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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Francis Brice to Richard Caswell
Brice, Francis
February 03, 1777
Volume 11, Pages 372-373

LETTER FROM FRANCIS BRICE TO GOV. CASWELL.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Wilmington February 3rt, 1777.

Sir:

When I was at Congress at Halifax I settled some accounts of a very considerable amount against this State, for my friend Capt Forster and myself; there was a balance due him of two hundred and seventy-eight pounds, sixteen shillings, and one penny, and to me six hundred and seventy-four pounds, one shilling, and one

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penny, Certificates for which sums I have since received from the Secretary of Congress, and have had them presented to John Ashe, Esqr as Treasurer for this Department, soliciting drafts on the Continental Treasury, but Mr. Ashe declined drawing as it was not specified in the Certificates that the money was for the use of the Army; this I take to be a frivolous excuse, (or rather no excuse at all) as it is well known what I am in advance for was for stores for the Army, and a considerable part in that necessary article, bread; what Mr. Forster advanced was for erecting Batteries &c. by order of Council,—Besides those sums Mr. Forster has a Certificate on the Treasury for one hundred pounds, drawn in favor of Saml Ashe Esqr so long ago as December 1775, and says to be appropriated towards erecting Fortifications on Cape Fear, which draft was endorsed to Mr. Forster and he let it remain as he had other sums to receive from the public.

I flatter myself your Excellency will take these circumstances into consideration, and point out some way by which we may get our money as it is undoubtedly a great hardship on us to lay out of such considerable sums, when we have it so much in our power to turn money to advantage. Your Excellency will be pleased to excuse my giving you this trouble, as I know of no person I can apply to with such a certainty of assistance.

Your Excellency's most obe'd and obliged humble servant,
FRANCIS BRICE.
To His Excellency Richard Caswell.