Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-03-11

1
wrote to Gen. Gage in Boston, soliciting
arms and ammunition. This letter was
intercepted and the intentions of the
Governors becoming known, the people
were reused up to the highest pitch of in
dignation. They marched to his house,
carried off six cannon which he had
planted there for his defense, and Martin
! fled in terror to Fort Johnson, near Will
mington. From here he issued procla-
nation against the patriots, denouncing
them as rebels and incendiaries and trait
ors to King George.
On August 20, 1875, the Provincial
Congress met at Hillsborough, and they
ordered the Governors proclamation to
be burned by the common hangman.
They also set about raising two regiments
of 500 men each for the defense of the
liberties of the province. The command
of the first regiment was given to Col.
James Moore, of Hanover, the second to
Col. Robert Horne, of Brunswick. Ten
companies of minute men, each company
to number fifty men, were also directed
to be raised. The people were now thor
oughly aroused. The news of the great
events occurring i'll Massachusetts, was
waited to the patriots of the South. The
hopes and aspirations of the Northern
colonists were shared by the patriots of
Carolina, and to show that they were in
earnest, the latter went to work and any
smith who could forge blade or sharpen
a warlike instrument was called into SER
vice, until the whole colony looked like
one vast military workshop.
Gov. Martin had not been idle while all
this was going OH. He dispatched ennis
saries among the Scotch and Regulators
endeavoring to win them to the cause of
the King. He was in momentary expec-
tation of the arrival of Sir Henry Clinton
with troops from the North, and he had
learned that Sir Peter Parker, with the
British. fleet, having Lord CORVALLIS
and considerable force on board, were
destined for America. These tidings gave
the loyal Governor great pleasure. He
knew if he could raise force of Loyal
lists and keep them in the heart of the
colony until the arrival of the expected
reinforcements, the rebellion would be
Immediately crushed in North Carolina.
He therefore used every effort in gaining
over the Scotchmen to the royal stand
ard.
At Cross Creek lived Donald Melon
aid. veteran soldier, who possessed
great influence over his countrymen. He
fought at the famous battle of Culloden
in Scotland, where Charles Stuart, the
"Young Predender" to the throne of Great
Britain, was completely defeated and
forced to flee to the Continent. McDon-
aid was fortunate enough to escape from
the hands of the bloodthirsty soldiers of
the Duke of Cumberland and went to
became traitor to the cause of liberty,
and took service with the very power
that had oppressed his native land. He
received the commission of brigadier
general from Gov. Martin, and, raising
the stsndad of King George III. at Cross
Greek (now Fayetteville. called upon his
countrymen to assemble in their strength
and prove their loyalty to the throne and
their devotion TO the King. They readily
obeyed. In the course of few days
more than a thousand Scotchmen were
mustered under the banner of Mcdonald,
and many Tories and others hocking in,
the number was soon swelled to eighteen
hundred.
Allen Mcdonald served as captain un-
der Mcdonald. He was the husband of
the celebrated Flora Mcdonald, friend of
Charles Stuart, who aided that unfortu-
nate Prince in GLIDING the English hire
lings of the Duke of Cumberland, who
were pursuing him all over Scotland.
Allen Mcdonald and his wife used all
their influence in bringing their country
men to the standard of the Scotch gen.
eral.
Col. Moore, who was then at Hanover,
received intelligence of the gathering of
the loyalists, and summoning band of
patriots to his assistance, in all about
100 men, marched toward Cross Creek
to meet Mcdonald, and encamped within
twelve miles of the Scotchman's head
quarters. Here he fortified his camp, and
SEM out small attachments of men and
skillful scouts and spies, who cut off all
communication between Mcdonald and
Gov. Martin.
Mcdonald upon being informed of
Moore's approach set out to dislodge him.
When within few miles he halted, and
sending forward messenger with the
Governors proclamation. and at the same
time urged upon Col. Moore to prevent
bloodshed by joining the Kings stand
ard. In case of refusal he threatened
the patriots with the chastisement due
to rebels found in arms against their
King. Moore answered firmly and de-
family that he was engaged in a holy
cause, from which he could not be Sc
duced, and threatened him with the same
punishment which he had proposed to
inAict on the patriots.
Moore delayed his answer for some
time, in order that a messenger whom
he had dispatched to Col. Caswell, the
commander of the minute men, might
have time to deliver his dispatch. Nc