Charles Cornwallis letter to Alexander Innes, 16 June 1780

[Earl Cornwalus to Lieut.-Colonel Innes.]

Dear Sir, Camden, June 16, 1780.

Mills has been premature in his rising ; but as he lives in a remote comer of the country, quite out of our way, and insists upon defending the settlements of himself and his followers, we must let him act. I have used every expedient in my power to induce our friends in North Carolina to remain at home and get in their harvest, and by no means to think of rising till I send to them ; and I have reason to think now that they have all acquiesced, though very unwillingly. I must beg you will let Mills have a little ammunition, and you must absolutely send some tolerably intelligent officer with him, to insist positively on his acting only on the defensive, and to put him in the way of doing so. Should he act offensively, he might endanger the bringing on a premature rising in the province, and ruin all our plans for the reduction of North Carolina.

I am, &e.,

Cornwallis.