Hillsborough District Brigade


The Hillsborough District Brigade of militia was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia established on May 4, 1776. Brigadier General Thomas Person was the first commander. Companies from the eight regiments of the brigade were engaged in 55 known battles and skirmishes in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia during the American Revolutionary War. It was active until the end of the war.

Background

In 1766, the Province of North Carolina House of Burgess, at the direction of Province of North Carolina Governor William Tryon, divided the state into six judicial districts. The districts did not do away with the county divisions of the state, which continued.
Within the Hillsborough District in 1775 were the counties of Caswell, Chatham, Granville, Orange, Randolph, and Wake.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the newly formed North Carolina government converted the state's six existing judicial districts into military districts. These districts each comprised a number of counties surrounding a significant town. The six districts, which corresponded with old judicial organizations, were: Edenton, New Bern, Wilmington, Halifax, Salisbury, and Hillsborough. Each district was to supply a brigade of militia regiments under the command of a brigadier general.
After the Third North Carolina Provincial Congress held at Hillsborough, the districts became known as "military" vice "judicial" districts. These districts were used to organize the North Carolina Minutemen battalions for a six-month trial as state troops, beginning on September 1, 1775. By April 10, 1776, the Provincial Congress decided in favor of district brigades of militia with county militia regiments. Each brigade was led by a brigadier general. The county militia regiments were subordinated to the brigade. At that time, two additional districts were added, further dividing the western part of the state. Also, district representatives were chosen and sent to the North Carolina Provincial Congress. These representatives were instrumental in the passage of the Halifax Resolves, in April 1776, during the Fourth Provincial Congress, which is now often referred to as the "Halifax Congress".

Brigade history

The Hillsborough District Brigade was established on May 4, 1776.
As the militia had a poor reputation for turning out, bounties to induce volunteerism were common during the war. For men who chose not to serve when drafted, there were two options: pay for a substitute to take their place or pay a fine. These options, with some modifications, remained throughout the war.
Brigadier General Thomas Person was appointed the first commander of the Hillsborough District Brigade in 1776. During the 1781 Battle of Guilford Court House, the Hillsborough District was commanded by John Butler.
Each county supplied a regiment, which in turn was composed of various companies. Each company consisted of no less than 50 men and was further divided into five "divisions." One of the five divisions was reserved for "the more aged and infirm men." The other four divisions, of each company, drew lots to determine the rotation they would follow for their tour of service, which usually lasted for three months. Eventually the "fifth division" of "aged and infirm men" was dropped, as was the maximum age limit from 60 to 50. In order to provide a greater pool of available manpower, the old colonial militia exemption list was revised.
Commanders of the Hillsborough District Brigade and their length of service are as follows:
The following table shows the regiments of the Hillsborough District Brigade. In 1778, there was a state level militia organization above the brigade. Each regiment was made up of companies of up to 50 men.
UnitSubordinate BrigadeCreatedDisbandedOriginal Commander, Rank
North Carolina Militia and State TroopsGovernor17781783Ashe, John Sr., M.G.
Hillsborough District BrigadeNorth Carolina Militia17761783Person, Thomas, B.G.
[|Caswell County Regiment]Hillsborough17771783Saunders, James, Col
[|Chatham County Regiment]Hillsborough17751783Ramsey, Ambrose, Col
[|Granville County Regiment]Hillsborough17751783Taylor, Joseph, Col
[|Mounted Volunteers Regiment]Hillsborough17801780Taylor, Philip, Col
[|Northern Orange County Regiment]Hillsborough17761777Saunders, James, Col
Orange County Regiment, aka Southern Orange County Regiment 1776-1777Hillsborough17751783Hogan, John, Col
[|Randolph County Regiment]Hillsborough17791783Balfour, Andrew, Col
[|Wake County Regiment]Hillsborough17751783Hinton, John, Col

Caswell County Regiment

The Caswell County Regiment started out as the Northern Orange County Regiment when the original Orange County Regiment was split into two separate and distinct regiments. The commandant was Colonel James Saunders. Under this name the regiment did not serve in any engagements.
On May 9, 1777, the Northern Orange County Regiment was renamed the Caswell County Regiment. Colonel James Saunders continued as the commandant of the Caswell County Regiment.
The Chatham County Regiment was a unit of the North Carolina militia that served during the American Revolution. The North Carolina General Assembly authorized the Chatham County Regiment on September 9, 1775, along with 34 other county regiments. The officers were appointed and commissioned by the Governor of North Carolina. The regiment was subordinated to the Hillsboro District Brigade of North Carolina militia on May 4, 1776. The regiment was disbanded at the end of the war.
The colonels of the Chatham County Regiment were:
The Granville 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 North Carolina Council of State authorized Col Taylor to create the Mounted Volunteers Regiment of Cavalry in August 1780. They were assigned to keep the Loyalists from rising up around Chatham and Randolph counties. They were sent to the Salisbury District in September of 1780 to join up with the North Carolina State Cavalry-Western District in September 1780 in anticipation of contact with General Cornwallis. They were engaged with the Battle of Charlotte on September 26, 1780 and the skirmish as Polk's Mill on October 9, 1780. The unit was short lived and was disbanded in December of 1780.

Randolph County Regiment

The Randolph County Regiment was created when Randolph County was created by the North Carolina General Assembly on February 2, 1779 from the southern third of Guilford County. The officers were appointed and commissioned by the Governor. The regiment was active until the end of the war in 1783. Colonels of the regiment included:
The Wake 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:
Militia from the Hillsborough District participated in nearly all of the important southern campaigns and engagements. Orange County militia were particularly involved in engagements including Stono Creek, Charleston, Camden, Cowpens, Cowan's Ford, Clapp's Mill, Guilford Court House, and Lindley's Mill. Regiments of the Hillsborough District Brigade were involved in 55 known engagements, including one in Georgia, 11 in South Carolina, 36 in North Carolina. One or more companies of these regiments were involved in each engagement.
OrderDateBattleState
12/27/1776Battle of Moore's Creek BridgeNCxxxx
23/3/1779Battle of Briar CreekGAxxxxxx
36/20/1779Battle of Stono FerrySCxxxxx
43/28/1780 to 5/12/1780Siege of Charleston 1780SCxxxxxx
56/20/1780Battle of Ramsour's MillNCxx
68/11/1780Battle of Little Lynches CreekSCxxxxxxx
78/16/1780Battle of CamdenSCxxxxxxx
88/18/1780Battle of Fishing CreekSCx
99/26/1780Battle of CharlotteNCx
1010/7/1780Battle of Kings MountainSCxxx
1110/9/1780Battle of Polk's MillNCxx
1210/14/1780Battle of Shallow FordNCx
1312/4/1780Skirmish at Rugeley's Mills #2SCxxxx
141/17/1781Battle of CowpensSCxxxxx
152/1/1781Battle of Cowan's FordNCxxxxxxx
162/1/1781Battle of Tarrant's/Torrence's TavernNCxxxxxx
172/3/1781 to 2/4/1781Battle of Trading FordNCx
182/25/1781Battle of Haw RiverNCxxxx
193/4/1781Battle of Clapp's Mill #1NCx
203/6/1781Battle of Whitesell's MillNCxxx
213/7/1781Skirmish at Reedy ForkNCx
223/15/1781Battle of AlamanceNCx
233/15/1781Battle of Guilford Court HouseNCxxxxxxx
243/19/1781Battle of Ramsey's MillNCxx
253/31/1781Skirmish at Cole's Bridge #2NCx
264/25/1781Battle of Hobkirk's HillSCxxx
275/9/1781Battle of Deep River #1NCx
285/11/1781Battle of Buffalo FordNCx
295/21/1781-6/19/1781Siege of Ninety-Six 1781SCxxx
306/8/1781Battle of Cox's Mill #1NCxxxx
317/17/1781Chatham CourthouseNCx
327/29/1781Battle of House in the HorseshoeNCx
338/4/1781Battle of Beatti's BridgeNCx
349/1/1781Battle of Little Raft SwampNCx
359/01/1781 to 9/30/1781Battle of Brown MarshNCxxxxxx
369/01/1781 to 9/30/1781Battle of Beck's FordNCx
379/8/1781Battle of Eutaw SpringsSCxxxxxx
389/12/1781Battle of HillsboroughNCxxx
399/12/1781Battle of Kirk's FarmNCxx
409/13/1781Battle of Lindley's MillNCxxxxxx
419/23/1781Battle of Livingston's CreekNCx
4210/01/1781 to 10/01/1781Battle of Brush CreekNCxxxxx
4310/01/1781 to 10/30/1781Battle of Bear CreekNCx
4410/15/1781Battle of Raft SwampNCxxxxxx
4511/15/1781Battle of Brick HouseNCx
4611/16/1781Battle of Seven CreeksNCx
4711/18/1781Evacuation of WilmingtonNCx
4812/10/1781Battle of Cox's Mill #3NCx
491/7/1782Battle of Gholson's FarmNCx
502/11/1782Battle of Deep River #2NCxxx
513/01/1782 to 3/31/1782Battle of Forks of the YadkinNCx
523/11/1782Balfour's PlantationNCx
533/13/1782 to 3/14/1782Battle of Randolph County Court HouseNCxx
545/1/1782 to 5/31/1782Battle of Deep River #3NCx
559/22/1782Battle of Faith RockNCx