Wilmington, March 1st, 1780.
Sir:
Enclosed I have the honor to transmit to your Excellency a letter from Brigadier Genl. Lillington; every thing respecting the Troops under his command no doubt he has made you acquainted with. As to my being continued Commissary to his Brigade after it has marched beyon the limits of our State, it was found impracticable, as Mr. Thos. Rutledge has the appointment of Commissary General for the Southern Department to all Troops who are in the service of the United States; therefore those Troops were undoubtedly considered as such. Of course I was obliged to give them up to him, tho' I can assure you, had I not been with them, they must have suffered, especially with respect to forage, as there was not anything in that way provided. Since my absence from home there has been issued to Troops marching through Wilmington to join Genl. Lillington provisions and forage to amount of near £10,000 and not one shilling in hand, your warrant for £5,000, and the one you were so obliging as to send since my absence for £6,000, neither of which has yet been paid, nor do I know when they will. Your Excellency can be no stranger to provisions being a ready money article; therefore you must be convinced that such sums as those to be advanced without knowing when I am to be reimbursed must be a real injury. At this time I have by me a considerable quantity of Beef, Pork, Rice & Flour, as well as rough Rice. Should the Army now to be ordered out as a further aid to South Carolina, march through Wilmington, or Rendezvous here, I will with pleasure furnish them with every thing they may be in want of, provided your Excellency, with your
privy Council, will please to fall on some plan how I am to be furnished with money.Your Excellency's mo. ob. humbl. Servt.,
P. S. by return of the Express should be much obliged to your Excellency for a few lines in reply.