Duplin County NcArchives Military Records.....Men In Rock-Fish Creek Battle Revwar ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Jerome Tew jedetew@gmail.com April 11, 2022, 6:58 pm Men in Rock-Fish Creek Battle, 2 Aug. 1781 Your 1781 Duplin world was part of a nation protected to become the mighty nation of Abraham's seed to save the world in WW11. * Captured ** Nearly killed by British soldier on horse with sword *** On recon duty with Major Gillespie 1. Daniel Merritt 1763- 2. Jacob Merritt 1761- 3. Arthur Mathis 1761- 4. John Register Jr. 5. Joshua Blake 1735- 6. David Tucker 1756- 7. Jacob Wells 1763- 8. Benjamin Miles 1753- 9. Christopher Manual 1752- 10. Daniel Teachy 1765- 11. Robert Sloan 1751- 12. Nathan Grantham 13. Frederick Rivenbark 1747- 14. Stephen Williams 1765- 15. Abel Gowen 16. William Wiggins 1746- 17. Benjamin Sasser 1755- 18. William Bryan 19. Alexander Armstrong 1756- 20. Joseph Williams 1760- 21. Andrew McDonough 22. Nathan Green. 1759- 23. Jesse Miles 1761- 24. William New 1757- 25. John Boykin 1764- 26. William Morgan 27. Stephen Hollingsworth *1754- 28. Stephen Fellyaw 29. Robert Johnson 30. Capt. William Hall * 31. John Goff 1752- 32. John Davis 33. John Wright 1759- 34. Samuel Vermillion 35. Robert Southerland 36. Benjamin Cox 1753- 37. James Guy 1761- 38. Tobias Honea 39. Willian Stroud 1759- 40. John Bennett 1765- 41. John Neill 42. Isham Sellers 43. Richard Bass 1736- 44. Col. James Kenan 1740- 45. Richard Cooper 1758- 46. John Winders 47. Ambrose Dudley 48. George Bell 1715- 49. Capt. James James 3 50. Major James Gillespie2 1740- 51. Joseph Singletary ** 1861- 52. General Richard Caswell 53. James Holland 1 1754- 54. Elija Biggs 1762- 55. Capt. James Wright *** 1755- 56. William Pridgen 1732- 57. Capt.William Dickson 1739- 58. John Knowles ** 1760- 59. John Holley 1760- 60. Capt. Jonathan Parker 61. Capt. Shadrack Stallings 62. Zebulon Hollingsworth 1761- 63. Capt. Baker Edgecombe 64. Capt. Nickolas Bowden 65. Capt. Jacob Carnega 66. Capt. David Dodd 67. Capt. John Giles 68. Capt. James Green 69. Major Benjamin Hicks 70. Capt. John James 71. Capt. Jacob Johnston 72. Capt. Edmund Mckeel 73. Major John Moulton 74. Capt. Nicholas Murphy 75. Capt. Asa Pipkin 76. Capt. John Rogers 77. Capt. Peter Robeson 78. Capt. Charles Ward 79. Capt. Jesse Ward 80. Capt. Aaron Williams 81. Capt. Frederick Wills Duplin Militia Vs British Army 1 James was with Capt. Love when he was killed. He was also with Gillespie when Wilmington was captured. 29 Jan 1781. 2, British burned his home in Clinton a few days after this battle. They also burned home of Lt. Henry Houston. 3. Took no ammo letter to Gov. Burke There is little doubt the USA was the mighty nation that saved the world in WW11. What you may not know that this great and mighty nation was promised to the children of Abraham in Genesis 18:18. This great and mighty nation would be blessed in 1945 and protected in 1781. 17 Jan. Cowpens was the most decisive American victory of the War for Independence. It gave a major boost to Patriot morale, inflicted casualties that the British could not replace and ultimately led to Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown that fall. The battle was a decisive victory for the Americans. They took minimal casualties while the British suffered 110 dead, over 200 wounded, and 500 more taken prisoner. More importantly than just winning the battle, the victory gave the Americans in the South a renewed sense of confidence that they could win the war. 15 Mar. The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was an important battle in the Revolutionary War. Although the British won the battle and forced the Americans to retreat, they lost so many soldiers that the battle eventually led to their defeat in the war. Cornwallis shot cannons into the fight killing all fighters as ours were winning. Cornwallis lost 500 men going against the USA. This is what has been wrote about the first battles of 1781. The British were never able to get enough men and ammo. Those two battles were not much of the battle that Duplin would have with Major Craig and the Tories. Lord Cornwallis came and went by May 20, 1781 and he gave Troies a big boost. August: 2, 1781, British Major James Craig invades Duplin County with 250 regular British troops and 80 Tories. The Battle of Rockfish Creek Bridge (Just south of Wallace NC) takes place in the early morning hours. When it was clear that Kenan was going to make a stand, Craig sent British Captain Gordon with 60 light horsemen and about 100 men with some Tories who knew the area, to circle around to Kenan's rear and both made attacks on Kenan at the same hour. As soon as the Militia saw that they being attacked from two directions, they ran. A mounted British officer struck John Knowles with a sword and his left arm was almost cut off, leaving Knowles sorely disabled. Another British soldier did the same on Joseph Singletary of Bladen County. Letter from Colonel Kenan to Governor Burke. Sir: I embodied all the Militia I could in the county to the amount of about 150 men and was reinforced by General Caswell with about 180 and Major Gillespie added 15 men and the engagement took place at a place called Rockfish. The British this day (2 Aug 1781) came against the Militia and me, again after a few rounds [our Militia] Broke and ran and it was out of my power and all my officers to rally them. They have all dispersed. Before the men broke we lost none, but the light horse pursued and I am afraid have taken 20 or 30 men. I cannot give you a full account. But the bearer Capt. James James who was in the action can inform your excellence of any particulars. He acted with becoming Bravery during the whole action. I am now convinced this county with several others will be overrun with the British & Tories. Your Excellency with excuse as I can not give a more full account. I am sir your very Humble Servant. /S/ Jas. Kenan The Militiamen here were not happy campers. Their food and rations were low due to difficulties with the Tories already cited. This battle victory at Rockfish Creek Bridge empowered the Tories even more. Three hundred from the Duplin area joined up with Craig. Craig, his men, and Tories then went to the plantation of Colonel Thomas Routledge, and stayed there three days. They took cattle and destroyed what they could not carry off. They took the wedding ring off the finger of Mrs. Catherine Routledge. They burned the houses of Captain James Gillespie and Lt. Henry Houston. To make matters worse, on the morning of August 14, 1781 Campbellton was captured by David Fanning and his Tories or as they called themselves, the King's Militia. There were four Tory Camps in Cumberland Co. All of the North Carolina Tories were put under command of the notorious David Fanning. Fanning kept a detailed journal of his deeds; his headquarters was located in Wilmington. Major Craig appointed him Colonel of the King's Militia. Of the 22 Tory Camps identified in Fanning's journal, half of the officers in 1781 were caught and hung or otherwise killed in battle. Craig, his regular men, and Tories reached New Bern on 19 August. His Tories killed three men in Jones County. Craig later returned to Wilmington via Kinston, On 28 ug August 1781. On this same day. Fanning was on way north to capture Governor Burke and he stopped in Bladen and his men they exciitely told him that the militia had moved out of Bladen. Fanning, thinking that in that case he may need more help in Hillsboro, so he pulled Tory leader Hector McNeil's and his 70 men out of Bladen to go with him to get Gov. Burke. Those 70 men were super excited of their likely hood of becoming a big hero. Their departure was no secret and it was noised around. One who's ears had heard the news was Sallie Salter who had the duty of feeding prisners of the Torys. Her duty for that day was now over, she made her way to the cloth store. Waiting in the cloth store was Margerat McRee who would take news directly to the Miliitia just north of Elizabethtown. She hurried home and grabbed her berry basket and headed to camp. Fanning wrote this in his journal after he got to Elizabethtown. "On my arrival at Elizabethtown (28th) I found Colonel Slingby of the loyal militia of Bladen County, with a number of paroled rebels (released militia prisoners) in his camp. I disapproved of keeping them there and told him that I thought it imprudent and unsaf." What Fanning did not know is, why they were still in town. The militia was camped a few miles north, then in Duplin County.. In the pension application of Josiah Singletary, he saw the recon connection, "On their countermarch from Lisbon to Sampson County between Colley Swamp and the Cape Fear, about nine miles from Elizabethtown, they were met by Mrs. McRee, the mother of Major Griffith J. McRee [Griffith John McRee] of the Continental Army, who left home for the purpose of apprising them of the situation of the Tories. By that time they had been joined by Colonel Brown, and Owen, and Captain Peter Robeson, and several other Whigs, and in consequence of the information received from Mrs. McRee, an attack on the Tories was more sure. Mrs. Margaret McRee was told by Col. Roberson to get word to those militia prisoners to not leave town, when released. To meet the militia after a few days, Mrs. McRee had connections. She took her berry basket walked back through the woods to Elizabethtown and met Sallie in the cloth store and told her to carefully tell them to stay in town, when she feeds them. On the night of 28th the militia quietly slipped back into Bladen and made it to the Cape Fear River late at night and with a shining moon, They quietly disrobed and forded the river about midnight and a mile below the village of Elizabethtown. They then made their way into Elizabethtown and a small band of warriors made contact with the parolees and were set to attack the Tory camp before daylight on the 29th of August. The parolees joined in and knew where all the Tories slept and the Tory Colonel John Slingsby, Tory Captain David Godwin, and a Tory by name of Edward Harrison were killed. Tory Lt. Baldwin broke his leg and several of his men were severely wounded. Of the militia, only Privates James Cain and James Singletary were slightly wounded, no one was killed. The militia gave out of ammunition and the Tories were running so fast, they did not know it. Some went into a big hole and hid and were found and captured. By daylight, the 300 or so healthy Tories were completely routed and had got out Elizabethtown and never returned. The Battle of Elizabethtown was in the early morning of 29 Aug 1781. Private Josiah Singletary was on active service with this company for one year. He gave high praise to Captain Jared Irwin as an uncommon man who gave much to the cause of freedom. Private Singletary was given credit for serving 13 months total in the RW as a soldier. He drew $43.33 per year as a RW pension. Richard Cheshire pension application Afterwards, at a period, when the County of Bladen was much infested by Tories, but the time he does not recollect well enough to state the month or year, he was ordered into service in a company of Volunteer Light Horse, under the command of Captain Jared Irwin, whose Head Quarters were at or near Elizabethtown, except when he was obliged to retire before superior numbers of the Tories. Captain Irwin was almost constantly under arms sometimes with a larger, & sometimes with a less number of his Company, and at the Head of whom Colonel Thomas Robeson, the commanding officer of the County, occasionally placed himself. The men were held liable to turn out on duty, whenever called upon - they were also constantly advancing or retreating - On one occasion, in order to deceive the Tories, they were marched over Neuse River - immediately countermarched crossed the Cape Fear River at night - surprised the Tories encamped at Elizabethtown & defeated them, and mortally wounded their Commanding officer Colonel Slingsby [?]. He was in the skirmish, and was engaged in the service above described until the close of the War, and as well as his memory serves him, he does not think he would be wrong in saying, that the portion of time in which he was actively employed would amount to nearly 12 months, but is content to claim for seven months, being the time for which a Brother Soldier Musgrove Jones claims; and which he thinks is less than they are entitled to. He was verbally discharged by Captain Irwin. Colonel Robeson, took command of the Company, in consequence of Captain Irwin's being disabled by a severe attack of the smallpox, caught from a British deserter, took command of the Company, and being of opinion that it would not be prudent to remain near so large a force of the enemy, conducted the Company over Neuse River, but immediately returned. On their countermarch from Lisbon to Sampson County between Colley Swamp and the Cape Fear, about nine miles from Elizabethtown, they were met by Mrs. Margerat McRee, the mother of Major Griffith J. McRee [Griffith John McRee] of the Continental Army, who left home for the purpose of apprising them of the situation of the Tories. By that time they had been joined by Colonel Brown's men and Col. Owen, and Captain Peter Robeson, and several other Whigs, and in consequence of the information received from Mrs. Margaret McRee, an attack on the Tories was determined on - although the whole force of the Whigs did not exceed eighty men. They accordingly marched to the Cape Fear, and forded it at night, about half or three quarters of a mile below the village - attacked the Tories at a point called Tory Hole - drove them to the upper end of the Village; where the ammunition of the Whigs having been expanded, they were under the necessity of retiring: after having killed or mortally wounded their commanding officer Colonel Slingsby, Captain David Godwin and a private named Edward Harrison - Lieutenant Baldwin and several privates were severely wounded. Of the Whigs none were killed, and only two privates James Singletary, and James Cain slightly wounded. The Tories were so severely handled, that they dispersed and never returned. It is noted that Troy Colonel Hector McNeal of Bladen and his 70 Tories were not in Elizabethtown on 29 Aug 1781. McNeal and 40 Tories were killed in a firefight with General Butler on 13 Sep 1781 at the Battle of Lindsey's Mill. Fanning was badly wounded in this skirmish as the group was coming back from Hillsboro where they had captured Governor Burke. Abraham seed was promised that they would be a mighty nation. Genesis 18:17-18 17 And the LORD said, Shall I ahide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty anation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/duplin/military/revwar/other/meninroc105nmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ncfiles/ File size: 15.4 Kb