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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Nathanael Greene to Alexander Martin
Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786
July 01, 1782
Volume 16, Pages 348-350

FROM GEN. NATH. GREENE TO GOV. MARTIN.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Head Qrarters Near Bacon’s Bridge,
1st July, 1782.

Sir:

I have had the honor of your several Letters of the 28th of April and 12th and 24th of May. I am highly flattered by the very honorable

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testimony given of my services by your Legislature, a testimony no less honorable than beneficial. I beg leave to return them my warmest acknowledgements, and cannot but express my particular obligations to your Excellency for the generous manner in which you interested yourself in the business and for the very polite manner in which you communicated it. It shall be my study to deserve a continuance of that good opinion which the Legislature have been pleased to express of my past conduct.

I think your exertions to obtain a grant of land for the Maryland lines, although it failed, must fill the minds of those Officers with grateful sentiments for your generous intentions.

I am happy to hear the requisition for Cattle is likely to be complied with. The Army has been subsisted for upwards of a year past, principally upon the cattle of this State, which, together with what have been destroyed by the Tories and taken by the British Army, leaves this State very bare. I wish they may be forwarded as fast as possible.

I am also glad the State have complied with my requisition for the horses for Lieut. Colonel Lee’s legion.

The vote of the House for a draft of men I could wish had taken place a little earlier. It will be late in the season before they can be got in the field, and we are exposed in the mean time.

I shall be happy if your draft answers your expectation of filling your line, and I doubt not every possible attention will be paid to the business necessary to compleat the intention of the Legislature. I have directed General Sumner to forward the men from the places of rendezvous as fast as they are collected, to be formed into corps after their arrival in Camp.

Let not the reports circulated of appearances of an evacuation of this Country slacken your exertions.

The enemy may evacuate Georgia, but there is no prospect of their leaving Charles Town. Mr. Warren, our Commissary of Prisoners, mistook my intentions in the exchange of Colonel Bryant and the other prisoners, and enlarged some persons belonging to the State of Virginia.

I forwarded your Letter to General Leslie, but have got no answer. If you forward any more of those people who have fallen under condemnation they shall be applied to the relief of your

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people only. It was my intention those already exchanged should, but by some mistake it happened otherwise. The enemy would not recognize those Officers as Regulars nor exchange them but as Militia.

I have the Honor to be,
Yours, &c.,
NATH. GREENE.