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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from John Page to Cornelius Harnett
Page, John, 1744-1808
August 01, 1776
Volume 10, Pages 729-730

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from President Page of Virginia to the North Carolina Council of Safety.


Wmsburg, August ye 1st, 1776.

Sir,

We have been endeavouring to make every Preparation necessary for the indian Expedition, but before a single Man could march from the Battalions below, or the Counties from which we had ordered them out, the Cherokees & Creeks made an Irruption into Fincastle County on Holstein murdered several Women & carried off some children—upon which a Party of Militia 170 in Number marched out in quest of the Savages & on the 20th ulto fell in with an equal Number of Indians whom they attacked & totally routed, killing on the spot 13 without losing a man—we took a great number of Guns, & it is supposed that near half of them were killed or wounded—as our men fought with great Calmness & Intrepidity. The Attack was begun by our Scouts who fell in with the Indian's Scouts, & beat them back, when the Ground being disadvantageous to our Men they thought it best to retire to a breast work they had thrown up not far from the Place; whilst they were on their way to it, the Indian with their whole Force fell on our Rear which bravely withstood their shock—our whole Force was soon drawn out in a Line, & after an obstinate Engagement totally routed the Enemy—I have given you an imperfect but true Account of this Affair written with great haste that I may not detain the Express who happened to be passing through this Town on his way to Chas Town. I could not refrain from doing this, as I could wish that you would always lay hold in the same Manner of every opportunity

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to forward to us any Intelligence you may think worth communicating—Excuse my Haste, & my not being able to be more particular.

I am Sir with greatest Respect
Yr most obedt hble Sert
JOHN PAGE.

P. S. We have certain Intelligence by a Person who made his escape from the Cherokee Town that they were marching 600 Men into our Frontiers (that the Party above mentioned was a Detachment from that Army) that they had in the different Towns 2400 fighting Men—that the Creeks had joined & 15 Northern Tribes.

J. P.