In 1779 three provisional regiments from Virginia were raised as reinforcements for the Southern Department. On 7 May 1779, Washington sent Parker to Virginia to recruit troops to reinforce Benjamin Lincoln's southern army. William Davies took over as colonel of the 1st Virginia. In October 1779, Parker left Petersburg, Virginia with the first group of reinforcements. They arrived at Charleston, South Carolina on 5 December and were joined by the second echelon under William Heth on 7 April. The third unit under Abraham Buford left still later and was nearly wiped out at the Battle of Waxhaws. Parker and Heth led the 1st and 2nd Virginia Detachments, which were new units. From 14 February to 6 March, the 3rd North Carolina Regiment was assigned to Parker's Brigade. On 8 May 1780 Parker died of wounds sustained during the Siege of Charleston. Another source gives Parker's date of death as 24 April. He was one of about 90 Americans killed during the siege, which resulted in Lincoln's surrender of 2,650 Continental Army soldiers, plus militia.