Guilford County Regiment

American colonial military unit

Guilford County Regiment
Active	1775-1783
Allegiance	North Carolina
Branch	North Carolina militia
Type	Militia
Part of	Salisbury District Brigade
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col. Ransom Sutherland Col. James Martin Col. Risdel Moore Col. John Peasley Col. Samuel Isaacs

Military unit

The Guilford County Regiment was authorized on September 9, 1775 by the Third North Carolina Provincial Congress. It was subordinate to the Salisbury District Brigade of militia. The regiment was engaged in battles and skirmishes against the British and Cherokee during the American Revolution in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia between 1776 and 1781. It was active until the end of the war.^[1]

Officers

It was first commanded by Colonel Ransom Sutherland, who was appointed by the North Carolina Provincial Congress. On April 22, 1776, Sutherland resigned, and Lt. Colonel James Martin was appointed Colonel. Colonel Martin led the Guilford Militia at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and in the Cherokee Expedition of 1776. The regiment served throughout the war.^[2]^[3]^[1]^[4]

Commandants and 2nd colonels:^[1]

Colonel Ransom Sutherland (commandant, 1775-1776)
Colonel James Martin (commandant, 1776-1782), (Lieutenant Colonel, 1775-1776)
Colonel Risdel Moore (2nd colonel, 1779-1780)
Colonel John Paisly/Peasley (2nd colonel, 1780-?)
Colonel Samuel Isaacs (2nd colonel, 1781-1783)

Selected Captains (see Lewis for a complete list):^[1]

Captain Arthur Forbes' Company: 1 Lieutenant, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 100 Rank & File
Captain James Frost's Company: Lt. Jonas Frost, Ensign Simeon Frost, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 43 Rank & File
Captain Samuel Sharp's Company: Lt. Joshua Young, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 80 Rank & File
Captain John Donald's Company: Lt. James Ross, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 55 Rank & File
Captain Asa Bashiers' Company: Lt. Samuel Rail, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 54 Rank & File
Captain William Bethel's Company: 1 Lieutenant, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 60 Rank & File
Captain Robert Bell's Company: Lt. Rees Porter, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 82 Rank & File
Captain Henry Whitesel's Company: Lt. Lodowick Clap, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 60 Rank & File
Captain John Nelson's Company: Lt. Josiah Gates, Ensign George Oliver, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 50 Rank & File
Captain George Hamilton's Company: Lt. John Duff, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 102 Rank & File
Captain William Wood's Company: Lt. George Pierce, Ensign James McKamie, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 46 Rank & File
Captain Risdon Moore's Company: Lt. John Shelley, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 81 Rank & File
Captain John Davis' Company: Lt. Thomas Cook, Ensign Benjamin Cook, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 64 Rank & File
Captain Josiah Man's Company: 1 Lieutenant, 1 Ensign, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 54 Rank & File
Captain James Holderness' Company: Lt. William Lewis, Ensign Turbefield Barns, 2 Subalterns, 2 Corporals, 147 Rank & File

Battles

Elements of the Guilford County Militia participated in the following battles:

Moore's Creek Bridge
Cherokee Expedition of 1776
Briar Creek
Stono Ferry
Siege of Charleston (1780)
Camden
Kings Mountain
Cowpens
Guilford Court House
Siege of Ninety-Six (1781)
Eutaw Springs

See Engagements for a more complete list of engagements and comparison with other regiments in the Salisbury District Brigade.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lewis, J.D. "Guilford County Regiment". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
^ Armstrong, Zella (1975). Some Tennessee Heroes of the Revolution. ISBN 9780806306841.
^ Babits, Lawrence Edward; Howard, Joshua B. (2009). Long, Obstinate, and Bloody: The Battle of Guilford Courthouse. ISBN 9780807832660.
^ "Living History Society: Guilford Militia". Facebook. Retrieved April 24, 2019.

Bibliography

Arthur, John Preston (1914). Western North Carolina; a history (1730-1913). National Society Daughters of the American Revolution of North Carolina. Edward Buncombe Chapter, Asheville, North Carolina. Retrieved Jan 29, 2019.
Hunter, C.L. (1877). Sketches of western North Carolina, historical and biographical : illustrating principally the Revolutionary period of Mecklenburg, Rowan, Lincoln, and adjoining counties, accompanied with miscellaneous information, much of it never before published. Raleigh: Raleigh News Steam Job Print. p. 166-183.