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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Jethro Sumner to Nathanael Greene
Sumner, Jethro, 1733?-1785
June 25, 1781
Volume 15, Pages 494-495

GENERAL SUMNER TO GENERAL GREENE.

Camp Harrisburgh, June 25th, 1781.

Dr. Sir:

I enclose a return of the drafts collected at this place. Col. Armstrong I expect in 2 or 3 days with those of the district of Newberne, on his arrival I shall immediately form the second Regiment. As I have some time since wrote Major Eaton for a return of those men under his command with you, and to have them arranged as the first Regiment with those of the district of Salisbury and report to me the number and companies, the part wanting to complete the

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Regiment can be made up here. Capt. Doherty who attends at Wilmington district rendezvous has orders to repair to general rendezvous with what drafts has been received from that district and a general order to the several districts that a diligent officer remain at each district rendezvous to receive of such Counties as have not yet delivered its drafts to the continental Officer. I shall as soon as possible march to join the Baron Steuben in Virginia, having no prospect of being supplied with arms &c in this State. I recd. yours of the 23rd May the 20th Instant and shall pay due respect to the contents. The Marquis by our last accounts were within 20 miles of Lord Cornwallis who was in the vicinity of Petersburg, and a very respectable reinforcement of riflemen had joined the Marquis last Wednesday. I shall in a few days be able to give you a more particular account of their maneuvers &c.

Maj. Craig at Wilmington continues his ravages for thirty and forty miles up Cape Fear, with little or no opposition. His Excellency the Governor a few days since sent me orders to march all the drafts collected to Duplin County but Sir, it was so incompaticable with my orders and at that time I was not joined by Maj. Dixon with the Hillsborough drafts neither were those of Edenton come up. I have heard nothing of this matter since. This party of the enemy not exceeding one hundred and twenty, I had been informed of five or six days ere the Governor wrote me and 200 and odd Malitia were near Peacock's Bridge. I could not think them an object at that time to alter the route before ordered me and by no means of equal consequence were I equipped.

Permit me to congratulate you on the very consequencial success the army immediately under your command have had in South Carolina and Georgia.

I am Sir with regard and esteem
Yr very Obedt. Servt.
JETHRO SUMNER.