Experience the American dream with today’s Patriots of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s February 27, 1776. I’m with Scottish Tory General Donald MacDonald at Morris Creek Bridge in North Carolina.
JG: “General MacDonald, what is your strategy?”
DM: “Mr. Gillespie, we will make North Carolina a British coastal base. We will cross this bridge, destroy the Yankee upstarts, and conquer the southern colonies for King George.”
With a booby trapped bridge, the Yankees quickly trounced the arrogant Scots. The Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge saved the southern colonies and raised the morale of patriots throughout the colonies.
In Currie, North Carolina, the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge monument reads, “Here stood the bridge of Revolutionary fame where 1000 Patriots under Cols. Richard Caswell and Alexander Lillington defeated 1600 loyalists led by Captain McLeod. Col. James Moore commanded all the Patriots who embodied to oppose the loyalists under Brig. Gen. Donald McDonald.”
John and Jan Gillespie are the founders of the Rawhide Boys’ Ranch; they have fostered 351 teenagers and wrote the book Our 351 Sons; they have also assisted numerous churches in developing youth programs and expanding their total church ministries. After running for U.S. Senate, John founded 1776 American Dream, which exists to demonstrate the vision of our founding fathers and help our generation of youth passionately embrace those values.
