The Plan The movement of Lord Cornwallis with his 5000 troops, aboard 53 ships, from England to Brunswick Towne (Old Towne), North Carolina, was supposed to be a military secret. The linkup of the 84th Regiment of Foot with Cornwallis’s troops was also supposed to be a military secret. The problem was that true military secrets in the colonies were as rare as a virgin in a New Orleans bordello. There were Patriot Spies. There were Loyalist Spies. There were spies that worked for both sides. As long as the Yankee Dollar or the King’s Shilling were paid out, military information could be had! It was in the first part of February, when a courier from the Colony of Massachusetts brought the news of the British Plan to New Burn. Colonel Alexander …show more content…
Militia and Minutemen were reporting in to their assigned units. Word had gotten around that this was more than a training muster, and wives, sweethearts, and tavern women were all there, hugging and saying good-bye to their men. Younger children, not old enough for Militia Duty, saying good-bye to their fathers, brother, uncles, and friends. The old men, whose time had long passed for Militia Service looked on; some with envy, some with sadness, and some were there to cheer encouragements. It could have been a festive occasion, but everyone knew there would be casualties, and no one knew who would come back …show more content…
He was armed with a double barreled flowing piece (double barreled flintlock shot gun). He carried 20 loads of lead goose shot. Goose shot were lead balls smaller than buck shot, but much larger than the standard bird shot; it was most effective for close-in fighting. Flowing Pieces and rifles had no bayonet attachment, so each militiamen carried a knife and tomahawk for hand-to-hand fighting. John carried both knife and tomahawk. The Gun Crews reported in, some by themselves, then two and three at a time. Unlike the British pomp and ceremony of saying Aye Sirs and Yes Sirs and No Sirs while standing stiffly in ranks, the militiamen reported in less formally. These guys were reporting in with, “Hi Bill! John Hunt reportin’ in.” Then the man would walk over and stand next to his assigned cannon. The Lieutenant would check off the name in the section’s roster book then wait for the next man to arrive. Once Lieutenant Hill had a sufficient number of cannoneers reported in, he set them to work. “All right men, let’s check your guns. Make sure you have the basic allowances, ammunition, powder, saw, augers, and rammer staffs. If you need anything else, draw it from the Quarter Master’s stores. Once we start our match it will be too late to draw supplies!” Hill also detailed four men to go to the town’s Livery Stable to get the four horses that would draw their two