Introduction
William Caswell (September 24, 1754-January 6, 1785) was a general in North Carolina militia in the American Revolution, Dobbs County, North Carolina county official, North Carolina state legislator, and planter.
Life story
William Caswell, the son of Governor Richard Caswell and Mary Mackilwean, was born September 24, 1754 in Johnston County, North Carolina.He received training by apprenticeship in law and served as the register of deeds for Dobbs County, North Carolina.He attended the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1774 with his father. He was elected to the North Carolina House of Commons in 1779 (second session), 1780-1781, 1782, and 1784.After the war, he resided at his plantation near Kingston (now Kinston, North Carolina), where he died on January 6, 1785.
Military service
Service record:
- Ensign in the 2nd North Carolina Regiment (NC Continental Line), commissioned September 1, 1775 (1775-1776)
- Captain in the 5th North Carolina Regiment (NC Continental Line) (1776-1778)
- Colonel, commander of the Dobbs County Regiment of the North Carolina militia (1779), appointed 2nd Colonel in the third quarter of 1778,
- Brigadier General over the New Bern District Brigade of the North Carolina militia, appointed May 9, 1779 (1779-1783)
Known engagements:
- December 9, 1775, Battle of Great Bridge, Virginia
- September 11, 1777, Battle of Brandywine Creek, Pennsylvania
- October 4, 1777, Battle of Germantown, Pennsylvania
- late 1778/early 1779, Purrysburg Expedition, South Carolina
- March 3, 1779, Battle of Briar/Brier Creek, Georgia
- August 2, 1781, Battle of Rockfish Creek