ere is a truthful earnestness in some of them,
and cogency of reasoning more effective than the skill of the mere
rhetorician. Sometimes they appeared in ballad form, and sometimes as
simple narrative. The rough poet of the period (the American
Revolution can boast of many) was Rednap Howell, who taught the very
children to sing, in doggerel verse, the infamy of the proud officials
who were trampling on their rights. A short selection from the many
similar ones will be here presented for the amusement of the reader.

"Says Frohock to Fanning, to tell the plain truth,
When I came to this country, I was but a youth;
My father sent for me; I wasn't worth a cross,
And then my first study was stealing a horse,
I quickly got credit, and then ran away,
And haven't paid for him to this very day.
Says Fanning to Frohock, 'tis folly to lie,
I rode an old mare that was blind of one eye;
Five shillings in money I had in my purse,
My coat was all patched, but not much the worse;
But _now_ we've got rich, and its very well known.
That we'll do very well, _if they'll let us alone_."

The truthful sentiment conveyed in the last line will find many fit
illustrations in our own times.

The power of the Royal government was called into requisition to put
down this "Regulation" movement. The military spirit of Tryon resolved
to appeal to the sword. On the 24th of April, 1771, he left Newbern at
the head of three hundred men, a small train of artillery, and with a
considerable number of his adherents. General Waddell was sent forward
to Salisbury to raise troops, munitions of war having been previously
ordered from Charleston. While he was in Salisbury waiting for the
arrival of this supply of warlike munitions, the "Black Boys" of what
is now Cabarrus county, under the lead of "Black Bill Alexander,"
seized the convoy of wagons, and completely destroyed the "King's
powder," well knowing it was intended to obey the behest of a
tyrannical Governor. When Waddell advanced his troops from Salisbury
to join Tryon, the bold sons of Rowan rose in arms and ordered him
back. On the 10th of May, 1771, at Potts' Creek, he held a council of
his officers, and they, believing "prudence to be the better part of
valor," fell back, and recrossed the Yadkin. Waddell soon found that
many of his own men sympathised with the cause of the Regulators. He
promptly sent a message to Tryon, then enca