The Loyalists never dispersed after the capture of Governor Thomas Burke and his transport to Wilmington, and many were still encamped on the Raft Swamp near McPhaul's Mill. Their ranks had grown to between 300 and 600 men, and they drilled and practices every day. Col. Duncan Ray was now considered the overall leader of the Loyalists in the area.

Hector "Old Hector" McNeil had been killed at the battle of Lindley's Mill, but Hector "One-Eyed Hector" McNeill had been put in his position to conceal the death of the old colonel. Col. Ray thought that if the men though that "Old Hector" was still alive they would continue to stay with his army.

Col. Ray and Col. McNeill soon learned that Brig. Gen. Griffith Rutherford was on the move towards their camp. Brig. Gen. Rutherford sent Maj. Joseph Graham and his dragoons forward to overtake the Loyalists and to keep them occupied while the remainder of the army marched on. The Loyalist leaders wisely decided to avoid a fight and fall back to a more defensible position.

The Loyalists decided to make a stand on a hill near the Raft Swamp. This hill overlooked a causeway that emerged from the swamp. To slow down the cavalry, they removed the planks of the bridge. While they were preparing their defenses, Maj. Graham's dragoons surprised them and rode right into the swamp, not bothering to even use the bridge.

Maj. Graham later wrote that "the enemy broke and fled as fast as they couold, but the stout horses and expert riders of the west soon overtook them; and when they came in contact with the sand-hill ponies, went through, trod down, and turned over horses and riders. After their first fire, the enemy thought of no further resistance, but endeavored to make their escape, and aimed for a branch of Raft Swamp to their front, over which there was a causeway two hundred yards wide. Our troops entered the causeway with them, using sabre against all they could reach. As soon as it was felt, the Tories would throw themselves off each side into the ditch, quitting their horses and making off into the swamp; the dragoons near the front fired their pistols at them in their retreat. By the time the Whigs got half way through, the causeway was crowded with dismounted ponies for twenty steps before them, so that it was impossible to pass. Two or three stout men dismounted, and commenced pushing them over into the ditch, out of the way. When it was a little cleared, the dragoons rushed over."

Thirty-five of Col. McDugald's Loyalists tried to mount a defense with the tightly packed Loyalists on the narrow causeway. This did not stop the dragoons who cut through their ranks. Many were shot and drowned while they were mired in the swamp. The Loyalists were chased down and shown no quarter. There was no massacre due to the numbers of men and horses trying to escape across the causeway impeding pursuit, and due to the approaching darkness.

Graham again wrote, "As the enemy were much scattered and completely beaten, it was thought inexpedient to pursue the victory further. The men were collected by the sound of the trumpet, at teh west side of the swamp, and marched back to where General Rutherford had encamped, near McFall's Mill, where they arrived about 10 o'clock at night."

Brig. Gen. Rutherford had a reputation for being very cruel towards the Loyalists. His reputation was well founded and even Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene warned him to ton down his actions against them.

Greene told him "that you are treating the Inhabitants denominated tories with great severity driving them indiscriminately from their dwellings without regard to age or Sex and laying waste their possessions destroying their produce and burning their houses." He also told Rutherford that if he continued with his extreme measure he would "authorize the enemy to retaliate."

The Loyalists now knew that they were no match for this large Patriot force and they dispersed to their homes. Others fled to South Carolina, to take up arms there.

The Patriots searched the swamp the next day for any survivors, but found none. They then marched to Brown Swamp and set up camp there again to reassure the people of the county that even though they had been defeated at that spot a short time earlier, they were not vanquished. After remaining for several days, Brig. Gen. Rutherford then moved his army to the outskirts of Wilmington to begin the long-anticipated siege of that British stronghold.

Maj. Joseph Graham - Commanding Officer

Mecklenburg County Dragoons, led by Maj. Joseph Graham, with 40 men

Bladen County Militia, led by Col. Thomas Owen

Guilford County Militia detachment of two (2) companies led by:

Capt. John Gillespie

Capt. William Bethel

Rowan County Militia detachment of 30 men in one (1) company led by:

Capt. Richard Simmons

Col. Duncan Ray - Commanding Officer

Royal North Carolina Militia of Anson County, led by Col. Duncan Ray, with 150 men

Royal North Carolina Militia of Bladen County, led by Col. "One-Eyed Hector" McNeill, with 150 men

Royal Militia of Cumberland County, led by Col. Archibald McDugald, with 300 men in two (2) known companies led by:

Capt. "Sober John" McLean

Capt. Archibald McKay

Fanning's Regiment, led by Maj. John Elrod, with unknown number of men