 A member of the county 's Committee of Safety , he represented it at the North Carolina Provincial Congress and helped to draft the first Constitution of North Carolina . Initially a major in the 7th North Carolina Regiment , Hogun advanced quickly in rank during 1776 to become the unit 's commanding officer . He participated in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown in 1777 . The Continental Congress promoted Hogun to brigadier general in 1779 , although several congressmen and the North Carolina General Assembly wished to see Thomas Clark of North Carolina promoted instead . 
