Patriot - Merrill's Marauders

MacDonald’s army to scout and secure bridges. Some of these bridges had to be strengthened to support MacDonald’s supply wagons creaking over them slowing down the Loyalist’s army pace. Captured Rebels soon revealed to MacDonald that Caswell had reached Corbett’s Ferry ahead of him and had entrenched on the far side of the river. Macleod’s mounted scouts were quickly sent four miles above the ferry where a slave showed them a flatboat that had been sunk by the Rebels which could be easily raised. To keep Caswell distracted while the boat was raised and a makeshift bridge was constructed, MacDonald left a small force to march noisily through the woods opposite the Rebel position playing the bagpipes, beating on drums and firing the odd shot at them. The ruse worked and MacDonald successfully got his men across the river.

When Caswell learned that MacDonald had got past him he sent word to Moore who was at Elizabeth Town. Moore set out in boats down the Cape Fear River with his Continentals, while Caswell was ordered to quickly join Lillington at Moore’s Creek bridge. It was now a race as Caswell and MacDonald’s men marched toward the same bridge. Caswell won the race by a few hours arriving at the bridge on the afternoon of 26 February. Here he found Lillington’s men entrenched on the east side of the creek. The Patriots now had over 1,000 troops to hold the bridge and block MacDonald.

The swampy terrain favored the Patriots at Moore’s Creek Bridge where the winding creek was about 50 feet wide. Lillington had initially taken up position on a little knoll on the east side of the creek facing the bridge, but now with the arrival of Caswell who assumed command, the Patriots began to construct earthworks on the other side. This was not a wise decision as it put the creek at the back of the Patriots and forced them to keep the bridge intact as an escape route.

A messenger sent by MacDonald to the Patriot camp under the guise of urging to them to submit to the king, but in reality to get a look at their position, noted the Rebels numbers and their entrenchments on the west of the creek. After receiving this news MacDonald had a council of war with his officers to decide whether to attack the Rebels or attempt to cross upstream from them. MacDonald was against attacking the Rebels as his army was now reduced by desertion to about 600 Highlanders and 200 ex-Regulators.[4]

Despite their commander’s reservations, the council decided to attack the next morning at daybreak. Command now fell to McLeod as the aged MacDonald was too tired and in poor health to lead his men into battle. At 1 a.m. on 27 February, McLeod led the Loyalist army toward the Rebel position on the west side of the creek six miles away. Progress was slow through the swamp as the Tories were unfamiliar with the territory and were also hindered by a heavy fog. Finally, near dawn the dying campfires were spotted where Caswell’s men were to be encamped. McLeod divided his army into three columns and moved on the Rebel camp only to discover Caswell and his men were gone. During the night Caswell decided to withdraw his men to the more secure position on the east side of the river.

McLeod now ordered his men to fall back to the tree line with intentions of forming them into line. Before they got far a Rebel picket near the bridge fired off a round to warn his comrades of the Tory army. McLeod turned his men around and ordered the signal for the attack to be given which was three cheers. With bagpipes playing and drums beating, McLeod’s line moved forward with Campbell’s broadsword-armed Highlanders in the center.

As a detachment of Highlanders under Alexander McLean reached the bridge, shadowy Rebel sentries across the creek challenged them asking who they were. McLean answered friend, to which the sentries further inquired “to whom?” McLean replied “the King.” The Rebel sentries quickly took cover. Still unsure who he was talking to, McLean challenged the sentries in Gaelic. When no answer was returned, McLean ordered his men to take cover and fire.

McLeod and Campbell, along with his broadswordsmen, soon arrived at the bridge to investigate the shooting. There they discovered that the Rebels had taken up about half the bridge’s planking leaving only two stringers that were greased with soft soap and tallow. With the shout of “King George and Broadswords” McLeod and Campbell led the sword wielding men forward.[5] Using their broadswords for support, the Highlanders made their way across the bridge’s slick stringers over the dark waters of Moore’s Creek to the east side. Once across the Highlanders, clad in their kilts and tartans with the piercing skirl of their bagpipes, charged through the fog toward the Patriot’s earthworks about a hundred yards away.

When the wild Highlanders were about 30 paces away the Patriot earthworks erupted with the flash and crash of musketry, the crack of rifle fire, as well blasts from the small Patriot fieldpiece dubbed “Mother Covington” and her daughter – a swivel gun. The deadly volley ripped into the Scottish Tories. Among those hit were McLeod and Campbell who were riddled with lead. Although mortally wounded, McLeod stumbled to his feet and urged his men forward until he was shot down and killed. The Patriots unleashed more volleys ending the Highlanders charge and clearing the bridge.

Thirty Highlanders lay dead on the ground, while more are thought to have fallen off the bridge and dis-