Most North Carolinians were loyal to the King by default before independence, with strong Loyalist communities in the Wilmington area and among Highland Scots in the backcountry. A pivotal moment came in February of 1776 at Moores Creek Bridge, where roughly 1,400 Loyalists—mostly Highland Scots armed with broadswords rather than muskets—were routed by Patriot militia with cannon, ending British hopes of a Southern Strategy to end the “rebellion” for years. Flora MacDonald, celebrated for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after Culloden in 1746, rallied Scottish Highlanders to the Loyalist cause. Her husband and son were captured at the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge, and the family returned to Scotland in 1779. Later, Loyalist militia colonel David Fanning led some 36 skirmishes across the backcountry and briefly captured Governor Thomas Burke in September 1781. Following the war, Fanning fled to Canada.
Interviewees
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Sally Bloom
- Curator of Distance Education, North Carolina Museum of History
