The Wilmington District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783).

This unit was established by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 4, 1776, and disbanded at the end of the war.

He commanded the Wilmington District brigade from 1776 to 1778 when he was promoted on May 4, 1776 to Major General over all North Carolina militia and state troops until 1779.

[1] The following are the North Carolina militia regiments and subordination of the Wilmington District Brigade, along with the dates established and disestablished.

[2][3][4][5][6][7] The 1st and 2nd Battalions of Militia were hastily established on May 7, 1776 because of the threat of British fleet off the coast of North Carolina at Cape Fear in March 1776.

The British did not come ashore in any large number and intended to go to Charleston, South Carolina, instead.

Col. Philemon Hawkins, Jr. had initially been appointed as commander of the 2nd Battalion but he declined the commission.