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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Andrew Williamson to Griffith Rutherford
Williamson, Andrew, 1730-1786
August 14, 1776
Volume 10, Pages 745-748

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from Colonel Williamson to General Griffith Rutherford.


Camp at Keowee August 14th, 1776.

Sir,

I yesterday evening returned to Camp, where I found your Express by Mr Avery, by whom I observe Capt Hammond wrote you in answer thereto, and also sent you a copy of a letter, I had wrote you some days before. At my return to Camp, I found that by excessive Rains, some of our flour was damaged, and that a great part of a drove of Cattle had broke away to the settlements, from a party that was bringing them from Long Canes to the Army. All the men that have been out with me, are worn out with ye great Fatigue, and

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hardships of the march, a Journall of which, I herewith Inclose you. The news contained therein I flatter myself, will prove agreeable to you, and all our other friends. Had we been in a situation of proceeding, we shou'd I find been about seven or Eight days earlier than you, by which time we shou'd be short of provisions to proceed. I have therefore resolved to move to Seneca, in order to refresh our Horses with some fields of corn I had reserved for that purpose, and get up a full supply of Provisions, and refresh my men for 15 days; as I wish to act in conjunction with you, I take the earliest oppy to inform you of this determination that you may order your movements accordingly, and that we may enter the middle settlements in one day if possible. I will move from Seneca on the 30th Instant, the distance being seventy miles, and as I determine to march very secure, always in order of Battle, it will be about the 9th Septemr that I propose entering the middle settlements at a Town called Necasa. Where your Rout may bring you in I am at present unacquainted. If you write me before our Junction, amongst other things, shou'd be glad to know this. Desolation is spread over all the lower towns, and I hope we shall thro' the divine assistance, soon have the Valley and Middle Settlements in the same situation. I have now about 1000 men I can depend upon and certain Intelligence of 500 more, to be at Ninety-Six to morrow, on the way to join me here, from the Regiments below, also that a detachment of the Second Regiment of Rifle Men, consisting of about 250 Men are on their march to join me.

I am Sr your Most Hble Servt
A. WILLIAMSON.

P. S. On the 6th Instant I marched from my Camp about two miles below this place with about Seven Hundred Chosen Men, to surprise Cameron and the Indians who were said to be encamped at Oconowie. When I arrived there, I found the Camp deserted. I destroyed the Houses and corn that were there. I then proceeded towards Toogola, where when I arrived I found the Houses all burnt down on the other side of the River, but the corn and all the Houses on this side standing, which I entirely cut down and destroyed, and detached 100 men on Horse back who destroyd another place and the corn &c. about six miles distance, and took about 300 Raw deerskins. The 9th I marched for and destroyed the corn at Estatoe, having before sent off Capts Anderson and Pickens

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to reconnoitre the Mountains near the River, who returned and informed me that they had seen several Indians, On both sides the River, on the Hills. I marched at 5 O'Clock next morning, and in fording the River, about a Mile Above where I encamped, the front being advanced about half way over, was fired upon by a considerable body of white men & Indians who had taken advantage of the ground along the Riverside and on a high hill, which commanded the ford and Landing place. Being but a few men they retreated to the bank where they returned the fire with spirit, and a Genl fire now ensued on both sides. The River, which is here about 40 Yards wide, being betwixt the two parties, I ordered out a party to proceed up the River about half a mile in order to endeavour to cross there and take them behind, but found it Impracticable, the Enemy having secured every point. I then ordered a strong party on a Hill which commanded an Open field and part of the Hill on the other side, and had the Indian canoes brought over the River, in which about 220 men crossed the River about 2 in the afternoon, which the enemy perceiving quitted the ground and left me in possession thereof, where I found nothing but some marks of Blood. I do not know the number of killed and wounded of the Enemy. On my side one Lieut and 4 privates are wounded, but none of them dangerously. I had the Houses and corn here also burnt and destroyed, and encamped on a convenient spott till the next morning the 11th when I marched and burnt and destroyed the Houses and corn on Brasstown Creek. Here I encamped. The 12th I proceeded about 12 miles to Tomassie where I found a large quantity of corn and detached Capt Pickens wth 60 men to reconnoitre the Hills, when about three in the afternoon they discovered a spy from ye Enemy, on whom they fired, and followed, and after running some small distance about 35 of them engaged a large number of the Enemy. On hearing of the firing at Tomassie I immediately hurried to their assistance wth about One hundred & Fifty Men, and came upon their back about a mile from Tomassie, when a sharp firing ensued, which lasted about an Hour and a quarter, when the Enemy gave way with considerable loss, Sixteen dead bodies being found, in about the space of 150 Yards whom our people scalped. They were so nearly Engaged that three of the Indians were killed by our people with their corn knives & Tomahawks. From apparent circumstances I cannot think there could be less than 60 Indians killed and wounded in this affair. We had one man killed and 15 wounded 3
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of which since dead, & the rest in a fair way to do well. Here I Incamped for the night and the next day 13th reached this Camp late in the evening.

A. W.