mped on Eno, informing him
of his critical situation. Tryon hastened on with his forces, crossed
Haw river on the 13th of May, and, on the next evening, pitched his
camp on the bank of the Alamance. On the 16th of May, 1771, the
unfortunate battle of Alamance was fought in which was shed the _first
blood_ of the American Revolution. After that disastrous event, in
which, for want of skilful leaders, and concert among their men, the
Regulators were subdued, the bloody "Wolf of North Carolina," as Tryon
was called by the Cherokee Indians, advanced in all "the pomp and
circumstance" of official station, and joined Waddell on the 4th of
June, near Salisbury, about eight miles east of the Yadkin river. He
then marched by a circuitous route to Hillsboro, where he had court
held to try the Regulators, by his pliant tool, Judge Howard. On the
20th he left Hillsboro, and reached Newbern on the 24th; and on the
30th left North Carolina for the colony of New York, over which he had
just been appointed Governor. Thus was our State rid of one who had
acted the part of an oppressive ruler and a blood-thirsty tyrant.

The efforts of Tryon had been too successful in enlisting under his
banners, before the designs of the British government were openly
discovered, many of the bravest and best officers of his day. Caswell,
Ashe, Waddell, Rutherford, and other distinguished persons who gave in
their adhesion to Governor Tryon in 1771, only three years later, at
the first Provincial Congress, directly from the people, held at
Newbern on the 25th of August, 1774, were found to be true patriots,
when it became apparent the entire subjugation of the country was the
object of the British crown. To the first assemblage of patriots,
adverse to the oppressions of the British government, held at Newbern
in August, 1774, the delegates from Rowan were William Kennon, Moses
Winslow and Samuel Young.

To the same place, in April, 1775, the delegates were Griffith
Rutherford, William Sharpe and William Kennon.

To Hillsboro, on the 21st of August, 1775, the delegates were Matthew
Locke, William Sharpe, Moses Winslow, William Kennon, Samuel Young and
James Smith. This Provincial Congress appointed as Field Officers and
Minute Men, for Salisbury District, Thomas Wade, of Anson, Colonel;
Adlai Osborne, of Rowan, Lieutenant Colonel; Joseph Harben, Major.

To Halifax, on the 22d of April, 1776, Rowan sent Rutherford Griffith
and Matthew Locke as delegate