The Boy Spies with the Regulators

He would not be consoled for the lost opportunity of distinguishing himself, and for a moment I really believed he was on the point of striking the disarmed men who had baffled his desires.

There was no reason why we should not feel proud of our work. We had captured the ammunition, which was the first task set us, and, in addition held as prisoners a force which Governor Tryon counted on as adding to his own. Surely we had done well, and if the remainder of the Regulators could do as much, then was it certain Tryon would be driven in shame from this portion of the colony.

Now it was that we had more prisoners than were convenient. As a matter of fact it would be impossible to feed them during the march to the Alamance where we counted on meeting our companions-in-arms, to say nothing of providing them with horses, for not more than half the number were mounted, therefore Master Howell called for a consultation in which all hands were to take part.

It was not necessary to spend very much breath over the question as to whether we would try to hold them captives. They must be disposed of in some manner, and without loss of time; but yet our duty was to make certain they did not join Tryon.

After hearing such propositions as our people had to make, and some of them were wild indeed, Master Howell raised the question as to whether it would not be wise to release them on parole?

This was the solution to the whole matter, and if he had so stated it at first, we would have decided within a few seconds.

On being consulted, our prisoners declared that they would readily take an oath not to bear arms against us until after having been properly exchanged, and all seemed pleased at being able to get out of the scrape so easily.

The men were formed in a hollow square, and each was required to repeat the oath Master Howell administered, after which we parted company, the paroled force going toward Charlotte, and we riding at full speed toward the Alamance, for it was to be expected that Tryon would go there to seek us.

I would it were possible for me to set down all the details of our movements; but the yarn has already been spun out to such a length that much which might, possibly, be interesting to strangers must be omitted.

It suffices to say that within three days after this encounter with General Waddel's force, we of the two hundred which had been sent out to gather in a supply of ammunition rejoined the main body of Regulators, and much rejoicing was there in camp after our story had been told.

It was as if each of us had done something remarkable, to judge of the treatment we received, and certain it was that those who had been weak-kneed regarding our chances of a successful opposition to Tryon, straightway became convinced that we could force him to retreat when the two forces came together.

During our absence it had been decided by our leaders that we would await the enemy on the banks of the Alamance, and there was no good reason to change the plan after we returned. We now had plenty of powder, and the women from roundabout melted lead into bullets until our wants were fully supplied.

We had already fought and captured a full third of the force Governor Tryon counted on bringing with him, and this was done by only two hundred of our people, therefore it seemed positive that when we met them, a thousand Regulators against no more than fifteen hundred militia and a few companies of soldiers, the result would be in our favor.

Twenty men or more were sent out as scouts and the remainder of our company lounged idly in camp, when, as a matter of fact, every moment should have been spent in fortifying the position.

More than one of our people suggested that it would be a good plan to throw up breastworks, but our leaders gave no heed to the suggestion, and for the reason that they were suddenly plunged into distress not unmixed with dismay.

Our old commander, the man upon whom all relied at such a time, was taken with a most serious illness, and it was believed that his days on this earth were few.

It was necessary to carry the old gentleman to a dwelling, and half a dozen of our best men undertook this duty, leaving the command of the force to Herman Husband, that member of the force in which we placed implicit confidence.

As I look back upon that time, when all were confident regarding the future, it seems indeed strange that we should have selected as Master Hamilton's successor the only member of our company who would play us false.

It was as if the gallant Master Hamilton had but just been carried away from us, when the scouts came in with the news that Tryon was approaching, having heard of General Waddel's defeat.

Then it was we leaned upon Master Husband, that man for whom we had risked our lives three several times in order that he might be spared imprisonment, and learned in the end that he was no more than a broken reed.

CHAPTER XV

THE BATTLE

It was as if we had no sooner learned that Tryon was near at hand than he came almost upon us.

Just at sunset on the 13th day of May in the year of grace 1771, our scouts came in with the report that the governor's force was encamped hardly more than six miles away, and was sending out skirmishers to ascertain our position.

Master Husband's opinion was, and now he had become the leader we learned that he could be very obstinate once his mind was made up, that our scouts should be drawn in lest, peradventure, some of them be captured.

Thus it was we remained all in ignorance of what the enemy might be doing until, at about eight o'clock in the evening, our sentinels captured two of the king's men who were out reconnoitering, bringing them 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 disgrace the Regulation, because surely it was a disgrace for civilized men claiming to be at war, to act as did the Regulators through the advice, or, I might almost say, the commands of, Master Husband.

As we learned afterward, our new leader fancied he had cause for enmity against the two gentlemen whom our sentinels had taken prisoners, 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 may feel toward that organization which first nourished the spirit of liberty among the American people. Yet it was done, and to Master Husband must be given the blame.

In the Carolinas Colonel Ashe and Captain Walker were looked upon as worthy gentlemen even by those whose politics were of a different complexion, and that we should flog them like slaves, nay, even in a more brutal fashion than one would whip his own chattels, was dire disgrace.

Had Master Husband delayed even ten minutes after making the proposal for punishment, our people would have cried out against the outrage; but it seemed almost as if the Regulators were paralyzed by the mere suggestion of such an act as had never before disgraced them, and a few of the meaner spirits carried the order into execution while the remainder 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 and uncalled-for.

When the punishment was concluded, however, kindly hands took charge of the unfortunate gentlemen, and if words could have soothed their wounds, then of a verity had they been made whole while yet the sting of the lash was upon their flesh.

Master Husband knew full well that he was censured by the majority of the company, and it was as if from that moment he took the entire command into his hands, determined that we should have no voice in whatsoever was done.

Thus it was that that brave company of gentlemen followed blindly a leader who was very shortly to prove himself a rank coward, raising no mutiny as would have been done under other circumstances, because we were facing the enemy and bickerings might bring about a disaster.

When some of us would have accompanied Colonel Ashe and Captain Walker to Tryon's camp under a flag of truce, Master Husband sternly forbade any such procedure, and declared that he should hold the gentlemen prisoners until after the enemy had retreated, or been whipped in battle.

Next morning, instead of sending out skirmishers, our leader appeared to think that a written notice from him would be sufficient to disperse the king's men, and accordingly he wrote what it pleased him to call a "proclamation," setting forth the fact that the governor had come contrary to law into counties over which he had abandoned control, and demanded that he should send answer within four hours explaining when it would please him to retreat.

We had among us the Reverend David Caldwell of Orange, that good minister who followed such of his congregation as belonged to the Regulation, knowing full well a battle was imminent, and believing he might acceptably serve God and his fellow-man at the time when death was about to seize upon some of us.

Master Caldwell had been among those who spoke the loudest against Master Husband's brutality of the previous evening; but now he accepted the position of messenger in the hope that he might prevail upon Tryon to draw off and thus avert bloodshed.

The good man disdained to use a flag of truce; but set off trusting that his cloth would protect him, as indeed it did, for he was speedily given audience with the enemy.

Governor Tryon received the clergyman graciously; but excused himself from making a reply to the ill-advised proclamation until noon of the following day, because, as he said, until then there would not be time to discuss the matter with such of his officers as were entitled to consideration.

However, he gave the parson the most positive assurance that no blood should be shed unless the Regulators began the battle; in other words, he bound himself to keep his force in leash unless we made an unprovoked assault.

When Master Caldwell came within our lines again, he had a long interview with Master Husband, the substance of which none of us knew thoroughly; but it was whispered among the more knowing, that the parson had insisted on liberty being given to the two prisoners, and our leader had flatly refused.

Master Howell and a dozen others who had shared the command of the company with General Hamilton, were loud in their complaints because Master Husband refused to send out scouts, and, finally, after no little bickerings which would have swelled into open mutiny but for the situation of affairs, they left the bigoted man to himself, and sent secretly a dozen or more to spy upon the enemy.

By this means we knew that during the night Governor Tryon's force had crossed the Alamance and marched silently along the Salisbury road until within half a mile of our camp, where they were formed in battle order by daybreak.

All this we of the rank and file knew; but our leader remained in ignorance, and had no suspicion that Parson Caldwell paid a second visit to the governor before breakfast was served our men, receiving from him another promise that blood would not be shed by his force without provocation; but now, having gained the position he desired, Tryon demanded as the price of peace, that the Regulation should surrender unconditionally.

This he charged Master Caldwell to repeat to our leader, and when Master Husband heard it he showed himself, for a short time, as one who understood somewhat of warfare, for as soon as might be thereafter he marched us down the road until we were halted within three hundred yards of the governor's army.

Now did it appear as if the battle was to be fought by words rather than bullets, for Tryon sent forward under flag of truce a magistrate from Orange County, who read a lot of high-sounding words to the effect that we were ordered by the chief ruler of the colony to disperse within an hour.

Then was come the time when we should have set spurs to our horses and dashed into the king's lines, for of a verity could we have put them in full flight within ten minutes; but Master Husband, beginning to feel the influence of that cowardly fit which so beset him shortly afterward, ordered Robert Thompson, a gentleman well known among us all as being of a most peaceful and amiable disposition but prone at all times to speak his mind, to go into the governor's lines and learn what arrangements might be made for the settlement of the difficulty.