The battle dashed the hopes of British provincial governor Josiah Martin for regaining control of North Carolina for the Crown.

The loyalist defeat simultaneously ended British plans for an invasionary force to land in Brunswick Town.

The Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence from the British on July 4, 1776, shortly after the battle; which took place in the Wilmington area near Currie in Pender County in southeastern North Carolina.

Loyalists, mostly Scottish Highlanders, many of whom did not have muskets and were wielding broadswords, expected to find only a small Patriot force on February 27, 1776.

Wagons, weapons and British Pound sterling worth more than $1 million by today's value were seized by the Patriots in the days following the battle.