James Moore was born in 1737, in New Hanover County, North Carolina, the son of Maurice Moore, pioneer settler and a founder of Brunswick, and of his second wife, Mary Porter. He was the brother of Maurice Moore and of Rebecca who married John Ashe.
In the French and Indian War he was a captain and for a year was in command at Fort Johnston at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. He represented New Hanover County in the provincial House of Commons from 1764 to 1771 and in 1773. He was one of the leaders of the Cape Fear mob that marched to Brunswick in February 1766 to prevent the enforcement of the Stamp Act in North Carolina, and he was prominent in the subsequent activities of the Sons of Liberty. Supporting the established government, controlled by the eastern oligarchy of planters and merchants, in its contest with the Regulators, he participated as a colonel of artillery in Governor Tryon's armed expedition of 1768 and in the battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771. Nevertheless, in the controversy with Great Britain he defied the royal governors. His name was the first signed to the circular letter of the committee that called the first Revolutionary provincial Congress, held at New Bern in August 1774 in defiance of Governor Martin, and he was conspicuous in the activity of the New Hanover Committee of Safety.
On August 8, 1775, he was chosen a delegate from New Hanover County to the Third Provincial Congress to be held at Hillsboro on August 20; and on September 1, on account of his military experience and ability, he was selected by this provincial Congress for the position of colonel of the 16t North Carolina Continental Regiment. Although he was absent from the final engagement, he directed the patriot maneuvers in the brief campaign ending on February 27, 1776, in the victory at Moore's Creek Bridge over the Scotch Highlanders who were marching to join the British forces already on their way to Wilmington for the subjugation of the southern colonies.
On March 1, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed him brigadier-general in command of the forces in North Carolina. After Moore's Creek he did not accompany the North Carolina troops sent to assist in the defense of Charlestown (now Charleston), South Carolina, in June but remained relatively inactive at Wilmington, watching a small fleet left in the Cape Fear River when the British departed in May for South Carolina.
The Provincial Congress ordered him on November 29 to march at once to Charlestown (now Charleston), where he remained until February 1777. On February 5 the Continental Congress ordered him and his troops to proceed north to join Washington; but, while engaged at Wilmington in preparations for the march that was delayed by lack of money for supplies, he died on April 15, 1777, from "a fit of Gout in his stomach".
James Moore was married to Anna Ivey, by whom he had two sons and two daughters.
Maurice Moore, II was an American colonial jurist and Revolutionary patriot.
