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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Francis Brice to Richard Caswell
Brice, Francis
June 29, 1777
Volume 11, Pages 505-506

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

Wilmington, June 29th, 1777.

Sir:—

The Commissary's business calling Mr. Craike's attendance to some other part of the State, he thought proper to acquaint me with the Resolve of the Council for the removal of the military stores to Point Pleasant, desiring that I wd see it done;—I should have received infinite satisfaction in being the executor of a Resolve so manifestly necessary for the security of the stores—the first step I thought shd be taken was to inform myself, if a sufficient number of invalids were here to constitute a proper guard, on finding there was not, I then applied to Captn. Vance, to know if a guard could be procured from the artillery, who told me the company at that time (yesterday only) had so few men it was impossible for him to supply the number necessary for the occasion, without taking away the sentries at the upper battery and the store where the clothing is kept, the only invalid being buried two days before my application.– From those circumstances I have declined removing the stores, till your Excellency can point out some method by which a guard may be obtained, as without it the safety of them would be more precarious than where they now are, tho' we are well informed of three vessels of force being over our bar. The defenceless

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state of this river, makes the present situation of the stores very dangerous, and ought to be a matter of serious consideration.

Most respectfully I am
Your Exce'lency's most ob't H'ble. Servant,
FRANCIS BRICE.
His Excellency Richard Caswell.