William Moore was born in Orange County, North Carolina in about 1751. When the American Revolution began he became a major in the Orange County Militia from 1775 to 1776 and then was promoted to lt. col. He led troops on Rutherford's expedition against the Cherokee in 1776 and in 1777 he became a colonel in the Caswell County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia. He was severely wounded in the knee when he fell from his horse during Pyle's Massacre in February 1781 and was exempted from further service. Later he moved to Smith County, Tennessee, where he published the Carthage Gazette.