Great Alamance Camp, 18th May, 1771.
I have the happiness to inform your Lordship that it has pleased God to bless his Majesty's arms in this province with a signal victory over the Regulators. The action began before twelve o'clock on Thursday the 16th instant five miles to the westward of Great Alamance River, on the road leading from Hillsborough to Salisbury. The loss of our army in killed wounded and missing amount to about sixty men. We had but one officer killed and one dangerously wounded. The action lasted two hours but after about half an hour the enemy took to tree fighting and much annoyed the men who stood at the guns, which obliged me to cease the artillery for a short time and advance the first line to force the rebels from their covering, this succeeded and we pursued them half a mile beyond their camp and took many of their horses and the little provision and ammunition they left behind them. This success I hope will lead soon to a perfect restoration of peace in this country, tho' had they succeeded nothing but desolation and ravage would have spread itself over the country, the Regulators having determined to cut off this army had they succeeded.
The inclosed declaration to the troops will testify to his Majesty the obligations I lay under to them for their steady resolute and spirited behaviour. Some royal mark of favor I trust will be extended to the loyalty that has been distinguished by his Majestys faithful subjects within this province.
A particular detail of this expedition I shall transmit to lay before his Majesty as soon as I have settled this country in peace, hoping that the advantages now gained over a set of desperate and cruel enemy may meet with his Majestys approbation and may finally
terminate in giving a stability to this constitution which it has hitherto been a stranger to.The army under my command amounted, officers included, to upwards of eleven hundred, that of the rebels to two thousand.
The two field pieces from Genl Gage was of infinite service to us.
P.S. Genl Waddell with two hundred and fifty men was obliged on the 9th inst. about two miles to the eastward of the Yadkin, to retreat back to Salisbury, the Regulators surrounding his forces and threatening to cut them to pieces, if they offered to advance to join the army under my command.
I shall march tomorrow to the westward and in a week expect to join the General.