116 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

ber 18, Major Craig and his troops boarded his ships and took
their departure, and although the Tory bands continued to wage
a relentless and murderous warfare on the Haw and the Deep,
Wilmington thereafter enjoyed quiet and repose.

THE BATTLE OF ELIZABETHTOWN.

(The Wilmington Weekly Chronicle, February, 1844.)

One of the most daring and successful onsets upon Tories by
the Whigs during the Revolutionary War was at Elizabethtown,
in the county of Bladen, of this State. No notice of the battle

was found in any history of that period. We understood that
there was an imperfect relation of it published in a Federal
paper twenty-five or thirty years ago. That a memorial to so
gallant an act might be revived and placed within reach of some
future historian, we addressed a letter to a distinguished gentle-
man of Bladen, desiring such information in regard to the
affair as he should possess or be able to collect. The annexed
letter from him furnishes a very satisfactory account of the in-
formation sought for, and will doubtless be perused by every
North Carolinian with much interest. Our respected corre-
spondent, probably through inadvertence, omitted to put down
the date of the battle. It was 1781, and, as near as we can
ascertain, in the month of July.

A, A, Brown, Esq., Buapven County, Feb. 21st, 1844.

Editor of the Wilmington Weekly Chronicle.

Dear Str:—Yours of the 3d inst. was received, soliciting
such information as I possess or may be able to collect respect-
ing the battle fought at Elizabethtown during our Revolutionary
struggle between the Whigs and Tories. I have often regretted
that the actions and skirmishes which occurred in this and New
Hanover County should have been overlooked by historians.
The Battle of Elizabethtown deserves a place in history and
ought to be recollected by every true-hearted North Carolinian
with pride and pleasure. Here sixty men, driven from their
homes, their estates ravaged and houses plundered, who had
taken refuge with the Whigs of Duplin, without funds and bare
of clothing, resolved to return, fight, conquer, or die. After col-
lecting all the ammunition they could, they embodiéd and
selected Col. Thomas Brown in command. They marched fifty

The Revolution 117

miles through almost a wilderness country before they reached
the river, subsisting on jerked beef and a scanty supply of
bread. The Tories had assembled, 300 or more, at Elizabeth-
town, and were commanded by Slingsby and Godden. The
former was a talented man and well fitted for his station; the
latter, bold, daring, and reckless, ready to risk everything to put
down the Whigs. Every precautionary measure was adopted to
prevent surprise and to render this the stronghold of Toryism.
Nobody was suffered to remain on the east side of the river.
Guards and sentries were regularly detached and posted. When
the little band of Whig heroes after nightfall reached the river
not a boat was to be found. But it must be crossed, and that
speedily. Its depth was ascertained by some who were tall and
expert swimmers. They, to a man, cried out, “It is fordable;
we can, we will cross it.””. Not a murmur was heard, and with-
out a moment’s delay they all undressed, tied their clothing and
ammunition on their heads (baggage they had none), each man,
grasping the barrel of his gun, raised the bridge so as to keep
the lock above water, descended the banks, and entered the river.
The taller men found less difficulty; those of lower stature were
scarcely able to keep their mouths and noses above water; but
all safely reached the opposite shore, resumed their dresses,
fixed their arms for action, made their way through the low
ground then thickly settled with men, ascended the hills, which
were high and precipitous, crossed King’s Road leading through
the town, and took a position in its rear. Here they formed,
and, in about two hours after crossing a mile below, commenced
a furious attack, driving in the Tory sentries and guards. They
continued rapidly to advance, keeping up a brisk and well-
directed fire, and were soon in the midst of the foe, mostly
Highland Scotchmen, as brave, as high-minded as any of His
Majesty’s subjects. So sudden and violent an onset for the mo-
ment produced disorder; but they were rallied by their gallant
leader and made for a while the most determined resistance.
Slingsby fell mortally wounded and Godden was killed, with
most of the officers of inferior grade. They retreated, some
taking refuge in houses, the others, the larger portion, leaping
pell-mell into a deep ravine, since called the Tory Hole. As the
Tories had unlimited sway from the river to the Little Pee Dee,
the Whigs recrossed, taking with them their wounded. Such
was the general panic produced by this action that the Tories
became dispirited and never after were so troublesome. The