CHAPTER XV.
THE BATTLE.
It was as if we had no sooner learned that Tryon was near at hand thanhe came almost upon us.
Just at sunset on the 13th day of May in the year of grace 1771, ourscouts came in with the report that the governor's force was encampedhardly more than six miles away, and was sending out skirmishers toascertain our position.
Master Husband's opinion was, and now he had become the leader welearned that he could be very obstinate once his mind was made up,that our scouts should be drawn in lest, peradventure, some of them becaptured.
Thus it was we remained all in ignorance of what the enemy might bedoing until, at about eight o'clock in the evening, our sentinelscaptured two of the king's men who were out reconnoitering, bringingthem into camp.
These were none other than Colonel John Ashe and Captain John Walker.
Now has come the moment when I must write of what we did to disgracethe Regulation, because surely it was a disgrace for civilized menclaiming to be at war, to act as did the Regulators through theadvice, or, I might almost say, the commands of, Master Husband.
As we learned afterward, our new leader fancied he had cause forenmity against the two gentlemen whom our sentinels had takenprisoners, and within half an hour after they were brought into camp,he ordered both tied to a tree and severely whipped.
It was an outrage which cannot be excused, however partial one mayfeel toward that organization which first nourished the spirit ofliberty among the American people. Yet it was done, and to MasterHusband must be given the blame.
In the Carolinas Colonel Ashe and Captain Walker were looked upon asworthy gentlemen even by those whose politics were of a differentcomplexion, and that we should flog them like slaves, nay, even in amore brutal fashion than one would whip his own chattels, was diredisgrace.
Had Master Husband delayed even ten minutes after making the proposalfor punishment, our people would have cried out against the outrage;but it seemed almost as if the Regulators were paralyzed by the meresuggestion of such an act as had never before disgraced them, and afew of the meaner spirits carried the order into execution while theremainder of the company were literally stupefied.
This was the first wrong done, so far as I knew, by the Regulation,and nineteen out of every twenty condemned it as brutal anduncalled-for.
When the punishment was concluded, however, kindly hands took chargeof the unfortunate gentlemen, and if words could have soothed theirwounds, then of a verity had they been made whole while yet the stingof the lash was upon their flesh.
Master Husband knew full well that he was censured by the majority ofthe company, and it was as if from that moment he took the entirecommand into his hands, determined that we should have no voice inwhatsoever was done.
Thus it was that that brave company of gentlemen followed blindly aleader who was very shortly to prove himself a rank coward, raising nomutiny as would have been done under other circumstances, because wewere facing the enemy and bickerings might bring about a disaster.
When some of us would have accompanied Colonel Ashe and Captain Walkerto Tryon's camp under a flag of truce, Master Husband sternly forbadeany such procedure, and declared that he should hold the gentlemenprisoners until after the enemy had retreated, or been whipped inbattle.
Next morning, instead of sending out skirmishers, our leader appearedto think that a written notice from him would be sufficient todisperse the king's men, and accordingly he wrote what it pleased himto call a "proclamation," setting forth the fact that the governor hadcome contrary to law into counties over which he had abandonedcontrol, and demanded that he should send answer within four hoursexplaining when it would please him to retreat.
We had among us the Reverend David Caldwell of Orange, that goodminister who followed such of his congregation as belonged to theRegulation, knowing full well a battle was imminent, and believing hemight acceptably serve God and his fellow-man at the time when deathwas about to seize upon some of us.
Master Caldwell had been among those who spoke the loudest againstMaster Husband's brutality of the previous evening; but now heaccepted the position of messenger in the hope that he might prevailupon Tryon to draw off and thus avert bloodshed.
The good man disdained to use a flag of truce; but set off trustingthat his cloth would protect him, as indeed it did, for he wasspeedily given audience with the enemy.
Governor Tryon received the clergyman graciously; but excused himselffrom making a reply to the ill-advised proclamation until noon of thefollowing day, because, as he said, until then there would not be timeto discuss the matter with such of his officers as were entitled toconsideration.
However, he gave the parson the most positive assurance that no bloodshould be shed unless the Regulators began the battle; in other words,he bound himself to keep his force in leash unless we made anunprovoked assault.
When Master Caldwell came within our lines again, he had a longinterview with Master Husband, the substance of which none of us knewthoroughly; but it was whispered among the more knowing, that theparson had insisted on liberty being given to the two prisoners, andour leader had flatly refused.
Master Howell and a dozen others who had shared the command of thecompany with General Hamilton, were loud in their complaints becauseMaster Husband refused to send out scouts, and, finally, after nolittle bickerings which would have swelled into open mutiny but forthe situation of affairs, they left the bigoted man to himself, andsent secretly a dozen or more to spy upon the enemy.
By this means we knew that during the night Governor Tryon's forcehad crossed the Alamance and marched silently along the Salisbury roaduntil within half a mile of our camp, where they were formed in battleorder by daybreak.
All this we of the rank and file knew; but our leader remained inignorance, and had no suspicion that Parson Caldwell paid a secondvisit to the governor before breakfast was served our men, receivingfrom him another promise that blood would not be shed by his forcewithout provocation; but now, having gained the position he desired,Tryon demanded as the price of peace, that the Regulation shouldsurrender unconditionally.
This he charged Master Caldwell to repeat to our leader, and whenMaster Husband heard it he showed himself, for a short time, as onewho understood somewhat of warfare, for as soon as might be thereafterhe marched us down the road until we were halted within three hundredyards of the governor's army.
Now did it appear as if the battle was to be fought by words ratherthan bullets, for Tryon sent forward under flag of truce a magistratefrom Orange County, who read a lot of high-sounding words to theeffect that we were ordered by the chief ruler of the colony todisperse within an hour.
Then was come the time when we should have set spurs to our horses anddashed into the king's lines, for of a verity could we have put themin full flight within ten minutes; but Master Husband, beginning tofeel the influence of that cowardly fit which so beset him shortlyafterward, ordered Robert Thompson, a gentleman well known among usall as being of a most peaceful and amiable disposition but prone atall times to speak his mind, to go into the governor's lines and learnwhat arrangements might be made for the settlement of the difficulty.
This command was given secretly, else would Master Thompson never havebeen allowed to go forth on such an errand when we were prepared andeager to measure strength with the enemy.
However, he went, and we remained in the saddle mystified, wonderingwhy any parley should be held, until we saw our comrade halt in frontof the governor himself.
Now this which I am to about to relate was afterward told me by amember of Tryon's force. As a matter of course all that we of theRegulation could see was the movements of the men.
When Master Thompson advanced to the governor, he was told abruptly,and without even the ordinary civility which is due from one gentlemanto another, to make his way to the rear as a prisoner.
Indignant because of such perfidy, he told the brute Tryon some veryplain truths r
egarding his actions in the Carolinas, and wheeled aboutto return to our lines.
My eyes were upon him at the moment, and Sidney had expressed hissatisfaction at seeing Master Thompson coming toward us in such aresolute manner, when I saw Tryon seize a musket from the hands of amilitiaman, and shoot the Regulator dead.
At the same instant it was as if the governor realized what he haddone, for the smoke of the musket had hardly more than cleared awaybefore we saw a flag of truce advance; but the murder of RobertThompson was sufficient to arouse us all, and an hundred rifles wereimmediately emptied upon the bearer of the flag.
Then it was that we would have advanced without waiting for ordersfrom Master Husband, but that Parson Caldwell rode swiftly up and downthe line between us and the enemy, imploring the Regulators todisperse rather than bring civil war upon the colony.
We could not fire upon a man like Master Caldwell, neither was it inour hearts to ride him down, as we must have done had a charge beenmade at that moment; but Tryon, losing his senses through rage, as itseemed to me, gave the word for the militia to fire.
Not a man obeyed the order.
Parson Caldwell continued to urge that we have forbearance, and againTryon called out for his men to shoot, this time addressing theartillery as well as militia.
It was as if both sides were listening to the entreaties of theclergyman, when the bully Tryon, maddened with rage, rose in hisstirrups as he shouted frantically:
"Fire! Fire on them or on me!"
This order was given to the entire force, and the men obeyed.
How many of our people fell I know not. On the instant there camebefore my eyes a red mist; my brain swam, and I only know that therewas but one desire in my heart, which was to kill--to kill the brutewho had neither the instincts of a man nor the courage of a woman!
We Regulators fired rapidly as we could load and discharge our pieces,and then suddenly Sidney shouted:
"Come forward, lads! Spur your horses hard and we may take thosecannon, for the men who work them act faint-hearted! Follow me!"
An hundred or more of us responded to this call. Riding forward atfull speed we literally swept the cannoneers from their pieces, andthis done, after many lives had paid the price, we saw that man towhom General Hamilton had entrusted the command of the gallantRegulators, ride like a coward down the road a short distance, andthen into the thicket.
Verily I believe there was not one among us save he who would haveshown the white feather even in order to save his own life, and wecursed him--while we battled against the enemy we cursed him!
What followed I know not of my own knowledge. It was as if a fever hadseized upon me, and when reason returned Sidney and I were in the jailat Hillsborough, where we remained many a long, dreary month beforefinally being allowed to return to our homes under parole.
Here is an account as I have seen it set down by another who wrote ata later day, when all the facts were known, and in his words shall betold the remainder of the distressing story which began so bravely,and ended in shame and in death. [3] "Some young men among theRegulators rushed forward and took possession of the cannons. They didnot know how to manage them, and soon abandoned them. The militarynow fired with vigor, and the Regulators fell back to a ledge ofrocks on the verge of a ravine, not, however, until their ammunitionwas exhausted.
"Nine of the Regulators and twenty-seven of the militia fell in thatconflict, and a great number on both sides were wounded. Tryon, in hisreport, said, 'The loss of our army in killed, wounded, and missingamounted to about sixty men.'
"The admitted excesses of the Regulators afford no excuse for thecruelty of Tryon after the battle on the Alamance. With the implacablespirit of revenge, he spent his wrath upon his prisoners, and some ofhis acts were worthy only of a barbarian. He exacted an oath ofallegiance from the people; levied contributions of provisions;chastised those who dared to offend him; and at Hillsborough heoffered a large reward for the bodies of Husband and other Regulators,'dead or alive.'
"At Hillsborough he held a court-martial for the trial of hisprisoners. Twelve were condemned to suffer death; six were reprieved,and the others were hung. His thirst for revenge satiated, Tryonreturned to his palace at Newbern, where he remained but a short time,having been called to the administration of affairs in the province ofNew York.
"The movements of the Regulators and the result of the battle on theAlamance form an important episode in the history of our Revolution.Their resistance arose from oppressions more personal and real thanthose which aroused the people of New England. It was not wholly theabstract idea of freedom for which they contended; their strifeconsisted of efforts to relieve themselves of actual burdens. Whilethe tea-duty was but a 'pepper-corn tribute,' imposing no real burdenupon the industry of the people in New England, extortion in everyform, and not to be evaded, was eating out the substance of theworking men in North Carolina. Implied despotism armed the NewEnglanders; actual despotism panoplied the Carolinians. Each wereequally patriotic, and deserve our reverent gratitude. The defeat onthe Alamance did not break the spirit of the patriots; and many,determined no longer to suffer the oppressions of extortioners,abandoned their homes, with their wives and children, went beyond themountains, and began settlements in the fertile valleys of theTennessee."
FOOTNOTE:
[3] Lossing's "Field Book of the Revolution."
THE END.
The Boy Spies with the Regulators Page 15