56 HISTORY OP adopted by the Continental Congress. A high state of excitement prevailed^ — frequent and angry discussions were indulged in, which strongly tended to neutralize the parties from each other, and prepared them to embrace the actual com- mencement of hostilities with open arms, with the vain hope of satiating their personal animosities under the all-sufficient cloah oi war; where they might justify themselves in apply- ing the lighted torch, or the merciless tomahawk, — sacrificing with impunity the property and lives of their nearest neigh- bors, whose only fault was, — " They did not think as we." The first open act of hostility that was committed iu Tryon county, was at the meeting of those favorable to the cause of Independence, in May, 1775, at the house of John Yeeder, in the Caughuawaga district, for the purpose of raising a liberty pole." The citizens, unapprehensive of danger, assembled unarmed. In the midst of their deliberations, and while one of their leading whigs* was haranguing the assembled multi- tude, whose hepits beat in unison with his own, they were suddenly thrown into great confusion by the appearance of an armed bo^^y of loyalists, commanded by Sir John J ohnston in person- The whigs, indignant at the unceremonious inter- ruption of their proceedings, determined to compel Johnston and his retainers to withdraw : a violent scuffle ensued, which resulted in hlack eyes and bruised noses on both sides, but no blood was shed, or other serious injury sustained by either side, when the parties actually withdrew, the loyalists to Johnstown, and the whigs to their respective homes, leaving the ^^pole" unraised. The report of these proceedings was immediately communi- " Stone's Border Wars, gives the name as Sampson Sammons.
