Letter from John Rutledge, September 18, 1781.

Dublin Core

Title

Letter from John Rutledge, September 18, 1781.

Creator

Date

1781-09-18

Description

Letters from John Rutledge, President of South Carolina, to the state delegates in the Congress of Philadelphia. Topics include the fall of Charleston, Thomas Sumter's victory at Hanging Rock, patriot and British troop strengths in South Carolina, battle of Eutaw Springs, execution of Isacc Hayne, John Laurens diplomatic activities in France, and election of J. Matthews to succeed Rutledge.
2023-05-11
600 dpi, 16-bit depth, color, Epson Expression 10000XL, Archival masters are tiffs.

Contributor

Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the Charleston Library Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Special Collections Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Charleston Library Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Format

image/jpeg

Type

StillImage

Source

Ms. 140, John Rutledge letters, 1780-1788.

Language

English

Identifier

Ms140_Let20

Text Item Type Metadata

Transcription

Mr: Dawson's, Wateree Sep. 18th. 1781

Gent.

on the 13th. Inst., I recd. your Letter, of the 4th also, by Col°. Scott - I am glad to hear, that the Loan, (the repayment of which Congress guaranteed,) for the benefit of the poor So. Carolina Refugees, was speedily obtained, & in Philada. – But, I think, it wd. be well to recommend to many of them, to go to Fred., or Hagar's Town, in Maryland - they may live there, at an 8th. Of the Expense they do in Philada. - House Rent, in particular, being very high in that City - However, I hope, from our Acct. of the French W. India Fleet, & 6,000 Land Forces, being arrived, in Chesapeak, we shall, soon restore our Friends, to their possessions in C.Town, for, New York must fall, if our Allies will but remain long enough before it, (& they cant. have a more important object-) our Capital must be the next, for their Cooperations. In the mean Time, however, it wd. be well to block up that Harbour, & prevent any thing from going into, or coming out of, it - We
will do our best to hinder the Garrison's getting Supplies from this Country - &, Surely, from such a considerable Fleet, a Number of Vessels, sufficient for that purpose, may be spared, with. Injury to the Northern Operations - you will not fail to use your best Endeavors to effect this Measure - pray send the Great Seal to me by the first safe Conveyance.

By this Express, Congress will receive, from Gen'. Greene, an official acct. of Marions late Enterprise, to the Southward, & of the Victory at Eutaw - It is therefore unnecessary for me to say any thing on these Points - I sent to Col°. Harden, for, &, ten days ago recd., Copies of the several Letters, & a Memodm. of the Messages, which passed between Col. Hayne, during the Time of his Confin'emt., & Lord Rawdon & Balfour, the Colos. Son having bro'. them out - on rect. of 'em, I drew up a State of the Case wch. I sent to Gen'. Greene, who will
transmit it, by this Conveyr., to Congress, together with Balfours answer to the Generals Letter, on that Subject - The Excn' of Hayne had the Effect which the Enemy foresaw, & expected, from that unparalleled piece of Cruelty - & indeed, a much greater Effect than you can conceive, for, a great many Protection Men, who had joined Harden, therefore deserted him & again submitted themselves, to the British Government & Mercy, so that, when Marion went last, to the Southwd., Harden had not 50 Men, in Arms, & had it not been, for Marions appearance in that Quarter, & his Support & Countenance, at such a critical period
Hardens force wd. have been reduced much lower - Happily, his putting Fraser to flight, has given the Southward - Militia fresh Spirits - & Gen. Greene's well-Timed Proclamation, & spirited Determination, in Consequence of Haynes Death, has removed the Apprehension of our Militia, (most of whom had
taken Protection, especially those in the lower parts of the Country,) of suffering in like Manner, if taken prisoner - This Measure, & the Steps taken with our Militia, will, I hope, soon get a respectable Number into the Field - I have struck off the 3 Southwd. Regts. from Pickens' Brigade, intending to throw them into one, for Harden or Barnwell, who is daily expected, have brigaded the Several other Regiments in more satisfactory & proper divisions, than they were - furnished the Brigds, wth. Extracts from such parts of our Laws as are material for their Govt. or Informt., ordered 'em to be carried shortly into Effect - The several regts. to be immediately, fully officered, with the fittest Men in them - mustered - reviewed & classed, drilled, & 1.3°. marched, directly, to Head Quarters - I have also ordered the fines to be collected, in specie, those wch. may be laid under the Act of 1778, at the Same Value, in specie, as paper Money, & those wch. may be imposed, under the Act. of 1779, at the depreciation, or comparative value of
of specie, with Currency, according to the Rates acknowledged by the Legislature, who, in 1776, when specie & paper Money were of equal Value, established a Militia Man's pay, at 10 s. pr day, continued the Same in 1778
(so that it may be presumed there was then no depreciation, at least there was no legislative acknowledgement of any,) but, in 1779, raised it to 32 s pr day - thus, for a Time, under the last Law, offenders must pay £150 in specie, instead of, (w'. the Law mentd.,) £500 Curcy', or go into Cont'. Service. The General informed me, when we parted a few days ago, (he being gone' to the High Hills of Santee, & I shall not see him, till after this Express is gone, tho' I am on my Way Hither, but am obliged by Sickness to travel very slowly, & to go round by Camden, as I can'. cross the Swamp here,) that he w. send his proclamation, respecting Hayne, to Congress, for their opinion - We have no Officer, of equal Rank, a prisoner, &, it is not improbable,
that the Gen'. may hear, from Congress, or this Head, before we get such answer - our not having one, & the Militia's absolute Reliance, on the Genls. Engagement to retaliate, are the only Causes of keeping 'em, satisfied - If such an Officer was in or sh°. fall into, our Hands, the People w. be clamourous, for his Execution, & hanged he must be - I hope there will be no difficulty, or doubt, with any Member of Congress, ab'. approving the Generals Proclamation, & of his having executed an Officer, for Hayne, if he shall have done so, before he hears from Congress, &, if he should not, of directing him to do so, & to retaliate, in every other Instance as he has threat". - with you, I am sure there can be no Hesitation - I desire that you will use your utmost Efforts, to bring all the other Members with the Same Sentiments, & obtain such a Resolve - Be assured, if it is not passed, the worst
Consequences will ensue - The General will be greatly affronted - The Officers of the Continental Troops, all of whom presented an Address to the Genl., (on this Matter,) which will even do them great Honour will be dispirited - The Enemy will reproach us, & very greatly, wth. temerity, as they often have done, on good ground, & our - Militia will be dispirited & fall off - Indeed you cannot suppose, if the British offer 'em pardon for having joined us, (wch. they do, if they will quit us,) that they will adhere to our Cause, if we refuse to support em, by Retaliation, for any Injury. they may receive, by so doing - The Gen'. will expect to be supported in this Measure, & He certainly ought to be - I cannot therefore avoid repeating, my earnest Desire, & Expectation, that you will, immediately, obtain the fullest approbation of his Conduct, on this point, & send the Resolve by a special & trusty Express, as soon as possible - I think it w. be wise & politick, in the Several States, who are intitled to any of the Lands, which Vermonteers wish for, to cede them that they

P.S. I have appointed an ordinary, for each of the districts, in this State, (C:Town included,) suspended the Tender Laws, & prohibited all Suits in the Court of Com. Pleas, or before a Magistrate, under the Act. for Trial of small & mean Causes, till 10 days after the next sitting of the General Assembly.
might be formed with, or established as, a separate State, but I cannot believe that the Articles of Confederation, (wch. I have not here,) give Congress any Right, (& unless they do, Congress, certainly, have it not,) to erect an Independent State, out of parts of the undoubted Territories of other States - It is a bad precedent, which may affect the Peace of our present Government, at some future day, & it is a Measure, which Congress, I think shd. not hastily give into, from Motives of temporary Convenience, & short duration - The probability of reducing N. York will, however, I presume occasion the application to be rejected, if not already granted - you will be pleased to attend to my Instructions, respecting Gillon, if fortunately he shd arrive, & to my Several former Requisitions, particularly the giving me the speediest Intelligence, of every material occurrence - I have been very prolix, & on some Matters rather fitter for a private Correspondence, to friends, than a publick or official Letter - However, I thought it wd. be satisfactory to you, & our other Carolinians, at Phil.: to know every Thing, & of any Consequence, we are abt. here I am wth. Great Regard.

Gent.
Yr. most obedt. Servt.
J: Rutledge



Citation

Rutledge, John, “Letter from John Rutledge, September 18, 1781.,” Charleston Library Society Digital Collections, accessed November 5, 2024, https://charlestonlibrarysociety.omeka.net/items/show/1454.