officer, I esteem and honour. Indeed I take up the affair on a longer scale: I may say it is also of importance to this state and to the whole confederal alliance, as it strikes at the very root of reciprocal confidence, and opens a road to misrepresentation, detraction, and malice, which cannot be guarded against but with the utmost circum. spection, and which, if not checked, might be productive of the most serious consequences to these states, either in a civil or military sense. Briga dier-general M'Intosh informs me, that he lately received a letter from your excellency, enclosing the following extract of a letter to congress from me, as speaker of the assembly of the state of Georgia,

"It is to be wished that we could advise congress, that the return of brigadier-general M'In. tosh, gave satisfaction to either the militia or con. federates; but the common dissatisfaction is such, and that founded on weighty reasons. It is highly necessary that congress would, whilst that officer is in the service of the United-States, direct some distant field for the exercise of his abilities."

"I am sorry sir, to be informed by this extract, of the extreme malice and rancour of general M'Intosh's enemies; but at the same time enjoy a peculiar happiness, in having it in my power to defeat their nefarious machinations and intentions. I do hereby most solemnly declare to congress, that the above extract is a flagrant forgery, of which I disclaim all knowledge whate

ever, either directly or indirectly; neither did I ever subscribe in a public or private capacity, any letter or paper that could convey to congress such an idea of that officer, with respect to his country, which he has in my opinion served with reputation, and from which he ought to receive the grateful acknowledgements of public approbation, instead of the malicious insinuations of public slander, in which class I am under the necessity of ranking the forged letter, which is the subject of this. I am glad of the opportunity of inform ing congress, that so far is that forgery from truth, that I believe there is not a respectable citizen or officer in Georgia, who would not be happy in serving under general M'Intosh, nor one in either class who would be otherwise, except a few who are governed by design or self interest." This letter was signed by William Glascock, and certified by major Peter Deveaux, who was one of the executive council.

The proceedings of the legislature of Georgia upon this subject, exhibit a strange inconsisten cy. On the journals of the house of assembly, dated January 30, 1783, are the following resolutions: "Resolved, That they have examined such papers and persons as have been offered by the different parties, from which it appears that the resolves of council, dated at Augusta, December 12, 1779, and the letter from governor Walton, to the president of congress, dated December 15, 1779, respecting general M'Intosh, were unjust,

illeberal, and a misrepresentation of facts: that the letter said to be from William Glascock, speaker of the assembly, dated November 30, 1779, addressed to the president of congress, appears to be a forgery, in violation of law and truth, and highly injurious to the interest of the state, and dangerous to the rights of its citizens; and that the attorney-general be ordered to make the necessary inquiries and enter such prosecutions as may be consistent with his duty and office.

"Resolved, That general M'Intosh be informed, that this house do entertain an abhorrence of all such injurious attempts made use of, as appears by the papers laid before them, to injure the character of an officer and citizen of this state, who merits the attention of the legislature, for his early, decided and perserving efforts in the defence of America, of which virtues this house have the highest sense." The day preceding the one on which these resolutions were passed, George Walton, esquire, was appointed chief justice of the state of Georgia, by the same body who voted these censures upon him: therefore he was appointed to preside over the only tribunal, competent to his own trial.

The Georgians, whose property had been taken into possession by the commissioners of sequestration for the use of the crown, exercised their ingenuity to devise the means for the recovery of it, and to remove it into places of security. Small parties made frequent incur

sions, and in some instances they were successful, and in others they lost their lives. Parties of loy. alists were laid in wait at the different passes, to intercept the Americans in their attempts to recover their own property, and were frequently successful in cutting them off. Private armed vessels were also employed for similar purposes: those of Georgia, commanded by commodore Oliver Bowen, captains Spencer, John Howell, William Maxwell, Job Pray, Hardy, John Lawson, Joseph Stiles, and many others who had small vessels in North-Carolina, made frequent voyages along the coast, with various success; and it is not matter of wonder, that both land and water parties made occasional reprisals on the enemy, when they werę unsuccessful in the recovery of their own property. By the activity of the privateers, the parties of the enemy who were collecting provisions and forage for the troops at Savannah, were frequently captured as they were passing along the inland navigation: the crews of the vessels, and guards which were taken on board, were generally parol ed as prisoners of war; but when captures were made of such as had been guilty of murder, houseburning or robbery, on the friends of freedom, they were executed for their crimes: instances of this nature seldom happened, except by way of retaliation for murders committed by the British, for what they called treason and rebellion.

The privateers made frequent and successful Voyages to the West-Indies, from whence they

brought supplies of gun powder, salt, and other articles, necessary for the supply of the American troops and the citizens.

Colonels Twiggs, Dooley, Clarke, Few, and Jones, were actively employed on the frontier against the Indians, and in the partizan warfare into that part of the state, possessed by the British troops. In one of Dooley's skirmishes in Burke county, two men were killed, by the names of Corker, and Webb. The next day, colonel Twiggs attacked a party of M'Girth's men, who had plundered and burned several houses: he retook the property, killed three of the enemy, and took five of them prisoners. About the 20th of March, colonel Pickens, with a part of his regiment, from South-Carolina, formed a junction with colonel Twiggs, and captain Inman's troop of horse. With this force, which consisted of about three hundred men, they marched down the Ogechee river, with the expectation of surprising M'Girth, whose marauders had been employed in distressing those who were in the American interest, in the south-eastern division of the state. They proceeded to Liberty county, got sight of M'Girth, and gave chase to him; but the knowledge he had of the country, and the fleetness of his horse, enabled him to escape. Some of his party were killed, and three or four taken prisoners. About sixty of the Americans returned to governor Wright's plantation, which had been fixed on as the place of rendezvous.