New Bern District Brigade
Active1776-1783
AllegianceUnited States North Carolina
BranchNorth Carolina militia
TypeMilitia
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Brigadier Generals:
  1. Richard Caswell
  2. William Bryan
  3. William Caswell
  4. John Simpson (Pro Tempore)
  5. James Armstrong (Pro Tempore)
  6. John Bryan

The New Bern District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). This unit was established by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war.[1]

Commanders

  • Brigadier General Richard Caswell (1775-1777)
  • Brigadier General William Bryan (1777-1779)
  • Brigadier General William Caswell (1779-1783)
  • Brigadier General John Simpson (Pro Tempore) (August 1780)
  • Brigadier General James Armstrong (Pro Tempore) (2/7/1781 to 2/10/1781)
  • Brigadier General John Bryan (1782)

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Dobbs Spaight from the Craven County Regiment served as an aide to general William Caswell.[2]

Regiments

The following regiments were included in the New Bern District Brigade, which was subordinate to the North Carolina Militia and State Troops, Major General Ashe, beginning in 1778. Each regiment contained companies of up to 50 men.[1]

UnitSubordinate BrigadeCreatedDisbandedOriginal Commander, Rank
North Carolina Militia and State TroopsGovernor17781783Ashe, John Sr., M.G.
New Bern District BrigadeNorth Carolina Militia17761783Caswell, Richard, B.G.
Beaufort County RegimentNew Bern17751783Bonner, James, Col
Carteret County RegimentNew Bern17751783Thompson, William, Col
Craven County RegimentNew Bern17751783Leech, Joseph, Col
Dobbs County RegimentNew Bern17751783Sheppard, Abraham, Sr
Hyde County RegimentNew Bern17751783Latham, Rotheas, Col
Johnston County RegimentNew Bern17751783Bryan, Needham, Col
Jones County RegimentNew Bern17791783Bryan, John, Col
Pitt County RegimentNew Bern17751783Simpson, John, Col
Wayne County RegimentNew Bern17791783Exum, Benjamin, Col

Beaufort County Regiment

The existing Beaufort County regiment was authorized as part of the North Carolina militia on September 9, 1775 by the North Carolina Provincial Congress, along with 34 other existing county regiments. Beaufort County had a small population and difficulties raising a militia. This regiment was involved in the Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia on Marcy 3, 1779 and the Battle of Rockfish Creek on August 2, 1781 in North Carolina. The commanders of this regiment were:[3]

  • Colonel James Bonner (1775-1778)
  • Colonel Thomas Bonner, Jr. (1778-1779), also a Lieutenant Colonel
  • Colonel William Brown (1779-1783), also a 2nd Major

Craven County Regiment

The Craven 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:[4]

  • Colonel Joseph Leech (1775)[5]
  • Colonel John Bryan, Sr. (1775-1779)
  • Colonel Christopher Neale (1776-1778)
  • Colonel John Sitgreaves (1779-1783)
  • Colonel John Tilman (1778-1783), 2nd colonel

The Craven County regiment participated in 10 known engagements during the American Revolution:[4]

Johnston County Regiment

The Johnston 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:[6][7][8]

  • Colonel Needham Bryan (1775–1776)
  • Colonel William Bryan (1776–1777, 1781)
  • Colonel Joseph Boon, Jr. (1777–1778)
  • Colonel John Smith (1779–1783)

The Johnston County Regiment participated in 13 known battles and skirmishes in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia during the American Revolution:[6]

Jones County Regiment

The North Carolina General Assembly created the Jones County Regiment when it created Jones County out of the southern part of Craven County on January 30, 1779. This regiment was active until the end of the war in 1783.[9]

The officers of the Jones County Regiment were appointed by the Governor of North Carolina. The commanders included:[9]

  • Colonel John Bryan (1779–1783)
  • Colonel Nathaniel "Nathan" Bryan (2nd colonel, 1779)
  • Colonel Waightstill Avery (1779–1780)[10][11]
  • Colonel Francis Avery (1781–1783)

The Jones County regiment was engaged in the following five known battles and skirmishes:[9]

Pitt County Regiment

The Pitt 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 of this regiment included:[12]

  • Colonel John Simpson (1775-1783, commander), (August 1780, Brigadier General Pro Tempore of the New Bern District Brigade)[13]
  • Colonel John Salter (1780-1781, second colonel), (1776-1780, captain), (1781, captain in the 1st Battalion of Militia)
  • Colonel James Gorham (1776-1780, major), (1780-1781, Lieutenant Colonel), (1781-1783, 2nd colonel)

The Pitt County Regiment was engaged in the nine known battles and skirmishes:[12]

References

  1. 1 2 Lewis, J.D. "New Bern District Brigade of militia". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Congressional Biography of Richard Dobbs Spaight". Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  3. ↑ Lewis, J.D. "Beaufort County Regiment". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Lewis, J.D. "Craven County Regiment". The American Revolution in North Carolina.
  5. ↑ Carraway, Gertrude S. (1991). "Joseph Leech". NCPedia. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Lewis, J.D. "Johnston County Regiment". The American Revolution in North Carolina.
  7. ↑ "Johnston County Military". USGenWeb. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Johnston County Colonial Militia Reenactors". Facebook.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 Lewis, J.D. "Jones County Regiment". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  10. ↑ Avery, Isaac Thomas, Jr. (1979). "Waightstill Avery". NCPedia.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Ashe, Samuel A., ed. (1908). Biographical History of North Carolina, vol. 7. C. L. Van Noppen. p. 9.
  12. 1 2 Lewis, J.D. "Pitt County Regiment". The American Revolution in North Carolina.
  13. ↑ Maupin, ArmisteadJ. (1994). "John Simpson". NCPEDIA. Retrieved December 17, 2019.

Bibliography

  • Holloman, Charles R. (1979). "William Caswell". NCPedia. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  • Holloman, Charles R. (1979). "Richard Caswell". NCPedia. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  • Smith, Claiborne T., Jr. (1986). "Benjamin Exum". NCPedia. Retrieved March 9, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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