1755 – Letter/Petition: Written by Herman Husband to the Earl of Granville decrying the treatment of immigrants and poor farmers in their attempts to legally own land in the North Carolina Piedmont which was overseen by unscrupulous public officials. (* BLT, p. 32)
1758 – Sandy Creek Association: The Sandy Creek Baptist Church was organized in 1755 near Sandy Creek in Randolph County, North Carolina. The congregation consisted mainly of the farmers of the region, many of whom would later come to support the beliefs of the Regulators. The Sandy Creek Association would later adopt the name “Regulators”, which was a term used in England for many years. (** UAR, p.76)
1764 – Currency Act: Paper money created and circulated in the colonies, especially in Pennsylvania and New York was restricted by the British Government. This was devastating to producers and traders of colonial goods who were now forced to deal strictly with British currency and goods. (** UAR, p. 92)
1765 – Quartering Act: To provide housing and food for troops remaining in America after the French and Indian War, General Thomas Gage requested Parliament to reinstate a previous Quartering Act for his Army. The Colonists were outraged that a “standing army” would remain among them, housed by the colonists, feed by the colonists as well as ever increasing taxes flowing back to England. (**UAR, p. 89)
1765 – Stamp Act: In an attempt to recover some of its expenses for the Seven Year’s War, England enacted the Stamp Act. Taxes were levied on many paper goods produced in England. Official documents, playing cards, licenses, ship’s papers were just a few of these now-taxed items. It was intended to raise funds for the defense of the American Colonies. However, there was so little cash in circulation to pay for these taxes in the Colonies that the Act was violently protested. This one Act caused almost simultaneous riots across the American Colonies. (* BLT, p. 112)
1766- Regulators organize: The struggles and conflicts between local farmers and local North Carolina county officials comes to a head. (* BLT, p. 37-38)
1767- Building of New Bern “Palace”: Gov. Tryon requested and was granted funds to build a “proper” residence for the Governor of the Royal Colony. https://www.tryonpalace.org/palace 1768, April- Regulators’ Advertisement Number 8 signed by petitioners: Call for a meeting by Regulators to determine true list of taxables, list of insolvent (settlers/farmers), list of delinquents (settlers/farmers), fair account of money paid as well as costs, by law, for recording deeds, filing letters of administration, indentures and other fees.
1768, May- Regulators’ Advertisement Number 9 signed by petitioners: In an attempt to settle matters of misuse of powers by officials in the “backcountry” counties of North Carolina (especially Orange County), permission was asked for Governor Tryon and his council to hear the grievances of the farmers. http://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.html/document/csr07-0289
1768, 1 May – Arrest Warrant for Herman Husband: Issued by Thomas Lloyd, Sheriff of Orange County, North Carolina.
1768, 21 May – Regulators’ Advertisement Number 11: Another Petition signed on behalf of the Regulators, to Governor William Tryon, requesting an investigation into the unfair practices of the officials in the backcountry counties of North Carolina concerning high taxes and court fees. Signed by John Low, James Hunter, Rednap Howell, Harmon Cox, John Marshel, Wm. Cox, Wm. Moffitt and George Hendry. https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.html/document/csr07-0307
1769 – Legislature Vote, North Carolina: Herman Husband and several other Regulators were voted into the legislature. After submitting suggestions for change in an attempt to slow or stop embezzlement by court officials, Governor Tryon dissolved that legislature rendering all suggestions void and the legislature for that term ended. (** UAR, p. 104)
1770, September – Hillsborough, North Carolina court session: Angry with the inaction of the government, residents of Orange County, North Carolina showed up en-mass for the September court session to vent their frustrations. Fearing for his life, the presiding judge left town, leaving Edmund Fanning to face the crowd. The crowd unleashed their anger on Fanning and his home. (** UAR, p. 104-105)
1770, December- Johnston Riot Act Written: Gov. William Tryon’s formal declaration to the Regulators in an attempt to force them into submission. This document defined unlawful acts of assembly, what actions were considered acts of violence, and the punishments that would be passed down to the offenders. After being read in open court three times, this Act was ratified in January 1771.
1770- New Bern “Palace” completed.
1771, May: The Battle of Alamance ended the War of the Regulation. In a final effort to end the confrontation with dignity, a messenger was sent with one more plea to hear the grievances of the farmers. However, Governor Tryon was no longer open to negotiation but ready to move on to a new post as governor of New York. (* BLT, p. 185) Gov. Tryon shot the messenger himself. Though the British troops of Governor William Tryon were outnumbered, the Regulators were poorly equipped and poorly trained. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Alamance
UAR: The Unknown American Revolution – The Unruly Birth of Democracy and the Struggle to Create America; Gary B. Nash; 2005 Penguin Books Ltd.
BLT: Breaking Loose Together: The Regulator Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary North Carolina; Marjoleine Kars; 2002 The University of North Carolina Press.