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| Roland Ware headstone |
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| Lindley's Grist Mill |
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| Montgomery Co. NC |
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| a 1781 NC flag |
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| British Union Jack |
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| Minutema |
Born in Brunswick County, Virginia in 1760, Roland WARE was a teenager when the action started in 1775, and by that time he had moved across the colonial line to Northampton County, North Carolina. At age 19, Roland enlisted for three months as part of the militia used to augment the Continental Army, and began the first of two tours he would serve fighting the British troops and Tory Loyalists. The North Carolina militia soldiers were local citizens who were called out on an "as needed" basis, and these "Minutemen" were to defend the homeland when the Regular Army wasn't available. Under Major James Crump, Captain Buckner Kimbrell, and Lt. Harris, Roland WARE was a horse soldier, part of the Light Horse Cavalry that could travel quickly to any "hot spot" that developed.
In late July and early August, 1780, Capt. Kimbrell's Company of Cavalry traveled south from North Carolina to join General Griffith Rutherford on the Pee Dee River in South Carolina. From there, Roland WARE rode toward Camden, South Carolina and American Gen. Horatio Gates, where one of the most important battles of the American Revolution was about to take place. Roland's Cavalry company was ordered to stay at Cheraw Hill on the Pee Dee River in northeastern South Carolina to hold captured prisoners and wagons of ammunition, which they did by taking them across the river to a Mill. There they remained for several days, until August 16, 1780, when an express rider came from Camden and told them that General Gates had been soundly defeated and was in retreat, suffering about 2,000 casualties. Capt. Kimbrell ordered Roland and the others to stash some of the ammunition in the river, and hide the rest in an old house. Once done, the Cavalry crossed to the north side of the Pee Dee River, taking the prisoners along, and traveled north up the river to Haley's Ferry, Anson County, North Carolina.
After several days of receiving no orders, Capt. Kimbrell dismissed the militia unit, and Roland WARE and the others disbanded for a few days. Most went home, but not for long. A few days later, the Cavalry Company was reformed under Captain Harris, where until November, 1780, they protected the beef cattle used to feed the Continental Army in North Carolina.
Throughout the winter of 1780, the Tory Loyalists continued to harass, murder, and even torture Patriot homes in North Carolina. In at least one instance, Tory raiders used a burning wagon to set fire to a Patriot home with women and children inside. In the Fall of 1781, Roland WARE found himself back in the Cavalry under Major James Crump, this time assigned to protect the North Carolina Legislature from Loyalist actions. Though minor skirmishes kept Roland busy constantly, there were really no major battles between the Tory raiders and the militia....that is, until September 13, 1781. The day before, Tory soldiers under Colonel David Fanning had made a surprise raid on the State Capital in Hillsborough and captured the Governor of North Carolina and thirteen of his Council. Col. Fanning was enroute with his prisoner, Governor Burke, to Wilmington, where the British Army awaited their new captive.
The Patriot militia, with Major Crump leading Roland WARE's company, planned to cut off the Tory force before they could reach the British Army, and chose their ambush near Thomas Lindley's gristmill on Cane Creek in Alamance County. The Patriot's knew the Tory soldiers would probably use this well-known fording place, and positioned themselves on a hill nearby.
When the 300 militia men opened fire on the 600 Loyalist troops, it was a complete surprise to the Tories. Almost immediately, one of the Tory commanders was killed in their first charge up the hill. But, Fanning regrouped his forces and at the end of the battle, with over 100 casualties on each side, the Patriot militia was forced to withdraw. The Loyalists continued on with all of their prisoners to Wilmington, but Roland WARE had been in another adventure that he could tell for many years.
When Roland returned to Montgomery County at the war's end, he married Temperance WHITE, and they moved to Lincoln County, TN, then Warren County, TN, and finally settled near Athens, McMinn Co., Tennessee. Roland WARE drew his pension and lived until June, 1864, when he died at the age of 103. He is buried in the South Liberty Cemetery south of Athens. A good ending for a good American Patriot. Comments/Questions to graveyardgossip@gmail.com
