To Major England D. Q^rMaster General at Camden

Camp at Waxhaw, Sept 20^th 1780

Dear England

I find it difficult to decide immediately about the Waggons. I have desired Balfour to send up more Rum and Salt for the use of the troops at Camden; & I should wish to carry with us every drop of Rum that is now there, if we can get conveyance for it. Of the quantity, you will be able to judge; & will proportion the Carriages accordingly: But the difficult point to ascertain, is the conveyance of the Sick. We have now above 120 here, & they are daily increasing: The 71^st will add considerably to that list. The disposal of all these Sick, will be a matter very naturally to be considered; but whether we move them forward, or send them back, waggons will be equally necessary. I think at present, of fixing a Post under Wemyss at Charlottetown; if I find that it can be supplied with Provisions. Tarleton was to have gone thither, to have ascertained that point; but unfortunately he is exceedingly ill at White's on Fishing Creek: He cannot be removed; & I am obliged to leave his Crops there, for his protection. Should the Post at Charlotte be found practicable, that will be the best place for the sick of whose recovery within these six weeks or two months we have any hopes. They will soon become a considerable addition of strength to Wemyss; & may afterwards, very possibly, be brought up to the Army.

Make my best compliments to Col. Turnbull, who I hope is recovering; & tell him, that when Major Pinckney is able to travel, I will allow him to pass fourteen days at his Wife's Father's at the Congarees: He must then join the other Field Officers on Parole, who are at Orangeburgh unless otherwise disposed of by Col. Balfour, & report his doing so to the Commandant.

Colonel Cruger informed me of the rising in the Ceded Lands in Georgia, & has marched with his whole force; which, by the bye, is not very great: Ferguson, who has made rather a successful expedition to the Mountains above Gilbertown, has, I hope, stopped some of the Rebel Parties who were going to the assistance of the Georgia Insurgents. I most sincerely hope that Col. Cruger will be able to settled that business without obliging me to detach; which will be very inconvenient.

Pray talk over the arrangement of the Mates & Medicines very fully with Hill: We certainly must take a great stock of the latter with us; & a very considerable quantity must be left at Charlottetown, if it should be found expedient to establish the Post I talk of. You may depend on my not leaving you behind. I am

Faithfully Yours
(Signed) Cornwallis

If you find that more Medicines are wanted from Charlestown, send an Express to Col. Balfour without losing time by writing to me.

[Source: Public Records Office, Kew, PRO 30/11/80/31-32.]