[v. 3, No.
124.] Gen. Greene to Gen. Marion
HEAD QUARTERS NEAR SANDY RIVER, June 25, 1781.
Dear Sir:
I am favoured with your letter dated at the Congaree.
The enemy have obliged us to raise the siege of Ninety-Six,
when it was upon the eve of surrendering. It was my wish to
have fought Lord Rawdon before he got to Ninety-Six, and
could I have collected your force and that of Gen. Sumter
and Pickens, I would have done it, and am persuaded we
should have defeated him, but being left alone, I was
obliged to retire. I am surprised the people should be so
averse to joining in some general plan of operations. It
will be impossible to carry on the war to advantage, or even
attempt to hold the country, unless your force can be
directed to a point; and as to flying parties here and
there, they are of no consequence in the great events of
war. If the people will not be more united in their views,
they must abide the consequences, for I will not calculate
upon them at all, unless they agree to act conformably to
the great law of recovering all parts of the country, and
not particular parts. Gen. Sumter is preparing for a
manoeuvre down in the lower part of the State, and he will
require your aid to bring it into effect. You will therefore
call out all the force you can, and co-operate with him in
any manner he may direct. Count De Gresse has defeated
Admiral Rodney in the West Indies, and taken St. Lucia.
These are facts, and you may propagate them.
With esteem and regard, I am dear sir,
Your humble servant,
NATH. GREENE
(From
Documentary History of the American Revolution, by
Gibbes, Volume 3, p. 100)
Doc ID:
Gibbes, v. 3, p. 100
Date: 6/25/1781
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