British ships patrolling the many miles of hostile coastlines along the Atlantic seaboard rarely had a friendly port in which to stop and resupply their needs, so they had to send foraging parties into the least inhabited areas to get food and supplies.

One of these foraging parties landed 25 men near Roanoke Inlet to capture some cattle they had seen grazing along the shore.

On shore, Capt. Dennis Dauge commanded the Outer Banks Independent Company that patrolled between Currituck and Roanoke on the barrier island chain. Capt. Dauge discovered the British foraging party and attacked them, killing some and capturing the rest.