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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Edward Carrington to Horatio Gates
Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810
October 13, 1780
Volume 14, Pages 690-692

LT. COL. ED. CARRINGTON TO MAJ. GEN. GATES.

Taylor's Ferry, October 13th, 1780.

Dr. General:

The Virginia part of the Continental Regiment of Artillery is now reduced to so mere a handful that a particular provision of cloathing for them has perhaps not been thought an Object worth attending to. At any rate, I am convinced no provision upon the Continental footing has been tried, & as to the State provision I am certain the most diligent application will obtain them

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nothing, as I know their means are scanty, & the Executive will think the new Levies & the State Regiments demand their first attention. I therefore take the liberty of asking that the few Virginians which are now with Capt. Singleton may share with the Maryland line the cloathing which are now arriving at Camp. These men are totally destitute of cloathing, and cannot be fit for service unless they have a supply from somewhere. Capt. Singleton will do himself the Honor to wait on you & fully explain the circumstances under which they stand.

I have the Honor to enclose you a Copy of a letter of a few days ago, received from Governor Jefferson, in answer to one I wrote him on the subject of provisions & Waggons, from which you will be able to Judge of your prospects with respect to those Articles. I own I do not like them at all. As to provisions for our daily occasions, the executive seem to have made such a disposition as may answer well enough, but I cannot learn from this letter that any disposition is made for laying in Stores of Salted Meats for the Winter & Spring's use, when Beeves will be unfit for slaughtering. As to Waggons, I have been in expectation of a Number of New ones being brought into the service by a Mr. Hunter, near Fredericksbg., who, the Executive several months ago told me, had contracted to make them. You see by the abovementioned letter we shall be disappointed in them, & I know Mr. Moody cannot produce many, so that they are left still as they were last Spring, to obtain them amongst the people. This mode of supplying Waggons to the public is really ruinous, viewed as well in a public as private light. We distress the Farmers unreasonably, & not only get into the Service old Waggon that will soon be unfit for service, but we also cut off our resources in the different parts of the country for such occasional services as we often find ourselves dependent on the people for. I have thought of trying whether the Quarter Masters at the different posts cannot procure the making of Waggons. I should suppose that each of them could have influence enough with the Workmen of his Neighbourhood to have at least some done.

I, a night or two ago, received a letter from Capt. Irish, by which I find that what I apprehended when I wrote you last, is really the Case. Our Artists at Richmond are without a House

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to work in, or even to Shelter themselves. I wish much to go & see what can be done to get them fixed for their business.

Since my last We have Arrived here about 60,000 M. Cartridges & 3,000 lbs. of Bacon, which I wish Waggons would come to take way.

I have the Honor to be, with much
Respect & Esteem, Yr. Mo. Obt. Hl. St.,
ED. CARRINGTON, Lt. Col. Art.