Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-05-14
From the Baltimore Gazetta.
ALAMANCE,
A Detailed Account of the First
Battle of the Revolution.

| Detailed Account of the Firs1
Battle of the Revolution.
The first blood shed in conflict be
tween the Colonists and the Kiug'E
! troops was at the battle OF Alamance,
in North Carolina, on the 10th oI
May, 1771. On the Oath of April ol
| that year, Governor Tyrun marched
| from the town of Newbern with about
| three hundred men and small train
of artillery. On the 3D. and 4th oi
May he was strengthened by detatch
ments which met him on the way, aul;
| by troop of Ii hit horse, until tie
| force under his command exceeded Il
! thousand men. On the 18th Of May
| he approached the camp OF the Regu-
lators at Alamance Greek, III the
county OF that name. The story Of
that battle is well worth repeating
When Fyron had REACHED the vicinity
OF Alamance Greek the Regulators
sent a message to him demanding 2
redress Of their grievances, and giving
him four hours to reply. IheE con-
planned Of exhorbitaus fees exacted hy
officers OF the Crown, and particularly y
on deeds and testations of sales OF
landed property. Until thee fee
were reduced, the poll tax of two do
lars abolished, and official embe III =
ment prevt nted'and punished, they ii
clared they would pay no taxes. They
insisted on their right TO enjoy the.
privileges aud liberties cf their aace. =
ters under the Constitution framed by
them, and their determination tO main
tain 1t on its ancient found tlion, $.
that it might stand firm and unshaku,,.
He promised to send an answer b.
noon the following day, In the mean-
while h sent out two pGrsoDs-Ashe
and Walker to find out the position
occupied by the Regulators. They
were captured by the latter, tied t
trees, severely whipped and held a.
prisoners When the messenger,
promised by Tryon, reached the camp
of the Regul .tors, instead OF makIhE
any concessions to them, he demand
ed their submission, and gave them
one hour to consider. Their answer
was. 600 back to Billy Tryon and SAY
we defy him.
On the return OF the messengers til"
army marched to within three hundred
yards of the Regulators camp, All
there halted. The Regulators advanced
also, in order of battle, to a s!4cEa
reach Of the road, where thy halted.
waving their hats as challenge L
their opponents. Gov. Iryon now
sent magistrate and an officer with
proclamation commanding the insUr-
gents to disperse within one hour; buJ
they refused to listen to him, crying
out, L" Battle, battle - On the
return of the magistrate, tn
Governor, understanding that the
Regulators proposed to put Ashe
and Walker III front OF their lines,
sent message that he should keep
the prisoners he had taken in q place
of safety, he Loped the same carr
would be taken Of those gentiemeD.-
To this they returned no direct at
swer, but offered to surrender the t"o
prisoners if the Governor would suI-
render those lie had takeIs, seven IN
number. The proposition of so uEe-
quail an exchange, implying c"l-cs's.-
sion on the part of the Governor, WIS
at first rejected; but after ards, at the
solicitation of his men, who We're ap-
prehensive of The treatment these two
persons might receive, he agreed to
the exchange. The enemy being tar
dy in their compliance, and the army
complaining OF the extreme heat Ct
the sun and manlfesting great impa-
ti,nne to advance, It was thought al
visabie 10 lead I'll EN- on. They marched
IN profound silence till the lines "f
both parties met, almost breast t.
breast. The Governor forbade bis
men TO fire until he ordered them
The troops in the first rank were al
most mixed with those of the van
guard of the enemy stationed Il little
before the main l dy, and who now
began to retire upon it, shouting dc
fianc- and daring their opponents to
advance. The army kept on till within
twenty-five yards of them, and then
halted. The Regulators continued to
call on the Governor to urder bls
men to fire; several of them advancing
toward the artillery, opening their
breasts and defying them to begin
As Tryon still hesitsted, they fell
back slowly to fine defensive posi-
ton, leaving the Governor and his
troops OF ell to their ire. whilst most
of them were secure from his. Another
pariey ensued. an adJutant was sent
forward to say if they dad not directly
lay down their arms they should be
fred on. That order the Governor
C06Q gave, Dut 1t WAS nOL lIDLltCldtSlf
obeyed; Whereupon, rising i'll his stif-
rups and tui ming to his men, he called
out, Fire on them, or on me-" The
action now began, aud almost instantly
bee .me general.
Ihe insurgents. pursuing the Indian
mode Of fighting, did considerable IL
juty to the Kings troops, who would
have been defeated, but for the exec
lent service done by the artillery.
which the regulators, being poorly
armed, were unable to capture. Nov-r-
theless, with the odds against them,
they fought desperately for more tn.so
an hour, and did not take to fight
until all their ammunition WIS ex-
pendei.
1t is our duty to do honor to these
men. Disdaining to live under Il ty-
rannicai government, many Of those
who survived the battle of Aiamancr
crossed the mountains into Tennessee,
opened new settlements there, and on
the 4th of October, 1770. formed part
Of the gallant band that fought the
memorable battle of Kings Mountain.