Charles Johnston to Benjamin Hatcher, September 16, 1814

Charles Johnston to Benjamin Hatcher, September 16, 1814. Lynchburg, Virginia. 

You will perceive by the enclosed resolution of the board of Directors that it is my duty to request of you to call upon the Governor and Council for a military guard for the protection of this place.

The Resolution has been adopted in consequence of a disclosure of some negroes upon a late examination, at which, altho' a pot was not actually developed, yet it appeared from the evidence of all that a general rising of the blacks in this quarter has lately been the subject of frequent conversations among them, and that the Banks of this place have always been spoken of as the first object.

The spirit of insurrection has no doubt been produced by two causes, first, the approach of a foreign enemy; and secondly, the exposed condition of this part of the country has been left by the repeated calls of the Militia which have been made upon it, leaving scarcely any other population than that of old men and boys.

The board of Directors seeing the danger to which such a state of things exposes this and a similar institution, in which the State has also a deep interest, and believing that by placing a small military force at this place to serve as a rallying point, the danger may be averted, have felt it their duty to take up the subject, and to request you to ask of the Hon'ble Executive to afford us such protection as they in their judgment may deem adequate to the subject.

I am, &c.

[Enclosed] The board of Directors having some reason to apprehend an insurrection amongst the Blacks, and believing that the Banks at this place will be one of their first objects,

Resolved, That the President be requested to write to the President and directors of Farmers Bank at Richmond for the purpose of laying the subject before the Governor and Council, and to request that the Governor and Council will, if it  is not incompatible with the public safety at other places, furnish for the protection of the Town of Lynchburg one or more companies of Militia with arms, ammunition, &c.

Davidson Bradfute, Cash'r
Lynchburg, Sep. 16th, 1814. 

Source: CALENDAR OF VIRGINIA STATE PAPERS AND OTHER MANUSCRIPTS FROM JANUARY 1, 1808, TO DECEMBER 81, 1835: Preserved in the Capitol, at Richmond. ARRANGED, EDITED, AND PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY AND DIRECTION OF H. W. FLOURNOY. Secretary of the Commonwealth and State LiBrarian. VOLUME X. RICHMOND: 1892, pages 387-388.  

[The Governor of Virginia at the time, until December 14, 1814, was James Barbour (1775-1842), who later helped Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891) in his application for entry to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. 
Charles Johnston (1769-1833)
Benjamin Hatcher ((circa 1766-circa 1844), President of Farmers Bank 
Davidson Bradfute (1781-1831)]