The Battle of Moores Creek Bridge, fought on 27 February 1776, was the first decisive Patriot victory in the South. A force of about 1,000 Patriot militia ambushed roughly 1,600 Loyalists — many of them recently arrived Highland Scots — at a creek crossing 30 miles northwest of Wilmington. The Patriots had removed planks from the bridge and greased the support beams; the Loyalist assault collapsed within minutes. The defeat ended Royal Governor Josiah Martin's plan to retake North Carolina, and the British abandoned their planned invasion at the mouth of the Cape Fear River.
The 88-acre park preserves the battlefield, the reconstructed bridge over the dark blackwater creek, and several monuments — including one to the Patriot women whose husbands fell at the bridge. The visitor centre has a short film, a small museum with weapons recovered from the site, and an honest account of the Highland Scots who had sworn loyalty to the Crown as a condition of their land grants. A one-mile loop trail takes you through earthworks, past the monuments, and over the bridge itself. The park is free and open year-round; allow about ninety minutes. The annual battle anniversary in late February brings reenactors and is worth timing a visit around if you are nearby.