Dobbs County, NC - Richard Caswell to William Caswell, 1776

Excerpt from a letter Caswell wrote to his son William, who was serving with 
the 2nd Continental Regiment of North Carolina 

Source: THE FIRST OF PATRIOTS AND BEST OF MEN: RICHARD CASWELL IN PUBLIC 
LIFE, written in 1930 by CLAYTON BROWN ALEXANDER and edited in 2007 by W. 
KEATS SPARROW: published by the Lenoir Co. Colonial Commission: p.68  The 
original letter is found in the Colonial Records of North Carolina, edited 
by W.L. Saunders, vol VIII, p,114

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Caswell’s own zeal and willingness to make personal sacrifices for the 
cause of liberty are set forth vigorously in a letter to his eldest 
son, William, who was serving with the second Continental regiment of 
North Carolina.  This regiment was rendering such valuable aid to 
Virginia in repelling Lord Dunmore’s attack on Norfolk as to win the 
esteem and praise of the Virginia House of Burgesses.  Caswell’s 
letter, dated 8 February 1776, dealing with both public and private 
affairs, may be quoted with only a few omissions, as it expresses 
frankly the views entertained by Caswell at this time.

"I rejoice to hear of your and Mr. Herritage’s health though it 
was lowly.  Men in your situation are often so.  But when you 
consider the great cause you are engaged in you will think your 
sufferings from those small vermin not worth notice.  However, if 
it were in my power to send you those shirts, I would most 
cheerfully do it or anything else within the compass of my power.  
My leg was in such a state from the kick of a horse that I could 
not venture to travel so far.  The Continental troops will soon 
return to this state as the council has requested it.  I will at 
the first opportunity send your horse to the camp.  If other 
officers are dissatisfied with the service, it is no rule you 
should be.  I hope, my dear child, the virtuous cause you are 
engaged in and the hope you have of giving the little assistance 
in your power to the relief of your country will stimulate you to 
put up with hardships, fatigue and inconveniences which others 
may shudder at, to ward off that slavery under which it is 
attempted to put the present and future generations in this once 
happy land.  Do not mistake me when I say that the 
dissatisfaction of others ought not to be a rule for you, nor 
think that I wish you for one moment to be in a service that your 
conscience did not tell you it is your duty to attend and even to 
sacrifice that life which I have given you, if I did not think 
that your own, mine and our country’s honor and welfare required 
it.  Let virtue, honor and prudence conduct you.  If I never see 
you again in this world, my prayers shall be daily made to the 
Almighty Disposer of all things to bless you in the next.  I am 
here without any of the white people of my family except your 
little brother Jack, preparing the houses to accommodate your 
mother and the children who will all be here before the end of 
this month, I hope.  Three privateers are fitting out, one at 
Wilmington, one at New Bern, and one at Edenton, which will soon 
be fit for the seas.  The troops in the Continental establishment 
are to be augmented to 1500.  I am purchasing supplies for the 
New Bern detachment".

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This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
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