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Dear Sir:—

Your Excellency’s favor of the 27th of February was handed me yesterday by the General, my desire of seeing Major Evans and his Troops set forward on their Business with some other, has detained me in this Country, and am anxiously waiting their Arrival.

The Act of Assembly having made no Provision for Pilots for the Road, Major Evans, finding himself much Embarrassed in that Point, and as I had the Opening the Road much at heart, have taken on me to Procure or engage Persons as Pilots, and have wrote to the Cherokee Chiefs, requesting them to recommend and send in an Indian well acquainted with the Country through which the Road must Pass, and requested that Colonel Martin will Assist in

Procuring such a one. I have understood the Cherokees will have objections to the Roads passing through their Country. I have Assured them that nothing is intended against their interest or safety, and it is intended to be done purely for the convenience, ease and safety only of those that mean to emmigrate to the Cumberland settlements.

I shall forward the Duplicate of your letter to Mr. Gilbony from this place by the way of the Cherokee Nation, as at this time I have a favorable opportunity.

Politics in this part of the Country run high. You hear in almost every collection of people frequent declarations, whorah for North Carolina! And others in the manner for the State of Franklin. I have seen it in much warmth. The Franklin Assembly has Passed an Act to punish by imprisonment any Person that shall Act in the commission of the Peace or other civil office under the Assumed Authority of North Carolina. God only knows where this confusion will end. I fear it ends in Blood.

I received accounts from Cumberland Dated in the present Month, mentioning that no Hostilities have been committed in that quarter since that I mentioned to your Excellency from Hillsborough on my Way out through. Scarce a week passes but one or more are killed at the Kentucky.

All accounts say that all the Northward Tribes are determined for War this ensuing Summer.

A long, ridiclous piece without any Signature has taken place in some of the Papers, said to have been Written by a General at the falls of the Ohio to his friend in some of Northern States, as if it’s the Spirit of the People to revolt and fling themselves in the Arms of Britain. These Publications are Prejudicial to the People of the Western Country, and are in the greatest part false and groundless. I judge the goods at Post St. Vincent is seized, and probably those at the Illinois.

I shall at all times take pleasure in communicating to your Excellency every Intelligence that I shall judge worthy your Notice, and shall think myself Honored with anything you think proper to

communicate, and shall always Honor every Instruction your Excellency shall give. Whilst I have the honor to be

Endorsement:

His Excellency Richard Caswell, Esq., Governor of North Carolina, Kinston. To the particular care of General Shelby.

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