Revolutionary era Wilmington, North Carolina

the bellamy mansion draws many tourists annually downtown wilmington.



u.s. courthouse in wilmington, backdrop of andy griffith s matlock television series

due wilmington s commercial importance major port, had critical role in opposition british in years leading revolution. city had outspoken political leaders influenced , led resistance movement in north carolina. foremost of these wilmington resident cornelius harnett, served in general assembly @ time, rallied opposition sugar act in 1764. when british parliament passed stamp act following year, designed raise revenue crown kind of tax on shipping, wilmington site of elaborate demonstration against it.

on october 19, 1765, several hundred townspeople gathered in protest of new law, burned effigy of 1 town resident favored act, , toasted liberty, property, , no stamp duty. on october 31, crowd gathered in symbolic funeral of liberty . before effigy buried, liberty found have pulse, , celebration ensued.

dr. william houston of duplin county appointed stamp receiver cape fear. when houston visited wilmington on business, still unaware of appointment, recounted,

inhabitants assembled me & demanded categorical answer whether intended put act relating [to] stamps in force. town bell rung[,] drums [were] beating, colours [were] flying , [a] great concourse of people [were] gathered together. sake of own life, , quiet minds of inraged [sic] , furious mobb..., houston resigned position @ courthouse.

governor william tryon made attempts mitigate opposition, no avail. on november 18, 1765, pleaded case directly prominent residents of area. said law restricted rights. when stamps arrived on november 28 on h.m. sloop diligence, tryon ordered them kept on board. shipping on cape fear river stopped, functions of courts.

tryon, after having received official commission governor (a position had assumed after death of arthur dobbs), brought wilmington captain constantine phipps on barge diligence, , received cordially gentlemen of borough. greeted firing of seventeen pieces of artillery, , new hanover county regiment of militia, had lined streets. warm welcome spoiled, however, after dispute arose between captain phipps , captains of ships in harbor regarding display of colors. townspeople became infuriated phipps , threats made against both sides. after tryon harangued them actions, townspeople gathered around barrels of punch , ox had brought refreshments. barrels broken open, letting punch spill streets; threw head of ox pillory, , gave body slaves. because of unrest, tryon moved seat of government new bern instead of wilmington.

on february 18, 1766, 2 merchant ships arrived without stamped papers @ brunswick town. each ship provided signed statements collectors @ respective ports of origin there no stamps available, captain jacob lobb of british cruiser viper seized vessels. in response, numerous residents southern counties met in wilmington. group organized sons of liberty , pledged block implementation of stamp act. following day, many thousand men, including mayor , aldermen of wilmington, led cornelius harnett brunswick confront tryon. governor unyielding mob retrieved seized ships. forced royal customs officers , public officials in region swear never issue stamped paper. parliament repealed stamp act in march 1766.