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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Benjamin Lincoln to Richard Caswell
Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810
December 15, 1779
Volume 14, Page 358

GEN. BENJ. LINCOLN TO GOV. CASWELL.

Chas. Town, December 15th, 1779.

Dear Sir:

By the last information I have from Congress, the Enemy may soon be expected in this State, and much sooner than the reinforcements ordered from the main army can arrive. On the continued exertions of your State not only depends its own safety and happiness, but the safety and happiness of this and of Georgia also. I cannot help urging, therefore, that the full number of troops voted by you be marched with the greatest dispatch for if we can cover the land-side of this Town, I hope we shall be safe, for Congress have ordered to our assistance three frigates. Those, with the four already in the harbor, I think will pretty well preserve it from insult. If the enemy really mean to attempt this town, they have no doubt instructed their Emissaries in the back parts of the country to assemble the unfriendly, to march and co-operate with them on the sea-coast, or make such a shew of force as to keep the Inhabitants at home for the security of their families; too watchful an eye cannot be kept over these people, and I beg leave to ask whether, in case of a seige here, it would not be necessary to embody a number of men to suppress any attempts of this kind, and as a farther support to us, if needed, to act as a reinforcement, or to fall into the rear of the enemy, and to cut off their supplies.

I am, Dear Sir, with great esteem,
Your Excellency's most obed't Serv't,
B. LINCOLN.
His Excellency Governor Caswell.