"King George and Broadswords!" The Story of the Battle at Widow Moores Creek
Dram Tree Books' Young Reader's Series of North Carolina History consists of short (32-64 pages on average), very visual and colorful books about the history of North Carolina, aimed at youths between ages 8-18. The idea is to introduce youngsters to the four centuries of great stories we have in North Carolina in a way that is fun, entertaining, and true. As an added bonus, as many adults enjoy the books as kids because they are a great way to learn about our history without having to commit to a thick "regular" history book!
In 1776, America was a country at war with itself. British soldiers had shot colonial militia at Lexington and Concord, only to be shot in return by Massachusetts farmers and Minutemen on the long march back to Boston. In North Carolina, people were divided between those who wanted to remain loyal to King George III, and those who were ready to break away from Great Britain to form their own nation. North Carolina’s Royal Governor, Josiah Martin, had fled from New Bern’s fabulous Tryon Palace to the safety of a British warship anchored in the Cape Fear River. From there, he made a plan to put down the rebellion in the South with an army of Highlanders. Patriots who wanted a break with England wanted to stop that army. In February 1776, the two sides came together in a brief, fierce clash at a small creek in modern Pender County. It would be the first patriot victory against the British in the South, and the battle’s outcome would shake governments on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. This is the story of that clash.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...Jack E. Fryar, Jr. has authored or edited more than thirty volumes of North Carolina and Cape Fear history. His historical specialty is colonial North Carolina, particularly during the seventeenth century. Jack has served as a United States Marine, worked as a broadcaster, freelance magazine writer, sports announcer, and book designer. He holds a Masters degree in History and another Masters in Teaching, and teaches history in Wilmington, N.C.