USA > Delaware > History of Delaware : 1609-1888 > Part 61
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Before adjourning on June 7th the Legislature fixed the tax levy for the year at 8495.000. It reassembled at Dover on October 20th, and after continuing the embargo on the exportation of wheat, rye, flour, Indian corn, bread, beef, bacon, live stock, or any other provisions from the State except for the use of the army, added an amend- ment permitting the exportation of grain and dour on condition that the vessels in which they might be carried should return with imports to be sold to retailers and consumers within the state. This was a measure designed to provide the people of Delaware with such manufactured goods as they did not produce and encouraged such trade as Was possible in a country in a condition of invasion
The next session of the Legislature began at Wilmington, Nov. 29th, and on Dec. 14th the House of Assembly received a grievous complaint from the officers of the Delaware regiment. sent ten days previously from their camp on the Hud- son, relative to the non-execution of the law to supply them with clothing and the " necessaries of life " contemplated by the laws of the previous June. The address and the signers were as fol- lows :
"We, the Officers of the Delaware Regiment, do, if the most grateful manner, thank the Honorable, the House of Assenady, for the two generous Resolves they were pleased to pass in om favor. But whilst we thus express our gratitude, we cannot but comphun, that through some defect in the Resolves, or neglect in those who were intinsted with the execution of them, we find our situation little better than it was before they were passed. We have yet received but two months of the supplies allowed, and hive no prospect of receiving any nage, as Colonel Craighead informis the Commanding Officerin a better dited fetuber 5th, '79, that he has received but You poutph to purchase a quarterly sunt ly of necessaries, that it is inadequate to the pmipese, and therefor destes we will each take a dividend of that money in lieu of the necessaries
1 It was alon deemed necessary to "encourage the officers of the Delaware regiment," and for that porpose an art was passed on June 4th providing that they be furnished at the expense of the State with certain " necessties of hfe," for which they were not able to pay out of their private fartones. Each tieldl officer was allowed monthly two gallons of rum, six ounres of tea, two pounds of ruffre, two jemindy of chocolate and wit jeniels of sightr. A proportionately de rea-ed allowance was made to the staff and line of mis. The appropriation to pay for the supplies vas fixed at t1400 per quarter, und the seven years, half-jay after the conclusion of the war provided by Congress way con- tinned by the State during the life of the recipient, or to his widow after bis death.
whnl we are cotitien o receive from hin , by the Resolve of the Huner- cile House. The diese we ain't if you mily with, for we want it tre ive that the Honorde Th use would wah we should comin und seth d' done la reser ved atal recept one those of the value, instead of the the Resolve, and age segret me tocatter ley the depreciation of our corinney which evii hear lo adve was generously inteidol to prevent.
. W. further boy leave to acquara the Honmadde House that it the snit af lati salute domy have ordered us to be supplied with, thanh the bestsell de bu far aisance, Front of his have received a full sunt, bolle a.twee mitile, and in pennen we wont many things that are di fault to strvin, and annet be rappersed with at this season, but at the risk of nir he eth.
to D's would also is @ trave to represent to the Honorable II. use, how necessary a part of an officer's diese a hat is, and that we imagine a Dns- take orly was the caseof it's not being enumerated among the other mincies a clothing, un denefore, hage they will be jdeneed to allow ng rt wofat arbole We win hope the Honorable House will continue ter bonn yfy allowing us & elaf of clothes yearly, at least whilst the current, remains deparat.J.
" Lubridy arde: nmuy difficulties winch the distance from our p. spec- tive homies, and in. genchad depreciation of the money had thiown ajon ns, we were ener beton obliged to make application to the Hourtable House for their assistance i removing of alleviating them. The -just of generosity shown in their resolves on that occasion. encourages ns to submit this to th ir consideration, confident that the welfare atd honur ot the Regiment, tunt el. ums this patri nagr are, next to the happiness ut their country, theit greatest wish, und that nyou this representation of om case, they will minutely enquire, from whit cause their resolves have not been executed, and make such provisions for their execution as will in future prevent applications of this kind from their
" Very humble servants,
' C. P. Bennett, L. D.
Peter Jacquett, C'apt. D. R. Fdward loche, Lieut. and P. M. J. Leirmonth, Capt. D. R. i hos, Anderson, Lieut, and Q. M. John Wilson, Capt. D. R.
R. Gilder, Surgeon. Daniel P. Cox, Lient.
John Platt, S Mate. Henry Duff, Lieut.
J. Vanghan, M. D. R. E. Shillington, Lieut.
Robert Kirkwood, C. D. R.
Charles Inld, Lieut.
John Corse, Lieut. D R Stephen Mc Williams, Ensign D. R.""
This plaintive appeal spurred the Legislature to the immediate passage of an appropriation of £15,000 to furnish the officers with clothing and supplies. On December 22, 1779, the two Houses met in joint convention and chose John Dickinson, Nicholas Vandyke and George Read delegates to Congress for the ensuing year, and the new office of purchaser for the army was filled by the choice of Thomas Duff for New Castle County, John Cook for Kent County and Simon Kollock for Sussex. On the 24th Mr. Read's declination of further service in Congress was presented, and with it the resignation of George Craighead of the office of commissary general of prisoners. Thomas MeKean was elected in the place of Mr. Read and Major Henry Fisher in the place of Mr. Craighead, the latter still continuing as clothier-general of the State. The Legislature sat on Christmas day of this year and celebrated it by conenrring in the Massachusetts proposition for the appointment of commissioners to meet at Philadelphia on the first Wednesday of the succeding January to fix the prices of produce, merchandise and labor in each of the States. George Latimer and the members of Congress were made the representatives of Dela- ware in the commission. But while Delaware stood ready to join the other States in a general endeavor to restrict the cost of food, clothing and the common necessaries of life, she forcibly resented the interferchee of Congress in so much of the question as related purely to home affairs, Con-
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251
DELAWARE DURING THE REVOLUTION.
gres had, on November 19th, enacted that any State ern States, and thereby counteract the defeat and which had failed to limit the selling price of such disaster with which they had met in the North. articles to twenty-fold the price- prevailing in 1774, Sir Henry Clinton, who had sureceded Hone in the command of the armie- of invasion, wasa bold, if not a skillful, strategist. Parliament and the erown had been gonerons toward him in the winter of 1779-80. Every mail from London, to his headquarters at New York, bore tidings of fresh bargains with the sordid German princes, to sell their stalwart veterans to the British effort to conquer the revolting nation across the sea, and also told him of reinforcements for his English regiments. He strongly fortified New York and Brooklyn, and withdrawing his forces from the Hudson River, and concentrating them within his works, made preparation for an expedition to cap- ture Charleston, and reduce South Carolina. Leaving the command in New York to General Knyphausen, Clinton embarked eight thousand five hundred men, accompanied by Lord Corn- wallis, and on December 26, 1779, set sail under convoy of Admiral Arbuthnot, Storms scattered and impeded the Heet, and it was not until the end of January that all the ships arrived at Tybee Bay, Savannah River. On February 10, 1780, the army sailed from Savannah to North Edisto Sound, where the troops disembarked on the 11th, on St. John's Island, thirty miles below Charleston, From this point Sir Henry Clinton, by a slow and cautious march, proeceded to Ashley River, oppo- site the city, while a part of the fleet went round by sea, for the purpose of blockading the port. On March 12th he took up a position on Charleston Neck, a few miles above the town, and began the investment. His original strength of ten thousand men was increased to thirteen thousand by the ar- rival of Lord Rawdon's eight regiments from New York.
shonkl be charged in the public accounts with the aggregate amount of the difference of prices paid after February 1, 1780, in the State. Delaware had not so restricted her merchants and dealers, and unless she did so, the law of Congress would have inflicted an enormous tax upon her slender treasury, for there were many staples of ordinary consumption that in 17-0 cust forty or fifty times as much as six years previously, measured by the depreciated value and purchasing power of the Continental currency. The resolution adopted by the Council and Assembly declared that this legis- lation of Congress was " an infringement on the rights and liberties of the people and inconsistent with the freedom and independeney thereof, " and the delegates in Congress were instructed to en- deavor to procure its repeal. This entire contro- versy grew out of the mercenary schemes of seltish speculators in provisions, breadstuffs and clothing. Every S'ate was afflicted with shrewd and far- sighted men who had hoarded their funds with the view of what we would in 1888 speak of as " corner- ing the market" in the things that people must have in order to be clothed and fed. These keen and grasping mongers had pushed the prices for their commodities up to enormous figures, and a popular outery arose that the power of the people, as embodied in the Legislatures and Congress, must be employed against them. Delaware, with the traditions of English law fixed in the minds of her public men, re-orted to the act " to prevent forestalling and engros-ing," which established the profit which an individual might be allowed upon any article which he had bought to sell again, and provided fine and imprisonment for the demand of a higher price. Taxation was rapidly increasing and the aet of December 26, 1779, decreed the raising of 81,360.000 between February 1 and Oc- tober 1, 1780. On December 28th. in accepting the resignation of Lieutenant-Colonel Pope, the Legis- lature resolved that the remaining officers of the regiment be promoted in rotation to fill up the vacancies. This was the last day of the session, but on March 28, 1780, both Honses were convened in special session at Lewes by President Rodney, to consider various propositions of Congress in re- gard to furnishing supplies for the army and en- forcing the legal-tender function of the Continental currency. The appropriate bills were enacted and a law was passed conferring upon the subjects of the King of France all the privileges and immu- nities granted to citizens of the United States by the Franco-American treaty of amity and com- moree. The extra session ended on April 16th.
The spring campaign of 1780 had now bezuu with the schemes of the British to crush the South-
Washington had every confidence in General Lineoln, the American commander at Charleston, whom he proceeded to reinforce with the Maryland division of two thousand men and the Delaware battalion then under command of Capt. Kirkwood,1 and numbering a few les- than five hundred rank and file. The last muster-roll of the regiment, no further returns having been made after the movement southward, on file in the office of the Secretary of State, is for February, 1780, and is as follows :
1 Robert Kirkwood was born in Mill Creek Hundred, but was living in Newark and engaged i. mercantil, puisints at the onthues of the Revointion. He went out with laslet's regiment as a hentenant and rue d the second company of Hill , battsh m. He foughtat Brandy wine, Germantown, Monmouth, turi went sinth the 1.5 \, and upon the pure of Vanghan and Patten succeeded to the command, by virtue of being semor captain after I'fr.eu's promotion to major, of what Wits left of the Little matter the tatil . of Camion. When. after the Revolution, the bring under So that was ranked to defend the West from the Indian enemy, this vett ou resump od Ins sword as the et lest captain of the ob -t
was the thirty that time," says Lee to has " Memons," he had tasked has Info for the country, ami healed as he had lived, the brave, menitorious, uurewarded kirkwood. "
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252
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
Muster- Roll of the Field, Start, other officers and printes of the Delacare Regiment of First, community by dad Irgend Hail, for the month uf February, 1730.
David Hall, colonel, commis. onrd April : 1,77. Charles Pope, bentenant- olutiel, commissioned April 3, 1777. Joseph Vanghan, major, condi-sioned April 5, 1777.
Geurer Purvis, adjut ent, conimiei-stochied August 11, 1778. Edward Roche, paymuster, emumret ard September 10, 17 %. Thomas Anderson, parter' ister, & nutsford september 10, 1778 Realen Gider, surgeon, comment med Vje 3, 1777. Jolin Platt, surgeon's mate, comna -- bird April 3, ITTT. FIRST COMPANY.
John Patten, capt, commissioned November 30, 1776.
Wm. M. Keman, Ist heut , contensi oned April 6. 1777.
Elijah Skillington, 21 In at., commissioned september S, 1775
Non-Commissioned Unicers ant Frentes.
W'm. Maxwell, Ist sergt. Archibald Mc Bride, 2d sergt. Dentus Dempsey, 2d corp.
David Young, Ist rorp.
Henry Rowan, 3d corp. Ben. Johe-, drummer.
Joseph Staton, ffer.
Prirates
John Clifton.
Alexander Clark
Patrick McCallister.
Saumel Dodd.
Ebenezer Blickshite.
Richard Davis.
Patrick Dney. Robert Miller.
John Andrews. Frederick Reil.
Wm. Walker.
Julin MeCabe.
Johu Benson.
John McGill.
Cornelius Hagney.
John Hatheld.
Thomas MeCann.
John Robinson.
Patrick Burk.
Isaac Grithn. Michael Dorman.
Levin Leasatt.
John Barnes.
Robert Dyer.
Jumes Neill.
Jantes Bennett.
Win. Kilty.
Abraham Mirars.
W'm. Newell.
Whittinton Chtton.
John Mitchell.
Hugh Donnelly.
James Brown.
John Highway.
Samuel Piles.
SECOND COMPANY.
Robert Kirkwood, capt , commissioned Derember I, ITT6.
Daniel P. Cox, Ist lieut., comtoisstoned April 3, 1777.
Charles Kidd, 2d lient , commissioned september, 1778.
Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates.
Jonathan Jordan, lat sergt. Wm. Seymour, 2d sergt.
Wm. Reddin, 3d sorgt. Nchennah Nichols, lat corp.
Christopher Willett, 2d corp. Elward Robinson, drummer.
Jolin Johnson, fifer.
Privates
Adam Johnson.
John Carr.
John McKnight.
Wm. Whitworth.
Win. Keyes.
Henry Willis.
Thomas Townshend.
Eli Dedd.
Wm. Drew.
Stephen Bowen.
John Stuart. Wni. Donaldson.
Levi Bright.
Peter Cruft.
. James Hammon.
James Moules.
John Miller. Cornelius Grimes.
Fraucis Williams.
Thomas Toole.
Benj. Bennett.
Joseph Preston.
Stephen Anderson.
Thomas Walker. .
John Brown.
Wm Heagans.
James Weighnwright.
Joseph Ferguson.
Benj. Thompson.
Andrew Bollard.
Wm. Lewis.
John Norman.
John Eirving.
Joseph Culver
THIRD COMPANY.
John Learmonth, capt., commissioned April 5, 1777.
Henry Duft, Ist lieut., commissi oned August 16, 1773.
Thomas Anderson, 2d lient., commissioned september In, 178.
Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates.
John Esham, Ist sergt. George Collins, 21 sergt.
Seth Brooks, 31 sergt.
Charles Hamilton, 1 -: corp.
Wm. Black, 2d corp. Wm. Hook, drummer.
Wm. Skinner, fifer.
Prirates.
Michael Lacart.
Mark Beckett. Wm. Orton.
Thomas Harper.
Charles Poutelly.
Eliakim l'aris.
Georgo Mer-baw.
Wm. Parker.
Samuel Latinote.
James Cook.
John Mableton. Wm. Plow man.
George Hill.
Michael Garvin.
Tlunnas Harris
Tinanay Fhun.
Jeremiah Brown.
Henry Neisbett.
Wm. H .. . k. Robert Hustings,
Charles Wharton.
Peter Hunnis.
Dennis Flavin.
Jonathan Ireland. Andrew Dixut
FOURTH COMPANY
Peter Jarquett, capt., con.tut-sioned Spul S. 1777.
James Campbell, Ist bent , connaissioned Ajud 7, 1777.
Stephen Mc Williams, El heut., cotuttifistofeed th tolier 27, 1779.
Non Commissioned Officers and Private.
Mitchell Kershaw, Ist arrgt. Mond cai Borty, 21 lieut
Jenkins Evins, Jd sorgt. Michael Elwood, Ist curp.
Abijah Houston, 2d corp. Adam Joland, drummer.
Pravittes.
Wm Wallis
Casy liall Zudork Tucker.
Isa Willintus.
Wm. Ake. Thomas Derrick.
John Turner.
Hambleton O'Neall.
Wm. Wright. John Noble.
James DetHar. Bartholoniew Adams.
Michael Dougherty. Jacob Mckinley.
John Joland. lingh Fleming.
James Redmand. Wat. Simpson.
Wim. Jones. John Cook.
Andrew Daley.
John Gorman. Jantes scott.
Johnson Fleetwood
Matthew Filford
Julini Castle.
Henry Norwood.
Timothy Kilkenny.
Wm. Furbush.
Jacob Benton.
John Gasford.
Robert Stattord.
David Willaby.
John Peoples.
FIFTH COMPANY.
John Wilson, capt., commissioned March 1, 1777.
Paul Quenswalt, Ist lieut., commissioned January 26, 1778.
Edward Roche, Ed heut., commissioned September 10, 1773.
Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates.
Moses Pharis, Ist sorgt. John Cox, 2d sergt.
John Spencer, IM sergt. James Husbands, Ist corp.
Joseph Emerson, 2d corp. Juin King, 3d corp.
Michael Green, hfer.
Prirates.
Solomon Price.
John Service.
Robert Downs.
Elias Meeker.
Robert Timuwns.
David Ellis. .
Jesse Timmons,
Frederick Vanderlip.
Wm. Fleming.
Neil Levinston.
Wm. elav.
Jacob Cuib.
Richard Moore.
John liill.
Nathaniel Norton.
Benj. Moody.
Joshua Brown.
Juseph MrAfee.
Nathan Arnot.
Wm. simpson.
Wul. J'ish.
Isaac Landaley.
Samuel Miller.
Levin Punter.
Saninel Long.
Kinley Haslett.
Isaac Currall.
Sammel Wooden.
SIXTH COMPANY.
John Corse, capt., commissioned March 1, 1779.
Caleb Brown, Ist lient., commissioned September 10, 1778.
Non-Commissioned Officers und Privates.
James Murphy, Ist serzt. Patrick Dunn, 21 sergt.
Emanuel Pirraon, Sd sergt. Alexander McDonald, corp.
Charles Dowd. corp. John Jackson, fifer.
Thomas Miller, corp. Wm. Lewis, drummer.
Privates.
Patrick Flinn.
W'm. Legg.
John Todd.
Jasper Muscorl.
Zedekiah Hilzway.
Thomas Rhodes.
Littleton Pi. h:on.
Richard Taylor.
Win. Burch. Anthony Delavonia.
Junies Wilkinson.
John King.
John Conner.
Win Dixon.
John Hill.
John Furhis.
W'm. Stinton.
John Stewart.
James Marsh.
Wm. Perry.
Harmon Clark.
Julin Patterson.
Purn. If Irmitt
Rorer Mccormack.
Edward Hall well.
John Harris
James C'arson.
John Bently.
Mvery Narils.
Win. tirave.
John Blake.
Smanel Basy
George Lea.
Edward Morris.
Levi Jackson. James Turner. Timothy Layfield.
James Crawlton.
Thomas Hallston. Wia. Lingu.
John Watkins.
John Wiley.
253
DELAWARE DURING THE REVOLUTION.
SEVENTH COMPANY.
John Rhodes, capt., commissioned Derember 4, 1776. Caleb P. Bennett, let lient .. commissioned August 16, 17.8.
Nau-Commissioned Officers and Privates.
Hosea Wil-n. Ist sergt. t harley Coulter, Ed Bergt
Saunel Ctas, Ist corp. Thomas Nash, Ed corp
Robert Thompson, drummer. Wmn. Badly, ffer.
Privates.
Win. Smith.
Win. Willis.
Patrick Coleman.
Elwant Conner.
Win Kelty.
Wm. Minphey.
Sammel Nicholas.
Thomas Saxon.
Martema- sipple.
Thunias Collins.
John Pemberton. Dantel Lawler
Jacob Couk.
Richard Hudson.
Richard Curry foot.
Juslina Shehorn.
Juhn Preston
Jolin Ifarbeit.
Richard Harris.
Christopher Crook.
Wmn. Holt.
John Nelson,
John Mechmanguey.
John Cornell.
Richard Colhl.
Richard Pierson.
EIGHTH COMPANY.
George Purvis, enpt., commissionel October 1, 1777.
Joseph Hosman, Ist lieut., commissioned August Ini, 1778.
Non-Commissioned Officers and Proat. s.
Joseph Hosman, 21 hent.
John Kuwan, Ist sergr.
Thomas Mi Gire, Ed sergt.
Thomas Thompson, 32 sergt.
Jacob Finly, Ist cotp.
Denis Leary, 2dl corp.
James Corse, 3d coup. David Miller, drummer.
John Hackney, ffer.
Pricutes.
Jonathan Coote.
Nathan Bowen.
Ellis Flower.
W'm. Peirson.
Alexander Imolap.
Patrick McC'urdy.
Daniel Handley.
Joseph Tapp.
Alexander Flower.
Zadock Morris.
Patrick Mooney.
John Randern.
John Laheat.
Wn .. Rop.
Frederic Holden.
John Phillips.
Jolin Itnitty.
Thomas Mason.
John Cullen.
Thomas Mattingly.
Jesse Royall.
Damel Daily.
John Purneill.
W'm. Oglesto.
W'm. Hattery.
Daniel Munay.
James Bersine.
Jamies Kennig.
Charles Freeman.
John Stephens.
Levin Hich +.
Thomas Gordan.
Thomas Clark.
Thomas Townsend.
John Cazier, sergt .- major.
Robert Oram, 2d sergt .- major.
Iferdman Anderson, drum-maj. Timothy C'ouk, fife-major.
This will show an average of only about thirty- five men to each company, but within two months after it was made they had been recruited up to about sixty each. The Southern expedition was placed under the command of Major-General Baron De Kalb, and left Morri-town on April 16, 1780, for the head of Elk River, Maryland, passing through Philadelphia and Wilmington. There were no better troops in the American army, and as they marched through Philadelphia they created an impression equal to that which had been made by Haslet's regiment nearly four years pre- vious. A Philadelphia lady, in writing to a friend of the appearance of these Delawareans and Marylanders, said :
"What an army, said both Whiz and Torv, as they saw them pace. The shorter meu of each company in the front rank, the taller men be- hind then-some in huntingshirts, some it uinforms, some in common clothes-sono with their hats cooked and some without, and those who dei cock them, not all wearing them the same wir but each miin with green space, emlfm of hope, in hos bat, at & brungh- for-lock with what, oven to nninstructed eyes, had the air of skiffnl fratuing."
The troops embarked at the head of Elk, on May 3d, for Petersburg, Va., where they were massed
on the 26th for the march south. Before they started General Lincoln had been compelled to surrender Charlston, after a brave defen-e, and on June 13th Congress appointed General Horatio Gates to succeed him in the command of the Southern Department, acting independently of Washington. Clinton looked upon the fall of Charleston as deciding the fate of the South, and embarking with a part of his forres on June 15th, he smiled in New York, leaving the remainder of his army under the command of Lord Cornwallis, who was instructed to pursue a vigorous campaign with the view of extending British domination over all the territory between the Chesapeake Bay and the Savannah River.
De Kalo pushed sonthward, with the resolution characteristic of that intrepid officer, against most distressing obstreles. Sergeant-Major William Seymour, of the Delaware regiment, kept a diary in which he recorded from day to day the incidents of this painful march. The expectations of a supply of provisions anil a reinforcement of militia, made by the Governor of North Carolina, were disappointed. When they arrived at Buffalo Ford, on Deep River, on July 6, 1780, where General Gates took command on the 25th. the commissariat was absolutely empty. " At this time," says Seymour, " we were much distressed for want cf provisions ; men were sent out to eut the grain (eorn) for daily sustenance, but could scarcely get enough to keep the troops from starving, which caused many of the men to desert. . . . For foarteen days we drew but a half- pound of flour per man ; sometimes a half-pound of beef, but so bad that scarce any mortal could make use of it; and we lived chiefly on green apples and peaches, which rendered us weak and sickly."
Seymour's rough narrative is confirmed by George Washington Greene in the life of his father, General Greene. Wiser than the men, the officers denied themselves the unripe corn, apples and peaches and ate only of the beef from the lean cattle driven out of the woods and cane-brakes in which they had wintered. They used for soup such of the beef as was too tough for mastication and thickened the soup with their hair powder, which was a -oft starch in an imperfect condition of crystallization. When Gates arrived he ordered an immediate march to Camden, South Carolina, with the promise " that plentiful supplies of rumand rations were on their way and would overtake them in a day or two." The sagacious De Kalb, who had already taken the measure of the weak, head- strong and foolish Gates, had no more confidence in his assurances of rations than in his judgment concerning the proper line of march to Canalen. De Kalb would have gone around by way of Salisbury, "through the midst of a fertile country inhabited by a .people zealous in the cause of
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Patten Burtis. George Clift in. Nrill Mccann.
254
HISTORY OF DELAWARE.
America :" but his stubborn commander was in- Clermont, and on the 14th was joined by Lord vineible to the arguments of fact and reason. Early on the morning of July 27th the army was put in motion over Buffalo Ford on the direct road to Camden through a sterile region. ColonelOtho Holland Williams. De Kalb's adjutant general, continued De Kalb'- protest and made a number of other suggestions to Gates, who only replied that he would confer with his general officers at noon.1 Colonel William- wrote in his " narrative of the Campaign of 1780 "-
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