John Alexander Lillington (c. 1725 – April 1786), also known as Alexander John Lillington, was an American planter, politician and

Patriot A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism. Patriot(s) or The Patriot(s) may also refer to: Political and military groups United States * Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American R ...

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

from

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. He fought in the

Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge was a minor conflict of the American Revolutionary War fought near Wilmington, North Carolina, Wilmington (present-day Pender County, North Carolina, Pender County), North Carolina, on February 27, 1776. The v ...

in 1776 as Colonel of the Wilmington District Minutemen. He was afterwards commissioned as colonel of the

6th North Carolina Regiment The 6th North Carolina Regiment was one of ten regiments of the North Carolina Line of the Continental Army that fought in the American Revolution. History The 6th North Carolina Regiment existed as a Continental Army unit from North Carolin ...

of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

, but resigned after a month to instead serve as brigadier general of the Wilmington District Brigade of the North Carolina militia. At the

Battle of Camden The Battle of Camden (August 16, 1780), also known as the Battle of Camden Court House, was a major victory for the Kingdom of Great Britain, British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War. On August 16, 1780, British forces ...

his troops were among the militia who fled the field. His son John Lillington also served in the North Carolina militia.

Early life

John Alexander Lillington was born in about 1725 in Beaufort Precinct,

Province of North Carolina The Province of North Carolina, originally known as the Albemarle Settlements, was a proprietary colony and later royal colony of Great Britain that existed in North America from 1712 to 1776.(p. 80) It was one of the five Southern col ...

and was the son of John and Sarah Porter Lillington. He was orphaned as a child and raised by his uncle, Edward Moseley. He married Sarah Waters of

Brunswick County, North Carolina Brunswick County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the southernmost county in the state. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 136,693. Its population was only ...

. They had two sons and two daughters.

Service in the Revolutionary War

He was commissioned as a colonel/commandant over the Wilmington District Minutemen battalion in August 1775. He led this battalion at the

on February 27, 1776. All North Carolina minutemen battalions were disbanded on April 10, 1776. On April 15, 1776, he was commissioned as colonel/commandant over the newly created

of the

North Carolina Line The North Carolina Line refers to North Carolina units within the Continental Army. The term "North Carolina Line" referred to the quota of infantry regiments assigned to North Carolina at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together ...

. He resigned his commission on December 31, 1776 due to ill health. On February 12, 1779, he was assigned as brigadier general over the Wilmington District Brigade of the North Carolina militia. He replaced General

John Ashe (general) Major General John Ashe (March 24, 1725 – October 24, 1781) was a senior officer of the North Carolina Militia during the American Revolutionary War. Prior to that, he served as the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Burgesses from 1 ...

. He led the brigade at the

Battle of Briar Creek The Battle of Brier Creek was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on March 3, 1779, near the confluence of Brier Creek with the Savannah River in eastern Georgia. An American Patriot force consisting principally of militia from North Car ...

on March 3, 1779, Battle of Heron's Bridge on January 30, 1780, and Battle of Webber's Bridge on August 17, 1780. In January 1780, he was responsible for building breastworks in defense of Charleston, South Carolina. He and his troops were discharged from these duties well before the surrender of the city in March of 1780. Except for a period where he took a leave of absence in the summer of 1781, he retained the command of the Brigade until the end of the war.

Political career

He served as a representative from New Hanover County in the

North Carolina House of Commons The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, who holds powers si ...

1777 Events January–March * January 2 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of the Assunpink Creek: American general George Washington's army repulses a British attack by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis, in a second ...

Death

He died in April 1786 in

New Hanover County, North Carolina New Hanover County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 225,702. The county seat is Wilmington. Though the second-smallest county in North Carolina by land area, it is one of the m ...

(in the area that later became

Pender County, North Carolina Pender County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,203. Its county seat is Burgaw. Pender County is part of the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The cou ...

). He was buried in the Lillington Cemetery,

Rocky Point, North Carolina Rocky Point is a census-designated place and unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Pender County, North Carolina, Pender County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,476 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. R ...

Namesakes

The town of Lillington, county seat of

Harnett County, North Carolina Harnett County ( )Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina Co ...

, was named for him in 1874. The town was originally called Harnett Court House.

References

Bibliography

*Purcell, L. Edward. ''Who Was Who in the American Revolution''. New York: Facts on File, 1993. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Lillington, Alexander 1720s births 1786 deaths People from colonial North Carolina American slave owners Militia generals in the American Revolution North Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution Continental Army officers from North Carolina