Person:Robert Mebane (12)

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Captain Robert Mebane, an Anderson-related 5th great-granduncle, led a militia company of riflemen to Cross Creek and then to Wilmington. Mebane's company was under militia Lieutenant Colonel John Williams of Hillsborough. This unit may have been in Colonel James Thackston's command. Robert Mebane may have participated in capturing escaping Tories at Smith's Ferry where his brother John Mebane was at that time. A John Williams, but not necessarily the same person, is on Colonel Caswell's list of participants at Moore's Creek.

In May 1776, Captain Robert Mebane, an Anderson-related 5th great-granduncle, was in Norfolk protecting Virginia from repeated British naval attack (NCSR 1896:22:114).

Captain Robert Mebane participated in the Rutherford campaign. References (Hunter 1877: 91, 125, and 280) indicate he led a company from Charlotte to Quaker Meadows, present-day Morganton, North Carolina. Reference (USNC Accounts:74) records his pay.

On 27 November 1776, Robert Mebane, an Anderson-related 5th great-granduncle, was commissioned lieutenant colonel in the newly created North Carolina Seventh Regiment (NCSR 1896:10:941). He was second in command under Colonel James Hogun. Reference (Rankin 1971:87) indicates his rank was major, but does not provide a source

On 1 September, from Quankey Creek near Halifax, all remaining Continental officers and soldiers, including Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mebane, began to march north. They joined George Washington's army after Brandywine (Davidson 1951:44).

During December 1777-May 1778, the North Carolina Brigade was at Valley Forge under the American division commanded by Lafayette. Its camp was close to Washington's headquarters. Since Robert Mebane's responsibilities were two levels below division level, he did not take orders directly from Lafayette or Washington. But during his long service, he likely interacted with most principal military leaders.

On 1 June, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mebane was reassigned as a company commander in First Regiment. Its 8 September muster roll is in (NCSR 1896:15:724).

Robert Mebane may have commanded First Regiment in late 1778 when Colonel Thomas Clark assumed temporary command of the North Carolina Brigade. For certain, Mebane commanded 200 North Carolina Continental soldiers at King's Ferry along the major north-south road. King's Ferry crosses the Hudson River between Stony Point and Verplanck's Point. This defense prevented British use of the upper Hudson River as a supply line into occupied New York City (Rankin 1971:166).

On 9 January 1779, Colonel James Hogan was promoted brigadier general and commander of the North Carolina Brigade. Thomas Clark resumed his former position as commander of First Regiment. Mebane remained in First Regiment. Reference (NCSR 1896:16:1113) states that on 9 February 1779 Robert Mebane's status was "Coll.". It is not certain if this was a promotion. Beginning March 1779, North Carolina Third Regiment strength dropped due to enlistment expirations (Rankin 1971:167). On 4 April 1779, in a report to Continental Board of War (Fitzpatrick 1932:14:331), George Washington recommended that Robert Mebane assume command of Third Regiment, exchanging responsibilities with Lieutenant Colonel William Lee Davidson

"… If Lieutenant Colo. Mebane was the Oldest Lieutenant Colonel in the North Carolina line when Colo. Hogan was promoted to the rank of a Brigadier, he unquestionably, according to the principles of rank recomd. should be appointed Lieutenant Colonel Commandant, and Lt. Colo. Davidson should remove to the Regiment in which the former served. …"

On 17 April 1779, Continental Board of War ordered Robert Mebane to return Third Regiment to North Carolina for recruitment and to counter the growing British threat from Savannah, Georgia. The Board of War Office informed North Carolina Governor Caswell in a letter recorded in (NCSR 1896:14:70).

Because of the growing British threat from Savannah, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mebane, an Anderson-related 5th great-granduncle, marched North Carolina Third Regiment from New Jersey back to North Carolina during late April through early May 1779. He and his officers recruited to bring the regiment to full strength. In a 30 June letter to Governor Caswell, he said poor health would prevent him from performing his duties. Reference (NCSR 1896:14:136) records this letter.

When Charlestown fell, Robert Mebane became a prisoner of war. He along with other Continental Army officers were held at Haddrel's Point (Rankin 1971:232). During the siege, one of Mebane's associates was Colonel Francis Marion, commander of South Carolina Second Regiment. Marion avoided capture by being outside Charlestown recuperating from a debilitating ankle injury. During the following year, Marion became known as the Swamp Fox. Francis Marion details are in (Rankin 1973). Similarly, Lieutenant Colonel William Lee Davidson avoided capture while on leave

Robert Mebane was released as a result of the cartel, sometime near 22 June 1781. On 10 August, he and two other field officers took depositions in an investigation of British mistreatment of American prisoners. In a letter to General Lafayette, who headed the investigation, they urged retaliation to deter further abuses (Clark 1981:1:480).

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mebane led this ambush under General John Butler, (Stockard 1900:74), (Fanning 1786:33) and (Newlin 1975). No doubt, he hoped to rescue his brother John. Fanning first secured the captives and then lead a counterattack. Historian Eli Caruthers in (Caruthers 1854:212) writes:

"Probably, it was on seeing this havoc made of the Whigs by this maneuver of Fanning's, and viewing their situation as now desperate, considering the disparity of numbers, that General Butler ordered a retreat, and commenced it himself. The men, in obedience to orders, were following his example, when Col. Robert Mebane got before them, and by arguments and remonstrances, so far inspired them with his own heroic spirit that enough of them returned to renew the battle and keep the ground."

Robert's persistence and leadership lengthened the battle's duration to 4 hours. Caruthers writes on (Caruthers 1854:214):

"A more bold and deliberate act of courage is hardly on record that was done by Col. Robert Mebane in the hottest of the battle. In the midst of the conflict with Fanning, when the Whigs must have been nearly between two files, as the Scotch were advancing up the hill, they got out of ammunition and Mebane walked slowly along the line, carrying his hat full of powder, telling every man to take a handful, or just what he needed."

After the battle, Whigs followed the Tories hoping for an opportunity to free the captives. A skirmish was fought at Brown Marsh, near present-day Clarkton, North Carolina. Nonetheless, all captives were taken to Wilmington. Later, some, including Governor Burke, were taken to Charlestown. Holloway Pass, a soldier who participated in this chase, provides details in his 1836 pension application (Pass 1836 in NARA:M804). Portions of his application are:

"…This Declarant remained at home until the fall of 1781 when the Torries came to Hillsboro and took our Whig Governor (Burke) prisoner and carried him off to Wilmington. Upon the hapening of this event there was great excitement in our Country and particularly in our County (Caswell) and all the men of the County was called upon to take up arms; accordingly this Declarant volunteered under Captain Adam Sanders of Caswell County and was marched & reorganized(?) in the woods in Caswell County on County Line Creek where they were met by two other Volunteer Companies of the said County, all under the command of Col. William Moore (Our Col.) And Major Dudley Reynolds (Our Major). From there we were marched through a nigh heag, all on horseback, in great speed with a view to overtake the Torries before they got to Wilmington ( & it should be borne in mind that our Officers promised us that if we would find our horses and start immediately (which we did) that we should be discharged at the end of two months and that the tour should be accounted to us as a tour of three months, which promise was not kept, and instead of two months we were kept out for three months and half starved at that). We were marched a strait course leavings Hillsboro to the left and went directly to Cross Creeks (now Fayetteville) and we got on the trail of the Torries at Lindleg s Mill(?) and we followed on down to in sight of Wilmington expecting every Hour to overtake them. But they escaped into Wilmington before we came up with them; before we reached Wilmington we joined Gen l Butler with his company. From near Wilmington we retreated back up the Cape Fear River. Some 18 or 20 miles out of Danger and there stayed for a little time until we heard of a collection of Tories at a place called the Brown Marsh to which place we immediately was marched. At this place we met the Tories and some Brittish and had a severe engagement and was defeated by the bad management of Gen l Butler - and if it had not been for old Col. Mebane of the Orange Regiment we would have been all taken prisoner. From this place (Brown Marsh) we retreated to Fayetteville (which was then Cross Creeks). At this place our horses were taken away from us and sent home, and the Volunteer Company to which this Declarant belonged was put under the command of Capt. Spillsby Coleman

…This Declarant states that he Volunteered both times when he was called into service - That he cannot recollect all the Regular officers who were with the troops where he served; but he remembers Col. [William] Washington, General Morgan, Col Henry Dixon, General Butler, & General Rutherford - But he is inclined to think that Butler & Rutherford were Militia officers - That he remembers the Orange Regiment Commanded by Col. Mebane & a brave officer he was - & the general circumstances of his service he has attempted to give above - That he received two discharges one from Col. Moore, & the other from Capt. Spillsby Coleman, as well as he can now recollect, both of which were burnt up some eight or nine years ago. …"

A few weeks later, in October 1781, Robert Mebane was killed by Tory Henry Hightower. Historian Eli Caruthers writes in (Caruthers 1854:361):

"He was afterwards with his regiment on the waters of the Cape Fear, contending with the Tories; but being notified that his services were needed in the northern part of the State, he set out accompanied only by his servant. On the way, he came upon a noted Tory and horse thief, by the name of Henry Hightower and perhaps too fearless and regardless of the consequences, he pursued him and when within striking distance with his arm uplifted, Hightower wheeled and shot him."

Mebane died at age 36 with no descendants. Ironically, he died within days of the Yorktown victory that ended significant Revolutionary War fighting.