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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Ichabod Burnet to Jethro Sumner
Burnet, Ichabod
September 20, 1782
Volume 16, Pages 655-656

MAJOR J. BURNET A. D. C., TO BRIG. GEN. SUMNER.

Head Quarters, S. Carolina,
Sept. 20th, 1782.

Sir:

I am directed to write you on the subject of the new arrangement of your line, which will be handed you by Lt. Col. Lytle, who has the Resolution of Congress & the General Orders on which it is founded.

The General desires you will have the Officers assembled and their rank settled, and then make out a list of their names &c., agreeable to a form which he thinks best, a copy of which Lt. Col. Lytle will also deliver.

As the power of arranging the Army is left to the Secretary at War, it will be necessary for him to be furnished with such a return, or list of the Officers, that when he determines how many Corps shall be kept up, that he may also be able to say what Officers are to command them. On the back of the return you will be pleased to mention the names of the retiring Officers, who wish to act on the staff, and the particular departments in which they may choose to be. There are many good reasons why this return should be made out as early as possible, and a copy transmitted to Major General Lincoln, the Secretary at War, and another to Major General Greene.

Your assiduity and attention leave the General the greatest hopes that this business will be speedily accomplished.

All the Commissioned and Staff Officers now belonging to your brigade should be included.

If the rank of your officers is settled, it may be possible, perhaps, to ascertain their sentiments without calling them all together,

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which you will be the best judge of, though I hope no obstacle will prevent you having the return compleated immediately.

I am, very respectfully, Your most obedient servant,
J. BURNETT, Aid de Camp.