I have received an acceptance for my article offering a reassessment of the legacy of Regulator James Few in the excellent Journal of the American Revolution. I do not have an estimate of when it will appear, but I will post an update when it may be found. This peer-reviewed journal has an excellent format. It offers a daily article in its free online portal, then publishes an annual anthology of selected articles.

Synopsis: James Few was the first leader of the North Carolina Regulators hanged following the Battle of Alamance. His hanging was summary and came without benefit of trial. Early North Carolina historians have depicted James Few as a pathetic figure of limited mental competence, and only give passing notice to the impressive role his family played in the coming American Revolution, including a brother who signed the United States Constitution.

It is easy to take these accounts at face value, as many modern historians have, including this one. A deeper exploration of the facts of the life of James Few and the scattered information on this individual presents a far more nuanced picture of a complex man. If the particulars of Few’s death had been different, modern America may well have a different image of this man who is more than a footnote, but less than a biography.