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Dear Sir:

I cannot omit so good an opportunity (by Col. Long) of writing you, tho' I have little information to give you since my Letter of the 3rd Inst. by Capt. Arnold, whom I sent to Hillsboro with 34 British prisoners.

We are now thirty miles from the Cheraws on the Camden road, waiting for Genl. Gates' coming up with the Maryland line. He will be with us in a few hours. Fourteen miles from hence (Lynche's Creek) the Enemy have a post, and I am told intend to meet us from thence or wait our arrival & give us Battle; their strength we cannot get an exact account of; our information is from 700 to 2,900; if the latter is true, I imagine they have Collected their whole force out of Charles Town; here 'tis said they have not more than 1,000 men. They have also several Bodies of Tories on the Branchs of Lynch's Creek, & from thence 'tis thirty miles

to Camden. A Major Davie, of Mecklenburg, has had two small Skirmishes within a few days past with the Tories near the Catawba, in which he was successful. That we shall be so I trust, if we come to action. Our men, tho' worn down with fatigue & in some measure want of Bread, are yet in Spirits, & I flatter myself will behave well on Tryal. Some Gentlemen of the Army will come into the Assembly; by them, if I am in the land of the living, I promise myself the pleasure of giving you a more satisfactory account. You will guess my situatiou when I inform you that we have been for twenty Hours in full expectation of each Hour's producing an Action. I do not Sleep; of Course I am not well, But,

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