NORTH CAROLINA’S RECORD IN WAR – VOL. 4, 1904-1905

By Chief Justice Walter Clark

Vol. IV., Oct. 1904, No. 6.   The North Carolina Booklet.   Pages 19-20-21.

In the Revolution, 1775-1783.  North Carolina had in the “Continental Line”:

One Maj. Gen., Robert Howe; four Brig. Gens., (1) James Moore, died in service, Feb 1777; 
(2) Francis Nash, killed at Germantown, Oct. 4, 1777; (3) Jethro Sumner; (4) James Hogun, 
died a prisoner of war at Charlestown, S.C., Jan. 4, 1781.

Besides these who were regular or Cont. officers the following Genl’s. of militia, commanded 
troops in action:  

Gen. John Ashe, at Briar Creek, Ga., Mch. 3, 1779.

Gen. Rich’d Caswell, at Camden, S.C., Aug. 16, 1780.

Gen. Isaac Gregory, at Camden, S.C., Aug. 16, 1780, where he was wounded, and the conduct 
of his  men highly praised by the British Gen. Griffith Rutherford, at Stono., 20 June, 1779, and 
at Camden, S.C., 16 Aug., 1780, where he was wounded and captured.   (He commanded also 
in the expeditions against the Scovillite Tories and the Overhill Indians

Gen. Wm. Lee Davison, killed at Cowan’s Ford, Feb. 1, 1781.  (He had been a Lt. Col. in the 
Cont. Line.)

Gen. John Butler, at Stono, 20th June, 1779; at Camden, 16th Aug., 1780, and at Guilford 
Court House, 
15th Mch., 1781.

Gen. Thomas Eaton, at Guilford Court House, 15th Mch. 1781.

North Carolina furnished 10 regt’s. of regulars, to the Cont. Line; 1 battery of artillery, 
(Kingsbury’s) and 3 companies of Cavalry.

Besides this, her militia were frequently ordered out on “tours of duty.”

Alone and unaided, they won the brilliant victory of Moore’s Creek, Ramseur’s Mill, and 
King’s Mountain, and helped the Regulars lose the battles of Camden and Guilford Court 
House.

Under Rutherford’s leadership, early in 1776, they so crushed the  Scovillite tories in S.C. 
and in July of that year the Overhill Indians in Tenn., that neither gave further trouble during 
the entire year.

In the later expedition 2,400 N.C. militia were engaged.  They also shared in the Battles of 
Stono, Briar Creek, Cowpens and the defense and surrender of Charleston.

The N.C. Continentals rendered efficient service at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, 
at the capture of Stony Point (where they had a conspicuous part), at Hobkirks Hill, Eutaw, 
at both sieges of Charleston and Savannah, and elsewhere, and formed a part of the garrison 
of West Point, when our Maj. Gen. Howe succeeded Arnold in command there, upon his treason.





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