On May 16th, American snipers along the Cape Fear River fired upon the British sloop Falcon. The Falcon returned fire with no effect.

The next day, Col. Charles Cornwallis went on a mission "in the most secret manner imaginable and left in the dead of the night." Nine hundred British Regulars rowed up the Cape Fear River with the intent to burn Brunswick Town, the base camp of many local Patriots.

Cornwallis surprised the sentinels on the outskirts of town and took possession of Brunswick Town with only one man killed. Unfortunately for the British, the town had been abandoned for some time and only a small garrison was stationed here. All that Cornwallis could obtain for his efforts were twenty bullocks and six horses.