Regiments and Officers for the Continental Troops




Information Transcribed and contributed by

Diane Siniard





The following is transcribed from the book:

North Carolina 1780-'81
         Being A
History Of The Invasion Of The Carolinas
         By The  
British under Lord Cornwallis 1780-'81

By David Schenck, L.L.D.

        Raleigh, NC
Edwards & Broughton, Publishers
            1889

We shall see in the sequel with what sanguinary results this proclamation was enforced; but the 
blood of the patriots, to use a paraphrase, was the seed of the American cause, and the 
"burnt houses of its citizens made patriots of them all."

The military strength of North Carolina was greatly reduced by the surrender of General Lincoln's 
army at Charleston, and but for the unflinching patriotism and devotion to independence which 
prevaded her people, she too, would soon have become a prostrate State. It will be with a 
feeling of her military forces during this eventful period, from the seige of Charleston, its 
darkest day, to the victory at Eutaw Springs, where her troops constituted so large a portion 
of the army of General Greene and won for themselves imperishable laurels of victory.

The Legislature of North Carolina, which met at Hillsboro the 21st day of August, 1775, in 
the dawn of the revolution, passed an act to raise two regiments of Continental troops which
had been asked for by Congress.

The following were the officers of these regiments:

First Regiment.

James Moore, Colonel
Francis Nash, Lieutenant Colonel
Thomas Clark, Major
William WIlliams, Adjutant

Captains

William Daves          
George Daudson
William Packett
Alfred Moore
Henry Dickson
John Walker
Thomas Allen
William Greene
Robert Rowan
Caleb Grainger

Lieutenants

John Lillington
William Berryhill
Hesekiah Rice
Lawrence Thompson
Joshua Bowman
Abraham Tatum
Hector McNeil
William Hill
William Brandon
Thomas Hogg

Second Regiment

Robert Howe, Colonel
Alexander Martin, Lieutenant Colonel
John Patton, Major
Dr. John White, Captain and Adjutant

Captains

James Blount
Nathan Keais
John Armstrong
Simon Bright
Charles Crawford
Michael Payne
Hardy Murfree
John Walker
Henry Irwin Toole


Lieutenants

John Grainger
Joseph tate
Robert Smith
William Fenner
John Herritage
John Williams
Clement Hall
James Gee
Edward Vail, Jr.
Benjamin Williams

The Legislature met again the 4th day of April, 1776, at Halifax, when four additional regiments
were raised, James Moore and Robert Howe having been made Brigadier Generals. The field 
officers were as follows:

1st Regiment--Colonel, Francis Nash; Lieutenant Colonel, Thos. Clarke; Major, Wm. Davis.

2d Regiment--Colonel, Alex. Martin; Lieutenant Colonel, John Patton; Major, John White.

3d Regiment--Colonel, Jethro Sumner; Lieutenant Colonel, William Alston; Major, Samuel 
Lockhart.

4th Regiment--Colonel, Thomas Polk; Lieutenant Colonel, James Thckston; Major, William
Davidson.

5th Regiment--Colonel, Edward Buncombe; Lieutenant Colonel, Henry Irwan; Major, Levi 
Dawson.

6th Regiment--Colonel, Alexander Lillington; Lieutenant Colonel, William Taylor; Major, Gideon 
Lamb. 

(The battalions for these were cut off on page.)




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