George Washington Papers
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To George Washington from James Henry, 16 June 1780

From James Henry

Philada June 16th 1780

Sir,

permit me to intrude upon your more important avocations, for a moment, and to inclose to you a Copy of a letter from Col. Buford to the Virga assembly, which your Friend Col. B. Harrison, has requested me to forward to you.1

I wish I could send you better tidings; but ’tis necessary to know the danger, to enable us to make more effectual preparations to avert it. With every wish for your Safety and Success, I beg leave to Subscribe my self Sir Your most obedt servt

Jas Henry

ALS, DLC:GW. Henry wrote “⅌ post” on the cover.

GW replied to Henry, a Virginia delegate to Congress, on 29 June from his headquarters at Ramapo, N.J.: “I am much obliged to you for your communication of the 16th; and I wish most sincerely that it were in our power to send any further succour to the Southward. But situated as we are, with but a handful of men it is utterly impossible. In the present exigency of affairs we must rely on Southern means and Southern exertions. The former is more than competent to our purpose, and I trust we will not be disappointed in the latter” (Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; GW’s aide-de-camp David Humphreys wrote the dateline on the draft).

1Henry enclosed a copy of Col. Abraham Buford’s letter to the General Assembly of Virginia dated 26 May. Buford wrote from “Camp Camden” in South Carolina: “The loss of Charlestown and the troops there is no longer to be doubted, I have inclosed you copies of letters and articles of Capitulation, which will be better information that otherways I could give you—Every thing here is in the greatest confusion, the Govr and his party are greatly abused from all quarters. The Enemy have taken possession of George town and tis said are now on their march to wilmington, how far they will proceed to the northward will I believe entirely depend on the opposition they meet with; my stay ⟨here⟩ has been occasion’d by the expectation of being re⟨in⟩forced from the northward which I now loose all hopes off, I wish my stay may not occasion the loss of many military stores and baggage, with which we are much incumber’d at present—Gen. Caswell has begun his retreat by way of cross Creek with about 600 militia which are all the troops here in service except my Battalion, the Govr of this State having discharged his militia to prevent their being taken in arms—I am sorry to inform you that the people of this State are now about to make terms for themselves with the British army.

“My Regt with the stores move tomorrow, my rout is by way of Salsbury N. Carolina, I am apprehensive of the loss of Stores and baggage as the Enemy are now ahead of us, tho’ lower down the country, our Horses are worn down by constant marching, which makes our retreat the more dangerous—Nothing but large reinforcments can occasion a thought of stoping the enemy. I have every reason to expect that N. Carolina will exert herself, we are told that the late Govr Caswell will be shortly ready with a formidable militia, I hope Virga will follow the example” (DLC:GW).

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