The regiment was organized from 19 April to 1 July 1777, at Kinston, North Carolina by men from the northeastern region of the state of North Carolina and was adopted and assigned to the main Continental Army on 17 June 1777, as Sheppard's Additional Continental Regiment.

[1] Abraham Sheppard from Dobbs County, North Carolina was commissioned as the colonel and commandant over the newly authorized 10th NC Regiment on the Continental Line on 17 April 1777.

It was assigned to the North Carolina Brigade, an element of the Northern Department of the Continental Army, on 8 July 1777.

After they reached Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, they disbanded and the remaining soldiers joined the 1st and 2nd North Carolina Regiments.

On 29 May 1778, the Continental Congress ordered the reorganization of all North Carolina regiments due to low numbers in their ranks.