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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to John Ashe
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
October 28, 1778
Volume 13, Pages 255-256

GOV. CASWELL TO GENL. JOHN ASHE.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Kingston, 28th October 1778.

Dear Sir:

I had your letter of the 25th Current handed me, the evening of the 26th, and have detained your servant a day longer than he wished in expectation that it would be in my power, by this morning, to acquaint you more fully the Resolutions of the Council, that Board being appointed to meet here yesterday. The members met in the evening, but as there were but barely a quorum they rather declined entering fully on the Business I had to lay before them, but I incline to think from the observations of some of the Gentlemen they will think it inconsistent with the

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duties of my present appointment for me to march with the Troops. Indeed your observations and those of some other Gentlemen have been such, as to incline me to think somewhat differently from what I did on the receipt of the requisition from Congress.

The Troops are to march in consequence of an Act of Assembly, empowering the Governor to send an aid to any part of the United States, Congress shall require. That act empowers the Governor, if he does not march with them, to appoint the Commanding officer a Major General. I am now apprehensive, I shall not go, and cannot think of offering that appointment to any other Gentleman than yourself. Let me entreat you to accept it. I am really sorry to hear of Mrs. Ashe's indisposition, but hope she will soon recover, and that you will be able to get over the other difficulties. One of them will be in some measure or partly removed, by a more liberal allowance from the public to this appointment. This request I make you not only from my own inclination, that you should have this command, but also on a full conviction that the Troops will more readily turn out; indeed I have engaged to some of the officers who have turned out here that either you or myself would command them. The Commissioners for making the money are to meet here to proceed upon that business the first of next month, and I daily expect the remainder of my Draft for the 500,000 Dollars from the Continental Treasury to arrive. The duties of your office of Treasurer will call you here. I wish you may make it convenient to come early in the month, when I shall have an opportunity of conversing with you on the foregoing subject, but if you can let me know your determination respecting the Command sooner, you will oblige me. If you go, I will give every assistance to your Treasury office, that I possibly can. I am Dr Sir, with due respect and esteem,

Your mo. obedt. Servt.
R. CASWELL.