Branch of Ohio June 19th 1781
Sir,
By this few lines, I acquaint you of my march. We went at first but very slow, having constant sick and Lame men. The 16th of May we met six Delawares from Kadaragarus, who had taken three scalps & two prisoners near Bedford. The prisoner said that the Rebels used the Large Road, but very Little, they go the most part the Virginia Road. On hearing that, the Chief concluded to go to Bedford.
The 2d day of June we came near Frankstone Fort Thirty-three mile from Bedford, where the Rebels keep Scouts, the next day we met with a Scout of Thirty-three men whom we engaged, they retreated & we followed them up, about two miles, took Six prisoners, and Eleven Scalps & the Commanding Officer, a Continental Captain, who has been in the Rebel Service five years, and we lost one man and had two wounded.
The Captain says that General Arnold has took a place in Virginia Called Petersbourgh last Spring and a quantity of money coming from France. And says that one Col'o Clark is gone to Ft. Pitt two months ago with seven hundred men to go to Detroit, and is to raise some in Virginia to join him. The last acc't he heard that they had raised but very few.
I am &c.
Rob't Nelles L't
[to] Col'lo Guy Johnson
From microfilm of the Frederick Haldimand Papers, British Library Additional Manuscripts No. 21,767, folio 189, with thanks to the British Library (London, UK) and by courtesy of the Public Archives of Canada.
1 [Editors Note] I have chosen to label this as early June, instead of 3 June as indicated below, because other information: an account published by George Dallas Albert says the event took place 13 June; and the POW records say that Capt. Chambers was captured 7 June.