With very great pleasure I acknowledge the receipt of your obliging favor; and my happiness in writing to you is increased by the immediate defeat of those disturbers of government called Highlanders and regulators who had embodied themselves to a great number, and were within 20 miles of Wilmington. It is inconceivable to imagine what joy this event has disfused through this Province; the importance of which is heightened by Clinton and Lord William Campbell's being now in Cape Fear, in sanguine expectation of being joined by the above defeated and routed fellows, and with a determined resolution of attacking the weakest part of America, the which I presume, they supposed North Carolina to be. But how amazingly mortified must they prove, in finding that this weak, poor, and insignificant Carolina, in less
than 15 days, could turn out more than 10,000 independent gentlemen volunteers, and within that time to pursue them to the very scene of action. Since I was born I never heard of so universal an ardour for fighting prevailing, and so perfect a union among all degrees of men. This will enable his generalship Clinton to give his master and the ministry a just account of the weakness of the of the Southern colonies, how liable they are to be subdued, and what very small unmbers will be sufficient for that purpose. It is most heartily wished that his Lordship Campbell, Clinton, and Martin, would think it worth their while to land at Cape Fear, before the dispersion of the forces, and it is not doubted but, in that case, a very handsome account would be given of them by the defeat of the formidable triumvirate.You will rejoice with me in finding all the machinations of our Governor brought to nought. He has been most indefatigable in his endeavours to bring upon this province every species of calamity, by secretly spiriting up our internal foes, misrepresenting our weakness, and soliciting forces to destroy us, which, however, I hope will be entirely out of his power, as I think the province will and ought to call for hostages from the regulators and Highlanders, to be safely kept in some other province, beyond the possibility of a rescue, during the present commotions.
∗ ∗ ∗ It is an undoubted fact, that between 8 and 9000℔. of gun-powder is just brought into this colony from one of the French Islands, with a number of field-pieces, four and six pounders, some musquets &c. Several French gentlemen likewise came in the vessel, one of whom, shortly after their arrival, set out for Philadelphia.