Master Hamilton, who yet remained in command of the Regulators, despite his many years, had decided that our wisest method of procedure was to interfere at the outset, claiming that we had the right to make certain that justice, not the will of Governor Tryon, should influence the decisions given by judges who were inclined to listen to the orders of the governor rather than the evidence before them.
It can well be supposed that neither my father nor myself lost any time in saddling our horses, and within twenty-four hours we were at the old encampment which overlooked the town of Hillsborough.
This time we were perfect masters of the situation. Tryon, believing the Regulation had been crushed out of existence, neglected to send soldiers to overawe us, and twenty of our people took possession of the court-house, while the remainder occupied the hill on the opposite side of the river ready to cross whenever a signal should be given that the services of armed men were necessary.
Because of our superior numbers, there was little chance the king's minions could do very much harm, therefore we were not held to rigid military discipline, and Sidney Hubbard and myself had no difficulty in obtaining permission to accompany that party which was to make certain no wrongs were inflicted upon us in the name of the law.
When we arrived at the court-house, having left our horses on the opposite side of the river, we found there but one judge, and he the man above all others who was ready to give such verdicts as would please the governor. It is needless for me to set down the fact that this man was Richard Henderson.
Seeing our party enter the building Fanning took it upon himself to ask that we be put out, and not allowed to enter even the yard, because, as he said, there were outlaws among us who had come for no other purpose than to create a disturbance.
All those of whom he thus spoke had suffered many wrongs at the hands of this same attorney, and foremost in the list of the oppressed were Herman Husband, the two Hunters, and Rednap Howell, not one of whom felt inclined to take additional abuse from such a traitor as Fanning.
That they acted hastily in the matter, I must admit; but at the same time one should remember the wrongs they had received. The miserable cur of an attorney had no sooner ceased speaking than the gentlemen I have named, aided by all the Regulators present, seized Fanning roughly and literally dragged him into the courtyard, where Sidney and I were set over him as guards until such time as our people might be at liberty to attend to him properly.
Because of being thus occupied, I did not see that which followed; but later in the day my comrade and I were told that our people demanded the trial of those belonging to the Regulation who had been declared outlaws, which was no more than just, since the court had been called together for that sole purpose.
It was not the purpose of Judge Henderson to give the Regulators a fair trial, and, therefore, in order to outwit us, he declared the court adjourned for the day.