At the same instant it was as if the governor realized what he had done, for the smoke of the musket had hardly more than cleared away before we saw a flag of truce advance; but the murder of Robert Thompson was sufficient to arouse us all, and an hundred rifles were immediately emptied upon the bearer of the flag.
Then it was that we would have advanced without waiting for orders from Master Husband, but that Parson Caldwell rode swiftly up and down the line between us and the enemy, imploring the Regulators to disperse rather than bring civil war upon the colony.
We could not fire upon a man like Master Caldwell, neither was it in our hearts to ride him down, as we must have done had a charge been made at that moment; but Tryon, losing his senses through rage, as it seemed to me, gave the word for the militia to fire.
Not a man obeyed the order.
Parson Caldwell continued to urge that we have forbearance, and again Tryon called out for his men to shoot, this time addressing the artillery as well as militia.
It was as if both sides were listening to the entreaties of the clergyman, when the bully Tryon, maddened with rage, rose in his stirrups as he shouted frantically:
"Fire! Fire on them or on me!"
This order was given to the entire force, and the men obeyed.
How many of our people fell I know not. On the instant there came before my eyes a red mist; my brain swam, and I only know that there was but one desire in my heart, which was to kill—to kill the brute who had neither the instincts of a man nor the courage of a woman!
We Regulators fired rapidly as we could load and discharge our pieces, and then suddenly Sidney shouted: