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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Griffith Rutherford to Horatio Gates
Rutherford, Griffith, ca. 1721 - 1805
May 28, 1780
Volume 14, Page 496

-------------------- page 496 --------------------
GATES PAPERS.
(From New York Historical Society Papers.)
GEN. GRIFFITH RUTHERFORD TO GEN. HORATIO GATES.

Richmond, May 28th, 1780.

Dear Sir:

Our advices from Clinton are that Sir Harry, with his fleet and army, has formed the blockade. His approaches are made within a few feet of the Grand Canal or wet ditch. A flying camp under Cornwallis, consisting of 1,500 light troops, scour the country from Cooper to Santee rivers, a space of 40 miles, with fully that sweep elsewhere. The favorable circumstances are that his army, though numerous, are very sickly; the soil will not admit of sapping, his line very extensive and six thousand North Carolina militia in motion with the Maryland line now at Petersburg. It is also reported that a fleet of our allies with troops, were spoke with in lat. 40 and longitude 27, destined assuredly for Chs. Town.

The important question of finance agitated the minds of either party; nothing conclusive has been done.

May you, with good Lady and Son, be very happy in your agreeable retreat.

I am,
With every sentiment of respect, dear General,
Your most obedient, hbl' serv.
R. RUTHERFORD.