America250: Attack on Fort Johnston — July 1775

July 18–21, 1775 — Southport. 🇺🇸

Before the Declaration was even signed, North Carolina’s Revolution started HERE.

Patriots led by Robert Howe, Cornelius Harnett, and John Ashe stormed Fort Johnston at the mouth of the Cape Fear while Royal Governor Josiah Martin watched from a British warship offshore.

The fort was largely destroyed. The governor fled to the ship. The Crown’s grip on our coast broke that week — and never came back.

Historians call it the first active violence against the British in North Carolina.

It happened on our shoreline, 251 years ago this summer.

#America250 #RevolutionaryWar #SouthportNC #BrunswickCounty #NCHistory #CarolinaAfterDeadline