My Lord Since I had the honour of attending your Lordship, I have employ'd my thoughts with much anxiety, on the plan of operations intended for North Carolina. I wishd to reduce them into writing. I will lay down a few facts as the foundation of what I wish to propose, that it may at once appear whether my oppinions arising from these facts are well or ill founded.
In the province of North Carolina there are several rivers, which run a considerable way into the Country. Upon the south is Cape fear river which is navigable for ships of large burden, as far as a shoal which they call the fflatts, about seven miles above Brunswick town, which is situated 12 miles within the bar. In consequence of this impediment vessels, which have a drat of above 9½ feet water, cannot go up to Wilmington, which is the next port above and the most considerable town on the river even at spring tides, till they are lightned to that draught. Above or rather at Wilmington, the Northeast and. Northwest branches of the river join. The Northeast is the least considerable, and upon its whole extent there is no town, tho' its banks are very well settled. The Northwest branch is much larger and runs much farther into the Country. The first town is Cross creek about 100 miles above Wilmington. Here the whole trade with the back settlers is carried on, for a great way round.
From ffort Johnston at the mouth of the river to Brunswick is 12 miles. From Brunswick to Wilmington there are two roads: one goes up the right Side of the river upon which Brunswick stands and crosses two fferries opposite to Wilmington, occasioned by the river being there divided, by a large swampy Island thro' which there is a very bad road of a mile and a half. The length of this road is reckoned 16. Miles. To go by the other road, one must Cross a fferry at Brunswick of a mile over, from whence to Wilmington it is about ten miles. Every part of these roads, is more or less sandy. Some of them, for miles together is very deep, as the surface is often a pure white sand, without a particle of soil to bind it together. This is the Case with allmost every part of the province near the sea. The roads on both sides the river cross a few Water runs, which in the Country are called creeks: they are generally swampy along the sides, which are crowded with trees, bushes, vines & brambles. Over all these Creeks are wooden bridges. Whenever the land is dry, there is little or no brush. The Woods in general are in the stile of open Groves in England, except in such places as have once been cleared and afterwards abandoned. These are allways covered with brush. The roads upon the North west branch of the river, grow more solid every mile above Wilmington, and long before they reach Cross creek are very hard. The only making they bestow upon the roads in the flat part of the Country is cutting out the trees to the necessary breadth, in as even a line as they can, and where the ground is wet, they make a small ditch on either side. The Roads thro' swamp land, are made by first laying logs in the direction of the road and covering them cross ways with small pine trees, layd regularly together over sod, with which the logs are previously covered. The roads run constantly thro the woods, which tho' they are generally pretty open, yet objects at any considerable distance, are intercepted from the eye, by the trees crouding into the line of direction as the distance increases.
I thought it necessary to be so minute as this road along the west side of the North west branch, is that by which the junction of the provincials with the troops must be effected.
The next navigable river to the Northward is the Neuse, upon which Newbern the Governours residence is situated, about fourty Miles from the sound. This river can admit only of small vesssels.
Albemarle sound is the inlet to Roanoke river, upon which Edenton is situated 60 miles within land. And about 140, miles further up the River is Halifax which carries on a considerable trade: In the neighbourhood of Halifax; they have a good breed of horses, to the Southward the horses are smaller, but spirited and hardy.
The lower parts of the province are subject to Agues, pleurisies & bilious Complaints: the people of the back country are strangers to those disorders.
The Rivers in the lower parts of the Country have no fords. Their banks are in general coverd with impenetrable swamps & bottomless morasses, a very few spots excepted, upon which generaly plantations are settled. But in the back country, they have good fords.
The settlements upon the lower part of Capefear river do not produce grain enough, particularly wheat, to answer their own demands. Large quantities are therefore sent down from Cross creek in row boats, which in return carry up whatever goods are wanted for the use of the back settlers.
Every proprietor of ever so small a piece of land, raises some Indian Corn & sweet potatoes, & breeds some hoggs & a calf or two; and a man must be very poor who walks a foot.
Brunswick country where the troops must first land, contains fewer of the lower class of country people, than any part of the whole province, particularly near the sea.
There is no specie in the province, and there never was a person who could command a sum of any consequence even of their paper currency. Nothing in the stile of a Banker or money Merchant was ever heard of.
Governour Tryon left the province very soon after the submission of the Regulators, and when Colonel [Josiah] Martin succeeded to the Government, their wounds were still bleeding, and the[y] had received no protection, from the oppression of the petty fogging attorneys, whose rapacity had been the original cause of their rebellion. Governour Martin arrived in the province at this very critical time. He made a progress thro' his Government; and when we was in this part of the Country, his attention to the releif of these poor people was such as won him their highest confidence & esteem.
There is now a numerous body of the Sons & grandsons of the first scotch highland settlers besides the later emigrants who retain that enthusiastick love for the country from which they are descended, which indeed scarce a highlander ever loses, that they will support its dignity at every risk. The Governour has attached them strongly to him, as well as the later emigrants by many services he has had opportunities of doing them Many highland gentlemen are now in that country, several of whom have been officers, and still retain their influence among the people.
Many of the people of the largest property in the Country, tho' they now languish under the hand of oppression, will instantly join, to support the Constitution, upon the first appearance of a chance of support.
The low country people in general have fire arms. I never was in a house without seeing one or more muskets. Indeed the Militia laws require them to have them. The highland emigrants carried few arms with them, and the regulators delivered up the greatest part of theirs to Governour Tryon.
The six iron guns that were at the Governours house dismounted & spiked up, are now in the hands of the rebels with several ship guns, they took from a Mr Cornell, at Newbern. They have got two more guns at Wilmington & probably, if the Cruizer sloop has left her station, they have carried off, some of the Guns at ffort Johnston. There is reason however to beleive they have neither powder nor shot for these guns.
These things being premised, I shall now, with the utmost diffidence lay before your Lordship, a few Ideas that have occurrd to me in the Course of my thinking upon this subject
It appears from the account I have given of the soil near the sea, and of the swampy branches or Creeks, which cross the roads, and the small size of the horses, that it would be a matter of great difficulty, to transport heavy cannon & waggons, either into the interior part of the country or along the Coast. At the same time it is absolutely necessary to have a good train of Artilery as it was owing to his cannon in a great measure, perhaps solely, that Governor Tryon defeated the regulators: for the fire of his musketry made no impression upon them. And perhaps it would be an improvement, to use balls upon the occasion smaller than common, as at the short distance they must be used at, the effect of the smaller shot would be in proportion to their numbers.
Trenching & pioneers tools will be necessary in a large proportion, as there may be often occasion to repair the Causeways, as they call them, across the swampy runs, and perhaps to make bridges over the larger ones, if the enemy should destroy them, or if they should be found not to be strong enough which is a very possible case, as they are constructed for light carriages only.
It cannot be supposed that the people to be raised have any camp necessaries, such as kettles, lanterns &c. these should be provided for them, and indeed the more care is taken of them they will do their duty the better.
It would be proper to send out, some alert Soldiers qualified, to be Sergeants & Corporals for the express purpose of training the provincial regiments, which would soon make them far superior to the rebells, who have very few helps of that kind.
I have allready observed that the town of Brunswick which indeed is but a stragling village, is 12. miles, within the barr. At low water there is ten feet water upon the barr, at spring tides there is from 19 to 20 feet so that in fine weather ships of deep draught can easily go in. The water, both below & above the flatts is deep enough for any vessel, Vessels can run from the Barr to Brunswick in three, or four hours with the tide, with allmost any wind. There is good anchorage within half musket shot of the town. The bank is pretty high for this Country, and the woods are cut down a good way round the town, tho' there are shrubby bushes. An encampment there, cannot be Commanded, as there is no higher ground, and the approaches to the Camp can easily be defended on the land side, and if there should be any sick, the houses would serve as good hospitals. There is plenty of water. This is the only town on the right or west side of the river, so that should a body of the rebells attempt to harrass the troops as they have no tents nor camp implements of any kind, they must soon disperse without a blow. But there would be little risk of any immediate attempt of this kind if some of the lightest vessels, properly armed & having defences musket proof, with a few troops on board were instantly sent up to Wilmington. The town would submit, as most of the Inhabitants are well affected, and by having one ship at the town and another a little higher at Mr Harnets plantation, all communication, from the North east to the North-west river, especially across the Northwest, would be renderd next to impossible for many miles up And wherever it was attempted, it could only be done by a few men, as there is no way even for a single horse thro' the swamps on the river sides. There could then be little difficulty in effecting the junction with the highlanders & provincials from Cross creek and the adjoining Counties.
Brunswick county as I have said is thinly settled, consequently, cattle and horses are few, especially near the sea; but these and every thing else the province affords, will be plentifully supplied from the back country, when the people march to make a junction, which if the previous steps go successfully on, may be effectuated in ten or twelve days, after disembarking the troops
If a superiority was once obtaind in this part of the Country, which one would think nothing but some very unforseen accident would prevent, it is next to certain, that every other part might be soon reduced. The Ringleaders must fly: and the people would infallibly submit upon promise of pardon & protection. And here let me mention, that a great many copies of a proper proclamation from the King should be printed, in order to be dispersed wherever a man could be found to read them, which would open the eyes of the poor country people, who have been most amazingly deluded.
Now supposing things to have succeeded at Cape fear, it may be proper to detach a part of the regulars, with a body of the provincial troops by sea and to land them in Albemarle sound, where the inhabitants of Currituck and Pasquotonk, with many of, the people, round them are well affected, as well as their neighbours mthat part of Virginia which is next them. And if a previous plan can be settled with the loyal gentlemen in that part of the Country, they could prepare their people for taking Arms to join the forces upon their landing so that the rebells in the middle counties would then be betwixt two fires if they ventur'd to stand out.
There is little to be apprehended from South Carolina, they are too weak to think of sending troops out of their province; and should they be mad enough, a report that their negroes were to be declared free, would secure them effectualy at home. The only chance the rebells would have of support is from Virginia. Yet as that province is so much cut by Rivers, a few hundred men in armed vessels, by making descents in different places would keep the whole province in alarm and harrass them extremly independant of what Lord Dunmore hopes to be able to accomplish.
I have allready mentioned the scarcity of money in this province. The provincial troops must be payd: and many other services require ready money.
But the point of all others upon which the raising a force in this Country most depends is Governour Martin, being at the head of every thing. I mentioned the necessity of it to your Lordship, and I beg leave to repeat it. Your Idea my Lord of local rank, will I hope do. Yet from rank in America only, I am afraid he never will be considered by the gentlemen of the Country as having that importance at home which real rank in the Army, would appear to them to give him.
I have perhaps my Lord in this long paper, given my oppinion with a great deal more freedom than I had a right to do, but as the sole object of my coming to England, was to lay before your Lordship, whatever hints, my small knowledge or Abilities furnished me with, I have done it without reserve, tho' not without that diffidence, which every man must feel, when writing upon subjects of such high importance. I have the honour to be My Lord [&c.]
Orange Street [London] 31 October 1775
