Author: James Edward Mitchell
John Pyle, a colonel, was born 8 Apr 1723, the 1st son of Samuel Pyle, a son of Nicholas Pyle, a devout British Quaker immigrant who settled early in William Penn’s colony. Samuel’s son John received a devout childhood education within Chester County, Pennsylvania (PA). About age 15, John, as the first child was asked to carry on a family tradition of higher education. John attended medical school at Oxfordshire and returned home a medical physician at age 21.

He married in Delaware, Sarah Baldwin, a daughter of John and Hannah Baldwin of Oxfordshire, England. They had eleven children among them John, Jr. born in 1746. While in his teens during approximately 1761, John Jr. was educated in medicine. After his parents’ migration to Chatham County, North Carolina (NC) six years later, he assisted his father’s medical practice. By 1775, King George III of Great Britain ordered the Governor of NC to commission males for Loyalist (NC) militia service to the British army. Doctor John Pyle, M.D. was commissioned a Tory colonel in the British army, with his son at his side.

On 24 February 1781, in Orange County, NC, Col. John Pyle’s Loyalist (NC) militia force of approximately 350 was camped, when American Lt. Col. “Light-horse Harry” Henry Lee, III with his 1st Cont. Light Dragoons (cavalry) were united with Lt. Col. Andrew Pickens (SC) militia and Maryland infantry, to ambush the small Loyalist force before British army elements were ordered by British Gen Cornwallis to reach Pyle’s militia. Lee gained an advantage at noon on Feb. 24th after capturing 2 British army officers and interrogating them; a decision was made to impersonate British cavalry uniforming with similar colored cavalry jackets and helmets. In this way, Col(s) Lee’s cavalry and Picken’s riflemen successfully mimicked Banastre Tarleton’s British force and began the battle of Haw River. During the fighting, called “Pyle’s Hacking Match” he lost fingers and the use of one eye. Returning to British army duty, he was unable to ride, because of his wounds…, and Doctor Pyle was returned to British Gen Cornwallis’s headquarters as an adjutant. A request for promotion was denied by Cornwallis. This resulted in Pyle’s decision to secretly attend a gathering in PA, to meet personally by ‘crossing paths’ with American army Cmdr-in-Chief, Washington.

After the doctor returned to his British army headquarters post with Gen Cornwallis, he targeted important movement orders, troop numbers, strength and weaknesses of the British occupying Yorktown, VA. In exchange for favorable consideration by Gen Washington, Doctor Pyle in Sept., 1781 compromised the British army position occupying Yorktown to Capt. William O’Neal a member of Gen Washington’s staff. During the siege of Yorktown, and following the British surrender on Oct 19, 1781, he treated wounds and sick of both sides! [Addendum: Wm. O’Neal appears upon the Feb 1779 muster roll pg. 182, American army Continental Troops of Cmdr.-in-Chief Gen George Washington, Washington’s Life Guard – Maj. Caleb Gibbs (75 men) published online, Fold3.]

After the British Surrender and Victory at Yorktown, as the wounded were successfully treated and released, both Doctor Pyle and his son, John Jr. were free to return home to Chatham County, formed now as Alamance County, NC, where he died on New Year Day, 1804 at age 81.

An upright headstone exists at the Bethel UM Church, 6364 Snow Camp Road, Graham, [Burlington, (Alamance Co.)] NC with inscription “COL. DR. JOHN PYLE APR. 8, 1726 JAN. 1, 1804 FOUNDED THIS CHURCH 1768”, latitude: 35.919573 and Long.: -79.387274