Alamance Battleground

On this site in 1771, an armed rebellion of backcountry farmers — calling themselves Regulators — battled against royal governor William Tryon's militia. Visitors can tour the battlefield, the 18th-century Allen House, and battlefield monuments. 

Formation of the Regulators

In the years leading up to the American Revolution, many people in North Carolina became strongly discontented with the way the provincial government was handling the colony's affairs. Their quarrel was not with the form of government or the colony's laws, rather abuses by government officials.

Grievances affecting the daily lives of the colonists included excessive taxes, dishonest sheriffs, and illegal fees. Scarcity of money contributed to the state of unrest. Those living in the western part of the province were isolated and unsympathetic with the easterners, and it was in those frontier counties that the War of the Regulation began.

After a swell of popular support for reform, a group called the "Regulators" formed by 1766. Wealthier colonists considered them to be a mob. The Regulators were a democratic movement that did not have a single leader, though several men were prominent in the movement including James Hunter, Rednap Howell, William Butler, and Herman Husband. Husband, a Quaker and follower of Benjamin Franklin, circulated political pamphlets advocating peaceful reform.

The Regulator movement 

The Regulator movement sought to solve basic issues of government corruption through a various methods of protesting. Their main complaints centered on the corrupt local officials that were exploiting Piedmont farmers by embezzling money collected for taxes. These sheriffs would sometimes confiscate people's property if they could not provide hard currency for taxes, even if the farmer was rich in goods (such as wheat). 

The Regulators conducted mass meetings and organized great assembles of the population. They organized committees with appointed "chiefs" and "captains" as leaders. They sought to file lawsuits and petitions to the offending officials. They even elected Herman Husband and another Regulator to the general assembly, expecting all of their efforts toward reform to be ignored as those who were corrupt held the power. In September 1770, after years of frustration and being ignored by the government,  a group of violent Regulators attacked the Hillsborough courthouse targeting the corrupt officials. They particularly targeted Edmond Fanning, who was nearly beaten  to death his home in Hillsborough destroyed. This incident provoked the colonial government to raise a militia of  1,000 men and 8 cannons to suppress the Regulators. 

The Battle of Alamance

During the morning of May 16, 1771, a body of 2,000 Regulators assembled along the Salisbury-Hillsborough  road to protest against Governor Tryon's policy and forces. They had sent a final petition to Tryon the night before to peacefully resolve this conflict, and were ignored.  Around 11 a.m., the sheriff of Orange County approached the body of Regulators holding the governor's response.

"Great Alamance Camp May 16, 1771

In answer to your Petition, I am to acquaint you that I have ever been attentive to the true Interest of this Country, and to that of every Individual residing within it. I lament the fatal Necessity to which you have now reduced me, by withdrawing yourselves from the Mercy of the Crown, and the Laws of your Country, to require you who are Assembled as Regulators, to lay down your Arms, Surrender up the outlawed Ringleaders, and Submit yourselves to the Laws of your Country, and then, rest on the lenity and Mercy of Government. By accepting these Terms in one Hour from the delivery of this Dispatch you will prevent an effusion of Blood, as you are at this time in a state of War and Rebellion against your King, your Country, and your Laws."

The sheriff read this letter to groups of Regulators. This illustrated the Johnston riot act, meaning that the Regulators had one hour to disperse or face consequences. Shortly after, Tryon arrives with 1,000 men marching through the open woods, dragging eight cannons. They set up along the road, waiting for the hour to expire. The Regulators stand boldly in front of the cannons, daring the militia on to fire. After the hour expired, the sheriff asked the Regulators to disperse. Their answer, "fire and be damned."  Tryon turns to the artillery, loaded with grape shot and opens fire. The Regulators scatter, though roughly 400 stayed behind to put up a resistance. Many Regulators where not armed. The cannons fire on the Regulators for 30 minutes until Tryon advances the militia and pursues them for another hour and a half. At the end of the day, Tryon suffers minor casualties while the Regulators suffer 100 killed and 200 wounded. 

The rebellion of the Regulators was crushed. Tryon took many prisoners, of which seven were later hanged. Many Regulators moved on to other frontier areas beyond North Carolina. Those who stayed were offered pardons by the governor in exchange for pledging an oath of allegiance to the royal government and the surrender of their arms.

The War of the Regulation illustrates the dissatisfaction of the population before the American Revolution. The staunch differences between classes in North Carolina was on full display during this conflict, as the leaders of Tryon's militia were plantation owners and wealthy elites. The Regulation also is an example of how growing issues with British imperial polices caused unrest in local populations. Interestingly, during the American Revolution many Regulators, including James Hunter, remained loyal to the king and fought as a loyalist.  Leaders of Tryon's militia, such as Richard Caswell who would go on to become the first governor of North Carolina, fought against the crown.