The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-04-05

. . . . . .
It may not be generally known but
over in Alamance County the war OF
American Revolution was commenced
There was shed the first blood IN that
sanguinary and extended struggle
which eliminated in the freedom of
the colonies and the creation OF the
Republic
IL may be that Governor Tryon was
when he was appointed in 1854 TO as
sumo the authority over the colony
Of North Carolina the beginning Of;
the Revolution came. With Tryon's
arrival at Wilmington came the at
tempt to enforce the stamp act in the
colony. The North Carolina patriots
did not content themselves with throw
ing overheard any taxed tea They
went down TO the wharf in broad day
light and terrorized the captain OF the
Sloop that carried stamped paper TO
this colony and prevented him from
landing his stamps Wilmington join
ed in the demonstration The town
was illuminated at night. and the next
day the enthusiastic rebels marched
TO the Governors house. demanded
that all Attempts 10 execute the stamp
act should cease, and that the stamp
officer for North Carolina should be
surrendered to the insurgents The
Governor attempted to put up a bluff,
but the people made preparations to
burn the palace, stamp officer, Gov
ernor and the whole stamp machinery.
Governor Tryon gave up his stamp
officer TO an angry mob, which took
him to the public market house and
required him to swear that he would
not try TO execute the stamp laws in
the colony. When he had sworn he
was released. and it is narrated that
the people gave three cheers and dis
persed-
Although the stamp act was soon
repealed the seeds of discomfort sown
in North Carolina had made TOO much
growth to be uprooted by any pallia-
tive measures Up in Aamance
County. along with the complaints
against the stamp act. other things
were included IN the bill Of grievances
chat body of men calling themselves
regulators offended the Governor,anG
while the stamp act ceased to offend
the other anuoyances remained The
regulators grew desperate, and held
conventions and stirred up the peo-
pie with revolutionary talk until dis
content publicly proclaimed itself
throughout much Of Central North
Carolina
Gov Tryon was a man OF not much
tact He was soldier. and believed
IN the soldiers abrupt methods Pleas
from the people were received with
lite courtesy, which only increased
the dissatisfaction Things progress
ed in this manner for three or four
years, and finally eliminated in the
battle OF Alamance. In which the in
surSents lost 90 killed and large
number wounded. and the royal forces
some 60 killed and wounded But the
royal army was victorious for the
time.
The battle OF Alamance was fought
on May 10. 11.1. and should be a fixed
date IN American history, for it
! marks the beginning Of the United
States Its elimination IS an index
of the character OF the people who de
termined on freedom, and had the
English authorities been wise they
might have learned from IL what the
! gathering storm portended. To pre-
I; vent the regulators from securing
arms and equipments to resist the roy
al troops a proclamation was Issued
by the Governor warming merchants
to refuse to sell powder or lead. But
/! proclamations did not count in North
Carolina at that particular time. and
when Governor Tryon. with eleven
hundred soldiers. crossed tne Haw
River on May 16. he was met by near
! ~ two thousand of the regulators
armed and equipped IN that motley
manner. which made the war OF the
Revolution famous.
Tryou arranged his troops in line
OF battle. and sent magistrate TO the
regulators to command them TO dis
persc. They sent back word that they
wanted their grievances redreSsed.
Tryon responded that they must re-
turn home. pay their taxes. be good.
and surrender such offenders as might
be asked for. The regulators said