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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Message from Richard Caswell to the North Carolina General Assembly concerning appointments of public officials and army officers
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
April 09, 1777
Volume 11, Pages 443-445

[From Executive Letter Book.]

Gentlemen of the General Assembly.

Pursuant to the powers vested in me by the late Congress, I have granted temporary Commissions to the following persons, viz:

FRANCIS TARTANSON, Captain of a company in the eighth North Carolina Battalion in the Army of the United States.
RICHARD RESPASS, 1st Lieutenant of a company in the eighth North Carolina Battalion in the Army of the United States.
JOHN McNORTON 2nd Lieutenant of a company in the eighth North Carolina Battalion in the Army of the United States.
THOMAS CUSTIS, Ensign of a company in the eighth North Carolina Battalion in the Army of the United States.

John Ancrum Esquire, Judge of the Court of Admiralty at port Brunswick, in the room of Richard Quince Esquire, who refused to act.

Simon Jones, Captain of a Company in the eighth North Carolina Battalion in the American army, in the room of William Gurley, who refused to act.

Charles Demis, second Lieutenant in the said Company, in the room of Solomon Wood, who refused to serve.

John Bush, second Lieutenant in Capt. Harget's Company of the said Battalion, in the room of Gideon Canaway, resigned.

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Elias Hoell, Ensign in the said Company, in the room of John Respass, resigned.

Abner Loomis, Ensign of Capt. Jones' Company in said Battalion, in the room of Thos. Bertie, resigned.

Allaway Langford, Ensign in Capt. Nixon's Company of the said Battalion, in the room of Samuel Jones, resigned.

Richard Bradley, Paymaster to the first Regiment of Continental Troops in this State, in the room of William Lord, Esquire, resigned.

Gideon Lamb Esquire, Colonel of the sixth North Carolina Battalion of American Troops, in the room of Alexander Lillington, Esquire, resigned.

Archibald Lytle Esquire, Lieutenant Colonel of the said Battalion, in the room of Colonel Taylor, also resigned.

Miles McSheely, Adjutant to the ninth Battalion.

John Burton, Adjutant to the eighth Battalion.

John Altran Loomis, Surgeon to the said eighth Battalion.

Which Commissions will be invalid at the end of this session of the General Assembly: & as the Troops are now on their march thro' the State, on their way to join General Washington, I submit it to you, Gentlemen, whether it will not be necessary to direct Commissions immediately to issue to those Gentlemen, so appointed officers in the Army, or such others as you may think proper to appoint. No application has yet been made to me by Captain Dickinson to certify the Prisoners of war in this State, nor have I been able to obtain a list of them tho', they still remain here. Application has been made to me by a number of them now at Halifax, for money to defray their expenses. A letter from Captain McNicol, & the petition of Joseph Hughes I herewith lay before you.: at the same time, I beg leave to recommend the sending the Prisoners of War, with the army now on their march to the Northward, as such a measure will be saving the expense of a particular guard. I also lay before you a letter from Messrs Peter & Daniel Mallett, Commissaries, complaining of the small allowance made for rations, furnished by them to the Troops, & proposing a resignation of their appointments, in case a further allowance is not made.

I likewise lay before you letters from the Governor of Virginia, & a letter from the President of South Carolina, informing that

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Commissioners are appointed in those States to treat with the Cherokee Indians, & conclude a peace with them, to the end that you may appoint Commissioners to cooperate with them, if you think proper so to do. Captain Budd & Capt. Lowe of the fourth Georgia Battalion, are in town, & request leave to recruit men for the service of the United States. As the General Assembly is now sitting, I do not think myself at liberty to grant such leave without your direction therein.

RICHARD CASWELL.

New Bern, 9th April 1777.