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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Nathanael Greene to Alexander Leslie
Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786
February 01, 1782
Volume 16, Pages 179-180

TO LIEUT. GEN. LESLIE, ETC., ETC, FROM. GEN. GREENE.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

February, 1st, 1782.

Sir:

I have received your letter concerning Governor Burke, and although I cannot justify the violation of a parole, yet I am not agreed with you in opinion that his apprehensions were chimerical, for Colonel Washington says he would sooner go into a dungeon than take a parole on that Island in its present situation; and what serves to confirm me in opinion, that the danger was far greater than you apprehended, is some violences lately committed upon your officers at the Waxhaws, the authors of which, can they be discovered, shall be punished with the utmost severity, and was it

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not a matter of civil resort, could be detected, should suffer immediate death.

Governor Burke is gone to North Carolina, and before I can write him fully on this subject I wish to know in what light you consider him, whether a prisoner of War, or as Major Craig affects to hold him a State prisoner.

I have the Honor to be
Your Most Obedt. Hum. Servt.,
(Signed)
N. GREENE.