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Andrew Pickens to Capt. William Butler [Original MS.] Long Cane, August 21, 1782. Sir: As the situation of this country makes it still necessary that a part of the people should constantly be on duty for the purpose of suppressing such parties of men, as lost to every sense of justice or principle of honesty or humanity, make it their sole study to ruin and distress by every means in their power, every man who shows the least attachment to honesty, regular order and civil government; and as this service will be better performed by men engaged for a certain determinate time, than by the militia called out from time to time as exigencies may require, I desire that you will, with all possible expedition, engage and embody twenty-five good men for your own and Captain John Mitchel's companies, exclusive of one Lieutenant, one Quarter Master and two Sergeants, to serve for six months from the day the whole are engaged and reported to me. They will serve on horse-back, each man furnishing his own horse, saddle, and other accoutrements if he can, but where that is not in his power, you will have horses, saddles, &c., provided for such as are in want by virtue of the warrant to impress such articles herewith given you; you will be particularly careful to have an exact account kept by the Quarter Master of all such horses, saddles, &c., as may be impressed by you, specifiying the person's name for whom they are got, the time when, and the sums to which they are appraised; all which as well as the people's own horses, you will have the greatest care taken of, that you may always be in a condition fit for service, and that there may be no unnecessary waste of property, you will also take care to make the Quarter-Master give receipts for all provision and forage you receive, and keep a book in which he is to rate regularly all articles, either horses, saddles, provisions, or forage, the two last articles need not be appraised, but the quantity and quality exactly ascertained that the Legislature may with the more ease fix the prices. You will be particularly careful not to distress any of the good citizens of this State under any pretence, as the interest of this company is to protect, not to injure; you will therefore, effectually stop all plundering, of every kind, as no property is to be meddled with on any pretence whatever, unless such as may be taken in the field from men in arms against the State, which is to be the property of the captors, except what may be proved to belong to good citizens, doing or always ready to do their duty when called on, who are to have their property delivered to them when proved, without any reward or deduction. All those who may claim property retaken from the enemy, and who have not themselves done their duty when called on, or who have refused or neglected the same, or moved into other States, will pay one-third part of the value of all such property, to be ascertained by three indifferent men, sworn to appraise the same. Your company will be governed by the rules and articles for the Government of the troops of this State, and entitled to such pay as is allowed by the present militia law, and they will not be called out of the District, unless on some particular emergency, and by my particular order. I am, sir, your most obedient servant, ANDREW PICKENS (From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 2, pp. 210-211) Doc ID: Gibbes, v. 2, p. 210 Date: 8/21/1782 |
Last modified: 7/30/03/CLN.
URL: http://www.southcarolinahistoricalsociety.org/displays/RevWar/archives-online/Gibbes__v__2__p__210.html