The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-05-13
THE FIRST BLOOD OF THE REV.
oLUTION.


OF the centennial anniversary of the
battles fought at those places bv the
brave and patriotic people of that dav
IN resistance to the tyrannical and des-
pouc measures of the British govern
ment. All honor TO those old heroes :
They deserve all that has been said and
done IN honor of their memory for Their
participation IN the struggle for our
national freedom. They are entitled
70 the undylng gratitude of the whole
country, and viii continue to receive II
as long as our country remains free. and
As long as liberty has votaries in the
t4nd: an this IS freely admitted. But
the hrst blood of the revolution vas not
sneu at concord and Lexington, nor are
the heroes who participated in tbose
battles entitled to such honor. That
bhey are, however, Is the commonIv-i
may 90 said the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Deilei and opinion. And in no invidua,v
sense Whatever 1t Is now proposed to
enter into brief examination of the
history OF that period In order 20 show
When the hrst battle was fought IN de-
Tense OF American freedom. and who
were the actors in the conflict.
Let 1t be borne in mind that whilst
the general policy of the British govern
ment was the same towards all her
colonial possessions, there were griev-
ahces ia Partlcular localities that did
OF liberty, however, affected the ,opTIa
IN the length and breadth of the Land
In Virginia, the Carolinas. MARYLAND
the Jerseys, and in all the nortbern
c0Ionies one common ground of COM
plant was made, The chartered rights
Ot al tne colonial governments had been
violated. A deep-seated spirit of resist
ance was In the hearts of the DeoDIa
which ultimately drove them into omen
rebellion against the royal authority
aud eliminated in the splendid and
glorious success of our Revolutionary
war.
In North Carolina the people early
manifested hatred to tyranny, and a
fehtIess lmpatlence under the ayaricious
ana Brasplng e1actions of the rovaI
governor, and the colonial officers an
pointed by authority of the Rritisb
crown. On the Sd of ApriI 17f5 81
wilmington, n. c., William T'vron suc- |
oeeded Gov. Dobbs as Z" commandment. |
chleI ana captaIn-generaI of the province /
OF North Carolina" he WAS a man 81 /
agility, and soldier by profession |
Dut IN character he was arbitrary. ode.
VOID OF all principles of humanity -
Fepaclous and corrupt. By his coDd1ct
towards the Cherokee Indians he was
called by them the ''Great Wolf of
NOrtb Carolina" His exactions and
raPacity, under one pretext or another
az length reused the spirit of resistance
II Lne people They held frequent
meetings, and deliberately, yet boldly.
tii soussed ana denounced the conduct Of
the governor and some of the ,,1i,,ir,.l
OIL ms government. At the Aug1st 80
SION (l766) of the court In Oranga coylr7-
~ paper was presented to the co51Tt
by a number of persons, which vVas -eaJ
by the clerk. It stated that Will 81
sons OF liberty had withstood the Iords
81 ~ parliament IN behalf OF true liberty
Ihe oincers under them ouobt ,ot =,
carry on an unjust oppression in Az
provinces; that in order thereto az +La-o
were many evils complained If IN az
county of Orange, they ought To he ra.
uLesFed. If there were none iesIo,1s,,
v,.gnt TO be removed from the minds ~
sne people. These were calm deIiL.
crate words, but manifested stern deter
1olnatlon. Granville and other counties
were injected by the same spirit and
SLEauoI under the same intolerant
tbat.4t ms paper further proposed
Ia, Ia =; lligs oil the people should be
neIu IN each captains district prDoi1t
ing one or more to attend . d,dr,a-sI !
meeting ito inquire whether the frao-
men men OF the country labored under any,
ABUSE OF power, and measures toIror 80.
amendment If So" This proposoI was
agreed To, aud Maddocks Mi NC
20 o, and the time fixed for OcEobar
~, LOO. Inc convention met at tho
time and place appointed. and resoIva5
nIv II was necessary such MEETINGS
should occur yearly, or ofteDer II nacSs
sary' Tor free and public discnssion. D.,
uIat tne representatives of the neonIe
tI attend, add give an account of
' eHo amount OF taxes and manner of ,
In Il April l76s they again assembled
49, r ttIeu an association for regulat- ,
,ns PuOIIT guevancy, anu abuse of
49,, iience the name given them in
history n. OF Regulators, Ihev resoI1,alI
70 pay only such taxes as were oo,reo. !
.,-l TO law, and applied to the PURPOSES
sIeIeIn named, to pay no officer moro :
Llle1 his legal fees. This association d.
or the Regulators, met again in NJ
Loo and IN July, l76S. The affair." ~ }
the colony, and the abuses and ay-oo
tions OF the colonial government 81 7
u Ine oIhcers OF the crown. were 5is- :
An address to the gover-or
anu council was prepared. and q CO..,
L- appointed TO wait on the pov.
olnoF, 70 whom the address was I,r, 7
'aI 1hese meetings were contin- I
- euG troubles increased. The c
s,,iS;t ~ ooiony OF North Carolina felt the c
~. 81, u resistance, and was animated h
~ frno, - ClOI ELat glowed in the bosoms s
- 'Ieeneh. Yet this orpapizatio,, - =
lhly partial IN extent. The Regniot We .
were led by Herman Husbands Tor,as \
1uhter, kednap Howell. William, r. b
er ana others. The people 0enaroii', =
'ynpathl2ed with them. buP "a ~ \
uuiy Oh the leading wings and notri0ts 4
- the revolution held aloof from 49,, :,
u was seen that collision VIII, a. h
oy ~ authority must soon occnr tn W
mus OF this article will not narr,;t 80 :,
oIroumstantial account of those COON Al
oncSs as they followed in order Al a
, os0n HoV' Iryon put himself at the M
I,' u OF me royal forces to disperse y,
80 rSoeIs. His we'll drilled and dis 81
\ 100 FORCES amounted to upwards of n
MI. iI .'iiIteo men. The Regulators. "a
a., - ISo"nus, Hunter and Butler. to ID
ne number Of about two tbrT,so,,J ,,',s W 4
,oorIy supplied with arms and aT,,,,,,,ii' - ~
~. ION; and lily disciplined. were assaTn- n
''Su on the banks OF a small stroor, ~
alIeu the Alamance. The roval forces "
.PPIoNched immediate submission a 81
'LoInlse TO pay taxes; a return to their 81
I iollleS ana a solemn assurance that bl
hey would no longer disturb the admin. n,
3 mN1 OF the governor was exacte1 az
j lhem. These terms were refused ~
III open defiance hurled at the gov an
Tnor and his forces. On the I6tI n w
lay, !I1f!, Gov. Tryon formed his line ea
= oa ~ IN front of the Regulators to fr
Inn they presented a bold and defiant ia
I ISnt, The order to fire was given.
.a ~ a'tI0n became general, and a warm
yi,' % OF two hours duration ensued
ne Regulators being deficient in arm arms r.
~. ~, a am unlton, gave way, and fed FRI
= ~ 'Ie nelH OF conflict, leaving twenty de
! Their dead on the field. besides the DE
i TjiInaed. The royal forces lost in OF
'iIed' wounded and missing sivty,. o1a M
len. Thus ended the batt1a 81 AZ &C.
lance. And here was the FIRST bioo1 pr
pllieq that was shed in the struggle co
lade by the United States whist tbsv ex