Revolutionary War Patriot. Gen. John Alexander Lillington was only prudently active in local and provincial affairs. However, as the Revolution approached, he was elected to the New Hanover County Safety Committee in 1775, and as one of the county's delegates to the Third North Carolina Provincial Congress, which met at Hillsborough, North Carolina from August 20 to September 10, 1775. He immediately joined the Patriots and began to organize a company of troops known as Minute Men of Wilmington and New Bern, of which Colonel Richard Caswell and himself were joined by a large group of volunteers where they fought the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776, playing an eminent role in the Patriot victory when they prevented the advance of the Loyalists. This was a first and important victory by the Patriots in North Carolina, thus preventing a reunion of the Scotch Tories under Gen. Donald MacDonald along with Sir Henry Clinton, who had just arrived at the Cape Fear River. General MacDonald was taken prisoner along with several others. Colonel Lillington soon afterward received his commission as general and served through the war fending against the forays of the many Loyalists who appeared to support the king. On April 15, 1776, the Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress appointed Lillington colonel of the Sixth Regiment of North Carolina Continentals. He resigned on December 31, 1776, and in 1777 he represented New Hanover County in the Assembly. On February 4, 1779, he was named Brigadier General of the militia in the Wilmington District. As the British moved south to threaten Charles Town, South Carolina in 1780, North Carolina militiamen commanded by Lillington were sent to aid General Benjamin Lincoln. At the end of the war, Lillington reclaimed most of his estate that had been under British control. Lillington Hall, his impressive home, had been saved from the British torch, but much of his assets had been lost. Fortunately, his valuable library was preserved. A monument has been erected to the memory of General Lillington on the Moore's Creek National Battlefield and the town of Lillington, North Carolina, is named for him.

Revolutionary War Patriot. Gen. John Alexander Lillington was only prudently active in local and provincial affairs. However, as the Revolution approached, he was elected to the New Hanover County Safety Committee in 1775, and as one of the county's delegates to the Third North Carolina Provincial Congress, which met at Hillsborough, North Carolina from August 20 to September 10, 1775. He immediately joined the Patriots and began to organize a company of troops known as Minute Men of Wilmington and New Bern, of which Colonel Richard Caswell and himself were joined by a large group of volunteers where they fought the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge on February 27, 1776, playing an eminent role in the Patriot victory when they prevented the advance of the Loyalists. This was a first and important victory by the Patriots in North Carolina, thus preventing a reunion of the Scotch Tories under Gen. Donald MacDonald along with Sir Henry Clinton, who had just arrived at the Cape Fear River. General MacDonald was taken prisoner along with several others. Colonel Lillington soon afterward received his commission as general and served through the war fending against the forays of the many Loyalists who appeared to support the king. On April 15, 1776, the Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress appointed Lillington colonel of the Sixth Regiment of North Carolina Continentals. He resigned on December 31, 1776, and in 1777 he represented New Hanover County in the Assembly. On February 4, 1779, he was named Brigadier General of the militia in the Wilmington District. As the British moved south to threaten Charles Town, South Carolina in 1780, North Carolina militiamen commanded by Lillington were sent to aid General Benjamin Lincoln. At the end of the war, Lillington reclaimed most of his estate that had been under British control. Lillington Hall, his impressive home, had been saved from the British torch, but much of his assets had been lost. Fortunately, his valuable library was preserved. A monument has been erected to the memory of General Lillington on the Moore's Creek National Battlefield and the town of Lillington, North Carolina, is named for him.

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