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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Joseph Hewes to Samuel Johnston
Hewes, Joseph, 1730-1779
November 09, 1775
Volume 10, Pages 314-316

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from Joseph Hewes to Samuel Johnston Esq.


Philadelphia 9th Nov. 1775.

Dear Sir,

It is now I imagine near three weeks since your Provincial Council broke up and I take it for granted you have sent an express with the account of your deliberations to your Delegates here; we expect it dayly and are Anxious for its arrival. I hope you have fallen on some method to furnish your Soldiers with Arms and Ammunition; those articles are very scarce throughout all the Colonies. I find on enquiry that neither can be got here, all the Gunsmiths in this Province are engaged and cannot make Arms near so fast as they are wanted. Powder is also very Scarce notwithstanding every effort seems to have been exerted both to make and import. The Congress

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exert every Nerve to put the Colonies into a proper state of defence; four Regiments are ordered to be raised on Continental Pay for the defence of South Carolina and Georgia; it is expected the two Regiments with you will be continued and kept up the same as other parts of the Army. One Regiment is now raising in this Province and two in New Jersey on the same establishment. Twenty thousand Men are to be kept up near Boston and Five thousand on the Lakes, Canada, &c. The whole Army to be enlisted to the 31st of December 1776, unless discharged sooner by Order of Congress. The Pay of the Captains, Lieutenants and Ensigns is increased, they are now allowed as follows, a Captain 26⅔ dollars, a Lieutenant 18 dollars, an Ensign 13⅓ dollars per Calendar month. The Rations allowed the Soldiers thro' the whole Army you have as follows:

One pound of Beef or ¾ ℔s. of Pork, or 1 ℔ of Salt Fish per day each man; 1 ℔ of bread or Flour; 3 pints of Peas or Beans per Week or Vegetables in proportion, rating Peas or Beans at 6s per Bushel; 1 pint of milk per man per day or at the rate of 1/12 of a dollar per pint; ½ pint of Rice, or one pint of Indian meal per man per week; one quart of Spruce Beer or Cyder per man, or 9 gallons of Molasses per Company of 100 Men per week; 3 ℔s. of Candles to 100 men per week for guards; 24 ℔s. of Soft Soap or 8 ℔s. hard Soap for 100 men per week.

I doubt not you will find it necessary to come into a new agreement with your Commissaries, for it will be but Just and right to give your Soldiers the same allowance that is given to those in other places. It is also recommended that all the Soldiers be put into some Uniform, that the Public purchase the Cloth and have it made up, and that it be discounted out of each Man's Pay at the rate of 10s per month. The Soldiers near Boston we are told are well pleased with this regulation.

Several other matters which together with some Ships and Vessels that are fitting out at the Charge of the Continent will enhance our expences amazingly, by which you may Judge we have but little expectation of a reconciliation—I can assure you from all the accounts we have yet received from England we have scarcely a dawn of hope that it will take place.

Mr Middleton and Mr Rutledge two of the Delegates for South Carolina set out for that Province on Sunday last, they intended [going] thro' Halifax and carried a Letter for you from the President enclosing a resolution respecting Trade.

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I have enclosed some Newspapers in a Letter to Mr Smith, to them you must look for News. I hope all your Family are in good health, my Compliments to them, you and they have always the best wishes of, Dear Sir,

Your most Obedt humble Servt
JOSEPH HEWES.

Nov. 10th Since writing the above a Ship arrived from London and brings papers to 12th Septemr. No answer is to be given to the Petition of the Congress, as the King did not receive it on the Throne. Parliament prorogued to the 26th Oct.

J. H.