500 felling Axes, 5888 Pair Horse Shoes, and if you found the Dan River navigable agreeable to your Expectations, half a Ton of Boat nails for constructing the batteaus

From The Road to Guilford Courthouse by John Buchanan. Page 289. A wonderful illustration of the many levels at which leadership had to be planned and executed.

“When the officer gets to Hughes’ Creek, I wish him to take a Horse and ride across the Country from that place thro’ the town of Bethania to the upper Saura Town, and report the Distance and Condition of the roads. At upper Saura I expect the officer will meet the party exploring the Dan River. I wish him to get the report of that party also, and forward with his, as that is the Foundation of the whole. I also wish the officer to make inquiry respecting the transportation that may be had from the Yadkin to the Catawba River, and whether the transportation cannot be performed with batteaus down that river.
“It is my Intention to construct Boats of a peculiar kind for this Service, that will carry Forty or Fifty barrels, and yet draw little more Water than a common Canoe half loaded. The officer who goes upon this service should have that in Idea when making his observations and Remarks. I am sensible the Business of Transportation will be attended with difficulty down these rivers if it can be done at all. But water transportation is such an immense saving of expenses that small difficulties should not discourage the attempt. And besides the expense that will be saved, there is also another consideration, which is, that Waggons and Forage cannot be had to transport across the Country all by land.”

This letter reveals that Greene had closely questioned all the people he met who had knowledge of the Carolinas, a part of the country in which he had never set foot until late November 1780. The information that was gathered would be of critical importance in several respects during the ensuing campaign. But gathering intelligence was only part of the job, and the easiest. It is all very well to acquire useful information, but without the wherewithal to put it to good use the data might as well be retired to archives. On 4 December Greene instructed Edward Carrington to procure tools and supplies vital to the campaign: “I . . . wish you to have forwarded . . . 500 felling Axes, 5888 Pair Horse Shoes, and if you found the Dan River navigable agreeable to your Expectations, half a Ton of Boat nails for constructing the batteaus. Let those come forward as soon as possible. One Third of the nails to be deposited on the Roanoke at the most convenient Place for building the batteaus, and the rest come on to Salisbury. . . . It will be well for you to consult with a good Shipwright the tools that will be necessary for Building about 100 large batteaus, and to take measures for having them forwarded without Loss of Time. Without Tools we can do nothing, and none are to be got in this Country, not even a common felling Axe.

“You will inquire of the Govr [Thomas Jefferson of Virginia] what steps have been taken by the Assembly to furnish the Artificers and Waggons required by me of the State, and press their immediate Compliance. For without Artificers we can not aid the Transportation.