Battle of Lindley's Mill

Not to be confused with the 1776 Battle of Lindley's Fort in South Carolina.

Battle of Lindley's Mill Part of the American Revolutionary War Date September 13, 1781 Location East of present day Snow Camp, North Carolina 35.889711°N 79.347188°W / 35.889711; -79.347188 Result British victory Belligerents United States Great Britain Commanders and leaders General John Butler David Fanning Hector McNeill † Strength 300 600 Casualties and losses 24 killed 90 wounded 10 captured 27 killed 90 wounded

The Battle of Lindley's Mill (also known as the Battle of Cane Creek) took place in Alamance County, North Carolina, on September 13, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War.

Lindley's Mill stands at what was once a crossroads where the north-south trade route from Hillsborough to Raleigh and the east-west route through the Piedmont crossed. Built in 1755 by an English immigrant Thomas Lindley, the recipient of 1000 acres (4 km²) in land grants from the Earl of Granville, the gristmill was one of five that lined Cane Creek.

During the American Revolutionary War, Tories under the command of Militia Colonel David Fanning and Hector McNeill captured Governor Burke and thirteen high-ranking Whig officials in Hillsborough on September 12, 1781. They were transporting them down the road to Wilmington where they would be turned over to the British army. General Butler and 300 North Carolina militia set an ambush at Lindley’s Mill the next day. The elderly McNeill was cut down early in the battle. The British failed to gain any ground against the militia position until Fanning and a company forded the creek and attacked the militia from their rear. This put the militia on the defensive, although they were able to rally. The battle persisted for four hours until the militia were forced to retreat.

Two hundred men were killed or wounded in the battle, with Tory force suffering due to the loss of McNeill and serious wounds received by Fanning, who was forced to hide in the woods when his column moved on. The governor was not rescued, and was imprisoned on James Island. The Battle of Lindley's Mill closed the war in North Carolina one month before Lord Cornwallis surrendered the British Army at Yorktown.

The mill is still in operation, having passed down through the Lindley family for nine generations.

References

• Connor, Robert Digges Wimberly. History of North Carolina: The colonial and revolutionary periods, 1584-1783
• Moore, John Wheeler. History of North Carolina
• Rankin, Hugh F. The North Carolina Continentals

External links

• Photographs of Lindley's Mill
• Further information on the battle