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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Robert Burton to Jethro Sumner
Burton, Robert, 1747-1825
June 02, 1781
Volume 15, Pages 470-471

COL. RO BURTON TO GENERAL SUMNER.


June 2nd, 1781.

Dear Sir:

Your favour of yesterday's date came to hand this morning. I should have sent the Boy that brought the letter back immediately, but I understood that Maj. Hunt who went express to Genl. Greene had returned to this County, and I expected he would have been here this morning time enough for your boy to get down tonight, this not being the case have sent him on, and will send the dispatches by Mr. Hunt on to you the minute they arrive there. The covered Waggon you left here, the lead and cartridges, that came from the

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Northward belonged to the Continental Quarter Master's department; at the request of Mr. Birdsong who belongs to that department I gave them up to him on his promising to have the Waggon Geered immediately and a Team ready for your service whenever called for her, this I expect is done, & I have sent on your men to Harrisburg to receive her & escort her to your Camp. I congratulate you on the certainty of General Greene's having reduced two of the Enemies Posts in South Carolina in which he took Prisoners 250 British, upwards of 300 Tories, a number of British & Tory Officers, & a considerable quantity of Stores. You'l have this news officially on arrival of Maj. Hunt who I expect every minute. I shall use every precaution within my power to have the Cartridge Boxes and other articles within my department in readyness as soon as possible, but I find it will be some time before I can get shops to works in the different Branches belonging to this business.

I am with esteem, Dr. General,
Yr. very Hble. St.,
RO. BURTON, Q. M. G. M.

Mrs. Burton Joins me in compliments to Mrs. Sumner & yourself.

R. B.