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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from John Ashe to the North Carolina Council of Safety
Ashe, John, 1725-1781
August 13, 1776
Volume 10, Pages 743-744

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from General Ashe to the Council of Safety.

Camp at Wilmington, Aug. 13th, 1776.

Honble Gentlemen,

Agreeable to yours of the 8th Inst which I Received last evening,

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I dismissed the Brigade early this Morning & have Given Marching Orders to the field Officers of the different Districts in Regard to their March home. I have Likewise spoke to Genl Moore in Respect of the Barracks, he tells me that he has not as yet Received any Orders in Respect to them. I could wish it might be given as speedily as possible as I am apprehensave much of the Lumber will be stole. Since my last to you I Received a letter from the Committee of Bladen County informing of me of a Number of deserters from the Regular Troops of this State, Tories & Other Disaffected persons that had Collected themselves together & that they were apprehensive of ill consequences attending if they were not disperced. Upon the Receipt of this Letter I Ordered off a Detachment from the Brigade of Two Companies, consisting of a Hundred & Ten privates under the command of Colo Brown to March into their Setlements and to apprehend them & to distroy such as should Oppose them; but before he could reach them they had killed Captn Nathaniel Richardson late Member of Congress & fired on Two Others; the Purpetrators of this Murder with a Number of others fled into the State of South Carolina, however he Apprehended Several of them & Left them in the Jaol of Bladen; five Deserters & Three of the most Notorious of the others he Brought to head Quarters, the Deserters I delivered to Genl Moore & the others I ordered to be Carried to you with Two others sent to you by General Moore by the Halifax Detachment under the Command of Lieut. Colo Gee. I have Inclosed a Charge against the Three. Mr Stuart was apprehended by Order of the Committee of War & Secrecy, Mr Bowan was apprehended Near the Fort, his conduct is so well known by the Chairman of your board that I Need not say any thing in Respect to him. I have likewise inclosed you the Determination of a Court of Enquiry & a Court Martial Respecting Captn Hill of the Detachment from the Edenton Brigade with my order thereon Subject to your Determination. I am Gentlemen with due Respect

Your Most Obdt & Very Humble Servt
JOHN ASHE.