Moores Creek National Battlefield-North Carolina - Battlefields on Waymarking.com

EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA

After numerous failed attempts by Europeans to colonize North Carolina in the first half of the seventeenth century, English settlers moving south from Virginia finally established a firm foothold during the 1650s. Settlement of the Lower Cape Fear region began with Brunswick in 1727 and Wilmington in 1740. Originally part of one colony with South Carolina, North Carolina became a separate royal colony in 1729. By 1775, its population was estimated to be 265,000 whites and 80,000 blacks, mostly slaves. During this period, Scotch Irish, German, Scottish Highlander, Welsh, and English settlers began moving from the coastal areas to the interior of the colony

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION COMES TO NORTH CAROLINA

As the economic and political controversy between King George III of Great Britain and the thirteen British colonies in North American gave way to open rebellion, North Carolina became a colony of divided loyalties. The royal assembly, which was popularly elected, opposed Royal Governor Josiah Martin. Yet many people could not bring themselves to actually fight against the mother country. North Carolinians were generally split among three groups-those who remained loyal to King George and Great Britain, those who supported rebellion, and those who stayed out of the controversy altogether. King George's supporters were known as Loyalists or Tories and included many Scottish Highlanders. Called Patriots, Whigs, or Rebels, supporters of independence from Great Britain were increasingly prepared to act by the mid-1770s.

Tensions between Martin and the royal assembly boiled over in 1774 when the governor refused to call the assembly into session. In response, mass meetings were held and a provincial assembly was established independent of the governor. During its 1774 and 1775 sessions, this provincial assembly elected delegates to the two Continental Congresses and generally supported the growing sentiments of rebellion. By June 1775, Martin had dismissed the royal assembly, unsuccessfully sought British troops, and abandoned North Carolina's colonial capital of New Bern. After a brief stay at Fort Johnson on the Cape Fear River, he went into exile on a British naval vessel off the coast.

THE FIRST BRITISH CAMPAIGN TO SECURE THE SOUTHERN COLONIES

Though in exile off the coast of North Carolina, Martin lobbied British authorities for support in regaining control of the colony. His lobbying paid off. After initial battles at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill, British commanders were preparing for a major offensive in the northern colonies. However, they believed that a quick campaign in the Carolinas prior to such an offensive could rally Loyalists and subdue the rebellion in the southern colonies. The campaign plan called for British troops from New York under Sir Henry Clinton to rendezvous off the North Carolina coast with additional forces under Lord Charles Cornwallis sailing from Cork, Ireland, under the protection of Sir Peter Parker's fleet. In the meantime, a Loyalist army from the interior of the colony would march to meet the British forces off the coast by late February 1776. The combined force would then regain control of North Carolina before heading to the primary target of Charleston, South Carolina.

Martin's planned Loyalist militia mobilized as a force of sixteen hundred Scottish Highlanders at the settlement of Cross Creek in the interior of North Carolina. Commanded by Brigadier General Donald MacDonald and Lieutenant Colonel Donald McLeod, the Loyalist militia began the march to the coast on February 18, 1776, with only five hundred muskets. The Loyalists planned to advance along the southwest side of the Cape Fear River to the coast, link up with the British troops arriving by sea, and retake the colony. In the meantime, the Patriots had established several militia groups, while the Continental Congress had authorized two regiments of the Continental Line. Colonel Richard Caswell of the militia and Colonel James Moore of the First North Carolina Continentals planned to intercept the Loyalists before they reached the coast. On February 25, a force of 150 Wilmington militiamen under Colonel Alexander Lillington arrived at the bridge where the Negro Head Point Road crossed Widow Moore's Creek, a creek named after an early settler in the area and subsequently known as Moores Creek. Beating the Loyalists to the bridge, Lillington established earthworks on the east side of the creek. Caswell arrived at Moores Creek Bridge on the following day with an additional eight hundred militiamen and established earthworks on the west side of the creek. After learning of the Patriot force at Moores Creek Bridge, the Loyalists prepared for battle.

Name of Battle: Moores Creek Bridge Name of War: American Revolution Entrance Fee: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Date(s) of Battle (Beginning): 02/27/1776 Date of Battle (End): 02/27/1776 Parking: Not Listed

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