As it celebrates an anniversary, what to know about Moores Creek National Battlefield
Moores Creek National Battlefield, located in Pender County, will host its 248th anniversary later in February.
The Battle of Moores Creek Bridge was the first decisive Patriot victory of the American Revolution in 1776. The battle was fought between 1,600 Loyalists, made up primarily of former Highland Scots, and around 1,000 Patriots.
StarNews spoke with Jason Collins, chief of interpretation at Moores Creek, about the event, which is set for Feb. 24-25.
Why does the park continue to commemorate the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge?
Collins: A part of the mission of the National Park Service is to preserve the nation's history and stories for future generations. And one of the most important ways that the National Park Service does this is through the annual anniversary commemoration. The commemoration allows visitors to understand the national importance of the battle and learn more about what took place in North Carolina in 1776.
How do organizations play a role in the commemoration?
Patriotic organizations, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution, as well as the Scottish Society of Wilmington, play a critical role in the annual Wreath Laying Ceremony. The Wreath Laying Ceremony commemorates the soldiers who fought at Moores Creek, such as Private John Grady, who was the only Patriot to give his life at Moores Creek Bridge. The event also commemorates the important role that the Stamp Defiance Chapter of the DAR played in the establishment of Moores Creek as a federal site, as well as the important role that the Highland Scots played in the battle.
Does it take a lot of effort and commitment to put the re-enactment together?
There are many different organizations involved with this event, so in a word yes. Without the participation from patriotic organizations, re-enactors, Atkinson Fire Department, Boy Scout troops and others, this event simply cannot take place.
With flooding, hurricanes and the pandemic, how did the park survive and recover?
Flooding from Hurricanes Matthew and Florence certain caused some major challenges for the park. However, the impacts of the storm caused the park to begin to plan for these challenges. The park took precautions by shifting resources from areas of the park that flooded and move them to parts of the park that didn't. Just as soon as the park was recovering from Hurricane Florence, the pandemic arrived. The pandemic forced even more changes, which resulted in the park having to hold a virtual event in 2021 and make adaptations in 2022. In many ways the park became stronger because of the adaptations that it had to make. It led the park to experiment with new technologies and to find new and unique ways to reach visitors.
More: Budgets, bonds and a 250th birthday celebration: What it could mean for NC's historic sites
Anniversary event
The anniversary event is free to the public, Saturday, Feb. 24 and Sunday, Feb. 25. Park staff, living historians and others will be offering a variety of programs and demonstrations.
The event begins Saturday with a Wreath Laying Ceremony at 10 a.m., battle commemoration programs at noon and 3:30 p.m., and a special performance by the 2nd Division Marine Corps Band at 2 p.m. The full schedule of events can be found at www.nps.gov/mocr.
The park is looking forward with a great deal of promise toward 2026, which will be the 250th anniversary of the battle.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: What to know about Moores Creek National Battlefield in Pender, NC
