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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to Cornelius Harnett
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
August 11, 1776
Volume 10, Pages 742-743

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from Colonel Caswell to the North Carolina Council of Safety.

11th August, 1776.

Sir,

I had an order of Council of the 27th ulto, presented to me this day, for payment of £1000 to Capt. John Easton as paymaster to Capts. Anderson & Ward's Independant Companies on the Sea Coast; and observed in the order by way of introduction, 'tis sayed, “Whereas there appears to have been no paymaster appointed to the Independant Companies on the Sea Coast in this Colony.” I apprehended that the paymasters of the Militia in the different districts were to

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pay the Independent Companies in their respective Districts and have accordingly paid to Mr William Blount & Mr James Council two months' pay of the four Compys stationed in their districts, which I am persuaded the Council did not know at the time of Mr Easton's appointment and which I think it my duty to inform them of. I shall be ever ready to obey the orders of Council, but in this instance I have delayed it 'till I have your further directions in the matter, especially as the person sent for the Money waits on you with other Business. Mr Jacob Blount set out with me on Thursday last in expectation of waiting on the Council at Johnston but on the road we were informed you had not left Halifax & we returned. He intends to set out again and will be able, I imagine, to give you an Accot of the payment of the money or why it has not been all paid. I shall set out for Halifax in a few days or would do myself the pleasure to wait on you.

I am with Compliments to the Council,
Sir, your most obedient Servt
R. CASWELL.