Philadelphia Feby 24. 1781
Dear sir,
Your favor by Col. Livingston, with 2 packets, came to hand this morning. I shall endeavour to execute your orders in a few days. We are under a considerable degree of anxiety about the state of affairs in North Carolina. The latest intelligence from General Greens army was on the 9th instant, he was then at, or about Guildford Court House - Cornwallis at Shallow Ford on the Yadkin, distant from our Army 40 Miles & 250 from Charles Town. He had burnt his Waggons, & it was expected woud cross the Yadkin that day. The prisoners taken by Morgan were out of danger of being retaken. He had pick’d up abt 100 more since the action. This movement of Cornwallis is esteemd exceeding rash by the Southern Gentlemen here, but I believe if he advances, General Green will be forc’d to evacuate North Carolina, or to engage on very unequal terms. Colo. Marian has distroyd some of the Enemies Magazines at Wandaw Landing, & Dorchester, within 20 Miles of Charles Town, & taken 30 British prisoners besides some officers. I shall add no more on this Subject, as it is probable before this reaches you, some important events have been communicated to you from that quarter. The troops Landed at Cape Fear, consist of a detachment from Charles Town, & have taken possession of Wilmington, abt 500.
The Confederation will be subscribed (Mr Hanson being here) on next Thusday, & Congress having postpond it to that day, in order to announce it properly.1
I am with great esteem, & regard, Your Excellencys Most Obt Sert.
Danl. Carroll
Receiver’s copy, Maryland State Papers (Red Books), Maryland Hall of Records Commission, Annapolis.
1 Carroll had presented Maryland’s certified act of ratification on February 12, but had to wait for the arrival of a second delegate, John Hanson, on the 22nd, when Congress set aside Thursday, March 1, 1781, "for compleating the Confederation" and assigned a committee of three to consider "a mode for announcing the same to the public." See JCC, 19: 138, 185 - 86. For the committee’s report and the ceremonies and announcements themselves, see ibid., pp. 190 - 93; Thomas Rodney’s Diary, March 1; and Samuel Huntington to the States, March 2, 1781.