the wheat-fields
were destroyed and the orchards felled. Every house found empty was
burned to the ground. Cattle, poultry, and all the produce of the
plantations were seized. The terrified people ran together like sheep
pursued by a wolf. The men who had been indicted for felony at Newbern,
and who had failed to submit themselves to the mercy of his packed
juries and false witnesses, were proclaimed outlaws, whose lives and
property were forfeit. Never had the colonies been so spoiled on such
slight pretence.

Thus marching onward like a conquering general of the Middle Ages,
leaving havoc and ruin in his rear, on the evening of May 14, 1771,
Tryon reached the great Alamance River, at the head of a force of a
little over one thousand men. About five miles beyond this stream were
gathered the Regulators who had fled before his threatening march. They
were probably superior in numbers to Tryon's men, but many of them had
no weapons, and they were principally concerned lest the governor "would
not lend an ear to the just complaints of the people." These "rebels"
were certainly not in the frame of mind to make rebellion successful.

The Regulators were not without a leader. One of their number, James
Hunter, they looked upon as their "general," a title of which his
excellent capacity and high courage made him worthy. On the approach of
Tryon at the head of his men James Hunter and Benjamin Merrill advanced
to meet him. They received from him this ultimatum:

"I require you to lay down your arms, surrender up the outlawed
ringleaders, submit yourselves to the laws, and rest on the lenity of
the government. By accepting these terms in one hour you will prevent an
effusion of blood, as you are at this time in a state of war and
rebellion."

Hopeless as the Regulators felt their cause, they were not ready to
submit to such a demand as this. There was not an outlaw among them, for
not one of them had been legally indicted. As to the lenity of the
government, they had an example before their eyes in the wanton ruin of
their houses and crops. With such a demand, nothing was left them but to
fight.

Tryon began the action by firing a field-piece into the group of
Regulators. At this the more timid of them--perhaps only the unarmed
ones--withdrew, but the bold remainder returned the fire, and a hot
conflict began, which was kept up steadily for two hours. The battle, at
first in the open field, soon shifted to the woodland,