Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-03-08
For the Journal
The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge.

| terrible war which has SO lately closed, and
the political cares of the present and the
anxieties for the future. which our people
now feel, have usurped much of the mem,
! ory which belongs to the more remote past.
Wednesday, the 9th day of February, was
the 91st anniversary of the battle of Moores
Creek, a battle fought by our forefathers,
almost at the gates of Wilmington, and ex-
ercising an incalculable influence upon the
progress of the Revolutionary War in the
South yet it is one which but few COM
paratively of those who may read this arti-
Gle have ever heard It is well, perhaps,
for us occasionally to overstep the gloom of
the Immediate past, and to refer for while
to dead ages and dead scenes, when men
we're giants in intellect and strength, pa
triots in deed, and heroes in history, not
alone because of the principles which they
maintained, but because in the endeavor to
maintain those principles, they acere S"c-
ces$fW
At the date of the battle of Moore S
Creek, Feb. 9th, 177G North Carolina had
virtually been for many months in a revo-
| lutionary position. Josiah Martin, the last
Royal Governor of the Province, had on July
18th of the preceding year, been compell-
ed to betake himself to the protection of
the Sloop of War Cruiser, then lying oppo-
site Fort johnson. From this vessel he is
sued numerous proclamations, denouncing
the acts of the State Provincial Congress,
and calling upon all loyal citizens to take
up arnsin behalf of the Royal Government.
| From here, also, Martin sent forth his en-
issaries into the surrounding country, en-
deavorlng to lncite to disatfection the slaves
i of the colonists as we'll as the colonists
themselves. His efforts at first met with
but little success, however, for such was
the vigilance Of the Americans, and such
day kept over the Cruiser by the Minute
| Men from the shore, that but little inter
course could be held by Martin with the in
habitants. He found MEANS however, to
influence the minds of the Scotch settlers
upon the upper waters of the Cape Fear,
who had but lately migrated to this country
from the highlands Of Scotland, and who
were royalists by birth and by education
Those Highlanders were principally of
the extensive clan of Mcdonald, and many
of thcm, previously to leaving Scotland, had
|
to place the Pretender. Charles Edward,
upon the British throne Some of them
had been convicted of treason, and had,
by the laws of their own land, forfeited
their lives to the vengeance of the state.
| Yet the British King and his Parliament
had been graciously pleased to pardon their
crime, and it was with feelings of attach
mcnt to the interest of England never felt
by them before that they sought this new
world as home.
To this people Martin dispatchedhis en-
lSa1les, and issuing a commission as Briga-
| der to Donald Mcdonald, one of the lead
ing men of the settlement, he hoped there
! by to kindle flame in the Province that
the patriots would find it difficult to quell
On the first of February, the newly crea-
ted General raised his standard at Cross
Creek, (now Fayetteville,) and in Il few
| days found himself at the head of a body
of 800 men.
Hearing that Col. James Moore, with his
Continental Regiment and a detachment of
the militia of New Haonver county, had
| posted himself on Rock Fish, about twelve
miles below Cross Greek, for the purpose
of intercepting him on his march, McDon-
aid Immediately advanced to meet him.
Finding him strongly entrenched, the Tory
General halted on his march and sent a let
|
the Kings name, to desert the cause of the
colonists, and urging upon him to enroll
himself under the royal banner. Moore
replied, and his reply was such as to elicit
another letter from Mcdonald, and in this
correspondence two days were consumed. -
This interval was employed by Col Moore
IN strengthening his position, and in en-
deavoring to gain us much insight as posi-
bic into the strength and resources of his
enemy. The correspondence was finally
closed. Col. Moore, in letter to Melon
| aid, finally rejected his Overtures, and as
sured him of his determination to abide by
the good or evil fortunes Of the colonies
| But about this time, Mcdonald received
intelligence that Sir Henry Clinton and
Lord William Campbell had arrived at the
mouth of the river with troops for the re-
duction of the State. This news caused the
| Scottish General to change his original in
tention of encountering Moore, and, in
stead, to abandon his camp as quietly as
possible, and Guiding conflict with the
provisional General, to endeavor. by forced
marches to reach the sea coast, for cooper
alton with the newly arrived British troops
| This movement was easily begun, but
was not so easy of completion For on the
third day, while rapidly approaching Will
| mlngton, Mcdonald came unexpectedly up
on d force of State troops strongly posted
upon the east bank of Moores Creek, at the
point where it is still crossed by the coun-
| ty turnpike, and about eighteen miles from
| this city. This force of Americans was COM
posed of a detachment Of the Wilmington
Battalion of Minute Men under Col. Alex
ander Ellington, and the Newbern Battal-
ion of Minute Men, and militia from Cra-
ven, Johnston, Dobbs and Wake, under
| Colonel Richard Caswell, the whole num-
| boring about one thousand effective men.
1t was impossible for Mcdonald to avoid
collision with this force, and he promptly
determined upon attacking them before
| Colonel Moore, who was pressing him in
the rear, could arrive. During the night
preceding the intended attack, informa-
| ton was conveyed to Colonel Ellington of
the enemy's intention, and during that
| night every exertion was made to render
his situation impregnable. The fortifica-
lions were strengthened, the planks re-
moved from the bridge, and the men kept
under arms throughout the night Melon
| aid having been FRUSTRATED by sickness, the
command of the royalists deYolved upon
Colona1 McT ,oo1 on6 tho ,,o-4