Pyle's Defeat
Burlington, Alamance County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Pyle's Defeat. Tory militia going to join Cornwallis's army destroyed by Lee's Legion Feb. 1781 nearby on Col. Michael Holt's land.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
In February 1781, a body of Loyalist militia marching to join Cornwallis's army was surprised and destroyed by Henry 'Light-Horse Harry' Lee's Legion on Colonel Michael Holt's land near here. The one-sided fight, sometimes called Pyle's Massacre, shattered Tory recruitment in the region on the eve of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
Why it matters
The rout crippled Loyalist support in the North Carolina backcountry at a decisive moment, helping tip the balance of the Revolution's southern campaign.
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Related people
- · Henry Lee
Related events
- · Pyle's Defeat
Themes & tags
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