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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to John Butler
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
May 26, 1779
Volume 14, Pages 105-106

GOV. CASWELL TO GENL. JOHN BUTLER.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Kingston, 26th May, 1779.

Sir:

Enclosed you have a Copy of a Resolution of the General Assembly, empowering you to draw on the Treasury of South Carolina for any sum not exceeding 100,000 dollars, to be applied to the payment of the Militia under your command, by which you will be pleased to govern your conduct.

We are endeavouring to complete our Continental Battalions by exempting from Military duty, except on Invasion or Insurrection, every ten Militia men, who shall enlist one Continental for 18 months or longer. If this cannot be effected by raising 2,000 by the first of July, a draft is to be made from the Militia for the deficiency. When these men are raised, I expect, without great alteration in circumstances, they will be sent to the Southward. In the mean time I think you need not look for any more Militia from this State, as the enemy, about 3,000, have actually invaded Virginia, taken possession of the Fort at Portsmouth, burnt Suffolk, and committed many other acts of devastation and destruction, and threaten Edenton, New Bern and Wilmington, with every other part of the State to which they can get access, with destruction and desolation, which seems in some measure probable, as they have three or four Row Galleys, calculated to go up our Sounds by their small draft of water. I have, by Mr. Craike, written to Gov. Rutledge, recommending the answering your Drafts on the Treasury, and pledging the faith of this State for repayment

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so that I flatter myself you will meet with no difficulty there. I wish to hear from your by every opportunity,

And am, Dr. Sir, with great respect & esteem,
Your mo. ob. Servt.,
R. CASWELL.