himself to Gen'l Butler, about the middle of Last month & went to his
Family upon Parole. Col. O Neal being informed of this, armed himself
with Gun and sword, went to Graves's in a passion, Graves shut the Door,
O Neal broke it down, Graves I believe thinking his own Life at stake,
took his Brothers Gun which happened to be in the house & shot O Neal
through the Breast.

"O Neal has suffered much but is now recovering. This accident has
inflamed and set to work those who were afraid of suffering for their
unjust and unwarrantable Deeds, the Ignorant honest men are also willing
to take part against their Rulers & I don't know when nor where it is to
end, but I wish it was over. At the Guilford Feb'y Court Peter O Neal &
others armed with clubs in the Face of the Court then sitting and in the
Court house too, beat some men called Tories so much that their Lives
were despaired of, broke up the Court and finally have stopd the civil
Laws in that County. Your old Friend Col. Dunn got out at Window, fled
in a Fright, took cold and died immediately. Rowan County Court I am
told was also broke up.

"If O Neal should die I fear that a number of the unhappy wretches
called Tories will be Murdered, and that a man disposed to do justice
dare not interfere, indeed the times seem to imitate the commencement of
the Regulators."] Men were shot, houses burned, horses stolen, and
negroes kidnapped; even the unfortunate freedmen of color were hurried
off and sold into slavery. It was with the utmost difficulty that a few
wise and good commanders, earnest lovers of their country, like the
gallant General Pickens, were able to put a partial stop to these
outrages, and gather a few brave men to help in overcoming the foreign
foe. To the honor of the troops under Sevier and Shelby be it said that
they took little part in these misdeeds. There were doubtless some men