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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Nicholas Long to Jethro Sumner
Long, Nicholas, ca. 1726-1797
February 06, 1782
Volume 16, Pages 503-504

COL. NICHOLAS LONG TO BRIG. GEN. SUMNER.

Halifax, February 6th, 1782.

Dear Sir:

I received yours of the 29th Ultimo respecting Fire-Arms, also by ye 4th instant relative to sending your Waggons, Stores, &c. I made application to General Jones, whose Opinion was in the Negative in Regard to the Loan of Arms. Willie Jones, Esquire, was not at Home.

To inform you of Arms about 700 Stands are here, compleate for the State. The Following is Extract of a Letter I lately received from Benjamin Hawkins, Esq., Delegate in Congress, vizt:

“I enclose you an Order for some Arms and Military Stores for the State of North Carolina; they will be delivered to you at Richmond on James River. The Delay attending this Matter, although unavoidable on my part, hath given me great uneasiness, as I well know our distressed situation.

“The Secretary in War supposes that our State has already rec’d., by Order of the Commander-in-Chief, the like number of Arms and

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Military Stores; but if the contrary should appear, you will be pleased to inform us of it, that Order may be immediately taken to furnish the Remainder.

“I have written to Mr. Thomas Jones to put the Arms and Stores in Order for the Waggons by the time they arrive. I wish they may be sent for immediately, lest Congress should make some other disposition of them, and we should again be disappointed.

“This conveyance being uncertain, determined me to send the Original Orders for the Arms to the Governor of Virginia; there it will be safe until you apply. It is for:

“1,000 Muskets.
“1,000 Cartouch Boxes.
“10,000 Cartridges.
“1,000 lbs. Musket Balls.
“1,000 lbs. Gun Powder.
“3,000 Flints.

An Express is now gone to the Governor of Virginia to obtain the Order, and bring Intelligence of whom and where those arms, &c., may be received.

Mr. Hawkins mentions enclosing an order, but none came enclosed.

In answer to your last I inform you that not having such stores on hand applied to Capt. Robert Fenner, who hath Stores in charge which belong to the State, &c. He says you may, by order, obtain them of him, such as he hath.

As to Cloathing, I’ve none on hand, except a few shoes, &c., which will be sent off to Head Quarters immediately; nor do I intend to concern at all with Clothing in the Future, except to furnish those immediately employed in the Quarter Master’s Department. All Applications of that kind will henceforth be made to the Deputy Clothier General.

Your Baggage Waggon and Red Cloth shall be sent off To-morrow, also your Shoes as soon as possible. No Sealing Wax or Wayfers, nor Money to purchase.

I am, Dear Sir,
With much Respect,
Your humble servant,
NICHOLAS LONG, D. Q. M.