgent appeal for help. While there was peace in Europe, in Nova Scotia the war continued.

He realized early on the machinations of the French and their Indian allies and did not hesitate to warn the Board of Trade in England what would happen if they did not respond to the problem in this the most Northern of the Colonies.

Particularly galling to the new settlers was the continuing trade by the lower colonies with the French and Indians. Cornwallis complained much about the people of Massachusetts Bay who were supplying the French and Indians with goods and arms, which enabled them to make war on his settlers.

Cornwallis, had turned over his regiment in the Highlands to a Major James Wolf, who would distinguish himself in Nova Scotia later on. Horace Walpole speaks of Cornwallis as "a brave sensible young man of great temper and good nature" a perfect picture of the man, and Wolfe afterwards mentioned Cornwallis' "approved courage and fidelity".

More than this, Cornwallis was incorruptible, a very rare quality in Colonial Governors of his time. He was slender, somewhat over middle height, an aristocrat to his fingertips, conscious of his dignity and inclined to be cool and ceremonious except when the "great temper" took charge. We are told he had a pleasant voice, fine eyes, and a winning expression. Later on his voice acquired a rasp, and so did his pen, as troubles mounted and the harsh winters of the new colony destroyed his health.

His Aide and right-hand man was a young army bachelor like himself, Richard Bulkeley, tall, handsome, Irish, wealthy, a former king's messenger and captain of dragoons whose equipment for the wilderness included a valet, groom, a butler, three blood horses and a vast amount of baggage. Another aide was Captain Horatio Gates son of the Duke of Leeds on the wrong side of the blanket, a capable young officer who in later years was to make his name famous on the wrong side of the field in the American Revolution.

Ref: Warden of the North: Raddell.

Kew/Public Record Office Colonial Office 217 Piece 9

Michael Samuel DeBruhl New York Engraver 1759-1763

These notes from the Iconography of Manhattan Island:

Among those who are taking subscriptions for "the Gentlemen and Ladies Military Closet Furniture" is Mr. Michael DeBruhl (DeBruls,) Engraver, at Mr. Futer's Silver-Smith, in French-Church Street" N.Y. Mercantile, March 5, 1759. Between 1759 and 1763, DeBruhl was the chief engraver on copper in New York, Stauffer, American Engravers on Copper and Steel, I 31-33, For advertisements of his work, see May 3 and October 11, 1762, the latter having reference to proposed views of New York

Plans of several of the sites of engagements between the French and English forces
near Fort Niagara, are advertised as "curiously engraved on two large Copper Plates, by Michael DeBruhl, Engraver, and an Inhabitant of this City." DeBruhl himself, is taking subscriptions for these "in the Road beyond the New Goal (Jail), on the Hill, where the above engraved Plates may be seen." N.Y. Mercantile, May 3, 1762. For DeBruhl's proposed views of New York City, see Oct, 11.

Chronology: The English Period 1664- 1763

Michael DeBruhl (deBruls) solicits subscriptions for "Two different Water Views and two different Land Views" of New York City which he proposes to publish. These views will have "References in English, High Dutch and Low Dutch," and are to be "curiously engraved on a Copper Plate, of 21 by 12 Inches each, and printed on best large Paper." There will also be "neatly engraved on another Copper Plate" a plan of the streets" with their respective Names," Along with the prints will be published a pamphlet giving " an exact account of the wholesome climate, pleasant situation, products, etc, of this Province, for the benefit of the Subscribers, which they may chuse either in English, High Dutch, or Low Dutch,"
The subscription price is stated as 20 shillings, One Half to be paid on subscribing, the other Half on the Delivery of these Five Prints." Each Subscriber will "give his Quality and Place of Abode," and subscriptions "will closed on the last Day of January next." DeBruhl's establishment was "at the lower End of New Street, Next door to Colonel Thodey." N.Y. Post-Boy Oct. 11, 1762. In the Expense Account Book
(M.S.) of Cadwallader Colden (preserved in N.Y. Historical Society), under date of October 31, 1763, appaers this item: " paid DeBruhl on Subscribing for 2 Setts of his Plans of New York. L 1:4:0 Da Baumitiere, in his notes on maps, etc.(book 1412 Y, Ridgeway Branch, Library Co. of Philadelphia.) speaks of these views as follows(translated):
"DeBruhl (DeBruyl), a German and good workman but a Mauvais Sujet. undertook in 1763 to engrave some views of New York which he had drawn himself. I saw there (in New York) in that year the plates which had been commenced. He took up a subscription, by the terms of which he was to receive half of the sum ($100) at the time of the subscription, but he kept the money and never finished the work."

Michael Samuel DeBruhl Jr. Silversmith and watchmaker.1806

Michael Samuel DeBruhl Jr. listed in 1806 as doing business at 35 Union Street Charleston, SC
from 1798-1806 . Moved possibly to Abbeville, SC Partnership with Mary Matilda Dunseeth as Dunseeth & DeBruhl dissolved in 1804. Silversmith watch and clock makers of South Carolina. Examples of his work is in the Charleston, SC museum. ( a silver ladle, and chatelain)

The DeBruhl Marshall House 1820

A two story brick building constructed in 1820 by Jesse DeBruhl a low country planter and broker, now the DeBruhl Marshall House, was designed, it is believed by Robert Mills, the architect who is responsible for many famous buildings in South Carolina and throughout the nation. His most famous work was the Washington Monument. This house was for many years the home of the late Col. J.Q. Marshall grandson of Jesse DeBruhl, and subsequently his daughter Mrs. James Hammond. It was in the possession of Mrs. Rhodes as of 1973 who is credited with saving the house from destruction by developers. In later years the house was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places through the efforts of Norman DeBruhl and Josephine Parker DeBruhl and the late Senator Strom Thurmond. It is situated on the northeast corner of Laurel and Marion Streets and is one of the most imposing residences in the City of Columbia. The wide spacious piazza does not extend the entire length of the house as it did in many of the houses of that date, but it's massive Doric columns that reach to the gabled roof lend an air of dignity to this old brick mansion. An artistic fan shaped transom above the large front doorway furnishes ample light for the wide hall running the entire length of the house. Unlike the houses of that period, the staircase was hidden from view, being concealed in a small back room, known as the staircase room, but of late years this staircase has been removed and one is now to be seen in the rear end of the hall. The halls, both upstairs and down, are flanked on both sides by two big square rooms, with high ceilings and deeply recessed windows. It was in this home that the Confederate General Joseph E. Johnstone, made his headquarters in 1864-1865. When it was vacated by Johnstone, it seemed good to General Sherman's soldiers as fuel for their extensive conflagration and was about to be set in flames when Mrs. John S. Wiley, Jesse DeBruhls widow who was a very young and beautiful woman, appealed directly to General Sherman, whose headquarters were located directly behind the house on the next street. She begged that her home be spared, the soldiers heart softened and he ordered that guards be placed around the house. Thus we have left today one of the most artistic productions of the nineteenth century. The roof rafters still show char marks where Union soldiers tried to start a fire in the attic.



South Carolina Historical Society

Professor Yates Snowden, says that it was from the porches of the Moore House 1409 Gervais Street that he as a little boy watched the progress of Sherman's Army as it marched down Gervais Street in February, 1865. At the head of Main Street not a building was left on that street, everything was burned for one and a half miles and in a belt from a quarter to a half mile wide eighty four squares containing three hundred and sixty six acres and thirteen hundred houses were destroyed. General Sherman was seen riding leisurely through the streets smoking a cigar but he gave no orders and seemed to take little interest in what was going on.
Ref. Great Houses of SC Scribners rare book section.

Goddard DeBruhl drowns 1791

State of Georgia Richmond County, Personally appeared before me William Firhard who being duly sworn saith that he was personally present and well acquainted with Godard DeBruhl and that some time in February in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety one,(1791) he and the said Godard DeBruhl was on board a boat bound for Savannah Georgia, belonging to James Henderson about five miles before the Town of Augusta and the boat got fastened in the River. And that some time in the night the said Godard DeBruhl went on Deck for some occasion and fell overboard and got drowned and further this deponent saith that he and the rest of the boat hands got a dingy and searched for the said Godard DeBruhl but could not find him. But he understood and believes that the said Godard DeBruhl was taken under some considerable time afterwards, further this deponent saith not. William Firhard sworn to before me this 22nd day of January 1795. Samuel Jack JP