Then he marched to Salisbury and back to Hillsborough, enlisting recruits wherever men or lads could be cajoled or frightened, and, with an army of an hundred and sixty trained soldiers and about fifty feeble-minded colonists, he proceeded to play the part of king; but with rather poor success.
By this time such of the Sons of Liberty as had returned to their homes and were yet at liberty came back to Maddock's Mill prepared to remain until matters were of a different complexion, and once more the defenders of the colony presented a formidable front to the tyrant.
We numbered upwards of three hundred and eighty, and by advice of General Hamilton our camp was moved nearer Hillsborough in order that we might protect the country roundabout.
In answer to what he was pleased to term a "threat," on our part, Tryon called out the militia of the colony, threatening direst vengeance upon those who dare disregard the call. By such means he added twenty or more to his army, and once again were the sheriffs sent to collect taxes, each officer guarded by a squad of ten soldiers.
Now was come the time when the Regulation believed something more should be done than remaining idly in camp.
We were told off into squads of twenty-five, and day after day we rode here or there as our scouts reported the movements of the sheriff, driving back the officials and their guards as if they had been so many sheep.
When the guard of the tax-collectors were increased in numbers, our detachments were added to, and in every case we sent back the scurvy rascals. Sometimes they plucked up courage to exchange shots with us, when we always managed to disable one or more; but as a rule they beat a hasty retreat whenever we came in sight.
We had orders not to shoot unless we were attacked, and it was hard at times to obey, particularly when, in the course of our forays, Sidney and I saw Sandy Wells at the head of a dozen soldiers destroying the household goods of a widow with one son of seventeen, who could not pay the money demanded.
Before the middle of August, however, we made the governor and his crew understand that we were masters of that section of country, and instead of sending out sheriffs on fruitless errands, Tryon set about strengthening his position as if fearing we might attempt to capture Hillsborough.
That town was a fortified camp, and none of the royalists dared ride three miles in either direction.