North Carolina Minute

A Minute of American History: John N. Moffitt

John N. Moffitt was born at sea on February 22, 1819. When Moffitt was five years old an uncle, Dr. William Moffitt, who lived in Fayetteville, N.C. in Cumberland County, adopted him. Young Moffitt attended the local school in Fayetteville and also White Plains, New York. At age thirteen, he was a member of the U. S. Navy, and served as a deck hand aboard the sloop-of-war St. Louis. He also served for three years aboard the Constitution during its service in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1841, he was assigned to the United States Coast Survey, where he spent the next thirteen years. In 1957, Moffitt went before the "Retiring Board" for a question of his professional fitness. He was cleared of all charges against him and returned to active duty aboard the Brig Dolphin, where he was ordered to capture pirates and slave ships. Moffitt was the first naval officer to capture a slave ship with its cargo in tact.

In 1861, Moffett resigned the United States Navy, and Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America appointed him lieutenant in the Confederate Navy, serving as naval aid to General Robert E. Lee. Moffitt's most daring duty as a naval commander was aboard the Cruiser Florida.

Union Admiral David Porter wrote of Moffitt, "During the whole war there was not a more exciting adventure than the escape of the Cruiser Florida into Mobile Bay." Of Moffitt it can be said that, "He was one of the finest Confederate Naval officers of the entire war. His service to the Confederate States of America is unparalleled; running the blockade more than any other officer, capturing or destroying over seventy ships valued at over ten million dollars."

He served as commander of the Confederate Ram Albemarle, a North Carolina built ship in Plymouth for a short time. He was serving aboard the Owl when all southern ports were closed, yet he refused to surrender his ship to the United States. His orders were to return the ship to its agents in England, which he carried out successfully.

Moffitt stayed on in England, passed the English Naval examination and served two years aboard the Widgeon. In 1868 he returned to the United States and settled on a farm near Wilmington, New Hanover County, where he spent the remaining years of his life.

Moffitt died of Bright's disease on May 15, 1886 and was buried with honors in the Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington.

James Davis

James Davis was born October 12, 1721, in Virginia. The first printing press set up in North Carolina was by Davis in New Bern, Craven County. He was living in Williamsburg, Va. where he also operated the first printing press before coming to North Carolina.

The North Carolina General Assembly created the post of "public printer," and Davis was the man chosen for the position. As public printer, he served for thirty-three years. Most of his work was printing government documents and laws passed by the Assembly.

While at New Bern, Davis established the state's first newspaper, The North Carolina Gazette. It is believed that the newspaper was published for a period of ten years. He started a second newspaper in 1764, the North Carolina Magazine or Universal Intelligencer. The title of this newspaper was changed in 1768 to the North Carolina Gazette, the same name of his first newspaper. Because of the Revolutionary War, the publication of this paper ceased in 1778. The Gazette was a small four-page paper, published weekly.

Davis died in February or March 1785 and is buried in New Bern.

Dueling in North Carolina

Though there were many duelings taken place in North Carolina during the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, they seem to be not well written about.

Even to the survivor of such an act it wasn't really an honor. Most were fought over unimportant matters. There was one, which was fought over a pig. Both men must have been poor shots for neither were hit during the duel. They finally settled their dispute and went on with their lives.

In the early years before the American Revolution dueling was done mostly with swords, although some guns were used along with knives at times. There was one duel recorded that happened in the Town of Bath, North Carolina's oldest town around the mid-eighteenth century. The duel was between two ship captains, which grew out of a very minor matter. The writer describes the duel as thus: the two men had their left hands slashed together, while each had a dagger in the right hand. Each dagger was fastened to the wrist with a lanyard, so that if it slipped from the hand it could be re-grasped. The result of this duel was death in cold blood for both men.

One of the more famous duels in North Carolina was between Governor Richard Dobbs Speight and John Stanley of New Bern. Even before the duel took place there were those who tried to stop the affair but no such luck. Stanley pleaded for reconciliation before the duel as well as during the fighting. Governor Speight would not give in, so all total the men faced each other while five shots rang out. In the end Speight laid dead on the ground.

By the start of 1800 dueling was outlawed in North Carolina. An act passed by the General Assembly in 1802 reads:

"That from and after the passing of this act, no person sending, accepting or being the bearer of a challenge for the purpose of fighting a duel, though no death ensues, shall ever after be eligible to any office of trust, honor or profit in this state, any pardon or reprieve notwithstanding; and shall further be liable to be indicted, and on conviction before any of the courts in this state and shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding one hundred pounds to the use of this state."

And be it further enacted, that if any person fights a duel in consequence of a challenge sent or received, and either of the parties should be killed, then the survivor, on conviction thereof, shall suffer death without the benefit of the clergy; and all their aiders or abettors shall be considered accessories before the fact, and likewise suffer death without benefit of clergy."

Board of Health

North Carolina was the twelfth state to introduce legislation for the establishment of a State Board of Health. The legislature passed a law on February 12, 1877, making the North Carolina Medical Society, which had been organized in 1849, the North Carolina State Board of Health. The sum of $100 annually was placed at the disposal of the Society to defray expenses. Combining these two organizations soon proved to be an unsatisfactory arrangement and the Legislature of 1879 passed a new law, which put the State Board of Health on a separate and permanent basis with a financial appropriation of $200 annually.

The first Board of Health was composed of nine members, serving a term of four year each, four members were appoint by the North Carolina Medical Society and five by the Governor.

Thought for the day: A hole is nothing at all, but you can break your neck in it. (Austin O'Malley, American writer)

J.C. Knowles is a traveling speaker, historian and antique expert. For more interesting North Carolina stories, visit www.heathero.com/ssg.