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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to James Smith
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
March 31, 1778
Volume 13, Page 80

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GOV. CASWELL TO MAJR. JAMES SMITH—ROWAN.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Newington, 31st March 1778.

Sir:

Your favor of the 25th Instant by Mr. Gibson, I recd, and am sorry to hear of your indisposition, and also that the prices are so high of the articles you were requested to purchase for the public. However, our demands are such as to make it necessary that these articles should be bought at any rate, and I know you have done the best you could, for which I thank you as well for our Common Country as myself, and I hope you are before this in a good way of obtaining your health and strength, which the allwise Disposer of human events will in his wisdom restore to you.

I must beg you will assist Mr. Lock to whom I have sent £1000 more to complete the payment of his purchases to procure wagons and send all the purchased articles to the Clothier General at Lancaster, the wagoners should give two receipts of the same tenor, and date mentioning the number & weight of the particular articles they carry, one of which receipts should be enclosed to the Clothier General of the Continental Troops at Lancaster, the other to be sent down to me with your account, which you'll please to forward by some Gentleman coming to the Assembly. I have written to the Continental Treasury to answer any Drafts you and Mr. Lock or either of you draw on him in favor of the wagoners for their wagonage. A copy of the letter is enclosed, the contents of which you will be pleased to observe.

Let me entreat you to consult Mr. Lock on these matters, and join with him in giving all the despatch you possibly can, as the articles you purchased are much wanted at Camp. I am very respectfully Dr Sir, your mo. ob. servt.

R. CASWELL.