Location
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Coordinates: 35.4666, -79.3835.
Type: Sight
Tour: Tory War
County: Moore
Full
If the House in the Horseshoe Historic Site is closed when you arrive, you can still view the back side of the house from a short distance outside the gate. But you are encouraged to visit when open and purchase a tour. We recommend you take our outside tour first to get full details of the skirmish here. Then take the site tour to learn the full history of the property and see inside the house. Call ahead for tour times.
The grounds are relatively even and there is a wheelchair ramp for house entry.
Context
As part of an ongoing civil war between partisans after the main British and Continental armies left the state in Spring 1781, Patriots under Col. Philip Alston have been chasing Loyalist Col. David Fanning. Both men were infamous for their violent tactics.
Situation
Tory
Fanning’s force camped at the home of his friend Kenneth Black while taking captives from his Cox’s Mill camp near modern Ramseur to Wilmington. A day later Alston personally killed Black with a rifle butt, after Black was shot and wounded by one of Alston’s men. Returning to his base with 25-30 men, Fanning learned of the killing and that Alston had returned to his home. He led his band on a day-and-night ride from the Little River (northwest of today’s Fayetteville).
Patriot
Alston has returned here with 25-50 of his men.[a] Most are sleeping on the two porches in the early morning hours. He and his family are asleep inside.
Date
Sunday, July 29, 1781.
Timeline
