Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-27
FIRST REVOLUTIONARY MARTYR.
what's the Matter with Col. Ashe or
with Capt. Few, of North CnroIinas
Charlotte On. CD Observer, Correspond
ence New York SUM-

| tCndIlVlIe IN. VI OUStiNtis CoAf~'lctN-
ence New York SUM-
notice in the Sun OF the 18th instant
an account of the tablet set UP in the
general post-office building OF New York
city to commemorate the first blood"
shed in the cause Of liberty in the period
Of Revolutionary war, and as the name
Of the shedder is not attached, and no ia
talities are mentioned, l take 1t for grant
| ed that some son OF "a Tory must have
punched the nose OF some son OF liberty,
or vice versa. and thus produced the
sanguinary flood which has eventually
provoked the setting up OF this tablet.
IL this surmise is correct (and there Is
certainly nothing in the inscription on the
tablet as given by the Sun. TO indicate a
different state of facts. then New YORK
must prepare to take second place In the
race for FIRST blood" 1t is a matter or
proper record in North Carolina that
when the British Government attempted
to land the odious stamps in that State
I'm 1865, Colonel John Ashe called out the
State militia and captured the stamp
agent, Houston, and compelled him to
take an oath never to bring the stampS
ashore. The stamps were accordingly
freighted back TO England. and none were
landed i'm the Old North State. But while
marching through the dark streets or
the little country town which then an
swered al the capital of North Carolina
tor the capture was made In the night
it Is related by tradition that Colonel
John Ashe skinned his knee on stump
i'm the middle of the street, and thereupon
swore some. In capturing Houston'S
small boat. in which he came ashore, and
t. ID rxrnc N
it was hauled in triumphal procession
about the town, one member OF the Tar
heel militia had thumb mashed and an
other stubbed his toe severely. Mr.. Hous-
ton, the stamp agent, also had his feel
ings hurt. These are the only casualties
reported. but the incident clearly estab-
fishes FIRST blood" for North Carolina,
and / have to suggest that the society
of Daughters OF the American Revolution
reverse themselves and set up tablet on
some big cypress-tree at the proper spol
in North Carolina, showing where first
blood was actually shed.
While on this patriotic subject, and
without wishing to detract from the pre-
viousness Of Boston and Crispus Attacks,
I beg to ask if the Sun (and its readers |
does not think it is almost time to re-
member the band of revolutionists de-
feated and slaughtered by British forces
at Alamance. n. c., in May, III, and TO |
allow Captain Few, who was captured |
and hanged TO the limb Of tree, without |
trial, to have the just honor Of being the |
first martyr OF the American Revolution? |
If some sort of tardy justice should be |
done the venturesome band of Regula- |
tors from Western North Carolina. who |
really launched the American Revolution
I'm III. Boston could still console herself |
that she "also ran" TARHEEL.
Mobile. Ala, January II, 1898
eve take it that the writer of the fore
going is Hon. Hannis Taylor late Ameri-
can Minister to Spain. native of New
Berne. n c., and now a citizen of Mo-