Who were the leaders of the whisky rebellion on the side of the rebellion?

Question

The rebels basically?

Answer 1

David Bradford: "Leader" of the Whiskey Rebels; most popular lawyer in Washington, PA; born in Maryland in 1760; owned best house in Washington; deputy attorney general for Washington County; elected to state legislature in 1792; had the good will of both the professional class and the people; was said to be lacking in stability and common sense."

Apparently there were also 19 others:

"That is as far as Washington went, but the army marched westward to Parkinson's Ferry on the Monongahela River and arrested twenty leaders, who were taken to Philadelphia for trial. All were pardoned, including two who had been condemned to death for treason. One of the primary leaders, David Bradford, had fled to Louisiana to avoid arrest. The revolt, dubbed The Whiskey Rebellion, had collapsed, if not peacefully, at least without a major confrontation. But because of this event, our new Federal Government asserted its rights over the individual states, while also making the government more democratic and allowing the right of dissent without committing treason."

"A confrontation between Marshall Lennox and Gen. Neville and William Miller and some friends occurred at William Miller's home in Allegheny County. At least one shot was fired by Miller's (Allegheny County) group during the visit by Neville (serving writs) but no one was injured. Alexander Hamilton claimed that the shots missed their targets but most historians assume that no one was aimed at. This same day the Mingo Creek Militia was gathered to fulfill a request for Indian fighters. Two groups of militiamen were selected to pursue the Marshall. They went to Neville's house on the assumption that Lennox had returned there with Neville. The next morning (July 16), thirty men approach Neville's home demanding an interview. Neville apparently turned and shot and killed Oliver Miller, the nephew of William Miller, and then blew a horn upon which his slaves opened fire from their quarters at the back of the crowd. The militia suffered a number of wounded and retreated to Couche's Fort for another meeting and to recruit more men.

On July 17 1794 with James McFarlane in command, around 500 met at Couche's fort and advanced on Bower Hill (Neville's home). The attack began after women and children were permitted to leave. According to legend, a white flag was thought to be seen in a window of Nelville's home or someone from the house called out for a truce. McFarlane ordered firing stopped, in the process exposing himself. A shot from the house killed James McFarlane. The attacking troops were outraged and burned the barn, home and several outbuildings after releasing the people in the house unharmed. The militia attacking Bower Hill thought that a Abraham Kirkpatrick, in command of the eleven soldiers protecting Bower Hill, had shot and killed McFarlane.

On July 18 or 19th at a meeting at Mingo Creek Meeting house, David Bradford, a successful attorney, businessman and Deputy Attorney General assumed leadership of the rebels (some claim he did so because he was blackmailed and "forced" to take an active role). Shortly there after occurred series of meetings at Bradford's home to consider the problem of the easterners knowing what was happening almost before it happened. As a result of these meetings, the mail from Pittsburg to Philadelphia was robbed on July 26th and taken to the Blackhorse Tavern in Canonsburg to be examined."

Answer 2

The Whiskey Rebellion, lesser known as the Whiskey Insurrection, was a popular uprising that had its beginnings in 1791 and culminated in an insurrection in 1794 in the locality of Washington, Pennsylvania, in the Monongahela Valley. It was conducted by Appalachian settlers who resisted the excise tax on liquor and distilled drinks.