The New Bern District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

(1776–1783). This unit was established 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 ...

on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war.

Commanders

* Brigadier General

Richard Caswell Richard Caswell (August 3, 1729November 10, 1789) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the first and fifth governor of the state of North Carolina from 1776 to 1780 and from 1785 to 1787. He also served as a senior officer of mil ...

(1775-1777) * Brigadier General William Bryan (1777-1779) * Brigadier General William Caswell (1779-1783) * Brigadier General John Simpson (Pro Tempore) (August 1780) * Brigadier General James Armstrong (Pro Tempore) (2/7/1781 to 2/10/1781) * Brigadier General John Bryan (1782) Lieutenant Colonel

Richard Dobbs Spaight Richard Dobbs Spaight (March 25, 1758September 6, 1802) was an American Founding Father, politician, planter, and signer of the United States Constitution, who served as a Democratic-Republican U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 10th c ...

from the Craven County Regiment served as an aide to general William Caswell.

Regiments

The following regiments were included in the New Bern District Brigade, which was subordinate to the North Carolina Militia and State Troops, Major General Ashe, beginning in 1778. Each regiment contained companies of up to 50 men.

Beaufort County Regiment

The existing Beaufort County regiment was authorized as part of the North Carolina militia on September 9, 1775 by the

, along with 34 other existing county regiments. Beaufort County had a small population and difficulties raising a militia. This regiment was involved in the

Battle of Brier Creek The Battle of Brier Creek was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on March 3, 1779 near the confluence of Brier Creek with the Savannah River in eastern Georgia. A mixed Patriot force consisting principally of militia from North Carolin ...

in Georgia on Marcy 3, 1779 and the Battle of Rockfish Creek on August 2, 1781 in North Carolina. The commanders of this regiment were: * Colonel James Bonner (1775-1778) * Colonel Thomas Bonner, Jr. (1778-1779), also a Lieutenant Colonel * Colonel William Brown (1779-1783), also a 2nd Major

Craven County Regiment

The Craven County Regiment was one of the 35 existing county militias to be authorized as a regiment of the North Carolina militia by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on September 9, 1775. It was active until the end of the war. The colonels included: * Colonel Joseph Leech (1775) * Colonel John Bryan, Sr. (1775-1779) * Colonel Christopher Neale (1776-1778) * Colonel John Sitgreaves (1779-1783) * Colonel John Tilman (1778-1783), 2nd colonel The Craven County regiment participated in 10 known engagements during the American Revolution: * 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 3, 1779,

in Georgia * June 20, 1779,

Battle of Stono Ferry The Battle of Stono Ferry was an American Revolutionary War battle, fought on June 20, 1779, near Charleston, South Carolina. The rear guard from a British expedition retreating from an aborted attempt to take Charleston held off an assault by p ...

in South Carolina * March 28 to May 12, 1780,

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 ...

in South Carolina, 1780 * August 11, 1780, Little Lynches Creek in South Carolina * August 16, 1780, Battle of Camden Court House in South Carolina * April 25, 1781, Hobkirk's Hill in South Carolina * July 8, 1781, New Bern in North Carolina * August 2, 1781, Rockfish Creek in North Carolina * April 4-17, 1782,

Battle of Beaufort The Battle of Beaufort, also known as the Battle of Port Royal Island, was fought on February 3, 1779, near Beaufort, South Carolina, during the American Revolutionary War. The battle took place not long after British forces consolidated contr ...

in North Carolina

Johnston County Regiment

The Johnston County Regiment was one of the 35 existing county militias to be authorized as a regiment of the North Carolina militia by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on September 9, 1775. It was active until the end of the war. The colonels included: * February 27, 1776,

in North Carolina * March 3, 1779, Battle of Briar/Brier Creek in Georgia * June 20, 1779,

in South Carolina * March 28 to May 12, 1780,

1780 in South Carolina * August 18, 1780,

Battle of Fishing Creek The Battle of Fishing Creek, also called the Battle of Catawba Ford,Heitman, p. 390 was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on August 18, 1780, between American and British forces including the 71st Foot. It was fought near the junction ...

in South Carolina * February 1, 1781,

Battle of Cowan's Ford The Battle of Cowan's Ford was a battle in the Southern Theater of Cornwallis's 1780–1782 Campaign that eventually led to the British Army's surrender at Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on February 1, 1781, a ...

* March 15, 1781, New Garden Meeting House in North 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 ...

* April 25, 1781, Hobkirk's Hill in South Carolina * August 2, 1781, Rockfish Creek in North Carolina * August 17, 1781, Webber's Bridge in North Carolina * September 13, 1781,

Battle of Lindley's Mill The Battle of Lindley's Mill (also known as the Battle of Cane Creek) took place in Orange County, North Carolina (now in Alamance County), on September 13, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War. The battle took its name from a mill that sat ...

in North Carolina * September 1781, Brown Marsh in North Carolina

Jones County Regiment

The North Carolina General Assembly created the Jones County Regiment when it created Jones County out of the southern part of Craven County on January 30, 1779. This regiment was active until the end of the war in 1783. The officers of the Jones County Regiment were appointed by the Governor of North Carolina. The commanders included: * Colonel John Bryan (17791783) * Colonel Nathaniel "Nathan" Bryan (2nd colonel, 1779) * Colonel Waightstill Avery (17791780) * Colonel Francis Avery (17811783) The Jones County regiment was engaged in the following five known battles and skirmishes: * March 28 to May 12, 1780,

1780 in South Carolina * August 16, 1780, Battle of Camden Court House in South Carolina * March 15, 1781,

in North Carolina * August 2, 1781, Rockfish Creek in North Carolina * August 17, 1781, Jumping Run in North Carolina

Pitt County Regiment

The Pitt County Regiment was one of the 35 existing county militias to be authorized as a regiment of the North Carolina militia by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on September 9, 1775. It was active until the end of the war. The colonels of this regiment included: * Colonel John Simpson (1775-1783, commander), (August 1780, Brigadier General Pro Tempore of the New Bern District Brigade) * Colonel John Salter (1780-1781, second colonel), (1776-1780, captain), (1781, captain in the 1st Battalion of Militia) * Colonel James Gorham (1776-1780, major), (1780-1781, Lieutenant Colonel), (1781-1783, 2nd colonel) The Pitt County Regiment was engaged in the nine known battles and skirmishes: * February 27, 1776,

in North Carolina * March 3, 1779, Battle of Brier/Briar Creek in Georgia * June 20, 1779,

in South Carolina * March 28 to May 12, 1780,

1780 in South Carolina * August 11, 1780, Little Lynches Creek in South Carolina * August 16, 1780, Battle of Camden Court House in South Carolina * May 6, 1781, Peacock's Bridge in North Carolina * August 17, 1781, Webber's Bridge in North Carolina * August 21, 1781, Kingston #2 in North Carolina

References

Bibliography

* * * North Carolina militia 1776 establishments in North Carolina {{NCRevWarUnits