The Battle of Moores Creek Bridge

In Curie, North Carolina, just outside Wilmington, you’ll find a highway marker that reads, ‘First battle of American Revolution fought in N.C. on Feb. 27, 1776. Was a Patriot victory.’

It commemorates an early but important skirmish in the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge. 

Tensions were high between the rebels and the loyalists in early 1776, and the British were keen to reassert their control in North Carolina. British Royal Governor Josiah Martin secured a British army from Lord George Germain, the American Secretary of State. To prepare for their arrival Martin issued a call to arms on January 10, summoning all loyalists to assemble at Cross Creek, now modern Fayetteville.    

And who showed up? Mostly Scottish Loyalists to led by Brig. Gen. Donald MacDonald. On February 18, he broke camp and began a march with his 800 Loyalists to the coast to rendezvous with Maj. Gen. Henry Clinton and the promised British forces.  

But the Continental Army was already waiting. 

Over a thousand Continental soldiers were positioned at Moores Creek Bridge. Under Col. Richard Caswell's lead they removed the bridges stringers and constructed earthworks on the east bank of the creek. 

Shortly after midnight on February 27, MacDonald and his men headed toward the bridge running into Caswell's pickets. Loyalist Capt. John Campbell, shouting "King George and Broadswords" led his company across the creek and into the Patriot’s rifle and artillery fire. The volleys ravaged the Loyalist ranks and forced MacDonald to retreat with the Patriots in pursuit.

It was a small but important battle, one American Patriot was killed and one wounded while the British suffered the loss of 30 men and another 50 wounded, but their victory not only effectively ended British authority in the province, it emboldened the Second Continental Congress to move toward independence later in the year. Today visitors to The Moores Creek National Battlefield can learn more about the battle at the National Park Service guest center where they can also see the Moores Creek Women’s Monument, dedicated to the women of lower Cape Fear who assisted the Patriot cause during the American Revolution.