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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Alexander Spotswood to the Board of Trade of Great Britain [Extract]
Spotswood, Alexander, 1676-1740
October 24, 1715
Volume 02, Pages 202-203

[B. P. R. O. B. T. Virginia. Vol. 14. P. 54.—Extract.]
LIEUT. GOV. SPOTSWOOD TO LORDS OF TRADE. 24. OCTOBER 1715

Virginia October 24th 1715.

My Lords,

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There are now two Gentlemen come as Agents from South Carolina to treat with this Government for a further assistance of Men; but the

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treatment those already sent have found there has entirely disabled me (tho' I were never so willing) to afford them further succours; for tho' the chief encouragement for raising the men here, was the promise of that Government to send hither an equal number of slaves to work on their Plantations during their absence, yet not one hath been sent, nor any great prospect of their being sent at all, so as to do the service expected of them: Another condition was that, the Virginians should be commanded by their own Officers, and should act in one body, but even that also is broke, the Governor of Carolina not allowing of my Commissions, and disposing the men into Garrisons remote from one another. And in short almost every one of the Articles are violated, and such complaints from the men, of ill usage, in respect of the pay and cloathing promised them, that I am persuaded I could not find one man in this Colony that would ingage in that service. And as this body of 150. men sent to South Carolina, is the first assistance of that kind which I can understand has been given by any of His Majesty's Plantations here to the other, So I am afraid the great discouragements this hath met with will make it the last. And it is the more ungrateful in the Government of Carolina to treat our men in this manner, considering the signal service they have done them; for while the Governor had drained all his Garrisons for an Expedition against some Indians to the North West, about 700 Indians fell upon the Southern parts of the Province, and destroy'd all before them, within a few miles of Charlestown, but the Forces sent from hence arriving just at that time, immediately march'd, met with and defeated that Body of Indians; and 'tis to them that the preservation of the rest of the Country is owing: but the Treatment of the Virginia Forces may be easily accounted for from the alteration of the Carolina Affairs, which are not now under the unhappy sittuation they were in, when these men were raised; for since the last defeat, the Indians appear no more on their Frontiers, and the Northern Nations ceasing their Hostilitys and suing to this Government for Peace 'tis probable the others will soon follow their example.

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I am with all dutifull respect
My Lords
Your Lordships
Most obedient most humble servant
A. SPOTSWOOD.