Pag* SB-UMGS MOUNTAIN HEHALD-TuMday. Octobw 7. 1980
4r*^’
SCENE FROM 1955 DRAMA - Barbara Gault
Fox. left, daughter oi Mr. and Mrs. C.I. Gault.
Jr. and Dale Dixon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kelly
Dixon, were among locol people who had
roles in the historical drama in honor oi the
175th anniversary oi the Battle of Kings Moun
tain. KM Little Theatre sponsored "The Sword
oi Gideon" which ployed to lorge audiences
ot KM National Military Park.
End Of Royal Rule
When Royal Gov. Jbsiah
Martin fled from the elegant
governor’s palace in New
Bern 200 years ago, he was
quite unaware that he was
marking the end of royal rule
in North Cartdina.
It was spring in New Bern in
1775 when Governor Martin
found theincreasingly restless
North Carolinians harder and
harder to control.
Obsequious and tiresome
and unquestioningly loyal to
King George 111, Martin had
never enjoyed the popularity
accorded his predecessor,
William Tryon. Martin had
watched helplessly as the
r^dlious colonial assembly
had convened itself — an un
heard of act — both in August,
1774 and/igain in April of 1775.
He himself had called a
gathering for April 4, but the
rascals had convened them-
sdves a day earlier, so the two
meetiiigs with almost identi
cal delegates, met
simutaneously.
Martin was especially eager
to prevent any “untoward
thing’’ happening in the pro
vince of North Carolina since
his King George 111 was
beginning to take more notice
of the unrest of all the
colonies.
Unfortunately, the con
scientious governnor was
laiable to prevent the tide of
revolutionary feeling. ’The
colonists’ straining toward
sdf-determinaticn appeared
to him as “contumacy and
sedition.” He earned for him
self little respect from the
people who misunderstood his
zeal for carrying out royal
instructions, and did not
notice the subtle change in
royal attitude toward Ameri
cans standing up fcr their
rights.
Following the two meetings
of the provincial congresses.
Governor Martin fearing for
the safety of Ms wife and
family, sent them to family
members in York.
All the while, Martin was
becoming angrier and an
grier. In April, Lexington and
Concord had precipitated the
formation of committees of
safety everywhere. As Martin
learned of rumors of a plot to
seize the royal palace, he posi
tioned cannons in front of the
building, but most of the
weapons were carried off by
what he called a drunken mob.
Finally able to stand it no
longer, Josiah Martin spiked
the remaining cannon and fled
in fear to Fort Johnston.
From there he continued to
meet with the Council, trying
to salvage something of his
royal duties.
A few weeks later, he
became more uncomfortable,
and fled to the safer territory
of the British shq) “Cruzier,”
lying at anchor in,the Cape
Fear River. He got away just
in time, because on July 18,
ininutemen and militia from
the area attacked Fort John
ston and destroyed it — all the
while declaring their allegi
ance to the king. They insisted
their quarrel was with Parlia
ment.
On Aug. 18, Martin issued
his famous “Fiery Proclama
tion” against various commit
tees of safety, and especially
against the convening of the
'Ihird Provincial Congress,
then gathering for an Aug. 20
meeting at Hillsborough.
Hie very successful
Hillsborough Congress ac
complished two main objec
tives — the establishment of a
provisional government to fill
the void left by the “deser
tion” of the royal governor;
and the beginning of war
preparations.
Meanwhile, Martin spent
the summer aboard the
H.M.S. Cruzier devising ambi
tious plans for British invasion
of North Carolina, counting
heavily on support from the
Hi^land Scots around Cross
Creek (Fayetteville). His plan
found favor in London, and the
British duly arrived and suf
fered a terrible defeat Feb. 26,
1776, at the Battle of Moore’s
Greek Bridge, called “the
Lexington and Concord of the
South.”
Although he continued
nominaUy as governor of,His
Majesty’s.. Clploniy of N^b
Carolina, when Martin fled
Fort Johnston for the safety of
the ship in the summer of 1775,
his administration ended for
aH intents and purposes.
During tlie three years
following when he remained
with his family in New York,
his property was confiscated
and sold by order of foe Con
gress at New Bern. In foe
southern campaigns, he
served with Sir Henry Ginton
on foe battlefield in South
Carolina, and with Cfomwallis
at foe Battle of Guilford
Courthouse in March, 1781.
A month or so later, Martin
returned to his family in New
York.
In early fall, 1781, in in
creasingly declining health,
Martin took his family and
sailed for England, never to
return to America. He died at
his residence in Grosvenor
Square in March, 1786, at foe
age of 49 and is buried at St.
(feorges.
7Bn 2noti|
Annfuerj
lattle
n
BENNETT BRICK & TILE CO.
Phifer Road
No Cheers For Hoover
President Herbert Hoover
rode from Washington, p.C.
on a train to attend the Oct. 7,
1930 cdebration of the Battle
of Kings Mountain.
The country was at a low
economic ebb following foe
Depression of 1929. Prices and
wages were low, industrial
plants were closed, and cotton
was less than 10 cents a pound.
Bands, soldiers, and a vast
army gathered for the great
event. Tents for quartering
foe soldiers were set up,
refreshment stands were
opened and thousands
gathered.
Farmers rode to town in
“Hoover Carts’’ and
thousands lined the railroad
tracks as the Presidential
Special pulled in at the
railroad station with the
President standing on the rear
observation car.
But, the spectators there
didn’t cheer. They had not
supported President Hoover
and felt he was responsible for
foe plight they were in.
William Jennings Bryan,
three times Democratic
candidate for president, was
speaker for the Oct. 7, 1912
celebration and U.S. Senator
John W. Daniel, “Lame Lion
of Lynchburg, Va.”, was foe
speaker for the Centennial
Celebration Oct. 7,1880 where
the 28 foot granite monument
was unveiled before 12,000
people, many of whom had
pitched their tents and
camped for a week on foe
battlefield for the ceremonies
which lasted for several days.
Hiey had traveled by wagon,
on horseback and on special
trains which stopped at a
temporary station near the
battlefield. The summer had
been very dry and it is said
that the dust on the roads was
beyond description.
A Salute to the
Mountain Men
MODERN CLEANERS
427 North Piedmont Ave..
LULExl
9i
9)
VOTE DEMOCRATIC
★ THE WINNING TEAM ★
9 O
Senator Marshall Rauch Senator Helen Marvin Senator Ollie Harris
STATE SENATE
25th District
Cleveland Gaston Lincoln Rutherford •
GENERAL ELECTION TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1980
Paid Political Adv.
Proud of our heritage
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME
Serving since 1947
108 S. Piemont Ave.
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