ing with the Governor and Executive of this State I am convinced it is highly proper I should immediately determine to make this place the General Rendezvous of the Southern Army, from whence and only from whence we can be provided with what is absolutely necessary, for our Acting offensively or defensively as occasion shall offer. I must therefore request you will March the Maryland Line, and such of the Artillery Officers and Men, as may be with you, by the Rout of Guilford Court House, directly to Hillsborough. I am happy, as my misfortunes will permit me to be, in hearing of yours and Gest's Safety, and so many of my ever Honored Continental Friends have escaped from the Enemy.

I have this Moment seen your Letter of the 22d Inst to Govr Nash, and finding from thence, that you are in a condition to make a stand upon the East Side of the Yadkin, near the Ford, I revoke my orders to you in my Letter of the 24th Inst and request you will continue in that Position. I have a Letter dated the 12th of this Month from Governor Jefferson; he writes therein that General Muhlenberg had just equipped 500 Continental Troops who would march in a Day or two to join the Southern Army. I shall send an Express to meet them, and order the Commanding officer to march directly to the

It was only yesterday that I had the Honor to receive your Excellency's Letter from Philadelphia, dated the 6th July last I am happy to acknowledge it so immediately I shall in a few Days write very circumstantially, and particularly upon the Subjects your Excellency wishes to have explained- In the mean Time I must beg you to have reference to my Letters to Congress and General Washington, which President Huntington will Communicate to your Excellency

We have had a severe Rebuke, but our affairs are by no means desperate Long before the great decisive Strokes are struck at New York and in the West Indies-all will be reinstated in this Quarter- Your Excellency is both a Soldier and a Politician, but it hardly comes within your Experience or your reading to match the Variety of Wants and Difficulties I have met with in this Campaign- The fall of that excellent Officer, the Baron de Kalb-so much to be regretted by

By this Flag I take the Liberty to request your Lordship will please to permit the Bearer, Doctor Johnson, Physician and Surgeon of the General Hospital of the Army, and Captain Drew, of Lt Colo Porterfield's Corps, to visit and attend the Sick and Wounded Officers and Soldiers that were taken by your Lordship in the Action of the 16th inst, and afterwards from Colonel Sumpter Both of these Men are of strict honor and probity, and I can be answerable they will not in any the Smallest Instance forfeit the Indulgence you are pleased to grant them- I must further entreat the Favor that your Lordship will please to permit Lieut. Colo Dubuysson, Aid de Camp to the Baron de Kalb, to go to Philadelphia upon Parole, as he has the Baron's Dying Directions with Regard to his private Family Concerns as well in France as America The Baggage and Papers belonging to the Baron are sent thither,

I have the Honor to enclose you for the Perusal of Congress my Letter of this Date to General Washington- I beg it may be Sealed and sent with the First Despatch to His Excy. I have made application to this State and Virginia for each of them to furnish the Articles mentioned in the inclosed List. The Govr and Legislature of this State will meet here this Day- I have the strongest Assurances from Governor Nash that my Requisition will without Hesitation be complied with. I leave the Vote of Men to be raised entirely to the States, thinking they will not in the present Emergency require any Incentive more pressing to prevail upon them to provide sufficiently for the public Service- I must request Congress will make such a Requisition from the State of Maryland as they can most conveniently comply with consistent

with the Damands for the supply of the Main Army and the Fleet of our Allies as there is a ready Navigation to Petersburgh in Virginia from all parts of Chesapeak Bay and River Potowmack- Such Grain and Corn as can be spared for the So Army may at Times be safely sent there- In answer to a Letter from his Excy the Ambassador of France, which I received the Day before yesterday, I have refered him to Yr Excy for the Perusal of my Letter to Congress and Genl Washington, and acquainted the Chevallier that I shall in a few Days endeavor to answer him very particularly, to all and every Part of his Letter to me. This Letter goes with a flying Seal, open to the Governor of Virginia; he will peruse and forward it to Yr Excellency. I am &c,

H[ORATIO] G[ATES].

The inclosed Pacquets for Congress and General Washington I send with flying Seals, that you may peruse them; but I must request they may not be delayed, but sent forward with the utmost Despatch to Philadelphia.-Your Excy will please to be careful to put the proper papers to each, in the right cover, and seale only the cover you send them in to Congress. The Requisition addressed to your State I cannot but believe will as soon as possible be furnished. This State, Governor Nash assures me, will not hesitate an instant in supplying their

Part. General Stevens informs me he has wrote frequently since our unfortunate Defeat to your Exclly-he marched from hence yesterday, with what remained of your Militia (about 400) they are to be stationed for a Time at Guildford Court House. Four Hundred deserted in the last two Days they were here— and the General is apprehensive, he shall very soon be left by many of those that went with him from hence--In your Letter of the 12th Instant you mention 500 Regulars, being just fitted, and ready to march from Petersburgh. I wish they were here but as yet I have no Intelligence of their being upon the march.— I beg Sir, they may be expedited to this Place. I shall do my utmost to procure the best Intelligence of the Motions of the Enemy-of which Sir you may depend upon my giving the earliest Information in my power.

from Bloodless on the part of the Foe; -they having upward of 500 men with officers in proportion killd and wounded. I do not think Ld Cornwallis will be able to reap any advantage of consequence from his Victory ;-as this State seems animated to re-instate and support the Army. Virginia I am confident, will not be less patriotic-and by the joint Exertions of the two States, there is good Reason to hope, that should the Events of the Campaign be prosperous to your Excellency; all South Carolina might be again recovered. Ld Cornwallis remained with his Army at Camden, when I received the last accounts from thence; I am cantoning ours at Salisbury, Guilford, Hillsborough and Cross Creek. The Marylanders and Artillerists, with the General Hospital, will be here. The Cavalry near Cross Creek and the Militia to the westward. This is absolutely necessary, as we have no Magazines of Provisions, and are only supplied from Hand to MouthTwo Days after the Action of the 16th ulto-Fortune seems determined to continue to distress us-for Colonel Sumpter, having marched near Forty Miles up the River Wateree, halted with the Waggons and Prisoners he had taken the 15th. By some Indiscretion the men were surprised cut off from their arms--the whole routed, and the Waggons and Prisoners retaken.

What encouragement the numerous Disaffected in this State may give Lord Cornwallis to advance further into the Country; I cannot yet say. Colonel Sumpter since his Surprise and Defeat upon the West Side of the Wateree, has reinstated and increased his Corps to

upward of 1000 men. I have directed him to continue to harrass the Enemy upon that Side. Lord Cornwallis will therefore be cautious how he makes any considerable movement to the Eastward, while this Corps remains upon his Left Flank—and the Main Army is in a manner cantoned on his Front. Anxious for the Public Good I shall continue my unwearied Endeavors to stop the Progress of the Enemy-to reinstate our affairs-to recommence an Offensive War, and recover all our Losses in the Southern States. But if being unfortunate is solely a Reason sufficient for removing me from Command I shall most cheerfully submit to the Orders of Congress; and resign an office few Generals would be anxious to possess-and where the utmost skill and Fortitude is so subject to be baffled by the difficulties which must for a Time, surround, the Chief in Command here.

That your Excellency may meet with no such Difficulties--that your Road to Fame and Fortune may be smooth and easy is the Sincere wish of &c &c

H[ORATIO] G[ATES]

To His Excelly Genl Washington.
P. S. Your command in respect to the
Virga Line shall be obeyed.