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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to Peter Mallett
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
December 25, 1778
Volume 13, Pages 334-335

GOV. CASWELL TO PETER MALLETT ESQ.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Kingston 25th Dec., 1778.

Sir:

Your favor of the 23d Inst I received. The mistake in the quire of Bills, sent by Capt. McAlister, and returned by Mr. Porterfield I have rectified by giving Mr. Porterfield a quire containing Fifty dollar Bills instead of five dollars, which that he returned contained. How it was overlooked I know not, but I impute the mistake to the great hurry we were in at the time that money was delivered. The Bond for faithful application of the money I also received. I can't say I intended that I should cancel the former, and I suppose it can make no manner of difference to you who I have no doubt will settle your accounts regularly with the Assembly when the condition of each of the Bonds will be complied with. I thank you for the attention you have paid to the army and giving them that supply of provisions they have stood in need of. The driving stock to Charles Town, which you say Genl Ashe advised, I much approve of and in order to enable you to fulfil any contracts you may have made in this State, I now send you by Mr. Porterfield, Ten thousand dollars our currency; I cannot furnish Continental. A large sum of this sort has been sent on to Charles Town to defray all the expences of this expedition and I am informed the rule in the Continental army, which in our case ought to be observed, as this will be a Continental expense, is that all warrants for money to be issued by the pay master should be signed by the Commander in Chief of the Troops, when they are out of this State. I have no command of course; my power ceases in that particular, and from that time until they join the Troops at Charles Town, Genl Ashe will have to do this business, afterwards I apprehend Genl Lincoln or whoever

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commands in chief. If wagons cannot otherwise be had you must get them impressed agreeable to the directions of the Militia Law, but observe that this is to be done only in this State. I wish you success in all your undertakings, and that you may have health, and strength of body to go through this fatiguing business, and am Dr Sir

Your most obedient servant
R. CASWELL.