The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-11
WHICH WAS FTRST-ALANANCE
OR LEXINGTON?

| Co, New, York and Washington, you
quote from my book as follows:
| 1.-THE battle of Alamance and
not the battle of Lexington, as is
| usually taught, was the first bat
tie of the American Revolution"
| and that 1.-The war of the Regula-
tors was a revolution and the be-
| ginning of and the Revolutionary
War the ending of, one and the
same war against oppression by
the British Government.
| Then you say:
| "Au this DR. Fitch affirms he
has proved but his proof when
| measured by historical standards
| can hardly be called satisfactory,
| and Lexington must still be credit
| ed with the distinction it has so
long enjoyed"
Now. Mr.. Editor. / do not know by
what historical standards you meas
ure historical facts, but if you will
| grant me space in your valuable jour
nal / shall be pleased, for the infor-
nation of your learned readers, TO
| prove that my historical standards are
| thoroughly reliable, trustworthy ana
| iucontrovertible
| | will begin by referring you to
| George Bancroft, the great American
| historian, an able defender and en-
| thusiastic eulogist of the Regulators,
he has written them down upon inn
perishable record as the earliest and
most devoted American Revolutionary
| patriots.
| Bancroft, in his history Vol. VI, PIP.
| 1873. referring to the revolution of the
| Regulators and the battle of Alamance,
| he says: ''The blood of 'rebelS'
against (British) oppression was first
shed among the settlers on the branch
| es of the Cape Fear River. (The Bat
| tie of Alamance was fought on the
/ ho, Of Crnat A a R liver q
| tributary of the Cape Fear RIver.J
| / will next ask your attention to
Wheeler's History of North Carolina,
| to Part /, on page 50 you will find
| the following, he says: "At the bat
| tie of Alamance was the first blood
spilled in these United States in re-
sistancc to eXactionS of English rulers
and expressions of the British Gov
eminent"
Losing in his "Field Book of the
Revolutions" Vol. /, PIP. SIT, SAYS:
although they (Regulators) were de-
feated in that early conflict (Battle of
Alamance) that first battle CT our war
for independence they were not sub
dued and many of the survivors were
among the most determined opposers
to CORVALLIS a few years later
c. l.. Hunter, in his book, Sketches
of Western North Carolina" on page
IL, says: "On the 10th day of May,
1771. the battle of Alamance was
fought = They Regulators
rose to arms. were beaten, but theirs
was the first blood shed for freedom
and Independence in the American
Colonies"
S. w. Stockard in History OF
Alamance, z on page So, says: THE
beginning of the Revolution was not
an easy matter. but it began on the
Plains of the Alamance.
IfXyft, 20 oh "a nod f,1IT,
destiny and the Regulators began the
Revolutionary War at the Battle of
| Alamance."
We could so on giving additional
quotations from Revolutionary His
| tory of North Carolina" by Graham,
| Hawkes. and Swain; Life of DIR. Cald-
We'll" by Caruthers; Sketches Of
North Carolina History by DIR. Foote,
an array of eminent historians OF
recognized ability, untiring, painstak-
| ing, conscientious seekers after truth.
With one accord they all believed ana
stoutly maintained that 1.-The first
blood shed in battle with the troops
of the English Government in support
| of the principles of the American Re
volution was the blood of North Caro-
| linianS, and the first battle for Ameri-
can independence was at Alamance.'
There seems to be little danger Of
their losing the place in history as
signed them by such historians as
Bancroft, LooSing. Wheeler, Hunter,
Caruthers. Foote Graham Hawks,
Swain and a host of others. These
Mr.. Editor, are the historical stand
Irds by which we measure historic
facts ito prove" that the Battle of
AIamance was the first battle of the
American Revolution.
Possibly no fact in American history
mas been more doubted and discussed,
and as a consequence more clearly and
ndisputably proven-that the battle
of Alamance was the first battle. and
here was shed the first blood of Ameri
cans for freedom and Independence.
The battle of Alamance, fought May
9Th 1771, the British colorS' flying
over Governor Tryon and his army OF
200 men we'll differed. with artillery
ayalry and rangers; against the Reg
1lators of whom about 1000 bore arms
he battle lasted three hours, during
which time Tryon sent out the white
lag twice, and was at last, victorious
suffering loss of more than 40 killed
md wounded, and the Regulators loss
vas about the same number.
The battle of Lexington fought on
Aprl 10Th, 1775, between Capt John
Parker commanding about 10 minute
nen, and the British led by Major
Pitcairn, who advanced within a few
DDS of Parker and commanded him
o "disperse We Williams and fired on
he minute men, the encounter lasted |
bout 80 minutes with q loss of z
Tiled and nine wounded to the Ameri- |
ans, the loss of the British was one |
wounded horse and three wounded !!
uen.
Your Historical Standard" no doubt |
ire the productions of Northern and |
Eastern historical writer's who under |
local patriotic influences, failed to give |
redit to the North Carolina patriots |
t Alamance. They have lauded the |
Boston Tea Party and the battle of |
Lexington to the -four Winds" first |
or sectional pride, and second because |
hey knew the facts, but in writing our
histories they overlooked the Stamp |
Nct Riot" antedating the Boston Tea |
'arty' by eight years, and the battle |
f Alamance, antedating the skirmish |
1t Lexington by almost four years |
probably because they did not seek this |
historic information.
1t is true some historians make the |
statement that the Regulators were not |
lighting British troops, and that they |