GOVERNOR TRYON AND THE REGULATORS.
A. D. 1766 TO 1771.
In the middle and western counties of North Carolina in the
period referred to, there was collected a large increase of
population. Immigrants had come in large companies from
Scotland, Ireland, England and Germany. Fully two hundred
thousand inhabitants were by that time to be found east of the
Blue Ridge Mountains. They were separated by that great barrier
from the Cherokees, who latterly had well respected this line of
separation.
2. A great portion of the western settlers had recently come to
their new homes, and were very poorly provided with the means of
living. They were hundreds of miles from market, and made
nothing on their farms to sell but wheat. These farmers were
taxed about twelve dollars apiece on the poll, and paid an annual
rent of seventy-five cents on each one hundred acres of their
land.
3. When they hauled wheat to Cross Creek, now Fayetteville, it
realized but little more than enough to pay for the salt needed
in the family. Sugar and coffee were luxuries in which they
rarely indulged. It can thus be seen how cruel would have been
even an honest collection of what the laws demanded of these
recent settlers as taxes. When these sums were enormously
increased by dishonest sheriffs the farmers were in despair, for
it was beyond their power to pay.
4. The farmers knew they were being cheated, and resolved to put
an end to such practices. Colonel Edmund Fanning, of Hillsboro,
in Orange county, was growing rich as Register of Deeds, and was
the ringleader in this oppression of the people.
5. In this same county lived Herman Husbands, who was a Quaker
preacher, and, though of limited education, was a man of
considerable natural abilities. He prevailed on his neighbors at
Sandy Creek to form an association for mutual protection against
the wrongs of the public officers. His organization was known as
the "Regulators," and they were to help each other in the
lawsuits and indictments growing out of a refusal to pay unlawful
demands.
6. This was wise and proper, as these men were not rebellious,
but only desired relief from oppression, but Husbands should have
joined the league he was thus creating, and thereby shared the
liabilities of the members. This he would not do, but preached
and harangued until the people were in a fever of excitement.
1768.
7. The first trouble grew out of a seizure of a horse from one of
two men sent to Hillsboro on a mission to the sheriff. The
Regulators retook the horse by force, and fired into the roof of
Colonel Fanning's house. That night Husbands was arrested and
carried to Hillsboro, and gave bail for his appearance at the
next Superior Court. He had hardly left Hillsboro before seven
hundred men came to his rescue; they went away with promises made
by Isaac Edwards, who was Tryon's Secretary, that the Governor
would redress their wrongs.
8. Governor Tryon went to Hillsboro in a few weeks, but condemned
only the people who had asked his aid, and, after going further
west, came back to the Superior Court with an army of eleven
hundred men, which he had raised in Mecklenburg and Rowan
counties. Husbands was acquitted on trial, but three other
Regulators were heavily fined and imprisoned. Colonel Fanning
was convicted in five cases of extortion in office, and the
judges, to their shame, imposed a fine of only one penny in each
case.
9. This marching of troops, and the failure of the court to do
its duty, only made matters worse. The Regulators grew in numbers
and violence until the courts could not be held in some counties.
Husbands was expelled from his place in the House of Assembly and
thrown into prison for a libel on Judge Maurice Moore. His
release was effected in time to stop a crowd of several hundred
men from going to New Bern, where they had declared they would
release him and burn the splendid palace the Governor had just
built.
1771.
10. Matters continued to grow worse until, in 1771, Governor
Tryon raised an army in the eastern counties, under a law of the
Assembly, and marched to Orange to put down what he called the
"rebellion of the Regulators," Colonel Waddell, with another
body of troops, marched from Salisbury to join him, but was met
by the Regulators and driven back.
11. On the 16th of May, 1771, the force of Governor Tryon,
numbering eleven hundred men, met about two thousand of the
Regulators at a place called "Alamance," in Orange County. In
the battle that ensued there was stubborn fighting until the
ammunition of the Regulators was exhausted, and they were driven
from the field. Many men lost their lives, and all that was
gained by North Carolina, after a noble resistance to oppression,
was that Edmund Fanning and others, who were largely responsible
for all its disorders, left the province.
12. The brutal malice and cruelty in Governor Tryon's character
was exhibited soon after the battle. Several prisoners were
taken by him, and one of them, a poor half-witted youth named
James Few, was, by Tryon's order, hung on the spot without trial.
Twelve other prisoners were soon convicted of high treason and
sentenced to death. Six of them were hanged almost immediately;
the execution of the others was delayed for a few days in order
that a grand military display might be made on the occasion, the
details of which the Governor superintended in person.
[NOTE--It has been said that the battle of Alamance was begun by
Governor Tryon, who fired the first gun at a prisoner named
Robert Thompson, killing him instantly. The men seemed to
hesitate about beginning the fight, and Governor Tryon, rising in
his stirrups, exclaimed: "Fire! fire on them, or on me!"]
13. Governor Tryon left the province a month after the battle of
Alamance to become, by the king's appointment, Governor of New
York. He had signally failed to do his duty in compelling his
subordinates to deal honestly with the people, but yet he
retained the confidence of many able and patriotic men. Richard
Caswell and many other leaders in the province were distressed
that he had ceased to be the Chief Magistrate of North Carolina.
QUESTIONS.
1. How were the middle and western sections of North Carolina
being peopled at this period?
2. Give some description of these people. How were they taxed?
3. What return did the sale of their crops bring them? How was
theirs a hard lot?
4. By whom were the poor farmers being oppressed?
5. What noted man is now mentioned? Can you tell something of
the acts of Herman Husbands in the province?
6. How did he shrink from becoming a member of his league?
7. What was the first trouble? How did they settle the matter?
Mention some circumstances of the trial of Husbands?
8. What was the result of Governor Tyron's visit to Hillsboro?
How did the trials at court terminate?
9. How were the Regulators affected by this "mock judgment"?
Into what trouble did Husbands next fall?
10. What steps were taken by Governor Tryon towards crushing the
Regulators? By whom was his army reinforced?
11. Can you describe the memorable "Battle of Alamance"? What
benefit was derived from it? Point out on the map the scene of
the battle.
12. What was Governor Tryon's conduct after the battle?
13. When did Governor Tryon leave North Carolina, and for what
purpose?