Letter from John Rutledge, November 20, 1780.

Letter from John Rutledge, November 20, 1780.

1780-11-20

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

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

English

Ms140_Let5

Salisbury
Nov. 20 1780

Gent.

My last Letter to you was, from Hillsborough, abt. the 13th. also - Since wch. Time, I have recd. your sevl. sources - Capt. Vanderhorst, & one, of the 14th also, wch. he took from the Express who had it in Charge, - but no others for, having been down the Country, & Gen'. Gates expecting I wd. return to Hillsboro., he left, with the Board of War, all the Letters he had for me - This Circumstance has, I presumed, prevented my receiving any, of a subsequent Date, from you - I imagine, however, there are several such, at Hillsboro. - I have sent for 'em, & shall answer 'em, when they come to Hand. -

I fully intended going back to Hillsboro., but, at Cross-Creek, on my Way up, heard such Accots. from So. Carolina, - viz. "that Lord Cornwallis was dead - Camden evacuated, & that the whole British Army had crossed the Congaree, on there way to Georgia, also that Gates had marched from Hillsborough, the 5th. Inst., (wch. he did,) & was proceeding rapidly
after them &,c" - that I thought it proper to push for our own State, as fast as possible - I therefore determined, instead of proceeding to Hillsboro., To cross the Country, by the nearest Route, for This place, which I did, & arrived here, Yesterday - on arriving here, I found that the good News I heard on the Road was entirely false - probably, you will have been assured, with similar Accots., at Philada. I will therefore give you an exact Relation of Matters, as they are at present - the Enemy have a Post, (strong wth. Redoubts,) of abt. 5 & 600 men at Camden where Lord Rawdon commands - another, fortified, of abt. 300, at Ninety-Six under Cruger - one at Augusta, abt. The Same Number under Brown- & Lord Cornwallis is, with the main Army, abt. 2600 Reg's

at Winnsborough, on Broad River, abt. 45 Miles from Congaree, & the same distance from Camden, &
Ninety-Six so that he may, pretty readily, reinforce Camden, Ninety-Six, or Augusta, or draw his Troops from these Posts, to his main Body, & with that, or his whole Army, retreat down, or advance up, the Country, as Circumstances render most eligible - Smallwood & Morgan are at 6 Mile Creek, in this State, abt. 16 Miles below Charlotte, (on the Road to Camden,) wth. abt. 200 Regulars, 1100 Militia, & 150 Cavalry - Gates is just marching, from hence to join them, wth. abt. 600 Regulars, & Sumpter lay, a few days ago, between Tyger & Enoree Rivers, wth. (it is said) abt. 1000 Militia, but I believe he has moved more Westwardly, with a View of giving a Blow to a party of the Enemy, in that Direction - Gen'. Butler is here, with abt. 150 Men, guarding Prisoners - Genl. Thomas is at Hillsboro., (& orded from Thence hither,) wth. Some Virginia 8 Months Men (Militia who deserted in Gates' Action

& who are contrd. to Serve for 8 Months, on that Acco1.) &, abt. 260 Men are, found - where in Virg'a., on the March from Maryland - Gen'. Harrington is detained at Cheraw, wth. abt. 250 Men, whose tour of duty is nearly expired - Capt. Brown, of this Country, is patrolling near him, wth. abt. 150 or 200 Men, & Col°. Marion is moving abt. on Pedee & Kingston, with perhaps 300-Thus you see what force, & of what Kind, we really have on the Ground, & how it is scattered - However, I hope that, as soon as Gen'. Green arrives, he will collect 'em, to a good tenable Position, &, occasionally detach strong Parties to oppose the Enemy's light troops who do the most Mischief, to harass the Enemy,
circumscribe their limits, & in Time oblige 'em to retire to Ch. Town, & give us an opportunity of re-establishing Civil Government, in some part of the Country, of electing, & convening a Legislature, & of making & enforcing Laws, - but, This will not be the Work of a day - when

or whether, We shall recover the town, must depend on events not to be foreseen, at present, how at least I wish, however, The Spaniards may really do what they threaten, & that Aid from our Allies was more powerful & successful - The Col°. & Justices of Surry County took upon 'em to release all the No. Carolina Tories taken in Ferguson's defeat, on giving Bail to appear at Court - but, I imagine many, if not all, of 'em will return to the Enemy - They put the officers on Parole, they have broke it & gone off, probably to the Enemy - & they enlisted the So. Carolina Tories, taken in that
defeat, (116) to serve in the Cont. Army, 6 Months. However 30 of 'em ran away, on the March from the Moravian Towns to this place – The rest (76) were released from their Enlistment, & are here in Goal - This was a strange & unaccountable Step of the Col°. & Magistrates –
A Col°. Cleveland hung 8 or 10 of the most noted Horse Thieves & Tories (of No. Carolina,) taken in Ferguson's defeat, & Lord Cornwallis has complained to Smallwood of much Cruelty, Tho' he & those Acting under him have hanged many more of our People - It is said, (& I believe it,) that, of the Prisoners whom Brown took at Augusta, he gave up 4 to the Indians, who killed 'em, cut off their Heads, & kicked their Bodies abt. the Streets, & that he, (Brown,) hung upwards of 30 Prisoners
his Lordship therefore has mistaken the Side on which the Cruelty lies - Gates has carried the Letter wth. him

However, I will send you a Copy of it, when ours is sent. - I am endeavoring to procure authentic Information respecting the Hanging, House Burning, Plundering, & other Cruelties, & Acts of Barbarity, committed by the British in So. Carolina & Georgia, & shall resolve when I have obtained it, what to do, or write, & to whom, on these Points - I do not chose to take up the Matter with1. good Authority - From a letter dated the 4th Inst., wrote by Leslie to C., & found on an Emissary coming this way from Points un°. in Virga., (of wch. I presume Gov'. Jefferson has sent a Copy to Congress,) & other Circumstances, it appears, that the plan of these Generals was to have formed a junction of the Troops under their respective Commands - That they hoped to do so, in this State, expected to have been powerfully aided by the Towns of this Country: However, Ferguson's defeat has frustrated that plan, & I hope it will never take Effect - but I think it probable that Lord C. will call for Leslie's Troops, or find other Reinforcement, to the Southward - if so, we shall have more trouble than we otherwise should - I omitted to mention, that there are some, (a few) Regulars, still at Hillsboro., who can1 March, for want of Shoes & Cloaks - Lord Cornwallis has preferred to exchange the People taken on Kings Mountain, for our Militia, in his Hands, but I think that proposal must not be accepted - Gen!. Huger tells me, he wrote you an accot. of Sumpter's successful Resistance of Major Wemys', attack, & of his having taken that officer - he is a valuable
Requisition to us, but I am sorry to find that he is only slightly wounded, & likely to recover - I wish he may not give Sumpter the slip, for he keeps him with him - I have seen in a Chas. Town Gazette, of Oct. 14th. a congratulatory address to Lord Cornwallis, on his defeating Gates, & a proclamation of his Lordship for requisitioning the Estates of Rebels (in the List of whom I presume we shall send,) but as I suppose Rivington has printed that Address & proclamation I do not send 'em - I shall expect, with Impatience, Major Lee's Corps, Gen'. Green, & Letters from you, all which, I presume, are on the way - pray give me every material piece of Intelligence, as expediently as possible - I shall set off for Charlotte, in 3 or 4 days, in hopes of an Interview with Gen'. Sumpter, there, or, at some other convenient place, having sent to him for
that purpose.

I am with great Esteem,
Gent.
Yr. most obedt. Servt.
J: Rutledge

P.S. Salisbury Nov. 23d: 1780

The person by whom this is to go, not having set out, as he proposed, I've kept it open to add any thing which might occur before he went - Col°. or Major Davy (of which gallant Officer with1. Doubt you have heard,) is just come up, from Smallwoods Camp - which is still as above mentioned - Col: Davy's Report of the Strength & push of the Enemy, & of ours is much the same as above, except that Lord C: has moved somewhat lower down the Country, & so has Sumpter - The latter is below his Lordship, abt. S:W. of him - C: is at Shivers ferry, on the E. side of Broad River - Sumpter below that ferry, between Broad & Saluda - his present object is to collect a force, & by going So
low down the Country, give those who are desirous, an opportunity, to join him - Davy says Tarleton is in Quest of Marion, & doing much Mischief in burning Houses on Santee - I wish Lee's Corps were come, but fear they will stop in Virginia - Davy further adds, that the Enemy mount many of their Infantry, in order to proceed rapidly, with their Cavalry, the latter of which consists of, at least, 250 good - I fear the Virginia 18 Months Men will not come on, (for Gen'. Mulenburgh, who was on the March Southwardly, with 1500, turned back,) unless the Enemy sho. leave Virginia, & I am Sorry to find that we must rely so much on our own Efforts I mean on those of the Carolina's - However I will endeavor to prevail on Cols. Cleveland, that, Mountain-Man, to assist us for a short Time, with a party of Volunteers - (they will not stay long) - & I shall, undoubtedly, use every Exertion to prevail with our own People to act as they ought to do - Justified is a Continuation of your Appointments, which I Transmit, lest any doubt sho. arise, hereafter, (at the end of 12 Months, from the Time of your Nomination) abt. your continuing in the Delegation - I intended to have sent it, long ago, but the Matter slip' my Memory. Enough Haste, for I have not Time to correct, & transcribe this Letter, being obliged to write many dispatches, &, Transact Several Matters, before I set out for Charlotte.

Nov. 25 Tarleton has lately burnt the House wch. was Genl. Richardson's - turned his Wid°. & Family out of Doors plund. them - burned abt. 30 other Houses on Santee & is gone in pursuit of Sumpter.

The Delegates of So. Carolina in Congress -
Salisbury Nov. 26. 1780

Gent. -

I have just recd., by the person whom I sent to Hillsboro., your favours, of the 10th. & ult°., observe, with pleasure, what you say, respecting a Letter to the King of France - | hope Congress will send several Copies of it - each, by a Gentleman of Address, Sense, & Spirit, Master of the Subject, & well acquainted with the French Language, who will, without Offense, or the Fear of giving it, make a Full & True Representation of our Affairs - I believe nothing else is necessary to obtain from France immediate & ample Supplies of Money, Cloathing, Tents, Arms, & military Stores, & a sufft aid of Troops & Ships
an Early & vigorous Campaign wo. give us Independence - That shd. be the first object of France & America - & 'our utmost Efforts used to obtain it, as Soon as possible - The Chevalier & Marquis are warm friends of America - They will, if requested, give us their Influence & Interest - I wish the Marquis w. be, personally, an Advocate for America, with his Prince - an Application from Gen'. Washington wa. have considerable Effect in France & a confidential Officer, sent by him, to cement Measures, with the French Minister of War, wd. do more, than can be expected, from our Plenipotentiary at Versailles,
with the Count de Vergennes - It is a melancholy Reflection (when we consider our inexhaustible Resources, & powerful Alliance) that there sho. be a British Soldier on the Continent, and intolerable, that, in the present State of the War, our Affairs sha. be in such a wretched condition, as they are - I am persuaded that nothing wch. can retrieve them will be omitted by you. ----- Col. Marion had a successful skirmish, some weeks ago, with a party of Tories - The inclosed Extract of his Letter to me will give you the particulars - It is said, here, that Tarleton attacked Sumpter, last Thursday, & was repulsed, with the Loss of upwards of 100 killed & wounded - that Tarleton is mortally wounded (but was carried off) that only one Man was killed on our side & that Sumpter was slightly wounded in the Arm (the Ball was cut out) & retreated pretty high up the Country, apprehending that the Enemy were ab1. to attack him, in great force - I give you this News, as we have it - There is no official Acco. come, of it, but, it is told, with great appearance of Credibility - However we must not publish, till we are sure of it - I repeat my request, that you will transmit to me, with the greatest dispatch, every material occurrence, & am wth. Regard

P.S. I shall set off, as soon as I close this Packet, for Charlotte -
Gent.
Yr. most obdt. Servt.
J: Rutledge


Endorsed: Gov'. Rutledge
20-25 Nov. 26. 1780. Salisbury

A very full state of Things in State at this Time, when the Army under Gates had returned to Charlotte.
Judge Johnson

The Honble. The Delegates of the State of South-Carolina in Congress at Philadelphia
c/o Mr. Baird

If Mr. Baird shd. not proceed, & the post shd. not be going, from Baltimore, or Lancaster, (immediately after his Arrival there,) to Philadelphia he will be pleased to fwd this Letter, by Express, (a trusty person,) to the Gentlemen for whom it is directed - The Expense
of wch., they will pay. -
J: R:
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