At the Fort on the same day and year before-written (17 Aug 1786), appeared William Brocus who headed one of the parties detached to take the troup of robbers commanded by James Armstrong in this District and the said Brocus, placing his hand on the Bible according to the custom of his religion and promised to answer truly such questions that should be put to him by the interpreter on the part of the King, to relate circumstantially every occurence that took place from the time the party left the Fort until their return.
On the road to Cole's Creek they joined another party who set out on the same expedition under command of Samuel Gibson. It was agreed to keep together until they obtained some encouragement of Armstrong but about three leagues from the place of meeting they discovered footsteps and tracks of horses leading towards said Armstrong's plantation.
They followed until within 500 paces of the house where they dismounted and left one-half of the company with the horses. The other half proceeded to within 200 paces of the house from whence they perceived the wife of Armstrong in the cowpen, who, seeing them immediately, left off milking. Finding that Armstrong had likewise perceived, they separated a second time, one-half passing through a tobacco field to the rear of the house and the other half approaching in the front.
Calling to him to surrender to the King, [Armstrong] answered that he should surrender with his rifle, and at the same time going into the house to get it. [Once inside], he encouraged the men in the house to stand to their arms and defend themselves, and appearing at a window of the house in front of us, called out to come on and try it. [Then] we approached still calling on him to surrender.
When close upon him he determined to go out by a back window, which they effected and perceiving his troop ready to fire upon the party, I ordered one-half of the men to fire, which charge the said Armstrong fell dead and his son was badly wounded in the forehead. One ball [appeared] to pass through his head and one lodged therein. Likewise a ball in the right side.
By the same discharge another of the troop was wounded who however escaped with the others. With whom we found it impracticable to come up with although we followed them by their tracks all day until they crossed Stoney Creek where we lost them.
The party under command of Samuel Gibson remained at the house to collect the arms of the dead and the wounded and some horses which they had stolen and took an inventory of everything in the house and on the plantation. When done, they conveyed hither together with the wounded and the wife and the rest of the family of the deceased.
[That] is all that occurred within the knowledge of the deponent, upon the oath which he has taken and, not knowing how to write he has made the mark of the cross, in the presence of those in preceding.
See also:
The King vs James Armstrong, Part V
The King vs James Armstrong, Part IV
The King vs James Armstrong, Part III
The King vs James Armstrong, Part II
The King vs James Armstrong
McBee, May Wilson. The Natchez Court Records, 1767-1805. Greenwood, MS: 1953.
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