Carolina Loyalist: The Revolutionary War Life of Colonel David Fanning

One of the most enigmatic figures of the American Revolutionary War, Colonel David Fanning is best known for his 1781 capture of Thomas Burke, the governor of North Carolina. As a Loyalist officer, Fanning fought in more than thirty minor engagements across the Carolinas, serving as commander of Loyalist forces during the Battle of Lindley’s Mill--the largest battle fought between the Whigs and Loyalists during the Tory War of 1781-82. His successes on behalf of the British government led to his being banned from North Carolina after the war. This first full-length biography chronicles Fanning’s deeds through some of the most brutal fighting in the Carolinas, and his postwar tribulations in British East Florida, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

John Hairr is a writer with a passion for exploring our region’s past. He has written extensively on a wide range of topics such as natural disasters, exploration and military history, especially the Revolutionary War. He lives in Lillington, North Carolina.