Untitled Essay Research Paper Subject American History — страница 4

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the seriousness of the situation lying ahead. Earlier that week, some of the Regulators captured Colonel John Ashe and Captain John Walker of Tryon’s militia while they were scouting, severly beat them, and made them prisoners. So careless were the Regulators and so unaware of the situation most of them were wrestling and playing around when an older soldier who happened to be among them warned them to expect an attack at any minute. Shortly after, the firing began. Before the shooting began, the Regulators were given a choice to retreat and dissolve their group or be fired upon. In the one hour they had to decide few were considering their lives. The Regulators gave no response and thus the Battle of Alamance began. Tryon’s well-equipped troops soon put the Regulators to

flight. The Regulators had no officer higher than captain and each individual company fought independently. Tryon’s artillery fire was very effective in the beginning, but many Regulators later found refuge behind trees and rocks. The Regulators were deserted by many of their own comrades and took early leave of the battlefield. The Battle of Alamance lasted two hours. Tryon’s forces lost nine to death and sixty-one wounded, while the Regulators lost the same number killed and had a large, but undetermined number of people wounded. Tryon took about fifteen prisoners and executed one on the spot with the idea of striking terror into the hearts of the Regulators. This action, I believe, was uncalled for because of the decisive military defeat. Despite his evil display of

character during the battle, Tryon had his own surgeons treat the wounded Regulators (the entire battle has been summarized from source #11). The Regulators attempt to secure reform in local government by force apparently failed completely. The Regulators were compelled to retreat from society and live life in the wilderness. Many migrated, some going to Tennessee and down into the Mississippi River Valley. Others followed Daniel Boone’s trail into Kentucky. In fact, by 1772, just one year later, about 1,500 of the former Regulators left North Carolina (12). The importance of the Battle of Alamance and its proper place in American history have been topics of discussion not only in North Carolina, but across the country. I gathered this fact from the area from which my sources

came. I noticed that the efforts of the Regulators is very similar to that of the colonists efforts to gain independence, only on a much smaller scale. The War of Regulation should be regarded as one of the primary thrusts of North Carolina’s role in the Revolutionary War. Because of the research I have done I am encouraged to find out more about the history of North Carolina. The Battle of Alamance should be covered in every American history course simply because it illustrates the desire for independence many colonists had during this time period. Endnotes 1. Nelson, Paul David. William Tryon and the Course of an Empire: A Life in British Imperial Service. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. 1990. 2. Dill, Alonzo Thomas. Governor Tryon and His Palace.

University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. 1955. 3. Dill, Alonzo Thomas. Governor Tryon and His Palace. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. 1955. 4. Spindel, Donna J. “Law and Disorder: The North Carolina Stamp Act Crisis.” North Carolina Historical Review. vol 57: 1980. pp. 1-16. 5. Henderson, Archibald. “Origin of the Regulation in North Carolina.” American Historical Review. 21: 1916. pp.320-32. 6. Lefler, Hugh T. “Orange County and the War of Regulation.” in Orange County, 1752-1952. ed. Hugh T. Lefler and Paul Wager. Chapel Hill: 1953. pp. 22-40. 7. Fitch, William Edwards. Some Neglected History of North Carolina. Neale Publishing Company: New York, New York, 1905. 8. London, L.F. “The Representation Controversy in Colonial North Carolina.”

North Carolina Historical Review. vol 11: 1934. pp. 255-76. 9. Newsome, Alber Ray and Hugh T. Lefler. The History of a Southern State. The University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill, 1973. 10. Bridenbaugh, Carl. Cities in Revolt: Urban Life in America, 1734-1776. Knopf Publishing, New York NY, 1968. 11. Edward, Brother C. “The Regulators: North Carolina Taxpayers Take Arms Against the Governing Elite.” American History Illustrated. April 1983: pp. 42-48. 12. Stumpf, Vernon O. Josiah Martin: The Last Royal Governor of North Carolina. Carolina Academic Press for the Kellenberger Foundation: Durham, NC, 1986.