Orangeburg County, South Carolina - The whole text, 1898 (part 7 of 9)

The report which has been spreiid in order to depreciate the value of our new paper Currency is equally nugatory and malicious. That Paper stands upon the same foundation on which all our paper Currency is establish'd, the faith and credit of the representatives of the People, diligent & circumspect in placing to the bottom the late conduct of Capt: Kirkland, as well with respect to the disbanding his Company, as in the affair of the dun Powder said to have been taken from Major Mason b}^ his contrivance, if he has been faulty take the surest evidence of facts and acquaint the Council minutely, of your discoveries on this Head, But as the Character & Honour of an officer is at stake, secrecy will be necessary in order to save both from slander if he is innocent. John Adam Summers after a conversation fair & candid on the part of the Council of Safety acknowledged his conviction of the rectitude of the measures taken by the people in opposition to Ministerial tyranny. & as a proof of his sincerity he signed the general association & promised to obtain the subscription of other Men in his Neighborhood to a paper which was delivered to him for that purpose. This Man's deportment before the Council gave no rooui to suspect him guilty of double dealing but should he deceive us You will soon discover it and give proper instruction* The rev4 Mr: CreswelFs endeavours on the part of American Liberty are laudable & the Council request You to signify to him their sense of his Zeal & good Service.

That part of your dispatches which treats of the difficulty which the Rangers labour under in the article of Rations or daily provisions has had particular regard paid to it in Council, there is nothing before the Board of more importance than to concert proper means for keeping that Regiment compleat in number, well disciplined, & perfectly satisfied. It is therefore a matter of great concern to the Council to find that Body now expressing their discontent with terms, which each man must have ()een fully apprized of be- fore he enlisted, & which the principal officers declared in Congress were sufficient for engaging as many Men, as might iiave heen required in these circumstances what other judgment can be formed but that they are disposed to distress the Council in order to force a compliance with exorbitant demands. If after the repeated assurances given in full Congress by the Coll? & Majof together with concurrent declarations of several of the Captains that Upon such Pay & such conditions as were stipulated, there was no room to doubt of filling the RegV with proper Men & in a very short space of time. If after the fair &: eager Enlisting in the service upon terms previously declared & universally known murmurs are heard amongst the men, against those very terms, what rule can the Council of Safety adopt for their guide It is not likely that if the present attempt should l)e allowed to succeed new demands w^ould thereby be cieated & somewhat else would be found wanting to pacify Men who have mark'd no limits to their desires.

If they are in earnest & mean to serve their Country the pay to the Rangers is ample & when compared to the No pay of the Militia in Charles Town who perform daily & nightly service in the same cause, it is superabundant. If they are not in Earnest, if they do not serve from Principle, 'tis impossible to know what will be satisfactory to them. It merits the attention of the Regiment of Rangers that they are paid for holding themselves in readiness to fight their own Battles, & that their fellow subjects who are to bear the principal burthen of Taxation on that account also hold themselves in readiness to join, & in the mean time receive no consideration such reflections if they are Patriots and Lovers of Liberty will stimulate them to duty & diligence. If they are void of such sentiments, how shall we depend upon them to

Act with us as Bretheru ii: fellow sufferers in one united struggle, against the Power which now bears hard upon the general Liberty of all America.

Upon the whole the Council of Safety admonish the officers & Men of the Regt; of Rangers to reflect seriously upon the cause & nature of their establishment upon the distressed state of the Colony Finances, to consider that theii" Bretheru the Inhabitants of Charles Town & the adjacent country have chearfully embai'k'd in the sam,e general service, at a vast expence to Officers & Men without any Kind of Pay or reward. And the Council have further ordered me to signify to you Sir, that they have no legal authority to allow a seperate Pay for provision to your Regimt: a fact which you cannot be ignorant of, nor can they make any alterations except such as shall be mentioned below in the appointment by the Provincial Congress, & they are of opinion that the Honour pf the officers are much concerned in this case.

If the following proposition will benefit the service by saving the Men the trouble of seeking their Provision and giving more leisure for perfecting them in Military discipline. You are desired to carry it into execution Viz^ to appoint proper Persons to provide & to Issue the necessary supplies of Provision both in Camp and upon march the expence to be deducted from the monthly Pay of the Rangers until the meeting of the next provincial Congress before whom a proper representation vvill be laid & their determination had thereupon. In the mean time the Council have great confidence in your discretion and integrity in the right management of this important concern, & desire to hear from you fully thereupon & and upon every other branch of public business within your department by some early opportunity. Nothing more at present need be said concerning Coll? Fletchall as

Mr. Drayton & the Gentlemen with him are to take up that affair. You will receive by the Bearer, of this a Packet of Articles of War which were to have gone by Mr. Drayton, & also four Copys of Extracts from the Journals of the Provincial Congress T have the honour to be Sir

1 herewith send you inclosed a return of the four Companys now encamped at this place. Capt'^ Wise, Caldwell & Purvis have not yet furnished me with the return of their Companys, and as to Kirkland and Polk, you'll see by their own Letters of their having deserted the cause as has also their officers and Men except Lieut Mitchell of Kirkland's Comp.y who I have desired to recruit more Men, & have also desired the other officers now with me to list Men in order to have the two Companys compleated again, shall be much obligVl to You to appoint Moses Vance Lieut: instead of one of those who deserted, he has been upon duty since the first of last month and as to the other vacancies hope they will be filled up with Gentlemen W'ho may be depended upon, for further particulars beg leave to refer you to the Lettei's from the Honble Wv^ Henry Drayton k am with due respect dent written by your orders and in answer to it I beg leave to inform you, that the late orders mentioned in the letter, by which I am to regulate my future movemf.*^ until further Instructions, I have not received I apprehend those late orders are those Mr. Drayton told me, he himself had drawn up by orders of the Council to be signed by the President contermanding my first intended march down the country, & directing me to remain where I was encamped & to regulate my future motions & directions from Mr. Drayton & Mr. Tennent.

These orders have never come to Hand but by M^" Drayton's representation of them and the Papers in his hands signed by the president, I have regulated myself in pursuance of directions from Mr Drayton & Mr Tennent & according to those directions, which perfectly agree with my own Judgment, I have broken up the Camp near this place and shall form a new one in Amelia on the \0^^^ Instant.

As to the affairs of Provisions M»' Drayton has settled it I believe to the full satisfaction of the Rangers the terms are these, The officers will give all possible encouragement for People to supply the Camp with Provision & when the Troops are able to purchase Provisions in Camp they are to be restrained in the practice of going abroad to seek any. I will remember my declarations in Congress respecting the pay. Had I officers of My own Choice 1 should never want Men perfectly satisfied with such an allowance & even the Men now listed would have been content but from the folly of some officers who have in a great degree been the foundation of the late almost fatal uneasiness in the (.amp on Sunday night last with the particulars of which Mr. Drayton & Mr Tennent have I believe acquainted You. Mr Drayton's discourse to the Troops on this occasion has been of great service, as well as his discourse the Evening before from the Effects of which I expect a more punctual ohecliance than I have hitherto experienced. The Rangers now 1 am firmly of opinion are content, & perfectly disposed to do their duty.

Our orders to You of the 13V' Instant respecting your March to Charles Town, are hereby Countermanded, as at this Juncture the Presence of the Rangers is necessary in the interior Parts of the Country. You will therefore remain at the Post you now Occupy, unless some unforeseen cause should o<-casion you to remove, & for your further Proceedings, we refer You to the Honble W'." Hen: Drayton, & the Rev<? W"^ Tennent, who are authorized to make a progress into the back Country, to examine into the pi-esent uneasiness & disturbances in those parts of the Colony.

For our sense upon your Letters, of the 22"<^ of July, one to the Council of Safety the other to the President, k Major Mason's Letter of the lOth of July to the Council we refer you to the Gentlemen above mentioned to be authorized to make a Progress, and we inform you that, by the Hands of Cap^: Woodward we have sent the Sum of Five Thousands Pounds for the Payment of the Rangers under your command. By order ^c H. Law reus which the Council have been informed by a private Letter that Capt: Polk & his Company of Rangers had renounced the cause of Liberty & abandoned their Duty - - affairs of such moments should be communicated by Special Messingers & v^'ith out delay, your silence would have induced the Council to suspend their belief of that report had it not been made in possitive terms by one of your officers to Mr Gervais. Great are the difficulties which the true friends of Liberty & their Country have to encounter, but we trust that by perseverance, patience & resolution every obstacle will be surmounted.

To the disagreeable tiding above mentioned we have just now received the intelligence from Savanna which you will find at large in the Copies of those Letters here inclosed - Viz: one from the Council of Safety for Georgia, dated Savanna 1^^ Augt; 1775./ one from the Committee at Augusta dated G^ii Aug* & the other from Moses Kirkland dated 31** July to CaptV Middleton to which you are particularly referred, the Council of Safety desire you will immediately consult the Hon'ble M^ Drayton if he is in your neighborhood & pursue such measures, relative to the dangerous attack threaten'd upon Augusta as shall appear most likely to suppress the Insurgents & restore peace ^ Quietness to our friends, Should Mr: Drayton be at any considerable distance you v^'ili act in this very important & alarming circumstance as shall seem best in your own opinion without delay - - - if our Eneuiies should succeed in this attempt their hands will be strength'ned & the work of suppressing them will be doubled.

You will, if it shall appear necessary apply to the Commanding officer of the Regiment of Militia & raise as many A^olunteers as may be necessary to join the rangers & assure the officers & Men who may give you their assistance that the Council of Safety will make immediate order for, paying them for the time which they may be on duty & also for their Provisions when accounts properly certified shall be sent in. In a word the Council rely upon your Zeal & good conduct in this dangerous conjuncture, when it is impossible for them to give explicit orders, and they will expect to hear from you by return of this Messenger (Philip Hill) & as frequently afterward as there shall be occasion. I am

You know what will be proper to be done with CaptV Kirkland when practicable & safe meantime the secre'cy formerly enjoyned will be necessary.

We refer to the contents of our Letter of the ll^h InstV which will accompany this, from the total silence of yourself and M^ Drayton upon the expected attack opon Augusta we are willing to hope, that our friends have been cautiously alarmed, nevertheless we must not loose sight of an object of such importance. We therefore Confirm our late orders & here inclose a Letter for CaptV Hammond which we request you to dispatch by a special Messinger, unless sonje othei' safe & immediate opportunity shall offer. We have applied assistance in Case of need, both as an Officer of Militia & a friend to the Cause of the united Colony's Under Cover with this You will receive Eight Commissioners. Sign'd by us Viz: 1 for J L Peyer Imhoflf' Esq'; to be a CaptV <>f Rangers.

1 for Ch: Heatly, Esq'." to i)e a Capt'^ also. 1 for Moses Vance to be a Lieutenant dated the It* July the day on which you say he entered the Service. 5 to be appointed & the Blanks to be properly filled up by you in which we trust you will consult solely the Interest of the service - this is an extraordinary measure which we have consented to in the present unsettled state of your Regiment, hoping that by a discreet distribution of these Commissions the Company's will be filled up by good Men & that the Public may reap some advantage from the vast charge which has already been incurred by that establishment, but it must not be drawn into Precedent.

We think it is now necessary to distinguish in each Company first & second Lieutenants, Seniority will be determined hereafter by the respective dates of Your Commission which in these you must vary for that purpose being careful not to antidate. When you have filled up these Commissions you will transmit to us immediately the names & dates. - We can not account for the miscarriage of our Letter which You say had not reached You, if our Secretary can write a Copy of it in time you will receive it under this cover.

It affords us some satisfaction to learn by Your Letter of the 9th that the remaining Rangers were Content & perfectly disposed to do their duty, we hope that disposition will be lasting, the effect of a true sense of their Duty & not the transient product of an harrangue.

You will find the Copy above uientioned under this Cover the original we believe went by the Hands of Capt" Woodward & ought to be inquired for. By order of the Council of Safety.

Tester morning I rec<| the Inclosed Letters from Town, and immediately sett out for this place in order to forward them to Yon, Inclosed You have a Copy of Letter I rec<? from Coll: Lawrens, shall be glad of your advise or order on the matter, I cannot think of proceeding on any account whatsoever as long as you are continued in y£ Back parts without Your order, w^hich shall be Immediately put in Execjation I expect all the Companys that had leave will meet this day in Amelia. I am to meet Capt'? Theius' Company tomorrow & will do all in my Power to have them to sign and settle other matters as you have desired, Sunday I shall return to Camp where I shall remain untill I hear from You. I rec*] from the Council of Safety Capt^ Commissions, for Imhoff & Heatly. 1 Lieut: for Vance, and 5 Blank Lieut: Commission I shall not dispose of any of the Blanks untill I hear from You, I rec<? from the Council of Safety Copies of three Letters from »Savannah, which has alarni'd them.

I send off this day to Major Williamson to see if there is any Body of Men collected in that part, be it as it will 1 cannot act with Propriety without your orders as long as you are in the Back.

You are requested as soon as possible to Inlist 30 private Men - 2 Sarjeants, and a Drummer, as soon as you have listed ten Men, you will send or fetch

Captain Shrams has not attended here today, neither has any of his Company come to us, altho this place was of the Captain's own chusing. This disobedience to Military orders ought not to go unnoticed for fear others seeing so criminal a Conduct pass with impunity, they should be encouraged to imitate a behavior that may lead to ruinous consequences. I therefore think it would be proper immediately let you let Captain Shrams kqow that you recall his Commission & discharge him from his command & take measure to call the company together & induce them to elect a Captain, who will receive a Commission from the Council, Your presence will greatly facilitate this work, <t their chosing a Captain will naturally I hope lead thenj to sign the association. But do not mention this last affair to them till after they have chosen their Captain.

I an) in hopes this letter will get down to you some time to night. And 1 shall be glad that tomorrow You will come up here & discharge the Captain & call the Company together, because this vigorous step being done out of hand will spread abroad immediately &

I have received the Letter you sent by the Ranger, & I most readily excuse your breaking the seal of my Letter, indeed Colonel I should have had no objection if you had read it.

The Council of Safety mention their having sent me some blank Commission^ for six Volunteer Companies. I have not received them. If you have them pray keep them till I see You.

I find the Council have been much alarmed by the report of an attack upon Augusta, there is no foundation in it I believe, at least . . . the heads of the party I am persuaded will not attempt anything of that sort while 1 am in this part of the Country. 1 more fear an attack upon Fort Charlotte. However of this I have sent proper information & direction to the Fort & to Major Williamson.

As I do not therefore see any occasion for any immediate movement by You, I cannot give directions for any. But I think you had best remain in your new Camp, & make the Huts snug & comfortable for the Men, and besides this, I think it advisable that you immediately build other Huts, as perhaps there may be occasion for to assemble in your Camp about 500 Militia . . Tn the mean time you will look out so many of the Militia who may be depended upon, & who may hold them selves, in readiness to march if they should be called upon. For these Men, will be wanted a supply of Ammunition.

Be so good immediately & in the .... most private manner to send to Fort Charlotte for a moderate Quantity of Powder & Lead. 1 shall hold a meeting with Fletchall's People at Fords upon Enore on Wed- nesday & after that T shall pass through ninety six, & join you with all dispatch. Above all things endeavour to have the Camp plentifully supplied with Provisions, especially if there should unfortunately be occasion to call out such a Body of Militia to join the Rangers. You will take care Colonel, that your application respecting the Militia be as private as possible.

"We do not understand wdiether you mean to ask for a Commission as Surgeons Mate for Lieutenant Charlton, in lieu of, or in addition to his Lieutenancey. If the former, altho we are not expressly authorized, yet for the good of the service we might find means to accomodate him, but you know that a double Commission would be directly contrary to a resolution of the Provincial Congress, this Article therefore must . . unavoidably wait for explanation."

I received your favour of the lOt.'i Instant, the express to Mr: Hammond from the Council of Safety, I immediately sent to him, also at the same time wrote to Captain Caldwell advising him to be on his guard.

are well. I this day heard from M'; Drayton directing me to reinforce Fort Charlotte with Militia, which I am now giving orders to do. and 1 intend immediately to throw a Quantity of Provision in. M'; Drayton is to have a Meeting to-morrow with Fletchall's People at same Ford's, Enoree. & has some opinion that they may use violence to liis person. It that should be the Case I shall endeavour to iiave the Militia under my Command, to march whenever he may be carried a prisoner. T have sent this day a Young Man whom I can well depend upon to be at the Meeting tomorrow, and will return immediately & inform me what is done there. Excuse haste. I am Dear Gentlemen

The express sent to M'' Drayton is not yet return'd, I am now camp'd at this Place with five Companys - Capt: Wise, Kirshaw, ({(jodwyn, Richardson & Woodward; Capt^ Imhoff and Heatly, are out recruiting as is Capt: Kirshaw in behalf of them & likewise some of the Lieutenants, I am in hopes in a short time to have their Companys Compleated. Major Mason who has been some time at the Congrees waiting for them I expect at the same time to join the Camp, from all the Intelligence I have had there was not much reason for our Friends in Georgia being so much alarm'd, the first certain accounts I had of Capt: Polk's disobedience, T rec<J by a Letter from Major Mason the day before M'; Drayton came to the Congrees, & on his arrival I deliver'd it to him. 1 did not chuse to write from report, where tlie reputation of a Gent: was at Stake, njy officer, who wrote to Mf

Gervais /yet, unknown to me/ had he acquainted me, I should liave had it in my power to have wrote facts. Whatever certainties might come to my Hands of consequence, either for or against the cause of Liberty, You may depend upon I shall /both as a point of my Duty & my strictest regard, for the welfare of the Country/ make immediate report of.

I have reason to believe the Nonsubscribers will be l)ut few in a short time. I have the Promise of a Volunteer company of Sixty good Men out of Fletchall's Company near to where he lives. I have taken away the Commissioners from some of the Capt» of my regiment of Foot, who was disobedient & disaffected.

I should be glad to know if it would be proper to fill up those places with good Men by giving them Volunteer Commissions, if not proper should be glad to know if I could be supply'd with blank Commissions from the Gov^ for them I inclose You a list of Capt" Wise's officers & Men. CaptV Imhoff petition'd for a 2^<^ Lieut*^ Commission, for, in the choice of which, depended the raising of Men to the number of 14 or 15. The other blank Commissions I shall not fill up untill my regiment are together, except those in the Fort, untill which time it will not be in my Power to make you a proper return of the reg^; of Horse. The Company's now with me are Corapleat, And I have the vanity to make mention, that the Men are very forward in their Military discipline I remain Yr most obedt Servt

Please to observe that Capt" Wise himself is in No: Carolina, his Men came w^ith Lieut: Donaldson. Captl^ Wise I presume will be in Camp in a few days.

I Yesterday returned from 96. & think it unnecessary to write of particulars, as I make no manner of doubt M^; Drayton has already given you the same. I have left seven companies behind at 96. in order to take a Tour farther back in the Country. An alarm has been given that an Indian of the Cherokees had been killed & two wounded in Georgia which has disturbed the minds of the back Inhabitants much. And Mi; Drayton's opinion in this case concurs with my own, it is that as the Rangers were raised in defence of the Country the back settlers would think hard if they were not with them in case of danger.

We have therefore order'd them to March for some time up amongst them but not to proceed within 15 Miles of the Indian line, for fear of alarming the Indians, & in order to appease the minds of the Inhabitants in those parts After which we have given them leave of absence for a few days in order to recruit themselves & Horses, which is really requisite, when they are to meet at the Camp in Amelia which will be on the 24th OcfJ;

After Mi; Drayton had finish'd with Col. Fletchall, I took a ride to Fort Charlotte; & examined the whole; I think it is in very good order for defence & that there is a very good Company in it.

While I was there I had the pleasure of .seeing Fort James on the Georgia side, taken possession of by some of the Georgians & Carol^^* at my return to 96. I met with M"; Wilkinson from the Cherokee Nation who informed me that one of the Indians was killed & two wounded by some of the Georgia People. I immediate gave orders to Lieut Taylor of Fort Charlotte to take a party of Men with him & go in search of the Persons whom the Indians mistrusted had Ikilledl

Inclosed you have a General return of my Regt of Rangers from the time of enlisting to the 20^'^ Ins* which is as correct as I could possibly make it from the returns given in by the different Capt^'' Capt'3 Wise on that same day resigned his commission to M^; Drayton & as he will inform you more particular on that & every other Head I think it unnecessary to add any more.

Your very kind fav''. of the 17th Inst'' was deliver'd to me on the road home between the Ridge & the Congarees which afforded me the greatest Pleasure.

You may depend that I shall always make a proper Distinction in my Private & Public Letters to You. Your present situation of President & Chairman 1 am convinc'd must be very fatigueing, & tho 1 cannot but think it is high time that you ought to be relieved of your burthen Yet I am afraid they will not find a Person to supercede You, who will act in both capacities & be of as much Service to the Country as you have been. 1 heartily wish that General Kirkland may be taken & lodged in the Barracks or Fort Johnston & that he may be severely punished for his Villainy, & am happy to hear that Fort Johnston is in our possession & that you are making every necessary Preparations for defence. 1 have no doubt but you have heard before this that Col Drayton has had a Meeting with Col Fletchall & some of his Head Men & that He has in a great measure quieted him <t his party, they seem to be disatisfied at first about the declaration that he had sent over to their Camp desiring them to give up their Leaders, but after a little expostulation they appeared very ready to make & sign his Treaty, which I suppose you have seen. 1 was informed that Cunningham & Brown were not well pleased with Fletchall for what he had done & that they had parted, not upon the best terms. However it may work a good end in time, which I heartily wish. Col^ Drayton had a long talk with the Indians at the Congrees, they are very well pleased, but wishes much to have the ammunition that was promis'd them as soon as possible. Capt: Peyer imhoff I left sick at 96, but 1 expect to see him at the Congarees next Monday when I will present your Complim^. to him. I have given him every assistance in my Power to make up his Company & 1 dare say that it will be filled up in a few days. I intend going to Town some time next Week, when I will do myself the Pleasure of waiting on you to converse more fully on the news of the Countrj% unless I should receive new orders to the contrary from the Hon'ble the Council of Safety I rem" D'" Sir ficient Grass Guards & Fitague Men. As soon as your Camps are Compleat, You are as usual to be very diligent in Training the Men. I am order'd on a Tour to the Beaver Dam near little Saluda, hopes to be at your Camp by Tuesday next.

Please to send the inclos'd to Capt" Peyer imhoff. I am order'd on a Tour up Saluda, hopes to return & find you all in Camp at Fuguetts old Field, areeble to Your last orders You rec^j from me. In my absence Capti? Cha« Heatley will shew You Your place of Encanjpmen*: the Form of the Camp.

As You will be the oldest Capt^} on the Spot you will see that the orders left with him are put in Execution. I hope to be in Camp on Tuesday I am

This day I rec'4 from the Council of Safety a Capt>?*^ Commission for You. On recpt hereof you will wait on me in Amelia in order to receive the same. In the Interim & on your way, you may Enlist Men for yourself; Let them be good rifle Men with good Horses, please to fetch the date of the Commission of the 2nd Lieut, of Capt" Wise, & the date of Lieut*: Donaldson's Commission. I am

Last night I recA a Letter by an Express from the Hon'ble W'}^ Henry Drayton ordering me to march my Regt: of Rangers immediately to the ridge, which I shall do tomorrow morning & will endeavour to inarch as many of my Regt. of Foot* as I can make up agreeable to his orders

You are hereby ordered to meet me on Saturday next the 9*.^ Inst'; at the Ridge, with two hundred Men well armed, out of our Regimt of Foot, if you cant raise them as Volunteers, You must draft them, & assure them that they will receive Pay as the other Provincials in this Province from the day they leave home to they day they return. I am (TentV

*This was the regiment of provnicial militia that Col, Thomson had commanded before being seleeted to command the regiment of regulars known as the Rangers,

Yesterday just when the several Companies were about marching from hence, there came an Express from Captn Paris informing us that himself and five Cherokee Indians were stopt from coming down by CaptV Hendrick & some others belonging to Fletchalls regt of about 10 Miles distant from the Congarees. The Companies here immediately got themselves in readiness and marched to rescue them, which they did & took Hendrick Prisoner, who is now confined in Camp, his associates made their escape a few minutes after he was taken, Capt" Paris is now here with the Indians who will inform You with the Particulars. I have order'd the Companies to march early tomorrow morning for the ridge where I expect to be with them on Friday Evening & where I shall stay untill I receive your further orders. The Men that are to be drafted out of my Regim* of Foot & the Volunteers I have order'd to meet me at the Ridge by Saturday next Your orders to Coll: Richardson I have sent, but I have not heard from him since, only that he is very much hurt from a fall* from his Indico Yatts, which

I have to beg the favour of you to Conniiunicate to the Council of Safety, that two days ago I receiv'd a line from Colo Wm Thomson, accompanied by Copy of a letter from the Hon'ble Wm Henry Dray-

I am afraid will deprive him from meeting us himself, but have not the least doubt of his complying with your Instructions the Express from the Hon'ble the Council of Safety arrived here last night with the inclosed Letter for your Honor, also two Bundles which I expect are for the Indians. Paris has just deliver'd me the Indians talk, which he desired me to forvvnrd by this same Express. Our detention here today arrises from the Fatigue

I had the misfortune to get a fall wiiicli renders me unable to get out of my Bed, having Broke two or three of n)y Ril)s and am otlierways mucli liruised. however am hopefull shall get out in some short time.

I have sent tiie necessary orders to Major Cantey to assemble the Regiment, and Collect the above numVter of men which hope will soon be carried into execution, but beg leave to represent to Council of Safety that I do not believe there are 300 loads of Powder in my Regiment, and therefore hope some speedy method will be fallen of lodging a supply to be in readiness upon any emergency that may happen; and if Possible about 200 Stand of armes, as a great number, (particularly the new Irish settlers) are distitute and many unable t<» provide themselves was they to be purchased for money, which at present is not the Case.

There are several Volunteer Companys assembling in difterent quarters of my Regiment, some of which lam informed are nearly compleat Conimissions will be wanting to otticer them -

As my Lieut Colo has left this Province a new arrangement of Field Olticers will become necessary, to fill up by Seniority will not answer, for sundry reasons; which I hope soon to have opportunity of comnumicating to the Council of Safety - - - I have the Honour to be Sir Your most Hump Servt: Richd Richardson St Marks -

Since I wrote vou from Camp Amelia the ^"^^ Inst [ received your' favour of the 31^.t Ult? which gives me great satisfaction. You may depend that T will as soon as possible exert myself for raising Volunteer Comp ys & inform you of my progress therein.

I find it impossible at present on account of our marching to make a proper return of my whole regiml but will endeavour to do it as soon as I meet the Hon'ble M'- Drayton I had issued orders previous to the recpt of you Letter for all returns to be dated and signed by the Commands offic: of each Company but the omission of Capt'? Wise's was owing to his not being present at the time it was given in, nor did he join the Regt l)efore yesterday his reason for not joining before he says was owing to orders he received from the Hon'ble the Council of Safety.

You may rest assured that I will to the best of my ability follow vour own and M'' Drayton's Instructions & will give him all the Military aid in my Power when he shall think tit to demand it. I shall carefully review all your former instructions & give such orders with regard to the Post of Fort Charlotte & for the safety of our associated Friends at Augusta as long as I'may think the most prudent at this alarniino- time. I am extremely obliged to you for consent- ing to my leaving the Camps as I requested, which I shall do, when I can with propriety do it, but at present I have not the least thoughts of it.

The reappointmt: of Capt" Ez'. Polk, I hope will be attended with very good consequences. & that he will endeavour to gain credid by his future behaviour. Inclos'd you will find a copy of his Letter to me which I just received, but shall not make any reply before I see Ml' Drayton, Yesterday about noon when the several Companies were getting ready to proceed on their march for the Ridge we rec'? an Expi-ess from Capt" Paris inform^: us that one CaptV Hendrick & several others of Coll<^ Fletchall's party had stop"^ him & 5 of the Cherokee Indians from coming down here at about Ten Miles distant from this, & hoped that we would come to their Assistance, the Companies were immediately ordered to go & rescue them & take Hendricks & his Associates Prisoners. I arrived there just about night & took Capf? Hendricks, but the others escaped after he was taken & before any of the Companies came up to the House they were in.

I order'd the Prisoner under a Guard to the Camp - where he is now in confinem^ Capt Paris with the Indians came along with us there this morning. I had a Talk with these Indians & informed them that M'; Drayton had desired me to conduct them to the ridge, as he expected I should see them before he did; they said they were tired of marching & would rather remain here untill Mr: Drayton came to them. They gave me the talk from the Nation & desired me to send it to him directly which I have done.

Your orders I rec*? late last night, shall putt them in execution Immediately. 1 shall march from this Camp tomorrow morning I shall do my best endeavours to take as many of the Militia with me as possible, tho T am afraid shall not be able to procure the Complim^: you mentioned. The Water's being high obliges me to go by the Congarees where 1 shall be detained one Day in procuring Provisions & other necessaries, as it was not in my Power to provide the same in this Place the Rivers being full the Waggons were not able to pass. I has disp<? your orders to Col: Richardson & your Letter to the Council of Safety.

We have pretty certain accounts of the defeat of Gage. 9000 of his Men are said to have been slain & himself is dead of the wounds he rec<? . . . there is a GentV lately arrived at Chas: Tow^n from Virginia with 5 Letters, whose accounts agrees exactly I remi» to be true that he would meet me with CaptV Paris & the Indians at the Ridge on Sunday mornis 10 oClock together with the Volunteers & drafted Men out of my Regmt. of Militia: I am of opinion that was I to leave the Ridge before they arrived it wou'd make them uneasy therefore I think it best to wait for them, but for further particulars refer you to Major Mayson with whom I have consulted & who will deliver this with his own Hands.

I have deliv'ed him all the Commissions for the Volunteer Companies which I rec^? from the Hon'ble the Council of Safety, to be given to You I am Sir morning 1 shall strictly observe the Contents thereof, this Inst Capt" Arthur and Capt Cleiger with twenty Volunteers arrived here from the Congarees with whom I expected Capt" Paris & the Indians, the alarm mentioned in CaptV Arthur's Letf; forwarded to you yesterday proved (Iroundless. CaptV Paris endeavoured to prevail on the Indians to accompany him to the Ridge, but they rather chose to stay at the Congarees till your return, as they complain'd much as being tired as before but Paris says they seem very anxious to see You. I expect Major Golson of my Regimt of foot with a draft of Men & the Volunteers

Yours of the 7^}^ Instant is now before me & note the contents, Your Letter by Captain Purvis did not come to my hand before the Prisoners you sent were tried, received their Sentence & pardoned by His Excellency the President The reason of their being discharged I am entirely a stranger to - I am told Capt. Purvis applied to Colonel Gadsden to deliver them their attestations & said it was by your desire - Your first Letter did not reach me untill lately - ^I herewith inclose you a Roster of the officers as they now are to do Duty & Lieut Caldwell will deliver You a list of Your Men now at Head Quarters - The Pay Master will write you with regard to Your Mens Pay - I should have wrote you more fully but as Your Brother can inform You any thing farther, I shall not add, save that I am

John Giles at Monck's Cornei- had some Osenbiirgs for Sale. I desired one of my officers to send a person there «fe endeavour to pnrohase the whole of him in order to make Hunting Shirts for my men - The person returned without doing of it & informed me that Mr Giles asked 10/ hard money & 12/0 paper Currency pr Yard - this morning I was informed he asks for the same Osnaburgs 10/ hai'd money «t 15/ paper ^ yd which 1 think is a very great extortion - my only reason for troubling Your Excellency with this, is to beg your advice in the matter, as the distinction made between hard & paper money is of very great <liservice to the Province & 1 hope some example will be made of such persons^ -

This morning early 1 had the other detardiment of my Regiment ready to march down, but the weather proving rainy I thought it most prudent to detain them, as there are now Sick in Camp 46 Men; 40 of whom have the Flux & I am afraid many more would be laid up were they to get wet - as soon as the weather clears up Major Mayson will mairh down with said Detachment - 1 would have done myself the pleasure of waiting on Your ExcelTcy last night had 1 not been unwell, but as soon as I an] better will do it -

As I have been credibly informed that the Reg*" of Artillery at Beanfort is now nearly compleated, T take the liberty of requesting the favour of your Excellency to let the two Companies of Rangers there be relieved & ordered to join my Regiment here, could they be spared without prejudice to the Service, it would give me the greatest pleasure to have them present, as 1 have never once had the Reg^ together - The Men here are in the greatest spirits, the Enemy's Centinels & ours are so near to each other, that they might shake hands had we biit boats & they chose to be Friendly - Two field pieces were fired by the Artillery here early this morning at a boat of armed Men which we apprehend was returning from reconnoitering last night - Could the Rangers be relieved once in two or three weeks by some other Troops it would be obliging both officers & men from w-hom T have had some hints to that purpose - I hope Your Excellency will not take amiss any thing I have mentioned.

Lieutenant Charlton of Capt. Kirshaws Company in consequence of a Letter which he received this morning from Camden, did make application to me for leave to go there to secure his Family from a presumed insurrection of the Indians in that Quai"ter wdiich I did not comply with, & He returned His Commission into my hands - I hope Your Excellency will not take it amiss in having received said Commission, count of the Indians breaking out, which give them a great deal of uneasiness in regard to their families - I for my part do not think that matters are half so had as reported to be -

Sir I received Your Excellency's Letter just now by Mf Calvert Jun, with Keg of Ciun Powder for which I have given him a Receipt 1 am happy to hear that Cunningham & the other Prisoners have taken the Test oath &c - & I am of the same opinion with Your Excellency that their discharge will have a good effect - The oared Barge shall be sent to Town as soon as Your Excellency shall be pleased to send Men capable of carrying her safe up as there are none in my camp fit for that purpose - I have not had any success as yet in sending the Deserters Letters to the Enemy; they now keep double the Centinels to what they formerly did, but nevertheless I expect to have them landed safe this night & I hope they will have the desired effect.

I received the Spy Glass Your Excellency has been so kind as to send me, which I shall take particular care of & return when 1 shall be ordered to quit this Island - by Mr Calvert & am very sorr}^ that the Snuff was blown in M'" Timothy's Eyes for he is very much mistaken in saying that all the Troops have left Long Island & gone on board the Transports - Yesterday Morning we perceived only (uie Centinel on the Breast work opposite to our when they usually planted four & this morning we did not discover any Enemy there, ahout 11 oClock there appeared to be some of our Friends in Arms from the main in order as I suppose to I'econnoitre the Enemys Entrenchments - They no sooner appeared to the Enemy on Long Island, than they began to fire on them & fired their Field Pieces ten times, but in my opinion without doing any damage. 1 could wish our men had not run so far when the Enemy fired - all their Tents are still standing on the Beach & I observed just now that about 150 including Men Women & Children marching toward the East end of Long Island with their Field pieces & I think mean to embark - There are none of the Enemy left on Goat Island & their flat bottomed Boats all disappeai-ed Yesterday; as the naval force have made a move to push off this morning, the land force in my opinion will also do the same in a few days - I should have wrote to Your Excellency before now had not I expected the Commanding Officers here whom I generally informed, would have communicated every circumstance that has happened to Your Excellency - I have the honour to be

Regiment under proper officers on an Expedition into East Florida - You are therefore desired to proceed immediately to Savanna k take the Command of the Detachment which will be ready to set off from this place this Evening - You will receive further orders from General Lee at Savanna

As no greater honour can be confered on a faithful Servant of the public so next to a consciousness of having done his duty nothing can afford so much pleasure to such a Servant as the thanks of the people. -

I must confess Sir, I had not entertained the smallest expectation of such distinguished Notice as the Congress have been pleased to take of my endeavours to assist in Repelling the attempts of the Fleet & Army upon this State on the 28^'^ of June last - I was conscious of having acted honestly in the Cause according to the best of my poor abilities & there My Ideas rested - however Sir I am not insensible of the very great honour which, for barely having done my duty, T have now received from the Congress - I beg leave to return you my particular thanks for the very polite manner in which yon have transmitted their

Permit me to request Sir, you will be pleased to present my humble respect & assurances to the Congress that my Life & Fortune are devoted to the Cause of the thirteen United States of America & to the general propagation of Liberty & that while my health & Strength will permit me I shall hold myself at the Command of my Country -

The detachment of my Regiment which went to Georgia have not yet come to Head Quarters, but I expect them here in the course of this week - There are now in Camp 161 Officers & Privates, seven of whom are sick, the remainder all tit for duty - there are numbers sick also at their- homes, unable to join the Regiment at present, but I expect them as soon as they recover - I believe 1 shall not move from here untill towards the l^^ next month, when 1 intend to encamp near Nielson's ferry unless I receive orders to the contrary - I have not any news this way worth Your notice - 1 have the honour to be

Inclosed you have a Return of the Names & dates of the Commissions of the Officers now in my Regiment & likewise the names of the Gentlemen who stand next lor preferment - Lieut^ Brown & Hopkins being the two first oldest Lieutenants & good Men, I beg you will be pleased to send Commissions for them as by the Return you will see there are two vacancies for Captains. - There are also vacancies for four second Lieutenants, & 1 shall recommend the first four Gentlemen now on the Recruiting service who shall raise ten men each - The bearer Capt. Richard Winn with a detachment & 2 waggons waits for Your Excellencys orders - You will please to observe that the first Eighteen Officers in my Regiment Rank by number & not by the dates of their Commissions -

Inclosed you have a Return of the detachment marched to Georgia, a Copy of Your Letter concerning the Expedition is sent to the Officer Commanding said detachment with orders strictly to adhere to & punctually to obey your directions therein contained I have directed the officer to Cross Savanna River below Augusta & from thence to proceed to Fort Barrington on the Alatainaha. The detachment is very badly provided with ammunition.

eleven days with a severe fever, which has rendered me incapable of getting out of bed without help, & that a great many of the officers & Men are very sick with a disorder called the Mumps, which is very brief in Camp, besides those who were before afflicted with the fever, which occasions the Camp to be very thin both of officers & men who are fit for duty - I remain with great respect Sir Yours &Cc

A Return of the Detachment of Rangers Commanded by Capt John Caldwell, which marched from Camp at the Congarees on an Expedition to Georgia. The 14tii October 1776 -

Your orders of the 12ti> I this moment received by Express, 1 shall do all in my power to get the Batallion together, tho' I am afraid it will be some days first - the detachment that went to Georgia under Major Mayson returned only last Thursday & the Major has given them leave of absence till the 6th of November, as they are at present much scattered & a great deal of sickness amongst them will make it difficult to collect them together k I am afraid will not be effected so soon as you may want them or I could wish for &: my not being in a condition to exert my self will be some hinderance, God knows when 1 shall be able to leave my loom, but never-theless I shall give all necessary orders to collect them as quick as possible

By a Letter which I received from General Howe since 1 wrote Yon la.st, I have reascn to think the remainder of my Regiment will be ordered towards Georgia should occasion require it, but should it be otherwise, I hope as soon as You have executed Your orders there You will join me with your detachment either at the Congarees or where you shall hear the Regiment is - I have ordered Lieut, Beames to join you immediately & to take with him a sufficient number of Men to complete the detachment

I still continue confined to my room very sick, but hope to be soon l)etter, wdien I may perhaps write you further - I wish you success & a Safe return to Camp - I remain

Please to receive inclosed a Return of my Regiment up to this daj^ I am extremely sorry it was not in my power to have' sent You one sooner, but some of ray Captains not coming to Camp agreeable to orders was the occasion of it, however you may rest assured that in future I shall transmit you Monthl}^ Returns

I should have done myself the pleasure of waiting on you long before this, had not my 111 state of health prevented me, but as I find myself grow stronger daily shall endeavour to do it sonje time this week

You are to proceed from Camp early tomorrow morning with the detachment under your Command for Georgia, there relieve Captain Caldwell & his detachment & follow such orders as he or the Commanding officer there may give you - You are to send me a lietnrn of Your Detachment at least once a Month, in order that 1 may have it in my power to render in a monthly one to the General here -

I have sent Capt. Richard Winn & 2 Subalterns with 2 Serjeants & 50 Rank & File to relieve the Detachment under Yonr Command with directions to follow such orders as you or the Commanding officer in Georgia maj^ give him, after which You are to proceed with Your said Detachment to the place of Encampment here where I shall be very glad to see you - Your several Letters did not come to hand untill three days after General Howe arrived in Town & then it was the first time that I heard from you since you left the Congarees - probably you could never meet with an opportunity to write me before however be that as it may T am very glad to hear that you & the other officers were all well, I wish you & them a happy new Year «S: a safe arrival in Camp -

Please to receive under cover hereof a Monthly Return of my Regiment up to the 1^^ Instant, as also one for General Howe, which I beg you will deliver to him - there are some of my officers, I am informed who will not take Continental Commissions - I expect to be in Town in the course of four or five days,

Agreeable to the request in Your Exceliencj^'s favour of the 17**1 Instant which I received last night ^ Express, I inclose a Return of my Regiment up to this day - Youi- Letter to Col. Sumter was forwarded to him immediately as it came to hand, but his answer is not yet arrived - I would have wrote Your Excellency more fully by this opportunity, but as I propose being in Town in a few days, must beg leave to postpone adding any more untill 1 have the pleasure of seeing Your Excellency. -

In consequence of orders which I just received from His Excellency the Pi'esident, 1 hope you will immediately on the receipt hereof, order 2 Captains 4 Lieutenants, 4 Serjeants 1 Drum & 1 Fife and 100 Rank & File well mounted with Twelve Waggons to Charles Town - Capt Warley is the first officer for Duty therefore You will please order the next Captain in turn, as also the Lieutenants - endeavour to procure the Waggons without pressing if possible, but at any rate they must be had & with the greatest expedition - Capt. Kirshaw is sick here & unfit for Duty - the Pay Master I expect will receive his Money this day & will meet the Detachment on the road & pay them -

As I was necessitated to discharge those Men belonging to my Regiment who were enlisted to serve no longer than the l^t Instant, it has been the means of reducing the Regt; to a certain number now on the Continental Establishment, which you will be made acquainted with by the inclosed Return, excepting 6 Serjeants & 45 Privates to serve upwards of Twelve Months longer who were enlisted upon the first establishment of my Regiment - My sole motive for troubling you at present, is to beg Your opinion in what I shall take the liberty of proposing & receiving your advice thereupon

As there seems to be not the least expectation of an Enemy shortly, I would propose sending all my ofiicers out on the Recruiting Service & giving Furlows to all the Men in Camp for two months (save about 30 or 40) to go home, with orders to Recruit as many men as they could possibly get; this method I presume would be of infinite service in procuring Recruits, as I am well convinced that many of the men have great weight & influence in & about where they live & that this indulgence might induce others to enlist -

I take the liberty of informing Your Excellency that I have discharged all those men belonging to my Regiment, who were enlisted to serve this State untill the 1*^^ Instant - The Regt is now reduced to a certain number on the Continental Establishment & 6 Serjeants & 45 Privates enlisted on the first Establishment of My Regt to serve for three Years, as you will perceive by the inclosed Return

I am of opinion that were these men at present in Camp given Furlows to, for two months, to go home, with orders to Recruit for My Regt it would be of infinite service, as I am vei'y certain many of them have g7'eat weight & influence in & about the neighborhood where they live & this indulgence might be of great benefit to the Recruiting service: I also purpose sending the greatest part of my officers on the same duty & I make not the least doubt of my Regiment being tolerably forward before many months -

1 shall be very happy in i^eceiving Your Excel lencys Advice & Instructions as soon as possible - the bearer Lieut Col. Mayson can give you any intelligence relative to the Regiment, in the mean time, I beg leave to add that I am with great respect

Sir By Major Wise please to receive -d return of my Regiment you will see by it that my officers has not returned from Recruiting I do not expect them until the 1 Septr Please to let Major Wise have 200 Muskets and Bayonets Flints and Carteridges paper I intend to have Muskets and Bayonets for my meiii except 100 which I would have complete Rifle men with good Horses and spears I would be much obliged to you for advice in remodeling my Regiment so as to make them of most service to the State I would have waited on you before this time had it not been for a Fall from my Horse which broke my brest Bone so that as yet I am not fit to Ride as soon as the officer8 Comes in wnll wait on you then I will be able to Judge how many Muskets I shall want I am Sir

By Major Wise you will I'eceive a return of my Regiment you will see by it that my [officers] are not yet returned from recruiting Please to let Major Wise have 200 Muskets and Baynets Flints and Oarteridge paper If you think it proper I will have Muskets for all my men except one hundred of the most expert to be Rifle men with good Horses and Spears I should be glad to receive your approbation and advice on new modeling my Regm^ to make them of the most service to the State I should have waited on you my self before this Time had it not been for a

Fall from m}' Horse which broke my brest Bone and am not yet able to Ride I expect all my officers in by the first of Sep!; then I shall be able to make proper Return and know how many Muskets I shall want

Inclosed yon v\ill Receive Copy of orders I received from his Exoely you will do all in your power to have them complyed with especially Capi Lyle 2 lieutl 2 Serjents & 50 men will call on you Cap^ Caldwell, Capt Brown 4 Lieuts 4 serjents and 100 men well guard the goal they will acquaint Col Williamson as soon as arrive at 96 of there being there Please to order all the men that is on Furlow all new recruits to Camp immediately do let any Joyn the 100 at the Goal or Capt Lyles detachmen they may if you think proper a few if there should be any up there that would rather stay and send some of them down that went from Camp Capt Caldwell Brown and Lyle will send to me their pa,y Bill by the first of Sept

You will proceed to Congarees and out of the detachment that is on their March with Capt Brown take 2 Lieut^ 2 Serjeants and 50 Men and March them to Col Mayson and there you will exert the best measures with him to take James Lindley Richard

As soon as you arrive at Gongarees with the Detachment under Your Command You will Detach off Capt Lyall 2 Lieuts 2 Serjeants and 50 men Capt Lyall has his orders where to march them then you will proceed with the remainder of your Detachment 96 where you are to Guard the Goal as soon as you arrive there you will acquaint Col And^ Williamson with your arrival and orders Please be careful to march the Men early in the morning that their March may be over before the heat of the Day I am Sir

Your Hble Sevt W. T. I have sent 20 lb of my own Powder and 50 ib Lead And some Flints of the publicks to your Detachment You will divide with Capt Lyalls To Capl Brown.

Inclosed you will receive a Copy of orders I this moment received from his Excelency the President please to peruse it observe the contents and do all in your power to have them imniediately comply'd with if in your power take the Command your self if not give great Charge to the Commanding officer of the Detachment to be careful of the Indians. If Mrs Mayson is not Delivered I can not expect you to go I hope Cap^ Caldwell will exert himself on this occasion as I inake no doubt he will let him know the Gover'l? orders on that head and my earnest request to have them comply'd with &c- Inclosed you have a New;? paper I this moment rec4 from our Major: I am much better then when I wrote to you last Pleaise to order all the officers and men (that does not belong to the Detachment brown gave up) to repair to Camp with all convenient speed Lieut Crowders and Mascal is both ver}^ sick at Camp I am

You will please order 50 horse men & 50 foot men Properly officer'd to Guard Ninety Six goal or any other service that may be required of them, all the Remainder of the Two Detachments you will order to Camp with the officers, Please to order Lieut Thomson down as I have Provided a Place in Town for him (that is School) Please send after any Deserters you hear of Belonging to our Regiment or any other of our States Regiments

I came yesterday from Town after being there S days in the hottest weather T ever felt Endeavouring to get Cloths for my men. Bought cloth a £15 ^ yd

& Scarlet I)'.' a £25 ^ yd hope to he able to Clothe thern Compleatly as soon as Capt Hatten Arrives, who went to France for Clothing for the Sohlier.s - the Assembly has Voted that the Soldiers should have 1 Coat I Jacote 1 ^ Breeches 2 Shirts 2 ^ Stockings 2 ^ Shoes 1 Black Cravat and 1 Blanket each year. I hope this Ample Provision for Soldiers will make some that are like to Lay cold this winter list in our Regiment - I saw the Pay Master in Town he told me he had but seven Returns, I am sorry to see that my request to the officers has been treated with Disreguard 1 saw an order from you on the same head as Little Noticed 1 should be sorry to See in my Orderly Book any orders that would not be a credit to them whom I ^o much Esteem - John James Haig is appointed Our Pay Master. I shall send to Town with the other Returns as soon as they come to hand and the Money shall go up as soon as Posible, Pray excuse me in answering your Letters in full as I am very unwell I had the fever Friday with heat & Fatigue Lt. Crowther has been very sick but is recouverd & is well Mr, Richardson told me he had sent you the Papers or I Should

In consequence of a copy of your Orders forwarded to me by Coh' Huger dated 17^1' September - I joined the first Detachment under Capt F Warley the 24th at this Place - on the 25^1^ Capt Browns Detachment arrived at the same place from Nelsons Ferry - On the 1^* Inst: arrived Col" Mayson with the Remainder of my Regt all safe - & at 10 oclock

I am sorry to acquaint you that from the behaviour of Lt Taggart to and at this place I have been under the Necessity of Putting him under arrest - - To

On the Cover of M General Howes orders I Received a line from you of the 27^^ i^g Informing me I should Renew Orders from You & General Howe - the Latter is come to hand Perhaps the Express may have lost your orders to me as they are not as yet arrived

The River in our Neighborhood has been Exceeding high and done as much Damage The Particulars of which I have not time at Present to Mention

You are to take post with the Detachment under your Command at or near the Place where Capt Smith lately encamp'd fully empowered to remove that post to one that may keep the inhabitants & their monys secure from the inrodes & Deprodations of such unlawfull Banditty as may cross Savannah River keeping out scouting parties to Aid the Disaffected, and Protect those citizens who are well affected iii their Persons & Propertys You will use every effort in Your Power to cut off all Intercourse & Connection between the inhabitants of this State and those of East Florida, and should such persons fall into your hands, or into the hands of those under Your Command you will in that case act agreeable to the Laws of the land & articles of war You will give such aid to the Civil Authority & to the Militia as may Crush & subdue at every Hazzard Those Publick Disturbers of Peace & good order You will keep up the strictest Dicipline & take the greatest care of the arms of those Men under Your Command & see they Do not w'ant or Destroy their Clothing and amunition Those crimes are not to Escape Your Notice or go unpunish'd you are to take great care you are not surpris'd in Your encampment having always your Arms k accoutrements Ready & well prepared tit for action

Should you Receive any Intellegence of Consequence You are immediately to Transmit it to head Quarters & I should strongly ]'ecommend that once in Ten days the parties from Capt"* Browns & Smiths Detachments may meet & give each other such Intelligence as may Contribute much to the advantage of the Service You are sent upon, and at the same time informing me or the Command:g officer in Camp, that I, or he may give orders accordingly You will keep an Exact Jurnal of Your proceedings which will accompany your letters in order that Government may be guarded against such applications as will l)e made by Persons who in Corse of Service will Complain

InclosVl You will please receive the Commissions of Lieutenants Hart & Thomson the Two Eldest Lieutenants in my Regiment whose Resignation is owing to the new Establish'^ taking place in the army which Deprives them of Captains Rank according to the old one allso Lt Crowthers Commission who is going into Tritde Cap*;*^ Brown and Hopkins with 2 Lieut^ 4 Sergt*^ & 65 Rank & file March this morning for Silver Bluff on Savannah River & Capt^; Smith & Jas: Warley with the same number of officers & men for Savannah River near Mathews' Bluff with such orders to

By the inclosed Roster of my Regiment you will find that I have now^ only ten Companies the Comp-V^ of the Late having Distributed Capt"*^ R Goodwyn & Maskall 1 agreeable to the new Establishment, I have sent off this Morning two Detachments consisting each of 2 Cap^^ 2 Subalterns 4 Serg« & 65 Rank & file one for Silver Bluff & the other for Matthews Bluff on Savannah.

You will please observe that in several of the Pay Bills now sent Down that there have been njany men omitted to be Returned for, owing entirely to some off

This morning agreeabe to GenJ. Howes Orders 1 sent off Two Detachments each of 2 Captains 2 Siib'j^ 4 Sargeants & 65 Rank & file for Silver Bluff & Matthews Bluff on Savannah River. Capt Rich^ Browo Commands one & Capt John Carraway Smith the other - in a few day T shall make you a Monthly Return of the Regiment also a Return of the Militar3^ Stores belong to it - To

Inclos'd you have a Monthly Return of my Regiment up to the 16th Instant allso a Return of the arms & accoutrements with a Return of the Stores as far as it is in my Power to make it at Present - one of the Villians who Roli'd this place is now in goal - If I am Rightly inform'd Seven More of the Same gang will never do any more Mischief - I have Likewise Inclosed the Charge against Lt Taggart. I should be glad you'd left me know whether the Dochester guard is to I)e Returned from Town or from here To I am Sir Your Most

IiiclosM You have a Return of my Reg\ up to the IGt'^ Inst; Chavis one of the Villians who was at the Robery of this place is now in goal, & If I am Rightly informed then Seven more of the same gang will never do, commit any more Roberys, which ha^ Pritty well Quieted the Disturbances at Present, when I came to this place it seemed to be in great Confution it was hard Judging between Whigg & Tory, which was best

My Orders when I came here was to Protect the Civill Power, but I could find more to Protect, on the whole thing Seem to be more Settled in these Parts than ever they were Since our Troubles First began I hope to be in Town Next Week, when I will do myself the pleasure of waiting on You & giving you further Particulars

I gladly Rec^? Yours of 20*^^ Inst; I am Sorry to find, that heathen like Piinciple Still Remaining in the inhabitants of the frontiers knowing to be the beginners of all Comotions w^i^ the Indians, Save that of 76 with Cherokees, I have sent orders to Capt Brown to furnish you w^^^ as great a number of men, as he can spare only leaving a small guard at the Passes - & Should Capt Brow^n not be able to Spai'e you a sufficient number you w^ill Please apply to Capt Sniith at or near Matthews Bluff for 20 men having wrote to Capt Smith, that should you apply for that number to Send them immediately - I should think

Guard to go to Ogeechie with him yonl Please furnish him with all you can Spare leaving a sufficient number to guard the Passes - My complements to all the officers

You will Proceed with the party under Your Command to Morrises Ford on North Fork of Edistoe River, when there, You will do your utmost indeavours to Cut off all Intercourse & Communication be- tween the inhabitants of this State & those of East Florida and take up & send to me all Suspected Persons at or near your Post likewise to inform me of any Matter that is going on any where else, or any thing else that may come within Your Knowledge besides Your Post that will be of any Service or Disservice to this State - If any of the above mention'd Persons should fall into Your hands, you will send them here under a strong guard, You will Remain at or near S*^ Post until further Orders

You wrote me some time past that the Blanketts & other Clothing the Remainder of what is Due. to the 3^1 Regiment was Ready for them I have Sent a waggon for them - Please to deliver them to Corporal Daniel Shannon

I should have come to Town but hear it is very Sickly in town I shall Refir coming untill Froast Please to Send me a Bill of what you Deliver to the corporal - If there is any thing more than what I have had from you, due or that I may have a right to Receive out of the Publick Store

I Received Yours of the 30*^' this day about one Oclock with the dispatches from the Governor & Major Genl How, I am much obliged to you for Complying with part of them in Sending the Men with Cannon; Please to Enquire amongst the Men & Know who of them has Horses within one or two days Travel of the Camps, send them for them that we may he able to comply with the other Order in Gen''. How*t Dispatches.

T should have been at Orangeburgb on Monday, but one of my Children has been Til with the fever, which has never Intermitted this Eight days, as soon as She gets bettor 1 shall be at Camp.

On Receipt of this You are to March The Men Under Your Command to Camp having A Guard of a Sergant & five Men in as private a place as possible, let them be men that you can depend upon, with orders to follow you to Camp in six days after you leave them, if they make no Discoveries, leave with the Sergant the same orders you received upon that Command.

*The foregoing is a copy of Colonel William Thomson's Order Book, owned, and loaned to me, by Judge A. C Haskell. With the exception of several pages, it was copied by me, and I certify that this is a true copy of said book.

ney, D. D,, says, in his ''Lite of Thomas Pinckney", page 27, that as soon as Captain Thomas Pinckney was authorized to enlist men, in July, 1775: "He at once determined to fill up the ranks of his company, and went to Orangeburg to gather recruits. As soon as he had obtained the requisite number of fifty men, his military knowledge was put into requisition", &c. And again, on page 48, Dr. Pinckney says: "Recruiting formed a large part of his duty during these earlier years of the war. He had already visited Orangeburg, and enlisted three fourths of his own company in that district."*

And, in passing, it is well to relate that when General Armstrong visited the South in 1776 to inspect the Continental troops, his brigade-major (Conner) "pronounced the first South Carolina regiment the best disciplined on the continent."

When the first three regiments of regulars were formed in June, 1775, Isaac Huger, who owned a plantation in St. Mathew's Parish, and had several times represented that Parish in the Coloilial Assembly, was, on June 3rd, elected lieutenant-colonel of the 1st regiment. It is likely that his influence took some Orangeburgh men into that regiment.

*And here it may be interesting to add that he visited Orangeburgh Distriet several times before the war ended, for in 1779 he attended Court in Orangeburgh, and successfully defended some prisoners who had erred through ignorance of military law. And we should also judge that he had been attending court at the Motte plantation, since in the same year he was married to Miss. Ehzabeth Motte. And again, after tlie battle of Camden, where he was wounded and captured, he rei3aired, under parole, to the Motte place to recuperate and be nursed.

Gen. Isaac Hugek Fkom An Old Pkint

In addition to the four regiments raised in 1775, two regiments of riflemen were voted in Februarj% 1776. Lieut. Col. Isaac Huger, of the 1st regiment, was made Colonel of the first regiment of rifles, which was, in July of that j-ear, taken into the Continental service, and thenceforward known as the 5th regiment of South Carolina Continentals. It is also likel}^ that Col. Huger* had some Orangeburgh men with him in that regiment.

Although we have not been able to find any of the rolls of any of the companies of the Continental line, we have extracted from a pension roll, dated as late as 1840, the following names of Revolutionary soldiers of the Continental Establishment from Orangeburgh District:

Besides those who fought in the regular service, Orangeburgh District furuished many men to the militia branch of the service. In the early days of the war militia companies were formed in every section of the Colony. Their rolls w^ere sent down to the Council of Safety by whom they w^ere generally approved and their officers commissioned, and the companies assigned to regiments.

In 1775 the militia of the Province consisted of thirteen regiments, nearly every officer of which, and the large majority of the men of which, signed the Association.

The Orangeburgh District regiment had William Thomson for its colonel, Christopher Rowe for its lieutenant-colonel, and Lewis Golson for its major.* The lower district between the Broad and Saluda rivers, the greater part of which was in Orangeburgh District, had a regiment of which Robert Starke was

Tyrrel, major. After Colonel Thomson was made colonel of the 3rd regiment of regulars (Rangers), the command of the Orangeburgh District regiment devolved upon Rowe, though Col. Thomson seems to have exercised a sort of supervision over it, and, in the back country expeditions in 1775, spoke of it as, "my regiment of militia."f And during the siege of Charlestown, and after his exchange, he probably resumed command of the regiment.

fin a letter to the Council of Safety, dated Nov. 28, 1775, Col. Thomson stated that three of the militia companies existed in liis inniiediate neighborhood.

Regulars take precedence of all corps of Militia, and that the regiments of Militia shall take precedence in the following manner: 1. Berkeley County. 2. Charles Town. 3. Granville County. 4. Colleton County. 5. Craven County, the lower part. 6. Orangeburg. 7. Craven County, the upper part. 8. Camden. 9. Ninety-Six, north of the Fish Dam Ford and between Enoree, Broad and Saluda Rivers. 10. The New Acquisition, south of the Fish Dam Ford and between Broad and Saludy Rivers, north of Enoree and between Broad and Saludy Rivers."

In the Provincial Congress on March 23rd, 1776, it was resolved: "That the fork between Saluda and Broad Rivers, be divided into three regiments, according to the division of districts by the resolve of Congress of the 9th February last; one regiment in each of the districts." The lower or "Dutch Fork", regiment was probably commanded by Col. Jonas Beard, as we find, by a letter to Gen. Moultrie, dated April 6th, 1778, mention made by President Lownrdes of "Col Beard" and his regiment of militia at "the Congarees."

The niilitia of South Carolina were, on March 28th, 1778, divided into three brigades, commanded by Generals Stephen Bull, Richard Richardson, Sr., and Andrew Williamson, respectively. Gen. Richardson lived in the Parish of St. Mark's, which was across the Santee from Orangeburgh Distiict, and Gen. Williamson lived in Ninety-Six District adjoining Orangeburgh District on the North, and it is therefore likely that the bulk of the militia of Orangeburgh District belonged to these brigades, though some belonged to Bull's brigade as is shown by Tarleton Brown in his "Memoirs."*

After the fall of Cliarlestown, (leiieral Richardson having previously resigned,* General Bull having been paroled by the British, and General Williamson having taken British protection, Governor Rutledge commissioned Colonels Thomas Sumter, Francis Marion and vVndrew Pickens as brigadiers of militia. Subsequently John Barnwell was made a brigadier of militia; and it said that Col. James Williams had just received a brigadier's commission when killed at King's Mountains.

These officers were each given, by Governor Rutledge, military jurisdiction over a certain territory. In his proclamation of August 5th, 1781, Governor Rutledge warns all persons holding any property of the enemy 'to deliver it to the brigadier general of the district in which it is"; and again in his proclamation of September 27th, 1781, he stated that "the several brigadiers of militia" had been ordered to perform certain functions "within their respective districts".

It is probable that a part of Orangeburgh District - the upper and western sections - was in Pickens's militia district, and the western part, from the North Edisto to the Santee, in Sumter's militia district.

These militia brigades were very well organized and rendered valuable service, but as the militia law was quite lax, the men dispersed to their plantations at pleasure, and only assembled in times of great public danger, or when there was a chance of a fight. The result of this was that a brigade was often reduced to the size of a company. This free and easy, come and learn that 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants, 1 druninier and 24 privates of the New Windsor company, and 1 captain and H privates of tlie Upper Three Runs company were present at Savannaii on March 15th, 1776, soon after the British attack on tiiat place. *He died soon after resigning.

go method of campaigning has induced many writers to apply the term ''partisan militia" to the brigades of Sumter, Marion and Pickens; but is a mistake to suppose that these were Robin Hood sort of bands. They were regularly established militia brigades with Governor Rutledge's power and authority behind them. And Governor Rutledge's power and authority emanated from the State legislature, and, therefore, from the people.

But there were many militia companies that acted independently at times of the regiments and brigades to which they belonged, and without any special authority from a superior officer. There are many interesting traditions concerning several of these militia companies of Orangeburgh District.

One of them was commanded by Captain Jacob Rumph, who lived about five miles above Orangeburg village. It probably formed a part of Rowe's regiment. It is said to have marched to Savannah, in 17*78, to join the American army in besieging that town, but arrived too late, the siege having been abandoned.

Mr. C. M. McMichael, of this County says that his father, Jacob McMichael.* has often related to him many of the exploits of Rumph's company which had been related to him by Lieut. Wannamaker, and says that his father has often pointed out to him the spot whereon Rumph's house stood, and also a large oak whereon he said Rumph hung many Tories. His father was a boy of 10 or 12 during the Revolution, and lived not many miles from Capt. Rumph, and he further related to Mr. McMichael that Rumph had a "bull pen" wherein he kept his prisoners.

certaint}^ that Capt Runipli still coiiiiuaiicled acoinpany of militia in Orangeburgh District in 1784, as will 1)6 seen by the following extract from Judge O'Neall's "Bench and Bar of South Carolina", page 341: "November, 1784. "Mr. Justice Hey ward.

"On motioi] of Mr. Sheriff, ordered that Capt. Jacob Humph do immediately send six men, out of his company, to guard the gaol for the space of seven days; and that, after the expiration of seven days, ordered that Capt. Henry Felder do relieve the aforesaid six men with six men from his company, to continue seven days; and that, after said term, Capt. Rumph shall again send the same compliment of men to relieve Capt. Felders men, and so each to relieve the other alternately, until the prisoners now confined in gaol, and under sentence of death, be executed according to sentence, or otherwise disposed of." (From Circuit Court records.)

Below is a roll of Capt Rumph's company. It was first published in the Clayton, Alabama, Baiuia', and had, it is said, been furnished that paper by the holder of the original roll. A copy of the published roll was sent to the Sonfhron, a newspaper published in Orangeburg about 1860, by the late Capt A. Govan Salley, and it was republished in the Southron on September 10, 1861, with the remark that the editor had "no doubt of its authenticity", and that it was "worthy of remark that after the lapse of three-quarters of a century, the names, with scarcely an exception, still exist among the present inhabitants of Orangeburg District." The writer then adds: "The following are the names of Capt Jacob Rumph's men who fought the Tories of South Carolina in 1783, Orangeburg District, commanded by Col Wm Russell Thomson."

Many thrilling stories of the exploits of Rumph's daring partisans are told by the old people of this section, but, while many of them are no doubt ill-founded, or badly mixed up with other occurrences, they are worth preserving, and perhaps future discoveries in the way of records will either confirm or destroy their truth.

The following account of some of the exploits in which Eumph's company was engaged is taken from the Southern Cabinet for 1840. The article is signed "J.", and was probably written by Gen. David F. Jamison, of Orangeburg, a grandson of Capt Rumph, who signed most of his articles simply "J":

"After the siege and fall of Charleston in the year 1780, and the shameful violation of the articles of treaty by the British officers, the war in South Carolina became essentially of a partisan character. The State was overrun, but not subdued. Bold spirits arose everywhere to assert their liberties, and they were frequently and instantaneously crushed by a powerful and unsparing foe, and no recollection now survives of themselves or their deeds; but not all of them thus perished. One fearful contest tradition has preserved, which I will endeavor to record - a struggle of man with his fellow man, a pursuit, a pistol shot and a death.

"Capt Jacob Rumph, (known after the Revolution better perhaps, as Gen Rumph,) of Orangeburg District, was the commander of a troop of cavalry raised ill his neighborhood to protect themselves and their families, who lost no occasion of aiding their friends or annoying their enemies. They are all gone; history has not recorded their names, but few bolder spirits struck for liberty in that eventful war. Capt. Rumph was a man of prodigious size and strength, of great courage and coolness in the hour of danger, and though of a harsh and imperious disposition, no one was better fitted for the command of the hardy and intrepid men who composed his corps. They were usually dispersed at their ordinary avocations on their farms, but they united at a moment's warning from their leader.

"Not long after Charleston was taken by the British Capt. Rumph was returning with two of his wagons, which had been sent to (Tiarleston with produce in charge of a Dutchman named Houselighter, and while slowly riding in company with his wagons on a small but strong horse, his mind gloomily brooding over the oppressed and almost hopeless condition of South Carolina, he had reached a large pond, on what is now called the old road, about seven miles below the village of Orangeburg, when he was suddenly roused by the approach of three men on horseback, whom he instantly recognized as his most deadly foes. They were well mounted, and armed like himself with sword and pistol. When the horsemen had reached the opposite side of the road to Capt. Rumph they halted for a moment and would have approached him nearer, but he. placing himself in the best posture of defence he could, called out to them: 'Gentlemen, stand off - I wish to have nothing to do with you!' The Tories, for such they were, surveyed him for an instant, and after a short conference with each other, to Capt. Rumph's great relief, rode on, and soon disappeared at the next turn of the road.

"Rumph, though he saw with no little satisfaction that the Tories had passed on, yet was too well acquainted with them to suppose for a moment that he was to get off so easily. He knew very well that the short respite they had thus given him was only that with an increased force he might become their prey with less danger to themselves. He rightly conjectured that the three who had passed him on the road were only scouts sent to apprehend him if unarmed, and who, if he had incautiously suffered them to approach him, would have shot him down while off his guard. Casting his eyes about a moment for means of escape from his wily foes, the danger of his situation became fully apparent. The three troopers he knew belonged to the corps of the sanguinary Cuningham, a part of which, he was certain, was in the neighborhood, under the command of one of his subaltern officers, and Capt. Rumph, after carefully surveying his situation, became fully conscious of his extreme danger of falling into the hands of his merciless foes. He was mounted upon a strong but slow horse, and the thought of escape on horseback was abandoned by him without hesitation. He was armed with a trusty cut and thrust sword and a brace of pistols, but it would have been madness, he well knew, to think of exposing himself to such odds as he was sure would be brought against him. There was no time to be lost. His only chance of escape at once flashed across his mind, and he immediately set about executing it. He rode his horse up to the pond already mentioned, and tied him fast to a tree. He then took off the greater part of his clothes and left them near his horse, to induce the suspicion that he had concealed himself in that pond. But that was very far from his real intention. Be walked in the water near the margin of the pond until he had gained the side opposite to which he had tethered his horse, and, choosing with some caution the place at which he could best leave it, he set off at a rapid rate through the pine woods for home, a distance of some sixteen miles.

"In the meantime the three troopers, who, as Capt. Kumph truly supposed, were a party detached to seize, him if they could, returned to their main body, consisting of about twenty men under the command of Lieut. Parker, and reported the situation in which they had left Capt. Rumph. Without loss of time the party set off to overtake him. Upon their arrival at the pond they found that the wagons had proceeded but little distance from the spot which they occupied when the three Tories passed them, and Capt. Rumph's horse and clothes were in the same situation in which they had lieen left by him. The whole party rode up to the wagon and fiercely inquired of poor Houselighter, who was pale with terror, where Rumph was. He pointed to the pond, and they rode up to the place where the horse was tied, and when they saw his clothes and other signs of Rumph's having taken to the pond, they surrounded it on every side, and, dismounting, they entered it sw^ord in hand, and searched every place where he could possibly have been concealed. But their search was fruitless. Rumph was far on his way towards home before those who were so eagerly thristing for his blood could satisfy themselves that he was not there. Irritated by the escape of the prey which they were so confident they had in their grasp, while one party scoured the neighboring woods in search of Capt. Rumph, the other party took cha.rge of the wagons, and, after taking such of the horses as could be serviceable to them, they stripped the wagons of everything they could not carry away and burnt them to ashes with the remaining part of

"Capt. Riimph reached home about sunset, with the determination to give his pursuers chance of a fight with less odds on one side, and he immediately set about collecting the scattered members of his corps. This was soon accomplished, and they, about twentj^- five in number, were ready to set off in pursuit of the Tories by daylight the next morning.