Edenton District Brigade


The Edenton District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War. This unit was established by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war.

History

Known commanders/commandants:
  1. Brigadier General Edward Vail, Sr.
  2. Brigadier General William Skinner
  3. Brigadier General John Pugh Williams
  4. Brigadier General Isaac Gregory
  5. Brigadier General Thomas Benbury
Edward Vail, Sr. was commissioned as the first commander of the Edenton District Brigade on May 4, 1776. William Skinner was appointed by the North Carolina General Assembly on December 20, 1777 to replace, general Edward Vail who died on June 5, 1777. John Pugh was commissioned as a Brigadier General commanding the Edenton District Brigade on May 12, 1779; however, he resigned his position after three days to take up a new position as a colonel on the staff of Major General Caswell, commander of the North Carolina Militia and State Troops. Brigadier General Issac Gregory replaced him on May 15, 1779. Thomas Benbury served as commander for a short time in October 1780 when general Gregory was in the western part of the state.

Regiments

The known regiments of the Edenton District Brigade were as follows:
UnitSubordinate BrigadeCreatedDisbandedOriginal Commander, Rank
Edenton District BrigadeNorth Carolina Militia17761783Vail, Edward, Brigadier General
1st Regiment of North Carolina militiaEdenton17801780Jarvis, Samuel, Col
2nd Regiment of North Carolina militiaEdenton17801780Exum, Benjamin, Col
[|Bertie County Regiment]Edenton17751783Witmell, Thomas, Col
[|Camden County Regiment]Edenton17771783Gregory, Isaac, Col
[|Chowan County Regiment]Edenton17751783Bonner, Thomas, Col
[|Currituck County Regiment]Edenton17751783Jarvis, Samuel, Col
[|Gates County Regiment]Edenton17791783Baker, Lawrence, Col
[|Hertford County Regiment]Edenton17751783Wynns, Benjamin, Col
[|Martin County Regiment]Edenton, Halifax17751783Williams, William, Col
[|1st Pasquotank County Regiment]Edenton17751783Lowery, John, Col
[|2nd Pasquotank County Regiment]Edenton17751777Gregory, Isaac, Col
[|Perquimans County Regiment]Edenton17751783Harvey, Miles, Col
[|Tyrrell County Regiment]Edenton17751783Buncombe, Edward, Col

1st and 2nd Regiments

On June 2, 1780, the North Carolina Legislature authorized two new special regiments of Militia to be raised and led by Colonel Samuel Jarvis of the Currituck County Regiment and Colonel Benjamin Exum of the Wayne County Regiment. These and many other county militia regiments were quickly assembled under Major General Richard Caswell at Cross Creek and Brigadier General Griffith Rutherford at Salisbury in July. They were marched to join up with the recently arrived Major General Horatio Gates of the Continental Army, and led into South Carolina to stop the British if possible. Both regiments fought at the Battle of Lynches Creek on August 11, 1780 and Battle of Camden on August 16, 1780 in South Carolina. After the Battle of Camden, both units retreated to Salisbury and were disbanded on September 2, 1780.

Bertie County Regiment

The Bertie 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:
Companies of the Bertie County Regiment were engaged in five known battles and skirmishes: Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia on March 3, 1779, Battle of Stono Ferry in South Carolina on June 20, 1779, Siege of Charleston from March 18 to May 12, 1780, Little Lynches Creek in South Carolina on August 11, 1780, and the Battle of Camden in South Carolina on August 16, 1780.

Chowan County Regiment

The Chowan 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:
There are very few records about this unit. However, the regiment is known to have been engaged in the Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia on March 3, 1779.

Currituck County Regiment

The Currituck 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:
The Currituck County Regiment was known to have been involved in five battles and skirmishes: Battle of Great Bridge in Virginia on December 9, 1775, Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia on March 3, 1779, Battle of Camden in South Carolina on August 16, 1780, and the Siege of Charleston from March 28 to May 12, 1780.

Gates County Regiment

When Gates County was formed by the North Carolina General Assembly from Chowan County, Hertford County, and Perquimans County on January 30, 1779, the Gates County Regiment was also established and continued to be active until the end of the war in 1783. The colonels included:
The Gates County Regiment was engaged in seven known battles and skirmishes: Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia on March 3, 1779, Charleston Neck in South Carolina on May 11–13, 1779, Battle of Stono Ferry in South Carolina on June 20, 1779, Siege of Charleston in South Carolina from March 28 to May 12, 1780, Battle of Camden in South Carolina on August 16, 1780, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina on March 15, 1781, and the Battle of Eutaw Springs in South Carolina on September 8, 1781.

Hertford County Regiment

The Hertford 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:
The Hertford County Regiment was known to have been engaged in three battles: Battle of Great Bridge in Virginia on December 9, 1775, Siege of Charleston in South Carolina from March 28 to May 12, 1780, and the skirmish in Hillsborough in North Carolina on September 12, 1781.

Martin County Regiment

The Martin 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. The regiment was transferred to the Halifax District Brigade of the North Carolina militia under Brigadier General Allen Jones in December 1777. It was active until the end of the war. The colonels included:
The Martin Count Regiment was known to have been involved in four battles during the American Revolution: Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia on March 3, 1779, Battle of Camden in South Carolina on August 16, 1780, the Battle of Guilford Court House in North Carolina on March 15, 1781, and the Battle of Hobkirk's Hill in South Carolina on April 25, 1781.

Pasquotank County Regiment

The Pasquotank 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. On December 22, 1775, the regiment was split into a 1st Pasquotank County Regiment and a 2nd Pasquotank Regiment. On May 9, 1777, the 2nd Pasquotank Regiment was renamed the Camden County Regiment and the 1st Pasquotank County Regiment reverted to just the Pasquotank County Regiment. It was active until the end of the war. The colonels included:
Colonel Lowry commanded the Pasquotank County Regiment as early as 1771 when William McCormick was appointed as Captain by Governor Josiah Martin. Captain McCormick was a loyalist.
The Pasquotank County Regiment was involved in two known engagements: Battle of Great Bridge in Virginia on December 9, 1775 and the Battle of Camden in South Carolina on August 16, 1780.

Camden County Regiment

The Camden County Regiment was originally called the 2nd Pasquotank County Regiment, which was formed from the Pasquotank County Regiment on December 2, 1775 when it was split into 1st and 2nd Pasquotank County regiments. On May 9, 1777, the 2nd Pasquotank County Regiment was renamed the Camden County Regiment. The colonels included:
As the 2nd Pasquotank County Regiment, it was not involved in any engagements. After it became the Camden County Regiment it was involved in two battles, the Battle of Stono Ferry on June 20, 1779 and the Battle of Guilford Court House on March 15, 1781.

Perquimans County Regiment

The Perquimans 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:
The Perquimans County Regiment was engage in only one known battle during the American Revolution, the Battle of Great Bridge on December 9, 1775 in Virginia.

Tyrrell County Regiment

The Tyrrell 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:
The Tyrrell County Regiment was engaged in the Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia on March 3, 1779, the Siege of Charleston from March 28 to May 12, 1780, and the Battle of Eutaw Springs in South Carolina on September 8, 1781.