Guilford County touts its historic Battle of Guilford Courthouse, considered a major turning point in the American Revolution. But seeds of revolution sprouted not far to the east in Alamance County. In 1771, a group of backcountry farmers -- or Regulators -- fought against fellow citizens called up to serve in the colony's militia. They were protesting government corruption and seeking more of a voice for themselves in the government, said Bryan Dalton, site manager for what is now known as the Battle of Alamance. "They had some just grievances, there's no doubt," Dalton said.  The battlefield is along N.C. 62 South in Burlington. The 40-acre state site includes the historic Allen House -- a 1780-era log dwelling characteristic of frontier homes of the time -- a nature trail, two monuments to the battle, a visitor center and a gift shop. This clash between Regulators and militia at the Battle of Alamance points to the fever building up to the American Revolution, Dalton said. During the war, three battles took place in the county, all during 1781: Pyles' Defeat, also called Pyles' Massacre, on Feb. 25; the Battle of Clapp's Mill on March 2, and the Battle of Lindley's Mill on Sept. 13. The two-hour Battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771, left nine dead and 61 wounded in the militia, which was led by Gov. William Tryon. A total for the Regulators is unknown, but historians speculate it likely to be around 100 dead and an even larger number wounded, Dalton said. The Regulators outnumbered the militia nearly 2 to 1. But many of the farmers were unarmed, Dalton said. Both sides had about equal training as potential militia members, which was a part of their duty as colonists. Militia members initially balked at firing on their fellow colonists, he said, but Tryon ordered them to either fire on the Regulators or on him. "It was a very difficult situation for both sides," Dalton said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were a number of Teagues involved in the Regulator Movement:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snow Camp, NC is located on the north bank of Cane Creek, in present day Alamance County, N.C. This settlement became known as Snow Camp by the mid 1700s. Some hunters from Pennsylvania camped near Cane Creek during the summer of 1748, during which time the snow was two to three feet deep. When they cut trees for firewood they cut them level with the snow. When this band of hunters and other Pennsylvania pioneers returned to Cane Creek area the following year, they recognized the old camp by the tall stumps and said,"There is the place where we camped in the snow." In the years that followed, the settlers began referring to the settlement as Snow Camp.
|