*

98 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

have soared as they pressed on, resolved to maintain the char-
tered rights of their country! Animated by the noble impulses
of a lofty patriotism, with their souls elevated by the inspiring
emotions of a perilous struggle for their liberties, they moved
forward with a resolute purpose to sacrifice their lives rather
than tamely submit to the oppressive and odious enactments of
the British Parliament.

It was nightfall before they reached the vicinity of Bruns-
wick, and George Moore and Cornelius Harnett, riding in ad-
vance, presented to Governor Tryon a letter from the governing
Directory, notifying him of their purpose. In a few minutes
the Governor’s residence was surrounded, and Captain Lobb
was inquired for, but he was not there. A party was then dis-
patched towards Fort Johnston, and thereupon Tryon notified
the British naval commanders and requested them to protect the
fort, repelling force with force. In the meantime, a party of
gentlemen called on the collector, Mr. Dry, who had the papers
of the ship Patience; and in his presence broke open his desk
and took them away. This gave an earnest of the resolute pur-
pose of the people. They purposed to use all violence that was
necessary to carry out their designs. Realizing the full import
of the situation, the following noon a conference of the King’s

officers was held on the Viper, and Captain Lobb, confident of ©

his strength, declared to the Governor that he would hold the
ship Patience and insist on the return of her papers. If the
people were resolved, so were the officers of the government.
The sovereignty of Great Britain was to be enforced. There
was to be no temporizing with the rebels. The honor of the
government demanded that the British flag should not droop in
‘the face of this hostile array. But two short hours later a
party of the insurgents came aboard and requested to see Cap-
tain Lobb. They entered the cabin, and there, under the royal
flag, surrounded by the King’s forces, they demanded that all
efforts to enforce the Stamp Act cease. They would allow no
opposition. In the presence of Ashe, Waddell, DeRosset, Har-
nett, Moore, Howe, and Lillington, the spirit of Captain Lobb
quailed. The people won. In the evening the British com-
mander, much to the Governor’s disgust, reported to that func-
tionary that “all was settled.” Yes. All had been settled.
The vessels were released ; the grievances were redressed. The
restrictions on the commerce of the Cape Fear were removed.
The attempt to enforce the Stamp Act had failed before the

Resistance Before the Revolution 99

prompt, vigorous, and courageous action of the inhabitants.
After that, vessels could come and go as if there had been no act
of Parliament. The people had been victorious over the King’s
ships; with arms in their hands, they had won the victory.

But the work was not all finished. There, on the Diligence,
were obnoxious stamps, and by chance some loyal officer of the
government might use them. To guard against that, the officers
were to be forced to swear not to obey the act of Parliament,
but to observe the will of the people. Mr. Pennington was His
Majesty’s controller, and, understanding that the people sought
him, he took refuge in the Governor’s mansion and was given
a bed and made easy, but early the next morning Col. James
Moore called to get him. The Governor interfered to prevent;
and immediately the mansion was surrounded by the insurgent
troops, and the Directory notified the Governor, in writing,
that they requested His Excellency to let Mr. Pennington ap-
pear, otherwise it would not be “in the power of the directors
appointed to prevent the ill consequences that would attend a
refusal.” In plain language, said John Ashe, ‘‘Persist in your
refusal, and we will come and take him.” The Governor de-
clined to comply. In a few moments he observed a body of
nearly five hundred men move towards his house. A detach-
ment of sixty entered his avenue. Cornelius Harnett accom-
panied them and sent word that he wished to speak with Mr.
Pennington. The Governor replied that Mr. Pennington was
protected by his house. Harnett thereupon notified the Gov-
ernor that the people would come in and take him out of the
house, if longer detained. Now the point was reached. The
people were ready; the Governor was firm. But Pennington
wisely suggested that he would resign, and immediately wrote
his resignation and delivered it to the Governor—and then he
went out with Harnett and was brought here to Brunswick, and
required to take an oath never to issue any stamped paper in
North Carolina; so was Mr. Dry, the collector; and so all the
clerks of the County Courts, and other public officers. Every
officer in all that region, except alone the Governor, was forced
to obey the will of the people and swear not to obey the act of
Parliament.

On the third day after the first assemblage at Wilmington,
on the 18th, the directors, having completed their work at
Brunswick, took up the line of march to return. With what
rejoicing they turned their backs on the scene of their blood-

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