regulate myself by your orders on the subject, which I hope to receive by the time I arrive at the camp. If Kirkland shall be seized, without doubt a commotion will follow; and if he goes off with impunity and without question, it will be fatal to the discipline of the army, especially the Rangers. But this is not all, vigorous measures are absolutely necessary. If a dozen persons are allowed to be at large, our progress has been in vain, and we shall be involved in a civil war in spite of our teeth. In giving you this information I tell a melancholy truth, but I do my duty. If certain persons should be secured, some commotion in all probability will follow; but I am so well acquainted with the situation of the disaffected parts of the country, and with such parts as may be brought against them, that I am under no apprehensions for the consequences, provided prompt and vigorous measures attend every appearance of insurrection.

I would beg leave to observe that as this business is of the highest importance, so your orders on the subject should be clear and general, to vest proper authority to take such measure as may tend to suppress this threatening insurrection, that will assuredly break out by delay, and come upon us unexpectedly.

Perhaps my being arrived at the camp, in my return home, may be construed an expiration of the powers vested in Mr. Tennent and myself; and his return to Charlestown may work an annihilation of powers, to be exercised by us together; for, as our continuance in the country will be of but little benefit in the Dutch settlements and the disaffected quarters, while under the influence of Fletchall’s people, so I make no doubt but that Mr. Tennent will choose to return to Town, sensible that his presence in the country will not be of any advantage in the way of expounding our political texts to the people.

I have the honour to lay things fully before you, that you may regulate yourselves thereupon, and send orders to me at Amelia, by which I shall either remain with the camp or return to Charlestown. But I pray you to be expeditious, for a delay on your parts will allow the enemy to recover many of our converts, and I know they are active, malicious, and bent upon mischief.

Mr. Tennent and Colonel Richardson were successful in their journey beyond Broad River. Mr. Tennent is now in Neel’s quarters,* where they are very hearty in our cause; Mr. Kershaw and Colonel Richardson took their leave of us when we quitted Fletchall, being sensible they could not in those parts be of any assistance to us. They have been very diligent.

SOUTH-CAROLINA, Ninety-Six District:

This day personally appeared before me Jonathan Clark, resident upon the banks of Saluda River, in the Cherokee country, who being duly sworn sayeth, that on or about the thirteenth instant, being in the Cherokee country aforesaid, he saw and conversed with John Garwick, an intimate friend and countryman of Alexander Cameron, Deputy Superintendent among the Cherokee Indians, touching the danger of the Cherokees commencing hostilities; that if there was any danger, he, the said Jonathan, might remove in time to a place of security; and that he spoke on this subject to the said John, because of his close connection with the said Alexander, and thereby of his, the said John’s, ability to give information touching that subject; that on this subject the said John answered that he, Jonathan, need not be under any apprehensions of danger, until such time as there should be some disturbances below in the country, between the King’s Army and the Colonists, and that then it would be high time for him, the said Jonathan, to take care of himself, and remove from the frontiers. Also, the said John continued his discourse, and said that about three weeks then last past, the said Alexander had held a meeting with the Cherokee Indians, at which about four hundred of them were assembled, when he, the said John, heard the said Alexander tell the said Indians, that the people of America had used the King very ill, and had killed a considerable number of his Army, and that the King was to send out more soldiers to suppress them; that the Indians ought not to turn against their father, (meaning the King) but that they should join his Army against the people of America; that to this the Indians replied, they could not fight, for they had not any gunpowder; and the said Alexander returned, that should be no obstacle, for he would take care to supply them. The said John also further said, that the said Alexander did all he could to influence the said Indians to join the King’s forces against the people of Carolina; and who could blame him for doing so, since he, the said Alexander, was in the King’s service. Also, that in conclusion, about forty of the said Indians turning their backs to the said Alexander, discharged their guns; and then the whole assembly sat up the war-whoop, which he, the said John, said was as a signal that they, the said Indians, approved the discourse of the said Alexander, and agreed to what he had said. And further this deponent saith not.

JONATHAN CLARK.

Sworn and signed before me, this 21st day of August,1775:

WM. HENRY DRAYTON, Quorum Unus.

SOUTH-CAROLINA, Ninety-Six District:

This day personally appeared before me James Wood, John Wood, Moses Wood, and John Prince, of the District aforesaid, who being severally sworn according to law, say that they know the above-mentioned Jonathan Clark, believe him to be an honest man and worthy of credit, and that they do not know any thing to the prejudice of his reputation. And further the said deponents say not.

Sworn and signed before me this 21st day of August, 1775:

WM. HENRY DRAYTON, Quorum Unus.

ESSEX COUNTY (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee for the County of Essex, at John Whitlock’s, in Tappahannock, on Monday, the 21st day of August, 1775:

George Stewart having been accused with saying, at different times and places, that he had bread and flour on board his vessel designed for the man-of-war; and that Peyton Randolph and Thomas Nelson, Junior, Esquires, would supply the man-of-war now, for that a peace was made; and that a young man whom he saw in a hunting shirt had better go home, for that the English would be an overmatch for the Americans, or words to that effect: and the said George Stewart having appeared, and the witnesses against him having been examined, who proved the charges, he endeavoured to excuse himself by saying he was in liquor at the several times of the aforementioned conversations. And the matter aforesaid having been considered by the Committee, they are of the opinion that the cargo of the Schooner Enterprise, of which the said George Stewart is master, consisting of twenty-six barrels of bread, be landed and stored with Mr. James Lang, at the expense of the owners, under the direction of John Upshaw, Chairman, and any three of the Committee, until the owners of the said bread shall satisfy the Chairman, or any three of the Committee, that it is not intended for any purpose injurious to the cause of American liberty.

Ordered, That the above be published in the Virginia Gazette.

JACK POWER, Clerk.

ST. GEORGE’S HUNDRED (NEW-CASTLE COUNTY, DELAWARE) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee of St. George’s Hundred, in New-Castle County, at the Trap, the 21st August, 1775, Mr. Peter Hyett being in the chair, when Mr. Hugh Cahoon attended, and signed the following Recantation, which was voted satisfactory, viz:

Whereas I have some time since frequently made use of rash and imprudent expressions with respect to the conduct of my worthy countrymen now struggling in the most noble cause of liberty: I do therefore take this opportunity publickly to declare, that my expressions have proceeded from a very contracted knowledge of the British Constitution and the just rights of human nature, and am now sensible of my acting entirely wrong, for which I am extremely sorry, and humbly ask forgiveness of the publick, upon assurance

* Thomas Neel, Colonel of the Regiment of Militia, in the New Acquisition.