Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-03-03


This was the beginning of the end. |
It was the first step in that series of |
movement that led to the downfall of |
the royal government. Hereafter the |
people, and the people only, ruled IN
North Carolina. And when, in April,
ITS, the people of Massachusetts
were massacred at Lexington. popu
lar Indignation knew no bounds.
The Colony became a scene of fierce
excitement. Couriers rode hastily
from point to pointarousing the people
to action. That blood of Lexington
was the seed of Am rican liberty. The
committees o. safety hastily assembled
The committee for New Hanover on
the 18th OF June adopted a resolution
uniting thousands under every tie
of religion and honor as a band in de-
fence of their country against every
foe; and solemnly engaged that when
ever le Continental or PROVING al
Councils shall decree it necessary, they
would go forth and be ready to sacri-
fee their lives and fortunes to secure
her freedom and safety.
And the same resolutions were the
next day adopted and signed by the
committees for all the counties of the
Cape Fear district.
Wv. 4hdi III uCu III ulSuldy 1EOu
Newbern to Wilmington, where he
could easily gain safety on hi ships OF
war. But alas for mis- peace of mind!
So N 800 stalwart men appeared at his
doors and inspired him with such ter
ror that he hurriedty abandoned tbs
last resting plice on terra frma and
found protection aud mental relief at
safe distance from he shore,
With bis flight ended the last YES
tige of the royal government in the
| colony. But still the royal ensign hung
| over the battlement of Fort Johnson
fortlfcatlon erected as q protection to
the river during the Spanish war. 1t
| stood menace to the rights of the
| people, and the fiat went forth that The
| fort must be destroyed. The men of
| New Hanover md Brunswick united
and marched down beneath the very
| guns of the Governors ships, and,
reckless Of consequences, utter y de-
| nOilshed it. Such were some of the
patriotic but reasonable acts of the
mtL of the Cape Fear prior to the war.
Ih4 actors l. tn csc scenes knew well
the penalty of their daring Their
bod deeds We're III keeping with their
brave ~ords. Protesting their fidelity
to King George, they loudly denounced
ms wicked ministers and defed all the
powers of their government. And
! scenes of similar import were enacted
simultaneously III other parts of the
ptUvince. Newbern was as pronounced
as Wilmington. Edenton and the
Aibermarle section we're alive with
patriots. Nor WIS the committee of
Rowan less determined, less staunch,
less patriotic than :e1r friends in the
| East
While at Charlotte, that h )rnet' y
st of ,ebellious spirits, the people
vent still further and boldly passed
the most reasonable resolves that had
ever off .nded the ear of royalty. They
sought not merely their ancient rights
~ ~ubj ccts, but rather independence,
a d I'll lie separation from their mother
country. Such was the spirit OF
Ctrolina as displayed by the acts OF
her sons. Cali it treason if you will
Cal! tueE reb.ls if you will But they
meant 10 maintain their rights as men,
TO give their lives rather than tameiy
submit to the L1lawful eXactions OF
the British Parliament.
| Gov. Martin, seeing that the storm
VAS about TO burst, early began t.
tamper with some of the inha Ditaut III
the Interior of n nth Carolina. The
Highlanders who had recently settled
% tue western brancl of the Cape
Fear We're disposed to sustain tie royal
government. They had but lately
been In arms against the King across
the water, and were subdued and en-
trey sublugated. After their disaS-
trouS failure, the surviy ors of their
brave army had been decimated-the
twentieth men is they stood III The
ranks had been led to execution; the
others found respite from igno-
minIous death only IN exile They had
attempted insurrection and had ttBted
the bitter fruits of disaster. Their
language, their habits, their traditions
we're all differeLt from those of the
colonists, and it is no subject of umaze-
royal commands. Many of the old
Regulators were Ill no mood to join il
auo' her undertaking against the estab-
fish d government They had twice
been dispersed by the very sons OF
ibet y who now urged TIL m to unite
beneath Il mi.4On standard in a new
rebellion. They were bound by a
strong oath to obey the royal Gov
ernor, and the pardon of the X ng for
heir past Offences was promised as al
luduc"ment to keep them steadfast IN
their loyalty. Association papers had
been bu>iIy dis ributed by adroit
agents throughout the country III which
they resid: d, and all who could be per-
u lied. or browbeaten or forced, were
made TO sign as a test of their allegi-
arcc To the King of Great Britain. So
great number thus gave in their ad-
herenoe to the royal cause that Martin
called for ten thousand stands of arms
wherew.th to equip them. He seut
commission to some thirty persons
in that section of the State, authoriz
ing them to array all the Kings loyal
subjects and march to Brunswick. The
| appointed time was the middle of Feb
ruary, when there was expected a
grand fleet from England bearing seven
regiments, commanded by Earl Corn
wallis, together with millions of stores
and ten thousand stands of arms for
the North Carolina royalists. Gen
eral Mcdonald, the celebrated High
land chieftain, performed well his part
in this undertaking. He called around
him seven hundred of his devoted fol-
| lowers, men who knew his valor, who
| venerated his virtues, who loved him
as only soldiers love their ideal he
roes. acting in quiet concert, the
disaffected among the Regulators rose
en- n1asse and joined the royal stand
ard. By February 18th their num-
bers had swollen to near three thous-
and. At the same moment the hips
of war, that had long Iain off old Brus-
wick, advanced and took position in
front of Wilmington. Apparently the
city was doomed to capture. Oh,
thou birthplace of patriots Thou
that hath dared to rear aloft the
| standard whose sons have
rudely courted death and wooed the
halter-now thy day of retribution
draweth nigh: now shalt that Governor,
whose presence thou has spurned,
wreak his vengeance upon thy disloyaI
children, and blot out the insults of
the past by thy plumber and iestruc-
ton.
Verify, it's a day of rerili Three
thousand men at Campbelltown under