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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Benjamin Lincoln to Richard Caswell
Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810
March 25, 1780
Volume 15, Pages 362-363

GEN. B. LINCOLN TO GOVERNOR CASWELL.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Charlestown, March 25th, 1780.

Dear Sir:

The time expired yesterday for which the greatest part of your Militia engaged to serve. They could not (a few excepted) be prevailed on to continue longer, tho' the Governor offered them for three months a bounty of a suit of clothes and three hundred dollars. Those whose time expires on the 6th of April claimed their discharges also, but the state of our force forbade our granting

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the request. I hope your people will soon arrive to our aid. The Enemy have got a number of their ships over the Bar and anchored them in Five Fathom Hole; we expect them up the first wind. Their Army is on James Island, and on the main west of Ashley River, as far up as Drayton Hall, thirteen miles above this Town. We expect them every day before our lines. We are in hopes of keeping open with the Country a communication by Cooper River.

I have the honor to be, Dr. Sir,
With the greatest respect,
Your mo. ob. Servt.,
B. LINCOLN.