NC, USA
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge
February 27, 1776
Patriot forces under Caswell and Lillington ambushed a Loyalist Highland Tory column of approximately 1,500 men attempting to reach Wilmington and link up with a British fleet. The battle lasted roughly three minutes; the Loyalists lost some 50 killed and over 850 captured against minimal Patriot casualties. The victory ended Loyalist military power in North Carolina and forced the British to abandon their planned 1776 southern invasion.
People Involved
Cape Fear region militia colonel who commanded Patriot forces at the north end of Moore's Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776. His preparation of the defensive position — removing the bridge planks and positioning artillery — was decisive. A veteran of the Stamp Act resistance and one of the Cape Fear's most effective Patriot military leaders.