The 1st North Carolina Regiment of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

was raised on September 1, 1775, at

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...

(originally authorized by the

North Carolina Provincial Congress The North Carolina Provincial Congresses were extra-legal unicameral legislative bodies formed in 1774 through 1776 by the people of the Province of North Carolina, independent of the British colonial government. There were five congresses. They ...

as state troops but on November 28, 1775, it became part of the Continental Army per direction of the Continental Congress). In January 1776 the organization contained eight companies.

Francis Nash Francis Nash (October 7, 1777) was a brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Prior to the war, he was a lawyer, public official, and politician in Hillsborough, North Carolina, and was heavily involved ...

was appointed

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in April 1776. The regiment was present at the defense of Charleston in 1776. It transferred from the Southern Department to

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

's main army in February 1777. At that time, Thomas Clark became colonel of the 1st Regiment. The regiment became part of General

's North Carolina Brigade in July.J.D. Lewis, ''The American Revolution in North Carolina''
1st North Carolina Regiment
/ref>

Commanders

The commanders were full colonels and included: * Col. James Moore: He was commissioned as colonel/commandant on August 21, 1775, and served until April 10, 1776, when he was commissioned as Brigadier General of the 1st Brigade of the North Carolina line. This brigade included the 4th, 5th and 6th Regiments. * Col. Francis Nash: He was commissioned as colonel/commandant on April 10, 1776. He served until February 5, 1777, when he was promoted to Brigadier General of the 3rd North Carolina Brigade commanded by General James Moore until his death. * Col. Thomas Clark: The Continental Congress promoted him to colonel/commandant of the 1st North Carolina Regiment on February 5, 1777, upon General Nash's promotion. He was promoted to brigadier general of the North Carolina Brigade on May 15, 1778. In early 1780, he was again given command of the 1st North Carolina Regiment. He was captured at the siege of Charleston on May 12, 1780, and was not released until November 26, 1782. He retired on January 1, 1783. * Lt. Col. William Lee Davidson: He served as the colonel/commandant of the 1st North Carolina Regiment from January 9, 1779, until 1780. Known lieutenant colonels included * Lt. Col.

* Lt. Col. Thomas Clark * Lt. Col. William Davis * Lt. Col. Robert Mebane * Lt. Col.

John Baptista Ashe John Ashe may refer to: * John Ashe (minister) (1671–1735), English dissenting minister *John Ashe (of Freshford) (1597–1658), MP for Westbury * John Ashe (priest) (born 1953), Church of England priest and Archdeacon of Lynn * John Ashe (genera ...

* Lt.

William Lee Davidson William Lee Davidson (1746–1781) was an officer in the North Carolina militia and Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Pennsylvania and moved with his family to Rowan County, North Carolina in 1750. He was kil ...

Known majors included * Maj. Thomas Clark * Maj. William Davis * Maj. Caleb Granger * Maj. John Walker * Maj. John Baptiste Ashe * Maj. John Nelson

Engagements

In 1777 the 1st North Carolina saw action at the battles of

Brandywine Brandywine may refer to: Food and drink *Brandy, a spirit produced by distilling wine *Brandywine tomato, a variety of heirloom tomato Geographic locations Canada *Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia *Brandywine Mountain, British C ...

and

Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to: Places Australia * Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region United States * Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County * Ger ...

and it was present at White Marsh. Still led by Clark, it fought at

Monmouth Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...

in June 1778. The North Carolina Brigade marched south under the command of James Hogun and arrived at

Charlestown, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of ...

in March 1780. The 1st Regiment was captured by the British army at the

Siege of Charleston The siege of Charleston was a major engagement and major British victory in the American Revolutionary War, fought in the environs of Charles Town (today Charleston), the capital of South Carolina, between March 29 and May 12, 1780. The Britis ...

on May 12, 1780. Clark and 287 men became prisoners. The regiment was reformed in the summer of 1781 and fought well in

Jethro Sumner Jethro Exum Sumner ( – c. March 18, 1785) was a senior officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in Virginia, Sumner's military service began in the French and Indian War as a member of the state's Provi ...

's brigade at Eutaw Springs in September that year. The 1st North Carolina was furloughed on April 23, 1783, at

James Island, South Carolina James Island is a town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. It is located in the central and southern parts of James Island. James Island is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area and the C ...

and disbanded on November 15, 1783. The complete list of engagements (battles and skirmishes) of the regiment include the following: Germantown

* December 22, 1775,

Battle of Great Cane Brake The Battle of Great Cane Brake was a skirmish fought on December 22, 1775, during the American Revolutionary War in what was then Ninety-Six District, South Carolina, modern Greenville County. Background With the coming of the American Revolutio ...

in South Carolina * December 23–30, 1775,

Snow Campaign The Snow Campaign was one of the first major military operations of the American Revolutionary War in the southern colonies. An army of up to 3,000 Patriot militia under Colonel Richard Richardson marched against Loyalist recruiting centers in ...

in South Carolina * February 27, 1776,

Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge was a minor conflict of the American Revolutionary War fought near Wilmington (present-day Pender County), North Carolina, on February 27, 1776. The victory of the North Carolina Provincial Congress' militia ...

in North Carolina * March 8–12, 1776, Fort Johnston #4 in North Carolina * April 6, 1776, Brunswick Town #1 in North Carolina * May 1–3, 1776, Fort Johnston #5 in North Carolina * May 11, 1776, Orton Mill & Kendal Plantation in North Carolina * June 28, 1776, Battle of Sullivan's Island/Fort Moultrie #1 in South Carolina * June 28, 1776, Breach Inlet Naval Battle in South Carolina * September 1776, Florida Expedition * September 11, 1777,

Battle of Brandywine Creek The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Ame ...

in Pennsylvania * October 4, 1777,

Battle of Germantown The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American Con ...

in Pennsylvania * June 28, 1778,

Battle of Monmouth The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Court House, was fought near Monmouth Court House in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey on June 28, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. It pitted the Continental Army, co ...

in New Jersey * May 16, 1779, Near West Point in New York * July 15, 1779, Stony Point in New York * April 14, 1780,

Battle of Monck's Corner The Battle of Monck's Corner was fought on April 14, 1780, outside the city of Charleston, South Carolina, which was under siege by British forces under the command of General Sir Henry Clinton in the American Revolutionary War. The Loyalist Br ...

#1 in South Carolina * May 6, 1780, Lenud's Ferry in South Carolina * May 7, 1780, Fort Moultrie #2 in South Carolina * March 28 to May 12, 1780,

1780 in South Carolina * March 15, 1781,

Battle of Guilford Court House The Battle of Guilford Court House was on March 15, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War, at a site that is now in Greensboro, the seat of Guilford County, North Carolina. A 2,100-man British force under the command of Lieutenant General ...

in North Carolina * April 25, 1781,

Battle of Hobkirk's Hill The Battle of Hobkirk's Hill (sometimes referred to as the Second Battle of Camden) was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on April 25, 1781, near Camden, South Carolina. A small American force under Nathanael Greene occupying Hobkir ...

in South Carolina * May 12, 1781, Battle of Fort Motte in South Carolina * May 21 to June 19, 1781,

Siege of Ninety-Six The siege of Ninety Six was a siege in western South Carolina late in the American Revolutionary War. From May 22 to June 18, 1781, Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene led 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 Loyalists in the fo ...

1781 in South Carolina * May 24 to June 1, 1781,

Siege of Augusta The siege of Augusta took place between May 22, 1781, and June 6, 1781. American Patriot forces, led by General Andrew Pickens and Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, were successful in capturing Augusta, Georgia held by British loyalist mi ...

in Georgia * September 8, 1781,

Battle of Eutaw Springs The Battle of Eutaw Springs was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, and was the last major engagement of the war in the Carolinas. Both sides claimed victory. Background In early 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene, commander of the ...

in South Carolina * September 12, 1781, Hillsborough in North Carolina

Other Officers

Other officers included the surgeon, surgeon's mater, quartermaster, commissary, chaplain, muster master, deputy muster master, paymaster, and captains. The captains led a company that included a lieutenant, ensign, sergeant, corporal, fifers, drummers, and privates. The original captains of the 1st North Carolina Regiment included: *William Davis *Thomas Allon *

Alfred Moore Alfred Moore (May 21, 1755 – October 15, 1810) was an American judge, lawyer, planter and military officer who became an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Moore Square, a park located in the Moore Square Histo ...

*Caleb Grainger *William Picket *Robert Rowan *John Walker *Henry Dickson *George Davidson *William Green *Lieutenants. *John Lillington *Joshua Bowman *Lawrence Thompson *Thomas Hogg *William Berryhill *Hector McNeill *Absalom Tatum *Hezekiah Rice *William Brandon *William Hill Original Ensigns *Neill McAlister *Maurice Moore, Jr. *John Taylor *Howell Tatum *James Childs *Henry Neill *Berryman Turner *George Graham *Robert Rolston *Henry Pope *James Holland

References

;Bibliography * * * *

External links

Bibliography of the Continental Army in North Carolina
compiled by the

United States Army Center of Military History The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:1st North Carolina Regiment North Carolina regiments of the Continental Army Military units and formations established in 1775 Military units and formations disestablished in 1783