THE BATTLE OF MOORES CREEK BRIDGE.
A. D. 1776.
1776. The new year, 1776, found Governor Martin still lingering
on board the Cruiser in the Cape Fear River. He was closely
watched by Colonel James Moore, who kept his Command (the First
North Carolina Regiment) in that vicinity. In February came the
news that the Scotch Highlanders and Regulators were gathering at
a place called, at that day, "Cross Creek," and now the town of
Fayetteville. This place and in this connection will be
remembered as the home of the beautiful heroine, Flora McDonald,
and her husband. Like her husband, she was a staunch Tory, and
did all she could to promote the insurrection.
[This famous woman had won the world's admiration by her heroic
efforts to aid the unfortunate Prince Charles Edward after his
defeat at Culloden. He was being hunted like a wild beast by the
troops of the king, but Flora McDonald bravely left her home and
went off with the disguised Prince, until, after many
perils, he reached a vessel on the coast end thus escaped to his
friends in France. ]
2. A large fleet and army were said to be on their way from
England to take the town of Wilmington. These Scotchmen,
assembling at Cross Creek by Governor Martin's orders, were in
arms to force their way across the country and join the expected
British army, Colonel Moore at once met them at Rockfish Creek,
where he fortified his camp and awaited an attack. But he soon
found this would not occur, so he sent Colonel Lillington and
Captain Ashe with two hundred and fifty then to occupy a bridge
over Moore's Creek that he supposed would intercept General
Donald McDonald, who commanded the Tories.
3. Whigs in arms were assembling from different directions, and
the Tories soon saw that unless they passed Colonel Moore they
would be surrounded and captured. McDonald was an old and
skillful officer, and he moved across the Cape Fear River to meet
Colonel Caswell, who was coming up from New Bern with a command
of eight hundred men which had been raised in that section.
4. Caswell made haste to join Lillington on Moore's Creek, and
artfully led the enemy to believe that he was camping, on the
evening of February 26, 1776, on the same side of the stream with
him. He left his fires burning, and in the darkness crossed the
bridge, removed the timbers except two log girders, and took up a
position supporting Lillington and Ashe, who had already put
themselves in the best place to prevent the passage of the
Tories.
5. In the darkness of early dawn, on the 27th, Colonel Donald
McLeod took the place of his sick commander, General McDonald,
and fell upon what he had been led to believe was Colonel
Caswell's camp; but his spies had been misled, and his foes were
to be reached only by crossing the bridge before him. The
prospect was appalling, but McLeod was brave, and putting himself
at the head of a picked band of broadswordsmen, he charged across
the remaining two logs of the bridge. It was a terrible moment
when the Whigs saw these dauntless Highlanders, who had so often
broken the strongest lines of troops in Europe, rushing furiously
upon them. But they were cool, and plied the deadly rifles upon
the Scotchmen as fast as they came.
6. Colonel McLeod fell dead in his headlong charge, being pierced
by twenty-six balls. The carnage was so frightful that the onset
was stayed, and then, as the assailants wavered, Captain Ezekiel
Slocumb, having crossed the creek with his company, rushed from
the woods and charged their flank. A wild panic ensued, and the
Tories fled in disorder from the fatal bridge.
7. The Whigs followed in hot pursuit, and the victory was
overwhelming. Nearly two thousand Royalists were thus defeated
by eleven hundred undisciplined Whigs. Eight hundred prisoners,
including General McDonald, with all the camp stores, were taken.
8. There was not a more complete victory during the war. General
Moore's strategy was brilliant in conception and daring in
execution; but no strategy, however brilliant, and no courage
however daring, would have availed anything had not North
Carolina been prepared to put promptly in the field troops with
the necessary munitions of war. These troops that took part in
the campaign came some from above Greensboro in the west and
others below New Bern in the east. Infantry, artillery and
mounted troops were all engaged, and everything went on as
smoothly as if the province had never known anything about war.
9. The successful conduct of the campaign, requiring as it did
the rapid concentration of troops without railroad, steamboat or
telegraph, and the readiness with which, ninety days previous, we
had sent troops both to South Carolina and to Virginia,
demonstrated beyond question the wisdom of the Congress in its
work at Hillsboro during the summer and autumn before.
10. The defeat of the Tories thwarted the schemes of Governor
Martin, and so dispirited the Scotch and Regulators that years
elapsed before they gave further trouble. Lord Cornwallis came
into the Cape Fear River with his army, but hearing of the
disaster, sailed away, having effected nothing but an inglorious
descent upon the farm of General Robert Howe.
11. Thus began and ended the first British invasion of North
Carolina. Colonel Moore was made a General for his skill in
planning the campaign, and Caswell, Lillington and Ashe, with
their gallant commands, were everywhere honored for their bravery
and success.
[NOTE--A proclamation was issued soon after this, giving pardon to
all who would submit to the government of the King, except
General Robert Rowe and Cornelius Harnett.]
QUESTIONS.
1. What was the situation in Wilmington in 1776? What important
news was received?
2. What expedition was coming to Wilmington? How was it to be
reinforced? How was Colonel Moore preparing to meet these men
from Cross Creek?
3. Mention other preparations for a fight.
4. Give an account of Colonel Caswell's position on Moore's
Creek.
5. Who commanded the Tories? Describe his charge upon the Whigs.
6. Give an account of the battle of Moore's Creek. When did this
occur? Locate the scene of this battle on the map.
7. What was the result?
8. What is said of the victory at Moore's Creek? What was
promptly done by North Carolina?
9. What is said of this campaign?
10. What distinguished British officer entered the Cape Fear?
11. How did the people feel towards Colonel Moore and other
commanding officers?