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Gen. Greene to Gen. Marion Mrs. Elliott's Plantation, Jan. 16, 1782. Dear Sir: Your favor of the 15th, has just this moment come to hand. I cannot imagine upon what principles Lt. Col. Maham presumes to dispute rank with Lt. Col. Horry; the latter has been a Lieut. Colonel in the Continental service, and still claims his rank in that line, but supposing his claim not to be well founded, he is out of service, not of choice but necessity, and is a supernumerary officer on half pay, and therefore his claim to rank must be good whenever called into service; there is a great difference between the claims of an officer who resigned and one who goes out of service upon the half pay establishment. On this ground I think Col. Horry has clearly the right of out ranking Col. Maham. Much is due to the merits and exertion of Col. Maham, but no less is due to the rights and claims of Lieut. Col. Horry. It was never my intention that Lieut. Col. Maham's corps should be subject to no order but my own, but in the first instance this would be totally incompatible with the nature of the service. My intention with respect to that corps was, that it should stand upon the same footing as Lieut. Col. Lee's Legion, which is called an independent corps; no body has a right to command them but the Commander in chief, unless by him placed under some other command. Lee's Legion is frequently put under particular officers' command, according to the nature of the service, and to be otherwise would be burdening the public with a useless expense, for many things which are practicable with a combined force could not be attempted without it. I am persuaded when Col. Maham thinks more fully on this subject, he will, he must be convinced his ideas of the constitution and nature of his corps is totally inadmissible. The care and expense he has been at, claim every indulgence that the nature of the service will admit, but the public finance does not admit of show in preference to substantial service. It was my wish that you should use the corps only upon the most material service, that they might be always in readiness for the most important calls, and these are my wishes still, at any rate I cannot think of removing them from the quarter they are employed in, as I am but too sensible of their utility there. I received a line from Lieut. Col. Horry to-day, informing me of the militia having deserted him in great numbers since you came away, and the Colonel begs you to return as soon as possible, consistent with the public good; and this is my request also. Lieut. Col. Horry writes that the enemy have detached a large body of troops to George Town, but I believe the intelligence to be premature. In your report of the action of the other day, you don't mention the loss of the enemy, as you mention in a former letter that they had requested you to bury their dead. I am sorry to find your loss greater than you first expected, and wish to learn the enemy's. I am, dear sir, your most obedient humble servant, N. GREENE (No. 238 From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 3, pp. 229-231) Doc ID: Gibbes, v. 3, p. 229 Date: 1/16/1782 |
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