The Mecklenburg County Regiment was authorized on May 31, 1775 by the Province of North Carolina Congress. From November 7, 1779 until the 3rd Quarter of 1780, it was called the 1st Mecklenburg County Regiment when a 2nd Mecklenburg County Regiment existed. The 1st Mecklenburg County regiment was engaged in 39 known battles and skirmishes against the British during the American Revolution in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia between 1776 and 1781. It was active until the end of the war.
24-487: The Mecklenburg County Regiments (both 1st and 2nd) were under the command of Salisbury District Brigade and General Griffith Rutherford when it was established on May 4, 1776 through the end of the war. Officers of the Mecklenburg County Regiment included: Colonels: Miscellaneous staff: Other notable officers: The Mecklenburg County regiment was active from its original authorization until
48-638: A "+" were transferred to the newly-created Morgan District Brigade of Militia in May 1782. The Washington County Regiment was called initially the Washington District Regiment until Washington County was created from Washington District. The 2nd Rowan County Regiment's name was changed to the "Burke County Regiment" in 1777 and then back to "2nd Rowan County Regiment" in 1782. The regiments were made up of male citizens over sixteen years of age. Regiments of militia were called up for service by
72-482: The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776. The minutemen battalions were considered "state troops" vice local militia. On April 10, 1776, the two battalions of minutemen regiments were disbanded in favor of local militia brigades and subordinate regiments. There were eventually six militia brigades by the end of the war. On April 22, 1776, Rutherford was commissioned as a brigadier general and assigned as
96-759: The 2nd Rowan County Regiment during the American Revolution. As a lead up to the American Revolution, the Rowan County Regiment was established on about August 1, 1775 under patriot command. Most of the regimental leadership were participants in the Rowan County Committee of Safety. The North Carolina Provincial Congress authorized the Rowan County Regiment to be organized as one of the 35 existing county militias on September 9, 1775. Colonel Griffith Rutherford became its first commander. Shortly after being authorized,
120-743: The Cherokee. In 1768, the regiment was commanded by Colonel Alexander Osborne. Colonel Osborne marched with the Rowan County regiment to assist Governor William Tryon in suppressing the Regulator Movement at Hillsborough in 1768 on the Yadkin River above Salisbury. (The Rowan County Scots-Irish did not join the Regulator Movement.) Colonel Osborn (1706–1776) was the father of Adlai Osborne , who would later command
144-454: The Mecklenburg County Regiment was authorized to create a regiment of Light Dragoons, which was subordinated to the Mecklenburg County Regiment. On April 1, 1781, this regiment of light dragoons was placed under Brig. Gen. Thomas Sumter's South Carolina State Troops. The Independent Corps of Light Horse was established in June of 1780, mostly from men in the Mecklenburg County Regiment. The unit
168-629: The Provincial Congress. The members of the Rowan County Regiment were mostly from what was Rowan County at the time. Prior to establishment of the Rowan County Regiment, many of its officers were active in the Rowan County Committee of Safety . The regiment included 160 known companies and one or more of these companies were engaged in 36 known battles or skirmishes during the American Revolution . After
192-795: The Salisbury District in North Carolina. Rowan County Regiment The Rowan County Regiment was originally established in about August 1, 1775 as a local militia in Rowan County in the Province of North Carolina . When the North Carolina Provincial Congress authorized thirty-five existing county militias to be organized on September 9, 1775, the Rowan County Regiment was included and all officers were appointed with commissions from
216-480: The brigade. On May 9, 1777, the 2nd Rowan County Regiment was renamed as the Burke County Regiment , and the 1st Rowan County Regiment reverted to its original name—the Rowan County Regiment. On May 1, 1782, this regiment was once again split into two separate and distinct regiments—the 1st Rowan County Regiment and the 2nd Rowan County Regiment. These two separate regiments continued until the end of
240-590: The commandant of the Salisbury District Brigade that was established officially on May 4, 1776. Colonel Matthew Locke took over as commandant of the Rowan County Regiment . Commandants of the Salisbury District Brigade and their dates of service were as follows: The following regiments were subordinate to the Salisbury District Brigade. The date regiments were established and disbanded are shown. Those regiments marked with
264-425: The creation of a 2nd Mecklenburg County Regiment on November 7. 1779, the name of the original regiment became the 1st Mecklenburg County Regiment. Colonel Caleb Phifer became the commander of the 2nd Mecklenburg County Regiment. The 2nd Mecklenburg County Regiment was short lived and it was disbanded in the third quarter of 1780, about the time of the Battle of Camden . In September 1780, Lt. Col. William Polk of
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#1732787001559288-587: The end of the war. It was subordinated to the Salisbury District Brigade under Brigadier General Griffith Rutherford . The Mecklenburg County regiment was involved in 39 known battles, sieges, and skirmishes in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. See Salisbury Districgt Brigade Engagements for a complete, chronological list of engagements. When the North Carolina General Assembly of 1779 approved
312-412: The establishment of the Rowan County Regiment, several other counties were created from Rowan County, including Burke County in 1777, Iredell County in 1788, Davidson County in 1822 and Davie County in 1836. Prior to the American Revolution, Rowan County had a militia regiment, like all colonial NC counties, as part of the Province of North Carolina . The Rowan County militia was used to defend
336-537: The executive body. The Salisbury District was one of these districts, which eventually led to the creation of the Salisbury District Brigade. At the county level, there were Committees of Safety , including the Rowan , Anson, Mecklenburg, Surry, and Tryon county committees of safety. Many members of the Rowan committee of safety became the officers of the regiments of the Salisbury District Brigade. Griffith Rutherford
360-966: The governor or the commanding general to serve for a campaign or for a period of time as needed. The soldiers were told what equipment they had to bring with them. The brigade was reported to have a size of 1,400 men in 1781 but never more than 2,000 men the remainder of the war. Regiments of the Salisbury District Brigade were involved in 98 known engagements (battles, sieges, and skirmishes), including six in Georgia, 32 in South Carolina, eight in Tennessee, and 52 in North Carolina. One or more companies of these regiments were involved in each engagement. The Salisbury District Brigade had several staff positions. The forage master, quarter master, and commissary were especially important in providing troops with food and supplies when they were called outside of
384-501: The known notable captains and subordinates: The Rowan County Regiment was involved in 31 known engagements during the American Revolution from 1775 to 1782. They fought in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The battle of Torrence's Tavern was the only battle fought in what became Iredell County, North Carolina in 1788, where many of the regiment's soldiers resided after the war. Companies were headed by captains. Not every company took part in every engagement. The regiment
408-417: The regiment was split on October 22, 1775, into two separate and distinct regiments—the 1st Rowan County Regiment and the 2nd Rowan County Regiment . The 1st Rowan County Regiment retained most of the original members of the original Rowan County Regiment. When the Salisbury District Brigade was created on May 4, 1776, the Rowan County Regiment was included in this brigade and Col Rutherford assumed command of
432-671: The settlers during the Anglo-Cherokee War of 1758 to 1761 when the Cherokee Indians were devastating the outlying settlements. When Governor Arthur Dobbs sent a 50-man company of North Carolina Provincial Soldiers to the NC frontier in the summer of 1755, its commander, Captain Hugh Waddell , was placed in overall command of the Rowan and Anson County Regiments.–. When the construction of Fort Dobbs (North Carolina)
456-547: The war (September 3, 1783). The following listings show the known commanders, officers, staff, and soldiers of the Rowan County Regiment. Col Rutherford left the Rowan County Regiment when he was promoted to brigadier general in charge of the 1st Salisbury District Minutemen and later the Salisbury District Brigade. Commandants and colonels: The regiment consisted of 160 known companies headed by captains. Company officers included lieutenants, ensigns, sergeants, corporals, and privates/drummers/fifers. The following are
480-467: Was assigned as commandant of the 1st Battalion, along with Colonel Thomas Wade. The 1st Battalion participated in one engagement, the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776. Colonel Thomas Polk was commandant of the 2nd Battalion. The 2nd Battalion participated in the Battle of Great Cane Brake on December 22, 1775, the Snow Campaign on December 23, 1775 to December 30, 1775, and
504-615: Was commanded by Major William Richardson Davie . The unit saw some action at Hanging Rock, South Carolina in June 1780. The unit arrived too late for the fighting at the Battle of Ramseur's Mill. It was disbanded in August 1780. Salisbury District Brigade The Salisbury District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). This unit
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#1732787001559528-660: Was established by the Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war. In August 1775, the Third Provincial Congress of North Carolina delegates appointed Cornelius Harnett the head of the Council of Safety which oversaw resistance to British rule. They also divided the colony into six military districts for the purpose of organizing militia and arranging representation in
552-491: Was from Rowan County, North Carolina . He was commissioned as a Colonel and commandant of the Rowan County Regiment on September 9, 1775. On December 21, 1775, the North Carolina Provincial Congress split the Salisbury District into two separate regiments of minutemen —the 1st Battalion of Salisbury District Minutemen and the 2nd Battalion of Salisbury District Minutemen. Colonel Rutherford
576-537: Was ordered by Governor Dobbs, he also ordered the Anson and Rowan County Militia Regiments to each create a 50-man militia company, which could be called on in there was an alarm. Both were to rendezvous at Fort Dobbs to support the Provincials there. From mid-May to mid-June 1767, Waddell commanded Rowan and Mecklenburg militia detachments accompanying Governor Tryon to establish a boundary between North Carolina and
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