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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from John Rutledge to Cornelius Harnett
Rutledge, John, 1739-1800
August 21, 1776
Volume 10, Pages 758-759

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary State.]
Letter from President Rutledge of South Carolina to the North Carolina Council of Safety.

Sir,

By the last Accounts from the Cherokee-Nation, We hear, that Col. Williamson had destroyed five of the lower Towns, & all their Corn in the Fields adjoining them, where they had plentiful Crops, & about the 7th Instant was on his March to other Towns higher up the Country. I wish you would give orders to Genl Rutherford to proceed with the utmost Expedition. I am afraid if his March is delayed, for any Time, the Indians of the Middle & Valley Settlements will go to & join those of the over-Hills, and that the Virginians will, in such Case, find it much more difficult to act against these People than they expect, or than they would, if the Middle & Valley Settlements first feel the Effect of your Arms. I write, by this Express, to Virginia, pressing speedy & sufficient Reinforcements to the Troops which they have ordered against the over-Hills. Mr

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Galphin, one of the Continental Indian Commissioners, in his Letter to me, dated in Georgia, the 10th Instant, says, there is the greatest reason to apprehend that the Creeks will not join the Cherokees. They had rejected their Invitation to join them, in Consequence of a Talk which Galphin had sent to the Creek Nation. Genl Lee is gone to Georgia with Genl Howe, to make the necessary Arrangements for an Expedition into East Florida for breaking up the Settlements in that Province. Should this & the Expedition against the Cherokees succeed, I hope it will keep the Creeks quiet.

I am Sir Yr obedt & very hble Servt
J. RUTLEDGE.

Chas Town, So Carolina, August 21st, 1776.