The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-06-07
rHr FARMER AND MECHANIC

who fought under Tryon, in his report
to the Moravians (Moravians' Record
at Salem, N. Co says, many OF the
wounded Regulators left on the battle
field suffered an ignominious death at
the hands Of the Governor, who ordered
of the Governor who ordered
the woods set on fire, and in cOnSe-
quence the wounded who could not
crawl out Of danger or that were not
rescued by their comrades, were lit
orally roasted to death." Williamson
in his history says: THE engagement
lasted nearly three hours. The Regu-
Eaters loss-ki1led and wounded-was
between seventy and eighty men,
Martin, in his history, says 1.-The Kings
loss was about 100 men killed and
wounded" According to a statement
in WilliamsOn's history (pol. 2, page
276) which was taken. probably from
official communications, AYERS that
T'ryon's loss greater than he reported.
| Immediately after the battle Tryen
hanged as traitors several Of the cap
tured Regulators, the balance 80
he dragged around as scare crows
through the Regulators country-on
his march OF Observation-Disclosures
with torch and sword. disarming the
inhabitants, burning their buildings
and laying waste to all growing crops.
in addition to levying contributions Of
beef and flour for his army, Tryon's
march "of devastation for
tyrany and general cu~ssedness greatly
o~vershadows "Sherman's famous
march to the sea-" one hundred years
later.
Thus ended the Battle Of Ala
mance.' 1t was here that the first
blood was shed in resistance to exac-
lions Of English rulers and oppression
by the government of Great Britain;
here is where the first patriots defied
an army flying the British flag and
gave up their blood for the founding
Of American liberty and independence.
From the blood shed on the Battlefield
at Alamance," from the very grass
which covers the raves of the heroic
dead sprung the glorious flower of
freedom which now flOurisheS and
blossoms in all its magnificent splen-
dor throughout this great republic.
The Battle OF Alamance' and not
the battle of Lexington. as is usually
taught, was the first battle OF the
American Revolution. For the sake
of CON p~arisOn We will call to mind
the little skirmish that took place on
Lexington green on April 10Th. 1775-
just one day less than four years after
the Battle Of Alamance. The Ameri-
can militia, under Capt. Parker. num-
bered about seventy men. The Brit
ish. led by Major Pitcairn.
bered the Americans. This British
officer galloped up, shouted to the
1 leans SS, yo ICbC1S-
They showed fight and he ordered
his men to fire; and the engagement
was on. The Skfrrnish lasted thirty
minutes, with a loss to the Americans
Of four killed and seven wounded,
while the British loss was one man
killed, three men and a horse
ounded
deeds Of the men at Alamance with
those Of the man OF Lexington. They
at Lexington instructed their repre-
sentatiyes to demand radical and last
ing redress for grievances. On the
village green at Lexington free born
Americans swore to combat manfully
their birthright and inheritance OF
liberty. On the greensWard at Ala |
nance the Regulators counting them
selves free born, gave full proof OF
their resolve to know and enjoy the
liberty which they had inherited. and
they did it four years before it was
dreamed Of at Lexington. Word
chimes with word, deed harmonizes
with deed, the same spirit of freedom.
ready to die for liberty breathes in
both The Revolution of the Regula-
tors was the beginning OF, and the
Revolutionary War the ending Of, one,
and the same war against oppression
by the British government.
The Revolution Of the Regulators
al the Battle of Alamance sharpened
the seEsibilities and instilled into the
intellect Of the Mecklenburgers the
determination to be free and indie
pendent, which led to the Mecklen-
burg Declaration of Independence, the
first declaration for American liberty.
1t is an indisputable historic fact that
the Province of North Carolina was
the first Of the thirteen colonies to
openly resist and later cast off the
British yoke, al q relying on the truth
and justice Of her cause and with the
help Of the God of David, she threw
the gauntlet-Me cklenburg Declara-
ton of Independence-of defiance in
the teeth Of the Goliath power of
England.
The First Declaration Of Independ-
encc.
Early in May. 1875. the people Of
Mecklenburg moved. in their sover-