16 U.S.C. § 422 — Moores Creek National Battlefield; establishment

In order to preserve for historical and professional military study one of the most memorable battles of the Revolutionary War, the battlefield of Moores Creek, in the State of North Carolina, is declared to be a national battlefield whenever the title to the same shall have been acquired by the United States; that is to say, the area inclosed by the following lines:

Those tracts or parcels of land in the county of Pender, and State of North Carolina, more particularly described as follows:

First tract: Beginning at a stone at the run of Moores Creek, on the east bank of same, about twenty poles (in a straight line) above the new iron bridge, and running thence parallel to William Walker’s line, south sixty-two and one-half degrees west eleven chains to a stake; thence south seven and one-half degrees east three and six-tenths chains to a stone at the south edge of the old stage road; thence along the south edge of said road south forty-six degrees east about five chains and eighty links to a stone; thence south thirty-seven and one-fourth degrees west fourteen chains and twelve links to a stone; thence north sixty-two and one-half degrees west ten chains and seventy-five links to a stone, a corner (4) of an eight-acre tract which the parties of the first part conveyed to Governor D. L. Russell, for the purposes aforesaid, by a deed dated January, 1898, and recorded in Pender County; thence with the lines of said tract north thirty-nine and one-half degrees east thirteen chains and twenty-seven links to a stake, the third corner of the said eight-acre tract; thence north fifty-one degrees west four chains to a stake about twenty feet from the old entrenchment (the second corner of the eight-acre tract); thence with the first line reversed north forty-four degrees west two chains to a sweet gum at the run of Moores Creek (the first corner of the eight-acre tract); thence up and with the run of said creek to the first station, containing twenty acres.

Second tract: Beginning at a sweet gum on the eastern edge of Moores Creek, running thence south forty-four degrees east two poles to a stake; thence south fifty-one degrees east four poles five links to a stake; thence south thirty-nine degrees west thirteen poles twenty-seven links to a stake; thence north fifty-one degrees west nine poles thirty-one links to a stake in the edge of Moores Creek; thence northerly with the creek to the beginning, containing eight acres more or less.

Third tract: Beginning at a cypress on the edge of the run of Moores Creek about twenty feet from the west end of the old entrenchments and running thence in a line parallel to and ten feet distance 1 from the outside or east edge of the old line of entrenchments in all the various courses of the same to a stake ten feet distant on the east side of the north end of said entrenchments; thence a direct line to the run of said Moores Creek; thence down said creek to the beginning, containing two acres, be the same more or less (the intention is to include all lands now known and designated as Moores Creek battlefield and now so recognized as such and owned by the State of North Carolina), together with all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging.

The aforesaid tracts of land containing in the aggregate thirty acres, more or less, and being the property of the State of North Carolina, and the area thus inclosed shall be known as the Moores Creek National Battlefield.