The Battle of Pyle's Defeat was the bloodiest ten minutes of all Alamance County history. On February 24, 1781, a few hundred yards of Alamance County (then Orange County) were stained red with the blood of a few hundred local citizens. Nearly 100 Tory soldiers were killed, with another 100 taken prisoner, wounded, or unaccounted.For generations historians have pondered what really happened at this killing field without any real depth of rationality. Some have just simply replaced fact with convenient speculation of where the hacking actually took place. Our answer to these contemporaries, and their agendas, is the comprehensive presentation in this work, of the letters, memoirs, and field notes of the men who participated. Besides the insight gained from these writings, we provide the reader the proper locations and mileage by plotting the actual routes. It was not our wish when we started this project to revise history, but to correct the myths that have been perpetuated since 1849.

Durward T. Stokes of Alamance Co. surveyed a number of abandoned or lost cemeteries - primarily in Alamance County, but moved around crossing into Orange, Chatham, and Randolph Counties. His manuscript was typed in 1979, but never published. His actual surveys occurred in 1958-9. This was fortunate, since a number of these locations are gone - and the old tombstones are not getting better (visually) with age. Therefore, I as editor, retyped his manuscript - and added historical remarks (where helpful), pictures I took in modern times, and a detailed index. Durward had some B&W pictures - which are included in this book as well.Lastly, there are two graveyards that I found, that Durward was not aware of - included with pictures and maps in an Appendix.

Where did the idea of confiscating both personal and real property originate? Was this unique to North Carolina? What was the purpose? Was it successful? These are some of the questions pertaining to this topic. Before answering these questions, the reader should have a basic overview of events, which is provided throughout this book. The topic of this book typically appears in general histories. However, nothing published to date delves into these topics as deep as this book. As with such a broad and old topic, it may lack some obscure documents in other historical societies or archives. Nevertheless, a lot of information was uncovered to provide an in depth review. This book uses only primary documents. If there are tradition and folklore discussions, they are clearly annotated as such. This author illustrates or answers as many questions - from both sides - to ensure a balanced review is provided. These illustrations or examples are also based on primary references (as much as possible).

With more than 1,300 cross-referenced entries covering every aspect of the American Revolution, this definitive scholarly reference covers the causes, course, and consequences of the war and the political, social, and military origins of the nation. This authoritative and complete encyclopedia covers not only the eight years of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) but also the decades leading up to the war, beginning with the French and Indian War, and the aftermath of the conflict, with an emphasis on the early American Republic. Volumes one through four contain a series of overview essays on the causes, course, and consequences of the American Revolution, followed by impeccably researched A–Z entries that address the full spectrum of political, social, and military matters that arose from the conflict. Each entry is cross-referenced to other entries and also lists books for further reading. In addition, there is a detailed bibliography, timeline, and glossary. A fifth volume is devoted to primary sources, each of which is accompanied by an insightful introduction that places the document in its proper historical context. The primary sources help readers to understand the myriad motivations behind the American Revolution; the diplomatic, military, and political maneuvering that took place during the conflict; and landmark documents that shaped the founding and early development of the United States.

Thomas Burke, a poet, a medical doctor, a lawyer, North Carolina's third governor, has a most interesting life. This book provides complete details on his life with many of his letters being quoted, as opposed to paraphrased opinions about him; you can read it for yourself. Further, his letter to Gen. George Washington shows his deep thinking and great common sense. His activities in the Continental Congress are amazing, and his views of civil rights were way ahead of his time.

“A well-organized and concise introduction to the war’s major battles” (The Journal of America’s Military Past). Winner of the Gold Star Book Award for History from the Military Writers Society of America This is the first comprehensive account of every engagement of the Revolution, a war that began with a brief skirmish at Lexington Green on April 19, 1775, and concluded on the battlefield at the Siege of Yorktown in October 1781. In between were six long years of bitter fighting on land and at sea. The wide variety of combats blanketed the North American continent from Canada to the Southern colonies, from the winding coastal lowlands to the Appalachian Mountains, and from the North Atlantic to the Caribbean. Every entry begins with introductory details including the date of the battle, its location, commanders, opposing forces, terrain, weather, and time of day. The detailed body of each entry offers both a Colonial and a British perspective of the unfolding military situation, a detailed and unbiased account of what actually transpired, a discussion of numbers and losses, an assessment of the consequences of the battle, and suggestions for further reading. Many of the entries are supported and enriched by original maps and photos.