[editorial note — I erroneously posted today’s blog on February 16, 2026, but I have deleted it from that day to repost today. ]

On this day 250 years ago, British General Donald MacDonald led his Royal Highland Emigrant Regiment of 1600 men out of the town of Cross Creek (now Fayetteville), North Carolina. MacDonald left 1400 Highlanders and Loyalists behind to guard Cross Creek. He marched his men two miles southeast of Cross Creek down the Wilmington Road to camp in a field on the northwest bank of Rockfish Creek. Col. James Moore then deployed 1100 men of his 1st North Carolina Continental Regiment on the opposite bank of the stream to block the Highlanders from marching to Wilmington. Although the Continentals were outnumbered by the Highlander regiment, the Highlanders were poorly armed and many did not have muskets. The Patriots, in contrast are well-armed and also have five cannon.

Sources: https://www.nps.gov/mocr/learn/historyculture/timeline-of-the-moores-creek-bridge-campaign.htm; https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=30983; https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/01/11/tory-rendezvous-k-36‘; https://amrevnc.com/moores-campsite/

On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, Delegate John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail back in Massachusetts:

I sent you from New York a Pamphlet intituled Common Sense, written in Vindication of Doctrines which there is Reason to expect that the further Encroachments of Tyranny and Depredations of Oppression, will soon make the common Faith: unless the cunning Ministry, by proposing Negociations and Terms of Reconciliation, should divert the present Current from its Channell.

Reconciliation if practicable and Peace if attainable, you very well know would be as agreable to my Inclinations and as advantageous to my Interest, as to any Man’s. But I see no Prospect, no Probability, no Possibility. And I cannot but despise the Understanding, which sincerely expects an honourable Peace, for its Credulity, and detest the hypocritical Heart, which pretends to expect it, when in Truth it does not. . . .

Dr. Franklin, Mr. Chase, and Mr. Charles Carroll of Carrollton in Maryland, are chosen a Committee to go into Canada. The Characters of the two first you know. The last is not a Member of Congress, but a Gentleman of independant Fortune, perhaps the largest in America, 150 or 200, thousand Pounds sterling, educated in some University in France, tho a Native of America, of great Abilities and Learning, compleat Master of French Language and a Professor of the Roman catholic Religion, yet a warm, a firm, a zealous Supporter of the Rights of America, in whose Cause he has hazarded his all.

General Lee is to command in that Country, whose Address, Experience, and Abilities added to his Fluency in the French Language, will give him great Advantages.

The Events of War are uncertain: We cannot insure Success, but We can deserve it. I am happy in this Provision for that important Department, because I think it the best that could be made in our Circumstances. . . .

I wish I understood French as well as you. I would have gone to Canada, if I had. I feel the Want of Education every Day — particularly of that Language. I pray My dear, that you would not suffer your Sons or your Daughter, ever to feel a similar Pain. It is in your Power to teach them French, and I every day see more and more that it will become a necessary Accomplishment of an American Gentleman and Lady. Pray write me in your next the Name of the Author of your thin French Grammar, which gives you the Pronunciation of the French Words in English Letters, i.e. which shews you, how the same Sounds would be signified by English Vowells and Consonants.

Source: https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760218ja