Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-08-11
The Siapaafa.
4Ero,a Brancroffs o. 5. History, Volsme g.
NnRTH.GARnI.INA IN iAES.

NORTH.GAR0LINA IN i9zs
The expedition to the Carelinas never met the
approysi OF Howe, who condemned the activity OF
the southern governors and would have bad them
avoid al disputes tn New York should De TecoSer
ed. When Lord behmore learned ton Clinton
chat Cape Fear River was the place appointed lot
the meeting of the seven regiments from Ireland
he broke out into ssgry complaints, that no heed
had been paid to his representations, ans suerings,
and Ms rfarts. tint Virginia Stle FIRST on the con-
f;pant far riches power and extent was neglected;
and the preferences given to )" . poor, insgnlhcant
coleny.n w1ere there we've no pilots, nor harbor
that csuld admit han tse aeet and where the army
should il land, mest wade for many miles through
a sandy pine barren tefcre it could reach the in
habited part of the country.
Bnt Martin. wke had good reason to expect the
arrival Of the arHacnt in January or early IN Feb
r,lary. %as SAfatsated With the hope, that multi
tudes eseA in the county of Bruns~ick, would re-
volt FROM their new-tangled government" and
Ibis unwearied perseyering agent" Alexander
Maclean, after careful computation of the num-
beers that would hock to the kings standard from
the INTERIOR brought written assurances from the
principal persons to whom he had been directed
that between two and three thousand men, OF whom
about half were well armed would take the heid at
the yoycraors summons. Under this encourage
ment he was sent again into the Jack country, with
commission dated the tenth Of January, author,z-
ing Allan Macdonald of Kingsborough, and eight
other Scots Of Cumberland and Arson, ana seven
teen persons who resided in belt OF counties IN
middle Carolina and in Rowan, to raise and array
all the kings loyal subjects and to march with them
in bedy to Brunswick by the fifteenth OF Feb
ruary Donald Macdonald, then in his sixty-fifth
wear. was to command the army as brigadler; next
him in rank was Donald Macleod.
The first return to Martin represented that the
loyasts were in high spirits that their force would
amount even to six thousand men that they were
well furnished with wagons and horses and that by
the twentieth or twenty fifth of February at furthest
they would be in possession OF Wilmington, and
within reach of the kings ships. On receiving
their commission, VIM. Campbell, Neil Macarthur,
and Donald Macleod issued circular letters inviting
all their associates to meet on the fifth OF February
at Cross Creek or, it is now called Fayetteville
At the appointed time all the Scots appeared, and
four only of the rest The Scots who would promise
no more than seven hundred men, advised to await
the arrival of the British troops the other royasts
who boosted that they could bring out five thous-
and, of whom five hundred were already embodied
prevailed in their demand for an immediate rising.
But the Highlanders, whose past conflicts were en-
nobled by their courage and fidelity to one another
whose sorrows borne for generations with forutude
deserved at last to find relief were sure to keep
their word; from blind instinct of kindred, they
took ND arms for cause in which their traditions
and their affections had part; while many of the
chiefs of the oyasts shrunk from danger to hiding
places in swamps and forests. Employing a few days
to collect his army, which was composed chiefly of
Highlanders and remnants of the old Regulators,
Macdonald, on the eighteenth, began his march for
Wilmington, and at evening his army, of which
the number was very yariously estimated, encamped
on the Cape Fear River, four miles below Cross
Greek.
On that same day Moore, who, at the first menace
of danger took the field at the head of his regiment
and lay in an intrenched camp at Rock6sh, was
ioin hv yxifh drpd nd fiftv
minute men from Wilmington, by Kenan with two
hundred of the Duplin militia, and by Ashe with
about hundred volunteer independent rangers; so
that his number was increased to eleven hundred
On the nineteenth the royalists were paraded
with view to assail Moore on the following night
but his camp was too strong to be attempted; and
at the bare suspicion of such project two COM
panies of Cotton's corps ran off with their arms
On that day Donald Macdonald, their commander
sent Donald Morrison with proclamation, prepared
the month before by Martini calling on Moore and
his troops to join the kings standard, to be
sidered as enemies. Moore made answer instantly
that neither his duty his inclination permitted
him to accept terms so incompatible with American
freedom +" and in, return, he besought Macdonald
not 10 array the deluded people under his command
against who were resolved to hazard every thing
in defence Of the. liberties of mankind. "You de-
clare sentiments of revolt, hostility and rebellion to
the king and to the constitution" was Macdonalds
vice. it is my duty to conquer, if cannot reclaim
all those who may be hardy enough to take up arms
against the best Of masters
But knowing that CasweIl at the head of the
gallant minute men of Newbern, and others to the
number of six or eight hundred was marching
through Duplin county, to effect junction with
Moore, Macdonald became aware of the extremity of
his danger; cut off from the direct road along the
Cape Fear, he resolved to leave the army at Rock
fish IN his rear, and by CELEBRITY of movement and
crossing rivers at unexpected places to disengage
himself from that larger force. and encounter the
party with -Caswell alone Before marching, he
urged his men to fidelity, expressed bitter seorn of
" the base crayens who had deserted the night be-
fore;" and continued: If any amongst you is so
ainthearted as not to with the resolution of
conquering dying this is the time for such to de-
clare themselves" The speech was answered BY
general huzza for the xing but from Cottons corps
about twenty men laid down their arms The army
then marched to Fayetteville, employed the night
IN crossing the Cape Fear sunk their boats and
sent party fifteen miles in advance to secure the
bridge over South River. This the main BODY
passed on the twenty first and took the direct route
to Wilmington. On the day on which they effected
the passage, Moore detached Ellington and Ashe to
reenforce Caswell or, If that could not be effected
to occupy Moore's Greek bridge
On the following days the Scots and Regulators
drew near to Caswell who perceived their purpose,
and changed his own course the more efectually to
intercept their march. On the twenty third they
thought to overtake him, and were arrayed in the
order of battle, eighty able-bodied Highlanders,
armed with broadswords, forming the centre of the
army; but Caswell was already posted at Corbetts
Ferry, and could not be reached for want of boats.
The royaiists were in extreme danger; but at a
point six miles higher up the Black River negro
succeeded IN raising for their use a broad shallow
boat; and while Maelean and Fraser with a few
men, drum and pipe. were left to amnse Caswell,
the main body Of the loyalists crossed Black River
near what is now Newkirk Bridge.
On the twenty fifth Ellington, who had not as
yet been able to join Caswell took post with his
small party on the east side of the bridge over
Moore's Creek. On the afternoon of the twenty.
sixth, Gaswell reached its west side, and raising a
small breastEork and destroying part the bridge
awaited the enemy, who onthat day advanced with