The 5th North Carolina Regiment was assigned on March 26, 1776 to the Continental Army in the Southern Department. It was organized in the spring of 1776 at Wilmington, North Carolina as eight companies of volunteers from the districts of Newbern, Edenton and Hillsborough of the colony of North Carolina. On 5 February1777, the regiment was assigned to the main Continental Army and assigned to the North Carolina Brigade on 8 July1777. The regiment was reduced to a cadre on 1 June1778 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and was assigned to the Southern Department. The regiment was re-organized to nine companies during the fall of 1778 at Halifax and assigned on 11 January1779 to Sumner's Brigade. On 3 June1779, this brigade was redesignated as Armstrong's Brigade. The regiment was captured by the British Army on 12 May1780 at Charlestown, South Carolina and was officially disbanded on 1 January1781.
