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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from James Read to William Wilkinson
Read, James
November 04, 1777
Volume 11, Pages 796-797

JAS. READ TO WILLIAM WILKINSON ESQR AT WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA.

Fav'd by Lieut Green


Dear Sir,

I wrote to you the latter end of August acquainting you that I delivered the Letter of Introduction you gave me to Mr. Mitchell for which I return you my sincere thanks & that I went to Burlington the 21st of that month & saw your Nephew who was in good health. I expected to have heard from you before this but in a Letter

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which I lately received from my Sister I was informed you had not received my Letter. Mr. Bradley who left Camp the 20th Ulto. can inform you of occurrences to that time, since that Count Donop with about fifteen hundred men was sent over the Delaware to storm Fort Mercer (this Fort is at Red Banks on the Jersey side of the River) when he arrived near the Fort he sent in a Flag ordering them to surrender or he would put them all to the sword. The Commanding Officer (Lieutenant Col. Green) sent him for answer to come on, and if he failed in the attempt he might expect retaliation; Accordingly the Count and his stormers advanced, but were soon obliged to retreat leaving near five hundred killed, wounded, & Prisoners, the Count was also wounded and fell into our hands We had killed & wounded in the Fort about forty or fifty. Their Shipping attacked our Gallies & Floating Batteries in which they lost a sixty four Gun Ship said to be the Augusta & a six and thirty Gun Frigate said to be the Apollo both burnt. Gen. Howe and his Army still remain in Philadelphia & on short allowance. Enclosed you have a return of Gen. Burgoyne's Army made Prisoners by Gen. Gates, their Articles of Capitulation I have not been able to procure. As the Post comes regularly to Head Quarters I shall be exceedingly happy to receive a Letter from you by that conveyance.

I am Dear Sir
Your obdt & very Humble Servt.
JAS READ.

Camp near White Marsh (thirteen miles from Philapelphia)
Nov. 4th 1777

Please to remember me to my Friends & acquaintances