Wilmington District Brigade

The Wilmington District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). This unit was established by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war.[1]

Wilmington District Brigade
Active1776-1783
AllegianceUnited States North Carolina
BranchNorth Carolina militia
Typeinfantry brigade
Engagementssee § Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders
  1. Brigadier General John Ashe, Sr.
  2. Brigadier General John Alexander Lillington
  3. Brigadier General James Kenan (Pro Tempore)

Leadership

Colonel John Ashe, Sr. was the first commander of the New Hannover County Regiment in 1775. He commanded the Wilmington District brigade from 1776 to 1778 when he was promoted on May 4, 1776 to Major General over all North Carolina militia and state troops until 1779.[1]

Regiments

The following are the North Carolina militia regiments and subordination of the Wilmington District Brigade, along with the dates established and disestablished.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

UnitSubordinate BrigadeCreatedDisbandedOriginal Commander, Rank
North Carolina Militia and State TroopsGovernor17781783Ashe, John Sr., M.G. (1778–1779)
Wilmington District BrigadeNorth Carolina Militia17761783Ashe, John Sr., B.G. (1776–1778)
1st Battalion of MilitiaWilmington17761776Brown, Thomas, Col (1776)
2nd Battalion of MilitiaWilmington17761776Hawkins, Philemon, Jr., Col (declined to serve), Col Peter Dozier (1776)[8][9]
Bladen County RegimentSalisbury17751783Robeson, Thomas, Jr., Col (1775–1789, 1781), [10]
Brunswick County RegimentWilmington17751783Howe, Robert, Col (1775)
Cumberland County RegimentWilmington17751783Rutherford, Thomas, Col (1775–1776)
Duplin County RegimentWilmington17751783Kenan, James, Col (1775–1783)
New Hanover County RegimentWilmington17751783Moore, James, Col (1775)
Onslow County RegimentWilmington17751783Cray, William, Col (1775–1778)[11]

1st and 2nd Battalions of Militia

The 1st and 2nd Battalions of Militia were hastily established on May 7, 1776 because of the threat of British fleet off the coast of North Carolina at Cape Fear in March 1776. The British did not come ashore in any large number and intended to go to Charleston, South Carolina, instead. The Battalions were marched to Wilmington but saw no action. They saw no action and were disbanded on August 13, 1776. The troops were sent home.[12]

The 1st Battalion of Militia was commanded by Colonel Thomas Brown. The 2nd Battalion of Militia was commanded by Col. Peter Dauge. Col. Philemon Hawkins, Jr. had initially been appointed as commander of the 2nd Battalion but he declined the commission.[12][13]

Bladen County Regiment

The Bladen County Regiment established in Bladen County on July 16, 1775. It was authorized on September 9, 1775 by the Province of North Carolina Congress and commanded by Col. Thomas Robeson, Jr. (1775–1779, 1781), Col. Thomas Brown (1778–1782), and Col. Thomas Owen (1776–1783, 2nd colonel). The regiment was engaged in 16 known battles and skirmishes between 1776 and 1781. It was disbanded at the end of the war in 1783.[14][15][16][17]

Brunswick County Regiment

The Brunswick County Regiment was subordinated to the Wilmington District Brigade. It was established in March 1775. The first commander of the regiment was Colonel Robert Howe.[18][19]

Cumberland County Regiment

The Cumberland County Regiment was subordinate to the Wilmington District Brigade. The regiment was established on September 9, 1775. The first commander was Colonel Thomas Rutherford.[20]

Duplin County Regiment

The Duplin County Regiment was subordinate to the Wilmington District Brigade. The regiment was established on September 9, 1775. The first commander was Colonel James Kenan.[21]

New Hanover County Regiment

The New Hannover County Regiment was subordinated to the Wilmington District Brigade. The regiment was established in March 1775. The initial commander was Colonel James Moore.[22][23]

Onslow County Regiment

The Onslow County Regiment was subordinate to the Wilmington Districgt Brigade. It was established on September 9, 1775. The first commander of the regiment was Colonel William Cray.[24][25]

Engagements

Regiments of the Wilmington District Brigade were involved in 49 known engagements (battles, sieges, and skirmishes), including one in Georgia, 9 in South Carolina, 39 in North Carolina. The 1st and 2nd Battalion of Militia did not see any action. One or more companies of these regiments were involved in each engagement.[1]

OrderDateBattleState
Bladen
Brunswick
Cumberland
Duplin
New Hanover
Onslow
17/18/1775Battle of Fort Johnston #1NCx
211/16/1775 to 11/21/1775Battle of Fort Johnston #2NCx
31/27/1776 to 1/28/1776Battle of Fort Johnston #3NCx
42/10/1776Battle of Cape Fear RiverNCx
52/27/1776Battle of Moore's Creek BridgeNCxxxxx
63/8/1776 to 3/12/1776Battle of Fort Johnston #4NCx
74/6/1776Battle of Brunswick Town #1NCx
85/1/1776 to 5/3/1776Battle of Fort Johnston #5NCx
95/17/1776Battle of Brunswick Town #2NCx
105/23/1776Battle of Fort Johnston #6NCx
116/28/1776Battle of Fort Moultrie #1SCx
123/3/1779Battle of Briar CreekGAxxxxx
136/20/1779Battle of Stono FerrySCxxxx
141/30/1780Battle of Heron's BridgeNCxxxxx
153/28/1780 to 5/12/1780Siege of Charleston 1780SCxxxxx
163/29/1780 to 3/30/1780Battle of Gibbes' PlantationSCx
178/11/1780Battle of Little Lynches CreekSCxx
188/16/1780Battle of CamdenSCxxxxx
1910/14/1780Battle of Shallow FordNCx
2010/1/1780 to 10/30/1780Battle of Myhand's Bridge #1NCx
2110/7/1780Battle of Kings MountainSCx
2210/30/1780Battle of Bear SwampSCx
231/28/1781Battle of Wilmington #1NCx
242/1/1781 to 2/28/1781Battle of Bacon's InletNCx
253/1/1781Battle of Cole's BridgeNCx
263/1/1781 to 3/31/1780Battle of Rouse's TavernNCx
273/15/1781Battle of Guilford Court HouseNCxxx
283/27/1781Battle of Barbeque ChurchNCx
295/11/1781Battle of Cohera SwampNCx
305/13/1781Battle of Legat's BridgeNCx
315/13/1781Battle of Myhand's Bridge #2NCx
325/16/1781Battle of Portevent's MillNCx
337/1/1781 to 7/31/1781Battle of Ray's Mill CreekNCx
347/4/1781Battle of Wilmington #2NCx
357/26/1781Battle of Stewart's Creek #2NCxx
367/29/1781Battle of House in the HorseshoeNCx
378/2/1781Battle of Rockfish CreekNCxx
388/4/1781Battle of Beatti's BridgeNCx
398/14/1781Battle of Cumberland County Court HouseNCx
408/19/1781Battle of New BernNCx
418/27/1781Battle of Tory Hole[26]NCxx
429/1/1781Battle of Little Raft SwampNCx
439/1/1781 to 9/30/1781Battle of Brown MarshNCxxx
449/1/1781 to 9/30/1781Battle of Hood's CreekNCxx
459/8/1781Battle of Eutaw SpringsSCx
469/13/1781Battle of Lindley's MillNCxx
4710/15/1781Battle of Raft SwampNCx
4811/18/1781Evacuation of WilmingtonNCxxx
4912/1/1781 to 12/31/1781Battle of Big Juniper CreekNCx

References
  1. Lewis, J.D. "The American Revolution in North Carolina, Wilmington District Brigade of militia". Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  2. Howard, Josh. "NCPedia, North Carolina in the US Revolution". Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  3. Crow, Jeffrey J. (1975). A Chronicle of North Carolina During the American Revolution, 1763–1789. Raleigh: North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History.
  4. Durham, J. Lloyd. "Outfitting an American Revolutionary Soldier, Equipment of a Militiaman". NCPedia. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  5. Howard, Josh. "North Carolina in the US Revolution". NCPedia. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  6. Lewis, J.D. "The American Revolution in North Carolina, Militia". Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  7. Towles, Louis P. (2006). "Colonial Militia". NCPedia. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  8. Maupin, Armistead Jones (1988). "Philemon Hawkins". NCPedia.
  9. Fry, Claudia A. (1986). "Peter Dauge-Dozier". Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  10. Smith, Maud Thomas (1994). "Thomas Robeson". NCPedia.
  11. Littleton, Tucker Reed (1979). "William Cray". NCPedia.
  12. Lewis, J.D. "NC 2nd Battalion". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  13. Lewis, J.D. "NC 1st Battalion". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  14. Lewis, J.D. "Bladen County Regiment". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  15. Smith, Maud Thomas (1994). "Thomas Robeson". NCPedia. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  16. Snow, Claude H. Jr. (1979). "Thomas Brown". NCPedia. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  17. Powell, Williams S. (1991). "Thomas Owen". NCPedia. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  18. Lewis, J.D. "Brunswick County Regiment". carolona.com. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  19. Rankin, Hugh F. (1988). "Howe, Robert | NCpedia". NCPEDIA. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  20. Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina Cumberland County Regiment". carolana.com. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  21. Lewis, J.D. "Duplin County Regiment". carolana.com. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  22. Lewis, J.D. "New Hanover County Regiment". carolana.com. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  23. Troxler, George (1991). "Moore, James". In Powell, William S. (ed.). Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. Vol. 4 (L-O). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-1918-0.
  24. Lewis, J.D. "Onslow County Regiment". carolana.com. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  25. Littleton, Tucker Reed (1979). "William Cray". NCPEDIA. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  26. Tetterton, Beverly (2006). "Battle of Elizabethtown, Tory Hole". NCPedia.
  • Paul David Nelson. William Tryon and the Course of Empire. Chapel Hill, NC: Univ of North Carolina Press, 1990. pp. 42-43.

See also
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