North Carolina

New Hanover County.

Brunswick 28. Febry. 1763.

Personally appeared to me Richard Quince Esqr. one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid, Michael Sissholt commanding Officer at Fort Johnstone on Cape Fear River & maketh Oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, and sayeth, that on or about the First day of February past, he was sent for by Captain John Dalrymple (who was under an arrest by his Excy. Arthur Dobbs Esqr. Govr. of said Province's Orders & confined to a room in said Fort & said Captain John Dalrymple by a Messenger desired him the said Deponent to come into the room in which the said Captain John Dalrymple was confined as aforesaid to take a Drink of Punch with him, accordingly the said Deponent went and as soon as he entered the Room sd. Captn. Dalrymple locked the Door of sd. Room, went into a Closet, & brought out a drawn sword & a stick with a tuck in the End of it, the Tuck being out, and desired this Deponent would take one of them and fight him the said Captain John Dalrymple, and swore at the same time that either himself or this said Deponent should die on the Spot, for that this deponent had taken the bread out of his mouth in accepting the Command of the said Fort, that he the said Deponent refused to fight the said Captain Dalrymple, as it was contrary to his duty, & that he this Deponent really believes that said Captain Dalrymple was not at that time nor is at present in his proper Sound Senses, and this Deponent declares that the said Captain Dalrymple told him at the time aforesaid that he had often gone out of the room in which he was confined, and waylaid the said Deponent in the Sally Port, with an Intention to kill the said Deponent, & insisted that the Deponent should acknowledge him as Commanding Officer of Fort Johnstone which said Deponent refused, he sd. Captain Dalrymple being under an arrest as aforesaid by order of the Governor.

Michl. Sissholt.

Sworn before me

Richard Quince.