The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-11-07

y u" Az aD0 dS
County Begin Movement to Per-
petuate Memory OF Revolutionary
Organization Which Has Not
Been Accorded the Place in History
it Deserves-Something About the
Famous Continental Military Com
pany and the Plans on Foot.
Especial to News n Observer.)
Concord, Nov. "A movement has
been started in Concord and Cabarrus
county to raise funds for the pur-
pose Of erecting a monument to the
Cabarrus Black Boys, a band Of pa
triots from this county, who per-
formed one Of the braves deeds Of
h great fight for independence ever
recorded in his section by destroying
a British powder train at a time when
they were practically unarmed and
greatly o~utnumbered.
It is the purpose of those behind
the to perpetuate the
memory Of this brave band of pa
triots, whose daring deeds are yet
unheralded and have been &C
corded the conspicuous place in the
history Of this State that they de-
serve.
From their deeds grew the spirit
Of liberty that blossomed forth into
the Mecklenburg Declaration of In
dependence Of May 20, IT'S. Much
Of the history that is recorded Of the
! men who composed the band OF Ca
barrus Black Boys was gathered by
| Messrs. w. A. Foil, c. e. Boyer and
J. F. Cook, especially the former,
from whom many OF the facts below
are secured.
The trouble between Governor
Tryon, Of North Carolina, and the
Regulators reached its climax in
Alamance county in 1771. Here the
brave defenders Of liberty, who were
chafng under the tyranny Of their
Governor, assembled themselves to-
| gether in armed resistance, and de-
manded that their wrongs be right
ed. Governor Tryon, determined to
quell this formidable spirit Of lib
erty 1t one fell stroke, ordered his
forces to Alamanee in order that he
might coerce these Regulators into
submission to his authority To sup
ply these forces with munitions OF
war, Governor Tryon procured from
| Charleston. S. c., three wagon loads
OF gunpowder, fiints, blankets, etc,
! These stores were conveyed to Char
account OF lack Of loyalty to the
kings cause, wagons could not be
procured from any citizens Of Neck
1enburg. Thereupon, Col. Moses
Alexander. a kings magistrate, seized
wagons by force to convey the mum
tons to Hillsboro, then the seat OF
government, thereby obeylng cover
nor Tryon's behest.
Here nine patriots, Major anne
White, William White and John
White. brothers, all born about one
mile from Rocky River Church anu
reared on the banks Of Rocky river
Robert Caruthers, b Davis Ben
jamin Cochran, James Ashmore and
Joshua Hadley, plotted to destroy
these munitions of war. They pledged
themselves by a most solemn obiiga-
ton not to disclose anything relat-
inc to this act. To prevent detec-
ton they disguised themselves by
backing their faces, and at evening
started out for the accomplishment
OF their The White brothers
were afoot but fortunately they me-
their father returning from a miii
with two horses, each bearing a bag
Of meal. They demanded the horses
of their father and caused him &C
dismount.
This band, wrought with patriotic
fervor, came upon the wagon tram
enca mped on "Phifer's Hil!.' three
miles west of Concord on the read
leading from Charlotte to Salisbury
and only a short distance from the
present home of MI r. y. CaidWe
They surprised and captured the
guards and teamsters, stove in the
heads of the kegs, tore the blanket
! into shreds, collected the powder ano
fints and placed them ali in a heap
Thcy made a fuse of powder that lead
some distance from the pile, fired a
pistol into the fuse, which ignited
the powder and caused a remen
dans explosion. Major White, WAC
! fred the shot. was struck by a slave
from a bursting keg ana severely
wounded.
when the news Of the daring ex-
plot reached the ears OF Col. moses