Red Banks Church drew worshipers in peacetime, but in 1863 it became an assembly point for Union raids. A Federal attack launched from here on December 17, 1863, devastated the camp of Company H, 3rd North Carolina Cavalry, and captured thirty-five Tar Heels. On December 30, Union Colonel Joseph M. McChesney, commander of the 1st North Carolina Volunteers (US), with detachments from his regiment as well as the 12th New York Cavalry and the 23rd New York Artillery Battery, burned the church. Camped nearby, Company G, 3rd North Carolina Cavalry (CSA), galloped to the church with a cannon from the 13th Battalion, North Carolina Light Artillery (Starr's Battery), but McChesney's men got behind the Confederates, who retreated. Confederate Lieutenant David C. Camp was killed while leading his cavalry platoon in a furious charge. Lieutenant James H. Myrover of Starr's Battery recalled the chaos when they suddenly and unexpectedly met the enemy and the gun was brought into position, but it was impossible to fire without killing their own men. A Federal report said that after a hand-to-hand conflict the Confederates retired, leaving one lieutenant and five men dead, with one piece of Starr's battery, caisson, and horses, while Federal losses were one killed, six slightly wounded, one missing, and three horses disabled; Lieutenant William K. Adams of Company L, First North Carolina Volunteers, fell while making a charge at the head of his command.