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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from James Hunter to Horatio Gates
Hunter, James
September 19, 1780
Volume 14, Pages 627-629

JAMES HUNTER ESQ TO MAJ. GENL. GATES.

Fredericksburg, 19th Sepr., 1780.

Sir:

General Weedon delivered me your excellency's letter of 2d. currt. ordering one thousand camp kettles to be forthwith made

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at my works, and as many waggons & teams to be procured as shall suffice to carry them on, the whole being intended for the use of the army of the United States under the command of your excellency.

I immediately directed my manager to have these orders executed, with all possible dispatch, &, upon consulting him concerning the time in which the kettles may be compleated, he informs me he can furnish them at the rate of one hundred & fifty weekly, until the whole number be finished, which may be within six weeks from the date hereof; provided that, during this space, my workmen & teams meet with no interruption, such as militia duty, &c., from which they are not, as heretofore, exempted. This limitation of time, therefore, you will be pleased to understand as under the above condition. General Weedon proposes to forward these articles as fast as they are ready.

But I must beg permission to acquaint your excellency that, however desirous I may be of furnishing them upon credit, there is no possibility of doing it at this time, workmen's wages being paid, & materials & every species of provisions and necessaries for carrying on my works to be procured with ready money only. I must therefore request of yr. excelly. an immediate supply, to answer these purposes, either in Continental or Virginia currency' which may be from the military chest or any other quarter you may be pleased to direct.

By an order of the hon. board of war, as communicated to me by Colo. Finnie, I delivered the 1st curr't to Capt. Morrow, 200 bridles, 200 pair of stirrup irons & 200 currt combs, to be forwarded by the Deputy quarter master here; & 200 pair of spurs, since ordered, will be finished next week, for all which Col. Finnie is to pay me on his return from Philadelphia in the course of next month.

I am also just favoured with a letter from Col. Pickering, then Quarter master general, inclosing an extract of a letter from your excellency to the board of war, whereof copies, together with one of my answer to Col. Pickering, as they have some reference to the present subject, I beg leave to inclose.

Any orders your excellency shall hereafter please to give, whether they may relate to such articles as can be supplied by my works, or to anything in which I myself can forward the public

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service, shall be particularly regarded, & your excellency may then, as well as in the present instance, rely upon my utmost attention and dispatch.

I have the honour to be, with the most
Perfect respect, Your Excellency's very
Obedient & very humble servant,
JAMES HUNTER.
His Excellency, Gen. Gates.