With yet another rumor of the British in the Northern Theater again heading towards Charlestown, the Continental Congress convinced the leaders of North Carolina to assemble two new regiments of Militia. On November 23, 1776, the Provincial Congress authorized the creation of the 1st Battalion of Volunteers and the 2nd Battalion of Volunteers.

These units were again hastily assembled and this time they were assigned to report to Brig. Gen. Allen Jones of the Halifax District Brigade of Militia. Soon, they marched into South Carolina, near Camden, where they spent the winter waiting for the anticipated British invasion-which never came.

On April 10, 1777, pre-designated term limits expired and the two special regiments created in November of 1776 now disbanded and returned home from South Carolina, where they were never needed. This freed up Col. Abraham Sheppard of the now-defunct 1st Battalion of Volunteers to become available and he was appointed as the commander of the newly-defined 10th NC Regiment of Continentals. Col. Francis Locke of the now-defunct 2nd Battalion of Volunteers retook command of the 1st Rowan County Regiment of Militia.